Despite the controversies of recent years, when I think of Michael Jackson I prefer to think of the amazing work he did in his youth, with Off the Wall and Thriller.
I also think of the sweet, wistful boy who sang like an angel.
I hope that he has finally found peace.
A family movie night in winter just isn't complete without steaming cups of hot chocolate smothered in whipped cream and decorated with a fat marshmallow (or two).
The shades are lighter than these photos indicate; the bulb makes them look yellowish.
What do you think?
You can never have too many pillows, cushions and throw rugs. At least, that's what I think.
The rose pillow above is a European pillow in a Laura Ashley design. My youngest son and I snuggle against these pillows each evening, a rug over our knees, while he practises reading out loud.
I bought this cushion at a closing down sale. It is decorated with pictures of pink roses and an antique washbowl and jug.
As the days grow shorter and colder, it is easy to feel as dreary inside as the weather outside. Here in the Southern Hemisphere we don't have Christmas, New Year's Day or St Valentine's Day to bring cheer and happiness to the colder months.
He said he likes the Phantom of the Emperor
Lastly, he said his favourite song of all was "Candyman", which he sang part of, including a final, whispered, "sweet, sugar, candyman". 
Some very special friends came for dinner last night, so I made one of my favourite winter desserts; sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce.
Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then blend or process the date mixture with the butter and brown sugar until almost smooth. Add the eggs and flour, and blend or process until just combined. (You want the dates to provide some texture, so don't over-process.) Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until cooked through (cover the pudding with foil during baking if you think it's getting too brown on top).
]
Butterscotch Sauce
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream
50g butter
1/3 Cup golden syrup
Combine all ingredients in medium sized saucepan and stir over a low heat for 5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has thickend slightly.
Kate's Tip: before removing the hot cake from the tin, poke the top of the pudding with a knife a few times then pour some of the hot sauce over the pudding. It will soak in and make the pudding even more delicious.
Serve the pudding warm with the butterscotch sauce and ice cream.
Then don't weigh yourself for a few days:-)
For more kitchen tips, visit Kitchen Tip Tuesday at www.tammysrecipes.com
