Thursday 1st November 2018
Awake at 6.45 and spent the next couple of hours sending myself photos of yesterday’s shopping, editing videos into shorter clips, musing, laying out today’s food and photographing it then doing an improvised poem (sounds funereal but might be ok if played back speeded up.)
Off to gym, crunching an apple (after my Assam tea, almonds and apricots.) Later, assembled (and WhatsApped to the family) a post-gym feast.
I’m trying to remember the name of the dried red flowers in a little packet on top of the tea-bag jar. It they begin with A I could have something different from apple juice or Assam tea. [I remembered later: they’re called Hibiscus.]
Got to get on, but not before Assam tea and apple cake. And I’ve got to make my aubergine and anchovy (?) dish.
Saturday 3rd November 2018
At Uni on Thursday they all loved my A-Z project. I’m feeling completely dominated by it, a monster of my own making. Not the doing of it, although that in itself is all-consuming, but recording, writing and publishing it.
Tuesday 6th November 2018
The days move relentlessly on, and I am correspondingly losing enthusiasm for my project. After the sumptuous afternoon tea, and then 3-course meal that I produced on Saturday, things have gone downhill – enlivened on Sunday by Paula [friend] buying me Dry Roast Peanuts from the bar to go with my water at the pub quiz. I’m continuing but it’s taking up so much time, and I’m not doing any writing, too busy shopping, cooking, photographing, saving photos and movies and audio. Haven’t even produced the blog except Day 1 – a lot of catching up to do. Hope to do some writing today in library.
Had huge fruit salad this morning. Gorgeous.
One good result: this morning I was 10st 13lb. I have no idea when the scales got the 10st marker before.
Catch-up: spent all day Saturday shopping and cooking. Lynn [friend] came round for coffee, cheese and chutney on crispbread, and chocolate cake. We had fun, and she offered to do vodka and venison. Ben [son] for tea (both v. tired).
Yesterday I did my run then spent all day at home, uploading photos etc, and clearing the kitchen and hall ready for the decorator, who started today.
Friday 9th November 2018
An inordinate amount of time goes into A-Z project. Complicated by the kitchen being out of bounds for 2½ days [because painters are in], but apart from stinking out the lounge with garlic and ginger (green papaya salad), stretching a point and having grilled halloumi salad [on G day], and yesterday embarrassingly refusing a lager that was not Heineken, it’s still all on track.
Tuesday: Out with Lorna [friend] to a play ‘The Political History of Smack and Crack’. Good. Had half a Guinness – nice.
My writing is all over the place (ie not doing any, just reading divergently and going to events). Productivity on A-Z – almost zilch except saving photos and audio and filing it for some future use???
Tonight Glynis and Dave [friends] did a sumptuous 4-course ‘I’ meal.
Sunday 11th November 2018
Yesterday Lorna came round to help me with the blog. Cycled to Dunham Massey and back today. Need the fresh air fix. Otherwise, muddled around, doing endless shopping and cooking. Only another 15 days to go.
Tuesday 13th November 2018
Nearly halfway on my project. Did a bit more on my blog last night but still not ready to publicise it. Can only get to it in the evenings due to decorators being here, but still had a good day yesterday in the library. Caught up with a lot of photos and did a bit of A-Z writing. Have given up improvised poems – they’re more like dirges.
Today I’m exiled to the kitchen. Spending far too much time thinking about my food menus and wondering what I’m going to eat next day. Still, I’ve got down to doing some reading and writing.
Thursday 15th November 2018
Last night I did my two poems at the open mic session. It was a very low key event and seemed ok. A bit of positive feedback, nice enough atmosphere.
Today, after gym, I spent three and a half hours cooking then had to shower and dash off to uni. That’s probably why I’m tired. Made nice food though.
Saturday 17th November 2018
Theresa May revealed her Brexit deal to a storm of condemnation and resignations – and that was just from the Tory party. It looked like she might fall, maybe the government would topple, but now she’s possibly weathering it. If in doubt, sit tight.
