A missed opportunity

I made a whole heap of goodies for yesterday's bookclub - spicy buffalo wings with blue cheese dip, homemade feta and pancetta pizza and to follow, strawberry scones, but I was so busy cooking and tidying that I had no time to record the evidence and then of course.. it all got eaten.

It did look pretty too - you'll just have to take my word for it!

A scary half hour

Last night I ventured into camp for a function to wish goodbye to some old friends. Now, I quite enjoy a brandy or two and a friend's husband was despatched to the bar to provide drinks for all. Service at the bar was slow and when the drink eventually arrived, I took a big gulp to find out it was AMARETTO - the almond liqueur! Disaster. I then spent a most unpleasant half hour panicking, pacing up and down, and all the time with heart pounding. When I eventually calmed down, I was fine and didn't seem to be having a significant reaction which is odd. I have no idea why a drink with almonds in it didn't affect me more. But oh the relief.

Lightning strikes twice

I officially relinquish my title of 'part time runner'. I am now a 'no time at all runner' I have given myself achilles tendonitus after too much time spent on Terrance. PAH. I am now waiting for an ice pack treatment and massage from Michael (he knows all too well how I feel!)

and how will I fit into my new linen trousers by the summer now?

A very good loaf of brown bread

The best advice I ever had regarding breadmaking was from a random man in Tesco who was shopping with his wife. He saw me oohing and ahhing over bread flour and gave me this tip - mix the flours! So Michael and I tried all combinations and this is our favourite. The addition of the white flour keeps the loaf springy and light, and the wholemeal, well I don't know, just try it - it's very good!

For a large loaf

1teaspoon of yeast

300g of granary flour

100g of strong white flour

75g of strong wholemeal flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar (I use brown)

25g of butter

11/4 teaspoons of salt

320mls of water

I could not live without my breadmaker. FACT.

(Well I could, but I'd be miserable)

Ummmm

An abundance, a profusion, nay a cornucopia of my homemade jewellery.

Question is..what am I going to do with it? Well, I can answer part of that myself - some of it I wear, some I give away (to really lucky people!), lots I cut up and remake into other things. What about the rest? Selling seems too mercenary, and I don't actually think its good enough. The pleasure for me comes from making it - that's all. I simply adore my bead box full of sparkly and gorgeous treasure; I just don't quite like the look of the beads in the end result.

The whole, it seems, is not better than the sum of its parts.

Perhaps I should just give up and try something else.

Meet Terrance

Isn't he fine? No, not the dog, that's Henry!

This was our Christmas prezzie to ourselves - yes I know what total masochists/idiots.

And speaking of idiots, the thought of Bono makes me gag. Every radio station, all TV channels, the internet, it's saturation point - U2 are everywhere. Enough already!

Sunday lunch - update

Apparently there were 140 people at the Sunday lunch and it was really good fun.

Rats!