A sugar fix - 57 flapjack…

The dismal, grey weather continues, interspersed with some beautiful, spring-like, sunny days.Today,the first day of my half term holiday, is another of the dismal ones. Tim is working, but we did start the day a bit later than usual.

This afternoon I decided to make some 57 flapjack. Tim is an addict, but although I’ll eat some it isn’t a favourite of mine. I took the opportunity to use up some bits from my baking cupboard, and a secret ingredient!

Pauline and Tim, very kindly gave us a jar of their delicious apple, citrus, whisky mincemeat before we left France last November, with strict instructions not to use before Christmas!

 

Just in case you think Tim might be responsible for the dodgy photographs, I claim full responsibility!

The basic recipe works well and I add whatever I have available to add taste.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• 125g soft brown sugar
• 75g golden syrup (2 tablespoons)
• 250g oats (some can be replaced with ground almonds)
• Optional: apricots, dates, nuts, mincemeat, chocolate topping, ground ginger etc

Method:

• Melt butter, sugar and syrup together with any optional ingredients.
• Add the oats and mix thoroughly.
• Place into a greased baking tin and press down with a palette knife and bake for 25-30 minutes at 180̊C until golden brown.
• Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and cut into fingers.
• Cool completely before removing from the tin.

I usually make four times the recipe and freeze three packs.

I’ve just found a recipe which uses condensed milk to give a more fudge-like taste.

Maybe tomorrow…

Sochi 2014

Well done to Jenny Jones who has won Team GB's first ever medal on snow; a bronze in the ladies' slopestyle snow board event. Of course in our excitement we shouldn't forget the magnificent achievements of Jaime Anderson (USA) and Enni (Finland) who deservedly won the gold and silver medals. What is amazing about Jenny is that she learned to snowboard on a dry slope in Bristol and honed her skills as a chalet girl.

Taken from the television with the camera on my tablet. For some reason the photograph of the full podium didn't come out - probably meaning that I didn't actually take it!

I hope this gives young people the hope that with commitment,hard work, skill and a bit of good luck anything is possible...

Supertramp day...

The back terrace taken through the sitting room window.

'It's Raining Again' but at least we haven't had the kind of weather causing chaos, destruction and distress in other parts of the country since before Christmas. No sooner do they see some improvement than another storm or band of rain arrives to add to the misery. The Government seem to be taking the line of 'Crisis, What Crisis'! If only there was a Supertramp track called. 'Too Little, Too Late'!!!

In our little bit of Staffordshire we've escaped the worst of the weather, and in the midst of the greyness we've had some fantastic sunny winter days. We try to make the most of these by going for long walks on Cannock Chase, or around the fields and canal which surround our house. However, wellies are the order of the day!

How much longer can this last?

On the retirement front it seems to be 'all systems go'. My colleagues have been informed as my job is being advertised, with interviews planned for March. My friend Barbara tells me that today is exactly half way through the school year. Today I did the investigations on the reflection of light for the last time ever, and after tomorrow making electromagnets will be a thing of the past. My citizenship lessons based on the 'Boy with Striped Pyjamas' are coming to an end. As usual, there will probably be tears.

It's all downhill from here...

It's official...

My resignation has been accepted and ratified. Thoughtful letters have been exchanged, which went far beyond the simple acknowledgement, thank you and goodbye. The news is filtering out amongst my colleagues so the countdown can officially begin.

167 days, 5 hours and 29 minutes...