I was fretting. All this talk of new starts, changes and ways of escape. But what do I actually write about? Well, all in one day, all those ways of escape came together. I’ll try to put some words around it.
A Slow Start
The day, a Saturday, started cold and icy so no cycling outdoors. Indoors, good for consistent training, building toward the summer and strengthening my noticeably smaller right leg. Then an hour of rest before going for a nice, cold walk. A little ice still around and a full one and a half kilometre round, not bad! That is something after cycling although the last half kilometre did need a stick.
I needed to sit down for a couple of hours after that. So a chance for another small, passive interest. Music. Listening and playing with some Spotify playlists. I can get quite fussy with playlists. Tidying one large playlist and making a new one, trying to remember all the concerts I had been to. Nerdy fun but also helping me look forward to the concerts to come…. Mogwai, Libertines, Murder Capital….. Low-maintenance optimism.
To the Kitchen
Then came the cooking. I have always enjoyed cooking but cycling did push it in to the shadows a little. Not that I stopped cooking! It just became a bit less of a focus, stopped being something that I did for enjoyment. It’s good to get the enjoyment back and to mess around a little.
So, after a day of music and not too strenuous exercise and resting, in to the kitchen. A couple of chicken thighs and a nicely full cupboard was a good starting point. Now, I am no great chef. This is not going to suddenly turn in to one of those pompous blogs that talks about a ‘passion for flavours’. I just like farting around a bit. I also like looking in my cookbooks. Also my iPad, specifically the New York Times Cookery app. Not sure why I started using that app as I always prefer paper and pages but happy it. The cocktail recipes were dangerous over Christmas as well!
Healthy Chaos
One of my new purchases is Completely Perfect by Felicity Cloake. Here the idea of poaching a chicken prior to roasting came up. So I poached my two thighs in water that had been spruced up star anise, soy sauce, tabasco and a bit of salt. I am not sure how that mix came together. Healthy chaos.
At this stage I would love to say there was a systematic approach to the meal that reflect Asian flavours. But there was not. All back to chaos. I like disorganisation but these days my MS ravaged brain likes organisation. Still one little rebellion does not harm.
These went in to the oven with some aubergines that would be roasted prior to being grilled with Miso coating. Not my idea. Thanks Sam Sifton and New York Times. Definitely fun, especially with Match of the Day on in the background. Not that I watch football often these days but the FA Cup still has that something….. call me old-fashioned…
Closing
The day finished slowly. All that walking and cycling is more tiring than it used to be and the following day, a Sunday, was more restful. But there was still a bit of the day left. Television, finishing The Bear and started season six of What We Do in the Shadows. One episode was a homage to Apocalypse Now! Or is that pastiche? I don’t know. Need to watch that again sometime. Need to put more time in to films….
Sorry, first there was the music nerd, now the film nerd is coming. I know how to be boring at parties.
These were watched with a couple of cocktails. Not in a wine mood for once. People with MS also drink which seems to shock some people but we have enough to deal with.
All In One Day
Perhaps this is not the most thrilling post. Just ambling through a day as opposed to ploughing up a mountain by bike or visiting some amazing places. I did not mention MS much but it is does overshadow things a little. Impeding my walking and forcing long rests between activities that were not as intense as they used to be. But nothing is as it used to be.
So I will take this small mess of a day. A good pattern going forward. Something to build on. Many of the things I enjoy and all in one day. That will do me fine.
