This past weekend it was time to try out another new recipe, this time for lemon crumb squares. This meant making a crumbly biscuit base which would also be the topping and a lemon filling. It actually wasn’t too complicated to make and I had a great baking tray to use for it which made everything easier - a great tray for tray bakes. The filling ( Read more... )

Saturday was one of those ‘good day - bad days’, not helped by the thick sticky humidity that has enveloped the UK. I’m such a winter baby, it’s hell for me while everyone else is out worshipping the sun. Anthony doesn’t cope well either in the heat, after a certain temperature he says he can’t function. So we’re having to open all the windows in ( Read more... )

I never thought I’d say this but this past weekend, I experienced my first ever driving lesson.

For most of my life, I’ve recoiled from the very idea of driving. I pretty much assumed I’d never do it, much to my parents’ annoyance. Actually, none of my siblings drive either. When we each hit 17, none of us couldn’t afford the lessons, though my ( Read more... )

A word on terrible customer service and the kindness of strangers.

I ordered a Christmas present for my husband from Amazon. On Tuesday I received an email to say they'd be delivering at some point that day. Instead, I left work to find I'd gotten a private Facebook message from a total stranger, she'd received my Amazon parcel by accident when ( Read more... )

Vital ask for prayer! Stepdad-in-Law is back in hospital again. Tomorrow morning, he will go into surgery and get his other leg amputated. As this one will be amputated above the knee, unlike the other leg, his reaction was 'I won't match now.' It honestly takes more than a double amputation to throw him. He's made of incredibly strong stuff ( Read more... )

This is a call for all kinds of good vibes. My husband's stepdad is back in hospital and is in critical condition. At one point, we were told that if the current course of action doesn't work out, there's no plan B. On Sunday, his blood sugar levels lowered dramatically and his fluid retention - which was what first caused his severe health ( Read more... )

I should have posted this last weekend but this week seems to have fallen on top of me rather heavily. So last weekend, I did some more baking, trying out another new recipe. This time, I made a Canons Ashby coconut bake, it's constructed of layers in a pan and baked basically and includes a jam filling. It came out very tasty, like a bakewell tart ( Read more... )

It is so cold here at the moment. So cold in fact that we're having trouble getting into our building! Last night, neither Anthony nor I could get our keys to turn in the lock of the outside door, an immensely frustrating experience. It's been stiffer than usual recently but this is just impossible. I'm going to email the people who look after the ( Read more... )

Saw Guardians of the Galaxy yesterday with Anthony and I really can't recommend it enough. Neither of us know anything about the comic books and we didn't need to to enjoy the film, though I'm sure there's plenty of in-jokes in the film for those that do know the comics. Chris Pratt is a really terrific lead and in fact, everyone plays their part ( Read more... )

I heard yesterday that I haven't been mapped into any of the jobs in the new structure of our department. I kind of guessed that would be the case, as I currently work off campus my skillset is quite different, but it still hurt to hear it and got me quite down, particularly when thinking about my future job-wise. Still, my line manager told me ( Read more... )