Things I've Found In Pockets

Book Review: Anthony Horowitz' "Alex Rider" Series - Snakehead

2009-12-29T19:23:00.001-04:00

When Chas and Sam unwrapped this book on Christmas Morning, they had that heartwarming Christmas banter conversation that parents glow to hear at 5.30 a.m. "CROCODILE TEARS! YAY!"

"I get to read it first"

"No, MY name is written on the tag before yours"

"That is so random"

"I CALL FIRST"

"Ass."

"Well you got 'Coraline'"

Etc.

Fortunately, Santa brought lots of other cool stuff so the boys were able to read in tandem with only a few small arguments. They finished the book on the train back from London, swapping with the DS game whatsit. Which I will not be reviewing here, because I just can't bring myself to!

The Alex Rider series has gripped our household since we discovered the first book, "Stormbreaker". Alex is a reluctant spy. When his uncle, who raised him, dies in a mysterious "accident", Alex begins to discover things about himself that he'd never imagined: His parents were secret agents, and so was his uncle. Fourteen-year-old Alex is drawn into a world of despicably evil genius baddies who all get what they deserve, and saves the world again and again as the brilliant youngest secret agent ever.

"Crocodile Tears" touches on Genetic Modification and how it can be misused - Many of the books are informative and well-researched.

I am sure that even reluctant readers would get into these books. They are fun, page-turners. I read a few of them (out of sequence to the horror of Chas and Sam) and heartily recommend them to adventure-loving boys (and girls) everywhere.

Not for sensitive young readers - some of the baddies are, you know, eaten by their own pet crocodiles and stuff.

Things I've Found In Pockets: Max's Coat

2009-12-29T06:43:00.001-04:00

Half a Mozzarella Panini wrapped in a napkin. It's been there since we went to the theatre last week.... eew!

Chestnuts. They've been there since September. Max says they have to stay.

Dirt.

Lego head. Ominous?

Wheel of car.

Assorted Christmas Cracker items.

A guitar pick made out of a credit card cut into pieces.

What's going on in your pockets, internetties? I love the seasonal pocket changes here, in Trinidad it was same old, same old through the year. And there were fewer pockets. In England we have coat pockets, which don't get checked as often and thus, more things accumulate.

We are home, and happy to be here. It rained and hailed all night, and we left the heating on right through: A first. The boys are playing guitars, one a new Christmas present. Chas' OWN, which he can tote around in a backpack-type bag and we won't be panicking about the valuableness of the instrument. It's a lovely Yamaha C40 Spanish-sounding sprucetop. Sam's guitar is a steel-string, which suits his technical pedanticity. They swap all the time, though.

The boys have the same genetic makeup and were trained the same by Sean and I, but their styles are completely different, which just goes to show something or other. Sam said he'd like to do guitar at school, and went off to do their test to find out if he was "Beginner", "Intermediate" or "Advanced". They called us and said that he's too advanced for their advanced class, but they would be happy to come and give him private one-on-one lessons at home for just £12.60 PER TWENTY-MINUTE CLASS! I said no way. I must be in the wrong business. We now officially have an uncountable number of guitars. They are spread around, in houses and recording studios everywhere.

It's lovely to wake first thing in the morning and hear a guitar. I love the love of playing that we've given the boys, and I'm always surprised to hear parents say "I can't get them to practice", because here it's the opposite: "Would you stop that guitar practice and go outside and PLAY!?"

Sean is coveting the CG131S. Because we really need more guitars!

Highlights Of The Season...

