Pancake day

A Mums dilemma as pancake day approaches.
You know it is pancake day when you have to buy a new pan, (tefal this time) because you can't bear to see the kids eat another scraped offering from the old stick pan again, the ones you have to soak overnight to get the burnt bit off the bottom. You hold onto them still for emergencies. I never know why I hold onto them though as I have never had a pan emergency..still time though, so back in the cupboard they go.
 So you go out and you buy a non-stick one. Or you get someone else to go like I did, because if you like a good non-stick toss to your pancake then a non-stick pan is the only way to go.
That is why in the supermarkets the lemons are next to the frying pans for a good month throughout February.

Do not go for the pancake mix, it tastes 'vanillary' and it goes thick in the pan and you are left with a claggy mess rolled up in the centre of your new non-stick pan.
Get some flour, (100gms) throw in a dash of salt, 2 eggs and half water(155mls) half milk (155ml)until it is quite runny. If it is runny it makes a better pancake.

So a big no no! for old pans, shop pancake mix and not having your homemade pancake mix runny enough!

As pancake day is more than 1000 years old and the idea behind it is that it was the way to get rid of the leftover scraps.
A genius idea to eat all the goodies without feeling guilty.
And as Ash Wednesday comes straight after, the first day of the fasting, make sure you eat your fill because you don't want to go hungry. gulp.

Once pancake day is out the way we know that Easter is around the corner, and that means yummy eggs again, only chocolate this time. The supermarkets as ever are way ahead, they have had creme eggs in since Dec!


'My pancakes too thin! I shouldn't have to put up with this crepe!'
Written by Karen Emma Hall.. found here most days 
and here 

Why do we have pancake day? see here explained easy to understand for children. 

More pancake stuff!

Check out more fun activities and free colouring pages. 

Check this link for video on making pancakes into a work of art pancake art making

Fun sheets to copy and print out.
What about colouring in some pages from Teeny Pheeny owl series? Check them out here for the colouring sheets  and read about the magic owl Teeny Pheeny for free on KINDLE UNLIMITED here 

Get these 2

Teeny Pheeny owl colouring pictures here 

                       

the runaway pancake on amazon

More pancake books to view and buy  prices from lowest first.

Copy and print out this fun sheet

Make it a happy Pancake day and enjoy your pancakes whatever treat you have with them! yum 

Funny texts Parents send.

The mobile phone has changed the world as we know it, and the poor parents/grandparents, are left behind. For those lucky enough to know what life was like before skype, wasapp, sms, internet, the mobile can be seen as a mixed blessing. Now you can be reached at all times, and woe betide you if you don't instantly pick that phone up! You have to be available on tap! on demand. No rest for the wicked. Well not any more. Unless you didn't succumb to buying or receiving a mobile phone. Even if you have pay as you go, don't think that lets you off the hook.. nope, you still more than ever need to be on demand, never ever miss that call to the sound of Tiffany's, 'I think we're alone now'. Only your not, and you never will be again. 

Have a chuckle at these random funny and snortingly amusing texts, genuinely sent, from folk of that certain age, and some from my mum as well. Enjoy. 

DAD:	Where are you? YMWTK
ME:	I’m at Starbucks. What is YMWTK?
DAD:	Your mother wants to know.

---

DAD:	You know how I like to stop and stoplights and bark at the dogs next to me to see if they’ll start barking? I just did that and the lady driving looked over and caught me in the act.
ME:	…I did not know that that was something you liked to do…
DAD:	Really? You can bark silently- act like your barking- and about 50% of dogs will bark back
DAD:	Try it

MOM: did you get the tequila out?
MOM: the dogs r probably hot and need a drink.
ME: You give the dogs tequila?
MOM: oh… I meant water
ME: You cant type “tequila” and actually mean water
MOM: ahem, autocorrect


                             

ME:If there are a bunch of ants on my floor, is that cause for concern?
DAD:Any uncles?

MOM: the house down the street got busted for a meth lab. There is caution tape and it is quarantined and everything.
ME: That is crazy! Do you know the people?
MOM: No, but they didn’t water their lawn so I was not surprised.

Anniversary Dinner

ME: How was the steak by the way!?
MOM: Dinner was good. Sadly, dad was not able to get his straw paper to work but I am proud to report that I zinged him good with mine!!!

MOM: Please take the children out of the freezer if still frozen.
YOU: I don’t even want to look in the freezer now.
MOM: CHICKEN!!!!1!

MOM: Your sweetener came
MOM: Swaddler
MOM: Sweat
MOM: Swatter
MOM: Sweater...

ME: A place I am applying for an internship said on their site that they actively try for a diverse staff. How can I sneakily mention that I am Mexican in a cover letter or resume?
MOM: Hola?

mum: dinner ready at 1one
me: lovely. What is it? 
mum: Foxpots
me: MMM Is that made with real foxes? 
mum: WHAT are you goign on about. Are you stil COMING OVSRr?  

Me:   what you shouting for

mum: I AM NOT ShoutING  LOOK :) 

me:So what's for tea? 

mum: I tols you, FOXPOSTS

me: You mean hot pot?

mum: I SAID THAT! dont be funny Its hard typing with 1! hand.

me: Why one hand? 

mum: ve got the foxpots i nthe other! 

