Thursday 26 February 2009

Easy Yummy Scones


I made Wifey some yummy scones and Tweeted about it. Some people wanted the recipe - so here it is. These are sooooo easy.

Makes 8

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Self Raising Flour Sifted
  • 1/4 cup Caster Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Sultanas (optional - can use chopped dates instead)
  • 1/2 cup Thickened Cream (35% fat)
  • 1/2 cup Lemonade (for North Americans, I am referring to Sprite, 7 Up or equivalent - we Aussies call it Lemonade)
  • Pinch Salt

Method
  • Preheat oven to 210 C (for a fan forced oven)
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper or grease it
  • Place flour, sugar, salt and sultanas in a large mixing bowl
  • Mix the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre
  • Add cream and lemonade to dry ingredients
  • Mix to form a soft dough
  • Turn dough out onto lightly floured benchtop and knead lightly
  • Press dough with hands to thickness of about 3 cm
  • Use a 5cm cutter to cut out scones
  • Place on baking tray
  • You can brush the scones with milk but this is optional. It makes them brown a little easier. (I don't do this)
  • Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned
  • Place on cooling tray
  • Serve warm with jam and cream


If you wanted to, you could use light cream, diet lemonade and all that kind of gear, but made as they are is pretty damn good!!

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
www.GetMoreBlog.com
www.GetMoreShowSuccess.com

Tuesday 10 February 2009

It's Tragic - but it's real!

It is horrendous.

Within a day over three country towns have been disintegrated. Over 190 people have been killed. Animals, domestic and wild have been killed and maimed. Thousands of people have been traumatised and tormented. Places I have visited and have fond memories of no longer exist. The footage and stories of survivors and victims are like an action holocaust film.

But it's real!

Victoria has been burnt. The fires are not out yet either. The pain is far from over. The wounds are so fresh - mental and physical. The number of people still to be accounted for is significant. It is hard to believe that it has happened less than 50km (30 miles) away.

Humans are Fragile

It has taken so little to kill so many. Mother nature is so strong and unpredictable. It will take time but there will be positives in this situation. Not just the stories of miracles, courage and strength but the lessons of determination. To me this shows how short our lives are (even though they are the longest thing we will ever do) and how important it is to continue on with our dreams and our goals no matter what.


Never Give Up!

At times in the past I have wondered if the effort to do what I do is worth it. Wouldn't it be easier to just plod along and not strive as I do. This has reinforced that no one should settle. No one should live at anything less than the maximum that they can. Don't put it off. Do it now. Don't give up.

For those living through the horror of losing family, homes, pets, livelihoods, my thoughts are to never give up. Get help (there are so many who have come to help), get guidance (many health practitioners are donating or providing cheaply services to aid you) and keep moving.

If they can do it, why not me.


Life is tragic, but it's real. What holds you back from being all that you can be?


Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy

www.warwickmerry.com

www.getmoreblog.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

Monday 2 February 2009

Smart Arse Answers

This is an email that was doing the rounds. I got sent it by my mum - which is funny because of the smart arse answers I have given her over the years!! From the look of the email, it's origins are in the UK. It is still funny wherever it is from and wherever you are.

Enjoy!



SMART ARSE ANSWERS 2008
6th Place

It was mealtime during a flight on a British Airways plane:
'Would you like dinner?' the flight attendant asked the man seated in the front row.
'What are my choices?' the man asked.
'Yes or no,' she replied.

5th Place

A flight attendant was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket and he opened his trench coat and flashed her. Without blinking an eyelid she said, 'Sir, I need to see your ticket - not your stub.'

4th Place

A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at a branch of Sainsbury's but she couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a passing assistant, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?'
The assistant replied, 'I'm afraid not, they're dead.'

3rd Place

The policeman got out of his car and approached the boy racer he stopped for speeding. 'I've been waiting for you all day,' the bobby said.
The kid replied, 'Yes, well I got here as fast as I could.'
When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket.

2nd Place

A lorry driver was driving along on a country road.. A sign came up that read ' Low Bridge Ahead.' Before he realised it, the bridge was directly ahead and he got stuck under it. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The policeman got out of his car and walked to the lorry's cab and said to the driver, 'Got stuck, eh?'
The lorry driver said, 'No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of petrol!'


SMART ARSE ANSWER OF THE YEAR 2008

A teacher at a polytechnic college reminded her pupils of tomorrow's final exam. 'Now listen to me, I won't tolerate any excuses for you not being here tomorrow. I might consider a nuclear attack or a serious personal injury, illness, or a death in your immediate family, but that's it, no other excuses whatsoever!'
A smart-arsed guy at the back of the room raised his hand and asked, 'What would happen if I came in tomorrow suffering from complete and utter sexual exhaustion?'
The entire class was reduced to laughter and sniggering.
When silence was restored, the teacher smiled knowingly at the student, shook her head and sweetly said, 'Well, I suppose you'd have to write with your other hand'..

Keep Going!

In Australia yesterday, we had two great examples of persistence. Granted it was only sport and that is not something I am really into, but I can admire the strength of character and physical endurance it would have taken.

The Australian Open

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer went head to head for nearly 4 1/2 hours. Both players looked exhausted and both players kept playing at full capacity. So much so that Nadal looked like he had emerged from a swimming pool he was so drenched in sweat. At no stage did they give up.

They both made mistakes, they both let those mistakes go and focused on the next point in play. It was a marathon slog for the top two seeds in the tournament. I suspect they are both looking at how to improve on those mistakes and play better in their next round.

One Day Cricket

Australia played New Zealand in one day cricket yesterday. New Zealand's bowlers did a great job of getting the Aussies all out for 181. As a team, that must have been a crushing blow for the Aussies. Their turn to bowl and they put a lot of pressure on. New Zealand's run rate was low but still they kept at it. Most people would have thought that they were not going to be good enough to make it. It got down to the last over and New Zealand needed 5 runs to win. Another man out and then down to needing 1 run off the final ball.

New Zealand captain remained calm, focused and determined. Almost miraculously he was able to get the ball through a heavy field and get the four runs off the last ball for a well deserved victory.

LIFE

Life is not sport (sorry to disappoint a lot of people). Even those who play sport have a life outside it. There are always times when we are challenged and want to give up. Maybe not give up, but let things slide. Go for an easier, softer option. Sport gives us lots of lessons. For me, yesterdays lesson was Don't Give Up!! Or as good friends of mine say, "Don't quit before the miracle happens."

For you, what is happening in your life that needs you to persist just that little bit longer? What do you need to do to let go of past performance, what you may have previously said or done and focus on the right here and right now? What will you do to keep applying yourself and focus on the desired out come?

Calvin Coolidge (30th President of USA) has been often quoted saying:

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

But I am more a fan of The Captain from Galaxy Quest. "Never give up. Never surrender!"

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy

http://www.warwickmerry.com/
http://www.getmoreblog.com/
http://www.getmoreshowsuccess.com/