Friday

Good morning, everyone.  I've taken a peek outside and it's a bit chilly and a bit damp but nothing major.  Just an ordinary December morning really.  A few frosts might freshen things up a bit - it's so very dull, weather-wise, at the moment.

I was finding that I didn't always remember to take my meds first thing in the morning which resulted in forgetting them completely occasionally so I looked around and bought one of those tablet cases - the ones with separate boxes for days and times of the day.  It arrived at the beginning of the week and since then I've not forgotten so it might be an elderly thing to do but it's worked.
Here it is - colourful and eye catching which is why now I don't forget, even in my bleary-eyed-before-the-first-coffee-of-the-day state!

Yesterday was one of those days where I kept busy but didn't seem to get much done.  I went to Wyvale yesterday to get a Christmas tree for Mum and Dad - an artificial one, I mean.  Their tree is very old and not very nice and Dad said to get a better one if I was going to put it up for them so I did.  It's actually very nice as far as these things go.  While looking, I was sorely tempted by one for myself too, given that my own tree can't have much life left in it, but I didn't.  I might go back between Christmas and the New Year to see if they have any in the sale.

Slimming World group was good.  I've lost another two pounds which was something of a surprise AND I won the raffle too.  After so many weeks of losing one and a half pounds, two was great and very motivating.  I'm dropping down the BMI range and am looking forward to when I get into the normal banding which is more or less an undiscovered country.

It's Friday - no tuition today.  However, in the next couple of weeks I would like to go through the folders and deal with the piles of finished stuff therein.  I don't have to keep it or anything but prefer to shred it all for the sake of common sense so I might do one today.  Each one won't take long and there aren't many.

It's Friday - cleaner's day.  That means doing a general tidy up.  Again, it won't take long so that's good.  I shall move things around too, to make space for the Christmas tree.  It would be sensible to get this done and the tree assembled before she comes as it is very old and tends to shed rather badly.

Beth's round for lunch (cheese and onion toasties, yum yum) and then I'm off to school wearing my governor's hat for a meeting with senior management to go over the assessments for this term.  One that's done, my weekend starts with the school's Christmas Fair which I think I will go to as it will get me out of the way of Christmas nibbles.  I might find a few gifty things too which would be nice.
This time I will do the adult thing and be a paying customer rather than sneaking in behind my staff badge!


I was wondering what to do for the Advent offering today and remembered another tradition which has rather hit the deck last year because I wasn't feeling great what with gall bladder stuff.  I might this year because - because they are delicious.  They freeze well too which is what I will do.

So here they are!
Nigella's Christmas Muffins.

Ingredients to make 12
250 grams plain flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or good grating of fresh nutmeg)
2 clementines (or satsumas)
approx. 125 millilitres full fat milk
75 millilitres vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)
1 large egg
175 grams dried cranberries
3 teaspoons demerara sugar (for the topping)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers or (as I have here) silicone inserts.
Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl; grate the zest of the clementine/satsuma over, and combine. If you are doing this in advance, leave the zesting till Christmas morning.
Squeeze the juice of the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug, and pour in the milk until it comes up to the 200ml mark / halfway between the ¾ cup and 1 cup marks.
Add the oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg, and lightly beat until just combined.
Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
Fold in the cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases and sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, by which time the air should be thick with the promise of good things and the good things themselves golden brown and ready to be eaten, either plain or broken up and smeared, as you go, with unsalted butter and marmalade.

Thursday

Good morning, everyone.  Where is the week going?  It's Thursday already!  Almost another week over and finished!  It's damp and mild out there but maybe the sun will shine later on.

First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for all those lovely and kind comments yesterday - I have some good friends on my blog, don't I?
I've replied to most of them in yesterday's comments but I'll answer one here - Margaret, what a splendid idea.  Strangely enough, I had an email yesterday from J, saying it was ages since we had got together so how about it.  With a suddenly free weekend I suggested that and she agreed (not sure whether it's Saturday or Sunday yet).  I was going to do the tree on whichever day she didn't come but after your brainwave, I will ask if she'd like to help!  Thank you so much.
That's a very good quote too - I think I will look out for that book!

