Ellen

This is Ellen as we wish to remember her. When they stayed with us, we had some great laughs around the dinner table...plenty of food and wine, and great relaxation.
We shall miss her greatly, and so will Andrew I am sure.

Ellen....R.I.P.

Ellen,Andrew,Peggy Jim and Andrew's daughter-in-law

In the small hours of Friday morning, shortly after midnight, Ellen lost her overwhelming battle with cancer.  Andrew was at her bedside, having moved into the hospice a few days before to be with her, and he stayed for an hour with her afterwards.

His son and daughter-in-law had arrived from Australia a couple of days before this, and so were able to visit Ellen. As Andrew said, she has gone to be with her beloved Dad, with whom she always associated  a bright start in the night sky.            Peggy said that you shouldn't have to outlive your children, and she has done that with two of hers.......Now only Jim is left.                                   Andrew was assiduous in carrying out Ellen's last wishes, caring for her, and making sure any visitors didn't overtire her, or go at the wrong time.                              Ellen was the most caring, kind person you could wish to meet, always thinking of others before herself. She it was who asked how I was coping, after Jim's hip operation.    I have compiled a few photos of her and family members that we received over the years. She will long be remembered, and missed.        Hopefully, Andrew will be strong, and as he was working up to a short while before, maybe he will go back, and find strength in that. Time will tell, and all we can do is offer all the moral support we can, and be there for him if needed.                                                                                                          

New Fridge

So here it is....This is where all the money went.  It is about as big as we could get, and still fit under the cupboards, although we had to take all the flooring back to the original tiles, and there was just room.
I wasn't sure about the freezer space, after our huge old one, but it's amazing what you can fit in, with a bit of sorting out.
  Hopefully it will be a bit more economical than the last ones.       Boy, did the delivery man grumble.....about everything.....The access to the house, .... the narrow driveway .....the fact that he didn't have anyone to help......apart from us, of course!.......In the end, we both said that if it was all too difficult, he could take it back, and we would get a refund, and go somewhere else!!    This smartened his ideas up a bit, and finally he knuckled down and WE ALL got the job done.     So hopefully it is plain sailing for a little while at least!   He also took the old ones away, which was a bonus!!                                                    

Fridge

AAArrrggghhh!  Went to the fridge this morning and everything was warm!!  Butter melting, light on, but nothing working.

  Had to hurriedly get Jim's scungy old bar fridge in from the shed, and give it a good scrub. Just about managed to get all the important things in. Luckily I found out when I did, as I had planned to go shopping, and then we would definitely NOT have had room for everything!!  If I hadn't decided to bake a slice before shopping, I wouldn't have noticed.

So....off to the Good Guys, who just happened to have a mammoth sale on...unbeknown to us... so ended up buying a new fridge-freezer, as although the freezer is OK at the moment, it is very old, and who knows how much longer it will last?  Really could have done without this at the moment.

So, delivery tomorrow....managed to get a good deal from them!!

Kitty

Kitty doing what Kittens do!

This is the 6 week old kitten that Tiff has re-homed. We had him/her  for the night, and as you can imagine, it was in to everything.

Time Away

We had our first trip away since Jim had his new hip. We went to Echuca (of course), and the next morning there was a tremendous storm. Although it was humid and warm, there was a most peculiar cloud, that came across really fast, and such a strange colour, it looked as if it was filled with dust. Just had to take some pictures, as it was past in just a few minutes.  Still, a lovely break.

Tarted up pictures

So here we are....Thanks to Richard managing to enlarge the pictures so they are more than just a postage stamp size.  Dilys, me and Godfrey in the halcyon days in Pevensey Bay

The Good Old Days?

So how's this for a blast from the past?
Dilys sent me this the other day, it was found amongst her Dad's things I believe, and shows me in the middle, somewhat nattily attired in voluminous shorts, with Dilys on one side, and her brother Godfrey on the other.
We are standing outside their house, which was attached to a small sweet shop they used to own....what a magnet for youngsters...a shop full of sweets!!
This was, of course, in Pevensey Bay, and probably Summer, as we only had lightweight woollies on!! Except, of course, for Godfrey, who obviously didn't feel the cold as much.
As was usual then, pictures turned out very small when developed.

Wisteria

Jim has been busy with the camera, and as he looks out of his shed window, this is what he sees. The wisteria is beautiful this year, so he took a couple of pictures before it all fades, or gets smashed down by rain or wind.  It is gradually bringing down the arch-way, as the main stem is incredibly large and tough.....still....it will probably act as a prop for a few more years!!

Fruit Cake

So, I thought I would round off this cooking section with one of my all time reliable recipes...a great standby for snacks and in lunch boxes.

