Wednesday, April 15: Today seems hard. Can’t quite put my finger on it but I’m aimless, missing my old life, feeling the pinch of confinement. It may be the change in temperature, the chill and rain, and I don’t get out for walk. I do pilates, a phone interview for a potential story, talk to friends, my sons and grandkids, Netflix at night, and finish an absolute page-turner book, Nothing to See Here, by Kevin Wilson (thanks, Aimie). I almost read it in one big gulp.
So there is plenty to do but I’m talking to myself firmly all day: this too will pass. Maybe I’m worrying about what may happen next, waiting for the PM to tell us the next move on lockdown levels, and what the recommendations will be for my age group.
Late afternoon, on a whim, I clean out the booze cupboard, the dark cavernous area inside my grandparents’ old sideboard. One end holds a collection of dusty crystal glasses – whisky, sherry and liqueur – which back in the day were standard wedding presents from one’s parents’ friends. They were well used in the 1970s but not much after that. I wash them carefully, count 10 sherry glasses. Megan is correct, I really don’t need the blush pink ones in the window at Smiths General Store.
There are equally dusty bottles of liqueurs and port, and Prenzel Butterscotch Schnapps, for goodness sake, that I don’t remember buying. Good for next fruit cake? Tucked at the back is a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin with a modest amount available. I generally only drink gin on holiday but I bung it in the fridge, put a bottle of tonic in the freezer for a bit, and at 6pm I pour a perfect icy gin, livened with a slice of lemon. The first aromatic mouthful transports me to the golden summer at the Mount, just gone, to long lazy evenings with family and friends at Tay St, and Oceanview Rd, and Muricata Avenue, and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Comfort cooking: my mother’s caramel scones can brighten a dull day. The recipe is too big for a solo bubble but Richard has just done a batch for his family. Mum’s recipe (below) doesn’t give mixing or cooking instructions because she assumes people know this. But bake at about 200 degC for 10-15 minutes, according to Google and Richard. The meat dish is important because the buttery filling has potential to overflow into the oven.
