So it's all over. Nothing got eaten so the house is overflowing with food that nobody wants. I tried to make Gina take some of it but she wasn't having any. She and Andrew have had their Christmas day together today and we keep getting progress reports on the turkey etc.
We had a lovely Christmas and Gina bought me a cookery book which is a rehash of some of Mrs Beatons most favoured recipes. I have made "Mrs Beatons Manchester Pudding" for lunch today and very nice it was too! However, We have lost the keys to our neighbours house and it has taken the gloss off the day. We have searched every where without any luck so now we have to face our lovely neighbours and tell them that the keys are gone!
Have managed to speak to all my family over the holiday period except Pat who is not answering the phone. Everybody seems to be having a good time especially the Australia contingent. Are they trying to make us jealous? If so they are succeeding!! Montana's have had a good time by the look of the videos. It reminded me of when we were all together at Christmas.
New Year next!
love Sheila x
Sunday 28 December 2008
Wednesday 24 December 2008
Sunday 21 December 2008
It's Sunday!
Not a lot has happened since we came back from Rotterdam. The weather has been horrible, rainy and blowy so I haven't felt like doing more then a quick sortie to the shops. It's the shortest day today so it has to be uphill all the way from here. It says in the paper that today is officially 7 hrs, 49 mins. and 40 seconds long.
The girls have found a new way out. (we can't find the exit yet) and I am continually getting them out of the front garden. The back garden looks as though it has been ploughed due to Moles. Graham has set two traps but so far the little swines have managed to evade capture!
We are all ready for xmas, the lights inside and out look lovely, the freezer is full to bursting and the fridge is overflowing. Now all we are waiting for is Gina to come and we will all be happy!
I hope all our family is o.k. as some of them are not blogging.
Love Sheila x
The girls have found a new way out. (we can't find the exit yet) and I am continually getting them out of the front garden. The back garden looks as though it has been ploughed due to Moles. Graham has set two traps but so far the little swines have managed to evade capture!
We are all ready for xmas, the lights inside and out look lovely, the freezer is full to bursting and the fridge is overflowing. Now all we are waiting for is Gina to come and we will all be happy!
I hope all our family is o.k. as some of them are not blogging.
Love Sheila x
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Black Treacle cake Number 2
Further to my recipe for black Treacle cake. The secret is in the name. Of course you can't use ordinary treacle! Marysue, could this be the same as Molasses?
So here we are back from Rotterdam.We only went for a day and two nights so why does it feel like 3 weeks?
Firstly it was freezing cold. The dinner buffet was wonderful but I was so full and had a bloated feeling for the rest of the first night.We of course had to stay up until after midnight because the men were letching after the singer in the band. it was a bit difficult then to get to sleep, what with the rocking of the boat and the full feeling etc.
In the morning after a loud"Ping Pong" over the tannoy, followed by a womans voice telling us that it was half past six (but only half past five English time ) and it was time to get up, we stumbled from our beds not knowing what day it was never mind what time. we needn't have worried as the "Ping Pong" woman reminded us of the time every half hour!
Next was the bus that was to take us to Rotterdam town centre. He deposited us at 9am at the bus station. Dodie got really excited at the thought of all the shopping she was going to do. WRONG!! Nobody told us that the shops didn't open until 1pm on Mondays!! After some despair and consultation with some students it was decided that we would go on the train to a shopping mall.Getting train tickets and finding the platform is a novel in itself. Suffice it to say that an army assault course holds no fears for me now! Bear in mind that it was still only about 11 am and we couldn't go back to the ship until the bus came for us at 5pm
Having found the shopping Mall, we also found that due to the state of the euro/pound exchange rate we couldn't afford to buy anything so we repaired to the Pub! Another big mistake. £20 for four small drinks. We tried to stay in there for as long as possible to keep warm but eventually we were forced to get the train back to Rotterdam where a few shops were reluctantly opening.
After about three hours of traipsing round in the freezing cold we went into a chinese phone shop and sat on their settee until someone asked what they could do for us, at which point we were out in the freezing cold again until the bus came. It should be said that at this point we had more or less lost the will to live!
Several other people from the boat were in the same sort of mood so we had to laugh or we would have cried!
Anyway back on the boat we again had a lovely meal and despite the same singer looking more ravishing then the night before it was decided that we would have an early night to prepare for the "Ping Pong" lady. She didn't disapoint!
