Cooking, Shopping, Excess and Surplus

What seemed like enough shopping for a large family arrived the night before last. I cooked the chicken cut into pieces in the oven, surrounded by small new potatoes, peppers, onions cut in half, whole cloves of garlic and sprinkled with olive oil and rosemary. I cooked the remains of the carcase with onions, mushrooms, some more peppers and chicken stock. I added a leek this morning to make a large tureen of chicken and vegetable soup. I may make this into a kind of minestrone by adding pasta and serving with parmesan on top. Some could be frozen. All I have to deal with now is to eat the rest of the chicken and decide what to do with the rest of the leeks and the fresh cauliflower which should be eaten, or at least cooked, within the next day or two.

Julian told me a friend of hers from Borough market might like my spare chair, possibly some comforters and the chintz. On the strength of this I ordered the Onde china. However, the chintz was left behind! So I now have an excess of chintz china. I need inspiration.

Not learning from this I have bought some curtains, two rugs, some cushions and a bedcover from Gudrun Sjoden, all in anticipation of my bedroom being painted either a Farrow & Ball aubergine, or alternatively and eau de Nil but a bit darker called blue green. The bedcover is more like a throw, and really intended as a tablecloth, but I bought one before in a bluey purpley colour and it really looks nice as a throw, so I have now purchased a bright red floral one. Any rejects will find their way into the spare room.

I shall try and force myself to go to Borough Market today to purchase the pheasants. I also need a cordless telephone which Julian tells me I can find in Woolworth's. I hope they have a white one.