2026 Week 42

A surprisingly good week at work. This might have been down to my complete weekend off or to the fact that Y13 have been in mocks, which has halved my teaching load. Either way, I have been joking that I must be about to die because it feels like golden time. I managed to get loads done. Perhaps the visitors will come next week (it has to be soon) and I can capitalise on this efficient feeling.

A couple of nice social things happened. I went to a supper club at a local charity that was a collab with a restaurant near work and Farro, a bakery I am obsessed with. Unfortunately we tried to go to the actual restaurant, only to discover the dinner was being hosted at the charity premises in Bedminster, so had to do a bit of a cross-town dash; but it was a very informal sort of dinner so it was all good. It was great to have a meal with Parpy Jo and a catch up, such as has not been had for a long time. Then on Friday night I went to see Lizzy's new house (she has been there a year but...) and we had dinner and did some knitting. Socially nourishing is this season's vibe. 

I went to the sauna and to yoga. I watched the Traitors and Bake Off. We started watching War, which I thought would be some sharp political thriller but it turns out to be about divorce and I predict they will reconcile because the whole thing is really being driven by the lawyers. Good characters and wow, what a cast, but I can't yet get over my disappointment at it not being what I was expecting. 

I continued to knit the accordion scarf I'm making for the cleaner at work. I've just joined colour five of ten, so we are getting there. It's a very, very easy pattern but I think this is making me slower because it's just not very interesting. I continue to read Land, which is very interesting. I have had to pause it briefly because it's sucking me in and I can't be doing late nights at this end of term. 

I've spent much of this weekend baking for the school bake sale tomorrow, something I haven't done in a very long time. I made this spiced squash and apple loaf from Riverford Farm; ginger butternut cupcakes from my Dan Lepard cookbook (it must be getting on for 10 years since I made these, ever since Sainers stopped selling pre-chopped glace ginger, I hate chopping the ginger); and snickerdoodle cupcakes with a caramel buttercream. I used the tinned condensed milk caramel for the buttercream and it is awesome, though very sweet. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy baking time: another thing that can come back now the Masters is finished.