love those cupcakes

Today

The plan:

Carve this.

Eat this.

Light ginger cake with limoncello and cream cheese frosting

 Watch this.

 But someone here isn't happy to wear his Hallowe'en collar and tie.

As my mum used to say, there's always one.

 

Update:

Tick!

It's only rock and roll (but I like it)

                                                                  Keith Richards, 1967

This will most definitely be on my Christmas list, not least because, like most people, I never really thought Keith would be around long enough to write an autobiography of a life lived for sixty-odd years.  (And even if he was, what on earth would he remember?).  I watched the Culture Show Special interview last night which clearly was mostly about plugging the book but, even if it wasn't as probing as it might have been, the programme included some classic Stones clips and news footage.  As for the man himself, the bandana, gnarled fingers, kohl rimmed eyes and deepset wrinkles were no surprise, even if a far cry from the 1967 version which could set many a pulse racing.  But I can even forgive him his monstrous new gnashers when I listen to this.  (Bear with the 20 second or so delay at the start).

One to visit

Having our own place in Spain provides a handy jumping-off point to explore the country  and this time we travelled north to spend a few days in Valencia, Spain's third city.  We stayed in a village which was just a half hour or so train journey from the centre.  Valencia itself is a city of contrasts, a wonderful mix of ancient and modern.   Our visit started at the railway station (Estación del Norte), a well maintained example of modernisme, the Spanish version of Art Nouveau.

  

 The cathedral was well worth spending some time in, not least because it is home to a chalice which, so it's claimed, is the Holy Grail.

 

 

 

The spectacular City of Arts and Sciences includes an opera house and performing arts centre, a science museum, IMAX cinema, planetarium and oceanographic park.

 

 

 

After a fair bit of sightseeing it was good to get back to our little casa for some welcome R&R.

I read all of the books I'd packed (Stone's Fall, In the Woods, The Birth of Venus and The Snowman) and caught up on Season Three of the fabulous Mad Men series, accompanied (of course) by some very quaffable red stuff.

Off again

On my jollies, that is.  A week or thereabouts in Spain this time.

As I was doing a spot of ironing and folding in readiness for packing tonight, I was reminded that I'd forgotten to mention here that I actually made (yes, really) a couple of skirts to wear in Vegas.  Nothing elaborate or complicated, you understand, but it did involve buying fabric (some embroidered linen and a piece from Denise) and a pattern and then cutting out and sewing on the machine. (I'd actually forgotten how to thread it).

I chose the green version - straight, calf length with a back split and elasticated waist (I'm not up to sewing in zips just yet).  There's even a little label inside.

They're far from perfect but I did wear them and they didn't fall apart.  So they're going in the suitcase again. 

I should probably ask you not to judge my pressing skills from the photographs. I blame Russell Hobbs.

My week

This week didn't get off to a good start when I was given some information I really didn't want to hear.   But there were some welcome positives as the days progressed, such as:

• Driving home from work in the late afternoon sunshine and spotting a magnificent hare running in front of me down the lane near home.
• A lovely late lunch with a lovely friend after a successful meeting.
• The arrival of my new camera (the workings of which I am trying to fathom).
• Browsing a just delivered Christmas book.
• Baking cupcakes for a Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning at a friend's house. (Photographs courtesy of the Husband).

The little sugar handbags are new additions.

So far today I've been browsing cook books for new dishes to add a bit of variety to our menus here and made some fabulously ruby coloured beetroot soup using an old recipe I'd forgotten about.   I might summon the energy to bake a batch of cheese scones for tea later.  No promises, though.

Back

From a fantastic week in Las Vegas where we:

 

Stayed here.

Drove to the Hoover Dam.

Flew in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon (and had a champagne picnic at the bottom).

Met Joan Rivers.

Got goosepimples watching Cirque du Soleil's "Love".

Took a gondola trip.

Watched a volcano erupt.

Enjoyed dancing water fountains every night.

Did a spot of wine tasting at a desert vineyard.

Shopped a lot.

Ate a lot.

Gambled a bit.

 As for pictures, my camera packed up three days into the trip so I've had to pinch some photographs from the Mister and Boy.

 Part of Dale Chihuly's stunning Fiori di Como glass sculpture in the hotel lobby skylight.

Daytime view from the room the Mister and I were in.

Same view at night with the water fountains in action.

Three kinds of chocolate fountain (and the largest in the world) at the patisserie.

Part of the autumn display in the hotel's conservatory and botanical gardens.

Those fountains dancing to "All That Jazz".

The Hoover Dam from the road

and from the helicopter.

Grand Canyon.

Flying over the Strip.

So now it's back down to earth and into the old routine.  Hey ho.