I’ve missed you. I got a cold and then John was very unwell and as my good friend Judith says, “Maureen, your first duty of care is to yourself.” She scolds me when I put everyone ahead of John and me. Not this week. I’ve been a dutiful wife.
We’ve had a few laughs though. Early last week I decided to be bad and went out for fast food. John was asleep when I left so I figured I’d go to the next town to get the one I wanted. Turned out to be a dumb decision.
After I got the food my car wouldn’t start. I called John and no answer. His mobile phone was turned off too. I wasn’t in the happiest mood. I figured I’d walk to the bus stop and take the bus home.
I’m waving like crazy at the bus driver as he drove right past me as if I were invisible. So I walked all the way home. It was a long walk.
That’s not the funny bit.
As I was walking under a row of trees I heard all sorts of racket above my head and it was BATS. yes, bats. I started walking a bit faster and then the biggest pile of bat poop landed on my head. Gross!
It wasn’t funny then but it gets funnier in the telling.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. I was sweeping the patio and in the palm tree above me were two crows giving each other hell and yes, one of the bastards pooped on my head.
Now bat poop didn’t smell but crow poop? I couldn’t get in the shower fast enough. John tried really hard not to laugh at me but he failed. He was standing right next to me – it was his turn for pete’s sake!
What I needed then was a brownie, a nice fudgy brownie full of walnuts. Just like this.
- 1-1/3 cups plain flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 180C/350C
- In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Spread in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan greased and lined with baking paper.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Slightly underbaked leaves the brownies very fudgy.
Now those of you who’ve been following me for a while and know my good friend Charlie. He has his own Instagram account now. It was only created yesterday and already he’s got some delightful followers. Sally_the_cavoodle, buzzandthepigs, and imcharliethecavoodle were his first followers. If you’d like to share the love, he’s charlietheoodle.