Couscous and Kindness

Another sunny day and warm pavements, with a light breeze today - I could get used to this!

Today I was naughty and bunked off work to have lunch out with a friend (I'll catch up tonight). We wandered into Ilminster and she took me to a delightful vegetarian cafe; I had never even noticed it before, but it hasn't even got a sign outside, so it's easy to pass by. It's apparently open four days a week, and what a treat.

It was in a hamstone building and the thickness of the walls meant that after a slog up the steep hill (steep hills are hard with walking sticks I've discovered) it was nice and cool. I had Moroccan mezze and it was delightful; the Victorian lemonade a perfect accompaniment. After lunch I grabbed some cake so that we could have tea and cake when I dropped her back at her house, but sadly my hip (the stupid one that hasn't been fixed yet) flared up, so I quit and went home while I could still get in and out of the car.

Before I left, my friend J presented me with a loaf she had baked for me - it was such a thoughtful thing to do and it smelled divine. My car was a bubble of fresh bread smell all the way home and it took my mind of the aches, thinking about how to have it for tea. J and her husband had been to a flour mill and liked the flour so much they had taken sacks of it home with them. That reminded me that I have run out of flour - must head off to the shop and get some for when this loaf tuns out.

I had meant to meet J's new cat, who adopted them by moving into the garage at the beginning of winter and gradually integrating herself into the family - she will have to wait until another time, and it means I still have that pleasure to look forward to. While we were talking J mentioned that she had met a lady who makes her own elderflower cordial and that she wanted to have a go at it. It's been something I have wanted to do for a while, but a lack of mobility has rather scuppered any attempts to get near the flowers when I've spotted any. After our trip out, I'm now armed with citric acid, I have sugar, lemons in the fridge and all I need are the blooms - I may venture out tomorrow, when I hopefully won't feel so sore. That's another thing to look forward to!