Done and Dusted

So! Lola's cardy is all done and I am thrilled to bits with it. My Mum came to my rescue with the bit I was pretty sure I knew what to do but didn't want to risk it - it was pretty much as I thought. So under Mum's tutelage I completed one side and felt sure I could manage the other at a later stage. Alas when I set into it I did not realise that the wrong sides were facing so I got right to the end and found it had to be un-done - my worst fears realised! Duh! So patience and a slow un-knitting of it all and was soon back on track for take two! Went to my friend's wool shop for deep blue velvet ribbon and it is finally Lola's to wear and keep her cosy now the weather is cooling down at last. Actually I say bring on the frosts because there are way too many nasty bugs circulating at the mo. 

I had another small victory tonight - I mastered the fruit sponge pudding after a very poor attempt made at it at the weekend - honestly is has just not ever been my strong suite ever and yet it really is quite a simple affair and a very common, old school winter pud! I was determined to make some adjustments to the recipe and get it right and get it right I did tonight! Yay - it's a keeper! I do not like things to beat me - I like to get back on the horse and work things out!

Walnuts

Last night we had friends over for dinner and All Black Rugby. As they came in the door Jessie handed me a bag of fresh walnuts. They grow at their place and they are gorgeously fresh and silky yum yum - I kept eating them.... hard to stop. However today good sense prevailed and I decided to make a favourite slice so that we could make much more of them and spread the love... I know for a fact it would have taken Jessie a bit of work to shell them just to get them to this stage.

This is my Mum's recipe - it freezes well which is important because it is rich and one doesn't need to eat too much at one time - means I will have a tasty stash chilled and ready to eat for visitors. One very special person is visiting us this week - our beautiful Erica from London arrives on Tuesday and also my lovely Mum and Dad will be here at the weekend for great-grandie birthday celebrations. Since I am a working girl I need stuff on-hand ahead of time.

Walnut Slice

120 gms butter

1 tin condensed milk

1 Tblspn Golden Syrup

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 pkt plain wine biscuits (crushed)

Melt the butter and condensed milk and stir in the golden syrup, then the chopped walnuts and crushed biscuits. Press mixture into a tin and bake at 170 degs C for 25 - 30 minutes. This slice should be golden brown on top and soft to touch. Cool in tin. Ice with coffee icing and sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts.

So our friends George and Jessie (who gave us the walnuts) are also my good friend Helen's parents and our son-in-law Paul's Grandad and Grandma and our dear lil Floyd's Great - grandparents. They are both in their ninety's and enjoyed the rugby very much - I fell asleep while watching the game and yet they both remained glued and engaged throughout! Lovely people and a nice evening! I am glad the All Black's beat the French tho and I was happy I was awake to see Sam Cane from Reporoa score a try - I am sure all of us Reporoa people who have stood on the side-line of school rugby games are collectively proud of Sam!

The Girls

'The girls' - now that is something I am much more used to saying with four daughters of our own! Marni Rose Elizabeth van der Poel was added to our family on 2 May - she is our fourth grandchild within less than two years! What a fabulous family time we have been having with all these new arrivals. Lola is pictured here with Marni - she's looking pretty coy about her new cousin - and is being beautifully gentle with her. I am sure they will almost be like sisters since the cousins all live nearby to each other.

Today I have been knitting a cardy for Lola and I am within a bull's roar of finishing it however I am stuck - when I read the pattern I 'sort of' know what to do but I lack the courage to actually do it as I fear ending up with a mess that may be hard to resolve... having put a lot of love and time into it I think I will wait until I can ask my friend Julie at the wool shop who will certainly know what to do!

However the pressure is off a bit as Lola is currently wearing a cardy that I knitted a few years ago - it was meant to be for my niece Lili who lives in France but as it unfolded I knew it was going to be too small for her so I finished it anyway. Annah popped in and laid eyes on it way back then and claimed it for her own - and now she has pulled it out of storage for her lovely little girl and it suits her so well! I am rapt to see it in use after all this time. Little did I know....

Lola is the big girl now so when Marni was born Annah passed on to Amy a beautiful little outfit that my Mum knitted for Lola when she was born - Amy loved it so much that she put it on Marni for her new-born photo shoot. Here she is at just 3 days old!