Happiness is a great cake

I love home baking but don't do as much as I would like because I end up eating most of it and at the moment I'm still trying to diet slowly.
I love chocolate but my weakness is cake .... so when some of you out there post yummy photos of your latest baking creation I have to stop my tongue gravitating toward the monitor at the moment.
To stave the cravings I decided to let myself have a treat when I was having a day out and so coffee and a cake was my thing. The problem is that the choice of one special cake makes one so fussy and things that I might have let enter my mouth a few months ago, now become not good enough to waste my calories/syns on.

Yesterday, I stood at a counter in a cafe for ages... weighing up which was to be my treat...Caramel cake ? ... Millionaire's Shortbread ? ... Rocky Road slice?....Danish pastry ( of which there were many) ...Muffins (such a variety) ... Cream slice ... Cream horn... Cream sponge....Strawberry Tart ... shall I go on lol... the choice was endless but nothing made me excited because I knew what they would taste like ... the same as those in the baker down the road and the Tea Rooms in the little village a mile away and dare I say... the Supermarket. They are all churned out to the same recipe with not a loving hand in sight. No room for the individuality of a master baker... we actually had a bakers like that locally but they shut down 6 months ago and my waist line actually sighed with relief.

I was about to walk away and not eat some thing for the sake of it, when I spied a large sponge under a cover ... it looked home made ...as if it had not long emerged from a friends oven ....gloriously tall and oozing a thick layer of raspberry jam and butter cream....I was not disappointed ... the flavour was magical and excited the taste buds beyond description ...I was happy and so contented.

I would love to know whether it is just my 'watching what I eat' that makes me feel like this or whether there are many of you out there who are actually disappointed or bored by mass produced bakery. What is your favourite indulgence when it comes to cakes....what is your favourite homemade offering ....would love to hear your thoughts.... just because I'm nosey lol

Take Care xx

Sorry ...no WOYWW photos this week ...but at least I've blogged

Where does time go? ... can't believe it is over a week since we went out to this amazing BBQ ... what a happy day it was ...thought I'd share this collage with you... and its 11 days since I last blogged. ( oops ... sounds like a confessional lol)

It rained all the day before ...and the day after ... but it was perfect on the Sunday.

The two men on the stage were a folk duo Maureen had loved since a child and her hubby booked them for her.

The five ladies at the bottom are her and her sisters ...and they all sing well. The one in the jacket was jet lagged lol


Kids and adults alike had real fun ...and I ate and drank loads.


I have not got back to crafting again yet ...so many things seem to be going round in my head, that the crafty part has been pushed to the back. I have started to plan the wedding meal/buffet and am beginning to ask myself why I don't learn to keep my mouth shut. It will be simple but enough that it feels like a meal. It will all have to be prepared at home and transported to the venue in cool boxes and will be for around 80 or so .... I think I will be having a very busy first week in October ... not to mention the fact that my 3rd grandson could appear any time soon and I am on call incase they need a babysitter for the twins while Emma gives birth.

For these reasons I hope I am forgiven for not displaying my desk or anything crafty again this week ... to be honest I can't actually find my desk at the moment as its under a pile of clothes that I will be throwing in a case, if I am summoned by Steve and Emma.

Take Care xx

Clothes ... Dundee ...and yes ....I finally made a card

Firstly ....I finished the card
and inside I printed... in a swirly font ....

21 + 19

Years Young

and

Maureen ...

A Little Birdie Told Us

That It Was Your Birthday …

Have An Amazing Day

I am quite pleased with it ...I think
Now the Dundee trip.....

The reason for going was to see if I could find anything I could wear for the wedding and ...
I was getting to the point where my wardrobe was totally casual ...not that I mind as I don't go anywhere lol .... but when it all looks very past its best and its hard to find anything to wear that hasn't a splodge of creative goo on it, it's time to get some new clothes.
Being of ample proportions ...even though I think I have lost a dress size with my diet but could do with another 6 ...I HATE looking for clothes....give me a catalogue any day. I expect a few of you identify with that.
My trip to Dundee was such a revelation .... well its a few years since I visited and it seems to have become cleaner and smarter than I remember ...and have shops I now enjoy to look round ...and spend money in.....maybe I'm happier??.
I have, however, also become even more confused by sizes!! I have just managed to squeeze back into a stretch waisted pair of jeans which look fine ...as long as I am wearing a long top ... so when I saw a new pair, same size, I actually tried them on ... I think they are now called Jeggings ???? but they were too big????yep you read that right ... so I had to go down two sizes ...Yeah that was an easy way to loose weight lol. I also managed to find several casual pieces, a couple of smart things ....and a hat in a Blue Cross sale lol but returned home with a very light purse. DD and I also breakfasted and lunched ...which was no good for the diet but great for the soul. It was a long day as we left home to catch a bus at 7.am ... which is unheard of for me ...but I enjoyed every second of the day and cant wait to save up to go spending again.

Now to finish off boring you totally...here are some of the bronzes in the city center and the beautiful flowers in the square.

Remember Desperate Dan???
Take Care xx

WOYWW 61

Well its actually WOYWTuesday as I will be out all day Wednesday, mooching around Dundee and trying not to spend ....to much.
Here is my desk this evening


Most of the stuff I was using last week is STILL out, but some is now covered by a layer of what I am playing with now. I'm actually trying to make a Birthday card but not sure where I am going colour wise ...or anything wise really ... I am not a card maker nowadays and wanted to pop out and buy one but as the recipient is into handmade cards, I really had no choice.
I do find it strange that I can create a LO and have come to grips with a journal cover and the odd tag ...even a bleach tied T-shirt... yet cards do not come naturally anymore ... even though I started as a card maker many moons ago. I will let you see the result ...if it turns out OK.

I am making this short this week and will pop by as many of you as I can over the next few days ... cant promise to do as well as last week though ...think I managed everyone by Saturday. Vicki will link me while I'm out or I will link when I get in.

Take Care xx

Stripey Returns

Well I could not believe my eyes when Vicki entered the room with Stripey under her arm. She had opened the back door and in he trotted. Well ... he strolled round the room ...jumped up on the sofa for a rest ... jumped down ... was growled at by a disgruntled Buffy and stared at by those that were perched on the cat house. Nothing seemed to bother him and no one went into attack mode. After a short while he cried to be let out and then strolled to the back door where he again meowed for it to be opened .... and without a turn of the head, he disappeared down the garden.

I assume that his owners saw the poster, or he was chipped ... and he must have just wanted to say thanks, as his back ...although still raw .... looked a lot better.

Just thought you cat lovers out there might like an update on our night visitor.

Take Care xx