A New Day

Well, my older "baby" is off to Kindergarten. The first afternoon, her first words when she got home were "Mama, Kindergarten is looonnng!" Today she was much perkier and announced that the day was indeed shorter, as her Daddy predicted they would become. I'm just happy she wasn't the little boy who made a break for the door because he was NOT going to school...felt very sorry for that teacher!

Other changes around here: I actually got a job (woo-hoo!). After resigning myself to not finding anything and deciding to just sub at Little Bit's preschool as often as possible to earn a little extra moola, I got a surprise call yesterday. Seems the preschool I had interviewed for before had an assistant opening for the three-year-old class and the director wanted to offer me the job! Even better, there is an opening for Little Bit in the two-year-olds. Even better better, I will have the same hours she will. The only downside is I won't be able to send her to the preschool I had hoped to. However, I believe this is a really good school and it's perfect for me in just about every other way!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this works out for all of us.

Another washout?

My procrastination has paid off once again. My morning walk was washed out yesterday and I kept fiddling around this morning until it's raining again! FYI, I didn't see this much rain the whole three weeks I spent in England even though I'm told they've gotten a lot there lately.

Thirtysomething is awfully quiet lately. I guess with getting Roo off to "big girl" school, she's feeling a little overwhelmed but maybe she will share something soon. I know Little Bit gives her a lot of material, especially when she "uses her head."

I suppose I could use some of this indoor time to catch up on my writing but if I put it off long enough, perhaps I will find a good excuse for not doing it! Maybe I'll find some inspiration soon but am not holding my breath for sure.

I might even mop the kitchen and bathroom and dust the furniture. Fat chance of that today!

Excuses, etc.

I'm still trying to get myself motivated to finish up the series on England but it isn't easy. If procrastination weren't so darn much fun, maybe I could get done with it. I just finished one full article on it and think I can squeeze the rest into one segment. Or not. Just have to see what comes out when I start typing.

Thirtysomething had open house for Roo's kindergarten this afternoon. I sure it went well but I haven't heard from her yet. I know she is dreading tomorrow as much as her daughter is looking forward to it but it's just another step in growing up and growing away. Emotional but exciting too.

As for me, I'm ready for Mr. Murphy of Murphy's Law to move on. About the time I think everything is on track, he lowers the boom again. Now it's a darn sinus infection despite the high powered antibiotic I took earlier. Leave it to me to be different!

On a side note, son # 1 took me to dinner last night at Fox Brothers Barbecue. They had a full house in the dining room and on the patio and we wound up sitting by a window inside. It turned out to be a mixed blessing. While we were there, it started storming so at least we didn't have to rush inside. However, the window was covered with plastic and the rain was blowing and swirling so much that it began to come in around the plastic and soon water began to cover our table and puddle on the floor as well as spraying on us. There were no tables left so we had to move ours over to keep from getting any wetter than we already were. At least the food was good and the storm let up enough for us to get to the car without getting soaked. A "sunny" ending.

Journal, Part 7

Excerpts from an English Journal,

Part Seven

Saturday, March 14: We’re planning a quiet day today. I promised to make a dessert after we come back from shopping, a decision I may well regret before the day is over. Cooking here is a bit different from the way I do it.

We drove into Chelmsford to Sainsbury’s this morning to shop for ingredients to prepare chicken and fresh salad for lunch as well as several things to serve when Richard’s family comes over after his formal birthday celebration at Channels’ Golf Club tomorrow.

I prepared oven-baked chicken and fresh salad for lunch and while these dishes turned out nicely, unfortunately, the Chewy Cake didn’t fare as well. It would be a kindness to call it a total disaster as far as I’m concerned. We got the measurements and temperatures converted but unfortunately, we didn’t get me trained to use this stove. I either turned a button wrong or turned the wrong button or something. Whatever it was, the stove went off during the time the cake was supposed to be baking without my realizing what had happened.

By the time Richard wandered back into the kitchen and asked why the oven wasn’t on (I didn’t know what that little light was for!), it was almost cool. I had to guess at cook time and this cake that is almost foolproof turned out to be too chewy, i.e., sticky. The flavor was okay but it looks a complete mess. I think I need to stay out of the kitchen the rest of my visit!

Evening: We went to quiz night this evening. It was an affair held to raise funds for a cancer charity. I told them not to count on me but surprisingly, there were several American based questions in the mix. I was the only one there who knew what Americans would “put their weenies in.” (Their official answer was “roll” but they accepted my answer of “bun.”

