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I sort of feel slightly apologetic about this post. It kind of reminds me a bit of when you're watching a favourite TV show, and you're really looking forward to the next episode, and you tune in only to find that the bosses in telly land have decided to do one of those re-cap/montage things instead of going on with the story. 'Friends' was always particularly bad for it. You'd have the Christmas special - with clips from every other Christmas episode, or the one where one of the characters is day-dreaming about the past.

The thing is though, several people recently have asked me to do an update post on various things I've written about over the past few months, or asked me how such-and-such is going, and I can't really think of anything better to talk about this morning, so I thought I'd do that today. So MONTAGE ALERT - if you think it's going to irritate you, best stop reading now!

In no particular order....

Is this blog inspiring anyone?
I'm really pleased and delighted to report that yes, supermarket-free shopping really does seem to be catching on. I've lost count of the number of friends and colleagues who have sought me out to tell me that they've tried out their local butcher or greengrocer as a result of reading this blog. My photographer colleague Ian, for example, has returned to Scaddows Farm shop, in South Derbyshire, a number of times with his family, since we visited it as part of a feature for the newspaper. And my friend Claire cooked an amazing tea for me last night, chiefly using ingredients from a local shop she's recently discovered. 

Most people then go on to apologetically explain that although they are using their local shops more, they are also still going to Tesco for some of their groceries. But that's fine! I think it would be totally impractical to expect everyone to take the hardline supermarket-free stance that I've adopted this year. For most people, even seeking out better quality (horse-free!) meat or supporting their local farm shop is a brilliant step in the right direction, and every £1 spent with a local business is a £1 that goes into supporting the local economy.

Have the 'Food You Can Trust' features stopped?
Eagle-eyed Derby Telegraph readers may have spotted that for the past two weeks, the weekly 'Food You Can Trust' features that we've been running in partnership with small local food businesses (more details here) have been absent from the paper. But never fear, we're not stopping them. We've merely put them on hold because we had a couple of topical Easter-related promotions to run instead. We're very happy to continue the 'Food You Can Trust' platform while ever local businesses are still keen to play a part in it and the feedback we've had so far has been really positive. I've also got a monthly column in the Derbyshire Magazine to promote local food.

How's life without Tupperware?
Just over a month ago I returned home from a week's holiday to find Neil had wreaked havoc with my Tupperware collection - decanting every bit of dried food that we own into it and leaving no spare plastic containers left. I was pretty distraught, Tupperware-gate ensued, so he bought me a couple of new containers to take my lunch to work. I'm sorry to report though that life without Tupperware continues to be pretty disabling, because I've nowhere to store leftovers or freeze sauces. I'm nothing without my Tupperware!!!

Have I lost any weight yet?
In a word, no (hangs head in shame). Three weeks ago I blogged about the havoc all this supermarket-free splendor is having on my waistline. And my need to do something about it before my holiday with my mum (Miss Skinny Pants Size 8!) in June. Clearly it would be sensible to start thinking about this now, but I reckon, like most pre-bikini diets, it's probably only going to kick off about three weeks before I fly, when I panic and decide to live on nothing but leek soup!

Do I dislike older folk?
Now this is an interesting one... Following on from my post on Friday, explaining how I was thwarted in my quick shopping trip by a garden centre packed with slow-moving pensioners, I've received some rather unpleasant feedback from a reader accusing me of wanting to euthanase older people (among other things). Criticism is water off a duck's back after years working in the media, but I've chosen not to publish this comment as it was a bit mean-spirited and hell, it's my blog! 

I do think it's a shame though that this person didn't look through the blog's archives to all the posts I've written about how older folk are much better at shopping local, brilliant interactions with people of all ages, and wisdom from my grandma on what her high street was like before the invasion of the supermarkets, cutting waste, and fantastic recipes from my other grandma.

I would like to say in reply to my critic that this blog is supposed to be fun, and my grandma herself found the tale from the garden centre hilarious. I've also, over the past few months, had an affectionate giggle at the expense of mums, men (an open goal that one!), shoppers, farmers and colleagues. But most often you will find me poking fun at myself. So I suggest those without a sense of humour probably need to find a different blog to read.

And finally, how's my insomnia?
You'll remember a particularly fraught post about a week ago where I waxed lyrical on the horror of being trapped in a cycle of insomnia. Since then things have improved slightly, and I'm proud to report that I managed a whole seven hours last night - probably the most sleep I've got at any one time in at least the last month. I reckon my lovely friend Claire played a part with her lovely cooking last night, because I ate way too much and was feeling pretty sated by bedtime. I also locked the cat downstairs, which meant there was no one to walk around on me meowing at 6am.