Exist like this?

Do people really spend each day dressed like this,


eating food like this,

which was lovingly prepared in a kitchen like this?


And, if the answer is truly yes, what is it that they are getting so right and I am getting so wrong?

One day soon I will bake.

I plan to make this cheesecake after the veil of pregnant nausea lifts.

Hot Cross Buns in the Oven

They are only fruit buns. I know this and yet, every single year, I find myself getting excited about Easter buns. Warm or cold, with butter or without, sitting with a hot drink or eaten on the run; there is something about these soft, spiced fruit buns that I simply cannot resist. I'll probably eat a dozen or more between now and the end of Easter. I'll eat them at various bakeries, at the houses of friends, at my parents' house, at home. Mostly my love is for the traditional and fruity (the more orange peel, the better, but I won't be saying no to any chocolate chip ones that come my way.

What does strike me as funny is that, until next Easter, I'm very unlikely to think of, bake, or seek out fruit buns. What is this spell which they cast over me for two or three weeks of a year? I'm not religious, so the christian adornment should have no influence ove me. I suppose it must be the sheer availability of them at this time of year. Probably also the numerous advertising campaigns, each claiming their buns to be softer and more fruity than any bun before. Whatever the reason for my annual cravings, I'm quite happy to take the path of least resistance. To take it with a pat of butter and a mug of hot chocolate.

mmm..yummy.

Speaking of buns, we have a bun of another kind cooking away at the moment. It should be fully baked in late October. Unless it turns out to be as punctual me and my two sisters, in which case it will early November.


image via Gourmet Traveller

Swap sent, swap received.

I'm happy to report that my swaplet's treasure trove has arrived safely but, unless she's caved in to the temptation since I read her blog, hasn't yet been unwrapped.

I also received a very lovely package of my own! It was wrapped in gold paper, addressed with care and sent accross the ocean to arrive in my eager hands. I didn't think for a moment to wait for actual Valentine's day (it's not like Christmas, right), so I tore to the inside in seconds. What I found was a delight of red and white spotty and hearted goodness. There was a story book of gorgeous paper cut outs, some red bath roses and a very sweet handmade valentine, all nestled into white paper.



Thankyou to my funny, sunny Valentine. Please make your webself known as I'd love to find out more about my thoughtful sender. *



Here's wishing you all a cheesy, heart shaped, funny Valentine's special!

*Found Her! She was hiding over here, and she is oh so sweet.

SWAP! In the name of love

Amanda over at First Milk has organised a Valentine's Day swap. The rules are simple: be a blogger and be prepared to send handmade hearty valentine wishes to a stranger in the post. I don't know if she tried to match us by our interests, or simply by our willingness to post international, but I like my secret valentine. Here is a sneaky peek of what I'm about take the post office for her:



Thankyou, Amanda, for spreading the mail box joy.

Pledge to Read the Printed Word

Look! Up there, right hand corner. I added a pledge button.

I must confess that when I read about this I was, initially, awfully smug. I thought to myself, "Pfft. As if i need to pledge such a thing. I love reading! I know my way around my library and I have to restrain myself from buying more books because we're running out of room for them!" Then, I started to think about what I was reading at the moment, and how many books I had read in last few months. It wasn't many, it wasn't nearly enough.


[Judging by the piles of books that exist all over our house, I still need to work on my self restraint.]


When I was ten, eleven, twelve or so I would go to the library and get out ten books, which was exactly how many we were allowed to have out on our card at once. Sometimes I spent hours browsing until I found exactly what I wanted. I would then take my reading ration home and glutonously consume them all at once, safe in the knowledge that I could return for another ten next week. These days are quite a different story. You would find me, hovering between the shelves, with two or three books, fretting over which one to get this time because surely I won't have time to read them all.

I know that I have less time now than then but, seriously, it's not that much less. Afterall, I still have time to get caught in the blog train (you know, where you start reading one blog and link to another, and another and so on), to take up skating, to garden, to make mayonaise and chocolate stout. There are plenty of things to do, ways to fill the hours, but surely I could find more time to read as well.

Not only could I, but I absolutely will. Hand on my heart, I promise.

I can't help but think ...

...that it would be ok to wear these on a week day, if I could dance like Gene Kelly.