What I did today.

Am making the cakes to take to both DSs' families, but might manage to squeeze out a little one just for me. Loads of ginger and a lot of rum. Delicious with good vanilla ice cream.

I've had a fairly lazy day after a bad night of worrying dreams. Went to my exercise class, where we did a lot of laughing and on to the coffee shop where we did a lot of gossiping! My son came in with my grandchildren to say hello which was nice.
Then home to read the paper. I'm still on the sofa but I must move soon to prepare something to eat before Strictly, and then Merlin (Hoorah!!!)

You're forgiven, anno!! but thank you for remembering. I've just got back south after a couple of days in Yorkshire with my 95 year old dad. He's still living in his own house and manages to look after himself with help from my sister and good friends and neighbours. He's also still got lots of hair that isn't even really grey yet!!
I went up on the train as I'm not yet back to driving long distances but at least I am driving!
I'm going to a production of the Messiah in Petersfield tonight and then to friend's for a meal afterwards - it might be a late night! but luckily I've not got anything much to do tomorrow.

gally hope you enjoyed meeting your friends. Good idea to have a plan.
My plan for a DH free weekend was to invite my 11 yr old and 13 yr old friends round for a sleepover - give their parents a bit of pre xmas space. We watched Brave, they had not seen before. Then we made pumpkin soup and sloe gin. Then we are going to make toad in the hole and apple fritters. They like cooking.
The 13 yr old has only just had braces fitted but I think as soon as her mum disappeared they stopped bothering her.
The only down side is they want to watch I'm a celebrity final - I'm usually ready for bed by 10pm.

Ginger and rum cake. hmm.... I don't really like cake, but I think that one could tempt me, as I like both ginger and rum!

I have just come back from a visit to an Andy Warhol exhibition at our local art gallery, having been prevailed upon to give up my nice warm Saturday feet-up by my eldest step-grandson, who is studying art history. I'm not a big Warhol fan, but it was very interesting and we both enjoyed it, along with the other stuff in the gallery. He doesn't seem to mind having a doddering old fool in tow (especially one who forgot to bring her specs along and had to have all the descriptive material read to her!), and we always seem to have a lot to chat about. He's unfailingly polite and eats just about everything you put in front of him, which ticks all the boxes for me!

Sounds good to me artygran.

I'm drooling at the thought of that cake; I love ginger.

Were they the portraits of famous Jews arty ? I thought they were really good.

It was actually an exhibition of his late self-portraits; not an exhibition I would have been particularly attracted to in the ordinary course of events, but, like Francis Bacon's work, when you get up close and personal with it, it opens up fresh perspectives in terms of the man himself and his technique. It's encouraged me to find out a bit more about him than I knew before - never a bad thing!

Had a message to say that GD1 is in bed with winter vomiting bug and DS is not feeling well, spoke to DIl and she agrees we should not visit. It plays havoc with my hiatus hernia when I am sick, so painful, I will be happy not to catch that bug.
Heard from DD tonight and she is ill in bed in another country and all on her own couldn't go out to food shop so it will be meagre rations for her.

Mine had that a fortnight ago. She thought it was food poisoning but all the symptoms fitted norovirus. And I kept away for similar reasons, harri. No use getting ill if we can avoid it.

Went to a book sale this afternoon in aid of cancer charities and was amazed by the number of copies of THE DA VINCI CODE on offer. I stopped counting at 36.

I've noticed many copies of The DVC in charity shops as well as other Dan Brown books. I wonder if the same will happen to the 50 shades ones.

And have you noticed how many 'copy-cat' paperbacks there are in the supermarkets now? Half the Tesco and Asda book shelves are taken up with bondage and domination chick-lit.

I was hoping to buy a copy of a book called "Sams Sandwich" for GS. Bit of a quick explanation, 10.5 years gap between DS1 & DS2, both DS1 and I used to read Sams Sandwich to Jack, (DS2). Much loved and enjoyed book!

DS1 was saying the other day how he thought that his DS (my GS) would enjoy it, I thought of buying it and giving it to DS to read to GS, I would be wary of giving it to GS, as it has lots of sort of fold out bits, and DS is a bit heavy handed, to say the least!

Had a quick look on Amazon & Ebay, yes, the book is available, but at a cost of over £22 !!!!

I have cooked two flans and made a summer pudding. I made a summer pudding because I like them and its winter.
Visitors tommorow. I have to go and wash the kitchen floor. Night all.

Beautiful, crisp and clear weather. Had a lovely walk along South Bank, all the Christmas market chalets busy. Lights in trees - gorgeous. Then to The National to see The Magistrate which was perfect, a 19thC farce. I'm not usually keen on farce but this was good. Two women were enjoying every word and laughing loudly - made it even funnier. Then a Anatolian restaurant where it's possible to eat healthily...the wine sort of wiped that out but no matter

Looking at the snow settling and this is SW France!

Slid our way into Edinburgh last night for Tapas - great fun but more fun was watching the 'yoof' of the City. It was baltic, at least -5 and half of them were in a state of undress and as for the heels - how the girlies stay upright in 6 or 7 inch heels is beyond me! . Every bar and restaurant was heaving and as one of my companions commented 'and we are in a recession?'

We're out in the sticks here, Gally Good to see them enjoying themselves.....pay-day was only a couple of days ago for most of them, very likely! This morning, they'll be thick-headed and footsore - and wondering where they left their shoes .

When I asked my GD why they didn't wear more to go out clubbing, she explained that there was nowhere in the clubs to put their coats. Why?

Phone call this morning - thought it was heavy breathing, but it turned out to be yesterday's birthday boy saying thank you for his present. He had a great party with two friends who share his birthday which saves three sets of parents considerable expense - you know what kids' parties involve these days what with party bags being more or less obligatory. One year, my Dil told all the children -and their parents - that, instead of giving party bags, they were donating some livestock to Africa. Small children don't understand such things!

Have been cleaning paintwork (very rewarding but unending) and have stripped and repolished the maplewood floor in my dining room. All looks good and the house smells wonderfully of polish!

Now am digging out my stock of unframed posters and prints, plus many damaged or just unused picture frames. Am intending to cover almost every patch of empty wall with framed colour. Lovely.

I guess it's all a way of getting ready for Christmas.

Shortly I'm heading off to Church to help host a thank-you lunch for the team of Young Offenders who've been tidying up our churchyard and doing small repairs inside the Church. We did the same last year and the event was very stilted and awkward. But afterwards we heard back that they really appreciated it. It's mainly that no-one ever says Thanks to them and we did. So even if it is an awkward meal, with hot soup and pasties (their choice), it feels to us that it's worth doing.

Fantastic isthis. Young offenders will feel quite uncomfortable in the company of some people, but thanking them and asking them about what they are interested in and what talents they are developing brings out the most interesting stories. They just want to be like everyone else, and seen for more than their offences. Have a great time