The 100 year old January 2009

A century, like a roar at a cricket match
deserves a well cut lawn, club sandwiches
threatening a curl, chocolate cake, kept in the
fridge, til the big moment arrives for the
sun wants it just as bad.

Gazebos attempt to reflect mid-afternoon
light, hot sounds rise from the young folk,
who, in an interval, delight. Flowers
border the party, pretty in pink, and Peter
the chief speech maker is up on his feet.
The local reporter’s turned up and the
100 year old is not letting on – nothing
incriminating will be told today, her
version of events is ok.

Wine into water would probably suffice
with fresh lemon to revive, though the
bottled beer is nice. In and out of her
time warped house we trundle, clinking
glasses and circulating plates with an
assortment of slices.

The scorer of a century has had enough
of the singing birthday cake knife, delivered
bouquets and some folk she forgot she should
recognize. Considerate carers wheel her
back: so she survives.

Sugar, minus tongs, sits squarely forlorn
atop a discarded box. In a huge pot, Jenny
makes tea and photographer Yuki pours it
black, refreshing the day with a sugar lump;
plop, in a porcelain cup!

Celebrate January, summer in New Zealand with

Claire's Lemon Slice.

100g melted butter.
Half a can sweetened condensed milk
250g packet of plain biscuits
1 cup desiccated coconut
Lemon rind

Crush the biscuits (plastic bag and a rolling pin is fine)
and add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the mixture into
a square lined tin or swiss roll tin, but we can't seem to find
them anymore in the North Island. The mixture should be about 1cm thick.
Make the Icing by mixing 1 cup of icing sugar, 2 teaspoons of softened butter, a little juice of an orange/orange juice and extra lemon rind to decorate.
When you've spread the icing on the base put in the fridge and cut into squares
when cool.
Very sweet and morish!