Wednesday

 Morning, everyone.  What a change in the weather!  We had some very heavy rain all morning yesterday although it cleared and we even had a little bit of sunshine later.  Today looks like a mirror image - dry in the morning (no sun predicted though) and rain in the afternoon and through the night.  And it's very much colder than the weekend.  I'm back in my oodie as I type this.

Yesterday started with a lovely exchange of messages with a dear friend I've known since my early Open Uni days and stayed close to ever since.  She's been living in Germany but is back in the UK now and is coming over for a Christmas weekend in December.  As she's an early riser, like me, we sometimes have these early morning 'chats' and it's lovely.

I dodged the raindrops running from car to hall for Groove for a thoroughly enjoyable class.  Lindsey plans in half term blocks and I really like this current block; it's a bit challenging but lots of fun.

After that, it was home, James, for breakfast and into some clearing and sorting and some more crocheting.  I've just realised this Sunday is Stir Up Sunday, so called because the Collect for the day starts with the words:

"Stir-up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

. . . so I need to make a shopping list of things I need by then.

This is the recipe I use, using Cointreau instead of rum and it is delicious.  Not as stodgy as the traditional cake and it steams a lot faster too.  Win win.

I might go the whole hog and make Sunday a baking day, making the veggie sausage rolls too.  As there won't be that many of us this year, I have decided to buy mince pies instead of making them - there's some lovely ones to be had out there.

The festive feeling has arrived early here.  There's a pile of wrapped gifts in a corner of the living room (where the Christmas Tree will stand) which I ought to take upstairs really but they look so nice.

I've started watching the Nigella Christmas programmes on YouTube, interspersed with Hairy Bikers, Nigel Slater, James Martin and the occasional Jamie offering.  Goodness, there's some fussy old recipes out there but now and then there's a gem.  I picked up making biscotti from James Martin and make some every year both for us and as gifts.  I can't remember who started me on stollen but I can't make that until I know if I have enough marzipan left over from icing the cake.

Anyway, enough of that!  Sorry!

Today starts with me getting my kitchen into a tidier state as the lovely Sharon is coming to sort out my hair and we use the kitchen.  I think, also, that I will follow Eileen's excellent example and sort out my under the stairs cupboard.  I know there's an awful lot of rubbish in there and I need the space.  I might also do a couple of cupboards, if there's time.

After Sharon has gone, I will be driving to Lindsey's for my personal training session so I'm looking forward to that too.  

It should be a good day. one way and another.  How about you?  xx