Getting Organised

Christmas Day, in case you didn't know, has been and gone. I invited 10 for dinner this year, and really, truly looked forward to it. I love cooking and having everyone over, it's just another form of creativity I suppose.

I meticulously planned the menu, taking into account the 1 vegetarian (who had a completely separate meal), designed and made the table decoration (sweetie and icing decorated gingerbread house centre piece with sprinkled marshmallows on a white tablecloth and white crockery) and timetabled (yes, with tick boxes too) exactly when I should be chopping, pureeing, baking, refrigerating, blending, drizzling, basting and most importantly, tasting (just in the hope that it tastes good).

I shock myself every year by how organised, unnerved and relaxed I am about the whole affair, knowing that I will calmly (well almost) serve dinner exactly when I said I would, fully cooked, unburnt, reasonably seasoned and eaten by all (and if I'm really lucky, they might have even enjoyed it too).

Why can't I do this in my working life? I feel so bogged down with all I need and want to do, ideas and plans that whirl about my head, and only seem able to achieve half of it. I think I need to take stock of my activities over the past 3 days and try to apply my kitchen common sense to my studio.

Image: My yearly planner, bereft of plans - for the moment.