Fathers' Day

It was recently Fathers' Day, which the little boys duly celebrated. Thomas gave a card which looked like a flower on the outside...

... and stomach on the inside.


He also made a wall plaque of a sauna.



While Thomas looked after the spirit, Henry looked after the body; he served coffee and some Chocolate Mint Top biscuits he had made.



For other cooks out there, here is the recipe:

Chocolate Mint Tops

Ingredients:

• 200g margarine or butter
• 1 dl sugar
• 1 dl potato starch or corn starch
• 4 dl flour

Glaze:

• 100g chocolate
• 3-4 drops peppermint oil

Oven temperature:

• 175 degrees celsius

Instructions:

• Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the starch and flour.
• Roll into small balls and place on a greased baking sheet or on baking paper.
• Make a small indentation in each ball.
• Bake for around 10 minutes.
• Cool on the baking sheet.
• Melt the chocolate in a water bath and stir in the peppermint oil.
• Fill in the indentation with mint chocolate.
• Leave to set.

Source: Sju Sorters Kakor (Swedish Cakes and Cookies)
English translation: Melody Favish
Publisher: ICA bokförlag, Västerås, Sweden, 2005, p 87

Camping

Henry recently joined the scouts, the 'Lappee Blues' troop.

Maybe the end of October was not the best time for his first camp, it was rather cold - daytime highs around zero degrees, nightime lows between -3 and -10.

The intrepid adventurer about to set off for the forests of Humaljärvi.

So, what was in the rucksack?

• sleeping bag and mattress
• scout neckerchief
• knife, fork, spoon and mess tin
• towel, soap and toothbrush
• matches
• sheath knife
• torch
• rubber boots
• spare clothes (long underwear, hat, gloves, socks, fleece, balaclava)
• water bottle
• snacks
  
• personal medicine

And on the boy?

• socks
• long johns
• long-sleeved T-shirt
• rugby shirt
• trousers
• overtrousers
• coat
• gloves
• hat
• boots
  

Meanwhile Thomas was at home practising his horn. He even had time to watch the SaiPa hockey game, where the local boys lost - the seventh loss on the trot - and dropped to the wooden spoon position in the table.

Horn practice with Mummy

Getting the right note

This camping is a rather tiring business. Below is Henry shortly after he got back.

"ZZZZzzzzzzzz...."

Renovations

Elk's Street is doing its bit to resuscitate the world economy. In addition to H-M's shopping, we are getting the entrance to the so-called 'inside garage' fixed.

This work was necessary because the support walls were slowly leaning more and more, and because water was getting into the cellar. Needless to say, this relatively small renovation is costing an arm and a leg.

Below some photos of progress so far.

The old entrance to the 'inside garage'.


The concrete mixer on the yard.


Pumping the concrete over the house...


... into the wall mould.


Renovation nearing completion.

Snow

The first snows arrived a little early this year and caught many people out, including the blue anemone below.

Congratulations!

Elk's Street would like to send MAMMOTH congratulations to the boys' Auntie Kwan for completing her studies and graduating from UUM.

Kwan boleh!

(Photo: Finnish mammoth)

Autumn

A plate of lingonberries to wish you a very happy autumn.

(Photo courtesy of Sepe)

More Fishing

The school year has started and everyone is busy. For the adults, the shenanigans at work have taken unbelievable proportions - the management seem hell-bent on destroying any semblance of academic rigour and professionalism. Luckily, life for the children is calmer, with school, music, circus club, and in Henry's case, fishing.

Below a couple of photos of his latest trip.

Fishing with a fishing rod.


The catch: Two perch

And many thanks to Mr Wu and Ms Liu for taking Henry out, and for taking the photos.