Trial and Error

    Trying to make a sweet bread in the bread machine and it is rattling like nobody's business. It also smells funny. Hope it's not about to give up the ghost as it's not very old and I only use it every other week or two. 

   The sweet bread is from a recipe for Russian Kulich which I have made before. I chose it to use up some dried fruit left over from the Christmas plum pudding but I think I may have measured the flour incorrectly. I took the ball of dough out of the machine to knead in the dried fruit, then started the cycle again. So, who knows how it will turn out. Stay tuned for the result!

A Christmas Carol

   Hope you like this rendition.

Spoke Too Soon!

     The overeating was definitely not over. Another buffet, this time courtesy of the generous contributions by my fellow Bridge players at our year-end party.

    Everyone brought their favourite treat - mine was sausage rolls baked this morning. They went down well but I did manage to snag a few of the vegetarian version to bring home for dinner tonight. These were a bit of an experiment but the "guinea pigs" didn't complain. 

    Some other things I managed to snag along with the vegetarian rolls - clementines and Ferrero Rocher chocolates - a balanced dinner in my eyes! The floral arrangement was a big hit too.

What's on my Bedside Table?

   I am all stocked up with books for the down time between Christmas and New Year. Can't wait to get stuck in to them! I won't have much time for reading for the next week but things will wind down after that.

    I have actually finished "Akin" and returned it to the library but it has been replaced by "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate. No shortage of reading material there!

   The staff at the Senior's Centre had a "treat day" today when we were there for Bridge - a little plate of Christmas goodies and coffee, all free! Naturally I partook (is that even a word?). I think it will be on all week so I will have to make sure to get down there again at some point. Classes are finished until the New Year but the drop-in programs are still running.

    All my Christmas wrapping is done and under the tree - just presents for the grandkids, the adults don't exchange gifts. Cards are all in the mail but I have only received 5 so I think people may be deciding to cut back. Postage is expensive, especially if you are mailing overseas. Not so much overeating this week which is a good thing!