Other than the “weenie” question, the most amusing (and frustrating) thing to me all evening was when it turned out I was the only person in my group who knew which British property has its own postal code. The monitor in charge of our group would not accept my answer of Buckingham Palace, using Scotland Yard instead. When the correct answer of “Buckingham Palace” was announced, I really, really wanted to say, “I told you so” but I diplomatically refrained. It was strictly a guess on my part but as a former American postal employee, I thought it was the most logical one. (I was considering the huge amount of mail that is likely sent to and from there.)

Sunday, March 15: Kevan and Joseph were a little tardy because Joseph had an early football (soccer) game but all the children and grandchildren all came over this morning to deliver birthday cards and even more goodies to serve this evening when everyone comes back here after the celebration. They are a lovely family and the grandchildren are very polite and well behaved.

We left for Channels Golf Club about 1:00 p.m. We had a room reserved for the party but got there early and had drinks and socialized while we waited for everyone else to arrive. (Still no Margaritas!) Some guests had fairly long drives to get here, one reason for waiting until later to host the luncheon. The table was beautiful and food and service were excellent.

The Chicken Caesar Basket, salad served in a cheddar bowl, for a starter and Seafood Medley Caprice for my entrée were fantastic. The seafood medley was sea bass, cod, scallops and prawns in a cream sauce with white wine and grapes: beautiful as well as delicious. They, as other good restaurants, have a wonderful dessert menu but after that feast, I had no room for anything else! I have to confess that one item was so unusual sounding that it piqued my interest: Spotted Dick. I was glad the gentleman seated to my right ordered it so my curiosity was satisfied without my having to break down and order it just to see what it was.

The weather has been beautiful all day and the grounds were safe enough for the children to run off some energy before heading back to the house. All the guests reassembled at Richard’s home and after a champagne toast, gifts were presented and Kevan surprised his father with a slide show he had put together from old photos Joanne and Justine had smuggled out of the house a few weeks before. It was well done and Kev’s narration was amusing. The granddaughters put on a little impromptu show too. K**** and K******* (my granddaughters) would have a ball with these girls. So lively and creative and so much alike!

Afterwards it was, you guessed it, more food! And of course, birthday cake. The cake was Richard’s favorite, a celebration fruitcake from Marks & Spencer. It was covered with pure white marzipan and decorated with fondant icing. It looked like a gift-wrapped package done up with gold ribbon. It was beautiful and better than any fruitcake I’ve ever tasted before.

It’s been another long day, albeit a fun one, and both of us are tired. The last guests left not too long ago so I’m headed off to bed. I desperately need a long walk tomorrow to work off some of this ton of calories I consumed today.

**********

Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding

2 oz plain flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. cinnamon or spice of choice

Pinch of salt

2 oz. shredded suet

1 oz. white or brown sugar

4 oz. currants

2 oz. fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

4-5 T. milk

Butter a 1.5-pint pudding basin (ramekin). Sift flour, baking powder, spice and salt together into a mixing bowl. Mix in suet, sugar, fruit and bread- crumbs. Stir in the egg and sufficient milk to produce a soft consistency that drops off the spoon in 5 seconds.

Pour mixture into baking dish. (It should be two-thirds full. Cover with greased foil or a snap-on lid (the plastic container from a 2 lb Christmas pudding is worth saving for this purpose.) and steam for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. When it has finished cooking, remove the cover and allow pudding to shrink slightly. Cover the basin with a hot serving plate then and hold it firmly and invert. Lift off the basin to leave the pudding on the plate. Or just buy the microwavable version in a can at World Market or most Krogers.

Serve hot with custard. (You can buy custard mixes at specialty stores but it is easier to make than the sponge pudding.)

Custard

3 egg yolks

1 T. caster sugar

1 c. whole milk

1/4 t. vanilla extract

Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Scald milk in a saucepan and whisk the hot milk gradually into egg and sugar mixture. Put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or in a double boiler). Cook and stir until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Do not use direct heat, as it will make the custard curdle. Stir in vanilla extract and add more sugar if desired, according to taste. Strain and serve hot over Spotted Dick or other sponge puddings or any other dessert you prefer.

