Thursday 8 September 2016

A bit of constructive criticism

I'm talking about last night's Great British Bake Off. No spoilers here so don't fret if you have not seen it yet. My complaint, if you will, is that in bread week especially, the times they give them are FAR TOO SHORT. Yes, I know it's a competition designed to put them under pressure. But really, two and a half hours for the signature bake? Ridiculous. I'd rather them have an extra hour and then they can present bread that is actually baked. On the whole, I think this year, the finished results in all if the programmes so far have seemed less impressive than in previous years. Clever editing can still cope if they had a bit more time. I love the programme but admit it's losing its shine for me. Since its switched to BBC1 it's relishing the negative rather than celebrating the positive. And I know I say kind words or no words but The Lipstick woman is really annoying me. She makes me purse my lips mimicking what she looks like. This increases my lip wrinkles. 
I wish that the Jo Brand spin off supporting programme on BBC2 on Friday nights was on longer too. 

Here's some quick bread I made, baked in my casserole pot! Can't recall if you've seen this before! 
Was perfect with some soup for a quick meal. 

I'm all a bit cross patchy today aren't I? I think it's the hideous weather. So humid and oppressive. It's really warm this morning but dark and grey and gloomy.

BUT last night at work, my 'most annoying but I loved them the most'  ex Y6 pupils returned from High School to come see me! They looked so smart and grown up in their ever so slightly large Blazers. One cherub has called in on their way home every night! Makes my day to see them! 

In other news I experienced The Big Write in Y2 yesterday. TBW is a whole school approach to creative writing. The whole school write about the same thing once a week. It's a really good way of seeing progress. With my group in Y2, TBW seemed more to be about how MASSIVE you can write! My goal for them is to fit more than one word on a page! 
Our new Reception class start school today. Here is a shot of Miss 22 on her first day. Doesn't seem two minutes ago! Ahhhh my little baby girl! Rang her Dad yesterday to say she's going to Iceland in January to go Whale watching! She's a brilliant human being and I'm super proud of her. My nickname for her when she was little was Diddle Dumpling! For the minute I cannot recall what I used to call Mr 19 but I know he had one. Damn you rubbish failing memory. Did you/do you have pet names for your cherubs? 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *happiest when strolling down memory lane* Radiostar xx 

22 comments:

  1. I don't watch Bake Off Rachel....it just doesn't appeal to me at all. In fact the only people I can watch cooking on tv are Nigel Slater and the two guys from Eat Well For Less. I used to love watching cookery programmes but Jamie Oliver spoiled all that. My biggest nightmare would be to be strapped into a chair in front of a tv showing back to back episodes of him.......arrrrrrrrrrrgh.
    Your bread looks scrummy......is it one of the no knead artisan breads? I've been watching people making those type of breads on You Tube and they look gorgeous.
    Taking a walk down memory lane with you this morning........my daughter was Rozzie Radish and my son was either Boo or Bean depending how I felt. Now I have grandchildren I am doing the same.....Ruby is Doodle and has been since the moment I saw her after she was born. It's funny I gave her a nickname because I was allowed to choose her name. Marlowe is Moo because Marlowe is way too serious a name for such a pretty, funny, giggly little girl-x-

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    1. Love your pet names! The bread is literally just flour, buttermilk, bicarbonate n salt. Quick mix, in dish, lid on, bake!

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  2. Yes, I wish 'extra slice' was on for longer too. I am sooo happy that Bake Off is back on tv.
    How sweet that your ex pupils have been back in to see you. That says a lot about how they feel about you. You're a good egg, Rachel.
    Diddle Dumpling is an interesting name. Lily often gets called Bear. It was the name given to my bump before we knew she was going to be a girl. It kind of stuck. X

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    1. I think it was because of the nursery rhyme Diddle Diddle dumpling, my son John!! V bizarre because she was definitely a girl and definitely not called John, but I think I recall she used to giggle like mad when I'd chant the rhyme at her!

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  3. Whale watching !!!! She will love it!!! THey leave their mark on you.......such a fabulous experience!

    Yes I know!!! Cookie baby has gone back to college today....and I sigh.....she'll be 16 in November and she already has plans!! My only grandchild and there will be no more.... she is slipping away from me...sigh!!

    keep well
    Amanda xx
    Amanda xx

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    1. She'll be back with babies of her own .... But not for a while yet!!

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  4. Oldest was Angelcake youngest Twoie

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    1. Awww sweet names! I remembered Mr19 used to get his name then 'chops' on the end!

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  5. Hallo Rachel, We watch Eat Well For Less and that's it as far as cookery programmes are concerned. I used to watch Ready Steady Cook before it became a celebrity programme. Lost interest when that happened.

    My dad used to call me Lizzie Tish, which I liked. I call my daughter Poppet even to today, my husband never had a nickname for her. Our grand-daughter I call Giddy Kipper because she's always rushing around and my husband calls her Sweetie because she is.

    Joan (Wales)

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    1. Hi Joan, I catch Eat well for less sometimes but Gregg Wallace annoys me as do the people who spend so much on shopping! We used to watch RSC in the olden days! It was a good show when it was Brian Turner v Anthony Worrel Thompson etc with Fern.

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  6. I have to agree, the lipstick woman on bake off is getting on my t*ts. A bit of a diva. My grand daughter has the "too big but you'll grow into it" blazer too, and the oldest g daughter has just started college. Don't know how they have grown up so fast. Nice looking bread.

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    1. Ohhhhh why do they have to grow up?! I used to scoff at my mum when she was lamenting ( about me and my sisters! )

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  7. Nicknames : Eden...Edie MacCreedie. Callum... Cally Custard. We called him this so much he actually thought his middle name was custard!
    Clark.. Barky as a baby, now called Clarkerella especially when he's being a big girl!!
    Solomon.. Solly Molly and lastly Cody.. Dody or Dodes!

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    1. Hahahaha Custard as his real name! Bless him! Next-door's had a baby Oliver - he gets Bobsie, short for Ollybobs!!

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  8. Lipstick woman gets on my nerves with her silly duck face impressions. Your bread looks nice. I used to call Laura Cheeky Monkey when she was little but stopped as I got worried she would think that was her name.Her pre-school teacher called her Laura Loo.
    Carolx

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    1. I never give pet names to kids at work but one girl- Shannon- was called Shanneenio by another teacher and it's what I called her!! Her mum even started!

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  9. I totally agree. For me, Bake off should be about how good they are at baking, not how good at cutting corners and it was very obvious this week that the time allowance simply wasn't enough for a decent rise AND a decent bake. Self defeating, really.
    J x

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    1. Exactly Joy. I'd like to have seen Paul Hollywood achieve the same great result in 2.5 hours. Also it was damp n chucking it down outside - that affects the flours and yeast too. Grrrr. Still I do look forward to my Wednesday evenings watch!

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  10. I haven't watched this week's yet but agree the finished articles so far have looked a bit shabby. More time would be good! Tweet the producers, Rach! I was told a few years back to stop calling L LB (short for L Bear). I switched to mummy's little soldier until the amateur dramatics that accompanied it were too much, even for me :o) Have a fab weekend, chum xx

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    1. Haha Mummy's little soldier! You have a fab weekend too!

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  11. The lips get on my nerves as well. I think it's a pouting ploy aimed at Paul which seems to be working. I think she should have gone this week.

    Whale watching sounds fantastic. Much prefer those sort of holidays than the usual beach type ones where I'm the whale that's being watched haha.

    Thomas was Tommy Ticklemouse, no particular reason why. I can't remember if Amy had one. I do know if she was in trouble though we used her middle name, so whenever she hears Amy Rose she knows she's in for it! xx

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