Aaachoo! - bless you :(

I woke up yesterday morning to what I thought was just another Summers (?) day. But no. The sky was a little cloudy and the wind was blowing gustily. It was reasonably warm, but not really summer temperatures.

And then I started to sneeze. And the nose ran. And the eyes got itchy. And I sneezed some more. Not pleasant at all. Now this is not uncommon for me for the first week or two of summer, but near the end?  No thank-you, sir. I thought I was going to have to make a trip to the pharmacy for anti-histamines but put it off. Thank goodness. No sneezing or runny nose or itchy eyes today. It had to be something windborne.

 But then, to add insult to injury, a little later in the day Claude decided to climb up on me for a bit of a cuddle and a smoodge.  

Now this is not something he normally does with me, he usually prefers my GKB to sit on.

That wasn't a problem but shortly after he departed I discovered I had come out in big welts on my neck and chin and was hot and itchy where he had been smoodging! Not a pretty sight :(

Allergic reaction! After 10 years I suddenly become allergic to the cat? Poor me, poor Claude! The welts and the burning redness are gone now - thank goodness, again :D) In future he can confine his smoodging to the GKB.

I thought I'd post the recipe for the pavlova we had at Christmas on our dessert table. It's very sugary and sweet and was created and named in honour of the ballerina Pavlova who performed here last century.

(It is a dessert also made in Australia where they say that we stole the recipe from them but we kiwi's know it was originally ours of course - ha ha.)

Anyway, whatever, if you have a sweet tooth, or are male, you will enjoy it.

Pavlova

3 large egg whites

Beat until stiff then add 3 tbsp cold water.

Beat until stiff again.

Add one cup of sugar slowly.

When dissolved add one tsp cornflour, one tsp vinegar,

 one tsp vanilla essence and a pinch of salt.

Beat until peaks form and mixture doesn't tip out of bowl when held upside down.

Spread baking paper on a flat oven tray .

Tip mixture onto tray and mold.

Put into previously heated oven and bake

between 300 - 325 degs. F. for 20 minutes.

 Turn oven off and leave overnight.

Decorate with whipped cream and strawberries

or other fruit or choc chips etc. 

We usually serve it with ice cream and fruit salad but I guess it really just depends on personal taste.

Enjoy!!