2009-12-27T19:25:00.000-04:00

Looking at the scenery change on the train to London. The fields filling with snow, the sparkling white trees, actual deer in the woods, bunnies! Snowmen! Kids tobogganing in fields! But drat, London has only slush. Promised boys that if there is snow in any towns on the way home, we'll get off the train and roll down a hill or two.
"It looks, it looks... It looks like winter, in a story."
Hanging out with Mum and Dad, who I will MISS!
Throwing seed pods onto the melting icy lake at Kew Gardens and listening to the ice go "Pwing!" Kew is so beautiful, in every season, but we will have to go back soon because I was too busy nattering with my friend Vicky to notice anything.
"This one's label says 'nutty, rich and full-bodied' - that's us, darling!"
The Panto: 'Jack And The Beanstalk' at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. It was very funny, on kid and grownup levels. The actors were great, and some sang like wow. The GIANT was very cleverly done! My favorite character was the baddie, 'Evil Ingreedily', made of sugar. The Cow was played by a bull, naturally. "El Especial!"
Pretty Christmas lights everywhere. Speaking of lights, the night view from Beans and Andrew's flat is fantastic: the Eye, the Gherkin and the rest of the city twinkle like Evil Ingreedily's sequins. Thank you for lending us your flat guys!
Some great presents.
Wearing hats.
Laughing hysterically.
"Max, you WILL go down there, you will smile sweetly, you will get a grip and remember that it is Christmas Day and little brats who throw tantrums on Christmas Day, TERRIBLE THINGS happen to them."
"Like what?"
"Oh, I will think of something." (he went down there and smiled sweetly, and had a very lovely day. Ten points for sensitive, understanding parental technique)
Family Togetherness, Love, Kindness and Generosity.
Foooooood.
Even Claudette's famous mushroom pie, a staple Christmas Dish, made it to London thanks to modern long-distance communications.
The Russian Ballet's "Swan Lake" on TV with explanations between acts, which the boys actually sat and watched entirely, and enjoyed, but the in-house commentary was so 'adolescent boy' that I told them I can never take them to the ballet. ("Ooooohh, shucks." Twits) The boys wondered how come they knew the soundtrack already if they've never seen the movie? Sigh.
Good news. 2010 looking awesome already. We're heading home tomorrow, and ready to dive into the New Year, with adventures on the horizon! I'm excited!

Happy Christmas Week!

2009-12-22T11:47:00.000-04:00

This may be my last post till after the season. Or maybe not. If you don't hear from me, I'll be in London ice skating, unwrapping prezzeis, singing carols, eating too much, playing in the snow, hugging cousins (all the better to keep warm), going to pantomimes and celebrating life and all its chocolatey wonderfulness.

I may or may not take my laptop, and I may or may not have an internet connection, so don't panic if I seem to have fallen off the earth! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, and look forward to 2010, which is already shaping up to be a good one.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Book Review: Cat In The Manger, by Michael Foreman

2009-12-21T12:32:00.000-04:00

Another beautifully illustrated book from Michael Foreman. "Cat In The Manger" is narrated from the point of view of a Cat with an Attitude. I like the way the story happens around him, without him ever realising what is really happening. He is affected in spite of himself, and never kills another mouse.

A sweet Christmas story for kids who already know THE Christmas Story!

And check it out! I have Amazon ads! I am pathetically thrilled about this, because you know how I harp on about books here, and I've always wished I could encourage everyone to buy a book for their kids IMMEDIATELY. And it just got easier. That just fills me with Christmas Joy!

In other, other news: Weather Update is lousy, rain and more rain here on the coast of Jolly England. I hope it keeps snowing in London so that we can make a snowball or two there later on this week.

Happy Solstice Day everyone, hope your Monday is Merry!

Things We've Found In Wintry Pockets, Brrrrr...

2009-12-21T04:21:00.003-04:00

My HANDS! My pockets are SO warm and fuzzy, when we're outside they stay pocketed.

A hanky, for drips on ends of noses.

And I put a hoodie on the other morning and found some lavender flowers, left over from September. They still smell sweet, so I've left them there to find another day!

Oh Santa, I'm Going To Miss You...

2009-12-19T13:16:00.003-04:00

Chas figured Santa out sometime back, and last year confessed to us that He Knew It Was Us. He immediately joined us in the continuation of the Santa Magic, acting convincingly excited and asking "Will he come? Wait! Are those jingle bells I hear??"

