YAY!!! I have just passed my first 12 months at work. Having said that our manager has just resigned and we will be getting a new manager. I am still the only casual there but at some stage when the other cleaner finishes with the other days of cleaning i will become permanent part time. At the moment she is doing her P.C.A. work and cleaning which means she is sometimes doing 6 days a week
It is also 5 years since my father died of a heart attack. Unfortunately he had the heart attack on mark's birthday and died the next day. Helen was very close to him and he would of been so proud of her playing the french horn.
My mother died 15 years ago 6 weeks after Helen was born and at Easter time which means with the holidays we were not able to have a funeral for a week and on the Easter Saturday my brother was getting married. So we had a wedding before the funeral. It sounds like like a comedy.
After my mum died dad became friendly with mum's best friend and married her 6 months after. Helen got a Grandmother and I got another mother.
She had a Stroke about 18months ago and was living alone at home when she had a few little incidents with her health and her family got her to sell her home and move into a retirement place where she is with other people and there is help if she needs it at any time.
Oh dear I have rambled on . When you start writing something one thing leads to another.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to Mark's birthday he really got a kick out of it that so many people we haven't even met had given up their time to say Happy Birthday.
Bye for now
JO

Hi everyone,

Sorry i haven't written a new post for a while but you hear from mark via his posts.

Just letting you all know a certain 54 bomber is having a birthday on Mon 19Th may.

Hope all you mother's had a happy mother's day. We went to a french restaurant just down the road from us. It was different from going to the RSL (Returned Serviceman Club) for lunch that we have done in the past.

Helen and i went to the open day of the college of the arts secondary school last Wednesday morning. there are only 50 places and about 400 will apply. She will have to sit a theory music test and audition with her french horn in august and September. If Helen doesn't get in it will be an experience for her.

Bye for now Jo.

PAVLOVA

Here is the recipe for the pavlova that was mentioned on Cielo's blog, "The House in the Roses". This dessert is one of the many delicious desserts in a post titled, 'Desserts from Across the Globe.' The pavlova was named in honour of the famous ballerina, Anna Pavlova and is Australia's national favorite.

The fact that it is so disgustingly easy to make is really too boring even to mention.

Whys and Wherefores
4 egg whites - no yellow specks (fish them out) or it won't beat up stiff.
3/4 cup white sugar - to make the meringue outside and give sweetness
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar - to make the egg whites stiffen up
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar - to make it marshmallowy inside.

Hint: Don't use a plastic mixing bowl or the egg whites won't whip up stiffly.

BASIC RECIPE
4 egg whites beaten stiff
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar

Method:
Add sugar to beaten egg whites and beat again
Then add Cream of Tartar and vinegar
Grease tinfoil and make a 'nest' shape with the mixture
Place in oven 125 degrees celsius ( no higher) for 1 hour
Then turn oven off and leave until oven has cooled
(It really dries the mixture out rather than cooking it.)

Whip up some cream and spoon into the meringue case and top with whatever seasonal fruit takes your fancy. Enjoy!