It got me!

Sadly I missed Easter Sunday with family, but we FaceTimed which was really good. At least we could all see each other’s faces and have a chat. A few days later Someone also succumbed, for the first time. Being ill at the same time was novel.

We were starting to come out the other side and feel a bit more human on Friday, so I made a two cheese & red jalapeno sourdough to celebrate.

I had a craving for tomato soup for lunch to eat with the bread, so whizzed vegetables in the food processor to cut down on the energy needed for much chopping.

I’m sure this particular craving goes back to childhood. Cheese on toast with Heinz tomato soup was a regular lunch, and especially after being unwell.

It was such a tasty soup that I quickly wrote down the ingredients and rough quantities, before my Covid brain could forget, so I can replicate it sometime.

One bowl left chunky ish, the other blended according to preference. Homegrown basil to garnish, along with mustard which needed eating.

Every day I kept to my plan and planted a different batch of seeds. Zinnias I planted on Wednesday are now, less than a week later, strong seedlings complete with leaves. The downstairs of my home is essentially a functioning greenhouse. I love it. There are tomato and pointed red peppers seedlings, broad beans, parsley and nicotianas to come (maybe) and more. One of my uncles once told me: “Gardening is a matter of luck and cosmic force, Rachel.” So true. Let’s hope both come through for me.

A good mocha at the right moment. I’d walked too far yesterday and needed to rest. It did the trick.

Giuseppe Verdi tulips, beauties aren’t they? I thought I might have planted them a little late, as I didn’t get around to it till nearly Christmas.

I made Hot Cross buns before I started to feel unwell on Easter weekend. Have you spotted the one Not Cross bun? It might have been for the atheist, or perhaps because I ran out of paste!

All shared with family. And another batch sans crosses later, for the freezer.

I’ve been going for a one mile walk every day, to get fresh air and push it through my lungs. But then need to lie down afterwards, with an audiobook because of fatigue. How Not to be a Boy by Robert Webb is turning out to be a great listen.

Today’s walk was worth it for these Lucky dip cookies, made with some leftovers from Easter treats. You throw in what you have hence the name, this time it’s milk chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts and salted peanuts. They are becoming a bit of a post-Easter tradition.

I bought the SP, along with eggs and butter, because the sweet and salty combination is a favourite. Goodbye Easter weight loss!

I’ve just realised, only in the last few minutes, that I genuinely feel a bit better. Something has eased. I’ve maybe, just maybe, stopped coughing slightly and my tight chest has somewhat loosened.

All because of raw cookie dough?

All hail raw cookie dough!

~~~

So, my medicine appears to be good food, good coffee, flowers, planting and nurturing seeds, gentle movement outside, entertaining books and audiobooks. What’s yours?