Paving the way to Rome with muffins

Our parish priest - Fr David and Aunty Marjorie - Aboriginal elder, are planning to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Our parish organised a cake stall to help to soften a bit costs of this adventure. The sudden thought stroke me - it is the first time in my life, that I can sell a product of my hands.

But what can I bake?
 MUFFINS!
 I mentioned my idea to my wife, who is Iron-Chef and Master-Cook in one person. She nodded approvingly and placed in front of me an appropriate cook book opened on the right page.
I read - YES - even I can make it!

I decided on apricot muffins, it goes like that:

- 1 cup of grated dried muffins - Iron-Chef suggested just to cut them into thin slices.

Cover them with boiling water and put aside for 20 minutes.

- 125 g of butter, chopped

- 3 cups self-raising flour,

- half cup of castor sugar,

- half cup milk,

- 3 eggs.

Now the hard part started. Instruction said: mix four and sugar in a large bowl, rub in butter, beat lightly eggs, combine eggs them with milk, mix everything with fork - do not over-mix. Well, my brain was already mixed up. The Super-Cook said nothing but armoured the kitchen robot. Vroom!

I greased the muffin bake form and sprinkled it with breadcrumbs. 20 minutes in moderately hot oven (180 C) - voila..

Iron-Chef tried one and nodded with approval. 

On Sunday I brought my achievement to the church and asked ladies at the cake stall for pricing. $2 each. 

It sounded fantastic. I got so excited, that I added from my pocket $1 for each muffin sold. After a bit of arms twisting I sold them all. 

Total income $35. 

Well, it will drive you guys only half way to the airport, but first step is most difficult. Bon voyage!

SuperTuesday

First Tuesday on March means counting bikers. Today was my fourth year on duty..

This time I selected a crossing of busy road with a bike path. At 7 am, it looked like this..

It was not the best place as someone must be crazy to ride a bike on busy road in thick petrol fumes. At the end of 2 hours count my control card showed 62 riders, only 6 females among them..

Next year I will try to count at better location. I mean less cars, more bikers... and more women please!

Clean Up Australia

On Sunday we have Clean Up Australia day. I noticed the news only last Friday, but luckily I managed to find a team in my suburb. After registration, I received my own web-page to promote the event. Our team started activity one day earlier. The day was rainy, but when I arrived my location, I found that I was part of a very tough bunch of people - girl-scouts..

Kids started work a bit earlier...

Our site was nicely marked - safety first ...

I received two bags, yellow for recyclables, white for other rubbish..

And here is my first success..

Later on, I was not so successful. It was pretty clean area, I collected only few empty cans (after lemonade) and some candy wraps. The only interesting finding was a dead rat. I finished my task in some 45 minutes and received a formal certificate..

Well, I feel it was not fully deserved. Next year I will try to find some dirtier place.