have been in kent for the weekend - good times in the wind and the rain. i spent most of yesterday preparing dinner: chestnut soup, then a gallette of pig trotters with some soft lettuce salad. today e and i have made a few jars of crab apple chutney and enjoyed the latest smiley on radio 4. i am off tomorrow, perhaps i shall go to brixton for a pizza.

great repose after last week's kansas city trip remains a key theme for my activities. over the weekend i roasted a chicken in the french way (ie stuffed with baguette) and had quite a nice tea at laura and peter's new gaff, and that was pretty well that. looking forward, i am fulsome in my anticipation of a serious man - perhaps i shall go this week.

this week has seen some great highlights: the unexpected re-appearance of may, a lovely late dinner at anchor + hope, stjb&w meat pie with attendant slightly burn suet crust, and last night some lovely cocktails at rules. but somehow, as the season turns, i am feeling a little melancholy this saturday morning. sat in my office trying to muster the will to finish a report, listening to adam and joe and thinking about how i shall cook some black kale, i just want to go to bed.

quite a lovely weekend - i left work a bit early on friday to head down to kent for the night. on saturday i did loads of cooking to prepare for e's birthday party: bagna cauda, and then oxtail, potato puree and braised lettuce. today i have been doing a little work after ba shan lunch. i fear for getting the work i have lined up done before christmas. to quote the captain long ago, it is one thing when you are fucked, but now i am fucking fucked.