Grannymar

My sister-in-law gave me this recipe many years ago.  It is always greeted with cries of “Oh Yummy!”  So to celebrate Maire and my brother becoming Grandparents for the first time, this weekend, and with delightful thanks to my niece and her husband for providing me with another grandniece, I share this cake recipe.  I wish them all well and great joy with the new baby.

Maire’s Cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 180°C

• 8ozs crushed Nice Biscuits
• 4ozs Butter
• 1 lb Cream Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 6ozs Caster Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 dessertspoon Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Lemon rind
• Cream & grated nutmeg to decorate

Melt butter & mix with crushed biscuits. Press into an 8” tin with a removable base. Beat eggs & sugar as for sponge. Beat Cream Cheese & vanilla essence. Add cheese spoon by spoon to egg mixture beating continually then add lemon juice & rind. Pour into cake tin over biscuit base. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. Decorate with cream & sprinkle with nutmeg before serving.

The word barrel is dry today so a picture will say some for me.

George (SIL) was carer for me on Thursday while Elly went to Dublin for a night off and to cast her vote for Lisbon on Friday.  She returned in time to allow George home in the afternoon in time to cast his vote.

While the cat Elly was away we mice went for a walk.  Since George is a Toyboy, I walked further than any other day.  That day I had set myself a goal of bringing the camera and arriving home with a photo.  It was in fact George who took the photo above to prove to Elly how far we walked.  When she arrived back I had the photo on the desktop.  I won’t repeat her exclamation, but she was impressed.

On Saturday it was very windy so the walk outdoors was short.  We concentrated on increasing my speed.  To date she walked along matching my slow pace, so I was now matching her increased steps.  No way am I ready for her full stride yet but it will come.  I find the walking easier with someone walking step for step with me.  When we returned to the house we walked around to the back garden and I tried the steps from the patio down to the garden using one crutch and back up again.  The three steps at the back door are steeper and I also managed them.  Once indoor I continued with only one crutch and that is how I have continued since.

A new form of independence since I can make my own coffee and carry it into the living room. Progress!

It was still very windy when I went for my second walk of the day and Elly carried the other crutch just incase I needed it for the return journey uphill.  I didn’t and Elly, having checked me from all angles says I am well balanced with just the one!  There is no slacking with Nurse Hitler… You just have to do things properly!

PS The yes vote won!

Perhaps it had something to do with the voters hoping for divine intervention, two miraculous medals were wrapped inside ballot papers marked Yes in Co Laois.

October 3rd is a special day for someone

The Birthday Boy in all his Glory!

So sing along as we say…

I think that I, in a semi drugged state sent the following email to the members of the LBC:

Is it my turn to select a topic?  If so I am sorry to be so late about it.  Lets blame Nurse Hitler and her constant - Time for walkies, exercises or rest!

I actually said to her that I had no idea of what to choose, so she threw a book at me and said “Page 132, line ten and pick a word.

It was in the middle of a sentence:

“keep the restaurant open at least seven months of the”

So my choice is Restaurant or Restaurants now off you go and prepare our feast.

I hope you are hungry as you visit Ashok (if his studies allow), Conrad, Magpie 11, Maria, Marianna & Ramana for their take on the topic.

Since I returned home with the new ‘shock absorber’ I have been out to lunch twice. We went to Carrickfergus as it is very flat and a good place for me to walk right now. On the earlier visit I was still extremely slow and a little nervous on the crutches. Elly invited another blogger friend to come along and having someone each side of me was reassuring.

The entrance was step free, a toilet for disabled customers easy to negotiate and the carver chairs at the tables were a good height for me and very comfortable. I was well looked after and the waitress went to endless trouble to make sure that the food I ordered was dairy free. The food was tasty and hot and I did justice to the meal in front of me.

This week it was my turn to reward my nursing staff; so Elly, George and I returned to the same place. We parked further away allowing me to stretch my legs and enjoy the sounds and sights of normality while being out doors. As soon as I entered the building I was greeted by the same young lady that looked after us last week. She remembered me and asked how I was progressing, and also told me how well I was looking compared to the previous week. I remarked on her memory and she assured me that she did indeed remember me and the fact I required a dairy free meal.

Since I am forbidden to drive right now I tossed a coin and the winner had the choice of ‘wet or dry’. George won, but being a gentleman he chose to drive leaving Elly free to enjoy a glass of wine with lunch. The food was all we expected and we sat over it chatting and laughing.

Again I enjoyed my slow paced walk back to the car. Once inside and comfortable, I packed the young lovers off to have a proper walk with the instructions to hold hands and have a cuddle. I was quite happy to sit and watch the world go by. They returned happy and refreshed, ready for another session of Grannymar bashing nursing. Just as in the Good book, we returned by a different route happy and content with our day.

Restaurants may be all about food, but a caring, cheerful & helpful staff certainly makes a big difference. I will return in the future.

GOOD NEWS

I woke to a message from Bikehikebabe

i will b sleeping sitting up so i can get out of bed. the therapy 4 the shoulder is lots morethan for the hip. but u don’t walk on your arms so u can b more active. all went well. glad 2 b home

Wonderful news, and she typed it all herself despite having shoulder surgery on Tuesday.

Way to go Girl.  Way to go!

William of Orange

From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland, and as William II over Scotland.  A little man who made plenty of noise!

I know Ed Barton who made the Sculpture above, He lived in a village quite close to me.  So different from the subject of his art, Ed is a very quiet and gentle man.

I am off to prepare my topic for later in the day.  See you at 5pm ( my time)

WIFE vs HUSBAND
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a farmyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, ‘Relatives of yours?’
‘Yep,’ the wife replied, ‘in-laws.’

)( )( )( )( )(

WORDS
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day. 30,000 to a man’s 15,000.
The wife replied, ‘The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men…

The husband then turned to his wife and asked, ‘What?’

*+*+*+*

CREATION
A man said to his wife one day, ‘I don’t know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time.
‘The wife responded, ‘Allow me to explain.
God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me;
God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

Thank you Stephanie Shine!