Berrycakeness

With a small number of days left, I am slightly concerned with my diary vs the presents I am yet to buy.

I have a limited baking period (because otherwise I will overbake) and I’ve even thrown in extra things (no time at all, what am I doing to myself?!) I can make such as mint sauce (brother eats it with any meat), cranberry sauce and a few other jar based wonders that may be little Christmas gifts, so I won’t spoil the surprise. Adding to this list, I am making a chestnut stuffing, a christmas pud and a panettone. And gingerbread. And probably anything else to use up surplus ingredients. Mixed peel avec currants, dates et rum pate perhaps. French to make it sounds fancy, innit.

Socially, this time of year is crazy. It should be a time of peace and relaxation, but no. Drinks, more drinks and d’ya want another? This is all without any plans with Marc set in stone (or discussed), so I may need to take the whole of January as holiday to recover. I love you all though, I would hate not to see you. I should really learn to balance my social commitments with sleep, and baking commitments with work (no working from home whilst a christmas pud is on the boil for 8 hours these days). Thankfully I have a lack of responsibility so I’m able to squeeze each and every one of you in if necessary.

Presents? My sister will end up with nothing, along with my aunt. I need a shopping day but I have no days left…online it will need to be. I hate online shopping, I take no enjoyment in not being able to see the product I’m buying until I’ve bought it. Quality control does not exist, and neither does that second thought at the counter of “actually, no”. So with no ideas, I’m stuck. And I’ll soon run out of time for online shopping as presents won’t arrive in time…This is exactly why I USUALLY start all my present shopping much earlier. At the beginning of November, I celebrate Guy Fawkes alongside buying the first of the Yuletide gifts, and an advent calendar. I’m usually finished by the end of the month, celebrating the end of purchasing with Thanksgiving/continuing with Black Friday.

So then, dear reader, you can imagine how frustrated I am with myself for the lack of organisation this year. I’ve taken holidays all at the wrong time, so I have not de-stressed since Cambodia, and that was in March. I have been a ball of stress for 9 months (no baby, promise).

I am excited though. I finally felt festive once I had recovered from a hangover from hell on Saturday (Thanks work party), and met up with the gals for a boozy christmas brunch. 6 hours in the restaurant was spent, not all of that drinking I promise. It was a lovely day spent in a very empty tapas place, which meant we could be quite loud and enjoy the large table for as long as we wanted. I wore shiny converse which Mitz screamed at and took a photo of. Everyone loved their presents and went home a little bit tipsy.

The work party was on Friday. We cooked our 4 courses across 4 teams – I was on onion ring duty for the second course. I made 30 onion rings and it was a bit nuts. Not only was a entrusted with a very sharp knife, I had ownership of a deep fat fryer with most of my colleagues present. It could have turned into marketing video for “how to work with (and eat if that’s what you’re in to) difficult personalities”. I’ve also made onion rings with the same method previously, so sad I couldn’t learn something new like boiling eggs…

**Stevie called the chef a cunt.**

It was a very alcoholic night so I won’t look at my bank statement just yet. I was relatively generous because, every other time of the year I can’t get my credit card near enough to the machine for a big round. As I was sat practically on the bar I took my opportunity for the year. 2018 that is.

Kelly, you should come back to London for key events such as this. Though I must say, I seem to get home earlier these days and spend less money…

Oh, today is a weird one. Marc lands and leaky leaves, they’re never in the same place at the same time so I’m wondering whether they have become each other somewhat. Tal has his last day at work, so as jealous as I am that he has a lot of time off over Christmas, it’s all a bit shit. So to you, I wish you lots of luck, love and to do fuck all work today.

On that note, I shall love you and leave you all for another week or so.

I’ll try for a festive blog post next, with less complaints. Perhaps whilst I bake. You might even get some photos.

Xoxo