Garlic flowers

Well, as far as work goes, today has been a write off. Our pensions system crashed at 10 ish, and it wasn't anything to do with us or IT, but was everything to do with the company that support the system, and who we buy the service from. So along with most of the other local government pensions administrators in the country, we couldn't do anything. Eventually at 4pm I logged off. I basically achieved nothing today.

On the plus side, my paper has dried, but the poppy seeds haven't stuck very well and mostly rolled off! I am trying another one, but have pushed seeds into it. I need to make a better frame, as the paper doesn't drop off it. It's fun.

I drove over to Lucy's in Matlaske to give her a little present and birthday card, with a couple of helium filled balloons attached for her two little ones aged 1 and 2. Her little boy's eyes lit up when he saw the balloons! We had a brief catch up, and will speak at work tomorrow, but still nice to see people in the flesh!

I at last got round to sorting out my shallots. They are now in a bucket of brine. The method I looked at in my good housekeeping book says brine in the skin, then change the brine tomorrow and skin the onions. I'll be glad to have them bottled. I cut, blanched and froze another pile of apples.

A quick cycle up to the allotment to feed the hens and collect the eggs. Minnie is definitely happy as she has laid another small egg. So 2 in a week! Bless her.

Now tv before bed. More of the squeamish cosmetic surgery programme!