Saturday 20th March 2021

At 09:37 GMT the spring equinox accurred. Where light and dark were of equal lengh, from now there will be more light than dark. Next weeks the clocks go forward and will will have time to walk in the evenings before dinner That is the plan. The lockdown is a year old this week, one year ago, pubs and restaurants were told to close. We did not go out for one last drink. Maybe we should have, but I already knew more than enough about COVID to know that would have been a risk. So, we stayed in.

Stayed in which was the plan for this 21st March too, as I had a bloke coming round to look at our roof as we lost a tile last week. In the end he failed to show, and annoyingly, the cloudy weather that the BBC promised us had instead turned into a day with long sunny spells, but by the time it became clear the bloke wasn't coming round, it was really too late to go out. Well, it wasn't, but football.

And there is always tomorrow.

Maybe if there had been a realistic chance orchids were in flower, I would have gone. But we had plans to go out Sunday, and I would see orchid rosettes to fill my needs.

We laid in bed until half six, by which times the cats were beyond hungry and fighting among themselves. So we had better get up.

Jools had a few things she needed to do, jet wash the car as the hand car washes are all closed. So, she would go out at ten, while I stayed behind to make some bread. Jools had bough a bag of sourdough mix, all I had to do was add water. Mix, knead, knead some more, leave it for an hour, knead some more, make into a loaf, leave for an hour and bake.

The time suggested for prooving and rising seemed generous, so I knocked it back after an hour or so, and half an hour in a warm oven and I had created a monster. I baked it. And got a fine loaf, with the texture and taste of fresh crumpets, which was not unpleasant.

I sliced and buttered it to have with caprese, which I include a photo of so you know what it is.

I also have a tripel.

Of course.

And then settle down for an afternoon of Championship footy, as the chasing pack played on telly, while at three I followed Norwich via Twitter. Brentford drew with Forest 1-1. A good result. Then Norwich played at the same time as Watford were on TV. Norwich drew 1-1 which means the winning run ended, but still didn't lose. Watford thrashed Birmingham, but that's not all bad as they alsom move ahead of the chasing pack, and seven points behind us. Then Swansea played Cardiff, though I did not watch it all, and Swansea lost again, the pressure all too much as the missed a series of open goals and golden chances.

Oh well.

Jools beat me at Uckers. And we had party food for supper.

All in all, a good day.