The past few weeks have gone by fast. I feel like I am quite literally
galloping towards Christmas. I had hoped to be making an exciting announcement
about a book deal this week, however I decided at the very last minute, despite
all the hard work of planning and proposals that the organization I was going
to be working with was not what I thought it was. It’s been a disappointment, much
like finding out someone who you are a huge fan of is actually not all that
nice. At one point last week I was so upset by an aggressive and
confrontational person my hair started to fall out in clumps. I took this a sure sign that it was not
for me.
I keep on reminding myself of the Buddhist
saying that in the end "only three things matter. How much you
loved, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things not meant
for you." Clearly this book was not meant for me, so despite being
really saddened I shall try my best to be graceful and some really positive
things have come from this. I have
to go back to the drawing board, but there is another book brewing…
October is my favorite time of year but
I’ve had little time to appreciate it.
I use to wonder why there were so few women in highflying positions. I now realise that if you have children
they are demanding, but when you have sick or poorly children then they are
beyond demanding. They are
everything. I remember being so certain that having children was never going to
affect my career, or my sex life or my figure. With a size 12 figure, two full
time personal assistants and being newly married I was beyond naïve. I was ignorant of the most fundamental
instincts of life. So here I am
sleep deprived, a size 12 a dim distant memory and no personal anything anymore
let alone two assistants. I am, however, happy and I wouldn’t change a thing.
On Tuesday I went to the World BreadAwards. I was the category leader for the sourdough section and loved every
minute. There were almost 40
breads to choose from and Charles Campion was my partner, along with team
judges Linda Hewett and Luke Collings from The Cake and Bake Show. It was a brilliantly
organised event and I really felt that it was done with the same good spirit
that bread is baked with.
The winners were The San Francisco Sourdough by The Bread Factory and the
runner up was from Alex Gooch, artisan bread baker.
My mum popped over yesterday and kindly
dropped off a bucket of pears from her tree, so I figure I will bake a pear and
walnut muffins tomorrow. I’m also about to add some more courses on to the
cookery school website which is always fun. A jam and preserves making course, a pastry making course
and a fantastic guest tutor with Chantal Coady of Rococo Chocolate coming up
for the day.
My trades are finishing off the last of the
renovations in the coach house as the bedroom and breakfast room are finished today,
so the bed and breakfast will be ready as soon as the downstairs is insulated
and boarded out. So we are just a
just a few weeks away from being able to advertise that students will be able
to stay over.
I have to admit that I am really looking
forward to people staying, although there will always be a degree of chaos in
the place, with chickens, dogs, children and a new kitten, people will have to
just take us as they find us.
