A beautiful face

It looked lovely this morning, but it was mighty chilly as I took my walk. I drove for a short distance so as to make sure the car was OK and then did a circular walk near Gunnerton.

It's a lovely little village with a nature reserve on the crags. These are carpeted with primroses. This horse looked over the fence into the lane as I walked past.

I was too cold, then too hot, my hat was a nuisance, my pack didn't sit right. It took me a while to gain an equilibrium!!

Tonight I cooked Savoury Carrot Layer from The Cranks cookbook. My copy is very old and falls open at the page. We love it, but I always realise, too late in the proceedings, the reason why I don't cook it often. It's all the pans, liquidiser, cooking pot and utensils that are required. The washing up is mega.

But then we enjoyed it and savoured the flavour......

Life in the Time of  Covid 19
Last night I set my alarm to wake me at 2357 so I could try for a Tesco order for 3 weeks hence. When the alarm went off I must have been in a very deep sleep because I jumped out of bed, went to the loo and thought I was getting up during the afternoon to cook the evening meal. It was pitch black, but my brain was totally befuddled.

Back in bed, I suddenly realised what I should be doing. Amazingly I was put in a queue and then able to book a delivery.

Margret (next door) tried the same thing, but at 0015 she was told she was unsuccessful. She had joined the queue 15 mins before me. I think we are still on speaking terms.......

So this is the new norm. Once a week or so I stay up or wake up for midnight to try for a food order. How bizarre is that?

Now to the PPE crisis. I was just thinking back to the mission hospital I went to in Botswana for my elective 3 months, back in 1973. We had an autoclave. All the gloves and other equipment was autoclaved until the gloves were in shreds.

When I went for a job interview in 1976, I was asked about the experience. I said it had taught me to be very careful not to waste even a cotton swab. The interviewer said "surely that wasn't important?" I replied, with some feeling, "It was if  you didn't have any more to use!"

On my walk, I met Gary who runs The Hexham Uketeers. He was able to give me advice on which breweries are delivering and the relative value for money. Great advice. Thanks Gary!