Dad and Sean used to go around the house on Christmas Eve night with a long pole with Jingle Bells attached to it. "No, don't do that THERE, Rudolph!" they would say in a fluffy bearded voice. That totally fools very small kids, who sit suddenly up in bed wide-eyed and when I say *GASP!* "Quick! Pretend to be asleep!" they fall to their pillows like a bag of bricks and lie ABSOLUTELY STILL while we grownups go and giggle in the kitchen. Eating half a carrot and two pieces of fudge and three quarters of a glass of something.

This year, Sam has lost the Santa Awe. He, too, has joined the family in keeping it alive for Max, but it's tough going. I KNOW that Max will not be fooled for much longer (if he IS truly still fooled, or is he simply uncertain and covering his bases? Or does he KNOW and they are all keeping it up out of concern for their ninja parents? "They're so sweet" the boys are probably telling one another, "look at their faces! Let's give them just one more year...").

This may be our last truly magical Santa Season, one way or another.

And what will become of us? Will our sneaky ninja present-hiding skillz become obsolete? I love knowing that, behind the craft supplies and ugly sweaters on the top shelf, there are hidden treasures. I love that on Christmas Eve night we all go to sleep, too excited to think! and when we wake up in the morning Santa has BEEN! I love grumbling sleepily "five more minutes... Who? Santa? HE CAME??!" when boys jump on the bed to five a.m.

I remember the way Santa gradually became less believable for me, and I feel sad for kids whose parents would "never lie to their children" and kill the Myth. Never lie to your kids? Really? That is so BORING! Where is your magic? Where is your creativity? Did Hammy the Hamster really run away to live in the garden with the fairies or did the cat eat him and vomit him up on the bathroom rug? And what IS that thing in your bedside drawer, huh? Yikes!

Quote Of The Day Again!

2009-12-18T12:23:00.000-04:00

"Remember: If Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree."

-Charlotte Carpenter

Quote Of The Day: Thursday

2009-12-17T12:21:00.001-04:00

"There is nothing sadder in this world than to awake on Christmas morning and not be a child"

-Erma Bombeck

Santa's making an early visit at Chez Pockets! Excitement is high! Grandparents (some of them) are here! We all sat around the kitchen table on every chair, bench and stepping stool in the house last night, with my grandmother, sister, brother-in-law-to-be... good thing we bought a huge extendibibble table...

I ducked out to go to a lecture at the University: Professor Stuart Allan on "Re-Envisioning Journalism". It was great, all about the digital/internet age and how it has affected journalism. He spoke about bloggers, and our contribution to the news: "Citizen Journalism". WE, dear readers, are at the forefront of Journalism in the Future!

SNOW has been falling everywhere but Bournemouth, and we hope that Santa will bring us some. BRING ON THE SNOW!

Edited: SNOW! SNOW! It's SNOWING!

All Dried Up

2009-12-15T17:36:00.003-04:00

I guess this is what they call "Writer's Block"?

I've never had it before, and I guess that's because I've never considered myself A Writer till recently. When you're just hammering out your rant for the day (while at a red light, via Blackberry!) you don't worry about how it reads, and therefore it reads just fine.

I have SO MUCH TO SAY, and I've been given great opportunities to say it. I have some wonderful, well-researched articles in the pipeline but right now, they read like mud. Part of it is that I'm in the throes of Christmas, and I know that Sean will be heading out in the new year, so my time is very limited and I find my writing sounds rushed; but I also need to step back and take a breath.

I've been reading: some good books and articles on writing. And! Tomorrow I'm going to a journalism lecture at the University here. I'm learning so much, and loving it. I'll write about it all of course, eventually.

For now, I'm taking a step back. This week I have some great Quotes, and maybe (maybe) some book reviews as I've been to the library again, but don't expect any Articles of Blazing Significance here. If you've got advice, though, my writer friends, I'm listening.

Quote Of The Day

2009-12-15T04:39:00.005-04:00

People have made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when they plant shade trees under which they know full well they will never sit.

-Elton Trueblood

For Mum (thanks for the quote, Karen!)

But First, The Highlights...

