Ticky tocky pudding

We had planned to go to a local playgroup for the first time today, but to cut a long story short, we didn't.
So we got to work on something i started a couple of days ago when i boiled
225g chopped dates in
250ml tea for 1minute.
Being a warmer day than we are used to,
100g butter was lovely and easy to beat. Roo added
175g golden caster sugar and stirred away until really soft. Next we beat in
3 eggs individually. Then we added
1tsp vanilla extract with the dates and tea and mixed like crazy. Finally we sifted
225g self raising flour (actually 100g wholemeal sr plus 125g white sr in a pointless attempt to make it healthier) together with
3quarters tsp bicarb and 1 tsp mixed spice. I poured the mixture into the closest thing we have to a
20cm lined greased cake tin and fiddled about with our rubbish oven until i thought it was at a moderate temperature. Then i cooked it for about 45minutes.
Voilà.! La cake. Next step- the sticky toffee sauce.

new bambino

I forgot to post on St Rita's Feast day, the 22nd May. On Monday I got a message from an old friend saying she'd had a baby girl the previous Friday. Born not a million miles from Cascia, exactly 20 weeks after Lou...on St Rita's Feastday! Mama and baby fine. Must get a move on with that cardi!

Phew...These fun weekends are hard work

We had another Waterford- based weekend. Packed a lot in so we were all nicely tired come Monday morning. Here are some of the Lovely things we did:
Spent time together miles away from Lee's work
Went for a walk around Ardmore with an old friend of Lee's
Drank tayshy carefully-made coffee and hot momoh in Clonmel market.
Browsed through and bought a pile of great children's books for a snip and for charidee too.

Bought stuff in Tangled Yarns, a fantastic craft shop in Clonmel.
Enjoyed sunshine and blue skies (but not the wind) at a family Communion.
Ate lunch (including their famous desserts) at The White Horses in Ardmore
Played at the playground afterwards
Ate '99' ice creams (soft i meam and momoh with biccies underneath) on the way home
Lee explained the provenance of Lou's name to everyone
Roo used scissors for the first time (well it was exciting for him)
Looked forward to another weekend together next weekend- a rare event indeed.

Ravelry

Just got my invitation from Ravelry. I've had a quick look at the site and it's lovely. It's like an online notebook for keeping track of your craft projects. I'm going to log off now and talk to my husband.

The Green-fingered one

A lovely May day here, so we've been spending time in the garden.
We planted some spinach in pots. Meanwhile... The lettuce has started to grow but you have to look v closely to make out any sign of life in the carrot tyre. Of the 4 broad beans planted, just 2 have borne shoots- one of which (pictured) was planted by Babba Roo, hence his title as the most green-fingered member of the family. ...so far this year, at any rate.
On the subject of fingers! Lou has really started using his hands- reaching out to grasp things. He is fascinated with the oven glove with the pictures of teapots and cups on it.

Prayer on a sunny day from today's mass leaflet

O Jesus, help me all through this week,
to do nothing to worry those who love me;
to do nothing to let down those who trust me;
to do nothing to fail those who employ me;
to do nothing to hurt those who are close to me.
Help me all through this week
to be a comfort to the sad;
to be a friend to the lonely;
to be an encouragement to the dispirited;
to be a help to those who are up against it.
So grant that as a result of this holy Communion, I may become more like you,
so that others may see in me a reflection of you,
and get from me some of the warmth of your love.

Swallows enjoying the uplifting gusts.

Sunshine and showers

It's a blustery day here. We're just out between the showers and i can smell the May blossom in the air. Roo is painting the hay shed with his paint roller.

I got this postcard today from a friend who spent Easter in Peru. What a cute little baba! Reminds me of Lou with the whole smiley, hands-in-the-mouth thing.