An Unexpectedly Amazing Day — 3 December

A Gentle Start to a Beautifully Unexpected Day

Last night, after reading Elbridge Magazine, I spontaneously booked a free trial session at The Method Gym on Walton High Street. A small spark of motivation — and one that ended up shaping the whole day.

This morning began on a warm, nourishing note. Black Bean made a wonderful bowl of porridge, and after breakfast he headed out to the allotment to enjoy the sunshine, while I stayed at home to prepare lunch.

Slow Morning Prep & A Little Accidental Nutritional Brilliance

I chopped onions, roasted a beautiful Kabocha pumpkin, measured my red lentils, risotto rice and water, and picked fresh sage leaves from the garden.

It wasn’t until later that I realised something delightful:I had chopped my onions two to three hours earlier — unknowingly following one of Tim Spector’s favourite plant-boosting habits.The enzymes in onions develop more beneficial compounds when left to sit before cooking. I think he would’ve been proud of me.

With a bit of time left before the gym, I finally started wrapping presents — a task I often seem to avoid until the last possible moment.

💪 A Challenging Gym Session (and a Fellow Nutrition Nerd)

At The Method Gym, Will greeted me warmly and gave me a quick introduction. The session was challenging, but I was genuinely proud of how well I did — and especially pleased when he said the same.

We ended up chatting afterwards and discovered we’re both nutrition nerds. We could have easily talked for hours, but he needed to get back to work, and I had my dinner shopping to do.

Oven-Risotto and a Perfectly Timed Shower

Back home, I decided to bake the risotto in the oven — not my usual method, but it allowed me to jump in for a much-needed shower.

The timing worked out beautifully:I came downstairs, freshly showered, just two minutes before the risotto was perfectly ready.

Lunch was a generous bowl of pumpkin risotto, a couple of handfuls of kale from earlier in the week, plenty of water, and a glass of kombucha. Afterwards, I tidied up and headed out for a refreshing 20-minute walk.

The Most Chaotic Mindfulness Exercise of All Time

The afternoon’s plan was simple: a cup of tea and the day’s mindfulness activity. Black Bean found a Christmas song, and I closed my eyes, hoping he and Lentil would join in.

They did join… just not in the way I expected.

There was shuffling, giggling, and very little stillness. Then Peanut arrived. We tried again, holding hands to reduce the fidgeting.Instead, the whole thing descended into hilarious chaos:

• A burst of laughter

• Knocking under the table

• The table shaking

• And Black Bean whispering, “Aunty Deirdre, are you there?”

At that point, the mindfulness activity was officially abandoned as everyone was in stiches.

Evening Calm & Quiet Christmas Spirit

The trio headed out to buy a Christmas tree while I repared dinner:spaghetti bolognese for the kids, and Dr Saliah’s aubergine pitta pockets for the adults.

After dinner, everyone drifted into different corners of the house. I finally had a quiet moment to myself — just enough time to listen mindfully to Silent Night by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.I realised I’d never truly listened to the lyrics before, and although I enjoyed it, I think O Tannenbaum still has my heart for now.

✨ Looking Ahead

Today had a gentle rhythm — full of nourishment, movement, laughter, chaos, and surprising calm.It feels like we’re all slowly settling into the Christmas season, moment by moment.