Cheese Baskets

A cheese basket is a bowl or dish made out of cheese that can be filled with pasta, fresh fruit, risotto, gnocchi, salad greens or anything without an overly liquid content. My cheese basket contained Chicken Caesar Salad and was made of cheddar but you can use other cheeses. I’ve only seen cheddar and Parmesan but there’s no reason other firm grating cheeses won’t work as well. What is most important though is for the cheese not to be overly moist or filante, i.e. a cheese that strings out when heated like Mozzarella, Jack or Fontina. Grateable goat's milk cheeses work especially well because of their high fat content. You can also add flavorings to the cheese if they are not too moist: Poppy seeds, red pepper flakes or even finely minced parsley are good examples.

Cheese baskets make for a beautiful presentation and are surprisingly easy to make. To make a basic one, you only need a heat source, cheese, a clean unscratched non-stick frying pan about 9 inches in diameter, a pair of non-stick tongs that won't scratch the frying pan and a cup or bowl to lay the cheese over. If the pan is pristine, you won't need either butter or oil to keep the cheese from sticking.

You will need about 1-1/4 cups of grated cheese (65 gm) or a couple of handfuls. After you've made a few cheese baskets you'll be able to judge simply by eyeballing it.

Heat the skillet over a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Let it get hot but not searing. Sprinkle cheese evenly over hot pan and by the time you’ve finished sprinkling the cheese, it will have begun to melt, especially around the edges.

Use the tongs around the edges to separate the cheese a little from the sides of the pan. In another few seconds, the cheese in the middle of the pan will begin to tan. Do not let it brown. When it colors just a little bit, tip the skillet so the cheese flows out as a sheet and drape it, tan side up, over a bowl or cup.

You can use a round straight-sided cup about two inches in diameter and about the same height or you can use any shape you want. It will set in about 15 seconds and you can lift it off the cup and start the next basket. It takes 3-4 minutes per basket.

Horses and a few Jack****es

Just back from a quick run to McRae to get my hair done. Should definitely have not planned that on a Friday! The drive down was uneventful but I think it was just prep for northbound Friday afternoon traffic etc. The first "event" wasn't exactly traffic related but could have resulted in a terrible traffic accident.

About 20 miles into the drive home, a horse grazing beside 441 turned out not to be tethered and lunged out into my lane about the time I got abreast of this errant creature. Luckily, no one was coming and I was able to swerve and miss him/her (didn't have time to check which). I thought after that, the rest of the drive had to be easier. Wrong!

In addition to normal Friday bedlam as well as a few accidents, I don't think I've even seen as many stalled/broken down vehicles on the road in that short a drive. Does anyone check their cars to see if they're road worthy anymore?!?

Finally got past those backups but one final accident had the shoulder blocked and traffic crawling just before my exit and I wound up taking an alternate one. Got home and caught my breath before heading out again to fill a prescription for eye drops. Had to go three places to find them and am feeling a bit wrung out. I'm definitely staying in for the foreseeable future!

I had to get back to prepare refreshments for Sunday School class this weekend so at least the apartment is smelling very good right now. Banana bars with black walnuts have a very enticing aroma!

Which one?

Can't decide if you mean Alan Jackson, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y4NTXT96EM, or the other song the name of whose artist escapes me right now.

Birthday Blues

Well, tomorrow is DH's birthday, number 35. The girls are so excited, they've been running around and stuffing their toys in gift bags to "give" him tomorrow. Little Bit even offered up her beloved froggies, which shows how much she loves her Daddy! I so remember "when 30 was old," and can't believe we're in our mid-thirties already. Remember that show "Thirtysomething"? I still remember thinking how annoying those middle-aged whiny people were; I hated that show. Now I suppose to conjure it back up, all I have to do is look in the mirror!!

Home from the Zoo...to the Zoo

Well, we had lots of fun today trekking to Zoo Atlanta. The girls were very well-behaved, especially considering how long we were there! We got there right after it opened, about 9:45, and just got home at 3:30. Looonng day. Little Bit cracks me up, as soon as we get home she starts playing with and arranging all her little figures in the Dora dollhouse, having them carry on animated conversations all the way. She likes going places, but she has the Dorothy motto: "There's no place like home."

A really cute new exhibit is the parakeets, where you can purchase food on a stick for a dollar and try to get the birds to come and eat from it. I got a little annoyed with one of the women there, though...her granddaughter and Roo were both feeding a bird with their food on a stick and Little Bit saw them and ran over there to do it, too. The bird got spooked and flew away, and the woman was like "Well, so much for THAT." I mean, she wasn't misbehaving, she just got excited, as any typical two-year-old will do. It just kind of griped me...like I'm certain her children and grandchildren are so well-behaved they would never do anything uncouth like that! Anyhow, I'm finished venting now.

