Friday 19th December 2025

Christmas is nearly here, and the weather, in celebration brought us a Springlike day.

Although it began dark and cloudy, the sun soon chased those clouds away, and the skies cleared and it became almost warm.

Jools was off early to her yoga class, so i got up, made coffee and then put the bins out.

It was still dark and chilly. So, I turned the heating up another notch.

Once dawn came and the sky cleared, I did a bit of tidying up, and began to make a "no knead" focaccia, which after the initial mixing, requires four or five nip and folds, so air gets trapped in the wet dough, and in that way rises ever more.

Taking all day means more air gets trapped, and the bread will get bubblier and lighter.

Out in the garden, the hellebores have begun to open with the stalks producing three flowers that took three days to open, having done so, I get a few shots as shot of the day.

Come four, the defrosted ragu is put into a pan to cook some of the excess water off, meanwhile, after rising in the an for two hours and having infused oil poured over the dough, the bread is put into the oven for baking.

And at half four, with the pasta cooked, I tip that into the ragu, mix it up and serve, and the bread taken out of the oven, sliced and placed on a cutting board.

And how magnificent was it?

Very.

We were all washed up and put away for half five, so I could take part in the weekly quiz, and this week won, guessing that the AI image was of a mirage, so the LP was Mirage by Fleetwood Mac. (1982).

Then to play some vinyl: the latest Public Service Broadcasting LP, then some twelve inches: Pet Shop Boys, Chic, Change and Diana Brown.

Damn right!

The evening had football, the Welsh derby between Swansea and Wrexham, won by the home team in the 92nd minute with former Norwich player, Adam Idah, scoring from almost two inches from the goal line.