Baking Frenzy

The photo below is from yesterday's baking frenzy. On arriving back from the morning gymastics visit (Pip's first class and a great success), i realised that I need to get to work baking if I was going to have a cake ready to take to Barnet. DH's birthday is a week away but we'd arranged with T that we'd go up this weekend as she was hosting a gathering.

The secret to all good birthday cakes is to keep the cake simple. I opted for a basic sponge recipe from the Bamix recipe book. This was very quick and easy to do, especially with the trusty hand held blender for the mixing. Onto the next cake. This Friday sees a cake sale at school for the Macmillan event: the world's greatest coffee morning. Rather than outsourcing my cake making to L to do on Thursday morning, inspiration struck, I would make the sticky gingerbread recipe. It's still waiting to bake as I need to mix in the missing two ingredients.

While the birthday cake was baking, I decided to get the buttercream icing ready. In my hunt for a list of the correct proportion of butter to icing sugar, I stumbled on a flapjack recipe. It seemed a shame not to give it a whirl.

I'll post a picture of the cake with my second post for the weekend. In the meantime, here is a picture of the kitchen in action. I'm a big fan of kitchen gadgets and firmly believe that it's worth paying for a good quality item over a cheaper counterpart.

Sweeeeet

Mmmmm, honey. I harbour an ambition to keep bees. Partially inspired by Pushing Daisies. We have some flat roofs on our house which would lend themselves perfectly to an apiary. I came one step closer to my ambition last weekend when we went to the local beekeeping association open day.

They run an introduction to bee keeping course. I'm tempted to try and fit it during the first part of 2011. We will see.

It's a long term ambition.

I have just one question. Bees aren't native to the US. Where else in the world are they not native? Wheremare they native to? Why is it that they never waggle danced their way across to the US?

Hmmm. Honey.

Happy Birthday Agatha

(Thanks to google for today's image)

I first read Agatha Christie around the age of 10 or 11. At that age I had a voracious appetite for books, I would wolf down several a week but I'm not sure how fully they were digested. At school we had to write a book, this was in year 4 (now called year 6) and I wrote an attempt at a murder mystery. I no longer have a copy but it was a poor imitation (although bear in mind I was 11 at the time) of an amalgam of Miss Marples, complete with house in the country, a glamorous actress with a vendetta to pursue and probably a secret passage or two behind the wood panelling.

Back in 1997, a university friend compiled a list of his top ten Christie's:

Crooked house
Towards Zero
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Endless Night
Death on the Nile
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Cards on the Table
Peril at End House
The Hollow

When discussing this last year, a further two were added:

Then There Were None
Murder on the Orient Express.

Thirteen years' later, I have yet to work through the list. Once I do, that's 12 posts for here...

Found! Mr Thorne

Now, everyone receives those "viral" emails (please bear with me while I get with the Web2.0 lingo). Now, a couple of years ago, there was one doing the rounds involving a drawing of a spider

As these things go, it was quite amusing and very memorable. I was recently sent Mr Thorne's artwork for a missing kitty. If ever one of the cats go missing, I will be asking Mr Thorne to help produce the posters.

Now, we have a friend who's name is very similar to Mr Thorne's. Around Christmas time a couple of years ago, I was trying to organise a gift for a friend who was a going skiing for a while. We decided that some hollow ski poles would do just the job (it probably needs no explanation that she was off to spend a ski season in the mountains). Hollow, so that they could be filled with a tipple of choice, or indeed different one in each pole. I only hope she didn't try using them to mix martinis, but that's another story.

So, in sending an email to solicit donations from mutual friends of my travelling, drinking, skier, I managed to email Mr Thorne. Here is a copy of the email exchange (edited so as not to splatter names and email addresses all over the place:

My Original Email:
>
> On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 7:32 PM, S S wrote:
>>
>> I am thinking about a gift for Clare for her skiing adventure - my sister in law finds the following indispensible:
>> http://www.liquorsnob.com/archives/2005/10/coldpole_liquor_reservoir_ski_poles.php
>> These are US based - I need to find out where Tina got them from but here's my idea (above)
>> Anyway, what do you think - anyone want to come in on this with me?
>> S

Mr Thorne's reply:

Hey guys,

I'd love to go in on the ski poles but unfortunantley I don't have much money at the moment. I have attached a picture of a spider that I value at around $250. I hope that this will cover my share of the present.



