I know that I’m back into the university time zone when I’m fighting a feeling of mild despair at the thought of the 50 pages of reading which is inexplicably inaccessible online, supposed to be read by this afternoon so I wouldn’t have time anyway, the 200 pages of French literature and study sheets for tomorrow, the prospect of forming a presentation tomorrow with a partner on a subject I currently know nothing about for a tutor with whom I have already made a bad impression, and the fact that tonight is reserved for a meeting with the new team running the Good Food society. In addition, due to trying to do too many things last week (and still somehow missing out all of this reading), my body has given up and I’m snivelling – not solely due to aforementioned mild despair – coughing and fighting the feeling that my head is being gripped tightly by some unrelenting force.

So what have I decided to do? Blog. Of course.

There have been good – great things this last week. Most of my blog readers actually knew before I did, since I didn’t get to a computer for a few days, that I won Dorset Cereals ‘Little Blog Award’ for September! And I received a lovely hand-written message, and my egg-cup and cosy trophy in the post on Saturday, along with a HUGE box of 6 large boxes of muesli! So thank you to everyone who voted for my blog, I know that it was largely friends, but I also know from your feedback that you like my silly pies, puddings, muesli and musings. It has certainly made me feel great, especially during the first couple of weeks of university which are, let’s face it, a challenge.

There are so many things I would like to share – recipes, pictures, ideas for the society, other creative exploits (as this isn’t entirely supposed to be a food blog) like my new bedroom, my bicycle adventures and my parents’ exhibition. However, for now, thanks for voting and I’m holding onto the thought that perhaps in a few days things will start to calm down and settle into a more manageable state. I feel better already.

Some more good things from this week:

Great student food to keep the adrenaline running – large omelette with left-over peppers and dwarf sweetcorn & asparagus from the Tesco reduced section. Curly fries and salad obligatory.

5 egg yolks left from the mini-meringues, means only one thing: crème patissière. A little sweet shortcrust pastry, a mango that really needed using and raspberries – also from the reduced section – makes for a very cheap pudding to share.

With more pastry and crème patissière than I knew what to do with, I took some home and made mini-tartlets for the tea and cakes section of my dad’s exhibition. My mum’s delicious coconut ‘fat-free’ muffins are also proof that recipes that go a little wrong, a forgotten ingredient, sometimes turn out to be popular revelations.