For someone who managed to get through the education system to a decent level I surprise myself at how stupid I can be at times. I often miss really obvious things. For example:

• It did not occur to me that once you have a baby you can’t carry on with your previous social life to the same degree. This lesson was illustrated when Mr B and I ended up walking back through the cold streets of Leicester from a New Year’s Eve party at 11.30pm with out first born wrapped up like a Mummy. Idiot amateurs.

• It was a surprise to me, after swapping from two salaries to one, to find the bank account almost empty one day, that is, after continuing to spend at previous levels.

• Sometime in 2005, the day after drinking White Russians until 1am on a school night with my flatmate, I was a bit miffed to find myself at work vomiting. For some reason the inclusion of milk equalled no hangover in Holly World.

• I was genuinely shocked that labour was painful. Even though I flirted with a midwifery career in the late 90s. So it’s not like I hadn’t seen women howling in pain and trying to scratch their partner’s eyes out.

• It surprised me that my skinny jeans didn’t fit on January 3rd after 4 weeks of eating everything in sight, with a heavy bias towards sausage related party snacks involving pastry.

• I thought I’d get the ending of Sherlock. I didn’t. I feel thick.

The diagnosis is clear; on the whole, a bit of a lack of common sense. Oh well, I’m still alive, albeit in an often surprised fashion.

This recipe surprised me. Recently the lovely people at Diverse Abilities Plus sent me this recipe book and I have to say that one recipe in particular intrigued me. It was a flapjack with Coco Pops in it. Of course I meddled with it. It’s a problem I have, like the lack of common sense.

Anyway, the resulting recipe is below and my this is a fine flapjack… chewy and with a slight crunch. It’s obvious in hindsight that the cereal inclusion would make for a great flapjack. Mr B has been enjoying this as a lunchbox treat for the last week. In fact, he’s even been seen snaffling a slice for breakfast. It is cold after all.

The recipe book can be bought here. Buy it, go on! It’s a quality publication and full of recipes I want to try. It even has a picture of Duncan from Blue in it. Teenage dreamarama.

Makes about 9 pieces but all depends on the depth and size of your tin.

Ingredients:

• 175g butter

• 175g oats

• 75g brown sugar (I used that lovely crumbly, soft, muscovado stuff.)

• 2 large heaped tbsp golden syrup

• 25g Rice Crispies (Though the recipe said to use Coco Pops.)

• 40g cranberries (My meddling here – omit if you wish.)

• 100g sultanas (Again, my meddling, omit if dried fruit offends, or substitute.)

Preheat the oven to Gas 1/140C and pop the rack in the middle of the oven. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan, on a low heat until molten and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, Rise Crispies and dried fruit. Press into a greased square tin (I used a silicone one so no need to grease) and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, score into slices, then leave to cool completely before cutting and eating. It firms up once cool.

Credit: Original recipe submitted by Georgia Blainey, aged 11.