Marie's Sunday Six Smilemakers . . .

Welcome to my weekly Sunday Six Smile Makers post! I just love this post. It's one of my favourite days of the week, not only because it is the sabbath, but because I get to reflect on some of the good things and blessings that I've been able to experience in the week just gone by. Taking time to reflect on your blessings is in and of itself a huge smile maker in my opinion. I reckon that we all have a multitude of blessings in our lives . . . if we will only take the time to stop and think about them. It's a very good thing . . .




Studying the Scriptures. Seminary has started up again and this has given me extra impetus to study my scriptures. As a teacher of Seminary, I must make sure that I keep up my scripture reading and study on a day to day basis. Feasting on the words of God is a very good thing, and brings me a great deal of peace and comfort. There is always something on the page that speaks to my heart in a special way. Aren't the scriptures just so amazing? It's funny how you can read the same words time and time again, and then all of a sudden one day when you are reading those same words again, they will strike your heard and mind in a special way. God's word always knows how to reach you right where you are at, and in exactly the way you need them to! I just love the Scriptures!




New sewing machines make me smile. I have always loved to sew and when I was a teen, I used to sew all of my clothes. As an adult I also sewed clothes for my children and for myself and also I used to sew a lot of crafts and gifts for other people. When I first came over here, we bought a cheap sewing machine, which did basically nothing, but sew a straight line, nothing fancy, but it was all we could afford at the time, and well . . . beggars can't be choosers. I did miss my fancy sewing machine from back home, but I had sold that to my dad before I moved over here and it wouldn't have worked over here anyways. I finally, just this past week got a new sewing machine and it does everything I want it to! Yayyy!!! We got a really good deal on this model and it has a multitude of stiches etc. It's computerized and light as a feather. I used it for a bit yesterday afternoon, learning how to use all it's bits and bobs, and I can say for sure, I am really going to enjoy this machine!




The scales. Who'd a thunk that the scales would figure in as one of my Six weekly Smile Makers? Not me, but as long as they keep going down, down, down, they will be high on my list. Down another two pounds this week. Can you say Happy ME?? I feel, for the first time in a very long time, that I have finally got a handle on my weight and it's nice to see it shifting and disappearing, little by little. I am so very grateful for all that my Hypno Therapist has done for me and all that I continue to do for myself. If you would like to read a bit more about my journey, you can see some of it HERE. It's not easy to lose weight, especially when you work with food and love food as much as I do. This whole program has been a God send to me. I'm so very grateful for it.




Richard Simmon's Sweating to the Oldies. I just love, Love, LOVE this exercise tape. I reckon I am going to wear mine out soon! His enthusiasm about exercise is very catchy. I love that his tapes are filled with real people, people of all shapes and sizes. They are very inspiring to me. As I watch and move my body, I can see them and I tell myself, if they can do it, you can do it, and all the way through Richard is telling me . . . You CAN do it! . . . and you know what??? I AM doing it!! It makes me smile to know I can.



Amidst all the crap and misery that is on our television screens and in our movie theatres today, I am ever so grateful for our collection of old Musicals. Every once in a while we take one out and we remind ourselves of a sweeter, gentler time. This week it was Show Boat. Love the songs, love the story, love the feeling it gives us to watch it. No swearing, no gratuitous sex or violence, just a good story line and wonderful songs and music.




Hand sewing. Along with my new sewing machine I have been putting my hand to work with a needle and thread this past week. (Project to be revealed soon) It has been so good to get my hands back to work in this way. I used to do a lot of embroidery work and counted cross stitch. These old eyes don't co-operate in quite the same way anymore, but I still get a lot of satisfaction from this exercise in creativity. I wish I had the time to do more of it . . .

And there you have it. Six things that have blessed my life in this past week and made me smile. I hope that you had occasion to smile a bit yourself! I'd love to hear about it! Won't you share?

We had our monthly scripture study group over here last evening for our once a month get-together. It's a lovely time that Todd and I both enjoy very much. We sit and study God's word for a couple of hours and then have a time of fellowship and tasty food afterwards. It's so nice to get together with like minded people and speak of the things that touch our hearts and minds. Last night I made this tasty Mexican dip for us all to enjoy. It went down a real treat!! The pictures aren't the best, because the light was quite poor by the time I took them, and I didn't get any pictures of the inside of the dip, but trust me when I say it is delicious! Very, very Scrummy!!



