Carrot and Sweetcorn Bakro

I came across this recipe when looking for recipes to use up the besan/chick pea flour I bought in Fremantle recently at Kakulis Sisters. I used polenta instead of semolina and came up with a nicely spiced and versatile cornbread. Rustically looking as I tore off several pieces instead of cutting it...

I used...
1/2 a cup each of plain wholemeal flour, besan and polenta
1 cup of corn kernels
1 large grated carrot
1 finely chopped onion or 2T of dried onion
1 cup of plain yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon each of all the usual suspects..

crushed garlic
chopped ginger
chilli flakes(may leave these out if you are cooking for children)
cumin
coriander
turmeric
salt

2 teaspoons of baking powder

Mix all these together...I added a little milk as it was still too dry and then mix in 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb of soda last of all.

I didn't use sesame seeds as mine were way past the use-by date (I know) and baked it in a 9 x 5 inch tin lined with baking paper until it was firm and nicely browned, about 40 minutes at 180C

The recipe I linked to states it is a South African/Indian staple but I can't find any other reference to it or other recipes, perhaps the name is spelled differently. A bakro by any other name would taste as good! It was lovely with soup last night and with a fried egg for my breakfast. Would be so good with a nice curry.

Bon appetite!

ANZAC Day 2016

A total break in tradition this year as Dad did not march with the veterans to the local memorial for the Fallen Servicemen and Women.
When I went to visit at around 11am he mentioned that Gordon, Bree and Jess and Liv were coming to take him out for fish and chips...his favourite food! Of course I was invited and as I knew everything was neat and tidy at home I said "YES!" We had to take 2 cars and set off for Kailis Bros in Fremantle by the fishing boat harbour. It was a grey, windy day but not cold and we had a lovely afternoon 'blowing away the cobwebs'.

My photos can take over now...Lovely Livvie waiting for lunch...

 The view from our table...

the view of our table...note the mushy peas!

local sardines are crumbed and fried and utterly delicious...

some people had room for ice-cream but not Bree...Charlie is due in 11 days...

the old Maritime Museum, much of early Fremantle was built by convicts and they used the local sandstone...

 trees can grow through the sandstone cliffs...

the view from the steps leading to the Roundhouse steps ...

crowds of people fishing on one of the groynes...

decorative bathing huts on Bather's Beach...

  the view directly up High St to the Town Hall...

Inside the 1831 prison is a sobering experience...

the Curfew Bell was rung at 9.45 pm and any-one caught out after that would find themselves in the Roundhouse cells...

  or the stocks as modelled by Jess...

the view back to the fishing boat harbour...

It was wonderful to get out for a scenic walk with much loved family...I hope your weekend went well

Love from Sue
xxx

Recent Knitting

Thanks for all your sweet comments yesterday...my falls are more like a gentle subsidence than a violent tumble and due to the mild muscular dystrophy I have, I'm quite alright today though.

Have made a cheese and bacon crustless quiche to share with Dad and I'm taking him for an eye exam this afternoon...he still doesn't need glasses but at 82 yrs he needs his doctor to OK him for another year of driving his car.

While the washing machine does it's magic I thought I'd show you all the finished knitting for our new grandson due in 3 weeks(squeeeeee!!)
A simple woollen blanket being blocked...

A teeny jumper from the July edition of Better Homes and Gardens...I borrowed the mag from the library but liked this pattern and the one for the wee crown that I ordered a copy from ebay...Bree loves this one so much that Charlie is going to wear it home from the hospital!

  Georgie Rabbit is modelling the crown for us...definitely not for sleeping in though, just a bit of fun...

 and 2 Pebbles Vests...the pattern seems quite back to front at times so if you going to use it then take care

I also sewed these 2 cot panels together with a filling of fleecy material to make a tough and washable spare blanket or play mat for him...

Well that's all from Nana's bragging post!
Have a great weekend won't you?
Love from Sue
xxx

PS Rhonda's Weekend Reading Post is a beauty and it's her birthday today too!

Well Today Was Different

When I got up today and turned on the kettle then the old-fashioned desk-top computer I love we had no internet access...no emails, no Down to Earth forum contact, no Facebook etc etc. I made some tea, jiggled with cables/the modem etc but couldn't call our server because Joe has all the passwords etc on his old-fashioned desktop computer!

So I got straight into housework, showered and had breakfast and then drove over to the Dept of Transport nearby to change Mum's car into Dad's name~~~since her death cert came last week I have been completely bogged down in phone calls, waiting in line and generally re-explaining our situation which is painful to say the least. I was very relieved to have this go through very smoothly and then decided that I should go to Fremantle to collect Mum's engagement ring which was being repaired.

