I've had this page open to write in for ages but nothing seems to be coming out of my brain onto the page so I thought I'd better start and see what happens. It's been another shameful week in British politics - I want to keep reminding people that fucking Hitler was elected - 'democracy' is no guarantee of bloody anything, especially when those in power have the press in their pockets. Unbelievable. How is a person to regain her sanity in a world like this? Optimism? Yeah, right. Lots to be cheerful about.

So that's basically where I'm coming from these days, full of shame and disgust at the world and fear for the future.

Compared to which, the fact that I completed my crochet string bag is pretty fucking inconsequential, but it's all I've got.



No, not true, I also made a delicious soup in no time at all.

I put a glug of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, over a low heat, while I chopped an onion, which then went in. While that was gradually softening and turning golden, I squashed and chopped some garlic, grated fresh ginger, and bashed coriander seeds about in a pestle and mortar, all of which went in when the onions were ready. A few chopped carrots, a potato, the stalks from a bunch of coriander leaves, a stir, cover with water, bring to a simmer, a fag break, chop up the coriander leaves, bung them in, blitz it all with the thingy, salt and pepper, job done. Delish.

Grateful for: knowing how to cook; and crochet; and distract myself; warm cardie; being safe indoors when a wild wind is rattling the windows