My sister has a system of writing the jobs to do on slips of paper and putting them in a box, then taking one out at a time - doesn't work perfectly if the jobs need to be done in sequence. I'm doing this, but it keeps getting overwhelmed by things that must be done now. Like the beetles.

Yesterday, I had to stay in for a futon to be delivered, and managed to combine that with the electrician who had to come because the water heater timer had gone wrong. But the futon was only partly delivered, so I had to be in today. Fortunately, it arrived early.

Two days ago, I started to use up foods in my store. A "table cream" which is a milk pudding using carragheen to set it - it took overnight to set, and turned out to be much too sweet - it isn't going to be replaced. And fruit jellies (gelatine) which totally refused to set until I added extra gelatine, and even then it took much longer. I've added blackberries from the garden to it. It's going to be quite sloppy when broached.

That, and the discussion about using the freezer have led me to order a table top fridge. I keep seeing cookery programmes where th4e chef puts food into a nearly empty fridge - mine has no space for resting pastry, setting jellies, making ice-cubes or so on. It's going to be delivered tomorrow afternoon, and I am trying to get at the socket along the side of my vintage kitchenette (This sort of thing, but not in such good condition ). The image is of one in a similar position, but lacks the stacks of things on top, which I must move first before sliding a plug down on the right hand side.

The purchase has led to my varnishing a table from my parents' house which had somehow lost its first shiny indoors look, and having the varnish out sent me back to the bath side panel in the garage, which is now drying very slowly. I was hoping to put it back today. (That's two jobs off the slips completed, though.)

Yesterday I had a mainly produce meal - though not mine but a neighbour's from his allotment. Runner beans sliced into long shreds and treated as spaghetti with carbonara sauce and topped with tomatoes heated without oil or water.

I've been adjusting the carpet tiles in the bedroom, which seemed, despite my best endeavours, to be out of line. I still have more to lay, but that needs lots of furniture moving.

Penny