Unheard of

We have never before had summer salad leaves still growing in February. It’s been a very mild winter.

The dental surgery phoned to offer me a cancellation tomorrow so I accepted it. I’m hoping he can save the witchy tooth. It means I’ll miss the U3A walk with Katy so I got Mr C, himself en route to the dentist, to drop me at Debdon road end from where I had a 7 mile walk via Primrose Cottage, Rickety Gate, Red Road, Blue Mill, Snitter, Thropton, Physic Lonnen, and the Carriage Drive to home. I met Peter on the Red Road. He assured me that there would be no rain as it was too windy. He was wrong. It rained for the last 2 miles. I found a good, mainly sheltered, route away from trees - the forecast was “moderate breeze” - it was more like a gusty gale by the time I headed up Physic Lonnen, to be met by a frisky herd of galloping bullocks. I ploughed on towards them and sure enough they veered off to my left - the high wind had freaked them out, whereas the sheep were hunkering down in the whins.

I’m organising the sections in my cook book, eg soups and starters, rice and pasta, cocktails and nibbles etc. I might need a new section - a visitor we are expecting next month has told me she no longer eats dairy so if any of you foodies out there know of anything tasty I can cook for the 4 days she is here I’d be grateful to have some ideas.

Nathaniel is one happy boy. He got a tour of NUFC today, part of his birthday present, and next time his dad has a day off on a Saturday they’ll be going to a home game.