Last night Miss M had a sleepover at Alex’s house, which she’d been looking forward to for the last couple of weeks. In the way only a small child can, as I was leaving, she decided she didn’t want to stay, had to come home with me, and would be broken hearted if I didn’t take her. I gently disengaged her vice like hands from my arms, wiped her tears away and told her she’d be fine. I knew as soon as I was gone, she’d be having a ball. I was right, because when I went to pick her up after I’d been to the market this morning, she opened the front door and said “Mummy! Why did you have to come and pick me up so early? I want to stay here!”

She was also extremely irritated we had to go and look at another house this morning, but since it turned out to be the best one we’ve seen yet, maybe she can forgive me. Just maybe!

Before I left to shop, I set up a batch of baguette dough to rise, and now they’re done and cooling on the bench. The best buy at the market today appeared to be pumpkin, which is lucky because later this week, I’m making roast pumpkin, black eyed bean and sausage soup. With the sausages from the Spanish deli, and black eyed beans I’ve had in my cupboard for ages. Oranges were also plentiful, and I’m planning on making an orange cake later this week, but more traditional the Claudia Roden one. One of my great aunts used to make the most gorgeous orange cake, covered in a thin layer of icing with just a little bit of orange zest in it. For some reason I’ve been craving that cake lately.

For the rest of this afternoon, I want to relax, eat, and read, since last night I was given a huge cache of my favorite Phryne Fisher books and I can’t wait to make my way through them.

Today I’m loving: my pink beanie, $2.50 from the el cheapo shop in Victoria Gardens. I’ve hardly taken it off since I bought it last week.