Spreading The Word

We're overhauling the house- in partnership with the Council- and funding the work through equity release.  Our project manager is called Peter.  He's a middle-aged man with lovely shoulder-length hair. When we mentioned having been to Glastonbury recently he said he'd been there, "Oh, seventeen to twenty times."

He was here yesterday morning along with the guy from the company who'll be remodelling our kitchen. Having raised the subject of Glastonbury it seemed appropriate to hit them with flyers for Alice's book. "For the feisty females in your life," I said, quoting the advertising copy. It turns out they both have daughters who qualify.

Bag End In Miniature

Maddie Chambers has made a doll's house version of Bag End. It was featured in this morning's Guardian.  Maddie's own blog is here. There are loads of pictures. 

Cooking With Barley

I made lemon barley water this morning.

Apparently it's good for you in all sorts of ways.

I simmered two ounces of pearl barley in a quart of water for half an hour (all measurements approx), strained off the water, added the grated rind and juice of one lemon, then allowed it to cool.

The recipe I was following also calls for honey, ginger and cinammon- but I don't see why. I tasted it. Ailz tasted it- and we agreed it was fine as it was. 

Then, at the recipe writer's suggestion, I improvised a soup around the cooked barley- and that's what we had for lunch.