Big and little

We decided to make the most of the last days of the summer break by escaping to the country. Our little Oxfordshire camping trip was a marvellous finale to what's been a glorious six weeks of school-free adventure. We spent just two nights there; sleeping as near as possible to under the stars, and in as near as I wanted to be to a tent (actually, a small and friendly wooden pod named Robin).

Without the usual distractions of everyday life, we couldn't help but notice how brilliantly big our children have become. However it was so wonderful when a sign of their remaining littleness popped up - reminding us that they are not all-grown-up quite yet. We simply loved the big and the little of them in this precious bubble of family time. 

For example, our big kids stayed up as late as us, chatting, playing cards and reading, but once asleep they were hilariously incapable of staying inside their sleeping bags properly and they couldn't keep the right way round on their air-beds at all. We sent them off on their own to buy fresh milk and bread, which makes them seem very grown-up, until you know that the shop was actually a tiny cabin on the camp-site with an extremely helpful and understanding shopkeeper. She'd written out a little sum showing their spending, helped them to count their coins and to check their change.

On the last morning of our holiday the pair of them strolled, hand-in-hand, a little way ahead of us on a woodland walk. As we tuned in to their conversation we realised they were discussing university options, and the subjects they might study. This was, quite frankly, far too grown-up for our liking, and we were rather relieved when the conversation gradually moved away from all that and into a full-on wizard and fairy game - much more like it.

And so, my two big-and-little children went off to school today - to a new class, and to an older year group. But they are the littlest they will ever be in there today - and that's to be noted. And definitely loved.

Back-to-school baking

It's the last day of the summer holidays for my children. With a rainy, windy and decidedly autumnal morning we had the perfect conditions for a spot of back-to-school baking in our cosy kitchen.

We made Banana Cake as it's ideal for the children's packed lunches. We've had to sample its moist, fruity deliciousness already of course. In fact, I hope there's a slice or two left for Buddy and Daisy to actually take with them to school tomorrow.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas

150g soft dark sugar

100g butter

300g plain flour

2 lightly beaten eggs

2 handfuls of raisins

2 handfuls of chopped dried apricots

2 tsps baking powder

half tsp of bicarbonate of soda

100 ml olive oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4/355F

2. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment

3. Peel and mash the bananas

4. Mix the sugar and butter together until fluffy

5. Add the bananas and dried fruit

6. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb into the banana mix

7. Add the eggs, beating well

8. Lastly, add the oil and give everything a good stir

9. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour. Cover the cake with baking parchment 30 minutes into the cooking time to prevent the top from scorching

10. When ready, remove the cake from its tin, place it on a wire rack and - if you can resist its charms - allow it to cool before slicing

Have a great Autumn Term everyone.