Chocolate Easter Eggs

Making your own chocolate Easter eggs is not difficult, just a bit fiddly.

First of all you need to buy half egg shaped moulds. The easiest to use are the plastic ones because there is some ‘give’ in them, so making it  easier to turn out the half eggs. The only problem with plastic moulds is that they can tear. Metal mould are stronger but turning out the set chocolate is more difficult.

Before starting to make your Easter eggs, make sure that the moulds are absolutely clean, then polish them with soft tissue or something similar. The polished surface will make turning out the chocolate easier.

Gently melt the chocolate, then pour it into the prepared mould, tipping the mould this way and that to ensure the whole of the inside of the mould is covered. Pour any excess back into the bowl. Use a palette knife to smooth the edges then leave to set on non-stick paper for 24 hours. If the chocolate is too thin, you can repeat this process with another layer.

When they are completely set, you can then decorate them any way you like. You can pipe decorative icing on to them or make sugar flowers or use artificial flowers.

Picture above: used under a Creative Commons Licence. Copyright © Sophiea.

Ingredients

Topping
6oz semi-sweet (plain) chocolate
1 tbs castor sugar
4 tbs light (single) cream

Method
1. Well grease a pudding dish and bring water to boil in a saucepan or the bottom part of a steamer. The water should come 3/4 of the way up the pudding basin (dish).

2. First make the topping. Melt the chocolate and then stir in the cream and sugar and put in the bottom of the basin.

3. Beat the butter until soft, then beat in sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Gradually beat in the eggs, add a tablespoon of flour if the mixture starts to curdle.

5. Sieve the flour and cocoa together then fold into the butter mixture. Put the mixture into the pudding basin.

6. Cover the pudding basin with aluminium foil, overlapping the sides of the basin. Tie string securely around the top of the basin to keep the foil in place so preventing water entering. (Alternatively you can get plastic pudding basins with lids that clip on.)

7. Put the basin in the saucepan with the boiling water. Adjust the heat so the water simmers constantly and keep topped up with boiling water as it boils away.

8. Cook for about 90 minutes, turn on to a plate to serve with cream.

Many parents are horrified when their children pick up head lice. Find out more about them.

What are head lice?

They are re tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that live on the scalp and suck blood, causing severe itching. The good news is that head lice can not hurt your child but they are a nuisance and cause the child irritation.

How can I detect head lice?
Scratching is often the first sign of infestation. If your child is at school you will get a letter informing you if there are head lice at school. If you do get a letter about lice, you should act on it immediately by checking your child’s hair. If your child scratches a lot, especially around the back of the head or the ears, check for lice immediately.

Lice aren’t easy to see: the bugs take on the color of the hair they’re hiding in. In fact, you may never see a louse. It’s common to discover an infestation of head lice based on lice eggs (nits) alone. Nits are also tiny – about the size of sesame seeds – and creamy off-white or pearly white in color.

Head lice do not jump, fly, or swim. They spread by direct contact, ‘walking’ from one hair or head to another. They happen in the best circles, and an infestation does not mean that you or your child has dirty hair, in fact some people say that head lice prefer clean heads.

How do children get lice?
Most children get lice from classmates or a friend or from shared clothes, such as a hat and sharing the same hair brush or even working together over a book, or example, with heads touching.

How do I get rid of lice?
You can buy over the counter shampoos from your chemist or drugstore. To ensure your child remains free of lice and nits, you must remove ALL the nits with a nit comb and follow up with a second shampoo treatment seven to ten days after the first.

Because lice travel easily from one head to another, getting rid of lice and nits right away prevents them from spreading to other family members, allows your child to go back to school quickly, and put your family routine back on track. If your child does have lice you should not send him/her to school until they are fully cleared.

Don’t forget the nits
You have to get rid of the nits, too. Each remaining nit will hatch into a new generation of lice, making it crucial to break that maddening cycle.

After applying the lice shampoo wash with normal shampoo then rinse.
Apply conditioner and leave in the hair, this will help the nits slide off the hair. Use a normal comb to get any knots out of the hair. Then use a steel tooth comb (nit comb) and comb the child’s hair until all the nits are out. Continue to check your child’s hair daily and reapply the shampoo 7-10 days later. This is important even if your child has no nits.

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In Ancient Roman times a bride would wear an iron wedding ring. Later in early Rome, the gold band represented everlasting love and commitment in marriage. The ring is a never ending circle, with no beginning and no end. The earliest rings were carved with a key to enable the bride to open her husband’s heart.

