Blind baking...

...to prevent a soggy bottom.

The pastry was the base of a courgette, tomato and ricotta flan made this afternoon. It is good eaten hot or cold, and will last several days in the fridge.

I also made Moroccan carrot salad and mixed a couple of sourdough loaves.

Just as I finished cleaning the new cabin the vacuum cleaner went "phut", at the same time as letting out a blast of overheated plastic. 

I took it to pieces later on and found melted and burnt innards. It needs a new motor. But given that the pipe is held together with duct tape in four places, and the brushes have worn thin, I have made the reluctant decision to buy a new one. 

It lasted nine years, which I suspect is a good age for a 21st Century vacuum cleaner. 

It is 14 years today since the most damaging and deadly earthquake in Christchurch. The one when I dived under my desk with the phone swaying on it's wire in front of me, the office windows shattering all around, and small pieces of concrete from the ceiling landing on the desk above my head. I was lucky to be in a sturdy building.

Kia kaha aroha to everybody else who was there that day.