I gained this week what I had lost last week. Could it be the three batches of muffins I baked over the weekend? Probably. I'm happy I did not gain more.

I must confess, I have never baked muffins before. Pound cakes, yes, muffins no. R and I had a date with at Borders on Saturday. We both had 100 EUR to spend on books and both found it almost impossible to stick to it. We came home with loads of books and wanted to bring loads more.

I bought two knitting books, few cookbooks, a murder mystery and a fantasy. No history this time, they had not restocked their history department after Christmas sale and I already had all that I wanted from there. Disappointing, really.

On to the books.

Shadow knitting by Vivian Høxbro

I've wanted this book ever since I read about the technique.

Modular knitting by Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer

This looked so interesting I simply could not pass it up.

Muffins by Susan Reimer

I've already made three different recipes from this book. Delish!

How Baking Works by Paula Figoni

This is a book with exercises. Can you imagine that? I'll be studying it once I have the time to do the labs.

The Concise Guide to Coctails

Just for fun. I don't drink, but the chemistry is interesting.

The Little Big Cook Book

Wow! That book is stuffed with recipes I want to try. I went and bought arborio rice for risotto today.

The Forest Mage by Robin Hobb

I enjoyed her Liveship Traders trilogy. I'm on the fence about this one.

Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist

No idea what this is going to be. A new favorite author or a disappointment. Anything is possible. I liked the cover and sometimes it's enough reason for me to buy a book.

If you like muffins, I definitely recommend "Muffins" by Susan Reimer. The muffins were gone before I remembered to take a photo they were that good.

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I've noticed a pattrn in my weightloss. It seems that at the fourth week of the month I don't lose as much weight or go up and it is most likely caused by hormones. It didn't go up this time, I was 200g lighter. Yay!

I've taken on a secret project and unfortunately can not show you pictures until it is delivered. The Kampfrau project has been put on hold for this. I am planning and designing while doing the other stuff so it isn't halted completely.

I haven't posted pictures of our kitties for so long, it is time for one. this photo was taken last summer when we visited Stockholm.

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In the exitement about The Burning Crusade I completely forgot to post this weeks results — another kilo down! Or nearly. Their scales measure pounds and stones which are not as accurate as grams. So it is never even 500g change, but 400g or 900g or 1.1kg.

The scales show three numbers: current weight, change from last time and total weightloss. I've given up on actually looking at those last two numbers. Sometimes they don't make sense mathematically. 85.5 - 80.5 = 5, right? No, according to the scales, it is 4.9. So I decided to go with the current weight, calculate the change and total weightloss myself.

As long as they stick to the pounds, it won't be as accurate as grams or kilograms, but at least then the numbers will make sense.

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80.5 kilos yesterday. Woot! That is 5 kilos gone, a 1/4 of what I want to lose. At first I wanted to become a swelte 60 kilos again (physically, it is possible) which is on the lower end of healthy. Lately I've given a lot of thought about my weight and what can be done, what is realistic and what is healthy. While 60 kilos is healthy, it is barely realistic. So I decided to go for 65 kilos instead and reassess the situation then. I'd rather weigh 65 kilos and be fit than weigh 60 and have jello for muscles.

12^th Night Coronation is over and I finished everything in time. I spent the whole Saturday in the kitchen making krapfen (a German filled doughnut). They came out very well and got lots of compliments. The recipe is below if you want to try them yourself.

The few moments I did not spend in the kitchen I was arranging my A&S entry to the Kingdom A&S championship or attending the judging. The feedback I got was excellent and it will help me prepare the next entry. There is more about the plan at my The Making of a Kampfrau.

Das Buch von Guter Spise, #61

A krapfen

How you want to make a fastday krapfen of nuts with whole kernels. And take as many apples thereunder and cut them diced, as the kernel is, and roast them well with a little honey and mix with spices and put it on the leaves, which you made to krapfen, and let it bake and do not oversalt.

I made a sourdough starter and used some yeast for the dough. There was a lot of dough in the end, it kept growing on me all the time. It was the best dough I've made so far. I'm happy that it turned out so well, it would have been horrible to present the new King and Queen with anything less than my best.

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Today's tally: 80.9 kg, 4.5 kg loss. I'm so happy — I actually lost weight over holidays!

The Kampfrau project has gotten a few twists that I will need to update to the pages. I've been too busy sewing to write on it.

Mum's visit was lovely and we had lots of fun together. I wish we could do things like that more often.

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