Baking…

I have a favourite pastime that isn’t writing or drawing. It’s a hobby that has become a necessity.

I love baking.

I used to do it for fun. Then it was all cakes and biscuits but now, as my nut allergy has become more sensitive, I have found it has become a necessity.

I had thought that it would dampen my enjoyment, having to make my own bread and biscuits all the time. But it doesn’t.

Instead I look forward to it. Some things are annoyingly tricky, like hot cross buns, but I feel myself relax as I get out the ingredients on the side and grab my pinny. (Yes, I wear an apron… I’m a messy cook and I get very floury…)

It is so different to writing and drawing. Bread is my favourite but I love having a box of goodies on the side waiting to be munched.

Of course you could argue that I have a weight problem because I bake, but since I have been making my own bread I have lost weight. Although that probably has more to do with the fact I eat less. If I eat more I have to make more… My bread consumption has gone down…

I don’t know if I will always love baking but for the moment I still do. But then I’ve been writing since 2011 and I still love it, so I have a number of years to go before it becomes a chore.

Now, do I go make some easter biscuits or do I write some more of the novel?