Lemon Swiss Roll

3 eggs (at room temperature)

75g sugar

75g plain gluten-free flour

Line a Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper and heat oven to 220C.

Whisk eggs briefly, then add sugar and whisk on high with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.  All of the air that is incorporated at this stage is to give lift to the cake.  

Sift the flour into the whisked eggs and fold in with a metal spoon.  

Gently pour out into the Swiss roll tin, and bake for 9 - 10 minutes until just done.

Whilst hot, turn the cake onto a sheet of baking parchment and roll up tightly.  Use oven gloves whilst rolling.  Leave the cake to cool in the roll.

When the cake is cook, gently open up, and spread with a mixture of whipped cream and lemon curd.  Roll back up again and decorate and serve.

Little and often!

It's amazing the difference these mini-challenges are making to the house.  The kitchen is looking really tidy, and the sitting room is in need of a 5 minute spruce up, but apart from that, it's looking good too.  There must be something to this 'little and often' thing. :o) 

Today, I'm moving on to a larger challenge, called Un-foo your weekend.  It starts off with 'strip the bed, throw the washing in the machine, and then make the bed'.  Then it goes on to 'wash the dishes'.  I'm feeling proud as I have already done that, along with washing the kitchen floor!  

The weekend challenges are bigger, but designed to be accomplished within 20 minutes.  The rule is 'work for 20, rest for 10'.  It's a great way to operate as so much can be done in 20 minutes, and by adding in these rest periods you don't get burnt out.

Since having the massive pre-Easter declutter, tidy and clean in the bedroom, we have been keeping that room looking good.  There's isn't much needing done there.  Today the bedding will be done, a bit of dusting, and then the floor will be swept and washed.  That will take the bedroom from 'good' to 'excellent'. )

Mini-challenge: Wash the dishes

Mini-challenge: Wash the dishes.  If there's not many wipe down a few surfaces and do a bit of tidying in the kitchen.

Mini-challenge: Clean the kitchen floor

Mini-challenge: Fill a bucket with hot soapy water.  Dip and cloth in the water, and wring it out.  Wash the floor.

Mini-challenge: Declutter the sofa

Mini-challenge: Declutter the sofa.

My sofa turns into a little nest, with all sorts of stuff close at hand.  And it looks a mess!  Time to make it look like a sofa again.

Mini-challenge: Five minutes in the garden

Mini-challenge:  Spend five minutes in the garden.  This might be weeding, picking up rubbish, sweeping leaves, etc.  Have a look at the garden and spend five minutes improving it.

Mini-challenge: Stop Procrastinating

There are times when I can be the queen of procrastination. 

Today, there is something I have been putting off for probably 2 weeks, and that's phone my GP for an appointment.  Simple - pick up the phone and make that call!  Come on you're an adult and you can do this.

Mini-challenge: Do the thing you have been putting off.

Mini-challenge: Tidy Up

Mini-challenge: Pick up five things and put them away in their proper place.

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Stop It and Tidy Up was an animated children's television programme.  All of the characters were names after commands that parents give to children - Go to Bed, Clean Your Teeth, and  I Said No.

Mini-challenge: Kitchen

Mini-challenge: Microwave a bowl of water for 3 minutes.  Wipe down the outside of the microwave and fridge,  and any other kitchen you have time to do.  When the timer goes off on the microwave, clean the inside of the machine.

Un-Foo Your Habitat

When the children were small I realised I needed help in learning how to manage my home.  My Mam used the practise of 'stuff it all in cupboards and keep the surfaces clean'.  I was operating on a different model, 'keep the cupboards tidy and all the clutter on the surface'.  Neither of those approaches to housekeeping is good.

A friend introduced me to FlyLady.  She taught me how to tidy up, declutter and organise a home.  However, I did find her a home-grown wisdom just a bit syrupy sweet for my tastes.  Roll on a number of years, and I came across UfYH.  'Foo' isn't really the word they use, but I very rarely swear, and I'm such a delicate little flower...

FlyLady has a 'spoonful of sugar', whereas UfYH is much more a kick up the bum.  At the moment, I am more responsive to a kick up the bum.  :o) The idea is that you behave like an adult, and just get on with it!

I am really enjoying UfYH's mini-challenges.  They take a few minutes to do, literally a few minutes, and there's a feeling of accomplishment.  As part of the whole 'be an adult' thing, I'm going to use their mini-challenges, and also write up some of my own.  The idea is when I have a few minutes to spare I can look up these mini-challenges and get something accomplished.

A Masculine Hat of Strenght and Power

Fiona's partner rather liked the hat, and when I asked if he might like one, the offer was readily accepted.  Instead of the girly pink and orange combination, I have gone for a more masculine orange and pink look.  :o)  The colours were at his request, but rather than making identical hat I opted for a set rather than a pair.

A Hat of Power and Strength

A hat for Fi to wear whilst marshalling.  It should enable her to stand out from the crowd.