Mum and Dad are staying with Annie and family for the week. (They have come up to go to the World of Wearable Arts show this evening.)

Yesterday we took a drive to Palmerston North to see Grandma. That's dad's mum. She's 98 and living in a old folks home now.

Our visit was a surprise to her, and she was very pleased to see us. Big smiles. We chatted for a while, but it turns out that she is deafer than I had thought. I thought I was talking loudly and slowly telling her all about Katie being in Austria, but I wasn't sitting right next to her, so I think she missed most of it. Later she asked me about Katie - what's she doing now, is she at university, etc. So I sat right next to Grandma and told the story again. (I think I will write her a letter.)
The light was strong coming in the window, so Annie and my faces are in shade unfortunately. I was pleased I had the camera and remembered to get it out. I whipped off the first photo of Grandma (with mum) very quickly, as she gets tired of having her photo taken quite quickly and turns her face away. But something happened to make her laugh while we were setting up the 2nd groups, which meant she was a bit more animated for the photos.

Anzac Biscuits

Here is the recipe for Anzac Biscuits, out of the Edmond's Cook Book.

125g flour
150g sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup rolled oats
100g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon biarb soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Melt butter and golden syrup. Dissolve bicarb soda in the boiling water and add to butter and golden syrup. Make a well in the centre of flour, stir in the liquid. Place in spoonfuls on greased trays. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 180 C (350 F).

And here is Elanor with her biscuits made today.

Sophie does Workshop as a subject at school. This is because she likes making things. She would have also done Soft Materials ('clothing' in another era), but they make really lame items in the 3rd form apparently.

So this year S has had units on wood (she made a tiny bookshelf - a divided box really) and metalwork (a cast frog). Her latest unit was on plastics.

Sophie finished her clock and was able to bring it home the day after Katie left for Austria. She was a bit disappointed that she couldn't show Katie - so, here it is!

Katie's rose

Matt gave Katie a really lovely single rose a couple of days before she went away. We have been enjoying looking at it. I thought I would post a photo so Kate could look at it again too. It's lasting really well.

Chocolate Chip Biscuit recipe

I found this recipe typed out while cleaning Katie's room after she left. Don't know where it has come from, but I thought I would copy it here in case she wanted it.

Chocolate Chip Biscuits

125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
200g chocolate

Method:
Preheat over to 180. Grease trays. Beat butter and sugar to cream, (electric mixer if you have one). Add vanilla; beat in egg. Beat in flour and salt slowly. Mix in chocolate bits with wooden spoon. Roll dessert spoonfuls of mixture into balls, place on tray. Allow for spreading. Bake for about 12-15 mins or until golden.

If you have plain flour, remember to add some baking powder as well so they'll rise!