You know what they say, what goes around, comes around… well, today, the Feeder Programme does just that! Gary celebrated his 60th birthday on Monday and miraculously managed to keep it quiet! I was a little bit sad when I found out after the fact on Tuesday, so today I, try and rectify the situation by taking him one of those yummy Kumara and Polenta Sour Cream Muffins and stick a candle in it for a bit of post-birthday bonhomie! There then follows a bake-exchange, and Gary gives me, some of his Date, Walnut and Ginger Banana Bread, and it’s not even my birthday! Better still, he gives me the recipe too. Sharing and caring – it makes the world go round!
I really get my wiggle on after work. First off, there’s my rendezvous with Kerren who as anticipated, does some of her massage magic on my bad back. She kneads me like a ball of tough dough, which is really quite an apt analogy, if I don’t get back to exercising soon, I will be crowned Dough Dollie of the Year. It’s not pretty!
In actual fact, I think I am currently experiencing Exercise Cold Turkey, or ECT! I’m doing less than ever before, and yet, I feel more tired, and although chipper, I’m not feeling quite like my usual about-to-spontaneously-combust-with-happiness-self! My endorphins feel like they’re grounded and they don’t like it one bit!
Still, resting up, stretching out and holding my abs in are the order of the day! I’ll just have to sit it out and wait it out; if nothing else, I’ll get to exercise some patience!
At any rate, I get a wee workout in the kitchen. David’s at football and it’s so dark and cold, it feels like Christmas. I’m in the mood to make some cookies, and Good Food’s Gooey Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies look too yum to resist. I love it that I can bake half and freeze half because nowing I have a batch of cookies-to-go stashed in the freezer gives me an enormous sense of wellbeing! I figure I can give David the Father Christmas treatment and leave him out some cookies and milk. I’m sure that’s just what he’ll feel like, after a zillion pints of beer. Not! Failing that, he’ll enjoy them as a teatime treat at work tomorrow!
This week I celebrate (and I mean that wholeheartedly,) four years at work. This is the longest I’ve ever worked, at any one place, anywhere – so it’s a genuine personal best! I can’t think of a better way to mark the occasion than with a bit of baking, so I’m going to conjure up some Borrowdale Tea Bread. My mum is a huge fan of this recipe, that was given to her by her gardener, and that was given to him by a dear old lady in her nineties! So this is a truly tried and tested recipe! My dried fruit is looking tea-licious having been soaked overnight and the mixture is ready in minutes. It comes out a treat. The best thing about this bread, is that it’s one of those bakes that gets better with time, so I will leave it to mature with age, and everyone can enjoy it on Friday! What a way to end the week!
