Crochet - Cheri Baby Hat

With a friend due to give birth in the next few weeks I think its time I got my finger out and started making some baby stuff.  found a lovely pattern for a hat on Ravelry website.  Have amended it slightly and see below for the result.  Suspect it might actually be too small as her partner is a big lad but it is stretchy and I don't know what size newborns are!  Should I make 2 in 2 different sizes just to be on the safe side?

Chinese roast duck a l'orange

Im not going into the details but I've been banned from using the 3 second rule in relation to dropped food.  To compensate for the disappointing lunch I made roast duck. Roast duck in an orange, honey and chinese five spice marinade with roasted honeynut squash and potato crisps.  And it was yum!

Preheat oven to 200degrees
Sprinkle legs generously with salt and pepper and fry in a pan with no added oil for 6-7 mins each side
In a bowl put 3 tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon of chinese five spice and the juice of 2 clementines or very small orange.
Coat the duck and whop it into the oven for 20 mins.  Take out, turn over and put back in for a further 10 mins..
I put the squash into the pan with the duck..took the same time to cook. 

Granny Tea Cosy - Crochet Project 1

My first project of the year.  A tea cosy for my cousin Chris.  I've found a lovely free pattern for a Granny Tea Cozy from the Crochet with Raymond blog, one that seems simple and quick to do. Its not the knitted one that tickled her fancy from my sisters facebook pages but I can't knit very well and this crochet one looks gorgeous.   I hope she likes it as much.  I have a bag full of shades of reds so I will copy the berry colour theme used in the link below. 

http://crochethealingandraymond.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/granny-tea-cozy-tutorial-hurray/

Revolutions...Resolutions...they're all the same..

So said John Stewart, a farm cub who lived up the road aways from me in my teenage years and whose culchie accented and probably drunken drawled words for some reason has stuck with me.
I'm not weighing myself down with a load of unachievable resolutions but I do have some.

1) New job is a must. Thats my priority for the old 9 to 5 for 2012

2) Getting to grips with the garden and having a bloomfest over the summer

3) Making things...lots of nice things and STUFF...for myself and as presents

4) Losing weight and more exercise. Hmmm...we shall see lol.

5) Enjoying my 40th birthday.