I'm trying a new system of housecleaning where each day has a certain task(s). Tuesdays are dusting, mopping, and vacuuming. Guess we'll be switching THAT one around to another day, since I'm too pooped after running around the Zoo all day to do much of anything at this point!

Wise Words

Whomever coined the expression "Leave well enough alone" obviously had children. The girls were putting water balloons up to their mouth to blow in them. I explained that these were not balloons to blow with their mouth, that they were too small and they could swallow them. The conversation that ensued:

Roo: Why are the balloons too small for our mouths? What would happen if we swallowed them?
Me: (with a little dramatic flair due to raging headache brought on by an awful potty training day with Little Bit): You would choke on them and die!
Roo: But Mama, you told me I won't die until I'm really really old.
Me: Well, it doesn't matter how old you are if you get a balloon stuck in your throat and I can't get it out.
Roo: But Heaven is a happy place where there's no pain anymore. If I died with the balloon stuck in my throat, I wouldn't be hurting anymore.
Me: Well, God's not ready for you yet!!!

Next time, "because I said so" will suffice.

God bless Hee-Haw

Okay, now I have that whole song in my head now...gloom, despair, and agony on me...

You'd think an optometrist would know what's best, so who can blame you for following his advice. That said, I think you should be finding another optometrist pronto. If he's not listening to your concerns, that's not a good thing.

We're hanging around here this afternoon while DH attends yet another funeral of a friend who has died too young. A former co-worker with whom he worked for 4 plus years died of cancer Friday at age 46, leaving a husband and two sons. Little Bit had some tummy troubles yesterday so I decided not to try and secure a sitter for both of us to attend. It's just so sad, and it seems as though we're seeing more and more of our friends passing away at relatively young ages.

Anyhow, I'm enjoying my little "fairies" flying around our house and spending time with them relaxing today, so I'm very grateful. Hope Life's eyes (and luck) are much better soon.

Remember?

Remember the funny song that was used on "Hee Haw?" One line goes something like "if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." That seems to be my mantra for the past few weeks or else Murphy's law is working triple time on me.

My optometrist has been pushing me about trying Restatsis drops because my left eye has been dry. I had Smart Plugs put in but the left one would not adapt and the opthamologist took both out even though the right one was fine and I told him that. Don't know where the communication gap went wrong there. Anyway, I finally agreed yesterday to give this stuff a try even though I really was not comfortable with it. Bad decision but I should have listening to my gut. It's usually right.

Put the first dosage in about noon and by last night, the stabbing pain in my left eye got so bad that my face was sore. Sure enough, I had a reaction to the darn things and of course the doctor had left for the day by the time it got noticeably bad.

I did learn though this: Restatis = chemical conjunctivitis = almost four hours in the ER after just one drop in each eye! From now on, I am going to follow my own instincts and refuse to try something just because a doctor keeps insisting it is safe. Expensive lesson!

Clean the shotguns, Pa!

Ah, yes, young love. Apparently, the boys in our neighborhood have begun noticing my 5 year old in a new light. Fortunately, they're either the same or close to the same age!

One young neighbor spent a great deal of time crafting a pipecleaner/beaded necklace, crown, and bracelet for Roo, as well as a pretty card with his name on it. It also had a nice note thanking the user for opening up a new bank account with BB&T (courtesy of his mom's stationery stash). Another followed her around while they were running in the neighbor's sprinklers, then gave her a big squeeze on the behind, then looked very quickly up at me to see if I had noticed, which of course, I had. *sigh* Whatever happened to little boys thinking girls were yucky? I'll be happy when THAT stage starts!

Little Bit is over here having her Hot Wheels do the Conga...gotta love that!

Eyesight is okay

My eyesight is fine, thank you. I found your posting in drafts and published it after I had written mine. :)

I enjoyed you and the girls yesterday. (Roo is definitely losing her baby look way too fast!) Hopefully, you can come back soon and I will have more energy. If they keep taking blood, I'm going to need a transfusion!

P.S. When you have time, post what you told me about Roo's admirers (part anyway). I can see now that her Dad needs to stock up on shotgun oil!