In the night, my mind is racing through alphabet lists and possibilities. In the day I’m exhausting myself with cooking and trying desperately to revise my Scottish story into a novella.
Ben [son] came round for a 3-course meal last night but I was distracted and he annoyed my by going on and on, pestering me to do a 15-mins per day meditation course.
Sunday 18th November 2018
Made my way to Oval [London] and had the evening with Carys [stepson’s girlfriend]. Cooked myself a not-bad risotto.
Yesterday [in Oxford] saw a brilliant play, Wise Children, adaptation of Angela Carter novel. Honor [sister] rose to the occasion and made/provided lots of Q and R food. Great.
Wednesday 21st November 2018
I’ve been back [from Spain] 5 weeks, and in that time I’ve had interest from two publishers (one last night at Chorlton Book Festival), finished a story (and had it rejected), submitted to two competitions, been to an open mic night, nearly completed my A-Z project, got good feedback from my tutor for the three things I’ve sent her. Pretty intensive. I think it’s called living the life.
Monday I had breakfast with George [stepson], then went to see Peterloo in the evening with Jack [another stepson] (accompanied by lots of ‘S’ snacks). Tuesday I had Terri [stepdaughter] for T dinner, and she and Abisha [Terri’s girlfriend] are coming tomorrow for V dinner. Not enjoying today – Uncooked day – and I’m so fed up (pun, ha-ha) of Co-op shopping and cooking. Looking forward to next Tuesday when I’m just going to eat out of the freezer and not cook anything or buy anything more than a pint of milk. And I’ll drink coffee, and my favourite tea and toast. And possibly write something creative from the experience?
Saturday 24th November 2018
Can’t believe I’ve made it to X, although the day has just been nourished by Xavier soup (basically dumplings in chicken stock) and water.
Last night I certainly started the weekend with a bang and lots of alcohol (wine and whisky), going to a talk by Trevor Cox then back to Glynis and Dave’s [friends], debating the evils of / potential of voice recognition and all other AI. Then round to Lynn’s [friends] at 10pm, where we had a good chat over wine.
During the day I’d really made progress on the blog and sent my story to Sue and Vicky [fellow students] and sent bike writing stuff to Judy [lecturer] and arranged an appointment.
Thursday I went to Uni and had Terri and Abisha [stepdaughter and girlfriend] round for vodka and Vimto, and venison casserole. It was quite nice – they brought the dog. I think we were all quite tired.
Tuesday 27th November 2018
Well it’s all over. The relief is enormous. I’ve had tea and porridge, to be followed by eggy bread and lettuce for lunch, with a cup of coffee afterwards accompanied by a couple of leftover Welsh cakes.
Last night I wait until midnight, the taste of Zapiekanka still in my mouth, after an evening at Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake where I swallow water whilst smelling my companion’s whisky. Feeling the deprivation, I sit in bed, looking at the clock. 11.35. Scrutinise the crossword. 11.43. Really tired. 11.48. Resist urgent temptation. 11.53. Surely it’s ok, no-one will know….. 11.59. Leap out of bed, dive downstairs, open the fridge and pull out bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, settle back into bed, check the clock. 12.00. Crack off two squares, bite hard and savour the chocolate sliding past taste buds and descending my gullet. Repeat twice. Then I can’t get to sleep from the combined biological/psychological sugar rush/euphoria. I lie awake imagining eating my way through leftovers in the freezer, coffee dates with friends, and supping whisky in the evenings. I don’t want to do any more shopping or cooking – ever.
Wednesday 28th November 2018
The big news: I finished the A-Z project! Yesterday I did all the stuff I wanted to do on the blog and sent it round. I’ve had 102 visitors – not too bad, even if that is the same 20 people who’ve looked at it several times. So I’m laying this stage of the project to rest, made a list of things to do in January, so I can pick it up tomorrow for my extended writing project (probably). Had a good laugh with Glynis and Dave [friends] on Sunday looking at my ‘W’ video.
I can’t break the habit of amassing ingredients, only now it’s for Christmas cake.
Eating A-Z 