Just starting to chill

Having been off work since last Wednesday teatime I'm finally starting to unwind.

Not that life is quiet here - with three teenagers (well almost as Nick won't be 13 until November and Lou is still 11 but is currently acting like a total Kevin!) there's always lots to do.

When they were little they needed supervision - for example Nick and Lou at the ages of 30 months and 16 months respectively managed to get hold of a bottle of typists correction fluid and within minutes, when I was in the kitchen making tea, had painted each other, several toys and, worst of all, my beautiful leather sofa! Thankfully Nigel was a real hero - he rushed home from work and somehow managed to get it all off with thinners I think

Nowadays they need much less supervision but lots of ferrying around - Nick has just done three days of a five day cricket school at the Somerset County ground in town and needs taking there and back each day - the girls have haircuts booked for this afternoon - it's general catch up time for things like dental appointments etc and we go away on Sunday for almost two weeks so I really should get rid of that ironing pile too.

I guess it won't be that long until they're all driving themselves and I'll spend my time worrying and waiting for them to get home safe instead - nobody tells you about all this at ante-natal classes.

This Saturday we had a gathering of Nick's football team and all the boys' families. The parents of one of the boys had arranged a pig roast in their field - they live in a wonderful house on the Somerset levels with lots of garden.

I offered to take a pasta salad and a pudding

I'll spare you the picture of the pasta salad - no matter how delicious it might have been there's little visual stimulation from a bowl of pasta and accompaniments liberally lathered in a mayo and yoghurt combination - always looks ever so slightly regurgitated to me as much as I love it

However I thought I'd share this incredibly easy dessert

All you need is some whipped cream, some sherry and some Ginger Nuts - for those not familiar with these they are very hard and crunchy ginger biscuits

The method is simplicity itself

Crush one biscuit and put aside for later

Spread a layer of cream in the bottom of the dish

Dip one of the biscuits in the sherry on both sides and stand it up in the cream at one end of the dish

Follow with as many other dipped biscuits as you need sandwiching each of them with the whipped cream as you go along

Once you've filled your dish spread more cream liberally all over the top and down the sides

Finally sprinkle the top with that crushed biscuit you saved at the start - as one who has often come to the end and used all the biscuits up I now make sure I crush my initial biscuit before I start :o)

Try to make this a few hours in advance as the biscuits soften and the flavours combine well over a little time

A very simple and delicious pudding which met with lots of oohs and aahs on consumption and great incredulity on subsequently being informed just how easy it was to make!

Yesterday I did manage to get some sewing in.

I spent a good part of the afternoon making a oval shaped cover for the central locker on Nigel's double canoe - the fabric is waterproof and slightly stretchy which initially seemed like it would be a total pig to sew but once I changed to the walking foot it made short work of the job - I didn't get a photo but I still have another to make as he has two of these canoes so once I've done that I'll share it with you

And then onto nicer stitching...

I cut the binding for the summer quilt

Machined it all round the edge

And finally hand stitched it down to give the finished result

A quick label this morning and it'll be in the post later today!