22/03/2025
I’ve been a bit quiet lately… here’s why …
For over 7 years baRnby’s was my main source of income and I absolutely loved everything about it. However working all hours on my own in my tiny kitchen wasn’t the best business model in the world, at times it wasn’t great for my well being and most definitely didn’t allow me much time to spend with my family and “you know who” 😍
Things came to a head when I couldn’t work after fracturing my pelvis. Living on your own, being self employed and unable to do your job for several months is quite a scary place to be. Not wanting to be in that place again I decided to retrain, with a view to teaching English as a foreign language on line 🤞
Off I went to Sheffield University to study for 4 months and I absolutely loved all that it entailed. It gave me a new lease of life but one of the things I loved most of all was meeting different people from all over the world. I realised that face to face in person interactions would suit me much better than on line work so I looked for something that I could combine with making sausage rolls and the like … that was the plan … best laid and all that 🤣
What actually happened was that I started working with a young autistic boy who doesn’t go to school for various reasons. We’ve been together for almost 18 months now and we spend several hours a week doing all sorts of things … the main one being (and this won’t come as a surprise to you) … COOKING 🥰🥰🥰 … he’s the cook on this occasion not me; I kind of hover around the table and make suggestions etc and look on with a gooey expression on my face as he continues to go from strength to strength with his food making skills.
In the early days Steve used to say to me “but what EXACTLY do you teach him” and I’d get all flummoxed and say ”I’m not sure really”… because I’m NOT a conventional teacher … what I say now is that working with him has enhanced my life in ways I would have never thought possible … I like to think that I have enhanced his too. I work with other young people but they seem to come and go … this special boy has been in my life from the start.
I never in a million years thought that I would stop cooking professionally but the reality is that baRnby’s as a catering business has dwindled into the background now that I’ve gained some structure in my life, started having weekends off and spending more time with family and friends. I still make my Posh Picnics and some hot meals for a fantastic local company and if anyone asked me to cook for a special occasion or event then I would still consider that. However I haven’t actively promoted my food for several months now … people will / have inevitably forgot about me so the reality is that baRnby’s cooking will fade away even more than it has already.
I don’t miss the crazy hours, HAVING to put myself out there advertising my food and tying my weeks in knots because I have a few sausage rolls to make on a Saturday afternoon. I don’t miss the pressure of having to earn my living in this way. I don’t miss not eating properly because I’m that knackered cooking for everyone else I can’t be bothered to cook for myself and I don’t miss missing out on family time because I’m too busy.
Whilst I’m proud of what I have achieved in my new teaching career and find it incredibly satisfying in many ways I DO MISS the interaction with people I had through baRnby’s. I miss the buzz that comes with someone getting in touch and placing an order (it is true what they say that when you place an order with a small business owner they do a happy dance) ❤️ I miss telling my stories on social media, the connections I made with people and the behind the scenes chit chat … and because I am TOTALLY shallow I miss people saying nice things about the things I make 😮
SEW …
In an attempt to fill the gap I’m going to start selling the hankies I’ve made to give as gifts to family and friends over the years. I’ll set up an Etsy shop and of course I’ll talk about them on social media. They might take off (or even blow off 🤣) and I hope they do … BUT if they don’t they don’t.
I figure by going down this road I’ll get back some of the things I’ve been missing in my life … without having to do the things I don’t miss. This will be in addition to my teaching and won’t be my main source of income so the pressure won’t be there in the same way. Of course shall keep my baRnby’s name because it’s become such a part of me and my life and will always be something that I’m incredibly proud of❤️
That’s me … “don’t I go on” as Laurel once said (she still does to be fair) … I bet you’ve not missed that 🤣🤣🤣
Cary xx
PS … Hankies on one of the tables I used to have when I had my pop up bistro and which is now weathering nicely in my garden 💚