Entered the small round-about near the harbour to have another driver sound his horn very loudly at me and then follow me to the parking station...I was pretty un-nerved by then and took his rego number but nothing else happened apart from me paying for 4 hours parking when I only needed 2!

Then I walked across town to the jeweller's noting the paving seemed even more un-even than ever and that I was rather tired and weak(it happens). I saw our lovely Anneke and she had repaired the ring and polished it again, I left her some hand-made soap but felt dis-inclined to chat so I said goodbye and went looking for lunch. Tragedy was that being in Fremantle and not being hungry made it hard to choose but in the end I went back to Culley's Tea Rooms next to Anneke's workplace and ordered a traditional cheese and salad roll...now for overseas readers a Perth salad roll is a large crusty bread roll, real butter, good cheddar cheese, sliced tomato/cucumber/beetroot/lettuce, grated carrot and no mayo etc. Truly incomparable. Honestly, they aren't made like this anywhere I have ever been.

So pleased with my purchase I left the shop only to feel my right knee give way and to find myself on the pavement in front of the all the al fresco diners and passers-by...the ultimate  "Oh no". We quickly assessed that I wasn't hurt but wouldn't be able to get up by myself so I asked that a chair be brought over and I wriggled my way up onto that and back onto my feet.
I thanked my 2 rescuers, checked that my elbow was grazed but not bleeding and carried on to Kakulis Sisters for my falafel mix! Brave I am. Not really, I wanted my Mam.

Next comes a text msg from Bree asking why I called her and I realised I'd fallen on my phone and it had called her...she was horrified that I'd fallen and despite being 8 mos pregnant with Charlie offered to come and get me. No need, Love, and I drove home to have Joe sort out the internet connection and now it's time for some well earned falafels and garlic sour cream. And wine.

Oh for a quiet life! Did you see that a couple near Morecambe found a huge lump of ambergris on the beach and it should make them a tidy sum?

Big Love
xxx

Easy Burp Cloths/Bathmats etc

With grandchild #7 on the way I want to help ease the costs for his parents ... in the olden days we would throw an unfolded terry nappy/diaper over our shoulders to catch any milky burps...now they sell burp cloths which looked cheap and nasty to me so I got cracking on these. I bought 2 brightly coloured thin bath towels and cut off the hemmed edges, then I cut each towel into 6 even pieces.

I had lots of oddments of fabric here and bought a few cheery fat quarters, washed and ironed them and placed them right sides together on the towelling squares



Then I stitched around the edges leaving a hand sized gap...I trimmed off the excess fabric and corners, turned the piece back out so that the right sides were showing, stitched that opening closed and then stitched a quarter inch around the edge. Before long I had a dozen individual cloths which will serve a myriad of uses.





I think they measured about 18 x 14 inches and they cost me $17.50 for the whole dozen!

This technique is also how I make bathmats and pet bedding...just bigger sizes and you can use old towels and clothing to save even more money.

Hope all is well, we're muddling along and had a big family get together on Saturday from which I am still recovering! Will get posting again soon as I have a million old family photos I need to add...here's a wee taste thanks to Dad's cousin Marion...my Grandad Gardner with 5 of his 6 siblings, they were photographed by the local paper in response to their call for the oldest group of living siblings, Uncle Fred was too far away to come for the photo but here are Annie, John, Betty, Margaret, Jim and Herbert(grandad)

This is a character reference written for Grandad in 1926 by a local businessman, Mr Carr. The writing around the reference is Uncle Alan's explanation and mention of meeting Mr Carr fifteen years later

Big hugs xxx

Bye Bye Twitch

Just a quick sad note that Twitch was put to sleep March 10th as he had a huge abscess in his cheek and the necessary surgery would have just been far too much for him. At least he gave me comfort for the 6 days after Mum passed and I like to think that they're together right now.

I'm starting to feel a little more normal today. I took 2 neighbours to the library and found a beautiful  pattern for another little jumper for Baby Charlie who is due in May. Have also finished a wool blanket for him but I need to block that before I show you it.

