Robin Ellis

I’m spending the morning in the kitchen–cooking! Life has been a little distracting recently–I’m enjoying a change of costume. No sign of a wig either! Haven’t done these little beauties for some time. I bought a few courgettes (zucchini) at the organic market last week–the first of the season. I was surprised to see them but happy because I’d found a brilliant source of fresh coriander and had enough to  cook an occasional but favorite dish from Delicious Dishes… Spicy Prawns with Coriander. I foolishly cut corners and bought some frozen raw prawns from the supermarket that turned out mushy and the dish was rubbish. The recipe’s good though and worth trying–if you can find the coriander.. There are two of these shiny new courgettes left in the crisper. I look up the recipe (in Delicious Dishes)–2 courgettes, it says!–perfect. I don’t have any emmental cheese but use a creamy soft brebis (sheep’s cheese) instead with a little added parmesan.  Courgette Muffins

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Last week, my tum was upset–I won’t go into detail!

We diabetics, need to eat regularly, but I wasn’t fancying much–so what exactly?

Rice says Meredith–bland and filling–less of a challenge to the digestion.

I like our rice–brown basmati–but not hugely, if I can put it like that.

Dragging myself to the health food shop I spotted some good looking broccoli–late season but fresh and green.

Lightly seasoned rice with added flecks of chopped parsley or coriander topped with steaming broccoli and a swirl of olive oil?

Little effort and easy on the stomach.

I had seconds!

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The other morning Meredith noticed something out of the ordinary had been at the little dry food pellets (kibble) in a cat bowl.

Munched into dust, almost.

“Uh-uh! whose been nibbling at the cat food?”

Concerned speculation…

Was it a mouse? A rogue cat from over the way? Or was it a “doesn’t-bear-thinking-about”?

Time to take up the cat food bowls overnight and be on the lookout for unwelcome visitors.

The following morning, I’m sitting in my chair after breakfast checking through the email when something catches my eye….

I look up and focus on the cat bowl at the entrance to the larder.

Something is there, and it isn’t a cat. The feline population are all outside sunning themselves, having eaten their fill for the moment.

Not a cat–but what?

It is facing me–snout first, full on–difficult to see clearly. First thought–a RAT!

Worst fears, lift legs, shout for Meredith…?

THEN, I pull focus more finely and see the plump, little body of the beast and the tell-tale spines sillouetted against the light streaming through the open back door.

RELIEF! Legs  down, call softly to Meredith….

It’s a baby hedgehog!

Meredith peers round the entrance and sees the “uninvited visitor” and laughs.

“There you are!” she says quietly to the youngster with the adventurous heart.

The frame freezes as we all take in the situation.

The baby hedgehog is the first to move.

It skittles back into the larder which has clearly been its home for a day or two.

“You’ll have to wear gloves”, I say irrelevantly, as Meredith disappears towards the tool shed.

Back she comes wearing her hedgehog handlers and the rest of the story tells itself…

Spot anyone hiding out in the larder?

Pippa, head cat, is unimpressed.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad…”

Postscript:

Master Intrepid returns!

Later that same day as Meredith sat in front of the computer, who does she spy but young Master Intrepid making his way from the front door this time into the kitchen, heading toward the cat bowls by the back door.

Needs must when the stomach wills?

Or innocent insouciance, carefree and fearless?

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