*Layered Mexican Dip*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is quick to put together and always goes down really well with anyone I have served it to. Pot luck suppers, impromptu get togethers . . . whatever the occasion you will find that this is very popular with your guests.

1 (425g) tin of refried beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 TBS taco seasoning mix, or to your taste
1 container of guacomole (from the chiller section in the supermarket)
1/2 cup more of sour cream
1 cup of shredded strong cheddar cheese
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
3 ounces chopped black olives
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
To Serve:
Assorted tortilla chips and crackers



Take a large dinner plate and spread the refried beans onto the middle of it, leaving about an inch border all around the plate. Mix together the sour cream and cream cheese. Stir in the taco seasoning mix. Spread this over top of the refried beans. Layer the guacamole on top of the cheese mixture. Top with a final layer of plain sour cream. Sprinkle the cheese, onion, black olives and tomato over top. Cover with some cling film and chill for several hours before serving. We like this with crisp lightly salted tortilla chips, but you can also serve it with crackers.



Tasty, delicious and succulent Slow Roasted Pork Belly, with moist rich meat and crispy crunchy moreishly delicious crackling. Take a gander at The English Kitchen to see how this can be yours!

Each life that touches . . .

Broken Dreams

As children bring their broken toys
with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
because He is my friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone
I hung around and tried to help
with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do . . .
you never did let go."

I want to thank each of you so very much for your heartfelt prayers and concern. I will keep you all posted as to how things progress with Kayla and the baby. All your words and stories have been very encouraging and I have passed them on to my son and I am sure he will pass them on to Kayla.



I know they are both feeling pretty vulnerable and afraid right now. I was so very lucky when I was pregnant for my five children. I carried them and popped them all out with no worries or concerns. Each one of them was about three weeks early, which is kind of odd I guess, but nevertheless, each was quite healthy. I do not know the fear of how it must feel to be in their position right now, but I know how it feels to be a mother and a grandmother and to feel for your child and their pain and fear. Experience has taught me that all the worry and fear in the world cannot change things, and in fact may even make them worse. So I pray and I hope and I have faith that whatever the outcome, God is in control. I have faith in the power of prayer and whilst we may not always appreciate the answers or even understand them . . . there is a plan. The hardest part of any prayer . . . is letting go . . .



I am touched by your words and your kindnesses and your prayers. I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. They mean the world to me.

Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord.
Thou sendest blessings from above
Through words and deeds of those who love.

What greater gift dost thou bestow,
What greater goodness can we know
Than Christ-like friends, whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, enrich our days.
~Exerpt from the hymn "Each Life That Touches" by Karen Lyn Davidson



I did another Christmas picture yesterday afternoon that would be lovely on a card. It's that one I told you about before of the little girl and her cat. I call it "A Candycane Christmas." It reminds me of when my children were young. One Christmas Santa had brought them candy canes that were almost as big as they were. Somewhere I have a picture of my Doug chomping down on his with great glee. He always did have a sweet tooth. Pity he's now diabetic. If you would like this card or any of my others please feel free to contact me and ask.

Todd and I had a lovely anniversary dinner last night. I cooked him a Roast Dinner. It's his favourite. We have tried going out before, but the kind of restaurants we can afford to go do largely disappoint when it comes to things like this and so I would really rather stay at home . . . besides at home you get leftovers! I am getting used to a new camera. I think someone may have dropped my old one as when I went to use it on Saturday the battery cover that holds the batteries in it was broken and would not shut properly. It was still on warantee and so we were able to get it replaced with another camera free of charge. Technology changes so quickly these days, the old one was reduntant and so we received a different camera altogether and I am still learning about all it's bells and whistles, so bear with me for a few until I get it all worked out!



*Perfect Roast Beef*

This is more of a technique than it is a recipe. There is a lot more to cooking a roast than just banging into an oven. Whilst it is also very simple to cook, there is a proper way to do it and helps and tips that can produce the perfect roast every time. (if you follow them!) First of all, allow approximately 350g or 12 ounces of meat per portion.

