THE WEEK BEGINS.

I love Bank Holidays, on and ordinary day I have to be awake early to sign for any parcels, of which my son receives a great multitude, if I fail to get to the door in double quick time the post man,who is the knock once and run type takes them back to the depot and I have to go and collect the blasted things. This also applies to most of the other delivery companies with the exception of Fed. Ex. Who knock and wait long enough for a disabled person to reach the door.

This morning was bliss, while Pa and my son slept on I had a quiet cup of coffee and watched the news before going down stairs to bake the days bread, five loaves today made with barley corn and wholemeal flour, a very tasty mix. The bread was in the oven and I was just about to make two trays of shortbread when there was a tap at the back door. Now I am as fond of company as the next person but when I tell you that in order to allow my son who is working tonight and Pa who did not sleep well an extra hour or so in bed,I had left all the curtains closed to discourage visitors you will understand why I was not overjoyed to have to entertain a guest while most of the household were still asleep. I would never dream of knocking on a persons door early in the morning when all the curtains were drawn and to do so on a bank holiday is in my opinion unpardonable

“Perhaps it was an emergency?” I hear you ask., and the answer to that is no it most certainly was not! I provided tea and sympathy with as good a grace as I could muster under the circumstances, shelved the shortbread until later and listened for almost an hour while my guest talked.. He is a dear man but I was still on automatic pilot and became a little distracted when I realised that I had not set the time for the bread and had no idea how long the loaves had been in the oven.

By this time I could hear the unmistakable rumblings of Pa and my son waking and no doubt wondering about breakfast as indeed was I. Eleven O clock struck and at last my guest departed, after seeing him off I retuned to my kitchen to clear away the tea things before making drinks for the boys and produce two large plates of toasted cheese for their breakfast, and poached eggs on toast for me.

The shortbread was made as soon as breakfast was over and cooked while my son and I washed up, I then packed him off to rest for a few hours, he was still very sleepy. Supplies of granulated sugar were at rock bottom as last weeks jam making consumed large amounts so I popped out to replenish our stocks as I hope to be making more jam during the next day or so.

The vegetable garden needed me as much as I needed it and so out I went leaving the other chores to “Go hang.” while I did a little hoeing up and planted out some lovely lollo rosso , red oak leaf, little gem and sangria salad plants. I was debating weather or not to water when it began to rain …...hoorah...so I went back indoors to cut my son's sandwiches for work and to prepare a soup for dinner

Every one is now fed, my son is getting ready for work and I shall soon be soaking in a nice hot bath. Another day another dolour as my mother used to say, actually the day has not been too bad and at least tomorrow I have no baking to do.......just the ironing......mother was right!