Just being at home is a great comfort to me now, the new bread-maker is working beautifully as is the new fridge. The house is cleaner than it has been for ages and the garden is doing well despite the very high temps. I've made a huge pot of Savoury Mince(Ground meat) with vegies and beans as I know Dad enjoys it very much and it freezes well. Dad lost half a pork pie on Sunday~~~we suspect he ate it without really noticing as we cannot find it any-where :)

In about three weeks my brother and I will gather our whole families together at Dad's home for a much over-due pizza and sandwich 'do' as we say in Lancashire. We'll have a beer and a glass of wine and remember our beloved Mam. Her ashes will be available next week but Dad is still deciding what to do with them...she wanted to be scattered on the golf course in front of their home where they spent many happy hours playing golf with so many lovely people. The Golf ladies plan to plant a native tree nearby to remember Mam.

I'll leave you with this photo of my Grandad Gardner in the mid fifties. Her Majesty appears to be looking directly at his MBE that she had given to him in 1952 in honour of his service at Dunkirk during WW2, I think my Dad should also have been on parade but had to work that day...these were the Territorial Army of part-time soldiers

Hope all is well at your place
Love from Sue
xx

Bree's Tribute

Bree is our daughter in love and expecting her first baby in May...she was an amazing rock during Mum's illness to our whole family and we're so happy that she's here with us now.

So its taken me a while to come up with the words to pay my respects to one of the greatest women i have ever met..
I almost feel like ive been robbed of time spent with you. In saying that it has been an honour getting to know you. You shared with me so much knowledge, intriguing stories of your past, your contagious smile, an inspiring ability to hold strength and positivity at all times and most importantly your loving heart.

In your final weeks of life u shared an experience with me that ill never forget, and with that ive learned:
- that there not enough people left on this earth quite like yourself. I only speak for myself when i say knowing you has made me a better person.
- life is cruel and unfair to those that least deserve it. As scared and sad as i felt at times, u always brought out positivity in every conversation. Your superpower was the ability to light up a room with your smile alone.
- the meaning of family. How quickly you welcomed me to be apart of yours will forever dumbfound me. Who knew i would be so lucky.
- the love and kindness people gave you was only a small expression of how much love you actually filled their hearts with.

My list could go on and on. In a nutshell, you will be dearly missed. Though we are left with a hole in our hearts, u certainly left it full of cherishable memories and love. Im sorry that my son never had the pleasure that i did to meet you, he will learn of the beautiful angel, that is you, that has his back for the rest of his life.

Rest in peace sweetheart.. always missed but never forgotten xoxo

R.I.P. Mum

Mum passed away yesterday morning at 12.09 am.  She died peacefully at home after several days of attentive nursing and  full-time company from one or more loving members of her family.

Marjorie Emma Gardner, nee Kelsall
April 5th 1937 to March 4th 2016
Leaves behind her husband of 60 years, Jack, children Sue and Ian and their partners, Joe and Wendy.

Grandchildren Paul, Gordon and Bree, Elizabeth, Pete, Jack and David.

Great-grandchildren Cody, Jacob, Jessica, Olivia, Caleb, David and Charlie who is due in May.

Brother Tom and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Jessie and Alan and their families.

aged about 3years

Feeding the chickens with Tom

aged 17 yrs with her own beloved Mam

Wedding Day, October 1st, 1955

Honeymoon in London

Trying to get into the Capt Pugwash ride near Carnforth in 2008

Korea 2012

Photo bombing two of her great-grandchildren on Christmas Day, 2015

Getting her paperwork in order, February 11th, 2016

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there; I did not die

Mary Elizabeth Fry 1932

Mum will live on in the laughter of our children.

Ian's words

Hi Guys
Ian here. My Mum, Marjorie Emma Gardner died early yesterday morning 4/3/16. She was the master of her own destiny until the end opting to die at home surrounded by family .We enlisted the help of Silver Chain- who I cannot praise enough - they provided a hospital bed so we could make Mum more comfortable, all the palliative drugs she needed (although she was of course still in a fair amount of discomfort) and lots of professionalism and compassion. Mum was first diagnosed with that bastard cancer on Xmas Eve, so it was at least over fairly quickly. Right to the very end Mum never complained once,( I think she didn't want to distress us) and she left us with the grace and dignity that she lived her life with. I'm so glad that I had the time at the end to tell her how much she meant to me and how much she was loved by her family and friends. Thanks Mum for being the best ever and Sue and I will make sure that Dad is looked after. . R.I.P. xxx

Bree's words

So its taken me a while to come up with the words to pay my respects to one of the greatest women i have ever met..
I almost feel like ive been robbed of time spent with you. In saying that it has been an honour getting to know you. You shared with me so much knowledge, intriguing stories of your past, your contagious smile, an inspiring ability to hold strength and positivity at all times and most importantly your loving heart.

