Lemongrass

Though we don't cook so much thai food as we used to, it's still a favourite and I couldn't resist buying a tiny lemongrass plant in the spring. It's now a hulking giant and foretells a delightful winter filled with spicy thai soups to warm us up in the continued absence of central heating.

This taken during a long lovely chat on the terrace with Mr B, with the afternoon sun hot enough to keep us pinned in our chairs, save for quick trips inside for additional 'liquids'.

Earlier, there had been a shopping trip for me to get definitely the last things for the return to school (with the benefit of backblipping I can tell you that since then TallGirl has added four things to the list....) and for Mr B to buy some bread. There was also the longest filling up of the car with petrol in history. The local supermarket has a Saturday special on petrol and, with our gas-guzzling machine it's worth saving even a few centimes (7 actually) per litre. I felt I'd hit lucky by only having one car in front of me. He'd done that clever thing of leaving the pump working while he wandered around (so I thought) turned out he'd just forgotten the whole 'put your card in the machine step' and was not in fact pumping gas. By this time the queue behind me was out onto the main road so - even knowing that Mr B and TallGirl were waiting in the burning sun for me to arrive - I couldn't leave. The pump being the kind that doesn't work properly has left me with cramp in my hand still (a day later as I clumsily type this) - but all worth it to save 4 euro....

Later the kids were put off a trip to the fair by Mr B and I claiming (probably quite justifiably) inability to drive after a rather celebratory lunch and afternoon.... And later still the kids hopes of seeing Blackadder were dashed when it turned out that 25 year old video tapes don't always work....