Everything droopy!

What a horrendous day - lashing non-stop rain, greyness and humidity - urghh. It's been a hectic day too so all I could muster was a quick leap out into the garden to tblip the general sogginess and droopiness. This isnt quite on focus either but seems to reflect the day. At least the colours are jolly.

My waitressing skills have been taken up a notch. I got a phonecall from Annabel last night asking if I could help out for two Mondays and would I come and be trained today. I did warn her that I wasn't very trainable but she was prepared to take the risk. Her cafe is attached to her gallery and I arrived at 9am, pinny and hairband on. Boy it was hectic. Blaithin was chief person - what a woman - she calmly organized proceedings from the cooker , miraculously preparing a large batch of scones, spicy chorizo soup, fish cakes, a lemon polenta cake, an extraordinarily rich chocolate cake and two batches of brown sugar meringues and showing me where everything was and how to do it. I was mostly front of house and on washing up duty. It was packed. Drew from the Shetlands was chopping veg, gathering herbs and making salads, and Aine was busy making more soups. I meant to blip one of the food plates as everything is beautifully presented and garnished with fresh flowers. The first customers arrived at 10.45 and on it went. - most people sheltering from the rain. The only thing I was too nervous to try was the coffee machine - highly complicated. I came home at 3pm, exhausted but enlightened!!

Just done a spot more cooking as Lisa is coming to supper and we're having a business meeting afterwards, over a large glass of wine - probably two.

Horrendous news from across the water. it just looks like sheer opportunist thievery.. Son number 2 is in Bristol and reported helicopters everywhere, my brother just outside Manchester could see huge plumes of smoke rising in the air and son number 1's not a million miles from Birmingham. Very scary and hope everyone is safe