Just let me linger a few decades.
Not required, but desired
Your presence pleases me and
makes the road I must walk a gentler toil
the soil grows flowers in hours
when you tread upon it
and soft blooms make fragrant windows into my heart
so, stay with me and make my life
more than a journey, make it a life

London 1950s. The Bancroft Arms

My Dad and Uncle at each end of this photo. circa 1950, apparently waiting to go on a day out. They are the ones with the accordions.

My poem about ironing .......I HATE ironing!! lol

 

What do you see?

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do, and
Forever is losing a stocking or shoe.....
Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill....
Is that what you're thinking?
Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten ....with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.
A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.
A bride soon at twenty -- my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.
At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.
At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.
I'm now an old woman ...and nature is cruel;
'Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigour depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again, my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living life over again.
I think of the years ....all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people, open and see,
Not a crabby old woman; look closer ...see ME!!



Remember this poem when you next meet an old person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.
We will one day be there, too.

Chickpea burgers

When I was cooking these little burgers I expected a nice dish but nothing spectacular to be honest. I was wrong. They are even better than meat burgers (and I can admit I’m a big fun of meat).I didn’t experiment much in this recipe but I think there must be many other variations. Adding pancetta to chickpeas paste or some exotic spices would be interesting. Maybe making little balls (kind of Italian meatballs) and serving with yoghurt dip would make a great starter of finger food type dish. I had it for a quick lunch next day and I think they taste cold even better than straight from the pan. 

Phot. Anna Daniluk

Ingredients (gives about 8 small burgers):

200 g chickpeas, raw
1 small onion
4 big mushrooms, grated on the large holed side of grater
2tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated or chopped
1 spoon of fresh, chopped dill
Salt and black pepper
Oil or olive for frying the burgers (sorry but I dint measure how much I used. You will need about 2-3 tbsp.) 

Preparation:

1.   Cook the chickpeas according to instruction (it need to be soaked in water overnight)

2.   Heat the olive oil in small pan and fry onion for few minutes until slightly coloured. Add the grated mushrooms together with garlic (you can grate garlic clove, it works very well) and fry for another few minutes until all nicely browned.

3.   Mince the chickpeas using food processor or meat grinder.

4.   Mix the chickpeas paste with fried onion with mushrooms. Add 1 egg, dill, salt and black pepper.

5.   Form little burgers or balls and fry on medium heat for few minutes until browned.

Carbohydrates:

Chickpeas 88g
Onion 6g
Mushrooms approx.3g

Whole mixture: 97g
1 burger: 12g

Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients: Base: 300g cauliflower, grated 1 egg 50 g cheddar cheese, grated Salt, pepper, oregano Tomato sauce: Small onion, chopped 1 tbsp. tomato puree 1 clove of garlic, crashed Salt, black pepper, oregano 1 tsp. oil Topping: Whatever you like. I used few slices of courgettes, mushrooms, yellow pepper, onion, capers and grated cheese

 Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking tray with parchment paper. I used a tart pan with removable bottom (23 diameter) 2. Grate the cauliflower on a large-holed side. Fry it for few minutes (approx.6) on non-stick pan. Cool the cauliflower a bit and add all remaining ingredients. 3. Spread evenly the mixture on the baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes until the crust is golden. 4. For the tomato sauce heat oil in a small pan. Sauté onion, garlic and oregano for few minutes. Stir in tomato puree and a little bit of water to get nice, thick sauce. Add salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 5. Top the cauliflower base with sauce and topping. You can be creative here and use topping you like the most. I used vegetables and cheese only but cooked meat or salami would taste great as well.

My Dog

WHAT I ASKED FOR, WHAT I NEEDED When I got my new Jack Russell I asked for strength that I might rear her perfectly; I was given weakness that I might feed her more treats. I asked for good health that I might rest easy; I was given a "special needs" dog that I might know nurturing. I asked for an obedient dog that I might feel proud; I was given stubbornness that I might feel humble. I asked for compliance that I might feel masterful; I was given a clown that I might laugh I asked for a companion that I might not feel lonely; I was given a best friend that I would feel loved. I got nothing I asked for, But everything that I needed. I got a Jack Russell

Rain in November 2012

 

 

 

 

 This is our local Park at Danesholm Corby, the rain has been non-stop for days, the ground was already waterlogged and this is just a top-up and is sitting there with nowhere to run to! there is water running in a rivulet along the paths into the road too. I wonder what it will be like when the real bad weather starts??

My girlz

 

Scrummy breakfast Mummy!!!

 

Eloise doing her impression of Munch's 'scream'

 

Lynn, Jaz and Tasha

 

Eloise Age (almost 3) 2. 1/2 .Oct 2012

My Beautiful little grandaughter Eloise, Her and her Mummy visited this weekend 6/10/12 and we had a lovely time. She is talking at an alarming rate now, asking so many questions, wanting to know why this, what's that?, it's so funny listening to her talk now, it's great that we can have proper conversations. She's such a clever little thing too, she knows all her colours, her alphabet, matching pairs, she does this with alarming speed and dexterity, she can spell her name and recite stories. such a little whiz! Love her to bits.

Happy Holidays Sept. 2012

Steve, Heidi, Harvey & Zachary on their holiday, September 2012. There is also one of Me, Steve and Harvey in a tent, at the birthday party of Eloise in September. Her birthday is actually on christmas day, so we had a little celebration early on so she could have a separate birthday. Harvey, here with Zachary is almost 4 and Zachary nearly 2. Eloise is 3 on Christmas day.

My brother

My Aunt & my brother in Australia

Breakfast loaf with blueberries

Blueberry & Lemon Breakfast Loaf



400g ground almonds
50g coconut flour
5 to 10g Splenda type sweetener (to taste)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
50g mixed seeds (I used Neal's Yard Omega Mix)
50g chopped almonds
10g natural wheat bran (optional)
grated zest of 1 large lemon

110g butter, melted
4 eggs beaten
100ml double cream
juice of 1 large lemon
½ tsp lemon oil (optional)

100g fresh or frozen blueberries (raspberries would be nice too)

Put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk all of the wet ingredients (but not the lemon juice) together. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. When well mixed, stir in the lemon juice and mix again. Gently stir in the berries.

Bake at 160c, Gas 3, 325f for an hour or until a fine skewer comes out clean.

5g carbs per slice.

Breakfast Loaf

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Breakfast Loaf

by SweetHeart » July 9th, 2012, 5:57 pm

Breakfast Loaf

I've been eating low carb apple cake for breakfast. It's great to just grab a slice and butter it. So I thought I'd make one that was a bit heartier, a bit more breakfasty. This one is about 6g carbs per slice and very filling.





One large cooking apple, cored,finely chopped and cooked, or approximately 275ml apple puree
(if you use ready made, check the carb content!)

400g ground almonds
50g coconut flour
5 to 10g Splenda type sweetener (to taste)
1½ tsp cinnamon
1½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tbsp baking powder
50g mixed seeds (I used Neal's Yard Omega Mix)
50g chopped walnuts

110g butter, melted
3 eggs beaten
45ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla essence/extract

1 large loaf (10 x 4") or square tin, lined.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Mix all of the wet ingredients together, add them to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the pureed apple ( I cooked my own, and whizzed with a hand blender to break the skin up. You could cook the apple peeled)

Mix well and turn into the prepared tin. Bake at about Gas 3, 160c, 325f, for about 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Cool on a wire rack.

This can be served warm or cold or toasted, with butter (to lower the GI) and can also be frozen in slices for convenience.

16 slices; 6g carbs per slice.

A day in the life of Miss Jaz