Storytime

Some folks will know that I enjoy baking. In fact, daughter (whose skills far surpass my own) and I often venture to cooking classes. I do like a challenge (although life does seem to be offering lots of those lately)...but I enjoy a challenge where I can learn. Even if it is a total failure, you learn. I'm sure I read an article the other day talking about Flearning, which is when you have a failure but learn from it. This week I attempted  created my first vegan cake. I have made vegan cookies before (we have vegan work colleagues, so only fair to share some of the baking love)...but this was my first cake. Of course my first thought was to contact said great-baking-skills-daughter who has created vegan goodies before...and ask for her best recipe. My girl has her own baking blog ---Hurricanesnozbakes- YOU MUST CHECK IT OUT - and she suggested this recipe for Lemon Coconut cake. I must admit to being terrified , worried about cooking with ingredients I have rarely / make t...

Everyone knows that old show business saying 'Never work with children or animals.'...yet my job revolves around me working with children. Every day. Mostly small children. It's a job I love (when it goes well) and I have learnt a lot that can be helpful when speaking to an audience ...whether an open mike or a poetry gig....an author talk or running a workshop. During the school holidays one of my programs was Zoom into Outer Space! We had a good turnout and sitting there with his smaller brother was one seven year old, who could not only read well (so knew when I was ad-libbing during the stories) but regaled us with ALL the information he knew about space. And he knew a lot. He knew about planets and stars and gasses surrounding planets and which would be the best planet to live on - Earth says he in a very condescending tone, it's the only liveable planet! So what have I learnt over the years of 'performing' for children - and it is a performan...