Que sera sera

Your eyesight's going, Life! I did finally manage to post last Monday. I had actually done another posting, but the system somehow hiccuped and lost it and I didn't feel like doing it again :)

Roo did cut her hair. It looks very cute and grown-up and I have to say, has taken a lot off of me as far as maintenance goes. Now it's just dealing with Bit's mass of curls and my own mop that I'm seriously thinking of chopping off when DH gets his next paycheck.

Saw a depressing cover story in the AJC about people looking for work. We can completely relate, though thankfully hubby has a job, poor paying as it is. I'm hoping to sub at the preschool this year and beef up my resume a little to make me more marketable in the future. The options that are being touted by the "experts" such as going back to school are fine unless you don't have the money and don't want to take out a student loan to pay for it. I mean, we're still paying off my not-insignificant sl balance, and I just can't see taking on more debt at this point in my life.

The girls and I went to see Life down in the ATL yesterday. We all had a good time, though it took us forever to get there due to an interstate accident. I have gotten so old in terms of driving. I absolutely hate to drive in heavy traffic in Atlanta, to the point where I can feel my blood pressure and anxiety levels rising significantly. Ten years ago, no problem. Now, I feel like there's a sign on my minivan saying "Hi, yes I'm from the 'burbs. Please feel free to cut me off and scare the fool out of me so I'll hightail it out of the city!"

Where are you, TS?

I see Thirtysomething continues to maintain her long silence. Maybe she's still recuperating from her rafting trip. Thanks to a great neighbor who helped with the water heater fiasco, they were able to drive to up to the Ocoee after all. Not my cup of tea but they enjoyed it.

I'm afraid I don't have much to offer. Still not quite over this kidney thing but hopefully it will be a thing of the past soon. Too hot to get out much anyway so I guess it's as good a time as any to vegetate. I did get to the library today and before I could stop myself, had checked out five books. Guess the house cleaning will have to wait for sure now!

Definitely have to get on the rest of the articles from my journal but I hear Kathy Reichs, Iris Johansen, and the others calling my name...

We made it!

Well, the anniversary rafting trip was a success. Actually, anytime I'm on a water craft and manage not to fall out, I count that as successful.


It was truly lots of fun, I'm so glad we went. It's been almost 7 years since we've gone, and I have to question why. It's not terribly expensive and we both love it, so why have we waited so long? We made a vow yesterday to include more "fun stuff" in our lives and not wait 7 years to repeat experiences we get great enjoyment out of. Besides benefitting our marriage, which in turn benefits our girls, it's good for the children to see us doing things like that and having a life outside of them. They had a good time with their grandparents even though my MIL was afraid Little Bit was going to be homesick, which she wasn't. Like I told DH, if they kept them overnight more than once or twice a year, she might not be afraid that would happen :)


Anyhow, back to reality today. The girls squabbled this morning until I informed them they would be spending time apart in their rooms for a long time unless they ceased and desisted, so that worked. We went to a library puppet show and enjoyed that thoroughly and are planning to hang around here the rest of the day while I catch up with some household chores.


Roo has asked to get her hair cut all the way up to her chin, so we're going to the beauty shop tomorrow. Don't know about THAT short, but she seems really intent on a cut since her long hair's becoming such a hassle to deal with, so I'm kind of relieved. We'll see if she really follows through with it!


Hope Life is continuing to be on the mend so she can be ready for a visit from us this week.

Update

I still haven't heard if TS and son #2 made it to their rafting expedition. I haven't called yet because I was afraid they didn't. Maybe later today.

Finally made it to church this morning for the first time in three weeks. It was great to get back and see my friends there. They've been very sweet, offering to help if I needed anything. One person has offered several times and even though I am okay on my own now, I really appreciate their offers.

I tried shopping Macy's sale yesterday. They had some wonderful bargains but I didn't make it completely through the ladies' department so you know I'm not 100% yet or I'd probably still be there. (It's a really huge store, much larger than the other Macy's I've been in before.) I did score a great pair of Cole-Haan sandals that were $150.00 for $18.00 before I gave up and I'm really proud of them.

I spoke with a lady in Duluth yesterday and am thinking of taking up bridge again. It would be a good way to meet people and take me out of the house a few hours a week. I'm still debating on it.

Wishing everyone a great Sunday and wonderful week ahead!

One step forward...

One step forward and two steps back. Or is it the other way around? Whatever, the past two days have found me energyless and a visit to Kroger yesterday just totally wiped me out. I didn't get dressed until after noon today and only then to go down and mail a couple of letters. My fault though. Should never have let that kidney thing go so far. Doc says it didn't happen overnight and symptoms won't go away overnight. I knew that but hated to hear him say it aloud.

