Cambridge Market

Today we had planned to go to Cambridge as the builder was going to start work tomorrow. However, the builder changed his mind and decided to start today; partly because the building inspector was also coming.  At lunch time it rained and the builder decided that it was too wet to do any more. We also have to wait for approval from the building inspector, but the builder is confident that he can start work again on Friday.

We decided that despite the rain we would go to Cambridge in the afternoon. Anyone who knows me will know that I hate going out late, but as the day was already ‘messed up’ we went into Cambridge. We had a half-hearted look at fridges, freezers and white goods, but as the kitchen will not be started until next year, there is no point in looking at something, which may not be available next year.

Today’s picture shows the University church in Cambridge as well as the market place; it was already getting dark. We waited ages for a Park and Ride bus and then the one we expected to travel on was turned round in the city centre. Once on the next bus to arrive, it took an hour to do the journey back to the car park, which on a good day takes twenty minutes. I was not a happy bunny!

Rosebud

Today it is extremely cold and dull, but as I am inside working, making a start on marking my student’s scripts, it does not matter too much.

Scotsdales delivered the Christmas tree, this morning that I chose last week; I was going to blip it. However, it looks rather uninteresting and more like a body in a bag. It is too early to have a Christmas tree, but I wanted a living tree, which will go in the garden once Christmas is over. The ones in Scotsdales are lovely trees and if you are too late, all the best ones have been chosen. This one will not be brought into the house; it is going in my rebuilt conservatory, which has not yet been erected! The builder is coming tomorrow instead of Wednesday.

Today’s blip is the only rose that I can find in my front border rose garden; straight out of the camera and not bad for December.

Two Christmas Cakes

This morning I mixed together the ingredients for two Christmas cakes. 

I have used Phil Vickery’s ‘Rich Fruit Christmas Cake’ from one of his gluten- free baking books this year, instead of using Delia’s recipe. The recipe was easy to follow and I shall use it again. The link takes you to the same recipe online. I have used Juvela flour instead of his special mix. I also left out the mixed peel and the almonds including more cherries instead.

These two pictures show the cakes ready to go in the oven and when they come out of the oven.

These are new baking tins, which have a silicone seal in the base so that nothing leaks out. The instructions say they do not need lining, I was sceptical about this, but they have turned out just fine. One cake is slightly browner than the other as they were both cooked at the same time. Next time I make them I will change them round half way through the cooking time.

We will eat one and save the other one for Christmas; we do not marzipan or ice out cake, preferring it just as it is.

I also watched the qualifying from Abu Dhabi, the last one of the season.

Christmas Cake

This morning I went to Saffron Walden with my daughter to have my nails done at Manhattan Nails; they have at last recovered from the dreadful treatment they endured from a different 'nail' shops here instead of soaking off the gel nails, they filed them off, burning the nail and me underneath.

As usual we went to The Courtyard for breakfast. They have very recently been taken over and the standard, in our opinion, was not as good as before. They did not have any gluten-free bread and the gluten-free cake was not being delivered until later. In the past they have had gluten-free bread and cakes. My daughter had a full English breakfast, the menu said two sausages and there was only one on the plate. I had some of the items from the full English breakfast, but obviously without those items, which contain gluten. I did not have eggs, but found a piece of eggshell in my mouth! I was also charged for a full English; there did not appear to be any other way to charge me. We will go again next time we have our nails done, but if the standard is not as it used to be, then we shall go elsewhere.

Some of the ingredients.

During the afternoon I have weighed and measured all the ingredients to make two Christmas cakes, in my opinion, this is the tedious part. Tomorrow I shall just have to mix everything together and bake them. I am using a different recipe this year, so hopefully they will turn out okay. I have also purchased some new baking tins. One round and one square, they are loose bottomed ones, but with a silicone base. I purchased them from Lakeland in Cambridge.

Roses in November

Today I have been working all day with students, which has not left much time for any other activities. I did find time to go into the garden and photograph these roses, not bad for the middle of November in the United Kingdom.  

Breakfast

Early today we went to Scotsdales for breakfast before a full day’s appointment at Addenbrookes hospital for my husband. This picture shows what I had for breakfast, a gluten-free chocolate, cherry and cream roulade! 

Cherry, Chocolate and Cream Roulade

A Proper Breakfast

This Christmas display is in the main entrance to Scotsdales Garden Centre.

Once we were at the hospital, I left my husband in clinic fourteen and went into Cambridge to purchase some new cake tins from Lakeland Plastics and then I returned to the hospital to wait with him.

Although it was one of the ‘longer’ appointments that he has, today was not so bad; we were home just after 1600 hours.

Continuing.......

I really should update this blog more frequently so today I am continuing with it. I might also include some entries relevant to what has been happening in our lives over the past few months; particularly those relevant to the rebuilding of the structure at the back of our home.

Today is a working day with tutorials booked for students all day so I will not be doing a great deal of other things worth reporting.

The Ocado Lorry

The Ocado lorry delivered the groceries this morning including extra fruit and vegetables, no excuse now for lapsing with my healthy, low calorie and weight reducing regime. Although the weather was quite good during the morning I decided to do some housework rather than continue with the gardening. My back appears to have recovered a little from the exercise I did with my grandchildren during half-term and rather than do too much and trap the nerve again I decided to stay indoors. This afternoon it is dark, dull, raining and cold.