Current obsessions

Another dreary day - really felt as if we'd gone back to winter - has driven me inwards, blipping my newly-washed vegetables brought by my shopping angel and actually only going, literally, over the door. (The angel and I spent about half an hour in a loud conversation about schools and teaching after Mr PB had disappeared indoors with the bags of messages).

It was while I was making the coffee that it struck me what a cheerful corner I'd created at the other end of the worktop. I seem to be obsessed with the need to have plenty of fresh vegetables to call on - fitting them into the fridge is interesting. Also in the picture are three of my various tubs of salt: a small cork box with the expensive fleur de sel, an earthenware jar that once held mustard and now contains ordinary sea salt flakes, and a tub of Cornish smoked salt which smells absolutely delicious. Beyond them is my knife block; the handle on the top nearest the camera belongs to a rather ancient steel for sharpening knives and it's there because there was a hole specially for such a thing and I happened to have one. I can remember my father using it on a knife when I was small, but don't think I'd want to try it on any of mine, despite having the knack ...

Apart from this, I've actually felt pretty off-colour all day. I think ibuprofen may have caused the rather fruity cough with which I woke this morning, and the general malaise could have been brought about by a mixture of hay fever, tiredness, depression and hypochondria ... I'll take my symptoms to bed, I think, and hope they're gone by morning.

G'night!