Thirtysomething and her DH were supposed to go white-water rafting tomorrow to celebrate their anniversary but their water heater is on the fritz and now it looks iffy if they will be able to go after all. Hopefully, they can fix it with minimum expense and time. Their neighbor is an electrician and has offered his services. The in-laws have already agreed to babysit so maybe things will work out. Cross your fingers for them. They need some personal time together even it is spent on the river with other nuts riding the rapids.

I will try to have another sequel from the journal up in a day or so. Wish me luck and speedy good health. Patience with illness is definitely not my forte!

Getting there

Thirtysomething has been strangely quiet here even though I personally know she has some great kid stories to share. I think the reality of seeing her babies begin the journey that will eventually lead them out of the nest has begun to hit her. The older one is beginning school way too soon and you can see the little one cast aside vestiges of babyhood every day. I know it's tough as reality often is.

I am finally beginning to emerge from the kidney infection although I must admit it slammed me much harder than anything has in a really long time. Still have a ways to go but getting there slowly.

I am behind on posting my English journal entries but will catch up soon. Until later.

English Journal, Part 6

Thatched cottage in Finchingfield.


Duck Inn Mill; Finchingfield

Excerpts from an English Journal,
Part Six

March 12: Awakened by bright sunshine again! It’s gorgeous outside. We had a leisurely breakfast of fresh raspberries, bananas, grapefruit, cereal, tea for me and hot chocolate for Richard. We’re going out for a while after he finishes washing the kitchen floor and gets some other light household chores done. (It’s always nice to watch a man work.) I love the laidback style here. It’s so peaceful and relaxing when you’re not rushing about all the time. (You know you’re not in a hurry any time it takes an hour to finish breakfast.)

Afternoon: We took a ride in the countryside after lunch. We drove from Chelmsford through Great Dunmow to Little Easton where we saw Little Easton Church. It’s a beautiful old church that dates back to the 12th century. This church also has an American Memorial Chapel devoted to honoring the airmen who helped defend England during World War II.

We were a little disappointed that The Gardens at Little Easton had not opened for the season yet but we took the opportunity to walk down to Horse Pond where we saw fisherman who had braved the chilly nights to camp and fish. There was also a flock of noisy Canadian geese clamoring for attention and/or scraps from the anglers. Across the road from Horse Pond were Great Pond, Church Pond and Long Pond. And lots and lots of ducks everywhere. After a short walk the opposite way to see the church cemetery and across the valley to other horizons, it was back to the car to drive a little further.

From there, we drove through Great Bartfield, ending up at Finchingfield where we parked in a public car park and walked through the village to historic Duck Inn Mill, a post mill from the 18th century. The windmill, located in an area known as "Duck End," is classified as a post mill because the mill pivots on a central post so that the entire thing can be turned to face the wind regardless of the direction from which it is blowing. Although the mill is operational, it is not in use but the workings and internal space are open for public viewing on selected Sundays throughout the summer.

There has been a settlement at this site since records began and in the time of William the Conqueror, it was called Phincingfelda. Finchingfield is the quintessential English village whose attractiveness lures sightseers and has helped it win prizes for “prettiness.” The centerpiece of the village is a landscaped green containing a picturesque pond filled with a variety of ducks and a gaggle of geese with attitude. The Norman tower of St. John the Baptist Church, the windmill and an array of thatched cottages and buildings from centuries past are also visible from the green.

Finchingfield is frequently referred to as the most photographed village in England and images of its well-known green, pond, cottages and church are often found on calendars, chocolate boxes, tea towels, postcards, jigsaws and other souvenir-type items. It has been used as a backdrop in print and video commercials, featured in the television series "Somebody" and hosted the BBC Breakfast program in a piece about the importance of village greens. Last but not least, it was the home of the late Dodie Smith, author of The Hundred and One Dalmatians.

Before leaving, we stopped at Bosworth’s Tea Room for cream tea where we had real British (and delicious) currant scones served with butter, clotted cream and jam. They also serve chips, freshly cut and double cooked the traditional way, so we shared an order with malt vinegar: Unique, but surprisingly good.

