Poor little goosie

She's taken to talking about me behind my back ... to anyone who will listen ...

As you can see she still has no legs.. but, look...I almost thought about attaching her little arms...


Other things are happening... and, as is my usual.... I didn't finish my project before I have begun another...

I should have hurried along with Ms. Goosie and got her finished before starting anything new...but, this was last minute.

I went to a blog... saw a name and a reference to something beautiful in somebody's post...went to that blog and ...as the Brit's say... "Bob's yer uncle"....

I'm now enrolled in Karen Ruane's Embroider, Embellish and Create class.

Haven't done embroidery for many years...and have a hoop somewhere ...but, had to buy a new one, along with some needles, thread and a bunch of other stuff... because I can't find any of it.  Not that I have much of what we will be using anyway... because this will be a white on white project.  I've never worked in whites.  I'm having trouble just remembering how to do French Knots... sigh.... and I know I did plenty in my time.

Look here at Karen's work!!  so beautiful....


And, even though I keep saying this is not a food blog....I do keep showing you food don't I ??
... hahahha ... Look. We made pizza from scratch the other day...it only takes 2  hours from putting yeast in water.... and, soooooo yummy!  I love that you can make it however you like when you do it yourself....

This is NOT a cooking blog..

... and, yes...I do have one of those as well..but I never seem to post there much anymore...shame, that.... must rectify it.

However, some of you know I was looking forward to doing our annual progressive dinner party with neighbours this past weekend...and that we were dismembering cucumbers and slathering phyllo and rolling dough for little turnovers.  Well, if you didn't know...we were.

What fun we had.  What food there was!  And...our appetizers were delicious if I do say so myself ...and I do!

The cucumber roll ups with smoked salmon took a total of 3 full cucumbers.  What a lot of waste.  Has anybody ever used a mandolin and done cucumber slicing?  Did you use English cucumbers...how did it work?  It was an experiment all the way through really... 1/8" seemed too thick...but, less was too thin and they began to separate at the seeded part... then, the thicker ones are tricky to roll ...the toothpicks don't hold them together well...etc... but, they were tasty and fun and ...well, I may not bother again...hahhaha... what else can I try?  It's kind of like the dolls and bears....movin' on to the next pattern....

Next, I made phyllo purses...with sundried tomato and Feta and spinach filling.  Why is it one can never get quite the same results as are pictured ? And, I didn't dare leave them in the oven any longer as the tops were browning quickly...and tin foil on top would have reduced any more browning on the sides I am sure .....sigh...but, tasty? ....ever so!

I also made some tiny Tourtiere turnovers with a sour cream pastry.  I didn't make Tortiere this year for Christmas as the oven was so delayed I had given up on being able to do it and didn't bother with buying ingredients.... like veal and pork....

But... for this I thought, why not make some bite size 'appies' instead of one big pie to cut. Oh, man... my back between the shoulder blades was on fire by the time I finished with all the fiddling ...cutting little circles of dough, pinching them all closed and pressing each with fork tines, slashing teeeny slits on each one and then baking them off in batches .... I needed a massage...and a cold compress for my aching head....a big glug of wine and a long nap!

Of course, on the day...I still had to make a sweet and sour sauce for dipping as well...because that's what somebunny's Mommy used to make for them when he ate them at home.  Luckily I had already made some cranberry pear chutney last week ......  which is what I like with mine ...and I knew my one neighbour would be looking for that too...she loves it.

so, yep....it was a ton of work .... but, worth it.  It was fun and lots of good food at each house.... all 5 of them!  Ohhhh...we were stuffed by midnight!

ooops...forgot...we also made a pizza and sliced it in little squares.  Deconstructed Artichoke Chicken pizza with cherry tomatoes......  check it out....mmmm..... with home made pizza dough..... the best, of course.  Sorry.... I took a bite.  Couldn't help myself.   And, then...we totally forgot to take any more photos... and the table looked so pretty all set out too!  Darn it.

no cucumbers were killed in the process..

...but, a large portion of this one WAS totally injured and pretty much wrecked while I was experimenting with how to cut one if a person does not own a mandoline.  BIG note on kitchen table.  Must.Buy.Mandoline.

