Where Excitement and Fear Collide

Oh, okay, maybe the post title is a little over the top. But something quite exciting - for me - is happening today. I am going to meet one of my bloggy/online friends, Jane. This would be exciting in itself but there is more to it than that. You see Jane is a Canadian too. And she has lived over here in the UK for ten years. Same as me. And she has two daughters. Same as me. And one was born in Canada and one born in the UK. Same as me! And she lived in Montreal and I spent the first ten years of my life there. I mean, honestly, how much coincidence can you get?!

And it turns out that she only lives just up the road from me. Well, just up the road in Canadian terms where driving for several hours is not seen as anything unusual. We are about a 45 minute drive apart. But even better - we share a local quilt shop and we are meeting there! New friend and new fabric. Oh, how good can a day get??

So you've figured out why I talk about excitement in the post title. What is with the fear? Ah, well, Jane is also one of my Pay It Forward people. So I am going to hand deliver my gift to her rather than pop it in the post. What if she thinks it is really naf and can't hide the expression on her face when she sees it? What if I die of mortification? Who will pick the girls up from school then?

Here is what is going to be in her little goody bag (and my other Pay It Forwards need not look away because they are not getting the same things) -

One little blue bag

Seen from two angles

One crocheted cotton scarf

One crocheted jar cover
(pens not included)

And one quarter of this concoction

Oh, I can hear you now. Good lord, what on earth is that, etc, etc. That, my friends, is the starter for a German Friendship Cake. It entered our lives nine days ago and now it is time to pass on some of the goodness. The cake is based on a sourdough starter, so like sourdough breads you have to keep it alive and keep feeding it.

Thank goodness the cake comes with instructions that tell you which days to feed it and which days to just give it a good stir. But when it comes to Day 9 you give it a feed and then divide it into four portions. You then give away three of them with a copy of the instructions and you pass the goodness on.

Now, I say goodness, but quite frankly I wouldn't have a clue because I have never eaten a German Friendship Cake before. It sounds very good. On Day 10 you take the portion that you have kept for yourself and you add all those cakey things like flour and eggs. Also adding chopped apples, and raisins, and cinnamon. Those ingredients tell me that I should like this cake. I shall report back to you. I won't be making this until Friday afternoon because John wants to be home when it comes out the oven as it was him that our portion was given to, not me. Fair enough.

Well that is what I am giving as my Pay It Forward. I do hope that Jane likes the little gifts, or at least manages to keep a genuine, polite look on her face when she is still in my company.

I am going to publish this post right before I hop in the car to go meet her on the theory that she will be doing the same thing at the same time and therefore will not see the post until she does some blog reading at a later time or date. So she won't get a sneak preview (and have the fixed smile on her face already).

Yesterday I spoke of hair colour, the natural and the not quite God given. Helen noticed the minor change and boy did she like it. I may have to start remembering to put my contact lenses in occasionally and even wear a slick of lip gloss. She wouldn't know what had come over me but it might make her day. She failed to notice that I had hacked back my fringe with the kitchen scissors. Probably a good thing. It must be hard dealing with a low maintenance mum when you are getting to the age that you become very conscious of all these things. She is never critical, bless her, but she does notice when I do make an effort. Maybe I should do more often. I might start to like making an effort again. Could do us both some good. Who knows?!

Susan