Last Day Of The Holiday.

The bright sunshine this morning was so inviting but after opening all the doors and windows in the house to let the fresh air blow through I had a good sort out of some cupboards.

Sadly the sunshine didn't last and the rest of the day was chilly and grey. Romas did stirling plumbing work up in the loft. He followed Peter's instructions to change a ball valve in another tank and sorted out out most immediate plumbing problem ie no water to our ensuite. It was messing with the plumbing that started Pete's hand off so he certainly can't do any hands on plumbing.

It's been lovely to have the week off. I'll have to remember to go to work tomorrow morning! I've enjoyed having some peace and have been able to get on with 'housewifely' jobs, the washing has all been done and now that the hens are laying I've even been baking my easy chocolate chunk cake.

Easy Chocolate Chunk Cake.

Ingredients.

4oz butter,

4oz sugar, (granulated is fine)

8oz self raising flour,

100gm chocolate, (I use supermarket value plain or milk chocolate)

4 eggs, (free range)

Method.

Soften butter, (a quick blast in the microwave).

Add sugar and eggs. (Warning, eggs from battery hens will cause your cake to spontaneously combust, and they're horrible and pale.)

Beat vigorously, (I use an electric hand mixer).

Throw in the flour and stir in, (no I don't bother to sift).

Chop up the chocolate ,add and mix in.

Grease a baking tin, (silicone cake tins are fantastic), and put mixture in tin.

Bake on a medium heat for 20-30 mins until done. Sorry but the Rayburn is very variable and I go with whatever heat it is giving me.

I did do a whole series of 'How to' photos but this is a really simple recipe that always works. It can be made with more chocolate or some of the flour replaced with cocoa powder to make double chocolate chunk cake. All variations go down well with my boys and their friends.

I did go up into the loft to have an initial scout around, there is so much stuff up there and I'm going to have to make a proper inventory. There is so much of my mother's art work as well as many boxes of china and glass and interesting items that she collected over the years. Nothing especially valuable but it will be hard to know what to do with it all. Oh well , step 1 get up there and start listing. I might even fing my lost folder of paperwork.