The Engagement Ring
Pope Nicholas 1, in 860A.D.decreed that as a required statement of nuptial intent, the ‘groom to be’ had to give his intended an engagement ring. He further decreed the ring must be of gold to signify financial sacrifice from the prospective groom.

The first noted diamond engagement ring was the one given by King Maximillian in 1477 to Mary of Burgundy, as a token of his great love for her.
The diamond engagement ring became popular with the Venetians during the 15th century. It followed that as the diamond was the hardest stone of all, if given as an engagement ring, the marriage would be long lasting and the love would endure for ever.

The Modern Wedding Ring
The modern wedding ring is still a band of gold and can be of varying decoration. The most popular is a plain gold band. If a wide gold band can be afforded, this can be a wise investment as inevitably, the band will wear thinner in time. Couples quite often will choose to give each other rings and if so, usually, they will match and are bought together.

Platimum is another favourite as is white gold. There is a vast choice available today, and it really is a matter of personal choice. A new variety of a titanium wedding ring is gaining in popularity, but bear in mind titanium is almost impossible to remove, if for any reason the finger swells!

Warning!
There is another old saying that predicts bad luck to the marriage if, once the ring has been blessed and placed on the bride’s finger, she then removes it!

Elizabeth Gaskell, Author of Cranford

Knutsford is one of Cheshire’s most charming towns with its picturesque black and white houses and nearby great country estates.

Knutsford was the ‘Cranford’ of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel but the town’s history goes back much further than the 19th century. Remains of early man dating back 8000 years have been found at nearby Tatton and it is said that the town’s name comes from the Danish King Canute and it appears in the 11th century Domesday Book.

Famous Residents
Elizabeth Gaskell, author of many novels, is probably the town’s most famous one-time resident and now the street where she lived is called Gaskell Avenue. In 1907 a memorial to Elizabeth Gaskell was erected in King Street by Richard Harding Watt and its design is somewhat Italian in style.

Not all Knutsford’s townspeople were as respectable as Mrs Gaskell. One of its infamous residents was Edward Higgins, a notorious highwayman who lived like a gentleman in the town until the law caught up with him and he left Knutsford quickly – legend has it that he used a tunnel under the town’s heath. Justice caught up with him eventually as he was hanged in Carmarthen in 1767.

Royal May Day
The town is also famous for its Royal May Day celebrations, said to be the most impressive in England. They began in 1864 but only acquired the ‘Royal’ name when Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) visited them in 1887. On May Day (1st May), the streets of Knutsford are strewn with coloured sands in which patterns are traced. Then there is a parade led by Jack-in-the-Green followed by the May Queen in a carriage. Children dance around an big maypole, a pagan fertility symbol, holding on to the coloured ribbons attached to it. The maypole itself is decorated with greenery and flowers.

Other Attractions

• Many visitors come to see Knutsford’s famous Cheshire, timber framed, black and white houses
• The town has a famous coaching inn on King Street once called the The George and Dragon but was renamed The Royal George after Queen Victoria visited in 1832. This inn is mentioned in Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel ‘Cranford’ and in another of her novels ‘Wives and Daughters’.
• General Patton made a famous anti-communist speech in the Victorian Gothic Town Hall in Toft Road and so this featured in the movie ‘Patton’.
• The Heath was once common land and a racecourse. It is now a recreation area and is the venue for the main Royal May Day celebrations. Elizabeth Gaskell would have been able to look out on the Heath from her home.
• In Macclesfield Street, the graveyard of the Unitarian Chapel is where Mrs Gaskell is buried.

Tatton Park
This country estate, set in 1000 acres of parklands, was owned by the Egerton family for 400 years until it the National Trust took it over in 1958.

The present day mansion was designed by Samuel Wyatt in the late 18th century. The first stage was completed and the death of Wyatt, the plans were scaled down and the house was completed in the early 19th century.

It has lavish state rooms with amazing collections of antique furniture, silver, pictures and glass amongst much else.

Visitors can also visit the Tudor Old Hall, completed in 1520 where they can step back in time and see what life was like in the 16th century.

Tatton Park is also justly famous for its gardens. Landscaped by Humphrey Repton, the gardens are superb incorporating Tatton and Melchett meres and include the spectacular Japanese Garden, the terraced Italian Garden and the Fernery, designed by Jospeh Paxton, once head gardener at Chatsworth and also responsible for solving the design problems of Crystal Palace, the home of the Great Exhibition in London.

