House full of blokes

 Merry Christmas everyone.  I write this in a Boxing Day haze after a lovely, chilled Christmas Day.  I celebrated with just my immediate family - the lovely bloke and the three lummoxes.  My family are mostly situated in Melbourne these days and the Harrison clan are well spread - with the main base still in Dunedin.  We chose to stay home with all three boys at home and juggling holiday work it just made sense.  It did mean we missed out on the fabulous, craziness that sometimes accompanies large family celebrations.  We all managed a great day full of excesses none the less. Mrs Harrison - Christmas faces - check out the new sunnies Christmas with teenagers and young adults is a weird thing after the years of early morning visits from little boys, leaping into our bed with news of Santa's visit and hauling rustling Santa sacks on top of the covers; once one was in we had all three, our bed filled to capacity with boys, paper and little gifts ...

Yay! The one and only perk of the job for teachers has arrived - HOLIDAYS!  You can bag me for it all you like - and many do.  I love my work, but like everyone, I certainly look forward to some time at home with my family - it's one of the reasons I chose teaching.  I am a lucky lady at the moment - all my kids are home.  I love the fact that my lummoxes are growing into independent young men - but I do miss them when they are away from home.  They are eating me out of house and home, wrestling with each other and driving their father nuts - it's fabulous! My dad showing a bit of attitude as a young man.  He's on my mind this time of year. The last day of school for me this year and last year has also fallen on the anniversary of my father's death.  He passed away in 2014 after battling Lewy body dementia that robbed him of his independence and so much more.  I made the mad dash over to London with my sister Laura to support our younger sist...

This looks and tastes just like Christmas - white chocolate, red cranberries and green pistachios make for a festive treat.  This is super easy to make and looks great in a decorative tin, box or in a bag as a gift made with love. Christmas rocky road Ingredients 450g white chocolate melts Bag of dried cranberries Bag of baking marshmallows 2 small bags raw pistachios Method Melt the chocolate buttons either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of water.  Stir to make sure all the buttons are melted. Leave chocolate to cool so that it won't melt the marshmallows Place all other ingredients in a large bowl Mix the chocolate through the other ingredients to coat everything evenly Line a baking tin with baking paper and pour the mixture into the tin - spreading it evenly. Place the tin into the fridge.  Cut into squares once set.

The lummoxes love these cookies.  They always think they are the ultimate in home baked cookies - probably because I usually say no to making them.  The recipe is simple enough - but you need to have time on your hands as the dough needs to be rested before rolling and after making into the spiral logs so that it is easier to handle - it can be a bit fiddly. Chocolate and vanilla spiral cookies - a favourite at the Harry house Ingredients For the vanilla cookie dough 125g butter - soft but not melted 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla essence 1Tbsp milk 2 cups plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder For the chocolate cookie dough 125g butter - soft but not melted 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1Tbsp milk 1 3/4 cups plain flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder Method - for both flavours Cream butter and sugar Add egg and beat well Add milk (and vanilla for the vanilla dough) Sift in the dry ingredients Use a metal spoon to mix the wet and dry - it wil...

This has probably been the biggest week of the year for me with our senior school pantomime, Community Board meeting, swim club final night and celebration and Cromwell College sports celebration, I haven't really manged any time at home.  Today I decided to completely ignore the housework and needs of my family and I threw myself into making special Christmas gifts for my colleagues at work.  Last year I managed to find beautiful Christmas tins through one of the regular stationery suppliers we use at school - no such luck this year - so I had to make my own Christmas boxes.  These boxes are the same as the little jewelry boxes made from old Christmas cards.  I am not rich enough to buy my amazing team jewelry - they have to make do with sweet treats made with love and appreciation.  These boxes are made from old manila folders, I seem to have loads of these with labels and writing on both sides and names of children who left our school years ago.  Any lig...

As I get down to the business of being a community board member there is one issue that is causing contention, dissension and debate - the long awaited upgrade of the Cromwell Memorial Hall.  It currently stands as an aging albatross around our necks.  It was built as part of the Sidney Holland Government's policy that money be set aside to build a 2nd World War Memorial in every town and city in New Zealand.  The idea was that the halls would be living memorials that would help to serve communities cultural and recreation needs.  The Memorial Hall has certainly been the focal point of ANZAC services and home to the RSA in Cromwell - but is no longer fit for purpose in providing for Cromwell's cultural and recreation needs. Cromwell Memorial Hall - current front view The upgrade has been round and round the Community Board table since the late 1990s and actively on the agenda for about 14 years.  Indecision, concern about use of public funds, more pressing ...