Selling cakes to raise funds

On Father's day, 12 year old Caitlyn and her siblings were selling cakes in the Mt Albert Baptist Church Foyer. The proceeds went to raise funds for babysitting expenses for the ladies at the Op shop. Their mum, April Harris volunteers five days a week at the shop.

Good job, Ka Pai and paki paki Caitlyn.

Turning fourteen

Our baby turned fourteen this week. In New Zealand, this is a day of great significance. At 14, a child is allowed to stay at home by himself. Some parents have a party to celebrate this day of " No more babysitting," " No more tagging along."

The birthday boy had a few friends over and they were going to have laser fights at Megazone.

We both made this "chocolate slice" cake. He loves it, and is very happy to be my kitchen hand when we make this delicious non bake cake.

Grace's cake: metallic clutch bag.

You are right to think I made a mistake. It does look like a Versace clutch bag. It's my sister Grace's creation for a lucky girl's 21st.

I have an anecdote of a metallic clutch bag. In 1990, my husband got a job lecturing in the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Before we left New Zealand, my girl friend B. said, "Ann, you will be an important wife and will be going to dinner parties, so let's go and buy you a good Oroton bag."

So off we went, I bought a silver metallic bag. In the sixteen years I was there, I have never been invited to an important dinner party, even though he became an associate professor. In reality, they didn't invite wives.

When I came back to New Zealand, I gave the bag to Deborah. Hopefully she will get to attend important dinner parties. LOL

My Sister Grace's cake

My mum was a fast learner. She was one of the earliest in Sarawak who learned to bake Europeon cakes and ice them beautifully. My sisters followed her foot steps. I bake and ice cakes, but I am not sophisticated and don't make dainty cakes.


Grace, the youngest sister is very clever with her hands. She sews beautifully, and her cakes, well, this speaks for itself.