Return to sender

It is a while since I have blogged, sorry about that. I am back in the USSR (United Scrubber States of Rotherham). While town is truly disgusting, as I have found out over the past two days, it is really rather delectable to be back in the homeland. Despite "The Big Freeze" I managed to get back with relatively few travel problems and even managed to fit in a visit to my favourite Austrians on the way. After a very brief stop at the parental home for some macaroni cheese and to see the tiny Christmas tree I went to Wales, which was actually quite nice. I do feel I was mislead though. I was told that Cwmbran was the best place for shopping for miles around. It was horrible. I felt unclean after having been and am very surprised not to have caught anything. Nice to see Boyo and his family though.

Christmas was nice but very quiet. There was nobody to play Winter Wonderland with and there was no point even trying on my own because I can barely read music anymore, let alone play something involving both hands! I got some truly excellent presents, including a bundle of Kawaii which I have forgotten to photograph, from Alastair in Japland. He also sent masks:

I will save it for my trip to Japan which is definitely going to happen in Summer 2011 so WATCH THIS SPACE. Also I got The Tiger Who Came To Tea and some other bits and pieces including a camera. The traditional Derbyshire walk did take place and it was v picturesque in the snow:

Aristah san sensei, this one's for you:

There was ice but nobody to break it with me. This is why we went back to the car after about 40 minutes. Plus the fact that it was megacold and none of us had taken gloves or scarves or other essential winter apparel.

Boxing Day saw the traditional Coates/Boyling reunion. Except this year the congregation was depleted as my three peers all saw fit to be out of the country. I was the only person under 50 by quite some margin. I saved the day by fixing pudding (see below) also there is the cousin of the Chilli Dip Frog, the Chocolate Pudding Froglet. It was berry derishusu.

 Post-Christmas has been mostly spent in front of the telly apart from today when I went to Leeds with Mother for a (resoundingly unsuccessful) shopping trip. It was so fruitless we are going to have to go again tomorrow. Boo hoo. In more positive news from today, I did baking. Maple and macadamia cupcakes:

 and blackberry and apple loaf:

My tastebuds are positively tingling with anticipation but sadly I am in an icing induced coma right now because I made too much so obviously the only thing to do in that situation is to eat it all. Currently I am in the sugar high stages but am really not looking forward to the come down. I will probably rock myself to sleep like a mental person. Can I say that:? Probably not, ooops. That is all for now, I am going to do a review of 2010 when I get round to it, I think it's going to be a good one!