A week of odds and ends

I arrived home last Thursday, surprised to see a parcel outside the door. I turned the parcel over and... saw Haz's name on it and it's all the way from Germany!

Now, my friends will know that when it comes to letters and parcels, i do not bother opening them gently. However, I didn't this time. That girl wrote "DO NOT OPEN TILL YOUR BIRTHDAY" in bold red letters at the back of the parcel.

Grrrrr... the suspense is killing me. It feels soft, with a box in the middle... so i'm guessing... a shirt with a box of chocolates? mmmm... hahaha.. Dear MW and Cailing came over yesterday and handed me a birthday present. He said since he has always been late in giving me a present, it might be a fresh change and give it to me early instead. He left with the same instructions "DO NOT OPEN TILL YOUR BIRTHDAY"..... grrrr... It's definitely a box of chocolates because they didnt wrap it and it's LINDT! mmmmm..... but there is another box as well, so we shall seeeee.................

Mr Ar asked me what are my birthday wishes this year. I said
1) Health for my dad and grandma. Their blood pressure rose as the haze increases its intensity.

2) 5-8 more participants with rosacea who will be willing to participate in my study this year.

3) More hours in a day (PS-this wish may be answered since there r talks about introducing daylight savings in Perth late this year).

4) Locating all my missing earrings. Alot of my earrings lost their "partners". Probably due to me running around like a mad chicken in Uni and when on placement. Or perhaps just me pulling my hair out of frustration when marking assignments and they got caught in my hair and fell out.

5) Phase 2 and 3 of my study will turn out beautifully.

6) My thesis will write itself.

7) A copy of Donna Hay's Classics 2 cookbook.

8) New bakeware. I fulfilled this wish myself as Myers was having 30% off all bakeware. I redeemed ColesMyers giftcards a few weeks ago from FlyBuys points so I spurge Aus$16 on a biscuit and muffin tray! BAKERS SECRETS! They are sooo durable! I wish I can afford those new sillcon ones but hey, these will do. Frankly, I just dig having to walk out of the store knowing that they are FREE! Gift vouchers are great to redeeem!

9) A food processor and/or a proper cake mixer. Not that there is anything wrong with my trusty handheld. Maybe one day.. just one day... (when I redeemed MORE vouchers!).

10) Clothes that I look smart in. Perhaps nice clothes will make me look nicer! :p I'm in need of a sweater that I can run in. Where thou art are all the sales? (vouchers again!)

11) With clothes, there should be a good workbag/handbags right?

12) And with clothes and bags there should be shoes right? (Vincci, here I come in jan!)

13) BOOKS-Too many to list. Top of my list now "For one more day" by Mitch Albom and "the boy in stripped pjs." Dont even ask for my psych books list. Recipe books.. mmmm... with "Jamie Oliver" on it will be terrific too. (Kino and borders, you know you are irresistible to me)

I think I should stop... I'm getting greedy. It's amazing how I feel quite contented with life and suddenly "BOOM" crap.. i do have things that I want to get. I blame it on the media cult (and myself for being hooked to them!). So another week to go before I turn the ripe old age of 23. Why do I feel so much older?
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Tosca cake. This is SO EASY and YUMMY. It's simple and classy. You dont even need a mixer for it. Nat and I had such a good chat over this cake. She was amused seeing me taking a few pictures of my baking. *OOPS* *BLUSHED*

125g margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cupmilk
2 cups plain flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
Topping
50gram margarine
1/4cup sugar
100grm sliced almonds
2 tablesoons milk
1) Preheat oven at 180 C. Lined 19inch round cake tin with baking paper.

2)Place margarine and sugar in a saucepan large enough to mix all the ingrediants. Melt and stir till combined. Remove from heat

3)Beat eggs and milk in a jug/bowl.

4) Add to saucepan with sifted flour and baking powder. Mix with wooden spoon to combined.

5) Pour mixture into cake tin. Bake for 30 mins.

6) Meanwhile, place topping ingrediants in a saucepan. Heat, stirring till sugar melts. Add milk. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 mins.

7) Spread topping over cake (at the end of 30 mins). Bake for another 15 mins or until cake is cooked.

8) Leave in tin for 10 mins. SLICE AND SERVE.