well - not quite as bad as I'd thought...

... on some levels, today has been fine and I haven't struggled too much after having over-done it yesterday:

• managed to get up by 8.30 to get my delivery from Argos (new ironing board and iron)

• am still awake (albeit soon to bed) and it's nearly 11pm

on other levels, there are clear signs that I must not do anything that requires a brain (run with scissors, that kind of thing) for a few days yet:

• failed to make peppermint creams properly - I know - it's just egg whites, icing sugar and peppermint essence - but I failed to get the ratios right - it's currently a sticky goo that I hope will set at somepoint

• failed to boil chick-peas - I know - another very simple task - I did well with the vigorous boiling for 15 mins. and the next bit - the simmering for an hour. this is where I came unstuck. They weren't done, so I needed to boil them for, say, another half hour. This sound simple, but the reality is, quite predictably, that having watched the time so carefully up to this point, I completely forgot about it for 3 hours. Yup - burnt chick-peas, burnt beautiful-new-big-shiny-soup-pot (which I may have to re-buy as I think that I burnt through the protective layer at the bottom), and a kitchen full of smoke...

well - am going to go and have a shower (a tip from Sian to get a good night's sleep) and then go to bed.

tomorrow, I will not allow myself to do anything more strenuous than sitting on the sofa and watching telly (ok - maybe a bit of civ2).

Also - happy valentines day to all those partaking in it, and a happy "bollocks to this crap, day" for everyone else!