8 to 10 pound wing, rib or strip loin roast of beef
2 TBS prepared English Mustard
1 TBS maple syrup
4 TBS water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS of beef dripping

I think it's best to cook meat always from room temperature so plan ahead and take your meat out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan on cooking it. Pre-heat your oven to 250*C/480*F.

Mix together the water, mustard and maple syrup. Massage this mixture into the meat on all sides. This concoction will help to flavour and colour your meat. (Trust me here.) After you have massaged most of it in, or as much as you can, season your meat liberally all over with the salt and pepper. The fat will largely wash off a large portion of it so more is better. Always season just prior to cooking it as well, to prevent the salt from drawing out the blood and juices.

Heat a heavy based roasting tray over high heat with the dripping inside. (If you have no dripping a knob of butter will do.) Once the fat is hot, lower the beef into it to commence the browning process, lightly browning it on all sides.

Lower the oven temperature to 220*C/425*F. Roast the beef in it for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste with the pan juices. Lower the temperature to 180*C/350*F. Return the beef to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes per pound of beef, plys an extra 15 minutes. The end result will be a perfectly cooked joint, pink in the middle without being overdone.

Once the meat is cooked allow a further 30 minutes resting time in a turned off oven or a warm place.

This resting time is very important. This helps the juices and the temperature of your meat to stabilize and relax, which helps to make the meat much more succulent and easier to carve. When you cut into hot meat alot of the delicious juices escape, and we really don't want that.

I often roast my meat on a bed of root vegetables . . . chunky carrots, parsnips, onions. This helps to raise the meat above the fat in the roasting tin and prevents it from frying instead of roasting, not to mention it gives a lovely flaour to the juices and the gravy!

To make a delicious gravy, add some liquid to the pan, once the meat has been removed and set aside to warm. (leave the vegetables in the pan) Your liquid can be some beef stock, or even a bit of red wine. It's your choice. Cook and stir, scraping up from the bottom to get all your brown bits etc. Strain this into a saucepan, removing all the solids. Skim any fat off of the top. I then shake some flour together with some water in a jar until it's smooth and I strain this back into the pan juices in the saucepan. I then cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Leave to cook over low heat for at least five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a gravy boat and pass with the meat.

Confessions of a Teenage Stalker, or The One That Got Away . . .

I think when I was around 13 or 14, I realized that I was never going to be one of the most popular girls at school or one of the "In" crowd. I was a pretty good kid though, and never one to buck the system or flaunt the rules my parents had set out for me. I hadn't yet really discovered boys in any appreciable way and being a "good" girl was still very much what I wanted to be.

I can remember the first time a boy asked to walk me home from a dance. I was 14, and I refused to let him hold my hand. Not because I didn't want him to, but because I knew my parents would be watching from the front windows of our house, and I didn't want them to see me holding hands with a boy. I wasn't allowed to date until I was 16, and so I thought they would freak out if they saw me holding hands with a boy, the end result being I wouldn't be allowed to go to a school dance again, for a very long time afterwards. And so . . . I managed to maintain my parents faith in me, whilst at the same time securing my position as a card carrying member of the "Geek" squad. The next few years were hellish, to say the least. The boy went back to school and told everyone about me not holding his hand and that meant to the rest of them that I had to be a lesbian. For the whole rest of the time I was at that school I was haunted by that, and teased mercilessly. Girls didn't want to be my friend, for fear I guess of being painted with the same brush and boys . . . well . . . I got past it, you always do. We moved a few years later, thankfully and I left it all behind.



When I was 15 years old I had a best friend named Linda Wilson. She was a rather chubby girl, a fellow geek, and she conveniently lived just across the backyard from me. She was the only girl in her family, so she got to have a bedroom all to herself. I loved to go over there and wallow in all her stuff. She had everything a teenage girl could want . . . ie. her own record player, and a little gaily coloured carrying case, full of all the lastest 45rpm records! We wiled away many an hour on Friday nights in her room . . . listening to all the latest pop songs, eating popcorn, sharing dreams, and practicing all the latest dancefloor moves we had picked up from the previous Saturday afternoon's American bandstand show. (Not to be missed, upon pain of death!)

She always had her bathrobe hung on a hanger on the back of her closet door, and we used to practice slow dancing with it. (Rather embarassing to think of now) Oh, the many slow dance dreams we played out with our faces held next to a dark blue terrycloth shoulder . . . sigh . . . We spent many, many hours together . . . talking about our hopes and our dreams for the future and what it held, and giggling all the innocent giggles of young girls who have not yet experienced their first kisses and first young beaus.



