DAILY LIFE

The days fly by, disappearing over the horizon like a fast-forward sunset ... leaving us wondering 'what happened to the days'?

I thought it a good idea to share some of the supper recipes I have tried over the last month or two, dishes I don't normally make. One of these, by windfall of a shared box of SNOEK, is a very first for me. I have not quite mastered the art of cooking Fish, so went on the hunt for recipes to prepare this huge fish. Quite different from the usual box of frozen fish I normally would open and arrange neatly in a casserole dish, sprinkle some seasoning & lemon juice over and pop in the oven... no wonder I have had no success with the fish dishes!! ha ha

Back to the Snoek. I must say, it turned out to be quite a feast. It was so big, that we shared it with our neighbours (J&M) and both of us had left-overs to make a second dish the next day or two. I made a Snoek Quiche and M made Pasta a la Snoek : )

Let me now tell you how I made the original Snoek Bake. It was in a filleted state, so I mixed together about a cup of Apricot jam, a cup of Lemon juice, a couple of cloves crushed garlic, about half a cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon Curry pwd. Season with Mixed Herbs, Salt and Ground Pepper and a wee bit of Chopped chillies (just for taste). I spread some of this on a sheet of foil laid in a baking tray, lay the snoek on top of this and then spread the rest of the mixture over the fish. Cover with another piece of foil and place in the oven (not switched on). Leave to marinade for a couple of hours, if possible (at least one hour). Then I baked it for about 20min, took off the top foil and grilled for a couple of minutes. Voila!! Dish up and eat!

A brilliant accompanying dish is Savoury Rice. But honestly, you can serve it with pasta, mash (any style potatoes really).

For the Snoek Quiche of the next evening, I used frozen Pastry to line a square dish. I fried an onion, added the shredded Snoek and 3 eggs beaten with a cup of milk. Poured into the shell and topped with grated cheese, it was ready to hit the oven. It was baked for 35min and served with a green salad.

It was a huge success. For the next Snoek, I plan a slightly different version. More later ...

HOLIDAY TIME

The end of the year always means holidays and family time. Fun together, chatting, eating, swimming, hiking, even doing projects together. Bonding time ...

It is only when the children you raised and filled your home are grown-up and away from home, that you really appreciate the times you had together. All the memories; captured on camera, now looked at with fondness, often a giggle when remembering what was done or said on the occasion.

May you all have a fun time, whether going on holiday or staying at home .... Do something out of the ordinary, make a memory; hopefully with others. Enjoy !!! and be safe.

MOSAICS and other PRECIOUS THINGS ...

Today is a beautiful sunny day, although it started of rather foggy. This area often has all 4 seasons in one day!
We had the privilege of welcoming our newest grandchild into the world 10 days ago. What a precious bundle of PINK! She is, of course, gorgeous : ) Her personality might still change as she grows, but at the moment, she is a patient, content baby. Very quizzy and still puzzled by these 5-fingered attachments that keep landing up on her face! So she 'bites' them ha ha. This is going to be a memorable few months, watching her develop and grow.

One of my own creations started off quite by accident; the neighbours' accident. Broken tiles. I picked up two of the tiles that they were throwing out and kept them for ages. Then after we had moved into our new place, I needed to put one of my tables outside and decided to mosaic it, using said tiles. I first broke them, wrapped up in a cloth, smashing them with a hammer .... what fun!


Then I had to break them into smaller pieces, more evenly sized, with a tile cutter. The process of sanding the edges smooth nearly cost me all my fingernails. A few more pieces and colors and voila! a piece of art.

I have realized that we all have to make an effort to make something spectacular of our lives. Time is a-wasting if a day goes by, and you haven't done Something noteworthy. Go somewhere, make something, say something, help something or someone! Make your life count! Think back at the end of the week on what you have accomplished. Sometimes it takes COURAGE to do this. Remember, courage does not always roar - sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I will try again tomorrow....

FILLING THE DAY!

I can't believe that a so much time has slipped by again ... much has happened.
Having to move from a 4 bedroomed house into a 2 bedroomed home is hectic ... it doesn't help that we have lived in that house for 7 years and had, well, gathered lots of things ha ha. So it was major sorting-out time and getting rid of some furniture, books, clothes and so on. Sometimes it was a relief to chuck it out, other times a lot of thought had to go into it. Mmmm, I'm sure if you have ever been in that position, you will know what I'm talking about. On the other hand, I was rather starting to feel guilty living in a house with that much space, and no more children at home. Only one sort of kid (90yrs old)... mom.