8oz Sugar (1 cup approx.)
1 cup Water
1 lb mixed fruit (small pkt)
1 tspn Nutmeg
1 tspn Bi-carb
4 ozs Butter
4 ozs S R Flour
4 ozs Plain Flour
2 Eggs lightly beaten

Heat all ingredients in saucepan except the eggs and flour. Bring to the boil, then leave to cool down. If I am in a hurry, I stand the saucepan in a sink of cold water to speed up the process.
Add the beaten eggs, then the flour.
Bake at approx. 190C for 90 mins...check before the end, as ovens vary. I find in mine it is better not to use the fan force method.

Trifle

Place thick slices of Swiss roll on the bottom of a bowl.
Pour over canned fruit of choice (or 2 cans if a large bowl).
Make up a jelly as per pkt instructions, and pour over fruit.
Place in fridge to set.
Make up 1 pint of custard, and pour over set jelly and fruit.
Top with whipped cream.

Lemon Cheesecake

Who wouldn't love this scrumptious cheesecake?

1 x 250g pkt Nice Biscuits
Melted butter
2 x 250g pkts Cream cheese
1/3 Cup lemon juice
1 cup whipped cream
1 cup condensed milk
2 Tspns vinegar
Extra whipped cream to top.

Crush biscuits finely and mix with melted butter.
Line 20cm cake tin, and place in fridge to set.
In large mixing bowl, sieve cream cheese, add condensed milk, lemon juice and vinegar, and beat til creamy.
Fold in whipped cream.
Pour into crumb crust and refrigerate overnight.
Top with extra whipped cream (optional) and sprinkle with Nutmeg.

6 Egg Pavlova

This was an earlier post, but I am re-doing it as the printing was illegible (done in a particularly lurid shade of purple)! So here's what you do:-
Into a large mixing bowl put:-

6 large egg whites
3 teaspoons vinegar
3 teaspoons vanilla
Pinch of salt
3 cups caster sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
4 tablespoons boiling water (add this last)

Beat on full speed until very stiff.
Spread on pavlova plate or baking sheet, and cook for 15mins on 160C, then approximately 1 hour on 150C.
Cool in oven with door ajar.
Top with whipped cream and fruit of choice.

And now...For something completely different!

Here is the lad himself......New-Hip Jim!! Only here he was a mere callow youth, and heavily into sport, as seen by his wealth of trophies. These were all for bike racing, which was a sport shared by several members of the Torrance family. How fit was he then? Still, it probably stood him in good stead for the following years, and was a good interest in the days when none of us had very much in the way of luxuries.
I don't know what all the cups are for, but he did well to accumulate all that silver!!

More of the Family

This was taken when we were camping down in the West Country. In the front row (L. to R) Ju and Chris.
Middle row is Auntie Ena (mum's sister), Grandma, Mum and cousin Neil. At the back, nobly acting as vanguard, are Dad, Uncle Bill and Dave.
Neil and Dave are Ena and Bill's 2 sons. You may notice that I am conspicuous by my absence, and that was because I took the photo, on my little Brownie!! In the tent behind, Mum, Dad and Ju slept, and Chris and I had a little 2 man tent. What carefree holidays they were...not that we did anything extravagant, or expensive, but we met some lovely people as we travelled around Somerset, Devon and Cornwall for the 6 week Summer holiday....happy days!

Gran and Grandad

Having unearthed a few old photos to show you, I thought I would also include this one of Gran and Grandad....(our Dad's parents). This was a somewhat tatty photo which I took out of an old photo album. I had to crop it a bit, as it had marks of old sticky tape at the edges, and was a bit on the wonky side, but I have done my limited best.
Both of them lived to a ripe old age....gran was in her 90s when she died, and they had a beautiful house in Park Avenue (No, not London, but Hampden Park), for many years.

When they sold, they bought a ground floor flat overlooking the sea at Eastbourne, and finally, after grandad died, Gran moved into a residential home, also in Eastbourne.

3 Generations

Here is a picture from days gone by. I am on the right, then Mum, then her Mum, so three generations together. Everyone says there is a family resemblance...probably right...but hard to remember the person I was then (circa late 50s)!! This may have been taken on Eastbourne sea front...a nice place to walk. It seems like another world....certainly another century!! But not all bad, and life was a lot simpler and undemanding then. We were happy with so much less than would satisfy us now. Maybe there are lessons to be learnt!!

A Blast from the Past

Found this photo when searching for something entirely different. Taken in Pevensey Bay, that's me Front row Left, and Dilys far right. As you can see, we were raising funds for the local church. Seems 100 years ago now! I almost recognise the other 2 men, but can't recall their names.