We spent hours thinking about boys, and wondering about the mystique of the popular girls who never seemed to have a problem gaining their attentions. Then one day, it seemed, we came up with the perfect solution to all our problems. I discovered a book at the local drugstore . . . "How To Get A Teenage Boy, and What To Do With Him Once You Get Him." At only $1.95, it seemed like a really affordable solution to our problems in attracting a handsome member of the opposite sex!!! Not only that, it appeared to have all the knowledge necessary to keep him . . . once trapped!

We hurriedly returned back home to gather our pennies . . . local track records were broken as we raced back to the store, arriving breathless, to plunk our hard earned cash down on the counter. We could hardly wait to get back to Linda's 8 X 10 room and learn all the secrets held within it's pages of teenage wisdom. (We couldn't go to mine, I had a nosy younger sister hanging about . . . one that would eavesdrop and interfere with all our plans! Horror of all horrors!)



Up in her room, we pored through the pages of this book, scanning it from cover to cover, memorizing illustrations and hoping to learn all the secrets of the male mystique, and the mysteries surrounding them. We read out loud to each other and took notes and studied all the wisdom held therein.

Not to be one left behind, or called a slacker, I already had my first victim picked out. His name as Philip Moore, and he was a Senior and getting ready to graduate. He worked at the local newstand/sweetshop and to my naieve, sweet little teengirl mind, he was the next best thing to a popstar, with his flowing dark locks and big brown liquid eyes. The idea that a Senior would never look twice at a junior never occurred to me . . . I had "the" book that was going to secure for me, forever, the secrets of gaining male attention and company! With all the rapt intent of a lioness preparing to hunt it's prey, I memorized all the steps in the book so that, once Monday morning rolled around, I would be more than ready to put them into practice . . .



And put them in to practice I did. For several weeks, I followed every step Philip Moore took. When he went in to class, I was behind him . . . when he came out of class, I was in front of him, probably breathless and sweaty from having to dash down the halls in order to be where I needed to be whenever I needed to be there. I haunted his every waking hour and probably his dreams! His every step was dogged, his every movement catalogued, so that I knew exactly where to be and when. Then finally, one day, I was practiced and ready to make my ultimate move . . . a big step . . . a HUGE step . . . I was going to say hello.

I spent half a day following him and setting up the perfect moment to spring my feminine wiles upon him and when the time was right . . . there he was walking towards me . . . I gathered up all my courage and managed to croak out a single syllable . . . "Hi!" . . . as he sauntered by. He stopped briefly, looked at me and said "Hi" back . . .

I was positive I had finally cracked it . . . he was in love and the world was my oyster! Philip Moore had said "Hi" to me . . . I was in teeny bopper dream heaven!!!! The thought that he probably felt he knew me, after my having shadowed his every move for days and weeks, never occurred to me. I had flowered under his gaze, stepped up to the plate and batted a homerun! I had finally been noticed! (In truth, how could he not have noticed! For days I'd been like a rash that just would not go away!)



Needless to say, I never did manage to get Philip Moore to ask me out, and it was quite a few months before I started to date anyways. He was a good exercise though, to cut my feminine teeth on. It was doomed from the start really, but then, why settle for the moon when you can reach for the stars! (the story of my life!) Years went by, and Linda and I remained friends until long after I married my ex. Then, with the passing of time, and many many moves and locations later, we managed to lose touch. I wonder where Linda is now and if she still remembers "The book" and the hours we spent together as friends. I wonder if she married and had a family. I wonder if she ever thinks of me, popcorn and brownies, girlish giggles, dancing with hangers and if she ever dreams of the "one" that got away . . .

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! I wish I'd known this "truth" back then . . . it would have saved Linda and I alot of trouble and embarassing moments . . . who knew?



* Artichoke Baked Chicken*
Serves 4

Quick, easy, elegant and delicious this always garners ooohs and ahhhhs when I serve it. If you like artichokes as much as I do you are going to love this one! It’s a real winner!

1 large jar of marinated artichokes, drained, rinsed and chopped
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup good quality mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Pre-heat oven to 190*C/375*F. Lightly grease a baking dish. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the baking dish leaving some space between each.

