At my age I find I’m able to do so many different things, yet remain defeated by technology.  Today no e mail accounts will open, even though I’m supposedly connected to the Internet.  It’s the kind of thing that makes me want to weep because I have no idea what to do.

If faced with a baking or cooking dilemma, I have no problem trouble-shooting it.  Sauce too thin?  I just remove the lid and allow evaporation to solve the problem for me.  Fruitcakes sticking to tins?  Cut and fashion parchment paper and the situation is solved.

However when something’s wrong with the computer, I have to just sit here, looking as dumb as Paris Hilton in a serious interview.  And I certainly can’t wake Nicky at 6:30 on a Sunday morning and ask him for help.  I recall our trip to Germany whereby I had to ask him a few times on the plane how to figure out the movie remote.  That didn’t go well.

On the positive side, sales are going really well this year.  Quality Greens will starting carrying my fruitcakes next week, and I received confirmation from Edible BC in Granville Island Public Market that they’ll be ordering again.  So all’s well on the business end of things.

The baking’s going surprisingly well, too.  I’m forcing myself to bake four batches, or approximately 52 fruitcakes a day. I also got all the existing stock organized and labeled, and feel somewhat in control.  It’s a strange feeling for me because usually I do the entire business from my gut.

Perhaps after six years I’m figuring out how to avoid a complete nervous breakdown by December 15th.  The Lions Club is kindly putting an article in their bulletin this week to all clubs in Canada!  If I do start getting orders from them, then I can assure you I’ll be thanking God on my knees that I got myself somewhat organized this year.

You know how I love all the women at The Woman’s Place fitness centre.  A couple of weeks ago I bought a couple of jars of honey from a woman who has bees, and who’ll provide me with a hive next spring.  Her bees forage in Okanagan Mountain Park behind her house, so the honey packs a real punch.  You can taste the sage and it’s really strong and delicious.

So last week I told her I’d like two more jars, and asked if she’d like a fruitcake in exchange, which she did.  Bartering is a great way to sample local artisans’ wars.  Now I have two jars to eat, and two to give as gifts.

Right now my life consists of the gym and baking.  The house is a filthy mess, but I have neither the time nor the energy to deal with it.  I’m pretty tired of cleaning by the time I leave my basement kitchen every afternoon.  but you know I have no-one to blame but myself, as I’m the only who insisted I wanted to become an artisan baker.