Busy, busy :)

It's been a good day today :o) . Jon and I went out for breakfast with my friend Helena and her husband Graydon this morning. We went to a pub called The Old Cage in Lingfield where they do a big cooked breakfast with a couple of cups of coffee for £5 - really good value. Anyway, we got there for 9.30 and it was 11.45 before we knew it ;o) You know you've been in good company when time goes that quickly!

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When we got home I got on with the quilting and managed to finish by 1 o'clock. I hadn't seen Mum and Dad to have a chat to for a little while so decided to pop down for a coffee. I took the quilt with me so that I could tie off the ends and thread them through. Again, time flew and before I knew it it was nearly 3 and Emily would be coming home soon.

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Can I add here that the weather today has been pretty miserable (understatement of the day!) and I'd taken the girls to school this morning but I got a text to say they would walk home. Fortunately they had a drier spell and Emily wasn't soaked by the time she got back. We then popped out to see my SIL for a short while. It felt like I'd done a bit of running around today but it was all good!

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I'm now looking forward to sitting down with a cup of Redbush/Rooibos tea and watching last nights episode of Private Practice - have to know what happens next ;o)

I don't have much planned for the weekend but hope to get a chance to post here regardless - it is "life in general" after all!

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And because I like to try and have a photo in each post, here's a sneak look at the next quilt waiting to be made - looking forward to getting started on this one now!

Have a lovely weekend xx

I'd been thinking

For a little while (probably since the day I made the double batch of cupcakes ;o) ) I've been thinking that it's time I started to be a bit more careful about what I eat. I don't want to say I'm going to go on a diet, because that just makes me want to eat all the wrong things!, but rather that I need to start watching what I'm eating and try and make more sensible choices.

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This afternoon my SIL phoned from Chicago for a chat and she told me that she has managed to lose some weight and is the lowest she's been in a while. She's also not gone on a diet but is just making changes in her life. She and I have always tended to be about the same weight and have had the same issues. Now I'm proud of her for getting where she is and she is my inspiration to make the changes I've been thinking about.

Tonight, for example, I made oven chips for Emily to have with her meal but decided to do some new potatoes and vegetables to go with my fish (I know, it's still breaded fish but I tell myself that has to be better than battered ;o) - and it was oven cooked, not fried; has to be good for me - haha!!)

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Tomorrow is another day. My aim is to have my three meals during the day but to eat fruit if I feel the need to snack between meals - not cupcakes! :o) Wish me luck!! I'm going to need it.

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As for the rest of today, a trip to the opticians confirmed what I had already suspected - my prescription for distance has got slightly worse so they need to change my contact lenses. I also need to book another eye test to see whether my glasses will also need changing.

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The sewing has gone well and most of the quilting is done. A little bit more to do round the edges tomorrow and then on to the binding. I wish I could show you it properly but I'm afraid you'll have to wait until after Christmas :o(

xx

Keeping busy

The sewing is now in full swing and is keeping me busy :) xx

Pumpkin Cupcakes - Yum!!

This morning has been fairly productive :) I've done some housework, tidied my desk a bit, done the ironing and two loads of washing. Best of all though are the Pumpkin Cupcakes I made - a double batch because I promised so many people some the next time I made them. If you were one of those people, cupcakes should be coming your way ;0)

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

120g plain flour

140g castor sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

40g butter (at room temperature)

120ml milk

2 eggs

200g tinned pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 170C, 325F, Gas 5

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until well mixed.

Add the eggs to the mix and beat well (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Add the remaining milk and mix well. Stir in the pumpkin puree by hand until evenly dispersed.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases (I use muffin cases and a muffin tin) until 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces ack when touched. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tra before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When cupcakes are cold, spoon Cream Cheese Frosting on top and finish with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. Don't overbeat as it can quickly become runny.

Recipe from "The Hummingbird Bakery cookbook"

I'd certainly recommend you try these :)

xx