Asparagus and Eggs

Saturday 2nd April

Day 346

Even before breakfast my Saturday plans curdle through faffing. So when my husband comes back from the allotment with ten sticks of asparagus thick as my fingers, it all becomes clear - a spring brunch. While he poaches the eggs and slips bread slices under the grill, I bend the spears at their breaking point, discard their rock hard bases and lay the tender green stems in a skillet.

While we wait for perfect doneness - eggs and asparagus - I empty the other allotment bag into the sink and wash and chop twenty bright pink stalks of rhubarb, drench them with sugar and add long curls of orange zest to the pan. Pudding tonight sorted.

Now I know spring is here. Saturday chores and smeary windows can keep till later.