2009-12-14T05:02:00.002-04:00

Thanks for all of the input on the uterus post over the weekend my friends! I have deleted it as promised. In a nutshell, it looks like the guys who've had the "snip" (and their wives) are happy with it. Everyone seems to have issues with the pill, but many of us take it anyway because we also have issues with having more babies! Some love the IUD, but husbands everywhere complain that they get poked by the string. Rubbers rock but you have to be careful, as sometimes babies get through.

Yay! Good information. You may add more in comments, but I won't be deleting this post!

And in other news... I have been so busy! But nice busy, rushing to London to hang out with my sister and Mum and my sister's future in-law women. It was great, we had a good girls' night and some other ladies came the next morning and gave us all massages. Sigh! Yesterday, we had some long-lost family and some old friends over for lunch/supper with hordes of children and good food.

I am behind on several projects, and Max went to school wearing Sam's trousers this morning. (Max's were wet) What they must think of me at school I don't know, but I wrote an apologetic letter to Max's teacher and I hope they find his other trousers at school today. I know they are there, he left them after football last week. Sigh.

Feeling Christmassy!

We have one more week of school to go. And then, we 'll be heading to London for a real London Christmas: Ice Skating! Carols! Night Sights! Mum and Dad! Pantomimes! It's going to be different! I'll take pictures.

MORE Christmas Spirit!

2009-12-07T07:52:00.006-04:00

OH, the ecstasy that is Internet Shopping! Every day, stuff arrives at the door to be secreted into a cupboard. And I don't have to go out in the hail! So enthusiastic am I about online shopping that this weekend I ordered my groceries. Apart from a much larger bag of cornmeal than I intended, it's perfect. We'll be having cornmeal stuffing for the rest of the year is all. (I know, they would have taken it back. But stuffing is good, and arepas for breakfast too)

Huge quantities of fudge are happening, and being bagged for our favourite people. We are tasting every batch to make sure they are up to our usual high standards.

We went to see "A Christmas Carol" in 3D this weekend, our first ever 3D experience! It was such fun. We arrived early, ate all of the popcorn before the lights were even out, made fun of one another in our silly glasses, and made so much noise that people said "SHHHH!" before the movie even started. We DID shhh, you'll be glad to hear, because we have nice manners, yo. The movie is lovely from the very beginning, with the original words beautifully spoken in some parts. There's nothing cute about "A Christmas Carol in 3D", which was a relief to me.

3D is amazing. The scary ghosty bits were TRULY SCARY, and Max spent much of the movie with his face in my armpit. But he really enjoyed it as well and the boys all slept like happy logs that night with good dreams. I did have to stay with them till they fell asleep though! I do recommend this film for kids, but I wouldn't take one younger than 7 or really sensitive.

Sean has posted his Uncle Sunny's tried-and-true Garlic Pork Recipe on his new Cooking Blog, "Chickenfoot Souse For The Soul". Trinis take note! Also, Parang. Sean's Blog is a virtual Trini Christmas this week.

Can you tell I'm feeling Christmassy? I searched Online Radio Stations (yeah, internet shopping again... but this is free) and found a great Christmas Music Station. Of course, now I can't find it again. I found a new one though, and it's fine. The boys and I belted out "Oh Holy Night" in the kitchen yesterday. Chas sighed and said, "Now, it's Christmas" and I think so too.

I find myself giggling as I practise my Ninja-Parent present-hiding skillz. Buying different wrapping paper to what we've already got, because obviously Santa's would be different. And this year, so far, I do not have the Traditional Christmas Cold. I think I had it in October. Or have I just jinxed myself? Will take vitamin C tomorrow, just in case.

How are your Christmas Preparations coming along, internetties? Any excitement? How's the cooking coming along?

Christmas Spirit! And A Review: Tolkien's "Letters From Father Christmas"

2009-12-07T06:55:00.007-04:00

Last year, Chas (Eldest Boy) finally asked the question: "It's really you and dad, isn't it? I mean. I know. I've just been pretending."

"Yes. Don't spoil it for your brothers."

"Gasp! I WOULDN'T!" And so Chasbo joined Sean and I in the best fib of them all.

