Day 159 - dodgy drinks and elderflower

It was a bit warm today, an opportunity to get outdoors and drink cold drinks. If only it was Get Outdoors Day. Oh wait, it was. Yay! Whilst son 2 was off swimming and gymnasticing, I took son 1 and child 3 to collect some elderflower. All three of them like elderflower and they've been looking forward to the cordial making season for ages. We popped round to the community orchard and found a couple of useful trees which had plenty of flowers to spare. We had to climb over some stingy nettles but it was worth the danger. It's always good to get outside and it was a rare opportunity to just do what we wanted. We would have gone anyway but I'm still claiming it as a celebration.

As I said, it was very warm. A little "Brown Cow" was just what the doctor ordered. It's not something I've heard of before, another Americanism. I googled it and found it was root beer, chocolate syrup and ice cream. I haven't had root beer in ages so I couldn't remember what it tasted like. Not very nice. The kids didn't like it either. It tastes like licorice/aniceed to me which is one of my least favourite flavours. Mixing it with chocolate and ice cream makes it paletable but I won't be rushing to make it again.

Iced Tea Day was a bit if a disaster too. Lipton peach ice tea is my holiday drink but as this was a celebration I thought that I'd make some instead. That was a mistake. I made some tea, mixed in some peaches and sugar and put it in the fridge. Once poured over ice I tried it. The boys were excited, and as let down as I was. I should have found a recipe, I assumed it would be easy. It tasted far too strong, wasn't anywhere sweet enough and didn't taste at all of peach. Stick to Lipton!

For Herb and Spice Day I made a curry (any excuse!). Mrs H found a good new brand so I'm afraid it wasn't from scratch but it was tasty. It didn't actually have that many herbs and spices in it but sometimes less is more. Yum. I can't remember the name but it started with an M.

I ended the day with a twofer. Ballpoint Pen Day coincided with Write To Your Father Day so I wrote him a letter with a pen.  I hope that he can read it as my handwriting is shockingly bad. I could be a doctor it's so bad. I'll try to get it in the post in time for Fathers' Day.

Tomorrow will be German Chocolate Cake Day. I don't have the time to bake one so if anyone could bring some round that would be helpful, we can celebrate together.