Countdown continues, last weekend of wine approaches...

I brought a nicer bottle of wine for Saturday night knowing this is potentially my last sip of the vine for six weeks (I only have half a bottle a week, so I'm not too bad!). Usually due to budget constraints, we are in around the $10 range, which gets a reasonable bottle of NZ sauvignon or merlot on special. Splashed out a little more and got  an oaked NZ chardonnay by Jane Hunter. It's one we have had before and it was beautiful. Why is it so hard to get oaked wines now?! This one was (from memory) a complex wine and that is what I like about a (good) chardonnay. It goes on a journey through about five different tastes, from fruity, to buttery to nutty, to vanilla tones...mmmmm! A cheap chardonnay is a one trick pony and does not change like that. (Enough wine comment..)

Went for my power walk up the hills today, feeling great! Good to get that excercise out of the way early in the day. Really sets me up and I know I have done the most important thing I had to do and can get on with the rest of the day.

For the last year, I have put my excercise first (well that really means I put ME first). This is for the first time in more than 10 years, because with two children, I put myself last on the list. It irks the kids a little to be dragged to gym in the holidays, but they take lego etc and they cope. It has meant it would be diffulcult to find a part time job that fits around, not only the kids and school hours and terms, but also my gym and excercise committments. We are a one income family and though extra money would always be so nice, my husband is very supportive and has not pressured me to go back to work. I am very good at living on a budget and I sometimes bake, amke bread and do all the neat "home" stuff for them.

I use wholemeal flour, oil rather than butter, trim milk etc to reduce the fat and calories. And baking is a treat, not an everyday thing.

I also make my own yoghurt from scratch, if you guys want to know how, let me know, it's easy and of course it's cheaper. I reckon it must be better for you too in that it is "fresh" and therefore the good stuff in there will be more active.

Have a good day Guinea Pigs!