Weekend caking

Saturday, for us, was grey and dismal. I hate having to put on lights in the day…it just seems so unnatural but I found myself having to.

I've been feeling really "low" for the past few days and just wanted to mope about in my pj's feeling sorry for myself. Oli was at his dads and I was missing him and our local park has been closed due to vandalism. The weather being as it was really wasn't helping my mood.

But there was no time for moping on Saturday. I had a visitor.

Susie B came for lunch (and brought oh so much cheese with her).

She says she wanted to see me but it was the boys she was after.

It might have been the cuddles she was after, but I think it was actually to dress the smallest little man as a caterpillar. (We have since learned that it would have been far easier to do this with a sleeping newborn than a wriggly six month old.)

It's very rare that I see Susie and we don't bake….and if we're not baking then we're sewing…

So when the boys were snuggled in bed for a nap I put the kettle on and we had a think about what to make over a much needed cup of tea.

We settled on Blackberry Loaf from the Hummingbird bakery book. (Well, it was blueberry loaf but I have blackberries coming out of my eyeballs……not literally, that'd be worrying…)

I've been having real problems with bread and was getting down heartened about it.

I have figured out my problem and have a little word of advice for all would be bread makers out there…..make sure you check your yeast isn't out of date/dead. …..it proves far better if it is live yeast. (Yes…I was using dead yeast and wondering why it wasn't proving. I'm never going to live that down now…)