Tabley House
This is another of the great houses close to Knutsford. Tabley House, designed by John Carr of York for Sir Peter Byrne Leicester. It was finished in 1767 and is the only 18th century Palladian country house in Cheshire. It has outstanding collections of antique furniture and pictures including a work by J.M.W. Turner.

If you visit Knutsford, you might also like to visit nearby Chester too.

Find a public toilet in UK towns.

A Barking Dog

If your dog barks a lot, it can drive you crazy, so what can you do?

Not only can a dog that barks all the time drive its owner crazy, it can also make the neighbours angry. While you can’t stop your dog barking completely, you can stop continual barking or the most annoy incidents.

The first thing to do is to find out when and why your dog barks. If you are at home and it happens, then it will be fairly easy to discover the reason. What if your dog only barks when you leave him? Maybe you’ve had complaints from neighbours that have alerted you to the problem. Go out but come back within ten minutes or so without coming right up to your house or apartment. Is your dog barking? If he is, perhaps he’s lonely. Dogs are pack animals and need to have their pack around them. So what can you do?

First of all, if he’s left for long periods because everybody is at work all day, you need to find some way to help him overcome his loneliness and feel secure when alone. There isn’t one method that will work with every dog, it all depends on your dog.

Suggestions
Make your dog a ‘den’ that is his own personal space where he can feel secure and safe. An ideal way to do this is with a dog crate. Put it somewhere quiet where it can be left up all the time. Cover the top and three sides with a blanket. Put a dog bed or blanket inside with a couple of interesting toys like a Kong. Leave the door open at all times and encourage your dog to go in by putting some of his favourite treats inside. Once he sees it as a refuge, he can retreat there when alone. Don’t force your dog to use the crate. It will only be effective if he sees it as his safe place, not his prison cell.

If you have to leave your dog for long periods, try to get somebody that your dog knows and likes to pop in and see him once or twice during the day. If that person can play with him in the garden or take him for a walk, even better. If you can afford it, you could use a dog-walker to take him out. Of course, the ideal solution would be to drop him off with somebody you can trust when you have to leave him for a whole day.

Don’t give him all his toys, choose two or three and change them around each day unless there is one that will keep him happy for hours—something like a Kong stuffed with his favourite treats, for example.

Try to take him for a long walk or have a period of active play before leaving him. Hopefully, he’ll be happy to sleep when he gets home.

Shihtzu Baby Buy From Art.com

Does your dog bark when you are there but without apparent reason? Perhaps he’s bored. Are you giving him enough attention or has he become part of the furniture? It’s difficult, when you have a busy life, to find the time to interact with your dog as much as he needs. He must be taken for walks everyday and it’s something that all dog owners need to build into their routine. Play with him at other times too. Spend time grooming him. He needs company and social interaction just as much a human being needs it.

Does your dog bark when somebody walks past your house or comes to the door?
He’s guarding the pack’s territory and thinks he’s helping. First of all, make sure you are the leader of the pack because that means it’s your job to protect the pack and the den, not his.

Teach your dog a command that means he stops barking, eg Quiet. Don’t smack him or punish him in other ways for barking because he’s trying to help. On no account, shout and scream at him because he doesn’t understand English. He’ll think the noise you are making is joining in his barking to repel intruders.

You need to find a way to interrupt his barking. Put pebbles into something like a Coke can and when he starts barking, shake it hard and say “Quiet”. The noise should startle him into silence for a moment. Quickly reward him with a favourite treat and say “Good boy”. Gradually he will learn the ‘Quiet’ command and eventually you won’t need to reward him each time.

Does your dog bark at particular people?

Maybe he hates the mailman or your mother or best friend. To cure this you need that person’s co-operation. Ask them to come near your home so your dog can see them. Before he starts barking, tell him to sit, give him a special treat and tell him he’s a good boy. Next time, get your friend to come closer, repeat the command and treats. Keep doing this until the person can come right up to your dog without him barking then get that person to give him the treat.

You can buy collars that say they will stop your dog barking. It is unlikely that they will be successful. At best, they might interrupt the behaviour by spraying citronella or emitting an unpleasant noise, at worse, something like a collar that administers an electric shock is painful and cruel—how can anybody do that to a creature that trusts and loves them? Addressing the causes of barking and then using behavioral techniques is far more likely to be effective.