Ellen and Andrew

With the dreadful news that Ellen has cancer, I just had to show you a picture from happier days. We were told yesterday that she has inoperable pancreatic cancer, which has spread to her liver. She is down to 6 stone in weight, and will undergo chemotherapy, I think as a way of prolonging her life for a while. What a tragedy. You could not meet a kinder or more lovely person. So we wish her and Andrew all the strength to cope with the coming months, and our thoughts are with them both every day. If love could cure, she'd be better tomorrow.

Dilys and Family

It was remiss of me not to show you all this picture I received a while ago. My friend Dilys is in the centre row, second from the R.H. end. Her husband Richard is standing at the back, the shorter of the 2 with beards. I think to her right is her sister Penny, and next to her, their Dad, who is 97.
Her daughter Claire and family live in N.Z. and her son Christopher is standing at the back 2nd from R.H. end (I think). The taller man with the beard I think is her brother Godfrey. Not absolutely sure, but haven't seen him since my teenage years, so chances are he'll have changed a bit!!!

Himself....Again

Today we had to make an unforeseen dash to the doctor. So didn't get to the hospital for his appointment, and couldn't get through on the phone to let them know....typical.
Anyhow, all the staples were taken out, and the wound looks fine. he'll be dancing before long....only really needs 1 crutch for peace of mind, not support!!

A bit of a Glitch

This is Jim on Tues. evening..Being smart as usual. Today, however, a different story. After sitting in his chair for a while, he got up to move around a bit, and fainted again....twice.
I had to call the Ambulance again, but by the time they arrived, he was feeling a bit better, and all vital signs were back to normal again.
He elected not to go to Emergency, but if it happens again, he will definitely have to, and have more blood tests. I can't catch him if he falls, he is too heavy, and he could do damage to the wound. So we shall see!!

The Lad himself...New hip and all

Here he is....24 hours after the op. His first 'go' out of bed...he was hoisted up with a large contraption and plonked in a chair.
Unfortunately, the pain medication is making him sick, so it is a 'catch 22' situation.
Hopefully he will watch the footy on TV tonight, and take his mind off things.

As all hospitals, the parking is horrendous...I had a real hike from the car to the hospital, then had to remember where it was afterwards!!'Tomorrow can only be better.

The new Bike

Here is 'The Boy' on the latest toy. I thought I would take a quick snap before it gets all dirty and beaten up.

Mulwala / Yarrawonga

We had a few days away before Jim goes to get 'rearranged' next week. This motel that we usually stay at is just over the causeway in Mulwala. It is an older style place, with good sized rooms, and excellent shower, and always spotlessly clean. We have come to know the owners fairly well now, and they are always very friendly. They have made a lot of recent improvements, for example....re-done the kitchen area, installed Austar and WiFi, and new shower area.
It is also very close to the water and the clubs, and a good shopping centre in Yarrawonga.
If Jim were able to walk, we could get to all these places on foot, but in the future....who knows?

The Day draws nearer

Just to let everyone know, that next Tuesday 23 Aug. Jim gets his pre-admission test at the hospital.

Then, on Sept 8th.....The big op. Then, 6 weeks on crutches, and 6 weeks of not driving.......How will we stand it? I can't believe it is finally so close. I have to say, that things have got so much worse recently, that it is just as well they brought the op. forward....in the nick of time!!

Kiwi Court

Who remembers Kiwi Court? Yes, this is what it looks like now. The house itself is no different, just the garden. We took a drive down that area today, to see how things have changed. It was a beautiful sunny day, but I had forgotten how windy it is near the sea!

We had a look round all the old places....A thoroughly enjoyable time.

The Time is getting closer!

We have just heard!! Jim is to go and see the surgeon on Monday week, August 8th, for a final assessment before the operation. It is at the Maroondah Hospital, so not too bad.
After this, apparently there is only a short wait before he goes in to get his new hip.

Now the fun starts! And the nerves have kicked in already, with visions of terrible mistakes and things going wrong. (Him, not me). Still, nothing could be worse than the pain he is in right now.

Will keep you posted.

Choc. Rum Balls (without Rum)!

This sounds a bit silly, but they are delicious, and I didn't have any Rum.This is what you need:

1 Pkt Marie or Arrowroot biscuits
1 can Condensed milk
4 Tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 Cup coconut

Add the cocoa to the finely crushed biscuits. Add coconut and mix well. Stir in condensed milk.
Roll into small balls (about a teaspoon full) and coat with coconut.

And that's it!! If you want the alcoholic version,add 3 Tablespoons of Malibu Coconut Rum ...and then you could leave out the coconut if you want.

