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  1. #1
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    Default Good morning Friday

    After yesterday’s lovely weather, today we’ve got rain. I’m glad I went and did the garden jobs yesterday while the sun was out!

    Has everyone seen the new info on Ofsted inspections? We’ll now be inspected within 6 years of our previous inspection. That seems an awfully long time. Having said that, I had a 7 year gap between previous inspections and it’s already been over 4 years since my last one. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or not!

    Who on here makes their own Christmas cake? I’ve never made one before but fancied trying it this year. Is there still time? I know I see friends making them way in advance so wasn’t sure if I was too late. Is there a reason they’re made so early? This of course is assuming I can get all the ingredients. Hopefully people haven’t been panic buying dried fruit

    Have good days everyone.

  2. #2
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    Morning.

    I've got another day off due to mindee being ill.His covid test came back negative this morning - huge relief. I have been a bit irritated with the parents over the whole thing. When she told me this morning that the test was negative I first of all said how great that was for them all, and then I said that we had also been so stressed (DH has asthma). She was so shocked and said "Oh sorry that it made you all stressed and worried too", in a sweet way, but just in a naive self-centred way. Just a wake up call as to how we have to be so firm with our clients and that we have our own families to think about too and are not at their beck and call.

    No one here likes Christmas cake. I will have a slice if I am offered one because it reminds me of Christmas and makes me feel warm and Christmasy, but I wouldn't ever make one - I should imagine they are quite expensive to make. I did buy a small, cheep one a couple of years ago just so that DD could have fun decorating it using some techniques she had learnt on Bake Off and Kirstie's home made Christmas. I remember when I was little my mum had a tin in the kitchen cupboard with little Christmas decorations in it - the usual Santas and snowmen etc - and I used to love it when it was time to get the tin down. I used to think they were so magical. That was my version of small world play, or loose parts play.

    It's nice for us that inspections will be every 6 years, but we still live in fear of unannounced inspections! I do anyway.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maza View Post
    I remember when I was little my mum had a tin in the kitchen cupboard with little Christmas decorations in it - the usual Santas and snowmen etc - and I used to love it when it was time to get the tin down. I used to think they were so magical. That was my version of small world play, or loose parts play.
    Oh Maza, that just sparked a memory of me being at my grandmother’s house and playing with her tin of Christmas cake decorations. It was a real jolt and I was back at her kitchen table. What a lovely memory it’s brought back.

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  5. #4
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    Morning!

    6 yrs! Lordy!

    I was 7 & 3/4 years between my last 2 .... and now I'm at 4.5 years ... in theory, I should be inspected when they 'catch up' in the new year .... but who knows?

    I used to make fruit cakes but when I moved and the kitchen came with an aga ..... I just couldn't get one to cook! ( and I wasn't buying an expensive 'cake baker box' to go in aga just to make a couple of fruit cakes a year! Plus it would take up a huge amount of room! I now usually buy a plain one from a local charity stall in the market. I then pour brandy over it, and marzipan/ice it myself. I love Christmas cake, but no one else is that bothered! I make a chocolate log every year for everyone else!

    I have a tin of collected Christmas cake decorations and DD still loves choosing what goes on the cake! Her favourite activity is dripping icing on the trees to look like snow!

  6. #5
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    Never have Christmas cake to dhs disappointment as I don't like fruit cake.

    However thanks to you both maza and loocyloo I feel my kitchen is missing a Christmas decoration tin.

    Me and dd made a gingerbread house every year last year we did a Santa's sleigh but not everyone likes gingerbread either. Like you loocyloo chocolate log goes down well.

    Go for making the Christmas cake Mouse and let us know how you get on.
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

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  8. #6
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    Apparently.... it is now .... inspection within 6 years of last inspection .... so I could now be waiting until April 22

    I was going to wait until my inspection as was expecting it by July 2021 before starting to use the revised eyfs .... however ... in this case I think I might make the change over sooner! .... I know revised eyfs doesn't come in until September 21, but my local school is piloting it, and we've had several chats about it.

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    I made a Christmas cake many years ago but haven't since, I think DH would love it if I did but some how time always disappears. I should really make an effort to bake more as I do enjoy it. With love Yule log in this house too but have never made one


    Hope everyone has had a lovely day, we did have made some biscuits today.

    Enjoy your weekend whatever you all get up too. DH and I are having a takeaway afternoon tea from a local restaurant. They make amazing themed afternoon teas.
    Pixie Dust

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  11. #8
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    Hello I usually make a Christmas cake for a relative but won’t be this year as he passed away earlier in the year. You can make it up to 6 weeks before Christmas then feed it a little brandy / whisky every now and again. Not too much other wise you’ll have a soggy cake. You could make a cake nearer the time either way is nice.

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  13. #9
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    mmmmmm ... Pixie ... themed afternoon tea sounds wonderful. what sort of themes?

    Chocolate log is very easy ... just a choc swiss roll with either chocolate buttercream or cherry jam in the middle ( i add it before i roll it up, so before its fully cooled ( choc buttercream then tends to soak into the sponge ) and then cover it in more chocolate buttercream! Actually, 'plain' Swiss roll is one of my 'go to' very quick cakes to make!

  14. #10
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    The themed tea sounds absolutely lovely Pixie dust!

  15. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by loocyloo View Post
    mmmmmm ... Pixie ... themed afternoon tea sounds wonderful. what sort of themes?

    Chocolate log is very easy ... just a choc swiss roll with either chocolate buttercream or cherry jam in the middle ( i add it before i roll it up, so before its fully cooled ( choc buttercream then tends to soak into the sponge ) and then cover it in more chocolate buttercream! Actually, 'plain' Swiss roll is one of my 'go to' very quick cakes to make!
    In the past they have done Alice in Wonderland/unicorns/woodland/Harry Potter and the current one is Narnia , it was yummy and you get a lot we haven't eaten it all yet still have scones for later.

    I remember making Swiss roll way back when I did home economics at school.
    Pixie Dust

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