Valentine

For a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, try this super rich moist cake. Lots of butter and almonds give this rich cake its moist texture.

Also it will be a favourite on less romantic occasions, with family and guests alike. It takes about three quarter of an hour to cook and the preparation time is 25 minutes. Serves 10 – 12

Ingredients
9oz semi sweet (plain) chocolate
7oz ground almonds
6oz butter
1/2 cup (4ozs) fine grained (caster) sugar
4 eggs
5 or 6tbs strawberry jelly (jam)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F (180 deg C). Line the base of a 9 inch square cake pan and grease well. (A romantic touch would be to use a heart shaped cake pan). 2. Melt 6 ozs of the chocolate (see techniques).

3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.

4. In a separate bowl, beat 4ozs of the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the almonds, egg yolks and cooled melted chocolate. Beat until well mixed.

5. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate and almond mixture and pour into the cake pan.

6. Bake for about 55 minutes until firm. Allow to cool in the pan for about five minutes and the turn onto a cooling tray.

7. When cold, spread the strawberry jelly (jam) over the top of the cake. Do not worry if the cake sinks a little or if there are any cracks, as they will be covered by the frosting.

8. For the frosting put the remaining butter and chocolate into a basin and melt over hot water or carefully in the microwave. Stir together well until smooth and glossy, pour on the top of the cake, and spread evenly.

Chocolate Cake Dessert at O’Farrell Restaurant, Acassuso, Buenos Aires, Argentina Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

Corgi Puppy

Nobody should ever get a puppy on impulse so you will have made preparations for the new addition to your family. Here you can find out what they are and how to care for and begin training your puppy so he and you have a happy life together.

So there you are – you and your new puppy home together at last. Hopefully you will already have seen him several times while he was still with his mother so he knows you and isn’t too frightened. Now what?

Preparations
First of all, those preparations you made for his arrival will help both of you. You should have bought:

• A good book on puppy care (see recommendations below)
• Blankets suitable for dogs, ie ones he can’t rip too easily
• A dog crate
• Dog toys – cuddly toys, balls, a squeaky toy, chewable Nylabones
• A collar and lead – suitable for puppies
• A safety harness for travelling in the car
• Dog bowls
• Food recommended by the breeder or rescue centre
• Brush & Combs for grooming
• A gate to put in doorways to keep your puppy out of danger and mischief.

These are the basics. You will probably find other things you want to buy in preparation.

You will also need to puppy-proof your home. Make sure that your garden has good fences all the way round. They should be high enough that he can’t jump over them when he’s fully grown and of course check for holes or gaps – you will be surprised how a puppy can squirm through the smallest of spaces. If you have a gate in the garden, check the puppy can’t get through it. If it is the kind with wooden or metal bars, cover the gate with a metal netting and attach it securely.

Inside your home there will be many things that are dangerous to a curious puppy or that you will be upset if he destroys. Make sure that electric cables are either out of reach or covered up so he can’t find and chew them. He will explore everything in his new environment and, just like a human baby, his instinct is to suck and chew it. That includes corners of furniture, loose edges of carpets and rugs, shoes, slippers, bags, etc. Have a good look around your home and move anything that could be dangerous or you don’t want damaged.

The First Weeks

Basset Hound Puppies

First of all, and most important, make sure you have time off work to devote to your new puppy in the first few days of his arrival. He will have come from his mother and littermates and won’t be prepared for being alone. It is a good idea to take a blanket to the breeder as soon as you decide you are going to take the puppy so that he can sleep on it while he is still with his mother. When you take him home, take the blanket with you. The smells of his mother and brothers and sisters will be a comfort to him. Don’t wash it until he has settled down in his new home.

You should take your puppy to the veterinarian for a check-up as soon as you can after you get him home, certainly within the first two days. He should get his first shots against killer diseases as well as being checked for any incipient health problems. You might also want to discuss getting him micro-chipped.

You can use his crate to create a quiet spot for him to sleep and also as a safe retreat for him. Put it somewhere he won’t be disturbed but not in a place where he is going to feel lonely. A corner of your main living room or kitchen would be fine. Cover the top and three sides with a blanket or rug, leaving the front clear. Make it comfortable with a dog bed or blankets. Don’t close him in there, leave the door open. You can tempt him in by putting some treats inside. If you find that he doesn’t want to go in there, don’t force him to do so. This should be a place of refuge and safety, not a prison. Be prepared with a box and put his blanket in there for his bed, if he prefers it.

