Day 65

I'm not sure where or how to begin today. Since my last blog post three days ago, we've experienced a lot of excitement and sadness.

Our first guests have arrived at Tring Grange Cottage. We've been awaiting this day ever since we launched and listed our property on the website. Finally, the day has arrived, and our guests are here. We sincerely hope they are enjoying their stay.

Friday was dedicated to baking for Market Day, and because I absolutely adore baking, finding it therapeutic, I can go on endlessly with just some background music, immersing myself in my own little world of baking and thoughts. I baked numerous delightful cakes and stollens. A new addition to the collection was my Saffron, Rose, and Pistachio Vegan cake, which turned out exceptionally well. The taste, texture, flavours, and aroma, when combined, were truly wonderful, even if I do say so myself.

Saturday brought scorching heat with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius! I understand that coming from Bahrain, where summers are sweltering and temperatures can soar to 48 degrees, with humidity often exceeding 90 percent, 32 degrees may seem relatively mild. Nevertheless, it was a hot day, and as a result, fewer people attended the market than usual. It was still a good day overall. Selling cakes allowed us to meet new people and engage in conversations about our other ventures at Tring Farm.

Amidst our daily routines, nothing could have prepared us for the shocking phone call we received last Thursday evening from a dear friend. We met her and her wonderful husband when we moved here and joined a nearby sports club Resort. Reza and he hit it off so well! They were an amazing couple with two lovely grown-up boys. Our dear friend called me to share the heartbreaking news that she had lost her husband earlier that day. He was a remarkably fit and healthy man. We are all in a state of shock, and it's difficult to believe. He had so much left to accomplish in this world, and, as his wife said, he cherished life and was always there to take care of her. Although we had known him for only some months, it felt like a lifelong friendship. They joined us for our first trial dinner experience, and we all had a wonderful time together.  We will cherish that day, forever in our hearts.  He also wanted to attend the Farmer's Market yesterday because he loved my Traditional Stollen.

Living in this charming little town, our friend will receive lots of support and assistance from all of us. We will be there for her and her sons. We hope and pray that God grants her and her boys the strength to navigate through this incredibly sad and challenging time. We love you and will always be by your side. Rest in peace, our dear friend; we will miss you dearly.

Saffron, Rose and Pistachio Cake