One of those days

It is going to be one of those days, I just know it. How do I know it? Well for starters I have just spilt Herman all over the kitchen work top. Remember Herman? He was due to go to a nice hot place tomorrow but as it has been so cold and grotty I thought I would let him go early. For those of you who haven't read previous blogs and have no idea what the feck' I am on about.......Herman is a Friendship Cake.

I decided that it wouldn't hurt to bake him a day early then Simon can take it to school tomorrow. He has sat happily for the last 9 days on top of my microwave covered with a tea towel. This morning I decided to have cereal instead of my normal scrambled egg. I reached up to open the cupboard, didn't realise that the door would knock into Herman.....Bang..... Herman is trying to escape, he is running real fast in a sticky mess across the work top and I just caught him before he began his descent towards the floor.

I blame Simon. You see I am no longer getting my breakfast in bed due to him having to be up earlier to do the journey into work. I get a cup of coffee but no feckin' breakfast. After 32 years of breakfast in bed every single day it now only happens at weekends. So, I have to get it myself. I have continued to do scrambled egg but for some stupid reason I decided differently this morning. So tis all Simon’s fault.

Anyway, as it wasn't poor Herman's fault and he is desperate for his holiday somewhere nice and hot I decided that I couldn't deny him. So, I scrapped him up off the work top and back into the bowl. He looks smaller! Probably due to the amount of him now in the dishcloth. Took ages to clear the feckin' mess. I will take photos of his progress later.

I have put another coat of paint on the door. So both sides have now had 2 coats. I am hoping to get it finished today so that Simon can rehang it tonight. I have Denise and Coralie coming over tomorrow. Both boys are at play group so Coralie is free 9-3. I don't think we will do any sewing just have a good catch up and the try to plan how we are going to work fitting in sewing sessions now I am so far away. I shall give them both a cup of friendship cake mix to take away. Shhh....no need to tell them it has been all over the work top. At least it wasn't the floor!

I have the 2 fencing guys here again this morning to finish that last bit up to the house. They are really hard workers. Actually I ought to go out and see if they want more drinks.

Simon has decided that to cut down on costs we will not have a skip to take away the rubbish. No, he is going to do it himself. It will save £165. Now I am all for saving money especially as our savings are rapidly diminishing but I know how annoyed and cross it will make him doing this. It is a big job. The trees will have to be sawn up much smaller to get them in the trailer. It will be a mucky, unpleasant job as Alfie has now peed over every square inch of them. I am guessing there will be about a dozen trailer loads and the local dump is about 6 miles away so a round trip each time of 12 miles. It will probably be an hour each time allowing for unloading at the dump and putting in the skips.

He will get cross and annoyed because he hates anything that takes valuable time. He is itching to get started on his garage extension and he knows he can't do that yet as we still have inside jobs like wardrobes that need doing. It seems to me that on this occasion it may just be better to pay the money and job done. Especially as he is not doing too great health wise right now either. His blood tests showed everything to be what they thought so they are saying that because the thyroid problem is worse it will take a while for the doubled dosage to kick in. His memory is terrible right now. Maybe I should just tell him that he said to tell them to fetch in a skip. He may not remember!

OK, I need to go make my men some drinks and a cup of coffee for myself. I shall continue this later with photos of Herman.

• Feck' and feckin' are not swear words. They are just cursing in Irish. Honest, Sue told me so it is.

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Well the fence is finished. It looks really good. I am so pleased with it. One of the guys has offered to come on Saturday morning with the chain saw to help Simon get the trees cut up ready to load on the trailer. There is a hell of a lot of rubbish out there. Not to mention it is very muddy.

I have finished painting the door. It looks good, at least it does to me. I have checked it with my glasses on and it still looks good to me. You know it is amazing what you see with glasses! Amazing what you don't see without them too. I can't see any dust anywhere! Hopefully Simon will agree that it is finished and rehang it tonight if he gets time. He is in the middle of marking exam papers right now.

I have baked Herman and he has turned out very well. Nicely browned! Here he is in the departure lounge awaiting his holiday somewhere hot.

This is him in arrivals after his holiday!!!

For anyone interested in making their own Herman here are the instructions, filched form Chris' page. See below.

OK, I'm out of here now. I have housework to do. 

Herman Sour Dough Starter for Cakes Recipes…2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup warm water
2 Tbsp or 2 packets active dry yeast

Today is day 0. Record the date/day on calendar.

Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the sugar over the warm water.

Sprinkle yeast over this and let stand in warm place to double in size. (approx. 10 min.)
Mix milk, remaining sugar, flour and yeast mixture in a large plastic or glass container, ( NO metal objects they disturb Herman's natural growth.)

Stir, using only a …wooden spoon or paddle.
Cover loosely or place plate over top of container so Herman can breathe.
Herman doubles, even triples at times of vigorous rising.
Place Herman in a warm place.

Next day is Day 1 and you now proceed following instructions below as if you'd been given a friendship cake mixture to grow. Try to stir at least once each day.

(warning  it does look yucky and smell)

The letter to give to your friends….. and for you to now follow

HERMAN THE FRIENDSHIP CAKEHerman is a friendship cake which you can't buy, but you can give him away. He grows slowly but surely because of the yeast in him. It is usually 10 days before you can eat him.
Herman doesn't have to be kept in the fridge and doesn't require a lid.  Just covering him with a tea towel is sufficient. Herman grows at room temperature.

He does smell of yeast which is not the most pleasant smell as he grows but he tastes lovely when cooked.

If you would like to spread a little friendship follow through instructions below and at end of 10 days you will have a cake to eat and four starter kits to pass on.
If you cannot wait to have your cake and eat it, go straight to day 10, but you will forego the opportunity to pass on some friendship.

Day 1: Today Herman is given to you.

Put him in a big bowl (At least 4pt / 2ltr capacity).

Cover Herman loosely so he can breathe. A tea towel or loose lid is ideal.

Days 2 & 3: Stir well.

Stir Herman 2-3 times a day with a wooden spoon (do not use metal)

Day 4: Herman is hungry. Give him the following:-
1 cup milk

1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar

Days 5, 6, 7 & 8: Stir Herman 2-3 times a day.

Day 9: Herman is hungry again. Give him the same ingredients you gave him on Day 4.

Stir well then divide him into 5 equal parts.

Give 4 baby Herman’s away with a copy of this sheet.

(or keep one back for yourself to grow and redistribute to other friends)

Keep the 5th portion to bake.

Day 10: Herman is absolutely starving. He needs a holiday. He likes to go to a hot resort. The oven is his favourite. Pre-heat oven to 170C (150C fan-assisted oven) gas mark  and grease a cake tin generously. Prepare him for his holiday using one of the following:-

. Fruit cake Recipe:
150g self-raising flour,
100g finely chopped nuts/raisins,

2 cooking apples cored & cut into chunks
200mls oil,
half teaspoon of baking powder,
2 teaspoons cinnamon,

½ teaspoon salt (optional)
3 eggs,

Bake in loaf tin or 9 x 9 cake tin. 

You can add other things if you so wish..cherrys...chocolate  ginger to name but a few...make it your own and enjoy!

Mix everything together and pour into a very well greased cake tin. Bake for 40 mins to one hour, depending on your tin. Cool in tin for 10 mins then turn out.