Mouse Pad Puppies

From the beginning you should establish a routine. Get him into the habit of regular mealtimes then watch him afterwards so you can begin house training him immediately. You will soon see the signs that he wants to urinate or defecate. If you have a garden, scoop him up and take him outside to a spot you have already chosen as suitable for the purpose. When he does his business, praise him lavishly – “Good boy, what a good boy, you are such a good boy” in a tone of total delight! Take him out to the special place first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Puppies only have small bladders and bowels so need to go frequently. Never, ever scold him when he does it in the wrong place. Just like a human baby, it takes time before he can control urination and defecation. If you shout at him, it can lead to problems including eating his own faeces. Of course, you should never rub his nose in what he’s done, it is disgusting and will not help house training him.

For further training and socialisation, look for a good puppy training class in your area. Sit in on the class before taking your puppy to ensure that the methods used are good and that there aren’t too many puppies in one class. Avoid any that insist on using a choke chain or other harsh methods of training.

The most important part of caring for and training your puppy is you remember that he is a baby. He has just left his mother and everything he knows. Don’t shout at him or punish him when he makes a mess, destroys your best shoes or some treasured possession. It’s not his fault, it’s yours for leaving them where he could get them. He doesn’t know what he is doing is wrong and he will grow out of chewing everything, just like a human baby does. If you shout at him or punish him, he will grow into a nervous, insecure dog – not what you want. Enjoy him as a puppy, then enjoy him as the secure, well-balanced dog he becomes when he grows up.

(I use ‘he’ and ‘him’ instead of the clumsy ‘he or she’ and ‘him or her’ but, of course, this article refers to both sexes.)

Deciding to get a puppy is a big and serious decision that should not be made hastily.

There is a slogan promoted by animal charities: A dog is for life, not just for Christmas. Of course, most sensible people wouldn’t consider getting a dog as a Christmas gift but the idea behind the slogan can apply to any time of the year.

A dog can live for around 15 years, some more, some less, depending on breed, health and luck. When you get a dog, whether you spend a lot of money on a well-bred pedigree or you get one from a rescue centre, you have to realise that this is a very long-term commitment. Are you really sure you want to take on the responsibility for another creature’s happiness and well-being for years to come?

Here are some more questions you need to consider:

• Are all family members as keen as you are on having a dog?
• Are you prepared for the disruption and mess that a puppy brings with it?
• Can you cope with cleaning up puddles and poop and watching your puppy like a hawk so that you can deposit it outside to do its business? This can go on for weeks.
• Have you got the time needed to devote to training your dog?
  It takes time and effort to have a well-behaved dog with good social skills.
• Are you prepared for regular daily walks regardless of weather? Snow, wind and rain don’t deter a dog from wanting and needing a walk.
• Are you prepared for the expense? Not only do you have to buy good quality dog food but you will need to get your dogs vaccinated against killer diseases. Then there are illnesses and injuries that happen to all pets and can involve high vets’ bills or regular insurance payments.
• When you are away from home and your dog can’t go with you, if you don’t have somebody who is prepared to look after the dog for you, you will have to pay for boarding kennels.

Choosing a Puppy

Puppy dogs

If you are considering getting a purebred dog, consider your lifestyle and circumstances. Buying a hyperactive Collie when you live in a small town centre apartment will lead to misery for you and your dog as he will not get the exercise and stimulation he needs. In these circumstances you would do much better with a small dog like a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel although a dog like this will still need regular exercise.

If you are a rather timid person, you might think that a strong dog like a German Shepherd or Rottweiler would be ideal and would protect you. You might find that your dog sees itself as leader and you as a subordinate: again this could make life miserable for both of you.

Read up on the different breeds, talk to breeders and the many breed societies and find one that suits your personality and lifestyle.

If you decide on a crossbred dog, ideally you should see the parents, if possible, or at least the mother. Get to know the puppy in the weeks before it is ready to leave its mother and see if you like its personality. If you are getting the puppy from a rescue centre, take your time and pay several visits to make sure you and the puppy are compatible. Talk to the staff and get their impressions of the dog.

It is far better to take many months to come to a decision about getting a puppy to ensure that you choose the right companion who will, hopefully, spend many years by your side.