This fits in nicely with what I was considering for my next blog post:

Foodie pics

Truly amazing. Anyways, I got my first fruit, veg & salad box delivered on Thursday evening, from a local supplier, from local growers (mostly Lancashire and Cheshire). My friend saw it so can testify to how amazing it looked, but it was a real struggle to get it all in the fridge! A big savoy cabbage, one of those pretty green, pointy cauliflowers (I call them Mandelbrot caulies ... some geekier bods might know what I mean), sprouts on a stick, leeks, Chantenay carrots, red carrots (which have a red outer ring and an orange middle - most peculiar!), beetroot, spuds (still with the mud on! just like when I was a kid!), onions, baby plum tomatoes (yes, they grow them oop North!), ordinary tomatoes, Satsumas (I suspect these may be imported)and probably lots of other things I forgot about. Like the broccoli ... I'm already looking forward to ordering my next one.

Himself doesn't much care for veg (although pureed into gravy he'll eat anything I like - as long as it isn't green!), but there is method in my madness. The plan is to cook lots more homemade soups for me to eat and help with a bit of a healthy kick. I'd claim a weightloss plan, but I'd be fibbing, cos not eating to lose weight is no fun, whereas soup most definitely can be.

I upset people in work last year taking in various colourful lentil, tomato and beetroot soups, and my particular favourite, lettuce soup (bit of nutmeg and a swirl of cream. Oh yes!). But I think I excelled myself last week, after a particularly fun, but messy, girls night in. Oh yes, readers, curried cabbage and sprout soup! Take one onion, a few Brussels, the remains of a Savoy cabbage and the really green outers of the new Savoy: fry gently, add one Indian Oxo cube and enough water to cover, cook to oblivion, puree and ... voila! Even himself admitted it smelt good (I don't think he had his tongue in his cheek), although he wasn't quite prepared to try it himself!

A couple of hours earlier though, it was hard to believe I'd been cooking anything ... four bottles, three girls, and hey presto! I was the sickest I've been in a good few years! I'm trying to claim Norovirus (I just don't talk to the great white telephone, not for an incredibly long time), but the whole morning was a complete write off. I understand that my partners in crime both felt a bit off-colour also, undoubtedly not helped by the fact that the following morning they, unlike me, had to deal with their offspring in their delicate states. Unthinkable. My admiration to you girls! Re-spect!


It was back to school today. Working at home tomorrow, so if I'm lucky there might be updates to the bird situation. Although whilst I was feeling naff on Friday the thrush made an appearance, picking creepy crawlies out of the wildflower meadow. Thing is, I can't work out whether it's a mistle thrush or a song thrush. Seems there's little difference except size, and I'm not exactly an expert, although the relative rarity of the latter and the decidedly un-dainty size of the one I've seen would probably mean the former (think bigger than a blackbird) . If I ever get a digital camera I shall send a piccie to the RSPB and let them tell me!