Thanks - there are a lot of foodies out there and I love you all. As it happened, the Pumpkin Question was answered for me by Rob, who took matters into his own hands and roasted the whole lot. It was very nice.

Sorry about lack of recent posts. I have not been in the blogzone mentally, so to speak. For one, the weather is lu-ver-ly, beautiful golden autumn days. Cold enough for a jumper but not enough to see your breath, and not a cloud in the big, blue sky. Brown, crunchy leaves to kick or pick up and give to strangers (Emma.) Hot chestnuts, too: mmmmmm.

So I haven't really wanted to stare at a computer screen much. Plus, me and my blog - we needed some space. I was sensing some negative co-dependency developing. It is a bit bonkers to check to see if you've got any comments 4 times an hour, and feel all lonely if you don't.
My mother is now the only person I know who can't -won't- use email, the Internet, nothing. She did a computer course, so she could if she wanted to. She just prefers handwritten cards, always with pictures of farmyard animals on them and 'Beautiful Dorset' in golden, embossed italics. I love getting them, too - they are about the only regular things in my post box apart from Dr Happy Frankfurter's bills. These are black and white and totally joyless, unlike HF herself.

But I'm back now. In further installments, expect to hear about
- my weekend with the nuns
- Emma's adaptation week at nursery
- our German guests

Bet you can't wait.