Say hi to everyone for me.

Love David xoxoxoxo

My Reply:

S to show details 11/24/08

https://www.theski-shop.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=395&category_id=47&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1

£90 so will order and split cost among those who have contributed.

Dave - the spider only as 7 legs so I can't accept him as payment. Please offer other legal tender.

N - I will invoice your Dad!

S

Mr Thorne's Reply:

David Thorne to me
show details 11/25/08

You're so hard to please, Suzie. :)

I've reattached the spider with eight legs. Can't believe I stuffed it up.

- Dave.

Observations from the namesake and others:

Hmmm there appears to be an usurper in our midst with an additional "e".

I wonder if this is the same guy who made enquiries about a Chevy truck a few months ago that caused a series of ever more desperate emails from a dealership thinking they were about to make their first sale of the month in a credit crunch...
-

Reply N G

show details 11/25/08

Sod the Chevy truck, what he really wants is a villa in St Lucia! And boy have I got a deal for him ;-) Not many 7 legged spiders, though, cockroaches and geckos are more the thing out here!

Reply Reply to all Forward


Reply D T
show details 11/25/08

Hang on, this guy is an internet phenomena:

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=4031496
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=667093

My final observations although we concluded that it was the real Mr Thorne.
S S
show details 11/26/08

Are you sure he's not just impersonating an internet phenomenon? Al
posted that spide story on facebook. He probably kidnapped the spider
for his own financial gain. Mr Thorne that is not al.

Just goes to show that getting the correct email address is a thorny problem.

Post race musing

This year's splits:

10k Run1 00:57:58 - ave 5.8 min per km
20kBike 01:00:26 - ave 3 min per km
5k Run2 00:32:49 - ave 6.6 min per km

Total 02:35:32.

Last year's splits:

9k Run1 00:49:07 - ave 5.4 min per km
20k Bike 01:20:08 - ave 4 min per km
5k Run2 00:31:37 - ave 6.3 min per km

Total 02:45:20.

Thoughts on the above:

ten minutes faster than last year with an extra km on the first run
in both years I have power walked round the second run. Improving my speed here would be an easy win in terms of getting my time under 2 and a half hours
slower pace in the first run this year. I suspect this is partially down to the extra km, I took a slower pace
VERY pleased to see I've shaved a whole minute off my ave time per km on the bike ride.

So, did I learn from last year's experiences, which can be found here: http://suzesblither.blogspot.com/2009/09/duathlon-success.html ?

Looking back on last year's post race analysis, yes I did, particularly on the cycle stretch.. I was less of a big girls blouse on the downhill stretch and I had treated myself to a new bike which also helped.

What have I learned from this year?

I think the slower run partially reflects that I didn't maintain my running training in the last two weeks before the race. This is partly because I had swapped my run for spinning classes and partly inertia.
I need some longer or at least more intense training runs and a 10K at the start of the summer as a pace setter. I had completed a 10k in April at a time of about an hour (check)
Start my cycling training sooner. I did more than last year but it was all in the last month
Invest in cycle shoes or at least some of those toe straps

A link to the photographer's website to follow....

Two in one day

I'm not using this as a loophole, i don't get to build up post-credit simply by posting an addendum. Text arrived this morning:

"Well done for completing the London Duathlon. Run1 00:57:58, Bike 01:00:26, Run2 00:32:49, Total 02:35:32. Congratulations"

I am however going to save my post race analysis for another day....

Remember me?

Annual posts about duathlons? Well, it's that time of year again so here goes...

Actually, I haven't got my results yet so the duathlon post will come later.

