SHERINGHAM DIARY No 103 - The Consequent Decline Of Comfort Eating.

19th January 2024

Today my husband, being playfully teasing, accused me of putting on my outdoor shoes in a passive aggressive manner. A little bit of context is perhaps required here. This was after he'd suggested earlier we take a day off and go out for a jolly. He remained in post shower mode, which I refer to as 'Towel Man' ( a large grey toweling skirt with co ordinated white and grey striped matching towel shoulder wrap ) and he'd been like that for well over an hour. Still idly scrolling through Twitter, with no sign yet of any preparation to 'go out'. So I put on my outdoor shoes merely as an preliminary indicator that I was ready. Just saying.

20th January 2024

I could hardly not overhear one conversation when we visited Stiffkey Stores yesterday. Stiffkey Stores, as you may know, is a favourite haunt of ours. Even though it is the natural home of the achingly self conscious middle class. There were two women in similar barbour coats, knee boots and the dramatic swathe of a brightly coloured signature scarf-wrap. Both in their mid thirties, they were talking loudly and all too clearly about encouraging their, no doubt truly lovely, sprogs to swim. One woman appeared the more experienced and confident, and was advising the other. I wish I could have recorded the conversation, it was a hoot. The following are just the bits I, no doubt imperfectly, remember, just to give a flavour.

'Golly, I've only just got him to put his head down under the bath water. How I encourage him to want to learn to swim defeats me'

'Talk to Rachel she teaches basic swimming - she's a fiercesomely impressive woman - intimidating - but rea...lly good. Get him to do lessons with her for now, and book an intensive course with Jacob during Summer hols'

'Yeah, though that sounds super, but I guess on a basic level, I just really need to up my game though. Get Bruno out the bath, so Lily can have her bubble time'

The conversation moved on to cooking to entertain some, seemingly, scary acquaintances, and the more confident one was describing how to make a sweet marinade for tofu.

'I just mix some white wine vinegar, maple syrup with chilli and roll them in it till their all covered, and leave it overnight if need be, before roasting.'

'Oh, but gosh -  I really don't know tofu '

'Maybe it's better you dont do it then'

2nd January 2024
Husband stoically ( yes, I think that's the best way to describe it ) got to the end of completing our tax return. After weeks of both of us imputing data into Quickbooks, there came the moment for number crunching and account reconciling. Though this is only 22/23, not that long ago, its interesting how much you forget just how financially bad it was. As it turns out there was a significant short fall in income overall, that if we'd clocked it soon enough, we might have called an end to the shop right then and there. But at that point we were still expecting Christmas sales to hold up, which they most certainly did not. By the arrival of the dearth of trade that is the Winter months, it was too late, for effectively wrapping up the shop. When it comes to the future 23/24's accounts, we confidently expect to see a similarly spectacular short fall. 

Generally we limit ourselves to a couple of hours max computer screen work, But getting things to the submitting point of our self -assessment took Hubby four hours, by which time he was well and truly wired. So we took off in the car to Blakeney for a cuppa and pastry in the Two Magpies, and a short but very windy walk as the sun set and the tide came in. I watched with a level of interest, bordering on schadenfreude, as water lapped ever closer to the car park.

23rd January 2024

Hubby pointed me in the direction of this great shop name. Its an Italian restaurant entitled

BACCHANALDI

So called because it is at the Back of Aldi.

24th January 2024
It being Veganuary, Hubby has been trying out veganism for the month. One advantage of being vegan these days, is that if you don't mind heavily processed food, nay totally vegan versions of junk food, then being a vegan is now the life style choice made especially for you. Most really cheap food doesn't contain any dairy or eggs in them these days. Not out of any ethical or ecological concern, but because dairy is expensive, plant based is considerably cheaper and virtuously also extends the shelf life of products. Hubby has, hence, been merrily experimenting and finding all sorts of stuff he can now substitute for vegetarian staples like eggs and cheese. 

Myself, I've been experimenting with being low to no processed sugar. For a Lumb, I'm doing heroically well with the not eating cakes or confectionery bit. I'm not being particularly ultra purist about this. So I still allow myself tomato ketchup on chips, and marmalade or jam occasionally. I deal with my post savoury sweet craving mostly by eating fresh or dried fruit. 

Both of us are finding, that in quite a lot of North Norfolk cafes, vegan or savoury offerings are a little thin on the ground or non existent. Frequently, when asked, they've 'just that minute run out' of' their vegan or savoury option. Which I think is short hand for - oops. we totally forgot.

So far I've not encountered any major kickback or sugar withdrawal symptoms. I intend to carry on post January. As does Hubby with being vegan. We are both finding we are currently sleeping longer and more soundly. Which may in part come from our diets, but also from not having the shop on our minds any more. And the consequent decline of comfort eating.

25th January 2024
One of the joys of not having a shop, and the pressures on making are reduced for now, is that you can consider making something just for oneself. In my rooting around in the garage I encountered a half completed furniture project I was upcycling, an old free standing sewing box. As we are unlikely to be selling large items anymore, I've been consigning many of them to the wood pile. Then it dawned on me that this one was rather special, and I really wanted to finish it for my use. I'm really pleased with the way it came out. And its already got me thinking about starting a knitting project for myself, if my husband doesn't bag first dibs.