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Our orchid’s awoken, again.

Our orchid went to sleep…

It’s bloomin bloomed again.  {slide-show}

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We’ve had this orchid for about 2 years (Jan 2011), it was selling off cheap £5 from ASDA and looked a sorry sight with flowers dying and generally seemed on its last legs. Somehow it liked its window seat in the kitchen and regained it’s blooms until last summer.

At the start of last summer it dropped all it’s flowers and the stems started browning. In a last ditch attempt to keep it going I pruned the stems to the third widget thingy and it sat like a stick in the mud (with leaves) for 6 months.

In December the stems started budding again and 3 months later we have 3 flurs!

Happy daze.

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.” ― Homer, The Odyssey

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Rutland Ospreys and Global Harmony

Global Harmony joins Rutland Water Osprey Team for a very special concert.

Saturday March 23rd 7.30 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Oakham School

A very special evening of audio-visual presentations by the Osprey Tea and songs from the choir tracing the migration path of the Osprey.

Not to be missed!

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All proceeds to the Osprey Fund.MusicalMigration
Tickets including refreshments available from:
Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre,
Rutland Water 01572 770651
Music and More, Oakham 01572 756578
Global Harmony 01664 562215
£15 All proceeds to the Osprey Fund.

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Bike Uncategorized

The shard!!

I have Schwalbe Durano Plus tyres on my bike.

They say they’ve “a Kevlar SmartGuard belt for extremely effective protection against penetration punctures… …a level of unparalleled protection…”  

Looking at the tyres they’re peppered with cuts and slashes and amazingly they’ve still maintained protection, since last July (7 months)… until now…

They’ve done extremely well considering what they have to ride over and through, but alas nothing could have combated “the shard”!

This section of shared cycle/walkway has always been a hazard as it’s often strewn with debris, glass, trimmings, grit, sh*t etc.  I will endeavor to see what can be done.

Map

New inner-tube and onwards!

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Close Harmony…

A privilege today to be asked to sing at a wedding – such a special occasion for all involved.

Close Harmony, are a singing group from Melton Mowbray, attached to the large a capella community choir Global Harmony.

We are currently made up of a dozen singers led by the ever-encouraging MD Liz.

Three songs from today:

Shen har venahi – Georgian song of praise


Happy together – The Turtles

Make you feel my love – Bob Dylan

Nice pint and pie in the pub after also!!

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Disney… ?

Which story do you believe? Suspend disbelief…
What would the world be without “bread and circus”?
Foolishness? Loneliness? Love hurts… if you fight it…

We received a wonderful gift! However initially the prospect of the trip to Disneyland Paris was dread-tinged. Pop-up plastic tinsel-town, fixed grins and sparkly smiles, with extra salt and sugar, and inevitable apple-pie, s’il vous plaît… humm… “well, the kids will love it”…

However, It was quite a remarkable experience. The Americans don’t do things by half do they!  I guess whether it’s love or war they can lay it on with spades and in style?

Generally, at the Disney complex, not a thing was out of place, nothing was tardy or broken, no litter or debris, constant shine polish and the prospect of sparkle. And, that’s not just the facilities and attractions, it’s also the attitude of “the cast”, from the actors to the cleaners, they radiated something “fresh”.  It’s hard to “believe” they did it everyday without dropping the sparkly, shiny, hope-filled ball.

The Disney Castle (a tremendous show at night!)
Ah the classic carousel… I was not the only big kid!
Em meets Pluto!
PT’s rocket ride (again again!)
The parade was “something else”!
“oui oui”
Arthur I aint!
Something magical!?

Perhaps the “Euro”-Disney had a certain je ne sais quoi… that an all-American park might not. It has a sense of fantasy that ‘europeans’ might identify with, the mix of languages added to the mystery and the small-world-ness, it somehow aided the suspension of disbelief.

Yes it’s “Disney” and all that stands for (that’s another story), but put aside for a moment, the brands, the money, and the negligence, and what comes through is some kind of hope. As their incessant but agreeable music goes “There’s magic in the air…”

Yes it was sunny, the whole family was together, our children were wide-eyed and in wonderment. It made it easy to imbibe the joy, the glory(?).

