(no subject)

My Best Friend (from school) spent a couple of days here - her first visit to this house - and how nice it was to see her again and have long natters and such. Since retiring she's taken up quilting, and has produced some beautiful work, and it is really a delight to have that crafty-creativeness in common. Not that I quilt, or do patchwork, which would require far more precision than I ever give to anything, but we can be excited over colours and shapes and designs together. We spent Friday afternoon doing a little crafters' tour of the city, and she bought fat quarters and we both bought beads and I didn't buy any yarn because nothing leapt at me and said Buy Me! but never mind. I shall buy something fabulous in Bath.

And this morning I had my birthday present from Beast*, a cookery lesson from Macarons & More, as a result of which I have a *huge* tray of salted caramel brownies, some cherry and almond marshmallows, and a diminishing number of chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen (I gave some of the cookies to BF). Plus, an idea of how to use gelatin sheets, an idea how to make browned butter, and why, and considerably diminished fear of sugar syrup. And a sugar thermometer. I see frozen cookie portions in my future, and quite possibly also some experimentation with marshmallow flavourings. I have to try Earl Grey, after all.

We met in town for fish and chips, after which BF went onward to Yorkshire for a day course which involves, to my certain knowledge, a piping foot. So I hope she has fun.

This evening, Beast was involved in a fundraising concert in a local church, and in fact so was I, as Mosaic (mixed chorus) had been invited to perform our two songs. The men's chorus is definitely sounding good, these days, and the mixed quartet was lovely.

Afterwards we sampled the cookies. Beast had two. They are quite large, and rather good.


* A very smart move, I might say.