I used every size, shape and sharpness of knife, including bread knives...no go.... and, fingers were definitely at risk.   Now, I do know that mandolins are dangerous as well if a person isn't careful...I used to own a plastic version and did almost take off the end of a finger...plus, I've seen it often enough on the food channel...yikes!  Some of those people lose a lot of blood when they do silly things in their rush to get done.....

I did manage to get 4 not bad slices using my potato peeler ..but, would need a wider one to get better results...and even then, can only do about that many slices before my nails were being peeled right along with the cuke.

However, my (4 only) cute little tasty roll ups were a hit... Mr. BV scoffed them the minute he saw them, and declared them wonderful.  Now... to get me that mandoline before the dinner party on Saturday.  You would think I never do anything like entertain or have a 'part' in a party....    well, actually, you'd be right ... we never do.  So...yes...it is a big deal. To us.  And, I need to make plenty more than 4....

This is our second annual progressive party with our neighbours.  There will be 5 couples and therefore 5 courses.  I  hope it all goes the same as last year and that we all have just as much fun as we did last year as well... and...the fooooood!!  Ohh... wow! .. everybody really made exceptional effort with the food.....

Here are my cute little dilled cream cheese roll ups with tiny bits of black olive, sun dried tomato and ham... ...

Snapped.

Not me.  Although, I must be close right?

Yup.  Finally just snapped the little tab right off.

 So... that one is now always going to be in the open position.  Still haven't found out if I can buy any of the plastic bottoms to replace the ones that are gummed up....which is all of them... except two .... must go to the hardware and/or building supply shops soon.  No vehicle now...sold my old van.

Anyway... I am not going to dwell on the annoying... let's just move straight to the totally ridiculous shall we?

On Saturday, the tile setter came to grout the en suite bathroom tile.  Great. And... I  must say he did a great job.  But, in the main bathroom... he was also supposed to remove a few tiles that we had spent a lot of time carefully cutting and placing around an area that was to become a laundry chute at some future time.  However, over the past two years, we changed our minds and just wanted to tile over that area and leave a clean smooth look...and not put anything at all beside the sink. But, like idiots, thought we should let a professional cut out the tiles and repair it...especially if one was already here doing other work in the house.

During the morning, we had to leave to look at some tiles for our kitchen and left him to do his own thing.
Before we left, Mr. BV also gave him a tiny left over bag of the original grout to show him the type and colour we used when we did our own thing.... but, ... disaster, ...  we inadvertently gave him the wrong bag.

We came home to find this.... it looked like a purplish rubber next to brownish/grey grout.... it was even smooth instead of sandy and rough.















....  and he was giving us a bad time about the grout...saying we really need to use grout with sand in it...not sand free grout.  That it didn't look too bad and it was in a dark corner so it might not be too noticeable.   We just looked at each other in shock.  Yes.... we had given him the non sanded grout by mistake.... the type to be used with glass tiles.  And, remember ....this is a professional tile setter.  Why on earth would he use it?  Why?  Arrrgghhhhhh!!@#$%^

The hardware store is 3 minutes from our house.... why wouldn't the guy just hop in his van and go get the right stuff?  He could go right ahead and think we were nuts to hand him some of the wrong stuff or wonder if there was another bag of the right stuff somewhere or, sheeeeesh.... . think whatever he wanted...but, why would he use it?  How many stupid things have to continue to happen... how manytimes do I have to ask the same damn questions over and over and over and ov........ ad infinitum......

He asked if we had found tiles for our kitchen and when we told him we were going to use some reclaimed tiles...he started explaining about different sizes, thickness, etc...and how it would cost more ...etc.... we thanked him for his work and ushered him out the door.

Then.. had to make a decision.... try to dig out the grout immediately before it set ....or leave it til Sunday when it would definitely be set but at least so would the thin set that was holding the tiles in position, as he had just also done that previous to placing the grout.

We decided on tomorrow..... went down into our below ground lodgings ... poured some wine ... resisted the urge to scream into pillows or laugh uncontrollably at why or how we are cursed  .... and instead, ate a lovely meal of tenderloin ... done to perfection in my electric frying pan...on our coffee table ... and watched some Formula One racing ...

Sunday.... we took turns digging out grout.....

And, now.... it looks like this.

My hand and arm were killing me when we hit the bed last night...but, today...it doesn't feel much different than it usually does.