In your final weeks of life u shared an experience with me that ill never forget, and with that ive learned:
- that there not enough people left on this earth quite like yourself. I only speak for myself when i say knowing you has made me a better person.
- life is cruel and unfair to those that least deserve it. As scared and sad as i felt at times, u always brought out positivity in every conversation. Your superpower was the ability to light up a room with your smile alone.
- the meaning of family. How quickly you welcomed me to be apart of yours will forever dumbfound me. Who knew i would be so lucky.
- the love and kindess people gave you was only a small expression of how much love you actually filled their hearts with.

My list could go on and on. In a nutshell, you will be dearly missed. Though we are left with a hole in our hearts, u certainly left it full of cherishable memories and love. Im sorry that my son never had the pleasure that i did to meet you, he will learn of the beautiful angel, that is you, that has his back for the rest of his life.

Rest in peace sweetheart.. always missed but never forgotten xoxo

My Best Bread

Firstly, thank you to every-one for your lovely comments and well wishes for Mum. She's having another scan this morning to accurately measure the size of the main tumour before she starts chemo on Friday. Instead of IV chemo she's going to take one tablet once a week for about 6 weeks and if that doesn't reduce/halt the tumour's growth then there are immunotherapy drugs that can be given to her. This more gentle treatment is because of her age, I have never, ever thought of her as 'old' but apparently she is(sorry Ma). Let's hope it's a gentle ride for her.

With all this sorrow going on I am finding great comfort in just being at home, cleaning and crafting and cooking our daily meals. I've been using a little ice-cream maker to make Joe's ice-cream, been making yoghurt again, baking biscuits and cakes but the most satisfying thing has been to make some very, very good bread and bread rolls.

Inspired again by Rhonda's Blog and this post where Rhonda describes her own bread-making I have finally tweaked the recipes to make a tasty loaf of great texture. I have to use the bread maker to knead the dough and then I give it a quick knead, shape it and place it in the tin to rise again for 30 minutes.

This makes a rather sticky dough so put flour on your counter and knead briefly. I line the bread tin with baking paper and use 2 clothes pegs to hold the paper still while I put the dough in.
 Bake in the oven at 220C for 5 minutes and then reduced to 190C for another 30 minutes or so. If it's quite brown but still 'sounds' a little under cooked remove it from the tin and bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom sounds hollow when you knock on it.

I'm lucky to have a bulk dry foods shop nearby with loose flours of all sorts to choose from so I made my own blend of stone-ground wholemeal, spelt and rye.

My recipe

1 and 1/3 cups each of wholemeal(brown) flour, rye flour and spelt flour.
2 level teaspoons of instant yeast
2 teaspoons of butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar(optional)
325mls tepid water, you may need a little more or less so check the dough once it's been mixed.

It slices and freezes beautifully too...

I was delighted last week when Paul turned up with 2 jars of home made pickles that he and his mate had made...Jason and Jacinta have a huge vegie garden at their new house and share Paul's love of spicy food, cooking and making preserves as well as camping and fishing...

Knitting has also been a soothing activity and with a new baby boy due in May I've been loving this turquoise yarn from Spotlight and how sweet are the buttons, also from Spotlight...

These monster longies(pants) are on my needles now and looking very cute and I have some fabric to make a bedcover/play-mat for 'him' too.

So that's it for now, one day at a time but make it count as they slip by very quickly.
Lots of Love,
Sue

Still Here But A Bit Shell-shocked

after my dearest Mum was diagnosed with lung cancer on Christmas. We'd already been all over Perth for a variety of scans and biopsies and were optimistic that it had been caught early and would be 'easy to treat'. As you can imagine we're all heart-broken and Christmas was a rather rough time. We did enjoy a meal together in the evening on Christmas Day and Mum was in good spirits. and certainly well enough to photo-bomb 2 of her great-grandchildren...

On Dec 29th she had another biopsy which confirmed lung cancer(Mum stopped smoking over 40 yrs ago btw) so at the moment her oncologist is waiting to see if the tumour has a mutation that will let him treat her with tablets rather than IV chemo. Her next appointment is on Jan 21st~ we're very pleased she can have the treatment locally instead of having to travel miles and that she has one of the best oncologists in WA.
There is already pain in her lung when she lies down and she suffers nausea which is really spoiling her (in)famous appetite too but she remains her loving and strong self.

One day at a time again...Priscilla's tumour has stabilised and she's enjoying relatively good health these days so that is a big blessing.

Please keep them close to your hearts
Love from Sue
xxx

The front of our home on Christmas Day, that frnagipani is worth it's weight in gold for the shade it gives us.