Girl, uninterrupted and cakes in pants

I can hardly contain my excitement; I'm travelling to Canada on Thursday and will meet up with old friends. It will be lovely to feel the sun on my face, something that has been lacking in Scotland this summer, and get the chance to actually read a book, have a lie in and drink wine uninterrupted.

I shall get the chance to miss my children and my husband and to stroll through shops without fear of reprisal. There will be no cries for the toilet or the sound of breaking glass. I will sit at cafes for however long I please with huge mugs of steaming coffee, watching the world go by. I know how lucky I am and that I shall miss them but sometimes....sometimes it's nice to get away for a while.

I have been baking up a storm, convinced that the world is a better place when surrounded by loaves, cakes and cookies. My bread is going from strength to strength and I baked two loaves of wholemeal and linseeds. I used half olive oil and half butter for the fat and used brown sugar instead of white. Brown bread requires sugar to activate the yeast (I think) but only a little...about a tablespoon for the whole batch.

I was so pleased with how it turned out that every mouthful was followed by an ooh or an aah or an invisible pat on the back. I'm not a modest cook (incase you hadn't noticed); if it's good it's good but I also know when it's not!
An old friend of mine, Craig...a pretty excellent baker himself, knows how I like all things food; talking about it, looking at pictures about it and of course, the eating of it. He sent me a few pics of his food p.o.r.n baked goods in pants for my amusement...and amuse me it did...I must share with you the cakes in all their glory; those of a sensitive disposition, look away now.