Birthdays and burnt cakes

Hello everyone, and apologies for yesterday's absence, let down once more by my internet provider luckily my annual contract is up for review and you can be sure that I will review it very hard!  Sorry for the rant.

You will all be really pleased to know that the fruit soaked in tea worked a treat, everything was plump and tasty without that sweet tinge you get from sherry, and didn't affect the moisture in the cake whatsoever.  However, the oven was another kettle of fish, the cake took no time at all to bake (sorry burn) on the outside even on gas mark 1 but never quite cooked on the inside, it was a complete disaster but tasted wonderful, however the brownies, which should take 45 minutes on gas mark 4 took 1 minutes on gas mark 2!!!  I think I am going to have to get an oven thermometer, can't afford a new oven, so will put up with the idiosyncrasies of this one!  So to Jo in Tasmania, yes use tea to soak the fruit it really tasted great.

I have almost finished my granddaughters striped cardigan, just the neck and button border to do, photo next week , and yes the bamboo needles are still working a treat.  I have card and hardboard for quilting templates and am fired up with enthusiasm and energy to go  I think you may hear the strains of hot scissors and hot machining over the weekend.

For my poetical tribute today, I am dedicating it to Dylan Thomas who would have celebrated his 99th birthday on Sunday 27th October, not allowed to forget this as it is shared by a friend of mine who is probably Dylan's number one fan.  So to all I wish a wonderful weekend wherever in the world you are and look forward to speaking to you next week.  Thank you as always for reading.

Poem in October (Dylan Thomas)

 "My birthday began with the water -

Birds and the birds of the winged trees flying my name

  Above the farms and the white horses

         And I rose

     In rainy autumn

And walked abroad in a shower of all my days"