Friday Chat Day

 Hello friends

Thank you for joining me again for another Friday Chat Day.

It's Friday the 13th but honestly...things cannot get any more unlucky can they?! 

Recipe:

The Christmas cake is baked, possibly a little too baked! 

Definitely darker on one corner. But it will be fine, 

with slatherings of marzipan and icing, no-one will ever know!

I recklessly combined three recipes to make this 

(that's about how reckless my life gets right now, haha)

So here's the recipe...

1kg mixed fruit, 6 eggs, 1tbsp marmalade, 1tbsp golden syrup, 

250g butter, 250g dark brown sugar, 285g SR flour, 

1tsp mixed spice, 1tsp cinnamon 

(you can add further festive ingredients such as glacé cherries, nuts etc). 

Soak dried fruit for 2-3 days in half a pint of sherry or your 

chosen alcohol or cold tea. Stir daily.

Grease and line a 9” round tin or 8” square tin. 

Preheat oven to 140 C, Gas Mark 3 

Using a mixer/whisk, cream butter and sugar in large bowl. 

Add eggs gradually (add a little flour to prevent curdling if needed). 

Add the flour and mix well. 

Add all remaining ingredients and mix to combine. 

Pour into prepared tin and cook for 2.5 hours. 

Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool. 

Wrap in greaseproof and place in an airtight container, you can ‘feed’ your cake 

with more sherry by inserting a skewer to create small holes, 

drizzle over a spoon or so every few days. Hiccup! 

The recipe printable is available here.

I will be popping on the marzipan next month and tackling the icing, 

I tend to have grand ideas for decorating and then last minute go with a snow scene!

Out and About:

Bella walking and delivering food are my only excursions but I'm not complaining,

especially when you espy something like this at the local Church.

Made for Remembrance Sunday.

Garden:

At about midday on Tuesday the sky was wonderfully blue, most welcome

after days of grey, it is quite incredible how much the weather impacts upon us 

don't you think? 

Anyway, I dashed into the garden just to see how my plants were doing.  

These little chaps are still happy.

And this Clematis is possibly confused with the seasons.

And then this...

I was so worried when Darcy had to have her eye removed some years ago. 

How will she jump and climb I thought?  

Foolish foolish me! 

Her impersonation of a weather vane, she was up there for hours.

Crochet:

 Squares and more squares.

Working on the final rounds for a Vintage/Winter Harmony.

I am switching to another project when I finish, I think it is time to move on

to something different.

And this one would much prefer a dozen walks a day as opposed to 

watching me crochet.  Don't be fooled, she does get lots of walk.

Also happening...

I am back at work now - working from home on Thursdays and Fridays

so my week does feel more structured. I am enjoying it and thankful

I haven't forgotten how to do things.

Biggest obstacle is pets, they see me sitting down at my desk and fight over my lap.

Charities:

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, these are the selected charities for 2021.  

2021 Charities:

Alzheimer's Society

Bumblebee Conservation Trust

The British Lung Foundation 

Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital

Caenhill Countryside Centre

Fibromyalgia Action UK

Silver Fox Dog Rescue

Prostate Cancer UK

The Happy Pants Ranch Sanctuary

Thin Blue Paw Foundation

The British Sjogrens Syndrome Association

The Donkey Sanctuary 

I did receive some further nominations which I am carrying over to 2022.

 And I'm always happy to receive suggestions - 

I cannot see me stopping the charity kits for a long time to come.

Telly:

At this time of year the channels are flooded with sentimental, cheesy,

Christmassy films and I LOVE THEM! 

I give my brain licence to watch them from November onwards with the

promise of far more challenging viewing in the New Year.

This series is in a similar vein...

When Calls the Heart - Netflix

Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to high society experiences

a culture shock when she moves and begins to teach in a mining village.

My best description - imagine Little House on the Prairie for grown ups.

And my friends that is another week.

Hope you are all doing okay, it is tough in so many ways but ultimately

keep safe, keep strong and pop a mushy film on! 

Much love,