Yes, in retrospect it’s to do with hypnosis, hysteria, the chords and phrasing and lyric of the music, “the powwher of suggestion”.  It’s sugar coated, but what is it that the sugar is coating?

ParisFromTheTower

We included a trip to Paris, along with berets, pidgin french, Joe Dassin and a trip up the tower etc.  In contrast to my last trip to Paris 15 or so years ago (which involved copious wine, trousers, and piano bars) it was quite a different experience.

I guess the whole experience is coloured by my midlife perspective but enough analysis.

Thanks G&P for the fabulous gift, for us, a trip of a lifetime.

Belive: OK, it is not etymologically correct, but if you can be-live the experience, (and are lucky to get the opportunity), then en-glory it.

Suspend disbelief… what would the world be without bread and circus!?


You won’t believe the dirt, the rain…
This cruel world seems full of such unhappiness
If our lives collide we may get out of this
Surges of light
Breaking the dark
Shining across this universe
If our lives collide then we’ll get out of this
We’ll soar into the never ending universe
Nothing else but gravity will limit us
We will ride our rocket ship and fly away
To the avenue
Of stars
Stars

Deacon Blue: “Stars”, “The Hipsters”

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Bike Uncategorized

Cycle Paths

The commute on bicycle from East Goscote to Leicester could be better (especially in the city-burbs!) but in parts it’s arguable not bad…

If you travel from East Goscote to Leicester you have two good sections of ‘traffic-free’ shared walk/cycleway.

The first is 1 mile from Goscote to Wreake Valley School. A good width of quality surface that, even with school kids at 8.15, has plenty of room for cyclist
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You could follow the cycle way through the back of Syston and up St Peter’s Street etc. but the direct route through Syston is not so bad going West. Coming back at night, and if the traffic’s bad, then Broad Street etc is a more pleasant option back to Wreake.

After negotiating Syston, you meet another half a mile of designated shared cycle/walkway.
This goes past Roundhill School the path is thinner in parts here with various obstructions, posts and drive-ways that need caution, but generally OK.
screen-captureB

After the ASDA roundabout, and the pedestrian crossings with badly designed timing settings, yup have another 0.7 mile of good quality/width shared path. It has to be said that this section along with the Syston-Goscote mile is very good. Well done whom? County Council? Parish Council? Sustrans? It takes you along Wayside Drive to the Thurummy crossroads.

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It’s then “on the roads” you might snake through Rushey Mead estates, Gleneagles Avenue and Catherine Street (another story) into Dysart Way and the City.
Melton Road is just a joke – try it at rush hour, try it anytime! The cycle-way past Rushey Mead is broken, hazardous and badly maintained/cleaned.
Just to mention the marked(?) section of green surface that might be relevant to bike users but needs repainting if it is… along the later section of Dysart way – what’s this for?
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As mentioned, if you travel from East Goscote to Leicester you have two good sections of ‘traffic-free’ shared walk/cycleway.
This route has nearly two and a half of the seven+ miles off road. A good start?

The busiest section of on-road cycling is Catherine Street. At rush-hour this is usually backed up for half a mile with a slow-moving queue of traffic to Dysart Way.
This is a wide road with a section of hatching in the middle and wide pavements on both sides. I wonder why segregated cycle-way could not be employed here? More cycles into the city. Less traffic on this route? I guess it’s just impossible and never worth the hassel. After all who wants to promote less traffic and alternative healthier options?

Well done so far on the segments mentioned, and well done generally on cleaning these shared paths!
But what about riding bikes “into the City from Thrummy”?

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Uncategorized

Wok n Stew

WokWhen I was a student I fondly recall using a steel wok in my culinary experiments.

Then, since I pretended to ‘grow up’, we’ve always had a new fangled non-stick wok.

The non-stick’s never lasted… they always eventually scratched, and the coating came off and generally they were not as robust.  After going through 3 non-stick woks, while always pondering “should we have a steel one?”, we eventually plumped for a basic steel wok.  It was the poor relation on the shelf, hidden below the “super”, “new-improved”, “superb”,  must have’s that shouted “create oriental heaven” at you.

After a few months, we concur that it was the right decision! OK you need to give it an initial seasoning but, no more worries about scratching the poor thing. After the cooking’s done just scrub the thing clean and re-oil for next use.

I’ll never by a non-stick again!

