Fresh Baking Smells Good

   As forecast, very cold and windy today so I stayed home and kept myself busy with books, baking, a new jigsaw puzzle and a few light chores. I will have to go out tomorrow as I am out of almost all basic supplies, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables etc. I didn't even have enough vegetables to make my usual carrot and lentil soup so that will be on the agenda tomorrow after I have shopped. 

   I made a ginger cake this afternoon. It's my mother's recipe and is mixed in a pot on the stove. First you melt the butter, brown sugar, syrup and treacle (I use dark molasses). Then you add an egg, some milk and the chopped ginger - I use candied pieces of ginger root - then finally flour and baking soda. It all goes in the pot and then when well mixed, into a loaf pan and baked. It is really good!

   Dinner tonight is a chicken pot pie but the topping will be leftover bread stuffing from Christmas dinner instead of puff pastry. The freezer is finally beginning to look quite empty so it's time to restock.

  

Hunkering Down

   Bitterly cold today and the wind is strong and feels like it is coming directly from the North Pole! The day started off around -10C but sunny - not so bad - but it's currently -13C and dropping fast. We have been promised (?) an overnight temperature of -22C! The furnace is working overtime and I have the fire lit so I am, thankfully, quite comfortable. I won't be venturing outdoors tomorrow!

    Tennis this morning and we managed three sets. I won't be playing again for a couple of weeks as I have other commitments so I was glad of a good workout today. Then Book Club this afternoon with a lively discussion of "The Break" by Katherina Vermette. You need a strong stomach to read this book but it is worth the effort.

   Dinner tonight is a broiled salmon fillet and broccoli casserole. This is my pre-prandial snack - a glass of wine, a small avocado, smashed with lemon juice and a splash of Lea and Perrins, topped with mild chunky salsa and grated cheddar cheese. Notice the healthy addition of some celery sticks.

I may have a slice of the Christmas plum pudding for "afters" (or not, it keeps forever). Then an evening in front of the TV with my knitting and early to bed. Time to refill the wine glass, it's been a busy day!

A Lazy Day

   An "at home" day, just pottered about, nothing much accomplished, but I am going out this evening to one of my dance groups. The other one starts up next week, as do all my usual activities. 

   Not so cold today although I haven't put my nose outdoors other than to retrieve the newspaper and check the mailbox. The thermometer stayed around minus 6C most of the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be significantly colder and will continue like that until the weekend.

   I had a substantial snack about an hour ago (blue cheese on crackers, grapes and celery sticks) so won't bother with dinner. I'll have tea and a snack when I get home.

Still Cold

   Tennis from 10:00 to 12:00 this morning - we got in three sets and I was on the winning end for two, with Swan it was 6-0 for us!

    On the way home I filled the car with gas and picked up a library book so it was almost 1:00 p.m. before I had lunch. I finished the book for Book Club later this week then settled in for a nap. Then it was off to the cinema to see "All the Money in the World", the story of the Paul Getty kidnapping. Even though I knew he would be rescued (it's based on actual fact), I still found it quite tense and exciting. Worth a visit. The cinema was absolutely teeming with people as it is still the school holidays, but not too many at my show.

   On the way home I stopped in at Home Depot to get a filter for the furnace. I forgot to check the size I needed and have a sneaking suspicion I got the wrong one - will check tomorrow.

   I was pretty hungry when I got home around 7:00 but I had prepared turnip before I went out, so it was just a matter of minutes to mash it and warm up a piece of capon from the freezer, a nice easy dinner!