Kitchen Rhythm

Sunday 13th February

Day 298

We leave my father eating his supper on his lap. A bowl of pumpkin soup, a soft brown roll spread with his favorite blue cheese - St Augur. They must have done something to it to make it the consistency of thick cream. And for afters, a banana flapjack - a new version of my recipe - using up very ripe bananas. He’s happy tonight because he came second in our game of scrabble - only six points behind my husband who he considers the king of the board.

Driving home in the the splattering rain, which hasn’t stopped all day, we discuss what to have for supper.

‘A takeaway?’ he says.

‘Let’s just see what we can find in the fridge,’ I say, even though I don’t much feel like cooking.

We do it together. He peels the potatoes, the sprouts and fat garlic cloves and I soften a leek, a red onion and two carrots in olive oil and stock. While the potatoes turn brown and crisp in the oven, he turns up the volume and we dance to the wild world of Queen and Freddie Mercury, our bare feet drumming the kitchen floor.