It's been a while (again)....

Time flies when you're having fun. Or even if you're not having fun, time still flies! That's not to stay I'm not having fun.....I'll stop there I think!

It's been ages since I have updated my blog but I have been extremely busy working and making cakes, brioche, scones etc etc for the coffee shop (if I see one more lemon drizzle cake I may scream). Haven't had much chance to sew, started my jelly roll quilt and am currently trying to catch up with Miss Moss Stitch who is sewing like a madwoman for our Wonky Bunting stall at the school's Bring & Buy school on Wednesday. Nothing like a bit of pressure, I sat yesterday making little fabric wreaths and hearts. I also have a craft day on Saturday and need to make things for that too.

Why does time fly so quickly? I need a pause button! (or I need to learn to say No!)

What a Beautiful Day (hey hey)

Nothing much to add...the pictures say it all really !

They're Here.....

I know that title comes from a film (answers on a postcard as to what film, as the name escapes me at the mo!).

(From left to right) Frankie, Jamie and Tilly arrived yesterday.

They are settling in well and even put themselves to bed last night. I kept ringing my mum up and asking her all sorts of daft questions, and when they were all "in bed" I went to shut the door and they made a little sound. I found myself apologising for shutting the door and waking up early wondering if they were OK - it's like having babies all over again! This morning, H shot out of bed at 6:15am when I whispered "Who wants to help me....." and he said "ME ME ME!"

Frankie (who "belongs" to C) was the last one out of the Eglu this morning, so she is definitely like her owner as C is always the last one up in the house. H said that Tilly is like me, in that she's bossy! Well I said, "I'm the mummy, and I'm in charge!" To which C whispered "No you're not, I'm in charge actually" and then rolled over in bed, pushed her thumb back in and closed her eyes. I left her there for another half an hour! (I pick my battles carefully!).

The coffee shop has been open for 2 weeks and all I can say is....my feet are killing me and I sleep really well every night. I've had to make so many Brioche loaves that I now know the recipe off by heart. People love the variety of cakes on offer, and this week I added to the "collection" by making Nigella's Breakfast Bars. With a slight tweak (no peanuts and 25g less Oats), they went like hot cakes, even though they aren't technically a cake!

It seems the local Bobby is partial to The List Writer's Tea Loaf and a cup of builder's tea and we have had several repeat customers who all seem to love that we remember them, how they like their tea or coffee and sometimes if they have given us a recipe or suggested a certain cake, when they come in again - we have made it! (Not sure whether that was a good thing or not!!!!) Anyway Friday's are cream tea days and today was our busiest day yet, so I was rather pleased when a friend had to postpone a play date, because I can hardly type, let alone speak. The children are out playing with the chooks, so I'm going to make myself a nice cup of Assam tea and put my feet up for a while!

Bake City

Strawberry & Polenta sponges (bottom),

Daddy, Mummy and Baby Pineapple & Raisin loaves

(recipe courtesy of Cake Makes the World go Round).

Lemon Drizzle and Cherry Bake (which H made).

Brioche in the breadmaker (recipe below)

Banana, Choc Chip and Raisin

I've been away for a while......but as you can see I have been busy.

News since I last blogged: THE BUILDERS HAVE FINISHED!!!!!! We are now in the 'decorating stage' which is so much better than the 'everything is covered in dust' stage. We have our beautiful new kitchen, showers are in, everywhere needs a good clean and our chickens arrive on 11 September!!! (thought I'd slip that in quietly!)

Our new coffee shop opened for two weeks, as part of the church's opening celebrations. We were mobbed! It seems a light and airy coffee shop with good coffee and home made cake is needed in the town. I will post pictures of that another time because I was so busy I didn't take any!! We decided on the name City Light which fits nicely with our ethos "You are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden".

For the first two weeks of the school holidays we went to Whitstable for a week (glorious weather, right on the beach) and then to Cornwall (torrential rain all week but stayed in a forest which was very relaxing). R and I came home and the children stayed in Cornwall with Nana and Grandad.

So....I've been doing a lot of baking and a little bit of sewing too (that's another blog for another time!).

The aim of the coffee shop is to have home made cakes and I will be making the majority of them so I've been making tried and tested recipes that are suitable for freezing, trying out new ones (Strawberry & Polenta cake being one of them....delicious with ice cream!) and my breadmaker has probably been used more since the new kitchen has been installed than ever before for things other than a brown loaf.

This is a really easy peasy recipe. I don't really like shop bought because I find it too sweet. - it's a really nice treat and change from croissants for breakfast or today smothered with jam after tea!

4 medium eggs at room temperature

125g/4oz butter, melted and slightly cooled

6 tbsp warm (not hot) water

450g strong white bread flour

1.1/2tsp salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

7g sachet of instant or fast-acting yeast

Melted butter for glazing

Pour eggs, butter and water into the breadmaker bucket, then add half the flour. Sprinkle with salt and sugar, cover with remaining flour and mound the yeast in the centre. Set to dough programme. When ready remove dough from bucket and quickly knead on a floured surface. Drop into a large loaf tin and brush with a little melted butter. Bake for 10 minutes at 220 deg/Gas mark 7 and then reduce temp to 190/5 for 25-30 minutes until well risen and golden.

I have frozen a few test slices to make sure it tastes just as delicious as it did fresh. This will definitely be on the menu!

Thankfully we have 2 more weeks of school holidays which means loads more baking, a bit of sewing, a bit of decorating, spending time with friends and family, enjoying long lunches with a bottle of wine (OK that's just tomorrow because it's my birthday!!)...it also means that we're 2 weeks nearer to getting our chooks which have already been named as Frankie (a more girly version of the boy's name, named after C's favourite boy (after her brother of course!!), Serena and Tilly, although C has just come into the office (new office!) to tell me she wants to call one of them Nugget......

Tag....

I have got so much to write about, but not a lot of time. So I am doing Ms Moss Stitch's Tag first.

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was working at Kellyfield Consulting, a lovely small firm of legal recruitment consultants. Worked for 2 really great guys (one of them now an MP!) Had been married for almost 2 years. We were renovating our first home together and were probably up to our eyeballs in dust (10 years on we are at it again!). Weren't really thinking about children. We were planning a long touring trip to Italy (never made it, H arrived instead!)

5 Things on my to do list today -

Put old cooker in the skip
Dry my clothes so I have something to wear tomorrow
Hoover everywhere (futile because of dust, but imperative all the same)
Get refreshments ready for tonight (London Community Gospel Choir coming to sing at our church, 250+ people coming....I am going to be so tired later)
Iron my tea towels and apron for another busy week at City Light Coffee!! (more on that later)

Snacks I enjoy -

Jaffa Cakes
Toast
Starbucks Skinny Frappucinos
Apples
Water biscuits

Things I would do if I were a billionaire -

Give to charity and my friends/family.
Set up a wonderful secondary school in the area and not let anybody in who tutors their children. Give them a fantastic education and a good set of values too. Let them be children and enjoy having lots of fun whilst learning too (subject close to my heart? Noooooo ;-)
Buy a house by the sea and a house in the forest
Get a dog, cat and lots of chickens!


Places I have lived -
Essex, Essex, Essex and erm, Essex. I haven't moved more than 10 miles away from where I grew up.

People I want to know more about-Whoever hasn't done it! I'm a bit slow doing mine so am probably the last!If you haven't done it yet then I tag you - let me know though so I can have a nose!!