Monthly Munch: February

Sunset at Kedleston Park

Toby

We went out and forgot his jacket, so he had to wear Graham's fleece!

- likes kissing and holding his new baby brother, and gives Theo his comfort blanket when he cries.

- is getting tired of everyone asking, "Is this your baby brother, then?"

- can read quite a few words now. I have found myself saying, "Don't read too long, now," as I put him to bed.

Megabloks creation

- quotes of the moment: "What do you do if you don't like duck? If you don't like duck, you're rather stuck!" from that classic of British comedy, Fawlty Towers.

"Come on, old buddy! You can do it! Suck up that water, take in that sunlight!" which is Papa Bear talking to his giant pumpkin in The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin, but is adaptable to a surprising number of situations. The car has been exhorted to "suck up that diesel", and Theo to "suck up that milk".

And from the same source: "Get me my pitchfork!"

Theo

- is no longer a bump, but a happy and healthy baby!

- has been showered with clothes and cuddles from many adoring fans.

- appears to be training for some kind of hiccup championships.

Thankful for:
- the safe and timely arrival of Theo.

- so many friends, family and neighbours who have provided food, sent presents and looked after Toby. Your generosity is amazing!

- longer days and spring flowers.

Recipe of the month: Coconut Cookies

These are quite a plain cookie - effectively coconut shortbread - so I'd recommend butter rather than margarine for flavour. If you wanted to get fancy you could top just half with the coconut, and sandwich them in pairs with raspberry jam.

2 oz / 1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 oz / 1 stick lightly salted butter, cubed
6 oz / 1 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
1 oz / 1/4 cup desiccated (flaked) coconut plus extra for topping
1-2 tbsp milk

Place sugar, butter, flour and coconut into a food processor and whiz to combine. Add milk one tbsp at a time and pulse until it starts coming together. Tip out onto a work surface and knead to form a firm dough. Roll out to 3mm / 1/4 inch thick and cut out with a 6 cm / 2 1/2 inch round cutter.

Place on baking tray and top each cookie with a generous pinch of coconut. Bake at 180C / 350F for 8 minutes until coconut is toasted and cookies are just golden, being careful not to overcook. Cool on wire rack. Makes 24.

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Derwent Valley: Derby City and the Derwent Pilgrimage

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For the first part of our Greek holiday, see here . Day 4 - continued After much waiting around, we acquired a hire car and set off for the second part of our holiday. I am so glad that Graham can get into a strange car in a foreign country and drive away with no problems. I would be a nervous wreck. Even Graham was a little spooked by the Athens traffic - very narrow lanes crowded with cars and buses, and mopeds zipping in and out of every available gap. I had left Google Maps set to "avoid tolls", which meant that we stayed off the fancy new highway and took the old road towards Corinth instead. There was practically no traffic, so although it was slower, it felt very relaxed. We passed hills, hotels and oil refineries. Along the way, we stopped at a supermarket for supplies and drank Green Cola at the beach over the road. Crossing the Corinth Canal at Isthmia, we started heading south through the mountains of the Peloponnese. The sky had been growing darker and darker, and...

Martha's Marvellous Munchies

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