on brussel sprouts.

I used to hate them. However several times in the last few years I have had really good dishes made from them. Tonight I had what is probably my first ever go at cooking them. They replaced the potato in a good and yummy nicoise salad (hope I spelt that right). The trick seems to be to not overcook them.

On the work front. It turns out that I am so unused to working less than 10+ hours per day, I feel guilty if I leave before then. Two days this week I have managed to limit myself to 9hr days but it sure is hard. I feel like I am shirking.

I am having another go at trying to get more done on weeknights in an attempt to free up a block of time for project work on the weekend. If I don't, I will never get this black coat made. I need half a day or so to just get started. Tonight has gone well. Left office at 5:15. Have done a few groceries, cooked dinner and got a load of washing on. Feels like some kind of miracle. I even have time to do another thing or two before retiring, yay.

I still haven't made a frock decision or cut anything out. I have however made 2.5 litres of lemon cordial for the surveying expedition next weekend as promised. This was as much as I could get out of the lemons that I had. I used a higher proportion of zest to juice than usual because I did not get as much juice as I expected. Tastes good though.

Budgie is not so sure that cooked zucchini is food. I liked it.

I had a fabulous christmas day. No family involved other than over the phone, that part both sad and less stressful.

Started with a lovely breakfast with J and D, out on their back deck in the almost warm enough weather.
-spiced plums with spiced yoghurt and Christmas muesli-all home made.
-french toast made from panetone cake with berry sauce.    YUM
the drive over was fantastically quiet, best ever I think. The drive back only slightly less so, I waited until about 1:30 so anyone who was going to lunch already had.

Then I cooked for about 4hrs, around a long phonecall to the folks including my grampop and a 20min much needed powernap.

All good fun. J and D arrived bearing ham which D proceeded to glaze. We laid the table which looked spiffy, ironed godmother tablecloth and all. Even a centrepiece. The rest of the guests arrived and eight of us sat down to:
-Champagne
-Trio of seafood entrees:
classic prawn cocktail, blini with soucream and caviar, smoked salmon rolls with herbed cream cheese
-Main:
Baked, glazed ham
Scalloped potatoes
Corn pudding (glorious, contributed by the lovley S)
steamed sparrow's grass
tomato salad with basil and balsamic
orange salad with mint and mustard
-Dessert
pavlova. filled with strawberry cream and topped with raspberries and blueberries. Well received as always. It always was by me as a child which is why I keep making it.
I remembered all ingredients and didn't add anything horrid unintentionally (see previous post) but the poor thing got twice baked! The recipe is to cool it in the oven and I had forgotten to take it out before D turned on the oven for the ham!
-black sherry for the grown ups. There was much amusement after I thought to offer little R blackcurrent cordial in a sherry glass so she could join in. That was a real hit. I lost count of how many times she demanded we refill her glass.

We had great crackers with superior paper hats - shiny gold ones, definitely a cut above the usual pastels.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thanks to all who came and made it worth doing. Now I need to lever myself up to go deal with the rest of the dishes. Not as bad as it would have been thought if the lovely G had not done two loads between courses! Thanks again.