As we slip into autumn and nobody noticed that the August newsletter didn’t appear, this September issue isn’t going to be a bumper one to make up for it, but will be deliberately kept short. There won’t even be an Ask Alexa column or a recipe from Mrs Pritchett to pad it out. The reason? Does there have to be one?
The scribes have been busy in the kitchen garden and keeping the priory grounds in a semblance of order. Mrs Pritchett had to go into hospital for an operation on her gammy knee, which meant that Alexa was busier than usual covering for her. This has meant that what has been coming out of the kitchen of late has been gleaned from the pages of The Scriptorium Cookbook, editing errors and all.
The glut of tomatoes and cucumbers the scribes are currently experiencing should give some indication as to what their diet has been based around of late. Alexa has become quite the expert maker of tomato salads, tomato soup, tomato ketchup, tomato sauce, and tomato chutney. The less said about the experiment with cucumber soup, the better. The pickled cucumbers were all right, though.
Works In Progress
None.
Well, that’s not quite true. The Scriptorium Chronicle is finished, but I’m struggling to find an agent that represents that kind of thing to send it to. Pass The Duchy is completed and in submission limbo. I need to sit down and go through my submissions list to see who is next in line to send it to. All Steamed Up is on editing/rewriting ice. I’ve deliberately put this to one side while I do something with The Flipside Of Somewhen. I’d estimate that I’m around 2/3rds of the way through the rewrite/edit for this.
The Wildflower Meadow (formerly the Front Lawn)
Mowed. Currently a patch of grass with not much interesting going on.
What The Scribes Have Been Reading And Watching
Books: The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf
Films/TV: Robin of Sherwood by Richard Carpenter, HTV and Goldcrest
I’ll be writing about these next month when I’ve finished them.
As Alexa has been run off her feet while Mrs Pritchett is recovering from her operation, there is no Ask Alexa column this month. Normal service should be resumed for the next newsletter.
Hummus
See above (not Alexa being run off her feet, but Mrs Pritchett having to put hers up for a bit).
Mark Weaver 