I've been wracking my brains trying to work out what to do for the "soap guy" (as I will call him), to say thank you for helping me out after I had my handbag stolen last week. Seriously, he was brilliant - lending me his phone so I could call the banks to cancel my cards and contact a friend and generally he protected me as the adrenaline and shock drained from my body, sheltering me at the back of his stall. He also loaned me some cash, meaning I could at least buy some groceries for a few days. As I said, above and beyond stuff. I like to think I'd do this for somebody I don't know very well too.
I paid him back the loan today. My replacement card came through on Wednesday but this was the first time this week I'd been back to the shopping centre. I got a new phone the following day. Being cared for in that first hour or so after the event has made it a lot easier on my psyche. Saying thank you in some small way is the least I can do.
The gesture doesn't need to be big, or flamboyant or over the top. Who gets a guy you don't know well flowers? Nah. He runs a soap stall. He's around smellies all day. Chocolate? Nah. Like me, he's trying to stay away from the sugar - and then do you get white, dark or milk chocolate? (or if you're me, caramello...)
I'm a little cash flow down at the moment, knowing I'm not getting paid until the middle of March - so buying him something like gin isn't quite right either.
So I've gone with something simple. It's come down from the annals of family lore.
I've made him a batch of biscuits.
Told you I've gone old school.
These biscuits are too easy. I emailed Mum for the recipe. Like all of my grandmother's recipes, it's simple and in the old measures.
6 oz Plain flour
6 oz Softened butter
2 oz Icing sugar
2 oz Custard powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence.
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Roll into little balls, bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
My oven is crap so it takes a bit longer.
When cool, make up some icing made of icing sugar, a bit of butter and a few drops of almond essence. Don't ask me for the measurements, I've been making icing since I was a child - I go by feel.
These are magic biscuits.
My grandmother used to make them for my Dad for his birthday, along with a batch of Afghans, and I wish somebody had written that recipe down. Love me a good Afghan.
I've made these bikkies for people for their birthdays. One of my workmates used to demand I make him these biscuits each year. I finally taught his daughter how to make them - they moved back to the Netherlands. I like to think he's still asking his daughter to make them each February when his birthday comes around.
I've taken them up to my friend in Sydney. He thinks they're pretty good too.
And as my sister says, this is the preferred gift we give to people we care about in my family.
I just hope he likes this very small gesture of thanks. Seriously, having somebody look after you like that when you're in shock and adrenaline is coursing through your veins like heroin, it's made coming to terms with the trauma so much easier. I'm truly grateful to have him as a mate.
Today's Song:
I paid him back the loan today. My replacement card came through on Wednesday but this was the first time this week I'd been back to the shopping centre. I got a new phone the following day. Being cared for in that first hour or so after the event has made it a lot easier on my psyche. Saying thank you in some small way is the least I can do.
The gesture doesn't need to be big, or flamboyant or over the top. Who gets a guy you don't know well flowers? Nah. He runs a soap stall. He's around smellies all day. Chocolate? Nah. Like me, he's trying to stay away from the sugar - and then do you get white, dark or milk chocolate? (or if you're me, caramello...)
I'm a little cash flow down at the moment, knowing I'm not getting paid until the middle of March - so buying him something like gin isn't quite right either.
So I've gone with something simple. It's come down from the annals of family lore.
I've made him a batch of biscuits.
Told you I've gone old school.
These biscuits are too easy. I emailed Mum for the recipe. Like all of my grandmother's recipes, it's simple and in the old measures.
6 oz Plain flour
6 oz Softened butter
2 oz Icing sugar
2 oz Custard powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence.
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Roll into little balls, bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
My oven is crap so it takes a bit longer.
When cool, make up some icing made of icing sugar, a bit of butter and a few drops of almond essence. Don't ask me for the measurements, I've been making icing since I was a child - I go by feel.
These are magic biscuits.
My grandmother used to make them for my Dad for his birthday, along with a batch of Afghans, and I wish somebody had written that recipe down. Love me a good Afghan.
I've made these bikkies for people for their birthdays. One of my workmates used to demand I make him these biscuits each year. I finally taught his daughter how to make them - they moved back to the Netherlands. I like to think he's still asking his daughter to make them each February when his birthday comes around.
I've taken them up to my friend in Sydney. He thinks they're pretty good too.
And as my sister says, this is the preferred gift we give to people we care about in my family.
I just hope he likes this very small gesture of thanks. Seriously, having somebody look after you like that when you're in shock and adrenaline is coursing through your veins like heroin, it's made coming to terms with the trauma so much easier. I'm truly grateful to have him as a mate.
Today's Song:
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