Bits and Bobs and Getting ready

Been busy getting ready for this wedding at the weekend and trying to  make sure that we have everything that we need to hand.  Just have a few things to sort out tomorrow and I think we should be more or less set for the day.

Going back to work today was a bit of a shock to the system especially after the lengthy weekend.  However I have booked off a week at the end of September my first real holiday this year when I may go off to see some of my cousins as well as potter here at home. 

Whilst I am off I want to get the Christmas Cakes and the Christmas Puddings done then so I can tick them off the list and put them up securely and safely wrapped.  However they will be fed in the intervening period once a week and then stored in metal tins in the pantry.   I bought a set of three tins a few years back in two different designs. They only get used at Christmas/  One set are a red tartan and the others are a cream background with a garland design on them.

The puddings once cooked also keep and mature fairly well. I usually use a combination these days of cider and rum.  We use rum in the white sauce as well.  Another one of my tweaks the original recipe called for stout.  I always replace the foil topping but keep the greaseproof intact and mine seem to keep fairly well.  My Nan had a lovely cold terracotta tiled pantry that even in the middle of summer was lovely and cool and which was ideal for storing long term preserves in, including the bacon and the salted meat.  I have two old metal steamers that belonged to my mum.  They do not look very elegant and one of them was given to mum by my Nan so they are quite elderly.  I hang on to these steamers as they are nice and deep ideal for a Christmas pudding and the puddings are cooked in these. The steamers available to buy today are just not deep enough - I know as I have some.  I have tried other methods of cooking the puddings but they do not come up as well.  I provide my brother with a cake and pudding and loan one of the steamers out for them to cook the pudding in on Christmas day.  I shall hang on to them for as long as I can as despite not being very elegant they are extremely useful.  After Christmas the bowl comes back and the steamer,  Works well for both of us - he gets home made cake and pudding, I like baking and cooking anyway its what my Mum would have wanted.

I also want to do a lot of sewing so before this holiday I want to get the house tidied up so that I can do what I want to do on the week's holiday for a change and I have an awful lot to do as I need to do some Christmas presents in any event.

I have thought that I would do some wash bags and make up bags.  I have procured some cheap shower curtains to use as a lining.  I can get some pretty fabric from the market so we shall see how things go on.

Lots of ideas at present always the ideas.  Now need some serious time to get some stuff done I don't suppose I will get much done until the weekend in any event buy it does not stop me trying.  I am desperate to get some crafting done but time is not very plentiful at present.  As I have said before I seem to concentrate better when I have no distractions.   I will get there eventually.  Now I need to get confetti, wedding paper and a card.  

Catch you soon.

Pattypan xx