A quick catch-up post
In January, I seemed to be buying a lot of multi-coloured carrots. I introduced colour (turquoise) into the living room for the first time, and am learning to live with it. Bex seemed to be at the vet with one or other of the new cats almost the whole month.
Alan Rickman and David Bowie left this world, and Tim Peake made the first spacewalk by a British astronaut.
My wardrobe had developed a mouldy smell which I discovered was my Birkenstocks, which had mildewed, so I had to throw them all out, along with a lot of my clothes which no longer fitted. A good new year prune! I was able to rescue my havaianas by giving them a good scrub. I bought some new "lady DMs" and christened them by wearing them to a funeral (my uncle Tommy). Afterwards, walked to Edward Square, my early childhood home, which is now a pretty public garden. 
The walk was incredibly tiring, even though short, and I was glad Bex was there to lean on. I'm pretty much housebound these days.
In February, I started a book challenge. My target is 100 books before the end of the year. I made a good start, seven books this month. I also discovered the joy of the e-book. Cooking challenges included the making of Nigella's spruced-up vanilla cake, in its proper tin (delicious); homemade dried fruit compote (horrible); wholemeal bread (didn't rise properly, very heavy, inedible); and rhubarb turnovers( delicious).
March was pretty uneventful. I made one trip outside the house (to the doctor), and read four books. We had a couple of really disrupted days when the builders were in attacking the damp. We now have permanent vents in the living room and my bedroom, and doors to the kitchen and living room, which mainly stay propped open. They painted the living room, which was a surprise, so it is now a tasteful shade of magnolia. Luckily, it doesn't clash with the turquoise curtains. They didn't paint my bedroom, but Bex came to the rescue and did a great job. I had managed to buy "rice pudding" paint online (Crown paints) and the room looks fab. (Apart from the curtain pole that the builders managed to send skew-whiff). Between us, we painted the wardrobe white. (Not as straightforward a job as it sounds).
Cooking challenges this month: Thomasina Meiers's duck with oranges and cabbage (cabbage needed more cooking); Easter cake ( Bex made the chocolate cake, I bought the coccy eggs online from Carluccio- delicious); lobster and prawn paella (delicious, apart from the lobster, which was a pain to shell and dismember and a complete disappointment flavour wise -won't bother with it next time; prawns will be fine on their own).
In April, we lost Prince and Victoria Wood.
I read six books, including a fabulous audio version of Moby Dick.
Hardly challenged myself at all with cooking. Made caprese salad with really nice tomatoes, attempted to use wild garlic, and made fluff for the first time in ages. Bex made a good version of lemon potatoes.
I found a silver satchel online and bought it on a whim. I may never get to use it, though. I'm not sure my health is ever going to improve enough for me to go out much. Feeling a bit low and sorry for myself just now.
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