Cupboard love...

Well that's it -all the Christmas celebrations are at last over- Yesterday was Kings' Day -Twelfth night in the UK, but so much more celebrated here. We had dinner at Denise and Paolo's, who incidentally are off this week for a few days in Bologna (Italy).

As is our wont at this time of year, after all the excesses of the Festive period, is to have a 'cupboard menu' month. For the next couple of weeks I will not be seen in any of the local supermarkets. Our cupboards are well (Over?) stocked and its time we used up some of the things in there. Our plan is to make up our meals for whatever we can find in the cupboards, fridges and freezer. WE will of course  still be buying fresh veggies and the staples such as butter, milk and the such like, but otherwise we'll be inventing and testing our ingenuity in the kitchen. Last year we survived, well actually prospered for about five to six weeks, and still hadn't run out of stock. This 'cupboard cooking' also means that we will be using up all the goodies that we acquired over Christmas -Chocolate, biscuits, cakes and not buying any more till they're gone. As for what we're cooking up tonight, why not pop over to our sister-blog  http://grubnstuff.blogspot.com/ later and check it out. I've a few ideas but without checking the cupboards wont know what the ingredients will be until then.

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Yesterday we took on another post Christmas task and gave the garden a bit of a spruce up. Well after the gale force winds of the day before it needed a bit of tidying, and as I found the secateurs I trimmed back our bushes too. (fnaar, fnaar. just for you Nick!!). I don't like doing it too savagely as I worry about hurting and damaging the plants, but yesterday I went for it big-time. I know the plants will grow back, and already it's let a lot of light into the garden.

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Writing: Yesterday at dinner Paolo pointed out a couple of typos in 'The Magic'- How can this be possible- It was proofed at least 5 times by four different people, adn still we've missed some. No matter I've made anote of them and will be updating future editions of the book. So if you're reading it and find any more please let me knwo and I can add those into the next edition too. 

Likewise with anyone reading 'Winner'. 

And whilst I'm talking of writing I am currently in early stage planning to translate 'The Magic' into Spanish. It's likely that dear friend Victoria (also my Spanish Teacher) will be working with me on this interesting project.

I have to admit that writing hasn't been going on much this year so far.  I've written a couple of chapters, and am excited by how it's going but a little part of me is holding back worrying that it wont be as easy as last time. All this notwithstanding I shall be getting back into it in the near future, and will be pushing forward in my second novel, which WILL be published sometime before the summer!!