Plans were in place, everything was in the diary, I’d been in touch with those we were to visit, but as seems to happen, the phone rang, and plans had to be changed!
I worked, cooking and baking ready to be with Christopher, Olivia and our grandchildren. I made meatballs in tomato sauce, a real family favourite, topless cottage pie (didn’t have time to do the potato), sausage rolls, meringues, choc chip biscuits and crisp coconut biscuits. Jars were filled and everything packed.
We were staying with my sister Sonnie, and the trip to hers was horrendous! Torrential rain and the early winters night darkness making it a slow trip. We were more than relieved to reach Sonnie’s, park the car and get inside to the warmth of her home and the warmth of being with family.
The following morning it was an early rise for a three hour road trip. Our Uncle Paul (our mum’s brother-in-law) had passed away. He was a good age, and had lived his life the way he wanted. Uncle Paul was a kind man, and a funny man, my sisters and I will be forever grateful for the kindness he showed our father when the insidious disease that is dementia took a hold, and that he and Aunty Elaine showed to our mum when Dad was gone – mum often talked about their Sunday drives – they were back-road adventures.
One of the great memories that I have is when he took Gary and I mushrooming way back in 2016. Gary got the front seat next to Uncle Paul, I got to sit on the tool box in the back, with Jack the dog at my side. Once we got to the paddock I was instructed to sit on the bonnet of the vehicle as Uncle Paul steered it around the paddock from one cluster of mushrooms to another. Before we left the house, the only basket I could find was a very big storage basket, by the time we left paddock that basket was full and an amazing memory created. Oh and Uncle Paul would greet me as “hooley dooley” rather than Julie – it’s an Aussie thing, using rhyme! I can’t not mention the time I took my best friends from France, Véronique and Yannick, home, and Aunty Elaine and Uncle Paul come for dinner. Aunty Elaine brought her Pavlova for dessert, and she was so worried that Uncle Paul would say something to upset my friends, if only she knew! You should hear the delight and happiness in Véronique and Yannick’s voice whenever I mention Uncle Paul – I know that they will be greatly saddened by his passing.
Anyway, we were the first to arrive at the cemetery in our small hometown of Navarre. Not long after, our sister Jan pulled in, and then our son, Christopher with our little granddaughter Lacey.
The graveside service was a perfect reflection of the full life that Uncle Paul had lived, and the many lives that he had touched, while the gathering in our local hall was one of reunions with family, friends and members of the community, some of whom I had not seen since I left home, and that was a long time ago! Another three hour trip, via a very good butcher, and a very dodgy strip of Victorian road (it was pot hole dodgems!), and we were safely back at Sonnies, it had been a long day.
After a slowish start on Saturday morning, we headed out to a Polish Deli, just up the road from Sonnie’s, what a treat! With a loaded basket, we returned home with some yummy treats for our family brunch the next day.
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- Some of the goodies behind the glass…
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- So much to choose from!
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- A few of our goodies…
With our bounty unpacked, Gary and I then headed to Christopher and Olivia’s – we were on baby sitting duty for the evening – I was a little nervous to say the least! All went well though, the little ones were fed and bathed, and then it was time to read some bedtime stories, with Cooper, and Papa lending a helping hand settling them in for the evening.
Precious moments…
Once we had eaten, Cooper and I headed to the kitchen – we had some baking to do! I had brought the ingredients, Olivia had provided the equipment, and Cooper was ready to make his favourite cake – a cake that was once referred to as “Nana’s Chocolate Cream Cake”, but is now referred to as “Granny’s Chocolate Cream Cake” – Nana was my mum, I am Granny!
He greased the tin and dusted it with flour, sifted the dry ingredients, cracked and separated the eggs, beat the whites, added the yolks, caster sugar and golden syrup and then carefully folded in the dry ingredients. I got to pour the batter into the tin, with strict instructions to leave enough in the bowl for him. The cake was baked and it was a beauty!
Now it was time to play a board game, he had to teach us – I can’t remember the name of it, but it was about colours, and giving clues of objects that were of a particular colour. We were still playing when Christopher and Olivia returned from a quiet night out together, at a very good restaurant where the food is something special. We bid our goodnights and headed back to Sonnies, it was a little late.
Precious moments…
The following morning we managed to get up early enough to finish and bake a brioche that Sonnie had prepared the night before. I had purchased some fresh yeast, and left her with the recipe before we headed out to babysit. She did a fabulous job – it baked up a treat. We were heading out again, back to Christopher and Olivias for a late brunch. We loaded a laundry basket with croissants, crostini, pate, ham, cheese, a loaded platter of fruit and the nice warm brioche. Our great-nephew, Sonnie’s grandson, Aussie, come to drive us all. It was a fabulous time, Christopher prepared and heated the croissants, Cooper finished the chocolate sponge by filling it with whipped cream and dusting it with icing sugar, the table was loaded and we all sat around eating, until we could eat no more!
On the way home we stopped off at an outlet to pick up a few bargains. A few days later, we believe we may have picked up something we hadn’t planned to! The four of us had all come down with the flu!
Until next time,
Cherish your family, and…
Bon appétit!
Links:
- Aunty Elaine’s Pavlova
- Chocolate Chip Biscuits
- Chocolate Sponge
- Crisp Coconut Biscuits
- Meringues
- (A little note about the brioche recipe, the recipe shared with Sonnie is not the brioche recipe here on my “Breads” page. My brioche recipe is made in the Thermomix, and I need to test it with a stand mixer before sharing the recipe – it is pretty good though…)
If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.
