Interim broadcast

As the sun broke through the clouds late this afternoon and I am eternally optimistic that this bodes well for tomorrow and indeed for the rest of the week, regular gardening broadcasts may resume in the near future. Today's substitute programme details odd things I have been doing in lieu of gardening.

1. Not cleaning. Didn't think the weather could have that dramatic an effect did you?

2. Sewing. I made myself a skirt out of a curtain yesterday. It is very puffy and shortcut-sewn in every possible way (I threaded the waist elastic through the existing hem of the curtain for example) but it is mine and I made it and I shall begin by wearing it in the garden. Soon enough no doubt it will end up covering my thighs but revealing my calves at kindy one day as I never ever change for kindy pick up. I also made part of an old and very worn Thomas the tank Engine t shirt into a knee patch for Fionn's trousers. We're all very pleased with that project.

3. Sewing attempt no.2. Making bibs using parker nylon, bias binding and various bits of towelling and flannel found around the house. Something else is wrong with the tension. Not so bad that the sewing machine wouldn't work (I was very proud of fixing it to working status yesterday), but bad enough to make the underside very loose. I gave up and came on here to blog. Words are easier than sewing.

4. Baking. Note baking not merely cooking. I made gluten free, egg free corn bread. Very successful I thought. I used the book pictured for the recipe. I have only owned this recipe book since December 2003 and this is the first time I have actually used a recipe from it. I bought it from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales while on holiday and have spent much time admiring the photos and recipes and until now no time cooking any of it.

5. Reading. "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" by Kate Atkinson. For book group. I like it. Last month at book group I was very budget conscious and didn't have a drink even thoug we meet at a pub. I think that was too extreme and in future shall make the children go without (something, anything) in order to fund my alcoholic desires.

6. Thinking about dead things. I asked at the library recently about how to go about requesting the buy a book I want (as if there is only one though hahaha). The nice lady, who is now nice to me after 20 months of my persistent niceness to her and payment of many library fines, explained what to do and also that sometimes they don't buy on certain topics or certain books, because hardly anyone reads on that topic and then the unread books are 'dead money'. I had a similar experience at the video shop also. How can a book really be 'dead money'? Unless of course it is a recipe book which never gets cooked from. So I have goal of cooking at least one thing from each of my recipe books before I die. It would be helpful if I didn't die soon in order to achieve this, and also if I never purchase or get given another recipe book again.

7. Childcare. Of course. They are still alive and I still love them. That will be more than enough on that topic.

8. And then today when the sun shone I took photos of the garden (not yet available due to my technical assistant being a union man and not working any more odd hours for me). I planted purple sprouting broccolli and Argentata Beet seedlings and observed that the older transplanted beetroots have died but the recent direct sowing has already begun to germinate. I harvested some Rainbow Chard for dinner which is also known as yellow stemmed silverbeet but Rainbow Chard sounds a million times better and separates the current vegetable from the 45 minutes boiled silverbeet of my childhood.