Home Life

It's been fabulous to have some time at home. I love darting off to new places, although travel itself is a loathsome thing - but I realise that those who fail to appreciate the beauty of whatever environment in which they live, are destined to live an unfulfilled life. Scotland, it seems, is truly beautiful. Fisher and I have come over all domestic, and in the past couple of days have behaved like true countrywives. Not only have I weeded my sad little veg patch (at last) but, together, we have:

1. Cut up an old tree and put the wood under cover for next winter. Also cut down a small, broken, tree.
2. Gathered rosehips and made rosehip syrup.
3. Harvested brambles, which we've just turned into bramble jelly. My hands are stained dark purple, my forearms scratched in tiger-stripes, and the kitchen looks like we've slaughtered something that struggled a lot.

We also plan on making haw jelly, rowan jelly, and hunting down more chanterelles. I need to be on the lookout for crabapples as well, as their pectin makes up for the lack in things like brambles and rowans. I'm feeling very Shakespearing, wandering around talking about 'crabs' and 'haws'. Last time I mentioned crabs and haws in the same breath I was talking to a male schoolfriend about the dangers of Amsterdam.

What else? The diet is not great, but the weight is slowly, slowly going down. Or, it was a couple of days ago. Unfortunately I've knackered up my hip at the driving range, so exercise has been sadly lacking. We're off to the gym tonight, where I'll have a swim at the very least. Today I've eaten:

1 bowl cereal
1. roast salmon sandwich from Gloagburn

I don't think that's an unreasonable amount of food, but I do feel fat and sick, which suggests I have eaten too much. How? Anyway - Fisher and I will have fish pie tonight after the gym, curl up in the library and I'll read her some more of The Forager's Handbook. Happy days.