Then....try and stop eating them!! Just my kind of recipe....the easy kind!!

Has it come to this?

Yes folks.....I can hardly believe it myself! I have a gnome in the garden! It was kindly bought for me by Angus....as a joke I am sure... but he is sitting quite nicely by the pond, as added fish protection. (The gnome, not Angus).
Never fear...the garden will NOT be over-run with little green men lurking here and there, with evil looks on their faces, but just one, strategically placed, will do no harm at all. I hope to think of a suitable name later on.....suggestions welcome!

More Munchies

It's Friday, and the cupboard is bare, so got up early and did a bit of baking to tide everyone over for a couple of days.
These are Choc. chip muffins, and Anzac slice. The slice is soooooo easy... everything into a bowl, stir, and pat down in a slice tin. My kind of recipe.

Hopefully this will stave off the pangs, until I shop next!
The recipe for the muffins is further down the blog.

Anzac Slice.
1 cup Self-raising flour
1 cup Coconut
1 cup Rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup crushed nuts
125g melted butter
1 tablespoon Golden syrup
1 egg lightly beaten.

Put everything in a large bowl, mix well, and spread in a slice tin. Bake in preheated 180C oven til golden. No time given, but around 15-20 mins approx. Let it cool a bit before cutting into squares.

Another Blog 'glitch'

Am having trouble with my blog.....again! This time, my followers have suddenly become invisible!!

Went to the help page, and found loads of other similar problems!!

Sounds as if Blogger needs to get their act together.

However. I hope Jules and Summie are still there, albeit invisible for the moment.

Bathroom ALMOST there....At last!

We had the tiler come yesterday to do the floor tiles...at last. We seem to have been living in mess for ever!!
Now all that is left to do is put tiles on the splash back. We are using the same tiles (we have a few left over) but cut in half, as they are rather large.

All in all, a very lengthy project, and one we shan't be repeating any time soon!!

Now to relax for a while!!

Easy Peasy Chocolate Slice

1 cup coconut
1 cup S R Flour
2 dessertspoons cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
4 ozs melted butter

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl, and add melted butter. It may seem a little dry, but don't worry...it always turns out OK. Put into a lamington tray, and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
Bake 190C for 20-25 mins.

While still warm, ice it with choc. icing.

Sit dish over pan of simmering water. melt in 1 tspn butter. Then add 1 cup Icing sugar, 1 tspn cocoa, and 1 tblspn hot water. When mixed to a creamy consistency, pour over slice. Cut into squares, and try and stop eating it all at once!!

The bathroom....STILL!

We now have our new shower fully installed....great! But we are having all sorts of difficulties in picking the right paint, and trying to find tiles for the splash back. I think both Jim and I have a huge blind spot when it comes to colour co-ordination!
Hopefully it will all work out in the end! Before we both go completely Bonkers!

Choc Chip Muffins

These muffins are rich and delicious, and easy to make as well. I find this recipe makes 15 , using muffin cases.

Ingredients.

3 cups self raising flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1.5 cups brown sugar
200g choc chips (I buy a bag of 230g and use them all)
1.5 cups milk
120g melted butter
2 eggs, beaten

Put flour and cocoa in large bowl. Add sugar and choc chips and combine well.
Add milk, butter and eggs and stir til just combined.
Spoon into muffin cases 3/4 full.
Bake 180C for 20-25 mins.

You may like to add some coconut, or walnuts, or use white choc chips. It's all yummy!

Honey Baked Chicken

This is one of those ridiculously easy dishes to do, and incredibly tasty as well....just what I like!

1 Pkt dry French Onion Soup
3 Heaped tablespoons Honey
Chicken Pieces (I jointed a whole chicken)
3/4 Cup Water (or more if needed)
Plain flour

Toss chicken pieces in flour, and put in casserole dish in a single layer.
Mix soup mix, honey and water together (use warm water to melt the honey), and pour over chicken
Cover and bake 180C for 2 hours, cooking uncovered for the last 30 mins. Time depends on oven.

And that's all there is to it!...Just eat! Even you could do it Ju! Any leftovers are great cold the next day!

Shhh! Man at work!

This is 'Himself' grouting the shower tiles. Don't you love to watch workmen?   Just another step in the bathroom renovation....It is all starting to drag a little now, as we wait for things to be done....Still....Mustn't grumble! (that's for you Ju).

Crock Pot Roast Beef

Olive Oil
1 Piece Beef(I used Topside)
Salt and Pepper
1 Onion, chopped
2 Sticks Celery, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons beef stock (powder)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 tblespns Worcester sauce
2 tblspns tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup water
Gravy Powder.

