On Thursday afternoon I took a long and rather elongated drive through the woods down narrow country lanes to visit the wonderful Brocket Arms in Ayot St Lawrance. There is a shorter route through the woods near The Waggoners but it is more than ten years since I was driven down that route and was warned not to try that drive on my own. Sat in the garden in beautiful sunshine I reminisced about the past few months and indeed years.
Back in 2007 I never envisaged I would still be in the same place now. Well different flat after three moves. I'd never been in a job for more than two and a half years prior to that. Now it feels like I have ground to a halt. Sitting in the warmth I was questioning so much but hanging onto the fact that in recent weeks I have been real progress from where I was back in the depths of winter. I must take heart from that.
The pub sells a variety of preserves, chutneys, sauces, conserves and drinks from the local manor house. Up until now I'd never bought any primarily because I didn't need them. But recalling that I'm running low on coarse grain mustard I bought a replacement with a touch of honey and a jar of horseradish.
Keeping things simple today I tried the mustard in a dressing to go with an egg salad. Magnificent is the best way to describe it. That subtle hint of sweet, in the mustard dressing, the crunchy pepperiness of radishes, organic tomatoes and shredded lettuce leaves. Oh how dressings make a difference to an otherwise potentially bland lunch.
Salad for lunch always reminds me of mum. In the last twenty odd years of her life she obsessed about five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. This meant she not longer cooked those wonderful English puddings that she did so well and lunch was an eternal melange of lettuce, tomato and cucumber with an occasional addition. Actually she made a pretty good dressing that she was given by the chef at The Varsity restaurant on St Andrews Street Cambridge in the late 1970s.
In truth mum was already on my mind. Once again the dreams came back and shook me into an uneasy start. As so often happens she was alone in my dream. And as so often it left me uneasy.
But why on such a glorious weekend? The country celebrated the wedding of a young woman to a prince. A riotous and long sermon based on the value of love reverberated around the world and a very modern marriage was closed. So refreshing and such a lovely day for them and all who went to watch.
I didn't actually see it until later as I was out to lunch with my friend Karen. Another link to work I always enjoy her company and smile. It is a reminder that I do need to get back.
So on this Sunday afternoon with my walk done and Handel playing let us hope for a fruitful week in the run up to Occupational Health on Thursday and the wanted outcome soon after.
I Heard a Voice.
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