The Infants' show yesterday was wonderful.  The children come alive with an audience of mums and dads, don't they, and I had a great view.  Well done, everyone.  I must remember to send a note for the newsletter today.

I've sent round messages to 'my' parents (of my students) advising them of when my term finishes and the next one starts.  I like tutoring but it will be nice to have more free days for a few weeks - not that they'll be particularly free but you know what I mean!

Today is an almost empty day until the evening so I might get out the tree and set it up with its lights ready (that takes ages as each branch has to be fitted separately).  Yes, I have an artificial tree and have done ever since a 'real needed decided to lodge itself in my eye and it took ages (and considerable discomfort) to get it out again!  It's getting old not and I keep thinking to replace it but never do.  Well, it won't be this year now.

I also have knitting, housework, a titchy bit of planning and some ironing before tuition which is the last one this year for this particular student so I am glad that I got all the gift bags done and dusted yesterday.

And then it is Slimming World group so my fingers are crossed.  I have my doubts about tonight's weigh in because the weekend was a bit 'naughty but nice' at times but what will be will be and there's always next week!

Seeing as Christmas trees are on my mind, here's today's Advent offering.  Enjoy.

Wednesday

Good morning, everyone.  I can't believe we're five days into December already.  I've caught up with my Advent candle after not being able to start it until Monday; it's a slow melting candle so you get a good flame time each day and it's sitting beside me on the table, casting light.
Thinking of candles, here's my Advent offering for today - not my photos but I like the 'atmosphere'.

Thank you, Google Images.

Watching yesterday's dress rehearsal yesterday morning was enjoyable.  It's the Juniors' chance to see the Infant show and I was able to exchange waves/smiles with some of my students as well as enjoying the music, dancing and general cuteness.  It's the first proper performance this morning and I shall be attending that wearing my School Governor hat.

After that I have a parcel to post for Beth and then I need to get my Christmas gift bags made for my students as tomorrow is the last time this year for a couple of them.  It's nothing much, just little bits and bobs, mostly edible, with a card, but they like it and so do I.

I have a bit of planning to get done.  Not much but it needs to be done.  After that I will be sorting out home stuff - the usual washing and ironing and some general clearing.  Quite a busy day but nothing too difficult!

A bit of a disappointment and a blow to another Christmas tradition.  Alex is staying at uni to complete some course work and Beth cannot make this weekend after all.  So I will be decorating the old Christmas Tree by myself this year.  So it will be carols, a bit of bubbly and when all is looking lovely, a Christmas DVD by myself.  It can't be helped, nothing lasts for ever and it's nothing whatsoever in the wider scheme of things but I can't help feeling a pang of sadness. 

Well, the candle is still burning gentle and it's nowhere near '5' yet but I have things to get on with so I will say 'see you tomorrow' and finish waffling on now.  Have a great day and stay warm and dry.

Tuesday

Good morning, everyone.  I had a surprise when I peeped out this morning; we have a frost!  Given that it was pretty mild yesterday, that's a big drop in temperature overnight so here's hoping it bumps up again to yesterday's level (lovely and mild) this morning.  At least the skies are clear.

I returned home to a lovely, clean and tidy hope and proceeded to change that, but only temporarily.  Then, after lunch, I was off to school where I ended up taking part in a fire drill and getting a bit cold but, dear me, these drills are a necessary evil!  After tuition I had a lazy evening knitting and watching some recorded stuff and two of my favourite quiz programmes, Only Connect and University Challenge.  I must have been on form because I got a few links in Only Connect and answered several questions in Uni Challenge.

Today is going to be fun.  I've been invited to watch the final dress rehearsal for the Infants' Christmas show so I will be down there when the gates open to help get a very over-excited and dressed up Foundation Stage class into the hall before settling back to watch and reminisce.  After that I'm over the road to Morrisons and then home to plan, get a bit of paperwork done and then do some crafting with Beth.

It should be a good day!

Today's Advent Offering for your delight, delectation and/or disgust, a few of the worst Christmas cracker jokes I can remember!