Mix together in a bowl the artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise and garlic. Mix well and then spread over the chicken pieces, making sure to cover them all over. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the juices run clear. Try hard not to overbake them so that they stay moist. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Photographs and Memories . . .

Heirlooms

Up in the attic
Down on my knees
Lifetimes of boxes
Timeless to me.
Letter and photographs
Yellowed with years
Some bringing laughter
Some bringing tears.
Time never changes
The memories, the faces
Of loved ones, who bring to me
All that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I'm going to be.
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to me.
~by Amy Grant

One thing that I have always loved to do, since I was a small child, is to look through old photographs of people and places gone past . . . Even now, when I travel home to visit my mother, within the first day or so of my arrival at her home, the old albums and boxes of photographs come out, and I am looking through them again.



And as I look, I ponder on these faces that I see. Great grandmothers and Grandfathers . . . Uncles, Aunts, Cousins . . . my mother as a young woman, no lines on her face, gazing adoringly up at my father . . . it's nice to see.

There are people still living . . . and people who haven't been alive for many years . . . their images captured forever within the framework of old black and white photographs. I wonder about these people. What sorts of lives did they live . . . were they happy, were they sad?? Did they have dreams that never came true, hopes and wishes, unfulfilled?? Secret sorrows and anguishes, pains and heartaches never told . . . gone forever but for the tell tale shadow of sadness in their eyes . . . the windows to their soul . . . they never lie. Did they know that down the road I would be peering into their faces and wondering about them?? And then my next thought is . . . how could they, for I had not even been born and did not yet exist here on this earth . . .



I look into their eyes and I see the same eyes looking back at me that I can see in my cousin's faces, the same mouths held in the same way, an all familiar stance or look. It's awesome to see how a nose, or eyes, carry on down from one generation to the next . . . it's helps to fuel the feelings of connection and of love and familiarity . . .



My mind is filled with stories about this one or that one, stories that my mother has told me time and time again, but which I never tire of hearing, and I struggle to remember them and to get my facts straight, and so I ask again, and she tells again, and . . . for a moment, the past and the present unite . . . the old black and white images come alive again, just for me, and they are real once more. Real people, with real lives and we are all linked together in a chain of blood and dna, a chain that goes back eons . . . all the way to Adam and then forward to who knows where . . .



One day that will be all that's left of me . . . just a few pictures in a box. Will someone wonder about who I was, and what I stood for, or will I have left a legacy that speaks for itself?? Will they look into my eyes and see the joy there . . . and the pain . . . and the hope?? Will they see all my yesterdays linked to their tomorrows . . . will the essence of my being be able to reach down through the passage of time and speak to their hearts??



There are precious few pictures of my mother's mother, my maternal grandmother. She was a shy woman who never liked having her photograph taken . . . and then I think of me. I am the same. I never like having my photograph taken either. I suffer it under duress though . . . I know how much a few photographs where I could see my grandmother's face in them would mean to me . . . and so I let people snap away, because I think one day my great great grand-daughter or grand son will want to see me and catch a glimpse of who I was, and wonder, and ponder the connection . . .



and so . . . I also paint pictures with my words. Words that speak volumes of who I am and who I was and who I want to be, and I hope that some day when these are read and the pictures are gazed upon . . . I will live on. This is my legacy and worth more than all the gold and silver trinkets one could ever have or hope to possess . . .

One thing I have always loved to do, since I was a small child, is to look through old photographs of people and places gone past . . .

Just my thoughts this morning . . .

Thanks so much for your feedback regarding my cookbook. It's been more than helpful and I think I know what I am going to do with it now, so stay tuned!



I was thrilled yesterday to see that my friend Tracy of Pink Pearl gave me this lovely Blogging Friends Forever award!!! Thank you so much Tracy. You felt like a long lost friend from the very first time I visited your page. It was that feeling and your gentle spirit that kept me coming back for more. I now have the great pleasure to pass this to some blog friends who have been here with me a long time, as well as giving this to a new friend also.