Rub meat with oil, salt and pepper and brown in a frypan.
Place onion,celery and garlic in crock pot (slow cooker), and place in browned meat.
Mix remaining ingredients together, except gravy powder, and pour over roast. Cook til done, (a few hours). Strain liquid, and thicken with gravy .

This is soooo tasty, and the meat is so tender too, also great cold, in sandwiches. Did it for the first time the other day, and just had to share it, as I haven't posted a recipe for a while.

New Bathroom

This is....hopefully, our renovated bathroom. It has been a long time coming, and we shall probably be living in mess for a while to come, not to mention tripping over all the tools lying about.
 But so far so good, and we shall now be glad when it's finished.  Choosing colours is not our strong point, so in the interests of  safety, we have gone for a neutral tone...tiles and paint.   We shall see!

Nagambie

We had a quick trip away, and realised that all the times we had been through this place, we had never actually stopped to have a look round. The water was beautiful, as was the day, although not particularly warm.

 Still, a nice break from the long drive.
No, Jim is NOT throwing up over the posts!  Just checking what is down there in the water!

What a Whopper

I was doing a quick check round the garden to see what needed attention, and saw this huge hydrangea. I have never had one as big as this before... it must have been the Summer weather...or lack of it...that boosted the size of the flowers!

Mouse

My mouse gave up the ghost a little while ago, and so I had to get a new one. Angus researched them for me, and this is what we came up with.  I am very happy with it, and I hope it lasts as long as the old one.

Apple Muffins

Haven't posted a recipe for a while, so here goes.

2 .5 cups Self Raising flour                    2 teaspoons mixed spice

1 cup brown sugar                               1 tin pie apple

1/2 cup milk (may need more)          2 eggs lightly beaten

80g melted butter

Place flour, mixed spice and sugar in a large bowl and mix well.

Add apple,milk,eggs and butter and stir until just combined.

Put in muffin cases (makes 12) and bake for 20-25mins.

190c fan-forced, or 200c.

This is a muffin topping which you can use on any variety.

1/4 cup plain flour                              1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon                         30g butter

Place flour sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, and rub in the butter (this should not be soft). Sprinkle evenly over the muffins before baking.

Very yummy with the apple filling!

Mum

This is a picture of mum when young....I didn't know it existed until a few years ago, and I think it is a cracker. Pictures in those days (1920s approx.) were a real work of art.

Collages-R-Us!!

Ok....So I have stuffed up numerous times trying to get this right!! I was almost there, when I hit the wrong button and deleted the lot!! This may look like a piece of cake....to you.....but to me, it has caused much angst! Still, here we are... a smaller version, as the whole family is too much to do through Picasa... the pictures all come out much too small. I am still practising!! Probably will be until I am too old to use a keyboard!! Just so as you know...Top line...Jim, Fraser, Val,... Bottom line...Tiffany, Angus, Summie.

Old Age

Well, it's my turn now! I went to Box Hill hospital the other day to be assessed. I have had sciatica for a while now, and although the pain has eased a bit, it will never recover.
So, I have a bulging disc, pressing on nerves, which causes the pain, and now I have to go back in a month, to be re-assessed.

Depending on the results, it may be a waiting game, or maybe a spinal operation!

Not too keen on that I must admit. So we will keep our fingers crossed that I can get away with pain-killers for a while yet.

The Hume Weir

We went away again this week as the last trip was cut short owing to the absolutely steaming hot weather!
This time we went to Albury and drove up to the Hume Weir. Last time we saw it, it was about 100 feet down from the bridge, and almost showing the bottom, but this time, they were letting out the water in a huge gush, as it is so full. Needless to say, after taking these pictures, my camera batteries went flat, so couldn't get the best shots!! Typical!

Still, it was interesting, and we are so glad to see everything green again.

This time the weather was a lot cooler, and we could get outside more.

That is it for a good while now, so it's head down, and get on with a bit of gardening etc!!

My Hero

Well...As you know, Jim has had a dodgy hip for years. Finally, we went to the Maroondah Hospital to get assessed. As we thought...he needs a new one...no surprises there.

After the requisite poking, prodding and stretching, he came away with exercises to try and keep things moving for the moment. Now we wait to hear from the surgeon, which apparently takes a fair amount of time, and when he has seen Jim, then the operation should follow fairly quickly afterwards.

Now the nerves are starting to set in I think...but as the physio bloke said....anything would be an improvement to what he has been going through recently. So it is a waiting game again...isn't it always with hospitals?

Will keep you all posted, and if you hear my screams, you will know he has had it done, and is being the usual bad patient!!