this month - October 2024
not much cooking, a baking workshop, some travelling and a knee procedure
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I don’t know how the days have passed so quickly. Another month is over, and now it truly feels like autumn.
The month began with a long-awaited, much-anticipated bread workshop. Back in February, I registered for Richard Bertinet’s “5-Day Bread Making Class,” scheduled for early this month. I decided to visit my dear friend Şirin in Scotland beforehand, and, while in the UK, I thought, why not add a few days in London?
England was much colder than Thessaloniki, and since I hadn’t yet swapped out my summer clothes for winter ones, I was chilly most of the time. Thankfully, a shopping spree at Uniqlo saved the trip! I picked up a couple of jumpers and was comfortable after that.
The Bertinet Kitchen experience, and time with Richard himself, was five days well-spent. My main struggle was scoring doughs—a skill that still evades me, despite Richard’s best efforts. He cannot be faulted; I’m truly hopeless at it! But the techniques for handling dough and crafting stars (literally and figuratively) made the class worthwhile. From learning the basics to progressing to sourdough, and constantly indulging in gluten, it was a memorable experience.
Bath—my goodness, my first time there—was breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t explore the local cuisine as much as I’d hoped, as I was stuffed from all the bread. But the cobblestone streets, lush greenery, cozy plazas, and heartwarming little bookstores left me wanting to return to this charming town.
Then came London. My beloved B’ joined me for my last three days in the UK, and we stayed at 100 Shoreditch, a trendy, hip hotel in East London. We walked a lot, met with friends, and had some amazing meals. LYLE’S was wonderful as always, and we tried Quo Vadis for the first time—though, I admit, I wasn’t overwhelmed. I also took B’ to Rochelle Canteen, a personal favourite, but this time, the food wasn’t as impressive as it used to be. Restaurants have their occasional off days, though, and I’m sure it’ll return to its usual high standard next time I visit.
That was the first half of October. The second half, I was back home, baking like crazy as expected. Then I had a small procedure at the hospital. They performed micro-liposuction to remove some fat, which was then centrifuged into stem cells and injected into both of my knees. Years of working as an overweight chef had already damaged my knees by the time I had gastric sleeve surgery. A few years ago, I learned that I have no cartilage left in my knees, and, eventually, I’ll need prosthesis. For now, we’re trying to delay the inevitable as long as possible.
After the procedure, I mostly rested—spent time on the couch, watching, reading, and writing, but not cooking. Thankfully, my husband, a wonderful cook, took great care of me.
Tomorrow marks my first day of physiotherapy. I’ll need 15 sessions over six weeks before I can return to Pilates and, hopefully, regular walks. We’ll see how it goes.