Last week, we started reading J R R Tolkien's "Letters From Santa", a beautiful collection spanning some twenty years, from the first notes to his eldest son to the last poignant poetry to Tolkien's daughter and youngest child. The letters manage to be heartbreaking, with each child eventually becoming too old for a stocking "...but I don't forget people even when they are past stocking-age, not until they forget me..."; terribly exciting, with battles and goblins who almost ruin Christmas; hilarious, as the cast of characters gradually expands and we meet the other inhabitants of the North Pole.

Chas feels himself much too old for storytime these days. He curls up in his own bed with his own more grown-up book, and seldom comes to snuggle anymore. But when I started to read Tolkien's enchanting writing, he crept over and we all made room. Max said "But it says "Tolkien" on the front! Is this real?" Sam looked like he was wondering the same thing, but was afraid to ask. He is strenuously avoiding the Question, since he is not yet ready for the Answer.

"It's COLLECTED by Tolkien, see?" explained Chas. "Come ON, does that writing sound like Tolkien's?"

"Sounds like Santa to me" I agreed.

"There you go."

Max was happy with that. He BELIEVES in Santa. Sam looked relieved, and snuggled closer. Since then, every night, we all read through a few years. Photos of Tolkien's (Santa's, sorry) original letters and drawings are there, with notes from the North Polar Bear in the margins.

I have read ahead, and finished the book myself. I had to. I will be very sorry to reach the end with the kids, it has been lovely to have them ALL so snuggly at bedtime! This is a must-read for anyone who has ever believed in Santa, or would have liked to.

For reading aloud, read Santa in your normal voice so that you can give Polar Bear a really gruff deep voice. He interrupts all the time, and you'll need a very different sound to differentiate them! Oh, and don't save this one for Christmas Day: Read it now.

Homesickness

2009-12-06T05:35:00.005-04:00

When I was ten or eleven, I came to England all by myself. It was a blast! I felt so grown-up and played with my cousins and went and bought junk with my English money. Whenever I felt cold, Granny Margo made me go out and skip. I had a helium balloon, one of those silver ones, and took it outside to see it "deflate" and then inside where it "inflated", proving to me that air expands when it's heated. I ate A LOT of chocolate. I fed sugar cubes to a horse. I got family heirloom jewellery. I wore a plaid skirt, braided my hair so that it frizzed when it was unbraided, and wore warm socks. It was an awesome experience.

One afternoon, my dad called. On hearing his voice, all crackly and far-away, I burst into tears. I tried to say "I'm fine, I'm happy, I don't know why I'm crying" or even "Hello", but I was beyond speaking. I had to hand the phone to my baffled grandmother, and go and have a good cry.

Max says "I'm really sad. But I'm really happy. I want to live here, I love here. I love having two places that are home... But I'm so sad. Why is it so sad?"

I know, I know. I see it in the kids. They are happy, but they need to fuss about nothing sometimes. It's so hard to feel sadness and loss when you feel you shouldn't. We talk about it, how we love our home in Trinidad and miss it. But sad and happy is really hard to describe, isn't it?

I think that most of all, we miss our friends. We all do. Yesterday the boys Skyped their cousin Michael and spent an hour giggling, showing drawings, sharing youtube funny cat clips, talking about the skate park and remembering when. I know that the homesickness goes both ways: our friends miss us, too.

At this time of year, when we would normally expect our friends to have us around or drop in at a moment's notice, it's harder that usual to not miss them.

WE MISS YOU!

Christmas Music

2009-12-05T12:52:00.002-04:00

Every year over at "I Can Fly, Just Not Up", there's a different Christmas song and image every day. From the first of December, you can head over there and listen. Enjoy!

So I Stood In The Middle Of Borders And CRIIIEEED...

2009-12-03T10:49:00.005-04:00

When we arrived in Bournemouth, the kids and I spent hours and hours hanging out in Borders Bookstore; lying on the floor reading, having coffee and cookies, logging into the internet to check email and get stuff done, playing video games, and leaving with armloads of books to replace all of the books we didn't bring to England. It was a few weeks before the boys could get into school, but their time was spent in a literary way so I'm sure it didn't matter much.

