It's Been a (Long!) While....

I just want to say thank you for all your messages of concern.....I have been away for quite a while - I do try and catch up with all the goings-on in the lives of my blogging friends around the world but as for posting myself; university has been (and still is) all encompassing....I am taking advantage of the short Christmas holiday to stack up the books, take some deep breaths and let you all know I am still alive! (albeit in an altered state!!!)

The end of 2011 hurtles towards us at alarming speed - 2012 waits somewhat impatiently in the wings....whatever your hopes, dreams and aspirations for the year ahead, may they all come to fruition....we are packing up the car and heading to Norfolk to belatedly drop off Christmas presents and then spend the first days of the new year in London...whatever your plans, I hope 2012 brings you all much joy, laughter, love, good health and happy memories....let's catch up again soon!  s

Madeleine's the girl for me......

Firstly, let me say I don't really have what you might call a 'sweet tooth' - give me a plate of sausage rolls or prawn dumplings any day.....but...sometimes, there are those moments when only cake will do....you know, when you just want something sweet with a cup of coffee but don't want to go overboard so you feel like you have to starve for the rest of the day as penance for your lack of willpower?

I was having one of THOSE moments the other day as I flicked through Harry Eastwood's 'Skinny French Kitchen' - the result of yet another late night foray into the delightful world of online shopping......I came across these and knew I had to make them.....immediately.......you may have to be slightly more patient if you don't happen to have a madeleine tin to hand (but really the hardest part of the whole process is skipping to your nearest kitchen equipment supplier to pick one up).....

The delightful thing about these particular little French fancies is that the clever Ms Eastwood has reduced the calorie content of a typical madeleine to a mere 87 calories! Oh joy...guilt free coffee and cake!
If you would like to join me in indulging, here's the recipe:

1tbsp oil, for brushing tin

4 medium free range eggs

Quarter tsp salt

100g caster sugar

100g plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

80g ground almonds

Half tsp vanilla extract

Half tsp almond extract

50g melted butter

1. 
   
   
   Preheat oven to 210C, 410F, gas mark 6 & brush madeleine mould with a little oil.





2. 
   
   Whisk together the eggs, salt and sugar until frothy - add the remaining ingredients and mix with a balloon whisk.





3. 
   
   Spoon into the moulds, filling them three quarters of the way up.





4. 
   
   Put the filled tin into the freezer for 10 minutes and refrigerate the mixture ready for the next batch. (Ms Eastwood tells us it's important to do this to get the characteristic little bump on the bottom - who am I to argue?)





5. 
   
   Once chilled, put in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes exactly - repeat the process once cooked with the remaining mixture but make sure you wash out the pan and grease again before continuing as the cakes may stick if you don't.





6. 
   
   Store in an airtight tin for 3 days or......brilliantly......freeze....and bring out when you want to impress with your delicious French cake baking (for only 87 calories, remember)!

Thank you Ms Eastwood....now......apple tart anyone?..............s

Bluebells.....

When we lived in Australia, one of my treasured memories of being a small girl in England was the bluebell wood in Spring....I could almost smell the faint hyacinth scent and feel the wet sappy stems in my fingers if I wished hard enough....






Now I'm all grown up, I realise that pulling up these woodland beauties is not only illegal but guaranteed disappointment! There's no sadder sight than an armful of bluebells thrown down, wilted and withered, by someone who didn't realise they wouldn't even survive until they got home....They are meant to be enjoyed like this, growing under the beech trees, sunlight dancing on their blue bell flowers, filtered through the bright green soft new leaves above. Now we are living here again, I insist on an annual pilgrimage to a bluebell wood, to breath in the scent and marvel at the blue carpet before me, as far as the eye can see, in every direction.......

Truly an experience for every sense............this would have to be in my personal

'Must Do Whilst On This Planet' list.....hmmm, now there's an idea..........Happy week...........s

Saturday Snapshots.....

This weekend - on my kitchen windowsill........









Wisteria looking wonderful - smelling wonderful too.....

And this......majestically gliding on the brook at the bottom of the garden......

What more could you want?...........Happy weekend.............s

Happy for Wills.....

All the superlatives have been used up....we now know every incy wincy detail about the dress (the seamstresses had to wash their hands every 30 minutes and use new needles every three hours to keep the lace clean).....we know what they ate (cornish crab, Castle of Mey lamb and Highgrove vegetables).....how many tiers the cake had (8).......





We've pored over the column inches, admired the best dressed for their style and sophistication in their choice of outfit, smiled with a small degree of satisfaction that for some, no amount of money can make them chic (you know who you are - lady with the pretzel on her head and the two who got the fabric for their ensembles from sofa.com) - just proving what our mothers used to tell us - that it's not about how much you spend, it's about how creative you are with what you've got.....and talking of mothers, for me as the mother of a son the same age as William, the overriding joy of the day was seeing this devastated little boy who had just lost his beloved mum.....













emerge from the doors of Westminster Abbey with this gorgeous girl on his arm and the prospect of his own warm, loving and close knit family.........















Just what Mum would have wanted........Good Luck Wills & Kate - may your life together be blessed with laughter, fun, health and happiness...........s

London Requests the Pleasure of Your Company...

Yesterday, with just three days to go (!) to the BIG day...London was on sparkling form.....the parks were looking pristine.....








The flowerbeds have been newly planted with bright and happy blooms.....

The statues in front of Buckingham Palace have been cleaned to within an inch of their life with pressure washers......

The crowds were already gathering.......

Photographers - ten-a-penny.......

All the T.V channels have set up shop to get the best view at Westminster Abbey......

And outside the Palace....

The Guards were polished to perfection.....

The souvenir stalls were making a mint......

There was even a bride......

But not the one the eyes of the world will be on come Friday morning........so.......will you be attending??!!............................s

Snowdrop time....again....and a new mantra....

I just cannot believe I haven't spoken to you all for so long...the snowdrops are up, the first early daffodils are making a timid appearance (hopefully there won't be an avalanche of snow any day now crushing their fragile yellow heads, as so often happens to these delicate little spring blossoms)....the garden is a carpet of white with the promise of Spring on the way...Meanwhile, up in my prison cell, I mean study, work continues apace...





I tell myself this every day - as I struggle to find a few hundred more words to complete another essay:

Even though it's been tough on the grey matter (getting it working again, that is!!) there's also a great sense of satisfaction....my GG is still here from Sydney - I was hoping for some essay writing tips but she doesn't seem too keen to help....Strange......She keeps telling me that she has her own essays to write when she gets back to Aus in a couple of weeks...I think it's more about the little 'affaire de la coeur' she has embarked upon while she's been here myself..... Ah well, you're only 21 once and if you can't embrace youth, life and love now, when can you?

The newlyweds are not so newlywed and my little grandson celebrated his third birthday last weekend complete with a smartie chocolate cake and a village hall full of his friends.....All in all, a busy start to the year...

Half term next week seems very appealing - 'normal' life may return for a fleeting visit before I glance in horror at the assessment deadline calendar once more..

Meanwhile, I plan to join a friend for a trip to Cardiff, the shopping capital of Wales tomorrow to remind myself that there is life beyond the keyboard!

Look forward to catching up with you all & do hope all is well in your world............s