Friday 28 September 2012

Late September Musings on Life

Late September has been a particularly busy time with a variety of happenings (is this unusual I ask myself!) Here we have one of particular interest


Great to have guests who passionately believe in helping others. Having had approximately 600 guests stay with us over the years we always believe it is a two-way thing. We may offer the hospitality but we gain so much in return through the sometimes amazing people that stay with us. Here dinner is over and Alan is chatting with Harry, Tom's support driver who stayed with us over night.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Tom Benyon OBE and his wife Jane at their host's home during the evening.


Tom & Jane
Tom is 70 and he and Jane are walking 18 miles a day covering the distance between York Minster and Canterbury Cathedral (350 miles)
Not a mean feat in our current weather, gales, torrential rain and flooding.
Tom is a retired member of Parliament who founded a charity called ZANE which helps support the people of Zimbabwe who have lost their homes, land, businesses and everything. They are often elderly people who went out to South Africa when they were  young.
Tom does one of these sponsored walks every year and in 2010 walked 450 miles from Edinburgh to London.
Apart from all the information he writes a very interesting blog which can be found on the above link.

The walk finishes today and we were kindly invited to attend a Black Tie £120 charity dinner cruise and auction on The Thames as his guests but unfortunately we have a prior engagement (see below)


Quite a number of birthdays too this week and having little time to make cards I found a quick way round it. I used some of my photo collages. We will be attending the 40th birthday party tomorrow evening which is a change from the 60th birthday parties we have attended recently!

Sunday we are off to spend a day with Jane and the Grand children which brings us to the end of the month and as the beginning of October is set to be an interesting and busy time I will leave that for another post. 


Thought I'd leave you with one of my favourite teatime treats
Ginger Iced Oatie


12 oz rolled oats      3 lev. Tspns ground ginger           6 oz marg.
6 oz dark brown sugar        3 lev. tblspns golden syrup

For icing      2 oz butter    3 lev. tbspns syrup             6 oz icing sugar
1 ½ lev. Tspns ground ginger

Mix oats, ginger and sugar together.  Melt marg. And syrup and stir it into dry ingredients.  Spread mixture evenly in tin.  Bake Gas 4/ 180C 20 – 30 min
Set aside to cool.          7x 11” tin.

Melt butter and syrup and stir in icing sugar and ginger.  Cool mixture to allow it to become firm, then combine the ingredients.  Spoon icing over cool oatie base.  Mark topping with a fork and cut when cold.

18 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Your Ginger Iced Oaties look wonderful. Perfect treat for this time of year. It's great you have had such good company and also birthdays to be celebrating. It seems September just flew by here. I'm hoping to get a lot done in October so hopefully it won't go by quite as fast.

Linda said...

Your recipe sounds delicious. I love the cards you made using your own photos, makes them so much more personal. Enjoy the visit with the grandchildren.

Vee said...

What an amazing thing to be able to say — the number of guests you've had in your home. You and Alan are certainly not falling down on hospitality. It's truly wonderful and a gift to be able to do it so well.

I will follow your link and I am intrigued by the dessert. It looks delicious and doesn't sound too difficult for me.

Vee said...

Tom writes beautifully. I very much enjoyed reading there and have bookmarked his blog.

Priscilla said...

Gives new meaning to "retired", doesn't it?

Needled Mom said...

Tom and Jane sound like an amazing couple. It is true that you get as much - or even more - out of entertaining them as they get in hospitality. It is wonderful to meet with people with such dedicated lives.

40th birthday? That sounds like so many years ago!!! LOL I am sure it was wonderful, but sorry to hear that you had to miss the big dinner.

Have a great trip to see Jane and the children.

Lorrie said...

There's no need to sit around in retirement, is there? Good for Tom and Jane. And good for you for hosting them.
Your cards are very pretty. I've never thought of printing out a mosaic. Brilliant!

Enjoy your weekend.

CherryPie said...

I like your cards I am sure they will be well received.

I found the information about walking for ZANE very interesting.

Balisha said...

That's such a nice idea for cards. Maybe I'll "borrow" your idea.

I'll have to try that recipe this fall. Sounds so good with a cup of coffee or tea.

Have a nice weekend,
Balisha

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Thank you for the recipe...sounds very tasty and just right for a cuppa! Seeing your first photo brought back fond memories for me, one of your 650 guests!

Gracie Saylor said...

Thanks for sharing so many good ideas in your post, Barbara! There is so much need around us that it sometimes immobilizes me, until folks like Tom and Jane and you remind me that while I can not meet every need, I can meet some needs. I can be a part of the solution. Happy celebrating! xx from Gracie

Willow said...

As one of those 600 house guests, I concur that your hospitality is legendary. I will go check out Tom's blog--sounds important and the information needful.

Cheri said...

Great post and I love recipes so thanks for sharing!

EdinburghGirl said...

I tried the recipe last night! It worked perfectly and the oaties are delicious - thank you! I think the oaties will become a family favourite.

Pomona said...

What a wonderful thing to do - I just can't imagine walking that far!

Pomona x

Anonymous said...

I will certainly have a look at Tom's blog next. His sponsored walks sound very impressive! What an interesting time you must have with all of those guests.
Great idea for the cards, and actually probably more appreciated because they are personal.
The ginger iced oaties sound delicious.
Thank you for stopping by my blog and for all your kind words.

Teresa said...

Barbara, is the syrup in the icing golden syrup too, or is it maple or some other syrup? I would like to make these.

Teresa said...

I made the Iced Ginger Oatie's yesterday. Oh they are SO good. I agree, they are my favorite bar type tea cake. Thank you for the recipe, Barbara.