I'm really tempted to buy one of those "no junk mail" signs. Honestly, you won't believe the amount of junk mail that gets pushed through my front door on a weekly basis. You know, local free weekly paper stuffed with the usual rubbish.  This week's inventory includes a couple of Indian restaurants booklets, one massive pizza restaurant voucher, a local shopping centre Christmas voucher, 3 Chinese restaurants leaflets, 4 envelopes for the home-owner, a state agents card, the local neighbour newspaper, 2 booklets with local services advertising, a couple of invites to join different religions, and a leaflet about a credit card I definitely can't afford. And exactly 23 copies of the same letter from Virgin Media. Twenty three. And that´s only this week.

Victoria Sponge Cake

This week I would like to talk about talent. Talent is one of those things that is quite obvious for everybody while you don´t know you have it.

The reason is simple: it takes you very little effort to do what everyone else seems to find absolutely amazing. This is why people tend to undervalue their talents.

Gin, Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble

I have started running again.

Yes, I´m incorrigible.

But this time there is something different that is keeping me extra motivated (and extra hooked): a mobile app that tracks my runs and gives me statistics of how I'm doing compared to my previous runs and, most important, compared to my friends. 

And here is the crux of the matter. Yes, because the problem of running is that you are normally not competing against anyone but yourself. And how boring is that. If you cannot left someone biting the dust after a run, what's the point?

Parsnips & Mascarpone Soup

A couple of weeks ago we decided to join a local organic vegetable box scheme. Basically, you pay a fixed amount of money every week and they send you a box full of seasonal, fresh and organic vegetables, milk and eggs.

I was a bit unsure about it, as I like shopping and choose whatever I fancy eating that week.

However, after a couple of weeks receiving it, I must admit it has been absolutely brilliant. Every Wednesday, a surprise box is waiting for me in my front door. Everyone gets really excited while we discover what veggies have we been given this week. Not to talk about the slugs hunt around the kitchen!