Enough already! Sheila x
So here we are back from Rotterdam.We only went for a day and two nights so why does it feel like 3 weeks?
Firstly it was freezing cold. The dinner buffet was wonderful but I was so full and had a bloated feeling for the rest of the first night.We of course had to stay up until after midnight because the men were letching after the singer in the band. it was a bit difficult then to get to sleep, what with the rocking of the boat and the full feeling etc.
In the morning after a loud"Ping Pong" over the tannoy, followed by a womans voice telling us that it was half past six (but only half past five English time ) and it was time to get up, we stumbled from our beds not knowing what day it was never mind what time. we needn't have worried as the "Ping Pong" woman reminded us of the time every half hour!
Next was the bus that was to take us to Rotterdam town centre. He deposited us at 9am at the bus station. Dodie got really excited at the thought of all the shopping she was going to do. WRONG!! Nobody told us that the shops didn't open until 1pm on Mondays!! After some despair and consultation with some students it was decided that we would go on the train to a shopping mall.Getting train tickets and finding the platform is a novel in itself. Suffice it to say that an army assault course holds no fears for me now! Bear in mind that it was still only about 11 am and we couldn't go back to the ship until the bus came for us at 5pm
Having found the shopping Mall, we also found that due to the state of the euro/pound exchange rate we couldn't afford to buy anything so we repaired to the Pub! Another big mistake. £20 for four small drinks. We tried to stay in there for as long as possible to keep warm but eventually we were forced to get the train back to Rotterdam where a few shops were reluctantly opening.
After about three hours of traipsing round in the freezing cold we went into a chinese phone shop and sat on their settee until someone asked what they could do for us, at which point we were out in the freezing cold again until the bus came. It should be said that at this point we had more or less lost the will to live!
Several other people from the boat were in the same sort of mood so we had to laugh or we would have cried!
Anyway back on the boat we again had a lovely meal and despite the same singer looking more ravishing then the night before it was decided that we would have an early night to prepare for the "Ping Pong" lady. She didn't disapoint!
Enough already! Sheila x
Sunday 14 December 2008
Black Treacle Cake.
Now here by popular demand.....my recipe for Black Treacle cake.
FOR THE CAKE.
5oz butter
5oz Sugar
3 tablespoons Black Treacle
2 eggs
8 oz self Raising flour
2 tablespoons milk'
FOR THE TOPPING
1 oz Butter
1 tablespoon Black treacle
I tablespoon Milk
6 oz Icing sugar
METHOD
Line and grease an 8 inch tin (square is best)
Cream butter, sugar and Treacle until light and fluffy.
gradually add beaten Eggs.(adding a bit of flour if it looks like curdling)
Fold in the flour and milk
Put in tin and bake in a pre heated moderate oven for approximately 1 Hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
cool on a wire rack.
Cream together the topping and put on cake.
enjoy!! Sheila xx
FOR THE CAKE.
5oz butter
5oz Sugar
3 tablespoons Black Treacle
2 eggs
8 oz self Raising flour
2 tablespoons milk'
FOR THE TOPPING
1 oz Butter
1 tablespoon Black treacle
I tablespoon Milk
6 oz Icing sugar
METHOD
Line and grease an 8 inch tin (square is best)
Cream butter, sugar and Treacle until light and fluffy.
gradually add beaten Eggs.(adding a bit of flour if it looks like curdling)
Fold in the flour and milk
Put in tin and bake in a pre heated moderate oven for approximately 1 Hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
cool on a wire rack.
Cream together the topping and put on cake.
enjoy!! Sheila xx
Tuesday 9 December 2008
So here are the buns I made for Mrs Broccoli's charity coffee morning. It all went very well and all my buns were sold and I think she made nearly one hundred pounds.
The brown cakes in the middle are my new favourite recipe, Black Treacle cake.
Graham has gone bowling. Tomorrow it is carol singing around the village! You have to be there!
more later
sheila x
Monday 8 December 2008
Mince Pies
Lincoln has been and gone in a haze. We endured 90 mins on a bus to go see the Famous Christmas market and never saw any of it. In between the Assembly rooms for morning coffee, The Harvester pub for lunch and looking for a Woolworths followed by an afternoon drink in the Witch and Wardrobe we only had time to buy some cheese before getting back on the bus for another 90 minutes return journey! All the other ladies ( and gents) were full of tales about what they had done, eaten and bought etc.We were a bit embarrassed. Mrs Broccoli had even been on the big wheel. We didn't even see a big wheel!
