THE FIRST

I had planned my day so neatly.

I would drink my coffee and chat to my Mum.

I would get ready and go out to buy ingredients for a semolina cake and tonight's dinner.

I would come back to the flat and make a slice of toast topped with a smear of soft goats' cheese, leeks, a fried egg.

I would bake a cake and sit in the sun. I would enjoy the strange but lovely sight of the London skyline with not a plane in sight and no vapour trails hanging above. I would try, but find it hard, to reconcile the images of a big swirling cloud of ash with today's lovely reality of clear blue sky and warm sun.

I would eat a slice of cake and drink some mint tea.

I would make dinner and we would drink prosecco.

But then something happened.

I spoke to my Mum and went shopping. I bought big bunches of mint, parsley and dill. I went to buy milk and some yoghurt and that's when I stopped in my tracks.

Asparagus. Lots and lots of asparagus.

In less time than it takes to say 'first asparagus of the season' my lunch plans had changed and a bunch of asparagus was in my basket.

Goodbye toast, goodbye leeks, goodbye cheese, goodbye fried eggs. Hello plate full of asparagus with melted butter.



Spring, you are properly here at last.