What does Santa suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney?

What goes Ho Ho Whoosh, Ho Ho Whoosh?

What do Santa's little helpers learn at school?

(sorry)

Answers in comments!

Monday

Good morning.  I'm a little late this morning because I waited until I got back home.  It's been another gentle weekend with Mum and Dad but it's always nice to get home again too.

Today's a busy day what with school and tuition and unpacking, etc, so there's not much time to write, but I will pop on today's Advent Offering - a very well known exerpt from 'The Messiah' based on that well known prophesy from Isaiah.

 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)

Sunday

Good morning, one and all, it's Sunday and it's 'orrible out there.  Wet and miserable and a bit windy.  At least, it was when I looked an hour ago and I can't be bothered to look again.

I had a pleasant time with Mum yesterday.  As it was December 1st, I went up into their attic and found the nativity crib I knitted for her about two years ago.  She unwrapped it all (it was packed in tissue paper) and I set it up on a table opposite where she sits so it is view.  She was so pleased and kept looking at it and smiling happily which was lovely.
She also liked the Thorntons' chocolate Advent calendar I got for her and happily scoffed the first choccy!

Next time I come, we will get up the Christmas Tree and Dad picked a load of holly from their tree in the garden so I will make some arrangements with that.

And then a week after that, it will be our Christmas Day (on Sunday 23rd).

Margaret's comments yesterday were interesting and I have to be honest, cards on the table, I love all the Christmas hype.  The lights, the music, the decorations.  Personally, I have always left my own decorations until the Sunday before Christmas but it's not going to work out like that this year because of the weekends with Mum and Dad so they are going up next weekend, tree and all.  The rest of that particular family tradition will be the same, just earlier.  Beth and Alex (home from uni, I hope) will come over, we will have a buffet meal, put up the tree and then watch a Christmas DVD of some kind.

What I don't love is the rampant commercialism that goes hand in hand with the lights and glitter so I take what I enjoy and enjoy it but don't get involved in the rest!

Regarding the food, I have, in my freezer, a box of the best stock from last year's turkey, intended for this year's gravy and I will get that out the day before the first Christmas dinner and make it up.  I also make and freeze cranberry sauce and roasties but maybe I won't prep the roasties this year as there's not so many to do for each meal.  I had planned to do them the other day but didn't get round to it!

Basically, I get as much as I can pre-prepared.  Works for me and it's all part of the enjoyment!  It cuts down on the work load, always a Good Thing.

Today, I expect it will be a quiet day and I will knit, knit, knit!  I'm sure my fingers ought to be the slimmest in the world with the amount of exercise I give them, but they're not!

Have a great day, whatever you plan to do!

Edited because I've now taken a photo of the crib set.  So this is my Advent offering for today.

Saturday

Good morning, everyone.  Pinch and a punch for the first of the month and white rabbits to you all!  December has now begun!

Thank you all very much for the lovely comments yesterday.  I think I have replied to them all and very much appreciate them.  I also seem to have some new followers so a warm welcome to you!

Yesterday was a good day and the drive over to Mum and Dad's was absolutely lovely.  Clear roads, moving traffic, no hold-ups and the sun was shining.  Best of all, I had remembered to wash the windscreen so there was much less sun glare on said windscreen than there could have been!

I bustled around early morning, getting stuff done and organised and made a few plans for sorting out the mess in my bedroom (again).  I need to make better use of the high cupboards for things I don't want to chuck but which aren't needed very often; that would sort a few things out nicely, I think.  I also have to deal with the small bedroom, the one over the stairs, as I am likely to need it over Christmas and it's my dumping ground.
So - I made plans!

Today I have ironing, cooking, maybe a bit of shopping and generally being there so not too busy.  I'm hoping to be able to spend plenty of time on my knitting - that would be good.  Weather permitting, I'd like to go out for a walk, but we will see!

Have a lovely day and remember to burn that advent candle, open that door in your advent calendar or do whatever you do once December starts.  I'm afraid my candle will have to wait!

Here's a favourite advent carol ever - always has been since I was little.  It's very old and very 'modal' and beautiful (I think).