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Soup Break

If anyone out there wondered where I was last weekend and why I wasn't making soup, I have to confess I was otherwise occupied with the younger offspring's birthday party preparations (he was eleven last week).  We had to go into town on Saturday morning to do some shopping. I tried to get past the shoe shop that stocks my size, but I felt my feet turning of their own accord.
"I'll just take a quick look," I tried to promise the offspring. My lips spoke but my heart lied. One pair of shoes later, we went to splurge on the sister-in-law's birthday present.
"Suggestions," I texted imperiously.
"Surprise me," she texted back, out-imperiousing me.
Just in case she's reading this, all I'll say is there is a lot of pink involved in her surprise. Sorted!

A tad more shopping was done before the offspring and I rendez-vous-ed with his friend who was to stay the night with us before the next day's party. Back home and out with the baking book, pans and ingredients. Dark chocolate brownies with walnuts, white chocolate brownies with hazelnuts, and fig and oatmeal muffins (MH, I did invite you). Minnie doesn't just do soup, you know. This evening I've baked cheese muffins and banana and ginger tea bread for a coffee morning in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation. On Friday night I'll be baking something to bring down to the aforementioned sister-in-law, who will be celebrating her birthday next week.

Bee box? The first box is in progress, believe it or not.The older offspring made a start on it last week. Below are pictured my fresh supply of bamboo, the first cut-offs from my mahogany plank and my dried bamboo canes.



Bee course? It's looking good to go! I got an e-mail from Irish Seed Savers last week indicating that there were enough people booked in for the course on getting the bees ready for winter. My query about what clothing I should bring elicited the response "Wellingtons and Marigold gloves". I'm intrigued.
As I'll be away this coming weekend, there'll be no soup again. Rest assured that I am using my frozen supplies.
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