Ella is 10

I headed up to the moor for a quick 3 mile walk to clear my head after starting cooking an Ottolenghi recipe from Saturday’s Guardian. His recipes really do take the biscuit. (Though Biscuits are about the only ingredient not required).

It was sunny when I left, heading up Blaeberry Hill as I find going up a steep muddy path easier than going down. It was a good decision as the wind was cold and strong on the moor, with snow visible on Cheviot. A squall was heading my way but I got down to the shelter of the lower carriage drive just in time.

Apparently we’ll be subjected to further storms this week. Northern Powergrid can’t have a lot of faith in their repairs as they are installing a generator in the village centre.

We picked Ella up from school. She reached double digits today and had to do a SAT test in Maths, so no birthday fun for her. However she wasn’t too worried by it all and was very happy with the present she’d asked for from us, a bike light. She was even happier with her surprise of the canvass of her doing her good handstand on the beach. She and Nathaniel told us about the great times they’d had at cubs activity weekend, doing scary climbs and jumping off on the harness, building a raft and staying in a dorm. She also showed me her first Valentine card - she now has a girlfriend called Rowan.

We left before the children on the street came for a little tea party and games. On Saturday she and school friends are going to Clip and Climb.

I’ll have to tackle the rest of the Ottolenghi when we get home if we want to eat tonight. If it doesn’t fall to bits it could be tomorrow’s blip