A Little Bit of Space.....

This post is over a week late!  I cannot believe how the time is flying here.  Last week I had a moment to enjoy a cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee (sent over by one of my good friends in the US) in my special Emma Bridgewater Hellebore cup and saucer:

and to make a delightful carrot, parsnip, potato and coriander soup which we had with some special bread and cheese followed by Normandy Apple Cake (recipe to follow).

The apples for this came from a neighbour up the road who has had a tray of them outside her house with the sign "Please help yourself" up for a while now.  I love it!  It makes me feel like being in the country where you see those signs regularly, instead of here in suburban London.

It's been a busy time with family coming and going and the day job of course.  We are all preparing ourselves for daughter no.2 going out to Uganda on 6th January for a Voluntary Service Overseas placement.  If you saw the Panorama programme on BBC on Monday night this week called Addicted to Aid where one of the places featured was the hospital she is going to work in, you will have an idea of how we feel!!!!  There were some shocking scenes and although I am totally aware things will be very different I hadn't imagined scenes of patients dying on the floor amidst filth!!  This was A & E and she won't be working in that dept but it sent chills down all of us to see such depths of suffering and particularly in the light of millions of pounds being given to the hospital but little to be seen of how it has improved things.  The whole programme was on the topic of corruption.  Sorry to be so grim on this very rainy Friday evening!  I promise lighter and better things next time!