We got to know the dude behind the Paperchase counter, with the amazing hair. Last week his hair was Christmas green, and when I said "Nice Hair!", he showed me that his co-workers had decorated it like a Christmas Tree, with bells and tinsel.

We chatted with the friendly, approachable staff, who never gave us bad vibes for lying on the floor in the "fiction, 7-11" section.

The guys in the videogame section very kindly persuaded Sam and Max to buy lots of new DS games, to go with their second-hand DS. Gee thanks guys!

Borders was warm and friendly when the weather was rainy, and you could watch for your bus from within the doorway while hoping the rain would stop.

So today, I bought a few more books for Christmas at huge savings, and I bought a soft brown bear named Barnaby. Barnaby the Borders Bear. Santa will put him out with the stockings, and we will treasure him forever.

Edited: Yes, they are closing down in the UK, unless someone comes along and buys the entire chain. Weep! Gnash!

Electric Soup!

2009-12-01T09:39:00.001-04:00

I bought my copy of Stephanie O'Dea's Crockpot Cookbook, "Make It Fast, Cook It Slow" this week, and it's everything Stephanie's website is and more. Check it out, and get Slow-Cooking!

I love my Slow Cooker, it makes life easy when you're busy. As Stephanie says in her Recipe Book, It's good to get the cooking preparation sorted in the morning when you're still heavily caffeinated, than in the evening with tired kids hanging on your ankles. By evening, there are good smells wafting from the kitchen and you can get down to the business of relaxing. Or doing homework. Or ironing while yelling at the kids to do the homework.

Anyway, the perfect thing here, if I had any sense, would be an awesome example of what I cooked today in my slow cooker! But I didn't use my slow cooker today. Alas. However, I made a family favourite which I HAVE made in the slow cooker before, but today I made it on the stove, so I'll give you that recipe:

Electric Soup! This catchy name was invented by Sean one day, back when the boys were going through a not-eating-vegetables phase. The bright orangeness of this soup, along with it's creamy sweetness and lack of detectable vegetable lumps, make it a kids' favourite. Even visiting carnivores have second helpings.

This serves five, twice. Freezes and reheats really well.

Sauté a chopped onion and four cloves of crushed garlic in olive oil
Transfer to crockpot if you're going to slow cook
Add water OR stock to half fill your pot (a ham bone makes THE BEST stock for this soup)
And about a cup of yellow split peas or red lentils
Throw in all of the orange stuff you can find: pumpkin, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, red sweet peppers. Today I added some leeks, which aren't orange, but they were shrivelling up in the fridge so I used them
And some parsley
Check water level. You might want to add some liquid
Salt to taste

Cook everything until the split peas or lentils are dissolving, (I've slowcooked this for 6 hours and it was fine) and blend it CAREFULLY with a hand blender. If you're not an experienced hand-blenderer, let the soup cool first because it may leap out of the pot onto your hands. Ow.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, or some chopped parsley (grownups only!), or crumbled feta cheese (to die for!) or cubes of cheddar, which go all melty-stretchy and awesome.

Rats, now I'm hungry again.

This Is Getting Serious!

2009-12-01T08:58:00.004-04:00

My Fans, (all I can think of now is a certain someone farting in front of the fan. Feeling a little warped today) Ahem. My dear readers, I have been writing all over the place lately. Full of good advice, wisdom, questions and commentary, I am.

At GNM Parents, you can see a list of Great Christmas Gifts for your Little Scientists.

At The Bournemouth Echo, I have an article about the Government Checks any person has to get before they can work with children; even if all they're doing is reading a story at school. Where do we draw the line between protecting children and raising fearful kids?

And there's a guest post over at Journey Into Elderhood, where we ask more questions: What do we need now, from our Elders, in this changing world?

Check 'em out! Discuss!

Trini Christmas in Surrey, in November.....

