I don’t know if this is wise, but I’m trying a new experiment this fall.  Instead of having dozens of cases of fruitcake pre-made, I’m waiting to see how orders go, and then baking as required.  I figure it worked for me when essays were due in university, and perhaps this method of working with a tight deadline will be good here, too.

But besides a tight deadline, I really think I need a new chin-line.  The web designer said, “How about some new photos of you for the site?”  I said, “I’m now too hideous to be photographed for the site.”  Nothing makes one think facelift like looking at photos and going, “Yikes.”

But then I guess that’s why Photoshop was invented, eh?  I’ll just get some photos taken, then send them to Steve, and ask him to work some magic with them.  And then ta da, there’ll be some ‘updated’ photos of me!  How else to explain whenever I look at photos of Martha Stewart she does not age?

This week I received repeat orders from Stong’s Market and Edible Canada in Vancouver, and Sunshine Market here in Kelowna.  I shipped them immediately because I want to stay on top of my dwindling stock.  Isn’t this going to be fun?

Actually, I already have experienced baking for an order, as part of Edible Canada’s order was for 24 Okanagan Fruit and Rum bars.  I had none on hand, so had to bake those on Monday to ship them on Tuesday so they’d arrive in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.

It happened again during the week as a nice friend phoned to order a bunch of bark.  She said, “I’ll take a pound of white chocolate and cherries, a pound of half and half, and two pounds of dark.  Do you have all of that on-hand?”  I didn’t, but of course I said “No problem!” and two days later delivered the order.

And then all of this interferes horribly with my home cooking projects.  Kathy loves spicy foods, and I mean hot.  So I told her I’d make her a screaming hot salsa, but to date, I can’t get it hot enough!  I also have Concord grapes ripening and I want to make jelly as I read it can be used as a barbecue sauce ingredient.

During the week I baked blondies and chocolate almond squares for Steve, the web designer, as he loves sweets.  Unfortunately, two of the squares didn’t fit into the tin so I had to eat them.  Needless to say, the diet isn’t going all that well.

And that’s all about to get much, much worse.  I invited Denis to join Nicky and me for turkey dinner tonight, and he was happy to accept.  Then tomorrow I’m off to Osoyoos for another turkey dinner at mom’s.  I’ll arrive home on Monday to leftovers of turkey.  That should just about do my yen for it.

Naturally there are lashings of pumpkin pie and whipped cream involved in all of it.  I’m off to the gym, as it’s about all I can do right now to hold the line.  I suppose I could leave the girth to Photoshop, too, but it just doesn’t seem healthy.