Cakes for work

Chocolate brownies waiting to be sliced, I sprinkled icing sugar on half and left  half without as one of my colleagues doesn't like icing sugar.

Three ingredient fruit cake, fruit juice, dried fruit and SR flour, I added mixed spice too.

Hokey Pokey cheesecake.

In the morning I will made a batch of cheese palmiers, they are better made fresh.

Rain, wind & general stupidity

It rained today at lunchtime & what's worse it was windy too. Anyone who works in a school will tell you that the kids go loopy when it's windy. The kids who normally just walk calmly past my office were, today running past, screaming & switching the corridor lights on and off. Until, that is, I stepped out of my office and did my best impression of an RSM. Suddenly they all stopped dead, turned the lights on and meekly went on their way.

The calm before the storm

Life here is calm and peaceful, well apart from my L&M shouting at the TV, it's the GP later and he will be shouting lots, lol.
I bottled my blackberry vodka yesterday and my damson vodka.
I will bottle the damson gin today, I've frozen all the alcohol soaked fruit, I will make boozy jam at a later date.

I will also pickle some beetroot today, then that just leaves the quince jelly to be made.
I'm thinking of making a batch of limoncello next.

I need to make cakes for work at the end of the week, I'm making a 3 ingredient fruit cake, hokey pokey cheese cake, chocolate brownies & cheese palms for those who don't have a sweet tooth.

The funeral is still some time away, BIL2 is ignoring the solicitor, but she is fighting that battle so we are keeping out of it.

FIL is finding solace in the bottom of a bottle and we are all taking it in turns to visit and phone him with varying degrees of success.

Free shopping

A couple of days ago I received my Tesco vouchers that I save throughout the year.

These are mainly from my petrol purchases as I don't buy that much of my food there, I prefer to use the local butchers, bakers etc

This morning I went and got my vouchers doubled and I bought pants, tights, vests and socks for the DGC. 

I got a list of what was needed and the relevant sizes from my DD's and I shopped 'til I dropped. 

It's not much of a contribution but every little helps when they have so many children between them.

I also picked up some meat bargains as I was there so early, a shoulder of lamb for £2.69, that will do for lunch tomorrow. 

I also got some belly pork and some stewing steak for the same price.

The belly pork is in the freezer and the stewing steak is simmering on the hob with onions, turnips, mushrooms and carrots.

Comments

Thank you for all your kindness and thoughtful comments, I'm sorry I haven't replied to you all individually.

A few specific points have been mentioned that I will explain:

Yes I do think BIL2 has mental health issues though I don't really know him well, he does show some very strange behaviour traits.

FIL is their stepdad, their father died when the brothers were aged 5 to 15. FIL and MIL met and married after the brothers were grown up and mostly had families of their own.

Although FIL is irritating we will do everything we can to make sure he is protected, unfortunately he is his own worst enemy at times.

Funeral & Will

BIL2 is an executor of MIL's will but he is refusing to deal with the solicitor who is the other executor. 
If he continues to refuse he will be removed as an executor.

FIL was confused and booked the wake the day before the funeral, BIL3 has now taken over the arrangements and booked them both on the same day!

FIL's confusion is not helped by him starting on the booze at breakfast time.

FIL is still complaining about being harassed by BIL2 but has decided against having his locks changed, we have suggested he blocks BIL2's number on his mobile phone, he has refused this too.

All done

My lovely mother in law died at 1:30 today.

We were phoned by FIL at 9:30 this morning and set off soon after, we were there by 10:30.

BIL wasn't there, he'd been asked to leave after starting a brawl with FIL.

FIL, my hubby and another daughter in law sat with MIL, I stood beside hubby.

The rest of the family waited elsewhere in the hospice, unable to sit and watch.

.