Knowitall.org

Once in a while I stumble upon a website that should get far more attention than it does.

The site from Knowitall.org is one of them.
It's ETV's educational Web portal, and is filled with all sorts of interactive items for K-12 students, teachers and parents. In fact, many of them are websites that can be used as a whole to cover a subject.

The diversity of the subjects is large, so there's something for everybody.

There's a good mix of fun and educational content. For example the song: Wash hands, and the manual for writing a Haiku.

Have a look yourself.

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guestparents

Now so many mothers are working a simple babysitter is not enough to are for the children.

Apart from daycare and schools there are grandparents, friends, and family members who take care of little children against a fee from the government.

There's nothing wrong in paying these people for what they do, but when they receive payment from the government there should be quality requirements.

These requirements are listed now, and a controlsystem has been developed.

This should give the parents the quarantee the children are kept in a safe, clean and sound environment.


The Netherlands

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microscope

I was asked how children of all age and be kept bussy this time of year.

Well, apart from internet, we have one special item in the house that always does the trick: a microscope.

Kids love to see, search and learn, and a microspcope provides all these opportunities.
Put water from outside under the miscroscope, a bit of leaf, a smear from whatever is smearable.

They can look up on internet which bacteria are involved, etc etc,

A microscope is the best for all ages.

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recipe: oliebollen

I was asked for the recipe of oliebollen.

Here it is:


1 (0.6 ounce) cake compressed fresh yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg

Not absolutely necessary:
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup raisins
1 apple (Granny Smith) finely chopped

1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS


Warm the milk and break the yeast into it.
Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve.

Take a large bowl and sift the flour and salt into it.
Stir the yeast mixture and egg into it,
and mix, untill it's a smooth batter.

Soon through carefully the currants, raisins and/or apple.

Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. That's about 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
The oil needs to be hot enough, otherwise you'll get greaseballs. Ugh!

Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
Fry the balls until golden brown,(8 minutes).

When everything is OK, the balls are soft, but not greasy.

Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels, or on a normal ironed towell.

Just before eating or presenting dust them with fine sugar.

Eat them hot if possible.


You can make from the same batter some other new years treats.

Take a apple. Peel and get the core out.
Slice the apple in 0.5 to 1 cm think slices, with the hole in the middle.

Cover it on all sides with batter and bake like oliebollen.

You can eat it hot, or cold.

I prefer cold.

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Fun Monday

Willowtree hosts today's Fun Monday.
And the question today is:

"Tell us about your best friend. Particularly things like: where you first met, how long you've been friends and why you think you are best friends"

I guess offline life is meant.

Well, at the moment I don't have a BEST friend.
I hardly see anyone as the children keep me far too bussy and tied to the house.

But of the people I know, the best friend is someone who is on vacation now.

We met a few years ago, because her and my children played together.
She came here with a complaint about one of my girls, so the start of our friendship was not well.
Especially not when I started to ask for facts and it turned out it was not my child, but her child that was in the wrong.

We know each other for about 5 years now.

In the beginning we used to drink coffee each week, which soon changed when her children all went to school.
Now I'm only invited when she needs someone to watch her children or water the pants during the vacation.

It's kind of disappointing when people deal with others this way.
On the other hand... as long as the children are friends it's good to know the parents well.

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Puzzle Maker

Question:
A while ago I came across a site where I could create puzzles.
I can't find it anymore.
Do you know one?

Yes, fortunately I do.

Have a look at Discovery School.
They have plenty of options to keep you and the children bussy!

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