Yes, I know it’s a little strange but go with me here!

I’m relatively new to baking- it was my only leisure activity amidst incredibly busy Covid shifts at the hospital. I hadn’t expected to like it as much as I did. So much so, I wanted to develop my skill at baking various kinds of breads (not Pretzels; I hate making those!).

Thus, I dug out an old notebook to make notes about the subject- reflecting on what went wrong with my recent efforts, troubleshooting disasters, notes of various styles of kneading, & stuff that went well. All of that on a shoestring budget; this hobby only has £5 a month allocated to it (debt-freedom is just months away, ya know!).

John, however, has always loved baking bread! His approach stands in sharp contrast to mine though. He bakes a batch, we enjoy it, and when he feels like making a new loaf of bread he will try something else. Whimsically shaped, and deliciously unique. He isn’t into taking methodical notes or incremental improvements. It’s kinda like how we each approach life.

It used to annoy the crap out of us when we were newly married, you know. I used to find John’s approach slapdash and directionless. He thought my approach was amusing at best.

Over time though we started valuing each other’s perspective. John injects a level of joy that lifts even the most mundane life. And without my approach- there is no reproducibility, consistency, or sustainability. You knead both to create a beautiful loaf, ahem life (disclaimer: John said it!)

Life is a team sport after all.