![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Bicyling to work, gaming, and cake
I did it! First time for months, partly due to a very busy schedule that does not allow the time for bicycling between the things to do, partly because I do not trust my strength or stamina, partly other annoying health issues.
But all in all I do not feel too bad, I'll never know if I don't try, and today had only "work" on my schedule and not even meetings at inconvenient times.
So, bicycling, and yes, I'm out of shape. Took 60 minutes to get to work, and that's before it got hot, and with the wind at my back. Took 75 minutes back, with the wind slightly against me half the way, temperatures above 30°C, quite tired, and then my route was blocked by visitors lining up for an open air ABBA tribute show and the police was re-directing all traffic. Which, given the location, consisted of bicycles, e-scooters, small motorbikes, skateboards, and pedestrians. It was a very colourful scene, but it meant that I had 7 traffic lights on the last two kilometres home instead of 2.
But after a cool shower, a catnap and a cup of tea I was as good as new. :-)
I don't think I'll have the time for this next week, but I should really try. Especially as there are so many construction sites around that even with the motor scooter it takes me 35 Minutes or more to get home. Friday last week I actually had to park the scooter in a place 500 metres from home (1.5 km by road), walk home, and pick it up late in the evening. I could try taking the commuter train, but last summer I used it three days, and each day there was some issue so that it took one hour to either get to work or get home. The shuttle bus will be as affected by the construction as the car or scooter.
With the bicycle, at least, I know how long it's going to take.
--
In other news, my role playing gamers baffled me again and not in a good way. They caught one of the con man that had tricked them, and very much needed information from him to get their goods back. It should have become very obvious very quickly that the guy was not the brains of the outfit. (Actually, I told them.) He was an arena fighter who got hit on the head a few times too often (probably) – tough, vain, and not the brightest bulb on the tree. The PC rogue has maxed out charisma, and is skilled in acting and seduction.
So what does the group do?
They try to intimidate him. And not only weren't they even good at it, they didn't especially enjoy it.
I think we need to talk.
--
At least we had cake.
Simple cake with red currants
For a 26cm (~10") round tin: Grease the tin and dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Clean 200 to 400 grams of tart fruit (rhubarb, gooseberries, red currents...) and cut them to 1 cm chunks (unless they are already smaller.)
Weigh four eggs and put them in a bowl.
Add the egg weight in sugar (half brown, half white), and beat until light-coloured and creamy, adding some vanilla essence, maybe some grated lemon or orange peel, and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, mix the egg weight in flour (I use 1-2 tablespoons of dark wheat flour and the rest standard white flour) with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. In a cup, measure 1/4 of the egg weight in cooking oil, and if you have some nut butter, mix a tablespoon of it with the oil.
Put the flour and oil in with the egg cream, mix with a cooking spoon. Mix in the fruit. Pour in the cake tin and bake for about 70 to 80 minutes. Cover if it gets too dark. Take it out, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it cool enough to touch before getting it out of the tin. You can put a light glaze on it.
This is a light, spongy cake, quite sweet, which is why it goes so well with fruit that is not much fun to eat raw.
But all in all I do not feel too bad, I'll never know if I don't try, and today had only "work" on my schedule and not even meetings at inconvenient times.
So, bicycling, and yes, I'm out of shape. Took 60 minutes to get to work, and that's before it got hot, and with the wind at my back. Took 75 minutes back, with the wind slightly against me half the way, temperatures above 30°C, quite tired, and then my route was blocked by visitors lining up for an open air ABBA tribute show and the police was re-directing all traffic. Which, given the location, consisted of bicycles, e-scooters, small motorbikes, skateboards, and pedestrians. It was a very colourful scene, but it meant that I had 7 traffic lights on the last two kilometres home instead of 2.
But after a cool shower, a catnap and a cup of tea I was as good as new. :-)
I don't think I'll have the time for this next week, but I should really try. Especially as there are so many construction sites around that even with the motor scooter it takes me 35 Minutes or more to get home. Friday last week I actually had to park the scooter in a place 500 metres from home (1.5 km by road), walk home, and pick it up late in the evening. I could try taking the commuter train, but last summer I used it three days, and each day there was some issue so that it took one hour to either get to work or get home. The shuttle bus will be as affected by the construction as the car or scooter.
With the bicycle, at least, I know how long it's going to take.
--
In other news, my role playing gamers baffled me again and not in a good way. They caught one of the con man that had tricked them, and very much needed information from him to get their goods back. It should have become very obvious very quickly that the guy was not the brains of the outfit. (Actually, I told them.) He was an arena fighter who got hit on the head a few times too often (probably) – tough, vain, and not the brightest bulb on the tree. The PC rogue has maxed out charisma, and is skilled in acting and seduction.
So what does the group do?
They try to intimidate him. And not only weren't they even good at it, they didn't especially enjoy it.
I think we need to talk.
--
At least we had cake.
Simple cake with red currants
For a 26cm (~10") round tin: Grease the tin and dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Clean 200 to 400 grams of tart fruit (rhubarb, gooseberries, red currents...) and cut them to 1 cm chunks (unless they are already smaller.)
Weigh four eggs and put them in a bowl.
Add the egg weight in sugar (half brown, half white), and beat until light-coloured and creamy, adding some vanilla essence, maybe some grated lemon or orange peel, and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, mix the egg weight in flour (I use 1-2 tablespoons of dark wheat flour and the rest standard white flour) with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. In a cup, measure 1/4 of the egg weight in cooking oil, and if you have some nut butter, mix a tablespoon of it with the oil.
Put the flour and oil in with the egg cream, mix with a cooking spoon. Mix in the fruit. Pour in the cake tin and bake for about 70 to 80 minutes. Cover if it gets too dark. Take it out, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it cool enough to touch before getting it out of the tin. You can put a light glaze on it.
This is a light, spongy cake, quite sweet, which is why it goes so well with fruit that is not much fun to eat raw.