La vie est simple, especially when in the French Alps. We escaped to France only after Boris ( our prime minister) said we could. Unfortunately this was to be rescinded fairly quickly, but never mind. Here we were isolated living in our extended family bubble. Daughter, Son in Law and three grandchildren aged 5- 12 ( almost 13 as he reminded us constantly).
Popi was on Breakfast duty , nothing too much trouble, but usually pancakes maybe scrambled eggs or fried eggs on toast. Me, for the most part on dinner duty , feeding 7 on a daily basis long forgotten.
Son in Law worked from home, commandeered one bedroom for his office and worked 12 hour days. Willowy blond also worked from home but made the most of her credentials to do some press trips whilst here. Mountain biking, ( many bruises) trip to Les Arcs with the kids, foraging, hiking, bivouacking with the big kids deep in the forest and Paragliding. What an adventure filled summer for them. Not forgetting the lacs, for swimming, boating, paddle boarding and the socially distanced WiBit, a giant bouncy castle thing in the middle of a lake. Dave’s gym ( private) came in very useful for the parents as did long distance swimming in the beautiful Lac de Montriond or running to the top of Mont Chery
Our occupation other than grandkids was some golf, usually on the top of our mountain in which the challenge is to see how many balls one doesn’t lose !
But seriously La Vie est Simple here. A hamlet of 10 houses up 7 hairpins. Somewhere, where in times past was the norm, doors are not locked and windows left open.
Normally whilst here in the summer I would make jam of some sort. However jam stocks are fairly high and inspiration was when #1 daughter gave me the goods found on her foraging trip. Rowan Berries. Rowan trees are everywhere and at this time of year adorned in orange berries. Beautiful in the winter as well, as the berries have turned red and look stunning when the trees are snow covered.

Unbeknownst to me, these berries make a wonderful jelly which is best served with game such as venison. Consequently I had to make some with the donated berries. As with all jam making it is not difficult and a jam thermometer makes life much easier.
I used equal quantities of berries, apples and sugar , about the same amount of water and the juice of two lemons.
Pick over the berries, cut the apples but do not peel, as the peel contains pectin essential for setting. Put the fruit, juice and water into a pan and simmer gently until the fruit is really soft. Pour into a Jelly bag and let it drain. No Jelly bag, no problem and pair of clean old tights will do the job just as well. Leave the fruit draining and dripping until it drips no more. Pour the juice into a saucepans add the sugar and heat to approximately 100 C. Watch out that it doesn’t boil over, easily done!!!


Skim the jelly, and pot in sterilised jars as quickly as possible.
Then eat with either some game, or with cheese! Sounds good to me, next summer I’ll go foraging myself!


Cake decorating skills





























I wonder what history will say about the Pandemic after (if) a vaccine has been found and life returns to albeit maybe a different form of normality . Hats off to all the companies and individuals who have been more than creative by setting up online, delivery companies, from fish and meat to fruit and vegetables, to cakes and pastries, and well to almost anything. Of course Amazon has benefitted greatly from all of the online purchases, but I am thinking more of the small people who have needed to make a living, and have been innovative indeed, to young Sophie who has turned her chefs training to making sourdough bread and wonderful macaroons, to all of the restaurants who have continued cooking and now do home delivery. In the words of an old saying, The Butcher, The Baker and the Candlestick Maker.

On a slightly different note a lovely visit to Kew Gardens on Friday, and with the restrictions on numbers was just lovely. Here is a photo of my Finchley crew in the Hive !
Although things like hairdressers and nail salons, restaurants and bars, and soon gyms and out door pools, are opening, (but don’t do the butterfly, too many viruses will leap around as well) and men can get their beard trimmed but women can’t get their eyebrows sorted! All done with a snap of fingers and Boris seems to think it all a bit funny, having a giggle at beauty parlours! But Hey Ho, I’m not going any where, any time soon.




We have once again a well stocked refrigerator, thanks to my new best friends at Watts Farm. Being a Kentish girl and a Maid of Kent ( depending on which side of the River Medway is your birthplace) I am very keen on Kentish produce, especially at this time of year. Fresh green asparagus strawberries, raspberries and don’t forget the cherries.




We can Travel Yeah! We are allowed to go to all sorts of places, not the USA ( as we won’t let them in , but not sure I want to go there at the moment anyway). Oh,we are allowed to go to New Zealand, but there is a catch, they won’t let anyone in ! A long way to go only to be turned around!


As for the rest, the Totopos, were like blue cardboard, the Ceviche was OK, the grilled corn broth, seriously short changed here, as I had to add bouillon to make three small servings.

Apparently it is 100 days since we began our incarceration! Makes me think of people in prison, for whatever reason. What do they do,what do they think? Although we were in strict Lockdown for what 10 weeks, 12 weeks, it is at the point where I don’t really remember. Waking up, thinking “What day is it”. But can you imagine, being in a situation where it doesn’t matter what day it is, I just can’t. At least despite having our freedom severely curtailed, we could buy groceries, wine, beer, in fact we could buy almost everything we wanted/ needed and more.

