Friday 21 May 2021

21st May - Definitely Friday

 I've managed to get Monday and Friday straight in my mind this week - not sure what happened to the days in between. I've falling steadily further behind in writing up and sending out the notes from the piano lessons, which is why I am writing a blog post instead of Wednesday's lessons, or Thursday's, if the truth were to be admitted to.

So, since I finally levered myself off the settee and away from knitting and television and surfing the net I have been procrastinating

Firstly, by making another bread pudding. I made one earlier this week, on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday - does it matter? Well, yes, slightly, because we have finished it, and if I made it yesterday that would have been serious gluttony. I think it may have been Monday. Last time, I could only find a handful of very dry bits of dried  fruit in the back of the cupboard, so added a couple of spoonfuls of home-made marmalade (not made by me!) dated 2019. This gave it a very agreeable lemony orange flavour, mild, but good.

Turns out there is/was another bag in the overflow food storage in the hall (memories of stocking up for Brexit and lockdowns, and yes, we are keeping ahead of the loo-roll situation 'just in case'). So today's bread pudding has plenty of fruit, and I have substituted maple syrup for sugar. I used about three tablespoons but this is meaningless if you don't know how much bread I used. Neither do I as it was all cut it up and put it in the bowl before it occurred to me to weigh it. I heated the maple syrup and milk and butter together and stirred it all up into a thick - slurry is a good descriptive word, if rather unappetizing. Then a couple of handfuls of fairly fresh-looking dried fruit and a beaten egg which still sinks when you drop it into a jug of cold water. (Do the dropping thing before you crack it open, I beg you).

It is in the air-fryer as I type;


      If it is done before I finish this post then I will be able to add an 'after' picture. Don't hold your breath - it takes 45 mins to cook.

Why the bread pudding phase? It is a sad fact that I have had to become accustomed to, but Himself can lose weight as easily as I can gain it. I am keeping my weight 'level' at several pound heavier than my summer trousers can comfortably encompass. But He is losing weight. I have dealt with this in the past by making vast quantities of bread pudding - He was working in a warehouse at the time and the weight was visibly dropping off him. Large slabs of bread pudding in his packer lunches provided easily consumed mega-helpings of calories, so that His weight stabilized at 'thin' rather than skeletal. He has been 'not putting on weight' over lockdown, unlike so many of our friends, so bread pudding is happening. I allow myself a cube slightly larger than a matchbox and he munches on a proper slab.  

Before I started on the bread pudding I made myself a pot of tea from the selection I ordered in our grocery shop;


I opted for 'feel new' as I am feeling rather ancient. All this cold grey rainy windy weather.  I have the tray beside me



   as you can see I haven't made a summer teacosy (yes, I know that is symptomatic of some very confused thinking) but bearing in mind the weather and the way the heating has just decided to click to 'on' I think the teapot is probably grateful for its winter coat. What am I thinking? As if a teapot has any idea or views on teacosies? 

The tea is still warm, however, even though I had to delay starting on it until I had made space on my side of the dining room table for the laptop.

His side is completely clear apart from his own laptop, and the part of my tray which is encroaching over the divide. I was thinking of trying to develop a 'clear desk' policy, but soon abandoned the idea. I find that by the time I have finished teaching in the evening both the table/desk and the piano and the extra stools either side of the piano are completely littered with papers, books, whatever.


All I want to do is walk away. So that's what I do. 

Once I have finished rattling out these words I will tidy the piano area, pupil by pupil; three on Wednesday, two yesterday - find their books, decipher and type up the notes, end out the emails and file everything away. 

I'm 'getting things done' at the moment by convincing myself how happy I will feel when I have done them. Plus the reward of bread pudding to come... 



   

2 comments:

  1. We have just read your disjointed ramble. Makes us feel much better! We sym/empathise. Yes, what year is it, which planet are we on? Which student, is she the one with the flat tyre or the one who is definately not at home? Bread pudding? Might try it. Recipe prosze? Um, if this is Polish I must be in.....

    The weather here is just as bad, grey, dull, damp, threatening..... At least it has stopped raining. I cut the grass! 4-5 hours on ,umm...errr Thursday? the rest yesterday. Now waiting in for parcels! DHL and the Postman. Music books, reading books and CDs. See my rant for the troubles with websites. Never use Blackwells!

    Vicky's pioano playing is improving day by day (thanks for helping) Anna gave me some timing notes, I think they are in Polish, I had to tramslate the titles (quarter notes and pauses etc...) ) Co, gdzie...?

    I wish translating had helped. Lots of dotty things to clap at before Monday.

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  2. I love the idea of getting yourself going but getting yourself going so you can procrastinate. That is definitely me.

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