A few of my friends are engaging in the following project: 365 days - capturing life Once their albums are more established, I'll see if they're happy to share their albums on my blog, I suspect that it's good netiquette to ask...

I thought about setting up my own 365 album, but decided that it would be opportune to engage in my own project 365: a post a day. Starting with today. I've always found the blog a curious creature and I'm often surprised by how much people share on their blogs. I suppose some people are more open than others. So that's my first challenge in a post a day: given I am not inclined to reveal the innee workings of my life, neither personal nor professional, how do I make this engaging?

I'm tempted to answer, "I don't". The challenge here is for me to post once a day, i'm not overly interested in the feedback or comments I get. I may add a blog ticker again as it's always interesting to see where my hits are from. One thing I am going to do is true and refresh the design.

I'll be back tomorrow with my duathlon times.

What's new?

Tapping away on my new toy - that's new. iPad arrived on Friday and so far so good. In the last forty eight hours I have used it for:

Reading the paper (guardian.co.uk and independent.co.uk)

Reading the following books: Winnie the Pooh, Treasure Island and Alice in Wonderland. The latter via the "app" - which effectively renders the classic as an e-pop-up. Boo and I had great fun reading the first couple of chapters and engaging the original illustrations (I wonder what the original illustrator and Lewis Carroll would make of it)

Facebooking and emailing (of course)

Perusing Marvel Comics

Playing Harbourmaster and Trivial Pursuit

Watching Alan Partridge Christmas Special.

All that in a neatly little slimline and portable device. Of course being able to do all those things and the novelty factor threatens my concentration span as I start up one app and then decide to move onto another.

I have yet to use tithes for work related matters but i have some slides to work on for a couple of presentations so I will see how they go. Now, off to the app store to see what I can find. Perhaps via Facebook....

Photos

interesting statistic: the first elite runner over the finish line made it round the entire course in 50 minutes. I had completed the first run and was collecting my bike by 50mins!

Duathlon success

Well done Suzanne for completing the Chelsea & Westminster Health Charity London Duathlon

9k Run1 00:49:07,
20k Bike 01:20:08,
5k Run2 00:31:37,
Total 02:45:20.

On the whole pleased with this result. Training plan comprised running to the office two to three times a week. This is around ten miles a week. No training schedule and somehow moving house and never quite working out an ideal bike training plan meant that I was dependent on the conclusion that if I could cycle over the downs for a day with two ish stone of toddler I could complete 20k of cycling.

Lessons learned for next time:

do more cycle training
service bike properly. Liberally spraying the chain with muc off lube does not equate to a bike service. At least I didn't get a blow out in the rear tyre. At least I assume that's why I heard an almighty pop and some guy swearing
don't be afraid of the downhill stretch. It's your friend not your enemy
do more cycle training

Secrets of my success this time round:

carb load: pasta n veggy mince the night before, porridge for breakfast, 1-2 bananas pre race
energy drink for the cycle ride
use different running techniques for the climbs n descents
power walk part of the last run
know that there's people waiting at the finish to cheer me over the line!
Yoga as part of pre race warm up. Stretches muscles, focusses mind and steadies breathing
smile for the cameras

So any suggestions for my next race gratefully received...

Ways to communicate

There are so many ways to communicate with the world at large. But who has any more to say? Empty vessels sound the loudest...

Five months for the first post

and five days until the next? Not quite. Interesting reading back on last year's highlights. Easy option for another post is to list this years' pluses and minuses:

Minuses:

spending a month at risk of redundancy while firm went through collective consultation process.
Missing out on dream house that we'd been eyeing up for the past six months

Plusses

No longer being at risk of redundancy and still employed
Mr S going back to work having had a lovely time off with the girls
Selling our house and finding THE house of our dreams

Fingers crossed on last one anyway!

New phone

So now I have a new phone and can browse and post on the move, will this increase my post rate? We will see. I'm not one for broadcasting every last detail about my life to the world at large. How do you reconcile a right to privacy with the right/ ability/ need to publicise every waking move with the world at large?

First post of 2009?