Tomorrow the electrician is coming to hang lights and fix things that are hanging at half mast .... (of course before the final painting is complete) .... I'm not asking.....

......and the guy is coming to measure for silhouette window coverings... which must be pretty straightforward....

I think I heard something about appliances arriving and being set up by perhaps early next week....ooooooohhh ....none too soon for me!

I hope they all heard me say I'm rooting around in my storage area looking for my Christmas tree.......

one a penny, two a penny...

..... okay...  weird.  We always said it that way... and our Mom is English.  It's just that when I was saying it out loud, to no one in particular except myself, I decided to look it up....on Google of course, and in the rhyme, it is actually one ha'penny, two ha' penny.... which is a half penny.  Seems they are cheaper in the rhyme than they are in the song.. which was the next entry on Google.. at "One a penny'  Who knew?  I wonder if they even use half pennies any more... in Canada we are even giving up the penny.

Anyway.... you probably guessed right away that I was talking about Hot Cross Buns.  I made some  yesterday. And, yes, I know they are usually baked on Good Friday.  But, on that day I had company...and I was still not feeling up to par all of the Easter weekend... so I let it slide til now.












But, I had found a recipe that claimed to be great... tasting like Easter buns of old, and I really wanted to try those buns.  It's been a long time since I gave up on store made buns...ick.... they are terrible.  Funny texture... strange flavour... who knows what they put in them.... they get rock hard before they get mouldy.... forget it... I ain't eating those things anymore.

I wanted buns.  So...because I felt more like my old self...I baked yesterday.

May I just say??    

YUM!!

The recipe is in metric measurements...and I was busy trying to convert as I was doing it.... but, want to measure the ingredients a second time...then, will put it on my food blog.  I think it would work just as well for a raisin loaf..... yep...must try that next time.  Why should we only eat yummy stuff once a year? .... must be able to just do crossless buns or bread with the same dough....

Hey Anne!!

lookie here....

I made a "sponge"

and...

it's darn yummy!

Anne and some friends have a group that meets every so often to enjoy each others company and do some chatting and sewing on projects.  I have no stitch and bitch or doll or bear making group... so... I ate it all by myself.  Well... Mr. BV did help..

She sent me the recipe after I've had to endure drooling over it on her blog several times.  I faithfully followed the British version.. weighing and measuring... which seems so much more complicated than our method of baking.. just tossing in a cup of this and 1/2 cup of that.. and only having to wash up one bowl... but, it turned out to be quite a tasty morsel.

Photo of the Week

"Favourite things" is the theme this week.     " favourite - something regarded with special favor or liking" .   That meaning (of several I found) seems to be a good one in my case.  Lots of little or pretty simple things in my life interest me ... make me smile ...give me a giggle, and it seems I tend to list them as favourite things. Where to begin?  I have lots ....      food (baking and cooking) ...  flowers.... bears.... dolls... golf ... ACEOs (art cards, editions and originals) .....

Sometimes it's not even necessary to say too much..... some photos speak for themselves...... however, let me just say something about these beautiful tiny pastels done by a Russian artist and friend that I met online several years ago.  She sent the pics to see which one I wanted...how could I not want both? ... The cat is her own.... she drew many pics of Czenia... and I now have both of these.  I'm sure you'll agree that they are pretty darn amazing.  Click to biggify and see the detail ....

Peonies from my garden...

Buttercup...needle felted from KoolAid dyed wool.  Beads for "dreds" ...

..of course, Scratty Eddy and his cute and interesting little face ...  and his tea drinking buddy Scruffy....

..speaking of tea.... how 'bout tea and scones?  The name of my other blog...and another favourite thing...baking....

...simple, yet very effective... for Christmas...my fav season just for the glitz; the glamour; the beautiful decorations .... the fun creating ...... the perfect way to break up the toooo many months of cold weather....

Let's not forget breads. Brother ....I could go on all day couldn't I?
I've just learned to bake breads the past few years...and oh, YUM....how I love home baked breads!  My very most "favourite-est" of favourites .... ..... lol....... and, now...I'm off to do some jumping jacks....hahahahha ........ NOT.......!!

Panettone anybody?

There you are.  I better stop.  Never just one for photo of the week with me...always several.  I should do something more organized with my photos some day...... I have hundreds...nope....I have thousands..... and I just can't hit the delete button..............