Hello again!! Sorry it's been SUCH a long time. I honestly don't know how it happened! One minute it was Christmas and I barely had time to go to the loo, never mind updating the blog!! Then out of the blue (after three months of freezing cold weather) it's Spring and everything is suddenly on the up: temperatures, bulbs and libidos!! I can only assume that the winter weather froze my creative juices and hopefully this (and my crafty stuff) will become a more regular event again - maybe not a daily one, but certainly a little more often than recently!!!

The other factor is the somewhat dire lack of home baking going on here. In a desperate effort to shift the rather too many pounds I've been carting around with me I decided not to eat anymore cake or similar goodies for the whole of Lent and some! It has to be said that it's not all vanity. I do need to shift a couple of stones for the sake of me 'elf though, ironically, my hips STILL hurt like crazy after the unlamented loss of a whole 17 pounds!!

But Easter will soon be here and with it the joy of baking lots and eating the odd treat here and there! As I write the fruit for the Simnel Cake is soaking in Grand Marnier and I plan to bake it next week. My Dad's coming next weekend and LOVES fruit cake so we'll just have some a little earlier. I don't think anyone will miss it at Easter itself as NONE of the kids will eat fruit cake! I'm almost congratulating myself on the fact that I've made it to the allotment a few times already and it actually looks quite well cared for right now - all ready for those seedlings and potatoes to go in!! I'm really hoping for some good crops this year!!

I know I have a few not-now-secrets to share as well. The cats cushion I made for a friend (she loved it!) and the birthday pizza I baked for Rowan's 19th last weekend. Like me, he's avoiding all desserts for Lent (we've formed a sort-of support group, though he calls it a competition) so I said I'd make him "something" and came up with a Peking Duck Pizza (as shown above!) especially for him. He was really pleased and ate the whole thing in one day - the day after!! His birthday was actually on Mothers' Day so we had to share. I did get a special day to myself at a patchwork and quilting exhibition where I met up with old friends and had a VERY indulgent day indeed spending rather too much on fat quarters and haberdashery. His birthday treat was a meal out at Frankie and Benny's. I honestly didn't have any desserts - just a Peach Bellini and a Margarita!!