Saturday 30 September 2017

Since Last Time...

  • There has been lots of teaching and my regular weekly class is back into the swings of things. We've lost a couple of people... well, not lost exactly, I know where they are they just didn't re-enroll... but we've gained a couple too which is the way this class has been for the past ten years or so. I can't believe I have been doing it that long but they still delight me with what they make. These little book jackets were just some of the results of our first project. I think that I would like a little book of magic.
  • It was caramel week in the bake off and although I didn't make stroopwafel I did make millionaire's shortbread and two caramel cakes. They weren't all for us I hasten to add... I have a skimpy outfit to get into by the end of October, but more about that later.
  • No sooner than we'd eaten all that cake, it was pudding week. I went back to making the technical bake which was a molten pudding filled with peanut butter. It was so wrong... I love peanut butter but in the middle of a pudding it was dry, claggy and too salty. Won't be making those again in a hurry, which seems to be the theme of this year's bakes. Just for the record I did make them in under the specified time of one hour whilst also making dinner for four and under the influence of a couple of gin & tonics!
  • I've been rehearsing twice a week because at the end of October I'm in a play... Funny Money, a farce by Ray Cooney. I play the wife of the main character, Jean Perkins and there are lots of lines to learn. I thought it would be good for the old grey matter but it's not as easy as it used to be and some days it feels like my brain is mush. All other reading has gone out of the window for the time being. It is also the reason I have to fit in to a skimpy outfit. To be fair it's not that skimpy just a size too small... but I also have to change into a nightdress and fall about on the floor a lot. Do you think I might be getting too old for this lark?
  • Another day teaching and this time it was in a village hall in Acton, Suffolk. It is about an hour and half from where we live and straightforward journey. I left in plenty of time but was still an hour late arriving... because I got lost! For nearly twenty years I have travelled all over the country teaching or giving talks, I have arrived in city centres in the dark - Bristol, Derby, Birmingham, I have gone to every county you can imagine but I have NEVER, ever got lost before. I was listening to the radio, took a wrong turning and drove on for another ten miles before I realised, by which time I didn't have a clue where I was. I know, I know I should have a satnav or even use my phone but  I stubbornly stick to old fashioned maps because I prefer them. Phone calls were made, the map consulted and I arrived eventually. A cup of tea was thrust into my hand and I hit the class running, which was actually quite amusing. I do have to say all eleven ladies in the class were delightful, very understanding and all made the most amazing landscapes... I could show you all eleven but they are all up on my facebook page so I'll just show you mine.
  • The dog has recovered from his operation. His cone of shame lasted two days before he learned how to remove it and started to eat it. He could reach his stitches anyway so it was a bit of a waste of time. On the plus side he has saved the vet a job and has removed his own stitches. He has also taken to carrying his blanket around all the time which is quite cute, except he has started to eat that too... pink poo, that's all I'm saying! As for his behaviour... well I'm optimistically telling myself it is early days yet but I wasn't very impressed by the regurgitated sock I found on the kitchen floor one morning at 6.15 am. I swear I thought it was a dead rat and did have a moment of panic (environmental health... my five star rating!) before I discovered it was a dead sock.

So that was my last ten days... I didn't intend staying away so long but you know how it is. This weekend we have nothing planned, nowhere to go, no cakes to bake just chilling, seeing the family and not doing anything in particular. I am determined to make the most of some down time... and learn my lines!

I hope you have a good weekend

23 comments:

  1. The sock/rat made me laugh Gina. Have a lovely week xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful work from your students and very tempting cakes. I think I am with you on the peanut butter pudding. How disappointing to make something that just doesn't work.
    I hope Hector settles down and starts to enjoy life again without eating things he shouldn't. Enjoy your quiet weekend and good luck with the play lines.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pink poo, how funny! We had ballon wrapped poo once... Love your stitching, I must really check you out on FB to see more of it. Enjoy your quiet weekend. xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. wow makes me realise how unbusy my life is. Irene from a lovely sunny Northern Ireland

    ReplyDelete
  5. How you attempt to learn lines in amongst all that business goodness only knows. Looking forward to seeing the results in a few weeks time. Tx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you Hector for making me laugh. Many years ago we had a lab puppy and she ate so many odd things its a wonder she survived. She had a penchant for underwear and socks and my husband left his drawer open one day..... I wish I lived nearer so I could join your machine embroidery class - it was when looking for inspiration that I found your blog. Good luck learning your lines amidst you busy schedule.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sheila. That is a pity you don't live nearer!

      Delete
  7. The sock rat made me laugh too. Those millionaire's shortbreads look absolutely to die for. Well done on the play, I hope it all goes swimmingly, it sounds loads of fun. A friend of mine is an actor and loves it, it's worth all the stress of learning lines in the end I think. No satnav here either, just maps and things scribbled on the backs of envelopes. I am always getting lost. Absolutely no sense of direction whatsoever. But still happy with a map and an envelope. Satnav would send me into a fury. CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. A little book of magic would be a very handy thing! :)
    Poor Hector...thank goodness for dead socks the alternative isn't worth thinking about!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely to see a Gina post today. You do SO much.. yes you're definitely well deserving of a chilled weekend ...let's call it a cherish weekend (we're having one of those this w/end after scratching the surface of Mother in laws hoard last weekend)! I cannot act to save my life so another skill I'm in awe of you for! Enjoy chilling or should I say cherishing lovely Gina x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Millionaires shortbread is my all time favourite and I'd love to try a slice of one of your caramel cakes (possibly one of each or would that be greedy?) Pink poo and sock rats did make me laugh. Love all the stitching and I must check out your FB page. Hope you are enjoying a relaxing weekend Gina, although I'm not sure you know the meaning of the word!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the notebooks Gina. Are they machine embroidered? You have some imaginative and talented students. Good luck with learning the lines. You can do it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the notebooks are all machine embroidered Erica, but they have added paint for colour.

      Delete
  12. I hope you enjoy your weekend of doing nothing - you surely need it after all that activity over the last ten days - I feel exhausted just reading it.
    I hope Hector improves his behavior soon - fun for us to read about but not so funny for you to deal with!
    I would love to see you rolling round the floor in your play, you will have the audience in stitches. Happy line learning

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a delight to read. I really must do some more machine embroidery for next year's diary, if we have found some where to live and I have recovered from packing up this big house, and then unpacking into something smaller.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the little notebooks, and the dead sock did make me laugh! Getting lost in Suffolk is actually not a real surprise as road signs aren’t always helpful, I’m glad you got there eventually (Acton is only 5mins away from me).

    ReplyDelete
  15. Those cakes look amazing. I love the sewing projects. He is such a darling dog, love the pink blanket!

    ReplyDelete
  16. And did you use the weekend free time to rest?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Phew! Dead sock - not the sort of thing you want to see first thing in the morning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amusing now in retrospect but I wasn't amused at the time!

      Delete
  18. Definitely keep up with the drama. Learning
    In es must surely be good for the brain. Mind you I sometimes have anxiety dreams about forgetting my lines and I don't even act!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm okay at the moment but the week of the production I usually have terrible anxiety dreams where I go on stage and cannot even remember what play I'm doing!

      Delete
  19. Love the sock/rat story. I had a dog years ago that ate everything. I never knew what was going to be eaten next. Rather you than me, I had one go at acting and decided I prefer to stay backstage. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.