The Simple Woman's Day book . . .

FOR TODAY, August 10th, 2009 ...

Outside My Window...
Things look very calm and quiet. The air is very still. That is the way it is when we get warmth and humidity. I can remember as a child the telephone wires would humm. We could hear the sound of them echoing through the air on a hot summer's afternoon. This is what we always called the "Dog Days" of August . . . lazy summer days when the heat and humidity sapped all of your strength and energy and you felt like doing what dog's do best . . . just lazing around and doing nothing.


I am thinking...
Late yesterday afternoon, the telephone rang and it was Terri. She was very upset. Nobody had been to see her this past week and she had been waiting for me. I felt really bad. Really, really bad. I had planned to go and see her this past weekend and had told her so when I spoke to her on the telephone this past week, but I had also told her I would call first. We ended up not getting home from church until very late yesterday afternoon, and then I called my mom as it was my week for calling her. I hate it when I let down a friend. I wanted to jump into the car and drive over right then and there, but she wouldn't hear of it. She said she was going to bed. I felt so awful. She has a hospital appointment today so today is not a good day, and I have to work anyways. The only chance I may have to go this week will be Thursday afternoon on my birthday and so I will go then. In the meantime I will try to send some baking and food over to her with one of the gardeners. I wanted to do that last week, but he didn't want to go . . . and so I didn't. She does live some distance away.

I am thankful for...
I am thankful for a caring heart, even if it sometimes pains me and makes me feel pretty bad. I would rather be a caring person, than someone who was hard and unfeeling.

From the kitchen...
There is a container filled with delicious cinnamon rolls, made just like my mom used to make them, and a plate of delicious squares, and of course the rest of that courgette loaf I made last week. I don't know why Todd is not the size of a barn . . . really.

I am wearing...
A white cotton nightie. Nothing is more cooling in the heat of the summer, than a white cotton nightie. I also love white cotton sheets on my bed. Come to think of it . . . all my towels are white as well, and so are my undies. I think I just have a thing for white!

I am creating...
I have a few goodies in the pipeline that I can't show you just yet! You'll see soon enough though!

I am going...
Well, I guess I am going to visit Terri this week and of course I have work etc. I don't really have a lot planned. Our sister in law would like for us to come for dinner at the weekend, but I can't really plan that far ahead as I am never sure if I will have to work or not until closer to the day.

I am reading...



Women of the Old Testament by by Camille Fronk Olson and
Elspeth Young (Illustrator)

“Women were not invisible in those ancient days; it is time to bring them out of the shadows today.”—Camille Fronk Olson

It's very interesting to read about these inspiring women, who had struggles much like our own and how they were able to use their faith to deal with all the slings and arrows life would throw at them. Surprisingly the problems they had back then are quite similar to the problems many women face today. It's nice to see a book that speaks about all the inspiring women in the scriptures for a change.

I am hoping...
That I can make it up to Terri. I really hated seeing her so distressed. I learned an important lesson though. I need to really make it clear what I am going to do with her, so that I don't disappoint her like that again. Can you tell? It's really bothering me. I do so hate letting people down . . .

I am hearing...
It's very quiet in here this morning. Jess is snoring, the fridge is humming, the computer keys are tapping. I hear some crows in the trees outside the cottage. They can be quite noisy. We used to have lots of crows back home and they would all gather in the tree tops in the evening and call out to each other. It was really quite interesting. They are fascinating birds. They actually live in communities and when a crow mates, it mates for life . . .

Around the house...
I am working on decorating the small bathroom. We have but a limited budget and I don't want to spend a lot. If we ever leave this place it is doubtful that we will have two bathrooms in a council house. The truth is we will probably be in a council flat and we won't even have a shower. I dread ever leaving here. The hard reality is that this house we live in now is much larger and nicer than anything we would be able to afford on our own.

One of my favorite things...
Is blog hopping and reading. I have not had a lot of time for that lately. I don't know where the time keeps disappearing to??? Is anyone else experiencing this? The hours just seem to float away into nothingness. I am no sooner getting up, than it is late at night and I am getting ready to go to bed . . . the hours inbetween having disappeared into the ether . . . I think the scriptures do say that time will speed up in the end times.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I don't have a lot planned this week. Work and puttering about here. My mom will be calling me on Thursday morning before I go to work, which will be nice. It just wouldn't seem like my birthday if I did not get to talk to her. I love my mom so very much and she is ever faithful in all that she does for me. I can rely on getting a handwritten letter from her every second week and a phone call on Christmas morning and on my birthday every year. Oh how I wish I could bottle them up and keep them safe so that I would never ever have to experience not having them . . .

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Some of the apples in one of the Orchards that surround us. They are so red and juicy looking! Can you believe that they have already set out the big boxes for apple picking. It seems ever so early this year and the hedge rows are already filled with ripening blackberries, alot of them ready to pick now. Why does winter always seem to last so long and summer disappears in a twinkling?

And there you have it, my Simple Woman's Day Book for today. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!)

I made these delicious squares last night for Todd to enjoy with his evening choccie. He likes a hot drink does my Todd. I, myself, have never really been in to hot drinks much, although once upon a time I did enjoy an occasional cup of hot tea. These are called Chinese Chews. I have no idea why. They are very tasty and there is not an ounce of butter or fat in them at all. Moist and sticky and yum, yumm . . . Yummy!!

*Chinese Chews*
Makes one 9 inch square pan
Printable Recipe

This is a tasty recipe from an old Purity Cookbook of mine. This was the first cookbook I acquired way back when I was first married, many moons ago. I am not sure why they call them Chinese Chews, as there is nothing remotely oriental about them. I do know, however, that they are quite delicious, and the perfect finger square for the tea table.

3/4 cup sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pitted dates
3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 large eggs
Fine granulated sugar for rolling



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin, and line it with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang so that you can lift the squares out after to ease in cutting. Butter the paper. Set aside.

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the walnuts and dates. Beat the eggs until light and then stir them into the mixture, combining well. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until set. Do not overbake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before lifting out. Cut into fingers while still warm and roll in the fine sugar. Store in a tight container.



For another tasty treat, why not pop on over to my OTHER place and check these tasty babies out!