Here is my no-fail and dead-easy bread recipe:
500g strong bread flour (white or brown, up to you)
8g easy blend yeast
1tsp salt
300g hand-hot water
2tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients then combine all the ingredients together, using your hand to mix into a dough.
Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
Oil a loaf tin, and then pop the dough into the tin, wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in a warm-ish place for an hour.
These are ready to pop in the oven now:
We've been having some issues with one of our little cats for the past four weeks - although both female cats were spayed at 6 months, and are house cats, one of them has been yowling and yowling like mad and it's been getting unbearable at certain times of the day.
Today, GD and I popped along to Pets at Home, chatted to the vet, and then purchased a plug-in product that gives off a de-stress cat hormone that is totally safe for humans (and soon-to-be-born babies).
And although I hate to spend un-necessary money, this was totally necessary to the mental health and well-being of all who need to reside with her.
Literally within seconds of plugging in the product, both cats are happily rubbing up against us, playing together and snuggling up beside the radiator. And no guttural yowling (hope I'm not speaking too soon...)!
It seems that the pending mum-to-be could be giving off hormones, or the cat can sense the new arrival about to, er, arrive.
Either way, it's far better for the animals to be as relaxed as possible.
And that means relaxed people.
FMx
Hi, we have a siamese (who is very chatty All the time but that's another story!) and when anyone is ill or upset she won't leave us alone and insists on sitting on you. My gran also had a siamese and on the day she gave birth to my Aunt at home the cat howled at the bedroom door all day whilst she was in labour, I think they are sensitive cats.You never know maybe she has sensed something is iminent. Best wishes to you all x
ReplyDeleteI have my Siamese, merlin who is about 15 years old and I'm its third owner. We have had him about 6 years. I have tried the Fellaway without success, he keeps peeing up either plastic, the cooker or in corners, it's not peeing really, it's spraying. If I catch him doing it (its usually if another visiting cat who he knows, comes in) I shout "bad cat" and he runs off, he knows it is not good for me to say that. I don't really know what the answer is, think I've just got to put up with it, so long as we have him. He's sitting on my knee now, a favourite place whenever I am at the computer.
ReplyDeleteI had to do the same with my 2 cats, and they were both de-sexed. It worked a treat.
ReplyDeleteWe had a Siamese who very vocal but tended to be so more at night. The vet said it was it was senility. Also Siamese are very susceptible to the cold. Maybe some balls of dried cat-nip would relax her - they seem to get really stoned on it :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, may have to have a go at the bread, looks lovely! What's the cat plug in you got - may come in useful for our little easily stressed out cat?
ReplyDeleteApologies for forgetting you check out my blog - will try and remember to say hi every once in a while.
Love
Rach
X
It's Feliway - from Pets at Home x
DeleteThat Feliway is an absolute godsend! I had it here when we introduced Chrissy to Civ and also when I've babysat cats for other members of the family. We always install it a couple of days before the introduced kitty comes so that all should be calm as soon as the visitor is out of the carry box.
ReplyDeleteI love the look of your bread in the tins. I could almost smell it from here!
Cheers
I think I could be with you re cats and pregnancy pheromones - my lady cat was the same during my last trimester and came and woke me up in the middle of the night about ten minutes before I went into labour by howling like a banshee.
ReplyDelete