Sourdough and Self Care

I have been hankering to have a go at some sourdough bread.  Last week after watching the Fabulous Baker Brothers talk about their ancient sourdough starter I checked out their recipe & made a starter.  Each day I have fed and nurtured this little bubbling mixture.  Yesterday it was grown up enough to be used for a loaf of bread.  My loaf isn't very loaf-ish looking but it tastes great.  I think I will look at getting a proving basket for the real sourdough experience.  I was up at 6 this morning to crank up the oven and get it cooked before work and school today.  So now as well as Caspian sea yogurt in a jar reproducing on our bench top I also have a sourdough starter  bubbling away in a jar there too.  There is still plenty of room for the coffee machine!

Today was the send off day for the self-care swap I have been collating over the last month or so that Janine organised.  I had a list of what another person likes/dislikes and have had this in the back of my mind when I have been out and about.  I would have liked a greater 'handmade' element but not really knowing what someone's home or 'style' is I found this to be in the too hard basket.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of choosing things for someone I don't know well, thinking about the kinds of reactions might be had when they open the packages and hoping they are ones of happiness - the kinds of emotions that I would like someone to have - I think that true self-care is perhaps allowing yourself to smile on the inside and gaining ongoing pleasure from that happiness.  But now that I've sent it there's an element of worry about whether I got it right or not...