Damn! Just when I have the most brilliant low calorie recipe for warming Butternut, Orange & Ginger Soup, the sun comes out!  Mind you, it is the perfect blend of sweetness and spice, so am positive it will be equally delicious served cold with freshly cut Thai basil and an ice cube plonked in the centre of its magnificent orange-ness. Unlike Ellie, who was lucky enough to indulge in some crisp cold wine, I started my booze-free diet last night. My weight has been creeping inexorably upwards since Christmas and my jeans are starting to feel squeakily tight. And, when I decided to ignore my pile of ironing in favour of a sun lounger in the garden this morning, I was horrified to see that me in a bikini was out of the question. Or even a swimsuit if I’m honest. So I put on a long semi-transparent shirt instead to cover my lardy white spare tyres. After thirty minutes in the sun, I was a plump sweaty mess, hair sticking to my head. Then the doorbell went. Typical!  So I conducted a conversation with a delivery man via the protective screening of our hedge. I don’t think he could see too much of my candle wax white body through the foliage. At least I hope he couldn’t.  But, even though the sunshine was a wonderful change from all the greyness and rain we’ve been enduring over the past few weeks, my poor old bod was so overheated that I had to come inside for a cold shower – not sure if that was due to the high temperature or the erotic book I am currently reading (review to follow). 

My son had a day off work and he persuaded me to treat him to lunch at Wagamama (in truth, didn’t need much persuading as food there is so scrummy and healthy) and we stuffed ourselves with Lemongrass and Mint Chicken Soba, oh yum. My debit card took a bit of a bashing afterwards when we had a quick zip around the shops: to my doting mother’s eyes he looks soooo handsome in anything he tries on and so I couldn’t resist treating him to a beautifully tailored navy linen jacket from good old M&S for £99 which I’m confident he will wear for work, rest and play all summer long. Well, I’m off to chill that enormous batch of butternut soup (well, I made it so we will eat it!) and watch a recording of Starlings (Tuesdays, Sky 1) – it’s a gentle comedy drama – sort of an updated Darling Buds Of May – which I find relaxing to watch… you might too. 

Toodlepip, Grace x