A lot of adjusting, but at the same time, less to clean & look after! So what am I moaning about??
We try to do our bit for recycling so a lot of paper, cardboard, plastic etc went to the recycling depot. We don't actually realise just how much packaging we throw into the rubbish bin, till we keep it one side! That goes with living in a city I suppose, as everything HAS to be packaged to get to us. If we were living on a farm, we could milk our cow every day, pick fruit off our trees and pull some veggies out the patch. To live organically. One day ..... : )
I have begun with a new hobby. It was at first out of desperation, as I wanted to use this particular table outside, but being wood and in danger of getting wet in the rain, I had to make a plan. So I decided to try my hand at MOSAICS. Yes, mosaicing... I have seen many wonderful looking items, so tackled it with vigour. Next time I will post a pic of my accomplishment and in the future, more.
Till then xx

BEAUTY for yourself

Thinking of going to a spa for a good 'spoil'?? Why not do it all at home? Here's how...
First, a hot bath would be one of the best ways to soothe the knots from the shoulders to the feet. Create a relaxing atmosphere by lighting little candles or lamps with your favorite aromatherapy oils. For a more calming and relaxing bath, you could add milk and lemon juice to the water to achieve silky smooth skin. Or, you could give your skin the vitamins it needs without actually taking tablets orally. Use your vitamin E capsules, poke them with a pin and squeeze out the oil into the tub along with regular sea salt and a few drops of your favorite essence oil for an invigorating soak. Once inside the tub, just imagine that you are in an expensive spa instead of just in your own bathroom.
Next, your face. Free your face of worry wrinkles. Combine vodka, fennel seeds and honey (let sit for 3 days) and apply as toner with a cotton ball. A mask made of mashed ripe banana and honey will give your face a new, vibrant feel. If you are going out, you might want to highlight your eyes and cheeks for more stunning effect without really going through extensive alterations. You can bring out the natural beauty of your eyes and cheeks by putting the perfect shade of foundation, eye shadow, blush on and lipstick properly. The trick here is to know your skin type and skin color and to determine the colors that would compliment the shape and type of the face. And at the end of each day, do not forget to remove make-up. One secret is to mix Castor oil, light olive oil and canola oil. Use a cotton ball, apply tenderly over the eyes to remove make up. Keep the shine off your face too, by using lemon juice mixed with cold-water toner. When a trace of pimple is showing on your face, prevent it by placing an ice cube wrapped in saran over the threatening pimple. Retain the freshness in your face.
Your feet deserve the total rest they badly need after carrying you anywhere you want to go. Rest for a few moments by propping them on a chair. Then prepare a great foot-bath, something you'd find in a posh spa. Treat them to a deodorizing bath with Epsom salts, white vinegar and warm water. Then exfoliate them with a mixture of strawberries, olive oil, kosher salt and finely chopped almonds. For smooth and soft feet overnight, smear on a mixture of banana, honey, lemon juice and natural margarine. Wear thick socks to bed and rinse the next day. Follow with a foot deodorizing powder made from baking powder and drops of your favorite essential oils. Voila! Your feet will love you.
your hands need special attention too. Make sure that you have done the last of your chores so that your hands can benefit to the full from this treat. A hot oil hand treatment could leave your hands feeling soft and gentle. Heat olive oil in a dish and soak fingers to soften cuticles and strengthen nails. Combine cold cream, honey and slivered almonds to make a scrub then leave on for 10 minutes. Wrap hands in hot hand towels tightly for 10 minutes. Remove the rinse and apply leftover olive oil. Wrap hand again in towel or inexpensive cotton hand gloves. Then put plastic over gloves and seal with rubber bands and let stay for 10 minutes. You'll feel the moisture as it creates a terrarium effect. A real treat!
You didn't have to go out of the house to feel great! You didn't even spend anything because, the oatmeal was just on the top shelf, and the herbs just in the corner cabinet. Your hubby probably wouldn't notice that you took a little of his vodka from the bar either. Ha ha ... Feel great, look good. Wait for the compliments!

HELP ... one step at a time

I heard a comment the other day about the effect jetstream emissions have on our health and behaviour ... can someone elaborate on this? I can understand the health aspect, I read the research on the effect on lungs and that it is cancer-causing etc. How would this, however, affect our or our childrens' behaviour? Very interesting!
How I wish for a CLEAN, SAFE earth; we know pollution, toxins and the very behaviour of people, are destroying the very planet we live on and want our children and grandchildren to enjoy. HOW can 'little old me' HELP?
It has been said that each and every thing a person does, makes an impact on the planet! For good, or bad ... Something to think about ... For a day, or a week, consider every thing you do; consciously stop and think, before throwing out that trash, before packing your groceries into a plastic bag at the store, before turning on the tap and needlessly running water .... What could you do differently?? It is a mindset change. Think of the planet as a breathing, living organ ... would you bury it under rubbish, would you drain it's water, would you smother it with plastic? NO !! I know you would never harm a living, breathing organ or person. We ALL can do SOMEthing different that will have a HUGE impact on our future.
DON'T DELAY ..... START TODAY ! Show someone else...
The planet will thank you : )

TAKING EXERCISES FURTHER...

Well, it IS a new year, and new goals are normally set at this time : ) ... so ... I have started WALKING ... First around one block in the neighbourhood, now up to two blocks, taking me a good 30min fast walking.
Quite proud of myself, actually! I don't always feel like getting dressed and putting on my walking shoes, but once I get going, it's easy and above all, it FEELS good! Walking is one of the most non-impact sports or exercises a person can do, yet ups the fitness level, getting the heart-rate up and the breathing slightly laboured. Tones muscles as well. So in the long run, I am hopeful of a good result ...
Well, let me be on my way. No, not walking ... got other things to do : )
Till later xx