Number 17

This has been a busy last 10 days. Michael’s birthday came around again, seems that after Christmas the birthdays just keep coming. It is a pity for those who are celebrating, most of us have maxed out our finances and the gift are consequently simple. 

Saying that he did get a watch from Kate and a helmet from us. I am sure there were others but for the life of me, I do not seem to remember.

You will be pleased to know we had the traditional birthday breakfast, this time at Walford Mill. Well traditional in the sense of going somewhere for breakfast. The actual food was far from traditional, We all had breakfast wraps, very tasty. Kate had smashed avocado on sourdough toast with a poached egg decorating the top, also looked tasty. Being Kate she had a few mouthfuls and gave the rest to Michael, she is watching her weight in preparation for, you guessed it, the famous wedding dress. Our Kate is very focused on the wedding at the moment and rightly so. It is just under a year and a half away, just around the corner really.

Interestingly Walford Mill Craft centre describes itself as - Walford Mill Crafts is a centre of excellence for arts and crafts in Wimborne Dorset.

Walford Mill Education Trust is a registered charity that aims to promote crafts and making through events, classes, and exhibitions and by providing working space for established and emerging makers.

Really worth a visit, I did find it to be rather overpriced, the centre of excellence, is taking it a bit too far, mostly homemade crafty things and crochet. Not sure why I would expect the items they are selling to be cheaper but that’s just me.

Michael’s wanted a steak feast instead of his normal Roast Lamb, so steak it was and I did not forget the chips this time. Good time and our favourite wine from California kept us all in high spirits.

News from Lady Vivienne, a Sourdough Club soirée. Yes LV invited a carefully chosen group of friends to a morning sourdough bread making course. Being a lady of means, she did not charge much, £60, with a snack and coffee. Her pastry chef, HarperF, took her students through the process of preparing and proving the bread. After that, they took their dough home and cooked it the next day. I do believe she is planning on making a promotional video on the success of her first course. There are people out there that enjoy this type of bread. Good luck Lady Vivienne, an ambitious task but well within your capabilities. Hovis, half and half, does it for me.

I am in the early stage of writing our script for the podcast, which will hopefully be done by the end of the week (18th). To give you a brief outline; a story of four unusual friends exploring the wild, a frightening place sometimes but very beautiful. They also do quite a lot of talking and messing about.

Number 17? What is that all about, not sure but will do some research and let you know.