Anyone can write, right?

My family can talk for England.  I once asked my sister if she was like a shark - I heard that if they stop swimming they die, so I queried if she stops talking would the same principal apply?  Funnily enough she didn't like that comment.  But I digress....

I've always wanted to write but have never really had the patience nor the time to actually sit and write anything down.  Journals always last a couple of weeks, maybe months, and then I just forget or life just gets in the way.  Its not for lack of ideas, just lack of drive I guess.

Then you have to factor in my job.  My contract may contain my "regular hours" but as those who know me or are lawyers themselves will tell you, if the client says to you at 9pm "I need it by 9am tomorrow" then you need to deliver.  I have worked many an all-nighter in my career, including since having my daughter, and it's not exactly conducive to letting you have a home life let alone a social life (I apologise again to those of my friends whose birthdays I have had to miss because of work).

In fact life seemed very much a get-up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get-up, go to work never ending cycle with very little time to do anything else but see the house or the office.  Where are my violins??

So what's changed?

From the beginning of this year I have been sent by my firm to work in-house for a client.  When I met with the client before Christmas they were at great pains to assure me that they would reinstate my work/life balance....and they've been true to their word.  I started last week and have only arrived home late twice: the first night was because I went to watch my very talented baby sister dance (she is a professional ballerina) and the second was tonight because the people at First Capital Connect are incapable of running a train service at all, let alone on time.  Anyway, the point remains that I suddenly have time.

Over the Christmas break we went back to the USA to visit my in-laws and my little one was introduced to corn muffins (the Jiffy "just add eggs and milk" kind).  She is now obsessed with corn muffins.  She was still asking for corn muffins when we got back to the UK and since I wasn't due back at work for a few days, pulled a few recipes out and did some baking.  It kick started something in me and reminded me how much I enjoy cooking and baking but either have too little time to do anything or am just too tired.  Since then (a week and a bit) I have baked cookies, 2 batches of corn muffins and 2 batches of banana muffins and I've enjoyed pottering away in the kitchen, sometimes with the little one's help, sometimes just singing loudly to a CD.

Laying in bed last night I decided to force myself to take advantage of the time I've been given, even if its just for the 6 months of my secondment.  So I set myself a task to get back in the kitchen and try my hand at writing.

The Task: Tackle at least one new recipe a week and blog about it. 

Here goes nothing...