Christmas Pudding recipe
225g plain flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 grated nutmeg
1 ground all spice
1 tablespoon salt
100g fresh breadcrumbs
3 raisins
350g cup sultanas
50g almonds
220g brown sugar
220g soft margarine
4 eggs
200ml milk
100mm cup brandy
26th December
As I woke up this morning I noticed how damp and rimy it was outside, as every rail stood clammy and moist. There was still some snow lying on the ground but it was melting rapidly. The hulks still had a glow of white on its deck but u could see it was soon about to disappear. Today was all about a day of relaxation as Christmas day had been and gone and my Christmas pudding went down a treat. It makes me think how lucky I am not to be back inside an orphanage. I also feel now that there are many people who are worse off than me such as children who work in the terrible conditions of workhouses. Where children are fed nothing apart from gruel and thin bread. Today was also a day in which I stopped and thought about how things could be improved and how the state of education and conditions is simply appalling. Mrs Wopsle’s dame school is hardly what you can call a place to get educated the pupils hardly learn a thing especially when Mrs Wopsle is teaching she seems to put no effort into what she is doing, it’s a good job she makes me teach most of the time.
‘The darkest month of all the year is the month of Janiveer’
2nd January
It was an early wake for school this morning, as I wanted to make sure I was ready and lively to teach the pupils. It is hard for me to walk into the room I’m teaching in without thinking that these aren’t the correct working conditions for learning in. The children all trundled in from the frosty conditions outside with flushed faces.
Today was a day where I met a boy called Pip, a boy who seemed different to all the other students, and a boy who wanted to better himself and was willing to learn. However he was also a boy who was almost illiterate and I felt it was my job to teach him how to read and write so he can aspire to his full potential. This is a new challenge for me, and quite a responsibility. As Pip was the same age as me and I could see it would be quite a transition if I could get Pip to gradually be able to read and write, however I worried that this was just my imagination and he didn’t really want to further his education. All the other pupils didn’t really seem interested in class they just sat there with their shawl and bonnet on, which kept them warm in the ice-cold classroom as Mrs Wopsle watched on lazily. This made me realise that things were bad but there was nothing I could do about it.
Spring 1816
2nd April
The sun glistened through my curtains this morning to wake me at an earlier time than usual. Spring was now upon us and colourful flowers were starting to blossom from the ground. I looked out the window and I saw farmers hard at work, harvesting their own strips of land. I also say animals grazing on the mud stricken fields. A new start, lent was over and spring was certainly showing its best qualities on the once barren landscape. I am beginning to get concerned about Pip, he seemed to show Estella too much respect and in a way it is obvious that he is falling in love with her. Estella seems like a woman who is usually cold, cruel and uninterested in Pip. Miss Havisham raised her from the age of three, to torment men and break their hearts. She’s got all the qualities her mother has, cold, cynical and manipulative. Estella seems to represent Pip’s desire; he wants to become an upper class gentleman so he can marry Estella. I question young Pip’s judgement in this matter; I feel that marrying Estella would be something he may regret in the future.
Poem here:
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17th April
Pip’s quest to further his education took a massive leap today as he became a blacksmith apprentice this is all a step close to Pip moving to London. I am highly concerned about his motives however, but I have so far managed to keep my mouth shut about it. I do hope he does well down in London its just that there’s a feeling inside me that’s telling me he wont. Pip does not want to be poor, which I can understand but I sometimes feel that Pip rarely gives himself credit for what he does and ends up thinking he has to change. I worry that if he becomes a wealthy gentleman in London he’ll act the way he thinks a gentleman should act, which is probably snobbish and cowardly.
May 2nd
Today was a very significant day that will result in me moving home, Mrs Joe was attacked today. I don’t know much about the attack and certainly don’t even wish to think about who may have committed this ghastly deed. All I know is that I will be moving to the Forge, with Pip, Joe and obviously Mrs Joe who we will be looking after. I am not really bothered about moving and I am defiantly more than willing to help Mrs Joe on her way back to recovery. Ill probably be doing a lot of cooking which I enjoy anyways so it should be all right. It is also good to know I’ve got my friends around me with Pip, and Joe. Whereas it was harder with Mrs Wopsle as we always had more of a professional relationship, rather than a friendly one.