2009-11-30T04:32:00.004-04:00

Parang and Soca and an inter-generational winin' contest
Garlic Pork
ONE Set Ah Trinis (which, as we all know, is different from AH set ah Trinis)
All Fours Tournament with much bawling and accusation
Beautiful Trini Children everywhere dancing and riding bikes THROUGH the melee. Trini Children are really the most beautiful!
Fudge
Rum
Food like peas
Presents!
Some English Spouses And Friends
Heating On HIGH
HAIL the following morning. The boys ran out and brought some inside, where it melted and made little puddles
Coming home, tired, to a messy house, is A-OK
And now, it's turned COLD. Proper thermal undies weather
I'll work up a sweat washing out garlic pork jars and fudge pots that have been sitting there since the Saturday morning rush, and hanging up Christmas cards on a ribbon. NOW I feel Christmassy! What radio station is online and has parang? One hundred? Please advise.

Farewell Recipe Heap, and The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever

2009-11-27T17:55:00.005-04:00

O recipe heap, I will miss you. But you were becoming a hazard! Precious pages were falling out, your rings were rusty and wasps had built their nests between your masking tape and your previous scotch tape. When I saw the NEW Recipe Book™, looking so shiny, I had to have it. And so you were retired. About time.

Naturally, your rings are not the same distance apart as the rings in the NEW Recipe Book™, so some hole-punching and re-writing has to occur.

Some recipes cannot be re-written, as they are glorious on airmail form, and in the handwriting of people now deceased. Fortunately, NEW Recipe Book™ has nice card for gluing special things to.

THE BEST CARROT CAKE RECIPE

This is rich, beautiful looking and really nutty. Like me.

Heat oven to 350

3 cups flour: I use about half white, half whole wheat or kamut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda

Chopped Walnuts, 1 or 2 cups depending on how much you like walnuts

Raisins (optional, my kids hate them)
2 tsp cinnamon and some nutmeg or mace to taste
½ tsp salt
1½ cups oil
1½ cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups chopped pumpkin or carrot
1 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together white flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. If you're lazy and you don't sift, you'll get bits of baking soda. Eeeew! Stir in nuts and raisins. If they are well coated with flour, they will not sink during baking.

Put the oil in a blender with cup measurements. Add carrot (or pumpkin) until you get to 3½ cups (that's 1½ cups oil + 2 cups carrot, 'k?)

Pour carrot and oil mixture into sifted dry ingredients, and add everything else. Blend well and pour into greased AND FLOURED loaf pans (or heart-shaped pan if you're making a wedding cake)

Bake for 50 mins at 350, or about 30 mins for muffins. Mmmm.

I'm BUSY!

2009-11-26T18:25:00.003-04:00

I'll have a great post for you tomorrow with Recipe Heap news (scratch and sniff), actual recipes (any special requests?) and pictures.

Meanwhile, a little something cultural.

Thanks, Tim. Mwah!

I Just Know You're Longing For More Old Lady News

2009-11-25T17:57:00.001-04:00

So Margo, who recently had a heart attack at aged 93, charmed the entire staff of Ward 22 and returned home slightly frailer but NOT feebler, needs a new Holiday Season Wardrobe. Thus, Mum and I took Margo shopping yesterday at Beales, a great department store in Bournemouth where I once worked long, long ago as a teenager. Beales is Margo's favourite place in the world.

Margo is tiny now. We have to look in the "Petite" section where the choice is not vast. Sales girls try sweetly to help, and Margo says "that's a little old, dear" when they show her the latest in Retirement Cardigan and Jersey Twinsets. Margo takes off toward "Jaeger", swinging her stick rebelliously.

"I don't need it, you know."

"But it would be great for tripping people up if they get in your way, Margo."

"So it would!" she agrees, doing a few practice jabs.

After hours of shopping, and a lunch break in the Beales Restaurant, Margo finally had two really lovely tops which fit, are beautifully soft (one cashmere I think) and require new BLACK undergarments, because her vest showed slightly with one of them and it would be fine if the vest were black and lacy. The lingerie department had nothing suitable, so Mum and I will see what we can find in Marks and Spencer.

