Day 6: June 2022

Halfway through the countdown. Halfway through the year. Best of June, coming right at you. 💥

Duck rendang (a la @cookinboots @jikonilondon, but with some tofu added in at the last minute for the vegetarian), jasmine rice, cold and spicy cucumber and peanut herbed salad, fresh pineapple, steamed (in-season and spectacular) British asparagus.

Jubliee lunch. Family over from the US—vaxxed, boosted and finally together after 2.5 years. Neighborhood houses covered in bunting (ours had a big Scottish flag hanging outside, natch). Country dancing and a live band in our village square (canNOT make this quaint shit up). Cousins playing together. Tourists and tourism back. Life coming back. Celebration. Jubilation. All made the more special by the trials of the years preceding, and the more bittersweet in retrospect by the loss of QEII later in the year.

Lessons learned: eat well, eat together, celebrate when you can, be joyful when you have the opportunity, and never ever ever EVER say no to duck rendang (or in-season asparagus— it’s to die for over here 🇬🇧)