Time losses, under achievers, lazyness and soup for a lazy, light lunch: the art of doing nothing!

This month of November seems to be flying by at the speed of light! Unwittingly, I looked at the calender to find myself one month shy from my son's school break! More than half the month has simply evaporated before my eyes, and what have I got to show for it, really? If I stop to ponder on what I have been doing with my life lately, what have I been working on, what have I achieved so far...

I wouldn't know what to say!! I haven't written anything, aside from the blog. I haven't spent my time investing on the blog, really, been active and proactive in other blogs, or on social media, I haven't really been spending all that long sitting down in front of my laptop! I haven't photographed that much, either, nor worked on my editing of the photos I managed to take and that are still awaiting my attention, locked away in a folder on my desktop...

I haven't also been spending my free time catching up on my usual favourite shows, aside from the ones we watch in the evening, when the boy is asleep, or Once Upon a Time, which I am watching with said son, as he has taken a shine to it. And I haven't been doing much of reading, either, only in the mornings and late evenings have I indulged in a couple of pages from the book that currently sits on my bedside table. What on earth have I been doing with my time, then? It is a mistery to me!!

I honestly don't know! It's like I sit here in the mornings and do my rounds on social media or update the blog and all that comes with it, after having taken the kid to school, and making beds or putting clothes away, general houskeepin chores, and a half hour exercise routine with dumbells. Then, it's time to pick the boy up from school for his lunch break, and as soon as that's done, I have to take him back again. My afternoons are usually spent with forty minutes exercise on my stepper, while watching the only show I have been keeping track of, and then it seems like I have to go out again because school's over for the day and the evening routines are upon me once more, bringing the day back to an end.

And when I look at my days, apart from the motherhood and housekeeping and exercising, it feels like I 've done nothing and have nothing to show for. It feels like I am just going through the motions but wasting my time, really, accomplishing nothing whatsoever, ending my weeks with nothing to show for all the free time I seem to have in my hands. I wonder what's wrong with me, I try to re-organize myself, I promise to do better and to focus and to really commit to doing something that is worth seeing, that is an accomplishment of sorts, and then nothing happens, and nothing changes, and I still go to bed knowing I have literally done nothing at all. Except for soup. Whatever the reason, I have been making some mean soups! And that is something to be proud of, really. Like this cream of broccoli one!

This is a heart warming soup, really, and so fulfilling, so nourishing, so comforting. Creamy, thick but not too much, a soup that will fill the house with a discrete aroma, but that will leave you craving for another bowl. So here's how you can get it:

• 400 gr broccoli - I used fresh, but frozen works well
• 2 large carrots
• 5 medium sized potatoes
• 1 leek
• 1/3 cup red lentils
• 1 courgette, diced
• 1 turnip
• 1 L stock - veggie, chicken or plain water (if using water add 2 tbsp olive oil)
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and dice the veggies and throw them in a pan with the stock. Let come to a boil, and then lower heat and cook until all is tender and coming apart, check seasoning and adjust. Blitz with a blender so you achieve a creamy consistency and serve with a scatter of fried breadcrumbs. I used indian fritters that my sister sent me, and their spicyness added a warmth to the soup that was quite interesting and made for a light Saturday lunch. It goes well with simply nothing added but a drizzle of very good extra virgin olive oil!