I think I could be a bear

I do love Winter. I love it when it rains and blows and all you want to do is hunker down indoors which is exactly what I did today. Hibernating should be encouraged.

Himself slept in. He's not been well and I think it's a combination of mental health issues that he won't address, late nights (see first point), a potential allergy to all the animals sleeping on the bed (his choice!) and mental health issues. I know he's struggling when he says the doctor and the psychologist can't help him. That's when he needs them the most. 

Anyway, when he finally got up he took the dogs for a run in the park and they came back happy and wet. At least the dogs get him out in the fresh air and interacting with other people.

He went shopping. Cat food and shitty litter from the pet shop and groceries from Aldi. Toilet paper is scarce again. He bought a quiche, a marinated roast and some frozen veg for Three and took them over with a couple of bottles of aldi wine. I hope they use them - the food, not the wine. I know that will be used!

While he was shopping I baked a double batch of sugar cookies and added cocoa powder to make them chocolate. Oh my, they are good. I sent some over to Three with Himself and got a text saying they were awesome.

I spent a decent amount of time crocheting. I had to frog the cardigan from hell yet again. The pattern has a mistake and I thought I had fudged it but it didn't work when I tried it on at craft yesterday (the best thing about making a top down garment is you can try it on as it grows). So I decided to fudge it a different way which meant taking it back to where the sleeves divide from the body. If this doesn't work it will be going in the naughty corner for a very long time.

Dinner tonight is chicken and corn soup from the freezer and some rolls that are currently baking. The fire is going, the house is quiet and content and life is pretty damn good right now. I'll take it when I can.

Chris has damaged her hand and can't bake. I suggested she have a go at a melt and mix recipe so here is one I hope she tries and likes.

Melt n mix shortbread

250g butter melted,

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/4 cup caster sugar (55g)

1/3 cup icing sugar mixture (55g)

1/3 cup cornflour (50g)

2 1/3 cups plain flour (350g)

Beat cooled butter, essence, sugars and cornflour in a small bowl with electric mixer until thick. Stir in sifted flour. Press mixture over base of greased 19cm x 29 cm rectangular slice pan, smooth with spatula, mark into squares or rectangles, prick lightly with fork. Bake in moderate oven about 25 minutes or until firm. Cut shortbread where marked. Cool in pan.