Wednesday 14th December 2022

One week to the winter equinox, when light will begin to triumph once again.

After laying on the day before, we were up at quarter past five. Needless to say it was dark outside, and once the cats were fed and watered, they went out or went to bed. Jools got ready for work.

Still still has the cough, and at times it is no better. Later in the day she had an online consultation with the locum doctor, and it seems Jools migt have seasonal asthma, so inhalers are being ordered.

Most of the time she's fine, but its now reached the point she can't walk outside without coughing about 15 minutes in, then takes up to an hour to calm down. Syrup and loothers do help, but its no cure.

I am fine: could do with losing weight, going out more, and so on. And in the new year I hope to walk every day, rather than the every other day I have been managing.

And so to work.

It never changes. Two steps forward, several backwards. We talk among ourselves about the steps backwards and forwards.

Through the day I make a tagine, starting with the tomato and garlic base, then add chickpeas, spices, honey, fruit, stock, then once defrosted, lamb and chicken, which had been browned. Through the afternoon I put the huge pan in the oven, and cooked on low for four hours. Some rice, cooked and then added to the pot finished it.

To use the few sprouts leftover, I tossed them in flour and seasoning, then backed in the oven for half an hour before mixing with streaky bacon goujons.

It was smegging delicious.

Before then, once work was done, I go outside to deliver cards and decided it was way too cold to go for a walk, instead went back inside to clear the fire and get some more logs in.

Dinner was maginificent, I also griddled two small lamb steaks, coated with flour and seasoning, which made them very crispy and extra tasty. I had the second of the Christmas beers with it, and was mighty fine indeed.

For the evening there was more World Cup football, the semi-final between France and Morocco. France scored in the 5th minute, and that settled them down Morocco threw everying including a shopful of fezzes at France, but the ball would not fall for them. Against the run of play, France scored a second after the break, and that was that.