So, I turned 29 and the world didn't fall apart, which was nice. Maybe I'm saving that for my 30th. It's been an interesting three months. The world feels much easier than it was, probably helped by a ludicrously extravagant summer that included (so that I don't forget when I'm old and grey and suffering from an unsustainably large population):

1) Lucy's first hen do - amazing, amazing house somewhere in England that wasn't London (I'm so sorry, all geographers and Northerners), with a piano, a stuffed bear called Donald and the loveliest collection of people I've been lucky enough to spend four days with in recent memory. We danced and ate and played at Alice in Wonderland.

2) Croatia and the yacht - beautiful, just so beautiful, though with  some slightly dodgy and very, very posh people 'of course, some people go sailing on their lakes, but I prefer the sea' 'it was a gem emergency!' Adam, Lizzie and Russ were there though, which helped make up for it.

3) Cock and Bull festival - my favourite festival ever. Tiny, fun, with a hay bale throwing competition (never tangle with a farmer). Rather strange night with a couple and lots of  cocaine... being single after lots of years with someone can lead to some odd decisions, I have discovered.


4) A trip to a (slightly dodgy) spa with Sam and Helen - lovely and relaxing and friendly couple of days, though it was odd that no one really seemed to actually work at the spa. However, on the way home we stopped at a farmer's shop and I bought amazing bacon, picked my own broad beans and spent way too much on a haunch of venison that is currently in the freezer, waiting till the perfect time...

5) Edinburgh festival - as ever, amazing, and not too painful being there with Fish, though he was weird and googly-eyed and sad, which was horrible, though not as horrible as if he'd been totally fine and with someone new. Also one wonderful club night with Cassette Boy 'like to get scampi'. Lots and lots of dancing.


6) End of the Road - slightly beaten by Cock and Bull, but still really fun - everyone got along, even my loud but lovely friend Allie and my cousin Sophie, which really could have gone either way. Plus, turns out there's a point to silent discos - who knew?

7) My birthday, which I was dreading for obvious reasons but actually was a lot of fun. It turns out I'm just a lot less stressed when Fishless, though it was still sad at moments.


8) Lucy's 2nd hen do. Not blowing our own horn or anything but we rocked as bridesmaids - it was lovely!

9) Lucy's Wedding (ok, so it's not quite summer but it was really, really wonderful so I'm including it anyway). Westminster Abbey, the bells chimed as they finish the vows and sun came through the stained glass windows as they signed the register. If I were a) Christian or b) had any intention of wearing a white dress and c) someone I wanted to marry, then I would want an exact copy. Lucy looked unbelievable and we all cried a lot.



So yes, it has been a really lovely three months in some ways, if up and down. On the down side, it's now been almost 10 months since I've had sex. 10 MONTHS. If this situation is not remedied soon it will be time for some seriously bad decisions. I've also promised to do the online dating thing, and I will try to write about it again. I've found writing this post very boring, but I know I will be glad I've done it, looking back. Also, I made a GOOD soup the other day:

Sausages (or chorizo would be even better)
Fava beans in a can (ideally in sauce - Palestinian recipe from weird shop in CJ, lemon juice, cumin)
Fresh tomatoes
Tomato puree
eight whole garlic cloves
good beef stock
one onion
spinach
courgette
red lentils (if you want a heartier soup)
cumin
coriander
fresh red chillies, three, cut in half with seeds still in
ground cloves (only a little but they really work, don't leave them out)

Fry the onions, garlic until transparent and garlic a little golden (not too hot as you'll burn the garlic). Add the meat and brown
Add cumin, coriander, cloves and chillies and fry a little longer (about 1 min)
Add puree and fry on a low heat until it caramelises and turns a darker red
Pour in stock and sauce from beans, add lentils and bring to gentle boil
leave to simmer for a little until the lentils are cooked (about 30mins)
add the courgettes and cook for another five mins or however long it takes for the courgettes to be al dente
add the spinach, stir until it wilts
taste for seasoning - add pepper/lemon juice/salt if wanted
trickle olive oil on top and serve