I had resisted for as long as I could, and I didn’t want to upgrade my mobile phone. My old one was perfectly fine for my rather small needs, and I really couldn’t justify upgrading just for the heck of it. The electronic landfill jungle didn’t need my contribution of a perfectly workable phone, just because I wanted a prettier one.

There had been quite a few comments of why don’t you just get a new phone, but I just solemnly shook my head.

The old girl isn’t dead yet, I would whisper. Not until she passes on, will I look for another.

Other’s phones came and went. Kids started playing with toy models that looked remarkably like mine. Still I refused. My old phone would sometimes reject messages and pictures that people would send me, as the older style just simply wasn’t compatible with today’s technology.

I still refused.

But then she started to falter. Two new re-chargers, some re-wiring from Mr Chocolate and she was good to go again. For another couple of months anyway. Then the charge started to take longer than what the phone could actually be used for.

Nope, not yet I would tersely whisper…

She isn’t dead.

The week finally came, and I noticed the phone was running a little hot. Not in a I’ve had lots of phone calls kind of way, but in an oh, that’s really hot to touch and I haven’t even been using you. Then the funny game of turning on and off every two seconds started, (which is probably why she was running a little hot.) Unusable, irretrievable and really annoying. I jigged, I fiddled, I let her cool down. Nothing worked. Five years ago I would have gone a lot longer without a mobile but these days it’s how so many people communicate, without access to one I kind of felt a little…nude.

The time had come, I succumbed.

With determination and a steely eye I headed to the phone shop. Blah, blah, blah from the sales man. His selling point wasn’t sure where to head when he enthusiastically told me all about using facebook on one particular phone. I hated facebook I told him.

Oh… well how about this one then? That one looks like an older model than the one that just firebombed my ear. Really?

What seemed like half a day later, I trotted out of the shop with a new contract and new phone in my hand. It looked decent enough, seemed to be able to do everything I wanted, and would sure to be saving me money in the long run , (NO, I didn’t really believe that selling point.)

So a new phone to fiddle with, I’m up to date (for at least a few months anyway) and contactable again.

Now I just had to work out how to use the damn thing, (luckily I had this simple Central American cake by my side to help me through it.)

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Torta Tres Leches

4 egg yolks

1 egg*

150g (3/4 cup) sugar

2 tsp vanilla

225g (1 1/2 cups) s/r flour

50g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut

125mls (1/2 cup) milk

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395mls condensed milk

120mls evaporated milk

120mls milk

60mls esspresso coffee

Cream eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk together than mix in dry ingredients. Bake in a greased and lined square tin (approx 23cm) at 180C for about 30 minutes. Bake until golden in colour.

While cake is still hot, leave it in the cake tin, prick it all over with a skewer or fork then pour on the milk mixture. (Combine in a bowl, condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk and coffee together beforehand.)

Leave cake to soak up mixture in the fridge over night.

Serve with fresh seasonal berries or something else tasty, (depending on your season.)

* I happened to have 4 egg yolks which needed using, otherwise swap recipe for 4 eggs?