We drove through Stebbing, Little Dunmow, Felstead and other scenic areas on the way back to Chelmsford. All these historic little villages have wonderful stories of their own but one particular one I heard about Dunbow stands out in my memory. They still observe an ancient custom where married couples enter an annual competition in which they attempt to prove they haven’t had a row all year. The winner gets a flitch (side) of bacon. I’m still wondering how they can prove they haven’t argued the entire past 12 months. Or if the prize is worth the effort!

Evening: Stan and Sheila picked us up in their gorgeous Jaguar promptly at 7:00 p.m. and we drove to the Duck Inn at Newney Green. It’s outside the little hamlet of Writtle, a part of Chelmsford, but if I had any doubts that we were in the sticks, they were quickly erased when we turned down a road called Cow Watering Lane. It was a pleasant, bucolic setting and the inn even had open fireplaces but surprisingly, there was a talented jazz trio playing and the menu was quite sophisticated.

I had chicken liver salad again but this time it was pâté and not nearly as good as the one I had at Waterfront Place. Tasty sea bass in saffron sauce made up for it though as did the fresh potatoes, carrots, broccoli and red cabbage served with it. They also had a nice selection of desserts; however, I opted for simple but delicious chocolate ice cream. If I keep this up, I’ll have to book an extra seat back to Atlanta or go on a fast for several days before departure.
The evening was great as was the whole day even though it was really full. Today is Red Nose Day too but more on that later. Much too tired tonight!

*******

Faux Clotted Cream

1 c. heavy (whipping) cream

1/4 c. confectioner's sugar

1/2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. vanilla extract
OR
1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. mascarpone or 1/4 c. softened cream cheese

1 heaping T. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

The directions are the same for both recipes: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff. Refrigerate until ready to use. It is best when served the same day it is prepared. Makes 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups.

Clotted cream is a thick yellow cream made by heating unpasteurized cow's milk and leaving it in shallow pans for several hours. The cream content will rise to the surface and forms 'clots'. It is available at some supermarkets and specialty stores as well as online. You can also substitute one of these lightly sweetened substitutes if desired but I would prefer to use heavy cream as clotted cream is unsweetened and they are nearer the same texture.

Basic Scone Recipe

8 oz. self-rising flour
Pinch of salt

2 oz. butter

1 oz. caster sugar

5 oz. whole milk

Preheat oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking tray and set aside.Mix flour and salt together, then rub in the butter. Stir in sugar and add milk to form a soft dough. Move dough to a floured surface and knead very gently. Pat gently into a 2cm (20mm) round. Using a 5cm cutter, cut into rounds and place on the baking sheet.

Lightly knead together remaining dough and make more scones to use it all up.Brush the top of each scone with a dash of milk and bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. Typical British scones are light and flaky but not sweet, and they go perfectly with butter, cream and/or jam.

Variations:
· Dried Fruit Scones: Fold 1/2 c. raisins, currants, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots into flour and salt just before rubbing in the butter.
· Spiced Scones: Add enough cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to the dry ingredients to total 1/2 teaspoon.
· Walnut Scones: Add 3/4 c. finely chopped walnuts.
· Lemon Scones: Add the juice and zest of one (1) lemon and 1 T. sugar to the basic scone recipe.

Almond-Crusted Fish with Saffron Sauce

2 sea bass fillets, about 175g/6oz each
A little softened butter
2 rounded T. toasted, flaked almonds
1 shallot, finely chopped
150ml(1/4 pt.) fresh fish stock
Small pinch saffron strands
3 T. crème fraîche*

Heat oven to 190ºC/374Fº/170ºC/gas 5. Season fillets and and spread a little sofened butter over the fleshly side of each one. Lay in a shallow, buttered, ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the flaked almonds, lightly pressing them on. Bake for 12-15 mins until the flesh flakes easily.

While fish is cooking, make the sauce. Gently sauté shallot with a small knob of butter in a small pan. Add stock and saffron, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about two-thirds. Stir in crème fraîche and bubble for a minute or so until slightly thickened. Pour a little sauce around each portion of fish and serve with tiny, buttered new potatoes and green beans, or a fresh green salad.

* Crème fraîche is a slightly tangy, slightly nutty, thickened cream, similar to but thinner than sour cream in the U.S. Before the age of pasteurization crème fraîche made itself as naturally occurring bacteria in the cream fermented and thickened it naturally. It is widely available in Europe, but much less so in the United States where almost all cream is pasteurized, therefore has to be fermented artificially.

