I've been up for hours...

This morning at 6.10am I was up and at 'em.  I went swimming at a local outdoor pool.  Yes, that was me, that was, thrashing out lengths before the sun had risen.  Well, it was up, but not out this morning.  Not sure if this is something I want to commit to on a regular basis, but I do feel as if I have had a little adventure all of my own already today.  Now I have officially finished (for now anyhow) my RC classes (final weight loss 9lb) I don't want to let my regular exercising drop, as I am starting to see a little of the shape emerging that I had many moons ago and I feel better about myself.    Apparently inactivity is now recognised as killing as many people in the UK as tobacco-related deaths.  Blimey. 

On that cheerful note, here is a luverly cake I made the other day from this recipe:

It is very moist, was very easy to do, but if you use spelt flour (as I did) I think a little milk chucked in at the end would not go amiss. 

I have managed a couple of lunches al fresco this week:

Believe it or not, I don't even really like Diet Coke all that much, despite the frequent appearances on my table. 

I picked up Fay Ripley's book Family Food at the library and found it to be very good, actually.  She touts quite simple do-able meals.  Last night we had this:

Btw, the food in the bowl is not the food in the book - this was lunch.  (spot the ubiquitous can of Diet Coke? haaaa haaaaaaaaaaa)
The food in the book turned out to be v.simple and v.tasty.  There is a 'hearty soup' in there too, which I have my eye on, but I have to get it past Mark and Oliver under a different guise, as the last hearty soup I rustled up closely resembled wallpaper paste and they have never let me forget it.  Bloody pearl barley, that's what I say. 

This very prettily wrapped parcel arrived in the post for me yesterday:

It was.....

This!

How fantastic is that?!  The apron, obvs,  not the pseudo-chef with the manic grin who is wearing it.  I have wanted an apron for a long time - I have just not wanted to splash out for a wipe-clean pvc one, nor an overpriced twee one.  But this one, THIS one - is unique, is made from stunning fabric, is exactly the design I wanted and is all mine.  It has pockets, buttons and everything, which you can see better in this blog post link,  and, best of all, it was made for me as a gift, and to have something made for me is rare, and therefore very special.  So thank you, thank you Mrs TT, you are a gifted lady and very kindhearted. 

Popped out to Killerton in the week on a hot day, for a picnic lunch. 

And I drank ginger beer that day, so there.

So, who's your money on for lighting the Olympic flame?  David Beckham or Seb Coe seem likely, although I would so love it to be someone completely different.  Prince William would be very popular (though a Royal is unprecedented).  I hope they don't choose some complete numpty.  (ie, someone I don't approve of ha ha).

Tonight is the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  After years of spouting about how we must go and see the games for Oliver's sake - this is the only time they will be in our country in his lifetime blah di blah, we are, in fact, going to see nothing.  Nada, zip, zilch.  And it all boils down to - not being arsed.  Ne'er mind.

Anyhow, what I find interesting is the speculation surrounding this particular opening ceremony, and the mutterings about how we are going to 'top Beijing'.  Well, newsflash - we can't, and won't in the wow stakes. However,  I am going to stick my neck out here and say that I think our opening ceremony will be unique, and indicative of the 'Britishness' which makes us so proud of the value of being British.  And that, my friends, would be job done.