Mothly Musings:Feburary

I feel like February is a bit of a troublemaker. It knows how much effort it takes children at school to learn to spell its name. Even now I cannot get to grip of its name. This month has definitely been a troublemaker as we had the storm Imogeon and wasn't it a windy nearly knock me over.

My friends and I had a walked around Farnborough for about an hour and decided to treat ourselves with a cake and coffee and read our books.

It has been full packed month all right. From seeing my Grandparents for lunch, and lots of walking.


Here are some highlights.

February half term zoomed by. I remember telling my family I'm going to have a relaxing week but a productive one for my assignments. Not to sure how but somehow I ended up doing something everyday. I tell you what I got a memory of Goldfish even a Goldfish as a better memory than me. Now that tells you something. Oh no, I do not have Dementia. Honestly.

Day out with my bike to Farnham

Yes I cycled to Farnham and back. Not forgetting a visit to Farnham castle and quick walks near the Farnham town and drop by independent shops. Farnham castle on the crest of a hill overlooking the town of Farnham are the impressive motte and 'shell keep' of a castle founded in 1138 by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen. In medieval times the diocese of Winchester was the richest in England and Farnham was a favourite residence of the bishops. The castle was rebuilt in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, but a viewing platform reveals the buried remains of an easier tower.

After exploring Farnham castle I had a stroll on the high street to look for a cafe but only found that it was busy well what do you expert at 1:00pm? However I found a local pub ordered coffee and asked if it was O.K. to have my lunch that I made at home and of course it was. A good cycle ride deserves lunch and coffee at a pub next to a roasting fire.

It was then time to go back home by following the signs that says Farnborough, then managed to find myself following the path and finger cross it is going to take me a place that I am familiar with it and yes it certainly worked I find myself passing the place where we got my shed from. I also managed getting muddy by following the Blackwater valley path. So most of that journey I was walking, least I managed to get my 10,000 steps in my day. Well more like 39,252 steps I achieved the whole day.

I also stopped in Farnborough and have a warm drink only one answer to that. A mocha. Maybe I will stick to my black coffee now on. I also bumped into someone in Witherspoon's though I am afraid I do not who it was. Such a shame! (If it was you who I saw please a leave a comment. And sorry!)

I then managed to get home with only have the front light flashing red because it needs charging and the rear light decided to turn itself off because it ran out of battery. I was welcomed back home with a kettle being boiled in. Gosh am I old fashioned but a nice cuppa after a cold cycle ride back home is just what I need.

Day with my friends

I managed to run 2 hours. No mud in sight. Ah you got to joking. I thought I would do my normal route pass Tesco's and enter Blackwater Valley path pass the church and enter snaprails and go home with a cup of tea. Ah yes, mud enters that equation. I also overrun my run as I was meeting my friends at 12 actualy I got my too friends house around 1:30pm with a stop to a shop to get some biscuits. Though I got always made some. Maybe next time.

If you want to play Nintendo Will with me, you may have to deal with me losing and getting frustrated. I will stick with sports on the Nintendo Will that I can do. A game of tennis anyone? 

Though it was good catch up with my friends someone of them I have not seen since August where has that gone?

Thanks Emily for putting up with us especially the shouting at the TV.

Afternoon with my Great-Grandparents

Grufflo cake

Nope, I unfortunately do not have great-grandparents though just absolutely wonderful grandparents.

I had a couple of hours with my Grandma cleaning my bedroom which had not to done for a long of time. After that hard work cleaning and coughing and re-arranging things. Deserve lunch out, don't you think that? I certainly do and that is what we did. 

We went to Hungry Horse. Yummy. Did some shopping at Tesco's and a cake managed to jump from the shelf to our trolley. Can you believe that? That only means one thing cake and coffee when we get back home. And that is what we did. 

Wash up and managed to pick up my book oh and a few hours doing my assignment. See I did managed to get my assignment in the mix

Chocolate and what?

Well a whole day doing my assignments! Now I might want to do that might though I do have to reward myself with something that taste so good. Right! So what about a chocolate cake with a hidden secret of vegetable to get one of your five a day. 

I found a cucumber in the fridge that needs eating up. I love cucumber and chocolate cake so why not mix it together. I know what you're thinking...... Cucumber? In a cake? Has Rebekah gone made? No I have not gone mad.

I liked this cake, but my Dad wasn't a huge fan (he is a strange bird sometimes). I thought that it tasked like a traditional chocolate zucchini cake, but I did notice a bit of cucumber taste to it. My Dad thought this cake taste like toothpaste. Regardless, I enjoyed the cake and didn't think it was too cucumber-y. In fact, the chocolate and cocoa masked most of the cucumber flavour, so it was similar to just a regular chocolate cake to me.

A day rewarding myself

A whole day to do my assignment so much focussing and staying away from YouTube. Cupcakes saying 'eat me' means each bit of assignment I get though or just when I need a break I have a cake and coffee or a drink of water. And my Mum also got some Doughnuts from the shop they also managed to get a way to my tummy. Strange that. 

Quote of the month

Dad: You are clever, when Mum just cooked a roast dinner on Monday
Mum: I am not clever just mad.
Rebekah: Well all the best people are mad
(Referring to Alice in the wonderland)

Recipe of the month

Coffee and cucumber cake!!

4 TBSP cocoa powder

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of milk

About one small cucumber, chopped finely with no seeds if you wish.

1. Directions Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put about 12 cupcake cases in the cup cake tin.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The batter may look curdled.
6. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7. Turn off the mixer and fold in the grated and drained cucumber by hand. 
8. Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. 
9. Bake in your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving if you can wait for that long. I couldn't.

So if you are visiting me soon. Do not be surprised if you have a cake that has weird vegetables and bring your bike I got my next adventure planned out for my day out with my bike. How about going to the city of Bath and explore the Romans Bath?