M barrassed Z. Fortunately, no one knows about it

"I haven't time to go in for the papers, could you get them please, on the way to give Pinkie and Scarlet their breakfast?" The Sage said he would, and I left for church a few minutes after he had gone out. I was a bit surprised that Essie wasn't already there, but I got the safe unlocked, the Bible marked with the readings, went and put the water heater and the urn on, and it occurred to me that the radiators weren't *that* warm. Oh. It was 20 to 10, not 20 to 11.

I went home for another hour. I didn't mention it to anyone, no need to look silly is there?

I've bitten the bullet, in that I told the people who'd be most dismayed that I'm leaving the PCC. It isn't happening for 6 months, but I like to plan ahead. For someone as impulsive as I can be, this might sound surprising, but the decision was made suddenly, and thought just reinforced its rightness. Sometimes, on the other hand, I don't know what I'm going to say until I hear myself say it, but I trust my instincts when that does happen - even though that usually leads me into a new direction that a more sensible person would back away from.*

Anyway, one of the people, who was the one thinking "d'oh! I should have done that." wonders if there's a way I could stay on the Finance committee, and I've suggested she asks the Rector if it's possible, because I know I'm the equal third most able person there, and therefore useful. I'd make that concession.

Tonight, pumpkin risotto, because we've got the pumpkins and the rice and the stock. Actually, it's beef stock because that's what I made the other day, so I've added some bacon to the shallots. I'm normally a bit purist about risotto, which should be vegetables only for my palate, but I'm not at all sure about beef stock - usually I make chicken or veg - and I think the only way of standing up to it is to add a bit more flavour. Also - short cut alert - it's way best to grate the raw pumpkin or squash, but it's also a fair bit of effort, so I eightthed and roasted it and chopped it after that. We'll see. If it's not up to scratch, I won't do it again - but I love risotto and have high standards so it won't necessarily mean it's no good at all.

Although actually, I find a lot of recipes just a bit too rich. It's a creamy and unctuous dish because that's the way the rice goes, and I have come to the conclusion that all the extra butter and oil added are not necessary. As I say, I adore it, so I want to pig out. And if you've put a quarter of a pound of butter and a large quantity of Parmesan in, then it's rich and fattening, no question about it, but if it makes it more filling then I'll still have several helpings so I might as well just omit the butter. I like butter, I just use it sparingly, and I don't use nasty emulsified low-fat spreads. I prefer dry bread. And austere risotti.

*No one have a go about the grammar, hey? "From which a more sensible person would back away" is lousy English too, and stilted to boot. "Down which no sensible person would tread" is better English but really - this is colloquial, this blog and I've only known one person who'd actually say that, and she, on observing a fabulous (uh oh, it was a real not a mythological one) sunset, said to her small daughter, "If you were to paint that, no one would believe your palette." With the accent on ette. So think yourselves lucky.

Pee Ess. I saw this and thought of Dave's comment box (if you don't read Dave's blog, look in the comments and click the link.