This is not a permanent step-back. This is rather taking control of my life, recognising that things are a bit much for me right now and it is OK to take time out for a while and not feel guilty.

My initial thoughts were a 2-3 week break but I recognise now that I need longer to regroup.

I’ll not be updating the blog until September the 1st, nor my social channels and YouTube.

I then will be returning with energy and passion for the subject I love so much.

I’m still dropping into my Facebook Group 4 or 5 times a day to see if there are any admin duties and to read some of the posts but Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, Pinterest, my Facebook pages and my blog will not be uploaded with any recipes/content etc.

Sending much love and good thoughts, thank you for messages, I will be replying in September after having a proper break.

See you in September, C xxxxx

So I’ve used up all my 16 points for the month now because this evening I had a craving for tinned peaches and luckily “Mr. Bill Brown” (he who runs the grocers on Victoria Road) had a few cans on the shelves when I went shopping yesterday. It’s early days for rationing, I’m sure it will be harder to find my favourite treat in a few more months!

Anyone who loves tinned peaches knows that it’s so easy to eat them all! The tin actually contained 2.5 very small peaches in juice. It was heaven. However, afterwards, I did give some thought to how precious that can of peaches would have been a year or so into rationing when things began to get very scarce. That can of peaches would have been shared among a complete family no doubt. I did feel a little guilty…

So apart from the peaches (which I ate 1/2 an hour ago), what else did I eat today?

Breakfast: Porridge with a spoonful of milled flax and a large cup of tea. I had coffee at work.

Lunch: I wasn’t hungry at my normal lunch time as I felt hot and bothered having walked back from work but when I did eat lunch an hour later than normal, it was leftover stew with some spinach leaves and two slices of bread. I drank water.

Dinner: Again I didn’t feel hungry but eventually ate around 7pm. On my menu I was down for making “vegetable mince” and mashed potatoes but I wasn’t fancying that so instead I had a bowl of lettuce topped with a baked potato (leftover from yesterday) that I chopped up and fried. Enjoyed a large mug of tea afterwards.

Supper: My appetite returned and I craved peaches so had the whole can! Enjoyed my final mug of tea!

I also had some cough sweets as my throat was scratchy and dry today.

Much love, C xxx

I admit, it was hard to not GRAZE on bits and bobs, here and there, as I went about my day.

Although I wasn’t hungry, I still ate my porridge for breakfast with a large mug of tea at 7 am as I knew I wouldn’t be back home to eat lunch until around 1 pm. At the office I normally have a piece of fruit at around 10:30 am but today I decided to go without as I’m trying to establish what is purely habit and what is actual hunger. During the morning at work I also enjoyed 2 cups of coffee! The perks of working is that back in the 40’s, tea and coffee would have been available to purchase from the canteen.

I work from home in the afternoon so as soon as I got in at lunch time I resorted to 1/2 a can of baked beans on 2 slices of toast placed on a nice large bed of salad leaves. I absolutely love my green leaves. Afterwards I had another mug of tea and a sliced apple before cracking on with my to-do list. It’s a BIG one and in never seems to get completed but that is good, it keeps me in a job! I then got hungry again a couple of hours later and ate a sliced tomato and had ANOTHER mug of tea.

As soon as I finished work later I grabbed a medium baked potato (I’d baked earlier) and foolishly used up 2 oz of my vegan cheese and gobbled it down as I was so hungry and then proceeded to make my planned dish which was vegetable stew. I chopped up 1 medium potato, 1 medium parsnip, 1 medium carrot, 1 small onion, a couple of stems of celery, 3 large tomatoes and some herbs, salt and pepper and made enough for a few large bowls. I’ll be having any leftovers for lunch tomorrow with buttered bread.

And that is it so far! Its 6pm and I know in a couple of hours my stomach will be rumbling again, luckily I have a ladle or two of stew I can afford to have and still have some for tomorrow.

Several times today I’ve had to give myself a stern talking too when I almost reached out for a cracker or a biscuit. Hoping over the coming weeks to break that habit.

Here are photos of what I have eaten today. I forgot to take a photo of the baked potato and cheese though.

Thank you so much again for all the lovely comments on my last two posts. I’ve read them all and will try and respond this evening once I settle down for the evening.

Much love, C xxxx