So how long will that take me?

One Last Post

So Highlights of the second half of 2008:

• Returning to work after a year on maternity leave
• Ipple turning one, growing teeth (5 so far) and walking
• Guitar Hero World Tour on the Wii
• A certain other half taking voluntary redundancy
• Trip to Disneyland and San Diego

No Icecream please

Today was the Ben and Jerry's icecream fest. On a hot and humid day at Clapham Common, an unlimited supply of icecream was just what we needed.

Babies asleep when we arrived so we queued up for the coffee flavour, mint flavour and cheesecakey flavour. Figured that while they were asleep we may as well queue up for another flavour while we ate 3 scoops between the 2 of us. Three cones of Cherry Garcia later and we were on our way to meet our friends.

After some expert steering of the Phil and Ted's we'd arrived at their spot by the tree, marked our territory with a picnic blanket and sat down to finish our icecream before it finished us. Daddy and IB went off for a wonder (and a sneaky icecream) while Mummy and PL enjoyed some frozen yoghurt (chocolate flavour). PL particularly enjoyed the bottom of the cone containing slightly melted icecream. Not only was it tasty, it made a good mess when shaken.

After giving the babies something other than icecream to eat, it was time to wander again. Various sights taken in included the merchandise stall, childrens' play area and more ice cream - phish food. Clearly we had to have a go at the magnetic fishing as well!

Oh and there was music there too! We left during the Charlatans as the idea of battling to Clapham Junction with the world and his wife really didn't appeal.

Now, what's for dinner?

Guess who's going to do the holiday packing

Having mastered the art of t-shirt folding in 2 seconds, A has voluteered to do the packing...

Geometry with a Pizza

When marking out the snowflakes, we needed a way of measuring the angles.

While A was folding a sheet of paper into elaborate folds, I noticed the slice of Pizza play-food. Hmmm, I thought, everyone knows a circular pizza slices perfectly into sixths. 360 divided by 6 - 60 degrees. Aha! Just what we need to measure out 60 degree snowflake arms.

The paper protractor did come in handy for the other measurements...

Culmination of two weeks' parental leave

So today is officially the last day of A's parental leave. It's been a nice leisurely two weeks - rather like a 14 day weekend.

We managed a second trip to Legoland. Probably more successful than the first as we arrived shortly after opening times and managed to persuade IB to go on more rides. Taking a picnic probably helped as it meant we didn't spend an hour queueing for and then eating lunch. Highlights for IB included the tub of fluff she had after lunch (aka candyfloss). The remains are in the porch - half a tub is quite enough for such tiny teeth. Other highlights included driving the cars again, driving the boats again - overtaking everyone and the duplo waterplay area. We went prepared with a swimming cossie for IB. She joined in with all the other small people sitting on the fountains and leaping up when they went off!

Today has seen a rare moment of domesticity for us. Painting. We've been talking for over a year about buying magnetic paint and painting the girls' walls. The aim being to create an interesting feature on the walls that we then use to display drawings and scrawlings.

Having ummed and aahed about designs, A suggested snowflakes. We found some designs online for inspiration and went up to IB's room to plan out the design. Having used IB as a height guide, we settled on one large snowflake and three smaller ones. The magnetic paint dries to a dark grey colour so the next decision was what colour to paint over the magnetic paint. We settled on a colour and headed out to B&Q to purchase said colour. Lunch and two B&Q trips later (first store didn't stock, but second did) we returned to start painting.

Keeping up the blog

So last post was a little while ago - three weeks or so. Since then we have been making the most of the wanderer's return with a daytrip to Brighton and the Sealife Centre.

Two week's paternity leave has seen a mix of the usual activities plus a daytrip to Legoland and today - IB's show - after what seems like weeks of extra rehearsals, the performances are finally here. I'm making the most of peace and quiet while she wiggles her pompoms and generally looks cute (she's the youngest in her number, although some of the learner fairies in the teddy bears' picnic ballet are even younger).

I will try and post a more thorough update after the show... Honest.... I'll try....