Christmas cake mk II

Another day, another dreadful picture! Can you guess what it is yet?

CleanSteve had been bemoaning the lack of Christmas cake in the house. I'd made a g-f one (my first) at Christmas, then bought him a mini-cake with Glenfiddich; but these were long since finished. SO I decided to have another try at the g-f cake recipe, following the instructions to the letter this time.

I cooked the fruit in brandy yesterday, and left it to soak overnight; then got to work this morning. G-f batters have no/hardly any stretch to them, but the xanthan gum seemed to work magic this time, and I knew it was going to be a goodie. Several hours later, it was. Only the picture was rubbish! I can honestly say it's the best Christmas cake I've ever made.

Which is just as well, because I'd only just finished ordering the new dishwasher and paying for it with my credit card, when the Canon printer packed up! After that, the laptop refused to charge unless I held the charger in place, which meant I could not do any work at the same time. It went down to 9% charge. It conks out at 7 or 8%.

Hello, Credit Union....

I didn't go further than the bins today. I wish I had got out for a walk, at least, but it seemed cold 'out there'. Have just been watching Last Tango in Halifax, and feel I've been emotionally mangled. Bit heavy for Sunday night viewing! If I had an Ovaltine Options chocolate drink in the house, I'd go and make one now. Who knows if they even exist any more?

My youngest sister, when pregnant with her first child, who's now 21, insisted that she had no cravings whatsoever. Yet she was never without her sachets of Options, nor a bowl piled high with fresh grapefruit. This in Argyll, in winter!