We returned home and Mum and I collapsed exhausted in a heap. Margo had a brief nap and a neighbour around for tea.

The Cardiac Nurse is coming around on Thursday, to check Margo's progress. The authorities expect that the old lady would be unfit to travel to the hospital for her checkup. HA!

OM-ing Amidst The Lego

2009-11-24T05:21:00.004-04:00

Our living room is also known as "The Lego Room" or "The Laundry Room". Since our furniture is still in Trinidad, the only piece in there is a gorgeous large sideboard (thanks Cherise!) filled with toys and art supplies and topped with teetering stacks of books (okay, we NEED to buy a bookshelf) and a new Nativity Creche. Two drying racks lean against the heater and in the corner, an ironing board. Lego carpets the floor.

Not the most attractively decorated room in the house, but somehow my favourite. It's got good Feng Shui, the sideboard is PERFECT there, and when our furniture arrives it's going to be really nice. That room is also where I do my Yoga, when I do, which is sporadically. Last night, after days of thinking that I should really get my minions to clean up the Lego so that I could Yogue in a peaceful Lego-free space, I decided to just go ahead and Yogue amidst the Lego. It was really great. I shoved the bits aside and plugged myself into the MP3 player I share with Chas. Scrolled past the "Dragonforce" hits to my Yoga playlist and had a longer, more satisfying session than the "few Sun Salutations" I had intended. I had to stop from time to time to shove Lego out from under my limbs, but I didn't mind.

I slept like a log, and feel great this morning. Which just goes to show, and the moral is, you should never let the tiny bits and pieces of life get in the way of your Yoga.

Namatse.

Read To Your Children, Read To Your Children, Read To Your Children...

2009-11-23T05:50:00.005-04:00

Can I say it again?

Reading a bedtime story to your kids from an early age, even in the womb! convinces them that books are lovely things. Books mean snuggles, pretty colours and the favorite sound of a parent's voice. At first, reading aloud is difficult for most of us. That's why it's great to begin when your kids are young and not too picky! You can start with simple tales and rhymes, and in no time you'll be reading like Ian Mckellen! He reads the "Wolf Brother" audiobook series by Michelle Paver, and it's excellent. Chas is addicted.

Reading to your child improves their vocabulary better than any other educational activity, including fancy computer programs. It's a fact.

Some kids learn to read simply by being read to: the words and sounds match up for them. Other kids who are read to tend to read on their own earlier than their peers, a valuable head start when even solving math problems requires reading and comprehension skills.

Reading often leads to discussion, and helps you to understand your child better. WHY are they so into that book about dogs? Is it helping them to deal with fear? Do they love their toy dog best? Later on, serious topics can be covered: I still read to my eleven-year-old, often newspaper articles or chapters from a book I'm reading, if it's science related. He loves it, and will race off to google "Hadron Collider". He likes to know what's up in science news, but there's no way he'll read the newspaper himself. Yet!

Read the classics: Greek Myths, Fairy Tales, Shakespeare For Kids, it's all good. Collections of stories are easy to find.

Reading nursery rhymes repeatedly helps to develop a good memory.

Kids doing a topic at school? Get stories and informative books with lots of pictures and Enrich, Enrich, Enrich the syllabus.

Many bedtime story collections have SHORT entries, so that you don't have to spend half an hour reading aloud. Five minutes is great! We even had a book called "Three-Minute Bedtime Tales" for those nights when I had laryngitis or was in a hurry.

Reading a story is a useful way of coping with issues. Anything from "I Can Use My Potty" to the morals of C S Lewis' Narnia Tales can help kids (and parents) to think about emotionally charged topics. Avoid scary stories at bedtime, though! Save them for the morning. And DON'T read scary stories to young or sensitive kids, stick with the happy stuff.

Check out the internet for interesting sites like this one, for much more on how children learn to read and how being read to improves intelligence, communication and social skills.

Visit your Library, if you've got one! Reading can cost nothing, and takes less time than washing the dishes. There is no excuse. READ TO YOUR CHILDREN! Start tonight.