Cakes, crafts and prickly guests

With Hermione and Nana out with their quilting chums Miles and I set about making a boat load of muffins. We used our, 'just chuck it all together, never fails, vegan chocolate cake recipe'. We now have almost four dozen muffins to share with friends tomorrow - save for the one we gave to the postman, one for the man who delivers the hen corn and one for said delivery man to take home for his wife!

Just chuck it all together, never fails, vegan chocolate cake recipe.

125g creamed coconut
50g coco powder
650ml boiling water
400g SR flour
1tbspn baking powder
pinch salt
275g light muscavado sugar (again, I use what I have so usually a mix of dark and demerera)
200ml ground nut oil. I use sunflower oil, it is cheaper and still works fine. If I know they will be eaten that day I only add 100ml of oil. If it's to keep for a day or two add the full quota of oil.

Method:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.
Dissolve the creamed coconut in boiled water, allow to cool.

( I dissolve it in 1/2 boiling then add 1/2 cold.... but I am impatient!)
Mix all dry ingredients in a big bowl.

Add oil to coconut water mix (now cool)
Add the liquid to the dry and mix well. It a makes a totally liquid batter, but trust me it works. Divide between 2 tins and cook aprox 1hr. or until skewer comes out clean.

Alternatively put in muffin cases and bake for ten minutes or so.

Hermione arrived home having decorated a t shirt with felt cut outs and beads.

In addition to the t shirt she also made a tic tac toe game with apples and pears. She's made a great job of the board which she has patched on one side, quilted and felt backed.

The board folds and ties with a ribbon when not in use.

Later we grabbed Hermione's body board and headed for the coast. Goodness, the sea breeze was biting. It was warm but I felt wind whipped. Craig played in the sea with the children while I sat on the sand wrapped in a towel and sporting large shades. According to Craig (who is not always to be believed on these matters) I was looking distinctly Bedouin!

Having noticed a dog roaming free on the beach I decided to speak to a life guard about it. I don't think dogs should be roaming free on beaches where children are playing - and particularly not beaches with huge notices up saying 'no dogs allowed'. I knocked on the RNLI hut door. No reply. I knocked again. No reply. I knew there was someone in there so I tried the door only to find a man, probably early twenties, standing in what seemed to be a red satin posing pouch! Well I never! I though Bay Watch had come to the north east! I explained the situation after which he thanked me for letting him know and assured me he would deal with the situation as soon as he had finished getting changed and had some clothes on. Oh dear, I felt like a bit of a perv and wished I'd not tried the door. However, for those of you who live up here and would like to know where said lifeguard in shiny red posing pouch hangs out, I may just tell you if you ask me nicely *grin*.

Whoops, almost forgot to mention, look who we spotted snuffling and ambling along side the hen house.




I'm sure hedgehogs aren't supposed to be out during the day.