Making the best of it

WE VISIT the local farmers' market to stock up on our fish and meat stocks.

We come away with a decent enough haul: a joint of pork for roasting on Saturday, a fillet of halibut for one of My Good Lady's experimental recipes next week, and a couple of packs of venison for the freezer.

Meanwhile, I'm still excited by the prospect of our new kitchen. Not the actual upheaval of having it installed, though. For that week or so, we've decided to find ourselves alternative accommodation.

After all, we won't have the facilities to make ourselves so much as a pot of tea, let alone a meal. And as for the hassle of banging and dust, of workmen wandering in and out all day long - any attempt at normality will be futile.

So we're looking around for a reasonable place to stay.

My first thought is to rent a self-catering chalet at a place we know not too far from here - we could easily pop back if there are any problems, but far enough not to have to worry about every bang and clatter.

MGL, though, suggests we might take this opportunity to have a mini-holiday and stay in a hotel. And there are some good, well-priced offers available. Maybe a comfy room in a country house hotel in the Lakes or the Yorkshire Dales - still within reasonable travelling distance of home should the worst befall.

And thinking it over, this does make good sense.

The kitchen is, by far, the biggest project we've ever undertaken, and the most expensive.

We might not get a second holiday this year - which is our norm. We're still hoping to visit Malaysia and Brunei later in the year, but it must be said, our finances have taken a tumble in the recent financial mêlée.

Maybe we'll make the best of it, and take this opportunity to have a bit of a break.