Tomorrow is Mrs Broccolli's coffee morning. her charity is a mental health unit. I have to make cakes for her as she helps me with my charity. I am going to attempt one of Jamie Olivers special recipes. I will try to put a photo on the blog if they turn out alright!
One of my chickens is not very well today, She hasn't eaten anything and looks very sorry for herself.I shall have to give her a massage tomorrow if she's no better.
Montana 's blog has been very interesting of late. He of couse can't resist a moan about the lack of home comforts etc. Has he forgotten his roots?
more later.
love Sheila x
Tomorrow is Mrs Broccolli's coffee morning. her charity is a mental health unit. I have to make cakes for her as she helps me with my charity. I am going to attempt one of Jamie Olivers special recipes. I will try to put a photo on the blog if they turn out alright!
One of my chickens is not very well today, She hasn't eaten anything and looks very sorry for herself.I shall have to give her a massage tomorrow if she's no better.
Montana 's blog has been very interesting of late. He of couse can't resist a moan about the lack of home comforts etc. Has he forgotten his roots?
more later.
love Sheila x
Thursday 4 December 2008
Rain and Gales
We appear to have missed the worst of the weather which is bringing much of England to a standstill. However it is blowing a gale and lashing with rain so we are not exactly getting away with it. It makes us even more jealous to read montanas missives from Brazil!
I have recovered from Monday nights festivities. I was a little disappointed by the choir who I don't think were as good as in previous years. They have been coming to our W.I. for the past 16 years and custom and practice dictates that we always kick off the Christmas season with them. Well some of us are in the mood to book them for next year and if there is no improvement then drop them!
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we are going to brave the number 10 bus again to Lincoln. There will be about a dozen of us in a mass bus pass. I don't know whether I am looking forward to it or not?
Next weekend we have booked to go to Rotterdam. It's an overnight ferry, a day in Rotterdam and then a ferry back to Hull. Lets hope the gales have died down somewhat before we go or it will be (as Charlie would have said) Sicky uppa da fatta de lumpa!
The girls are looking pathetically bedraggled so I will go and cheer them up with a bit of sweetcorn!
love Sheila
I have recovered from Monday nights festivities. I was a little disappointed by the choir who I don't think were as good as in previous years. They have been coming to our W.I. for the past 16 years and custom and practice dictates that we always kick off the Christmas season with them. Well some of us are in the mood to book them for next year and if there is no improvement then drop them!
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we are going to brave the number 10 bus again to Lincoln. There will be about a dozen of us in a mass bus pass. I don't know whether I am looking forward to it or not?
Next weekend we have booked to go to Rotterdam. It's an overnight ferry, a day in Rotterdam and then a ferry back to Hull. Lets hope the gales have died down somewhat before we go or it will be (as Charlie would have said) Sicky uppa da fatta de lumpa!
The girls are looking pathetically bedraggled so I will go and cheer them up with a bit of sweetcorn!
love Sheila
Monday 1 December 2008
A busy time.
Had a wonderful time at the weekend. It was lovely to see all my sisters and their partners. All except Pat and Val who didn't come , which was sad. Our lovely nephew from Kimberworth came though and it's always a pleasure. He is truly a ray of sunshine!There was a great deal of shouting and laughter and we all enjoyed the Meat and potato pie and mushy peas. The drive home was a bit of a nightmare with thick fog all the way but hey ho! here we are back on the prairie.
Tonight it's the Womens Institute big event of the year. The Caister and District Male Voice choir! We expect around a hundred and fifty visitors and we will feed them all. My contribution is Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese rolls, beef Patties, and bread and dripping ( which Sonia has contributed) Also I will slip in a few cream cakes etc. Graham complained last year that he didn't get anything so I have told him he needs to be more forceful and shove all those little old ladies out of the way! Use your elbows Graham!
Thats all for now
sheila x
Tonight it's the Womens Institute big event of the year. The Caister and District Male Voice choir! We expect around a hundred and fifty visitors and we will feed them all. My contribution is Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese rolls, beef Patties, and bread and dripping ( which Sonia has contributed) Also I will slip in a few cream cakes etc. Graham complained last year that he didn't get anything so I have told him he needs to be more forceful and shove all those little old ladies out of the way! Use your elbows Graham!
Thats all for now
sheila x
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