Day Seven - The Planter's Chair But No Beef And Potato Curry

Here we are then. The kitchen is now done, everything's unpacked, put away and now it's just a question of finding things as and when I need them.

A good supermarket session may be one of my forthcoming pleasures. I was quietly pleased to discover that I had every spice necessary to make just about any Sri Lankan dish you can imagine. There was Maldive fish, turmeric, dried chillies, you name it and there's a glass jar with a label saying that very thing in my cupboard, the one on the right.

But, I have no food. There are some Kit Kats, some Oreos and some crisps, some Coke Zeros and Fanta Zeros and water in the fridge but that's it. I had to buy those things as K turned up with her mate, C, to hang here for a while the other day. That was quite pleasant, they chilled around, ate things and K was visibly proud to show off her Dad's new pad to her friend.

Yesterday I went out and bought that too trendy for my own good oven glove. I think it was either the most expensive oven glove in the world, or they saw me approaching and hurriedly switched the price label. I followed up by buying the most expensive doormat in the world. It's high tech and specially designed for people to bring in their wet dog after a walk in the woods.

That wasn't a good sentence but I think you know what I meant. Another way of putting it is that it's the type of doormat they use on the space shuttle, that's how high tech and marvellous it is.

My bedroom has turned into a little Sri Lankan oasis. I'm sitting on the planter's chair now as I write this. To my right, just outside the window, is the Thames, some boats and a bridge and things. Just before the window are five pictures of Sri Lanka, taken by me. You may recognise them from my Flickr account or somewhere.

I'd wanted a planter's chair for about fifteen years and finally got this one about two years ago. The shipping cost far more than the actual chair but damn, it was worth every rupee. This is the first time I've had it somewhere where I can really sit, relax and dream and it feels good, it was worth the wait.

There has been one slight disaster so far. I've been unable to find my favourite Sri Lankan cookery book, that one by Channa Dassanayake, the Sri Lankan Aussie chef. I loved the beef and potato curry recipe in it and haven't got the vaguest memory of how to make the dish without the recipe.

All I can recall is that I need beef and potatoes.

Bugger.

Must go, there's more unpacking to be done.

It's Easter Sunday today, the day the Easter Bunny was crucified I believe.

Poor bloke.