Soul Mates

They say time flies when you having fun - we all know that standing in the que at the post-office for 10 minutes can feel like a life-time, but an hour long massage can feel like 5 minutes! The same can be said about being married. If you are married to the wrong person even your wedding night will seem like an eternity, but if you're married to the right person, 50 years passes in the twinkling of an eye.

I don't suppose many of you can remember where you were this day 14 years ago. If you were in Cape Town you would have woken to an overcast day which cleared later, there was also slight South Easterly breeze blowing. Nelson Mandela gave his acceptance speech for the Africa Peace Award in Durban, Michael Jordan announced he was ending his 17 month NBA retirement and the Spanish princess Elena married Jaime de Marichalar y Saenez Tejad.

I hope that day is coming back to you now, because for me it's as clear as if it were yesterday. On 18 March 1995, I married my soul mate and the love and happiness I felt on that day, pales in comparison to what I feel every single day since. I still feel like that young bride, standing in the church saying her vows and that is because Keith has never once made me feel any less special than on that day. Even though I know when I look in the mirror, things are not as fresh and perky as back then - he doesn't seem to notice and is far too in love to care!

I have a husband who gives more love than he recieves, he treats me like a new bride every single day of our lives together. He understands what a bad day is, without me having to explain. He never stops me following my dreams, no matter how bizarre they might seem.

He hates gardening, but will still do all the heavy lifting. He has tasted more food experiments than any normal laboratory rat would be expected to do.

He's my friend, my protector and my lover - he's my HUSBAND!

To celebrate our anniversary I baked something very special, something I have never made before and just like my marriage, it is better than I could have hoped for.

Keith's Chelsea Buns
Adapted from Kenwood

Ingredients
450g cake flour
7g easy blend dried yeast
pinch of salt
100g butter, room temperature
100g caster sugar
200 room temperature buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
5ml cinnamon
grated rind of 1 lemon
100g dried fruit cake mix
50g flaked almonds
2 Tbls Lemon marmalade mix with 2 Tbls hot water

Method
1. Sift the flour into the bowl and add the yeast, half the butter and half the sugar. Fit the dough hook and blend on speed 1 for 1 minute, until combined. Add the egg and milk and blend on speed min for 1 minute, until a soft dough forms. Continue blending on speed 2 for 2 minutes.
2. Remove the bowl and store in a warm place. Cover with lightly oiled clear - film and leave for about 1- 2 hours, until well risen and doubled in size. Meanwhile grease a 23 x 28cm baking tin.
3. Fit the bowl and dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 30cm square. Spread the remaining butter over the dough leaving a 2.5cm (1in) border.
4. Scatter over the remaining sugar, spice, lemon rind, cake mix and almonds. Then roll up. Cut the roll into 12 slices and arrange in the prepared tin well apart. Cover with lightly oiled clear - film and leave in a warm place, until doubled in size. 5. Bake in an 190°C for 25-30 mintues. 6. Remove from the oven and brush with the marmlade mix.