Thrifty MummyHen

Back to reality

Wow these last two weeks have been just a blur – back after holiday work is just so so busy – not complaining as I love my job not to mention it pays the bills (and debts).

I am very fortunate that I work from home most of the time – I generally only need to attend the office once a quarter and the amount I travel outside the UK for work is also around once a quarter.  Working from home is great – yes there’s no travel (I spent years commuting up to London rail and tube – I don’t miss doing that), don’t have to dress smartly – most of the time its sweatshirt/jumper and leggings/jeans.  Bad hair days are the norm!!!.  If my nail polish is a little chipped it’s not going to matter.  Yes, I miss the face to face interaction with colleagues – but I have DaddyHen.  We have video calls most days but my camera never works !?!?!  shhhhhh  The big down side for me is when to stop – I generally start at 8am and finish at 7ish – and then if I need to catch a colleague in the US then I might have a call later in the evening.  Monthly reporting is my busiest time so for the first two weeks of a month’s its flat out 60+hrs each week. 

What have I been doing these past few weeks – preparing for Christmas.

I have made three cakes; one of which I’ll cut into four to give as gifts.  Last year I hired a tin to make 16 tiny cakes – but that was a bit of a nightmare much too fiddly for my liking.  I use the Delia recipe which has never let me down. 

 

Drinks – homemade lemoncello and mulled gin – I have used these recipes for a few years

Lemoncello

1 litre of vodka
8 unwaxed lemons – juice and zest – no white pith
800gs sugar
650ml water

Heat water and sugar until sugar dissolved then simmer for 10mins, leave to cool.  In large bottle/container add lemon juice & zest, vodka and cooled sugar syrup – mix well.  Leave for couple of weeks then strain thru muslin or coffee filters into large jug, then decant into pretty bottles (sterilised). 

 

Mulled gin

1 litre of gin
300g sugar
Cinnamon stick
5 Whole cloves and 5 green cardamom pods
1 vanilla pod - split

Dissolve the sugar in 200ml of gin. In a bowl add remaining gin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods and vanilla pod mix in the warm sugar syrup gin and leave in a covered bowl, stirring daily then decant as above.

 

My tip for covering bowls that need some attention – soaking fruit for Christmas cake or making mulled gin that need stirring once in a while. Is to use a shower cap – I get 6 in the pound shop or sometimes hotels have them in the bathroom.  I also use them to cover the salad bowl if we are eating outside – keeps the insects off the food. 

 

 

MummyHen X