Contemplating marmalade

With a yin to the yang of January resolutions, around this time I start getting all domestic and think a lot about food. Whether it’s the still short days and gloomy skies or just plain feeling sorry for myself, I dream of stews and cosy comforting foods.

Often in the ‘new things to accomplish section of yearly goals’ I say this  (insert date) will be the year I make sourdough bread, and then lose myself in the romance of nurturing a starter that will live with us like a favoured pet to be handed down to my children when I depart this great planet.

It all sounds quite Russian and mystical, but is so at odds with my real life that it remains a fantasy and another resolution to be carried over into (insert date).

I also spend a lot of January time thinking about making marmalade. Again I am imagining I am the kind of woman who can rustle up a preserve at the drop of a hat, and let myself be easily swayed by foodie folk I follow on Twitter and blogs, reading about the  Marmalade festival and almost becoming convinced that I will find an hour or three to chop and peel and boil my special marmalade oranges to achieve amber perfection.

In my marmalade contemplation, I bought some special Seville oranges but as yet they lie unpreserved and taunting me from the fruit bowl.

I did however run 7 miles on Sunday, and without too much difficulty, so half marathon training seems on track. Lil, Alison and I did a slightly extended version of our usual route along the Dell path, heading up to a path that runs parallel to the Dell railway route to give an extra 2 mile loop. Sunday was a lovely fresh morning and was enjoyable to run on higher ground.

Felt almost Spring like 🙂