Open Day the sequel

Saturday, the day before Open Day, got up at 6am to have girls up, showered and fed before they left to watch footie at 7.30am (turned out to be 8am as bus keys were not to be found). The workmate took the girls in with another staff member in attendance so I could have some down time - Tuis!! (Yeah Right, LOL)

Well, perhaps I had a smidgeon of down time as I called in to the workmates home to borrow the car to take home my crock pot and other assorted baking implements plus washing and arrived in time for toasted muffins for breakfast and a game of BUZZ (as you do). The kids were kicked off their play station game - and BUZZ was plugged in. Played the general knowledge type one (there is a music one as well) and came 2nd to the WMH with the two boys coming 3rd & 4th respectively. I was doing Ok except when it came to speed questions and rounds where points could be stolen from you. My fingers went dyslexic more than once and the whole family ganged up on me to take points off my score (small violin sound)!!!!! We then had a quick round of the music one and I think I got 3rd. More pressure with the buttons and got totally confused more than once which round I was in. I blamed the lack of sleep heh, heh. Time was slipping away, so then headed home to bake.....

I hate gas ovens!!!!! Give me good old fashioned electricity any day where the temperatures match my recipes. I started with a Margaret Moore choc/coconut slice (so named because when MM was an announcer on AKTV 2 and the radio back in the day - she read the recipe out on air while Dad was milking and somehow he copied it down - or so the legend goes). Hm, trays are not the same size here as home (to fit the sodding gas ovens) so after pressing the mixture in as I guessed the correct size it should be (tray bigger) bunged it in the oven. Cooked it a bit extra as you seem to need to do and by that time I had my 1st batch of banana choc chip muffins ready to go (Alison Holst Muffin book for those playing at home). I used frozen bananas defrosted in the microwave for about 1 min per banana and they thawed perfectly. I then whipped up the family recipe coffee cake (previously mentioned as the WMH's birthday cake). This time with the ingreds measured and mixed in the right order and not a double mix. Whilst that was cooking the 2nd batch of muffins were created. Why this frenzy of baking you ask? Well it was my bit for the Open Day cake stall!!!

The MM sliced turned out as did the muffins (both lots) - unfortunately the coffee cake came apart as it came out of the tin - I was not well impressed. I also now understand why the recipe says cook it in a ring tin. This cake in a normal round tin cooked well on the outside but took ages to cook completely in the middle!!!! All this was done, I might add, on about 2 foot of bench space and a bit of the table (not already covered with other stuff LOL). I had a very Toyota ute thought at the coffee cake outcome (BUGGAR), slapped some icing on it and took it back to the workmate's family for afternoon tea - it tasted fine. I was then challenged for a rematch with BUZZ again and this time with total concentration and fingers that worked a bit better, I won! It is now to be best of three LOL to be played at a future date.

Open Day dawned bright and clear with cool breezes. I let the girls sleep in (LOL) until 7.30am, then ensued a feverish clean up of the spaces not completed the night before. We were absolutely spick and span by 10.30am, when of course the first parents arrived for the 12 noon start. Open Day was like a country school calf club without the calves. There was a cake/vegetable stall, raffles, mocktails, crazy hair and fingernail stall, knitted scarves, wool etc stall, games, and rides, with exhibitions set up in the classrooms and library plus demonstrations of fencing, horse riding, trampoline, and stockwhip cracking. Lunch was provided for everyone as well as afternoon tea, families paying an entry fee to come in initially WITH rides etc being part of the fee. The rides consisted of a farm quad bike pulling a 'train' of what looked like 44 gallon drums cut into half with seats in as carriages, and a small, hairy, Thelwell type pony pulling a cart. The bakery was cranked up and something like 9 trays of pizza were cooked which vanished in a snap. There was a pen of piglets down by the laundry and the farm tractors were parked up alongside. The whipcracking was amazing and how talented are some of these kids. One of the boys whom I thought was brilliant, was taught by his Grandfather who is a Champion several times over I believe.

I was upstairs for a good part of the day talking with parents and waiting to show people through but did manage to buy some cornflake crackles (the honey sort), tried to guess how many lollies and jelly beans were in their respective jars (both wrong), had a mocktail, bought an embroidery set of two doilies (linen $2!) to embroider (have started already LOL)and a scarf which happened to match the lime green jumper/top I was wearing. The scarf is a furry type wool? in lime green and lovely winter cherry red. Got lots of compliments. The temp yesterday - between 20-30o. Saturday morning it was down to 14o!!!!!! Yesterday went till about 4pm and everyone was stuffed (food and tired LOL). A very early night for all last night with toasted sarnies for supper.

It would appear that my hols (11 sleeps to go)are shaping up. I was informed by the WMH on Saturday that it had been discussed the night before and I am to go CAMPING with the family and some friends who are coming from Bathurst - up the coast and north - not sure how far north yet as am to get an itinery this week. CAMPING in the middle of WINTER so hope you are all impressed. We will be in tents so have to get a swag and a sleeping bag - I predict a visit to Rangers (my favourite camping shop) is imminent. There will also be walking/hiking involved ...... so am going with the 'oh well, you wanted something different', attitude and hope I survive. I am dusting off my (walking) runners, LOL that I wore in EUROPE this time last year. Can you see extremes my life takes. Europe/camping in the Outback!!!!!! hmmmm



This is a photo of the sunset at Kilbarri where we went at half term. This was from the beach front looking out to sea. We are going back to Kilbarry as part of the great road trip north. Hope you are impressed with the photo.