I don't think the English system is the same as that in the US. We had termly schools reports . . . although many schools only had ONE at the end of the Summer Term. We were not ranked by A - B - C's etc. Our parents just received a sheet of printed paper, with a list of subjects down the left hand side and next to that a section for the teacher's comment . .good, fair, tries hard, makes no effort etc. At the bottom was a space for behaviour. After 11 years old a similar 'report' would probably have the extra school exam/test results and, of course a much longer list of subjects studied. I think we took 'internal' exams twice a year maybe Feb and June/July? The whole school hunkered down, everyone crept about muttering dates/equations/passages from Shakespeare and so on. By the fifth year (15-16) came the dreaded 'O' levels (Public Exams) and two years later even more fear-inducing 'A' levels upon which your future depended. Good results meant the 'chosen' University/College place. If you were really brilliant (not me) you would have been offered an 'unconditional place' probably at Oxford or Cambridge and would have whizzed through the exams without even a bead of perspiration on your brow. These days the system has changed . . . and keeps changing. Employers complain that interviewees, even those with so-called degrees, know nothing, can't write a sentence, don't know how to behave when questioned and have little concept of what the 'world of work' is about. The Govt. is promising to tighten up the exam system. Now where have I heard that before? My parents were most unconcerned about our education and luckily only glanced at our reports. I did have one friend who came from an East End of London background. Her Jewish Father had high hopes and expectations for his children and they lived in fear of a bad report. He took education to extremes and even decided what subject they would study, which university they would attend and so on. The oldest girl's way out was to become a nun! Her Italian Mother was a Catholic so there was little the father could do. Another sister rebelled and became a drug-taking hippy, was expelled from school and rusticated from university. The brother, a very clever boy, married (in a hurry) when young, never finished an Oxford degree, has several children and lots of grandchildren and seems very happy. ;-)

Hi Siobhan, it's been a tough year for me. A member of my family battled colon cancer this year. Thankfully, she is now in remission. I guess my emotions are still pretty raw from dealing with that experience. Marco's death is just so unfair. I'm finding it hard to process. Your experience is very similar to the loss of another friend I experienced a few years back. It is an awful feeling. Someone mentioned in an earlier posting about how Marco's obituary sounded like he himself had written it. Actually last summer, Marco informed me that he had updated his will, and made various lists and instructions for his friends and family in the case of his death. This is so typical of Marco's consideration for others. He himself may have written the obituary, though I can't imagine he ever thought that he had so little time left.

I expected you to tell me some sort of printing machine, that is super neat writing. Am I right in thinking you are an academic type of person lol and someone who likes their butterflies ;)

Okay, I gotta run to get some cedar planks. Could not find "my" recipe for cornbread with cheese and onions, so I did what I would have done to make it and pretty sure this is how it would work: Disclaimer: 1 - I am not a know-it-all nor a chef or whatever. This is what works for "me".. so if I sound like egotistical or I have all the answers, please forgive me.. it is a process I am always working on (cooking.. not being egotistical, I mastered that a long time ago).. so, easier to type it out than beat around the bush). 2 - Like I will explain, no matter what I cook or how many times, this is a process I do every time.. half the fun imo...and helps you refine things. Okay, Cornbread with Green Onions and Cheddar Cheese. Rules you cannot budge on when making cornbread: The quality of the cornmeal and flour WILL dictate how it tastes. "Good cornbread" can be made out of a box, "great cornbread" takes "great cornmeal" Don't skimp. If you are in a pinch, Aunt Jemima cornmeal works great and anyone that snubs their nose at it is just too picky. I prefer that or Pioneer, but there is a mill in Arkansas I think that makes it and if you are out to really kick some butt, look at the backs of each and find a local meal that works for you. Either of those first two will be plenty fine. Flour, any all-purpose will do. Second thing.. CHECK THE DATES. Out of date, heck, if it is not stored correctly, baking soda and/or baking powder can kill your cornbread. Always buy small containers so they are not stored away for a year before you use them. I keep 2-3 cans of clabber on hand and if it is halfway to the exp date, at 60 cents a can.. it is gone (that is what is left.. heh). Again.. Clabber Girl and Arm and Hammer.. name brands. You get what you pay for and rising is a must for the right texture. As for the rest of the things, the thinner the pan, the more likely to burn. Also, let everything sit out in the open for an hour or two. Bring it all to room temperature. Cornbread, like any other bread, is picky and cold spots can cause it to cook differently. So, I never stick to one recipe and, when creating one, I always make 2 or 3 small ones first to see which one I like the most. Cornbread is cheap to make.. cheaper still if you find how you like it and then never have to figure it out again ;) So, I found a couple recipes I like and would combine (remember, I never follow one recipe as they tend to make it a certain way and I am, after-all.. a know-it-all.. lol https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/cheddar-and-green-onion-cornbread-50000331 That one starts well and has most of what you need. The part about that one I am not sure about is the bell peppers. If the one you did not like did not have bell peppers, when you leave that out, they will need to be replaced with something. This one is closer to what I would enjoy: https://nancycreative.com/2011/10/19/cheddar-and-green-onion-cornbread/ Now, looking over a few other recipes, something I have done in the past and I saw in another skillet recipe (this would be a northern thing I assume) is I saw someone use a little maple syrup. Now, this part would be a little expensive because you cannot get the flavor or the consistency unless you use real maple syrup from the NE... so.. just want to post this link as if it is done in moderation, it can be pretty darn good. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016965-brown-butter-skillet-cornbread?mcubz=1 Note: Some people frown upon sugar in cornbread and so would do the same with maple syrup. Cornbread was "bread" in the southern states and bible belt as well to some degree, so adding sugar is like a "desert" to some...I say ignore folks and have fun. Avoid adding cheese to the tops of the cornbread unless you do so in the last 10 minutes of cooking. It will brown quicker and make you think you are burning it. Summary: GOOD cornmeal Fresh baking soda and baking powder Room temp on eggs and butter etc quality baking pans Experiment in small quantities and with both convection and non convection if available. (I would use the second link.. and add some jalapenos finely diced) If you are not experienced in how to choose a jalapeno, it is very important.. and, once you learn, you find yourself loving them again. Jalapenos can be bright shiny green, then dull green with brown veins, then dark dark green, then red. Each stage has a different flavor. Want heat? leave the seeds. BRIGHT shiny smooth green is what you want for flavor without as much heat. The brown veins show the acidity age and can get hotter, dark green to red has a more "sweet" but hot flavor. Always, when baking, get the fresh smooth with no veins, cut out ALL the seeds etc just like you would in a bell pepper, and then finely dice them. This is from before the house.. but I love cooking cornbread in a skillet ;) just pre-heat the skillet before adding the cornbread mixture . Russ