Find the time, and the thyme.

Making a meal takes time. Pouring a glass of wine, and spreading peanut butter on toast doesn't.  Feeding hungry teenagers means planning, shopping, prep and cooking ...  eating, and clearing up. This is not news to anyone that has been doing it for years, and I am left in awesome admiration for all those who put in a full day's work and still manage to put a decent, healthy meal on the table at end of the day - as well as doing all the cleaning, ironing, washing, parenting, dog-walking - every day, building up a balanced but enjoyable diet.

Making the time to cook has probably been the most valuable, therapeutic thing I could have done. Sitting down with a meal of recipe books, browsing the Sunday papers for ideas, drawing up meal plans, converting them into shopping lists, all instil a sense of both calm and anticipation that was new to me. Time is a luxury few of us who juggle work, family, friends and fun,  enjoy - an early win for me was discovering Diana Henry, who as a new mother, observed that it doesn't matter how long a meal takes to cook, what matters is how much hands-on time in the kitchen is required.  This has been a lodestar, and I keep reminding myself in those moments when I succumb to toasting mustard seeds half-way through a 20 ingredient Ottolenghi recipe.

I was also vaguely aware of some green stuff growing in the garden. Gardening doesn't do it for me, but growing stuff you can eat is fantastic. More on this later.