There are commercially produced versions available in gourmet shops, but it can be hard to find and fairly expensive. You can make a facsimile by adding a tablespoon of buttermilk to a cup of whipping cream, heating it gently to 110°F (45°C), pouring it in a loosely covered bottle in a warm place and letting it sit from 8 hours to a couple of days or however long it takes to thicken. Store it in the refrigerator where it will continue to thicken. It will keep about three weeks if kept cold. You can also whip it like whipping cream if desired.

I also re-discovered how much I like currants. The jam is really good but unfortunately is pretty expensive here. I found a simple recipe for it if you can just find the currants! This recipe will work with similar fruits also.

Black Currant Jam

4 lb. black currants
3 pts water
6 lb. sugar

Combine cleaned fruit with water and bring to a boil. Simmer until soft and stir in the sugar. Boil rapidly until setting point is reached, remove from the heat, skim, pour into covered jam pots or seal in jars and label.

Grateful

It's been a very quiet day and I'm grateful for that. I'm especially gratefully that I wasn't awakened before 7 a.m. by a screamer beneath my window cheering for the Peachtree Road Race before the first runner even came by!

The finish line was about a block past my apartment so I got the full benefit of 55,000+ people coming by beginning about 7 a.m. with the wheelchair racers. The others soon followed but thanks to the screamer, whom I ungraciously wished a case of terminal laryngitis, I did see the winner streak by well ahead of the others. Also got to see the the winning chair racer plus various and sundry weird costumes. All part of Midtown, ATL!

I'm not ready for this yet!

Well, it's happened. It's completely and totally hit me that Roo is starting Kindergarten in less than a month. Her Open House and first day are three weeks away, and as I was perusing her school website and checking out the supply list, I thought, I can't do this! I can't let my baby go to that "big bad world" out there. Of course, I can and will, but it's almost as though we're stepping onto the escalator of time and there's no slowing it down. I've had her home 5 1/2 years, since she's a November birthday, so we're lucky in that respect. But now I'm sitting here alone crying like a baby and I just can't seem to stop.

Even though this song is targeted towards a girl going to college, Suzy Boggus's song "Letting Go" has been running through my head and I think, that's going to be my girls and me before I know it.

I've posted the link if any other moms out there need a good cry!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBajtFWvo7I

P.S.

Wishing everyone a great Fourth of July. Thank God for our freedom!

Too quiet

It's Sunday evening and for the first time in three weeks, I'm completely alone. It feels a bit weird but I'm sure R was happy to be going home. I managed to get really sick while he was here (broke my foot last time!) so he may be hesitant about returning. I can't say I would blame him but he is already talking about my next visit there so who knows?

He absolutely loved this hot weather but just a few days before leaving did admit to getting hot. I asked if he thought he could stand it for 5-6 months out of the year and that gave him a bit of pause.

Anyway, time to settle down and get back down to the business of writing a bit. A trip to NC and to Tybee, plus some day runs have about done me in. In all this heat, it would probably have been rough even if I had been well but there's something about almost total dehydration that totally saps one!

Random Thoughts

Should be posting more often, but too tired and headachy this week to do much. Brief updates:

Little Bit has moved to a big girl bed and we dismantled her crib...kind of sad since she's our last baby, but we're proud, too. Took her to choose her own comforter this morning; of course, she chose Hello Kitty to be like her Big Sister. Potty training is going okay, still having one or two accidents a day but progessing slowly if we can get her to get to the bathroom while she's occupied playing. My other, five year old "baby" will be starting her first day of kindergarten at the end of this month. I get a little weepy every time I think about it, even though I'm very cheerful and positive to her. Have already warned DH that he will need to take a couple of hours off that morning to console me. Very depressing this last weekend when we saw friends whose little boy is waiting for a heart transplant, we're hoping good news soon. The parents are prime examples of grace and strength and are being so strong in the face of what has to be the most difficult challenge of their lives. Other set of mutual friends are dealing with their own challenges of rearing a little girl with autism. They, too, are models of what great parents should be. Some not-so-great news from Louisiana: DH's grandfather's dementia is getting worse and he's becoming belligerent and angry to his wife (DH's grandmother) and taking off on his 4-wheeler even though he's not really capable of driving it. Grandmother has given up and says he's too strong for her and she''ll just call the paramedics if he wrecks it, at least no one else will be affected (at least she hopes). A little worried for her well-being and sad about what is happening to him. What else? Hubby still working insane amount of hours, but we're happy to have the money since nothing is panning out for me and nothing on the horizon for him either.

Maybe I can be more positive later.