Book Review - Goodnight Mr Tom

This book review is written by Salem.  He really enjoyed reading this book.

Goodnight Mister Tom  by Michelle Magorian

This book is about William (Willie), a London evacuee in WWII.  He was sent to a small country village called Little Weirwold.  He was billeted to stay with Mr Tom Oakley whose wife had died and he had become a loner.  Willie's mother was abusive towards him and covered him in bruises from beating him as punishment.  Mr Tom was very kind to Willie.  They become friends.  Willie learns about country life, he really loves it.  Then his mother wants him back and Willie doesn't want to leave Mr Tom, and Mr Tom doesn't want Willie to leave.


Willie's mother whips and whips him when he returns to London.  She neglects him and locks him away under the stairs.  Then she leaves him there under the stairs with no food for a week while she goes away.
Mr Tom is concerned that he has not had any letters from Willie so he catches a train to London and finds out where Willie lives.  When he gets there the house is locked.  Mr Tom and the police break into the house and find Willie locked away under the stairs.  He is in a terrible state and they take him to the hospital.


Mr Tom kidnaps Willie from the hospital because they were going to put him in a children's hospital and takes him back home to Little Weirwold.  Everyone is pleased and excited to see him again.  Mr Tom and Willie are the best of friends.


I won't tell you the ending.  I really liked this book, it's a great story and I recommend this book a lot.  I think people 10 years old to adult would like this book.

Earthquakes, Soup, Dumplings and Yorkshire Pudding

7.0 earthquake felt in Wellington

Wellington residents were rattled after a 7-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the lower North Island.

GeoNet reported the earthquake hit at 10.36pm on Tuesday. It was centred 230km deep and was 170km northwest of Wellington.

It was a long. rolling quake felt throughout the lower North Island and upper South Island.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Wow, what an earthquake that was tonight.  It was really long and the whole house just kept moving.  

The cats took off leaving the sofa for dust, and I went and stood in the archway between the dinning room and lounge, with one hand keeping my large cabinet steady as it had a lot of my crockery in.  No damage thank goodness.  Salem slept through it all, so did the chickens who if disturbed make a huge racket.  You should hear them when a hedgehog sneaks into bed with them!!!

Hopefully there will be no more earthquakes tonight.

Taranaki Street, Wellington, New Zealand 1950s

It has been so cold lately and we have all come down with colds, luckily the boys have recovered but I was the last to get one and I seem to get it the worst.  I've got tissues stuffed up my nose so I can do this post.

I have been through a whole box of tissues today, I could do the 1940s thing and use hankies but I think I would have used every single one we have, and we have a lot, but I just couldn't face heaps of soaking wet, drippy hankies to wash especially as the weather is supposed to turn nasty tomorrow.

So it has been the perfect time to make a large pot of yummy vegetable soup.  It is so easy to make and will feed us for days.  Even grumpy teenager enjoys making it.  Just loads of vegetables, soup cereals, extra pearl barley, sometimes split peas,  mixed dried herbs, worchestershire sauce and a bit of salt and water to fill the pot.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for a few hours.  What could be easier?  A big favourite of ours is to have dumplings with our soup.

Dumplings
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp butter or margarine melted
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or parsley
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup half water, half milk

In a bowl put all dry ingredients.
Add both the milk/water and the butter to the dry ingredients.
Use a knife to mix everything together using a cutting action at first.
Mix to a soft scone-like dough.  Add more water if too dry.
Shape into small balls (larger than a marble, smaller than a golf ball).
Pop into your simmering soup, put the lid on and let cook for at least 20 minutes.
Make sure that there is enough room in the pot for your dumplings to rise.  You might have to take a little of the soup out.

Serve in your bowl of soup, enjoy.

We are still enjoying our roasts (minus meat) and also yummy yorkshire puddings to go with them.
A nice easy recipe is.............  and it only uses one egg!!!!

Yorkshire Pudding
75g flour
1/2 cup half milk, half water
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp dripping, cooking fat or oil

Whisk all the ingredients together, except for the fat, to make a batter.
Preheat a roasting pan (or muffin tins) with the fat in a 220 degrees C oven.
When the pan and oil is hot, take out of oven and quickly put the batter in, then straight back into the oven.
Cook for 25 - 30 minutes or 12- 15 minutes if you are using muffin tins.
Cut into squares when cooked and serve hot.

Yum, Yum, I think it's roast for dinner tomorrow night if I'm feeling a bit better!!!!!!!

Nitey Nite Everyone

Nellie B