Bargain hunting

I don't know about you but I think the sales have been really lame this year. Its either the same old tat that they've been pulling out for the last four or five years (Next) or they've reduced the stuff that nobody wants. Take Boxing Day for example, any self respecting bargain hunter would go out looking for reduced wrapping paper and christmas cards - I did, only to find that the shops had taken all the stock off the shelves - thats just plain mean ! Whats the point in having sales if you can't stock up on bargains for next year !

So anyway, this morning I went to BHS in Watford as I'd picked up two cushions last weekend that were a good match for my settee, and during the week I decided that I wanted a third one. Blow me if the mountain of cushions that they had last week had all but vanished and I just couldn't find the elusive third one anywhere. So as I left the shop I spotted the missing cushion in the window display, so I went in and asked the assistant if I could have it and luckily she got it for me - hurrah ! (A very respectable reduction from £22 down to £8.80)

I was intending to go to the gym this afternoon, but got sidetracked and ended up going to the Galleria in Hatfield where I found some mark down baking tins which I wanted, and I also bought a new water bowl for the cats, some drinking chocolate from Whittards and some Pecan Nuts from Julian Greaves. I feel a bit of baking coming along tomorrow !

This evening I went to my see my brother in Hayes, as he wanted me to clip his rabbits claws and in fairness, they are difficult to do on your own - especially when you have two rabbits as big as his ones are.

So thats been it really, not a really eventful day, but I got some bits done which was good.

Oh and last night I went to my cousins to give her the cake etc, and we had some while I was there - it was a bit firmer in texture than I would have liked, but they all seemed to like the taste which was the main thing.

TGI Friday !

Its been a strange old week - I've never been very good at starting work on a Tuesday (or any other day come to that !) It just throws my body clock out of kilter and I feel like I've lost a day somewhere along the line. Thankfully I've got the weekend to get myself sorted out.

Last night was quite good, not only did I manage to make the cake for my cousin (as posted in my previous entry) but also went to the gym and had a pretty decent session there too - yay for me ! Tuesdays and Wednesdays sessions had been a real struggle, but last night everything seemed to fall into place and I had no trouble in staying there for an hour and a half.
It probably helped that my 'gym buddie' was there last night, it's always easier when you have somebody there to gee you along and have a chat to as you're pounding the treadmills !

I'm giving it a miss this evening as I'm going to my cousins after work, and by the time I get home and have something to eat it will be too late. It also closes earlier on a Friday so I think I'm entitled to skip a night once in a while :O)

Not sure what I'm getting up to this weekend, but I'm pretty sure there won't be a repeat of last weeks 'Dancing on Ice'. Whatever happens, if its good I'll post it on here with photo's to prove it !

have a good one !

It's time for cake !

But fear not dear reader, I've not given up on my resolutions just yet ! Its my cousins birthday tomorrow and as a surprise I thought that I would take her a cake around after work.

Just before Christmas I bought the new Nigella Kitchen book which is a stunning book crammed full of tasty looking recipes, some of which she cooked in her recent TV series. I was flicking through it looking for inspiration and saw this Maple Pecan cake recipe which looked pretty easy to make apart from requiring me to purchase a new cake tin - well I wanted a Bundt tin anyway, so I thought it was the perfect time to buy it !

So this evening I came in from work and set about the cake - everything was as she described apart from her warning of the stickness of the cake mix. She did say to be prepared for a firm mix, but I wasn't prepared for something that you had to fight to pull out of the bowl !

So its cooking away in the oven and has about 5 minutes left before its done - if it's a success you'll see a picture of it here later on, if not, I'll just say I dropped it getting it out of the oven !

so here is it nicely turned out of the tin - I was a bit disappointed that the pattern didn't show through a bit clearer, but I'll know for next time. The brown parts round the edge are where the Maple and Pecan filling has oozed to the edge of the cake

and the picture below is the finished article - dusted with icing sugar and looking good enough to eat !

Get behind me temptation !

Well I managed to get a good 45 minutes at the gym last night which was pleasing. It was quite a bit busier than usual but unfortunately there didn't seem to be very much to look at, which was a shame. I managed to burn off 500 calories which was reasonable considering the time I was there.

So this morning I get into work and its the guy in my offices birthday - he greets me with a big grin and says "Theres a box of Krispy Creme donuts there, help yourself" . Blow me if I hadn't sat down for 10 minutes and Jacquie calls up from downstairs - "It was my sons birthday yesterday and theres a shedload of cakes down here if you want to come down" - Doh and double doh !

I managed to resist going downstairs until 11am, consoling myself with an apple and a satsuma, but the lure was too damn strong and I succumbed to a thin (and I do mean thin) slice of strawberry Victoria Sandwich with a buttercream topping - it was fabulous !
Then after lunch I was passing the office again and just had to stick my head around the door to see if there was any left (which there was) so I had another slice - slapped legs for me.

.... and now its ten to five and I have the crumbs of half a Krispy Creme iced ring in front of me, which although I tried telling myself looked like a coil of doggy doos', it tasted great !