Getting back to normal?

I sometimes wonder what is normal at number 6! 

We ( and I say we,as D is very good at sorting out the laundry) started the week with the usual washing after being away, although we did do some whilst in Ireland so it wasn't too bad. All the while I was aware that J was down in London having an interview with Lend Lease for a job when he graduates from Loughborough, so keeping my fingers crossed that it all went well for him. We had a call to say he was on his way back and he thought it went ok - sigh of relief, but we would have to wait to later in the day or even Tuesday till he heard. He finally arrived at number 6 at nearly 10pm with the words 'Are we going out for a drink then?' Yes you guessed, he got an offer of a job to start 1st September. I was so pleased for him and proud of him, as I have been of C and B when they were in similar positions. Needless to say D needed no second asking about going out and they disappeared off for half an hour.
Tuesday, it turned out when I looked at the calender, was when I was having my hair done. It's funny as when we had been away my fringe suddenly started to annoy me. It was fine one day but too long the next and I had wondered when I was having a cut, nearly having a go at it myself but refrained at the last moment, much to the relief of my wonderful hairdresser J. I just had enough time to go up the clinic where I work for a massage (and my goodness did I need that after dragging branches around) before lunch and then I was back up there to work.
Wednesday turned into a real baking day

Matilda cake, jam tarts, ginger biscuits and a curd tart.

I'll give you the recipe for Matilda cake as it is so easy , you can have it in the oven within 5 mins max

Melt 6oz margarine and 2 dsp golden syrup, then mix into 10oz sr flour, 4oz granulated sugar, 4oz chopped cherries and 4oz sultanas. Put into a lined  11" x 7" x 1" tin and bake 180oC for about 15-20mins (should be golden on the top) Voila, done!! - cut when cold.

The curd tart is one my Mum used to make and again is very easy having only 4 ingredients apart from the pastry base. So make some short crust pastry 6oz flour and 3oz fat will be enough to line a 7" diameter cake tin,  I know you all have your own ideas of type of fat, I use 2oz lard and 1 oz marg, but do your own thing. There's no need to bake the case blind. Just cream 2oz marg and 2oz granulated sugar together till soft, beat in 2 eggs (it will curdle but ignore that) and then add 6oz currants.  Pour into the pastry base and bake at about 180oC till brown on top - usually about 15-20mins. It might be a little runny in the middle but I like it that way, if you don't then bake for longer but watch you don't burn it.

Hope you enjoy them, leave me a comment and let me know how you get on.

The afternoon involved this

It arrived the day before we left for Ireland and I had been itching to get going with what I had planned for it. What was that? you may ask - well you'll have to visit me tomorrow to find out.

Till then, L Anne x