Me Hi, can you pick me up from school? 
Mum YES
ME   Will be at the front gates at 3.15 
MUM: OK
Me: Sure its ok 

MUM   OK

see you then 

 MUM OK 

5 MINS LATER

MUM: Why did you NOT REPLY

Me: To what text? 

Mum: OK

Me: ermm ok back, is that ok! 

MUM YES OK

DAD: Hello…
ME: Hi!
(1 day later)
DAD: Why are you texting Mom today instead of me?
ME: Because I had a question to ask her
DAD: But you are my texting partner so text me and i will give her the message

ME: I got a 54/54 on my history test!
MOM: Alright. Moving in the right direction.
ME: Please try to sound a little happier next time I get a 100.
MOM: YIIIIIPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!! YYYYYIIIPPPPEEEEEEE! KKKKKKIIIIIIYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
MOM: !!!!!

Mum you ok? 

GRANDPA: I finished the harry potter movie. Couldnt hear half of it because my hearing aid fell out but it was visually stimulating. But not as visually stimulating as Avatar. What is Voldamert’s purpose in life?

Mum: I want

Mum: I want an owl for Christmas

Me: There is one hanging in our back garden

Mum: OMG Can you CATCH it for4 me

Mum: I will buy the cage then u don't need to spend money

Me: I promise I will

Are you joking? you cant joke about things liek that bwt

Me: I cant catch it, its huge!LOL

Mum: Is it really there, Im on my way as im textn

Me: Its HUGE

Mum:  iT HUGS! OMG Dont frighten it!

I have a cat. I have a cat that is an owl.

I have a cat.
I have a cat that is an owl.

I have a cat. He is a famous cat. He is extra special. Not least because he can open doors with his shoulders! He has muscles like he-man. I can't even open some of the doors he can manage. And not least because he can go to sleep on top of a flat screen tv, and especially not because he begs like a dog for cat treats and even his plain old cat food, then will cuddle you in after eating.
No he is special because he is one of the stars of my book, in my chidren's series of stories.

With a difference. Sooty (Lord Snoots) is a cat. Sooty (Lord Snoots) in my book is an owl!
We gave him the nikname Lord Snoots due to the way he sits and looks at us waiting to be served very regally.
Did you know there was such a thing as a Sooty Owl?
No I didn't either.
Until I did some research on owls (I thought I knew everything there was to know about owls as I love them so much)
He was going to be Lord Snoots the snowy owl, now it has changed to Lord Snoots the sooty owl!
Quite a transformation from white to black, but very apt for my sooty cat, and I certainly enjoyed creating this character and bringing him to life.
Sooty agree's. I couldn't have done it without him.
Sooty should have been a fluffy soft teddy bear, due to the way he loves cuddling in.
Cats are meant to be strangers in your own home, unlovable, selfish creatures, or so I've heard. Not ask for cuddles like a puppy!
I do have photo evidence of course. I also have another cat called Tipsy. That's another story.




Obviously Sooty has his very own book underway, and he is a cat in that one, but I must get this series of magic owls out first, before starting another project.
The books have been written and edited and are waiting patiently for me to put the final touches to the illustrations and format it all to e-book form. About the illustrations, that was the easy part! The hard part was after. I love art and drawing. I used to make my own cards and scrapbooks, so I thought it would all be so exciting to do.
But I didn't realise how much time and effort goes into it all. Deciding on what pictures to use. How would I colour the backgrounds? would they be left pencil sketches?  Maybe the odd one, but mainly coloured with water paints or pencils, what about brilliant art pens? So a combination then? I couldn't decide at the time, then when I did I would change my mind, then change it back!
 How would I get it onto the computer and adapt it to the size and again colour I was after?
So many decisions and I didn't want to spoil it by rushing. Sometimes I left it for days and with a clean head went back to it, as you do when you write a book or a chapter. When you read it again you see it with new eyes.
I did love the time when the children drew owls in the baltic museum in Newcastle and then pinned then up on the board, that was great fun. So plenty of photo's taken that day.
Then I became aware the place had gone mad with owls. These crazy owls, you will see them everywhere you go now. I got a text to say -'What have you done? the world has gone owl mad!'
'Don't be silly' I said until I came across the newest range in wilkinsons and every other shop I go into!  Not real ones I might add,no,the stuffed variety.Not the real stuffed variety, the plush stuffed! Well you know what I mean.
It is true though, when you are focused on a subject you see it everywhere you go! If it was elephants, then that is what you would find in the isles at asda. If it was pigs, well you get the picture :)

So I am at the stage now where I am being asked when is the book ready to go out?
November I say!
I am still fiddling with my errors.
Today the printer broke, on the same week the boiler died on us, and the stair carpet man didn't come on the day he said he was going to. (The only day I had off work)  instead he came knocking at the door today just as I was in a mad rush out the door going to work.
I need more time! But I have wrote a blog about that, so will just leave time alone. I wish It would do the same for me, from time to time anyway.

Enjoy My cat pictures.