Stew

One more thing I don’t understand why the sell woks without lids!? You need a wok lid!

Beef and mushy’s seared: and stew the slow cooker all day! Emma’s slow-cooked stew is divine!

Em’s Stew: (slow cooker from Asda last year £8! bar-gain?)

Seared cubed beef (or summint)

Mushrooms, onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, and things… We don’t put spuds in, we have them as a side, roasted or summint. *I don’t like soggy potato.

Garlic, herbs of choice (we like to include oregano and chilli)…

Stock cube, Red Wine, and whatever u want to experiment with… balsamic, Worcestershire sauce, beer, etc etc

Chompus Maximus!

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holy habits?

JPRWhiteonWhiteOK ‘discipline’, again…

I like the idea of ‘soft discipline’ (it’s best if you), but dislike ‘hard discipline’ (you should). Don’t we all?

We all subscribe to cultural norms whether we buy the t-shirts or not, and in turn we all soft or hard
discipline ourselves to think in certain ways.

I shy away from many harder disciplines especially superstitious, ritualistic historical ways.

I guess there always has to be motive, or reason.

For the last few weeks I have made the decision to “shave my facial hair” almost daily (otherwise known
as my “shrew”). To be clean shaven – not something that I have made a habit of in the past.

I have been entertaining the idea of ‘habits that help focus the mind’.

This is not for aesthetic, religious, or practical reasons – but as a trigger to remind me of ‘mindfulness’.

At first this seemed an odd idea, but it has produced effect.

I can’t pinpoint what effect, but it’s “a decision”, a catalyst, that reminds and projects onto one’s world
view.

It requires time and action. It’s a physical, visual, sensual and personal act. But what have I associated it
with?

Attitude, worth, image, health, cleanliness, imperfection, routine…

As a single act it’s relatively meaningless, but when combined with other ambitions it seems to resonate.

It reminds you of growth, change, time, nature…

It reminds you of ablution, presentation, countenance…

It requires a daily decision, growth just happens…

To be wild, to sculpt an image, or to cleanse and routinely resolve towards clarity… ?

#holyhabits ?

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Sunday Morning Stories

Picasso said “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
He also said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” 

It’s become a tradition in our house, along with the wake-up cuppa, for the four of us to have a bedtime(8am) story together, from Leo Sofer.

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PT’s “Flowers”

The Palace of Stories is a collection of Leo’s stories for children.

Are you looking for high quality stories for your children that will not just entertain them but inspire them too?
Do you find mainstream culture – be it TV, movies or books – conveying messages to your child that you feel uneasy about?
For thousands of years, storytelling has been humanity’s way of passing on timeless wisdom to the next generation.
The best stories open our hearts, evoke love and compassion, remind us of our inner strength and encourage us to bring our deepest dreams to life.

The richness, and value of “the imagination” is so often lost in our world of instant image, sound and even taste.

Yes a quick-fix pick-n-mix is great every now and then, but we all know that to grow and “be happy, be healthy and get well soon” we need nourishing food.

It’s the same with how we inform and entertain ourselves; inside and above these stories there’s a wealth of truth for all.

As Leo says children can be “as hungry for stories as they are hungry for food… I want to make sure they get the nourishing sort of both!”

He has a website for adults too that we are yet to try as we’re happy with the kids’ stuff.

If you want to try it there’s a FREE PODCAST story every month – check it out.



		


	


	

		
		


			

		


		
	


	






	



	


		
			

				
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Homemade Pizza – cos u can!

		


			

		


		
	





	


		


			
When your weary, feeling small… make a pizza!


kneedpizza




 


Traditional bread base (makes 2 pizzas):


    

  • 375g of bread flour
    • 

  • 235 ml of water
    • 

  • 1 pack / 7g dried yeast
    • 

  • 1 tsp sugar
    • 

  • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 



Mix it all together in a bowl.

Knead until you ‘re happy! Go for it, take out your frustrations!

Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with cling film.

Stick it in the airing cupboard for half an hour.

Divide the dough into 2,3 or 4 pieces, roughly finger flatten and put on greased baking sheets.


Spread tomato puree over the pizza bases, sprinkle with oregano and/or fresh chopped basil.


Top with grated cheese and WHATEVER you have in the fridge!


Bake at 200 C for 15 to 20 mins.