Please accept this award, my friends, in the spirit that it's given, and in turn, hand it out to others following these "rules":

1. Use the Twinks Bank icon
2. Nominate 5 other people only
3. Four (4) nominees have to be dedicated followers of your blog
4. One (1) has to be someone new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
5. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

Here are my oldies, dedicated followers of my blog: Angie from Can You All Hear Me At The Back , Kath from My Simple Rhymes , Julie from Tulips Kitchen , Melody from Slurping Life . These ladies have been following me these past three years from when I first began blogging and followed me here to my new page from my old one and I love them to pieces. My newbie is Gloria of Canela Kitchen , who captured my heart with her very first comment and who is always so kind and faithful to me. You have all blessed my life in too many ways to count!

Ever since I was a young girl and I read the book, "Chicken Every Sunday", I have been intrigued by the delicious intricacies of Roast Chicken. There are as many ways of roasting it as there are days of the week. A perfectly roasted chicken is a joy to behold and a pleasure to eat . . .



*Perfect Slow Roasted Chicken*
serves 4

Slow roasting is a wonderful way to keep chicken moist and flavourful. This recipe has the added bonus of some lovely and buttery, lemony roasted potatoes to accompany it.

softened butter, for greasing the pan and chicken
1 medium to large sized corn fed organic chicken
4 ounces of roasting potatoes
(peel and halve or quarter, depending on their size)
2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
sea salt and cracked black pepper
3 1/2 ounces white wine
3 1/2 ounces chicken stock
2 springs of fresh rosemary
6 bay leaves
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Pre-heat the oven to 325*F/160*C. Grease a large roasting tin with softened butter and then rub the chicken all over with some more softened butter.

Place the chicken in the tin and scatter the potatoes around it. Place the halved garlic heads in as well. Sprinkle it all with some sea salt and cracked black pepper. Squeeze the lemon wedges over all and then throw them into the pan as well. Mix together the chicken stock and white wine and drizzle it over. Cover everything with a large sheet of aluminum foil, sealing it tightly, and then place it into the pre-heated oven.

Roast for one hour. Remove it from the oven and take off the foil and discard. Add the rosemary and the bay leaf. Return to the oven and roast, uncovered for another 50 minutes.

Turn the oven temperature up to 425*F/220*C. Roast for 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and remove the chicken and potatoes to a platter. Cover loosely and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve the chicken sliced and placed on hot plates with some potatoes. Spoon some of the pan juices over all and enjoy!

What kind of Town do you live in?

Every small town has one. You know . . . the little old man who sits out, every fine day, on a park bench close to the shops and the banks. He knows everyone and passes the time of day with all who pass his way. He's a town fixture . . . a town mascot . . . a part of the furniture and fabric of the town.

The other day I read a lovely story about an old and very wise man who used to sit outside the gas station in his home town, rocking away in a rocking chair and greeting everyone who stopped by for gasoline. On one particular day his grand-daughter came and sat down at the foot of his chair and slowly let the time pass with him. That's what good grand-daughter's do . . .



As they sat and watched the customers come and go, a very tall man, an obvious tourist, began looking around as if he were checking out the area for a nice place to settle down and live. He walked up to them, greeted them and asked, "What sort of town is this that we are in?" The old man thought for a moment and then replied, "Well, what sort of town are you from?" The tall man replied, "In the town I am from, everyone is very critical of one another. The neighbourhood is rife with gossip. It's a really negative place to live and I'm glad to be leaving it. It's not a very nice place to live at all." The old man looked up at the stranger and said, "You know what? This town is just like that too!"



A few hours later a family, that was also passing through, stopped for gasoline. As often happens when a family car stops at a service station, the mother and children got out and it wasn't long before she asked the old man where the rest rooms were. He pointed towards a small, bent up sign that hung on a nail by the doorway. The father stepped out of the car and asked the old man, "Is this a pretty good place to live in?" "Well," replied the old man, "What about the town you are from? What sort of place is that?" "Oh," the younger man softly laughed, "I'm from a lovely town. Everyone there is really close and always willing to help their neighbours out with whatever needs doing. There's always a cheery hello and thank-you everywhere you go. I really hate leaving it actually, it feels almost as if we are leaving a family." The old man looked up at him and warmly smiled. "You know," he said, "That's a whole lot like this town." The family returned to their car, waved a cheerful goodbye, said their thanks and drove away.



The little girl looked up at her grandfather with a quizzical look on her face. "Grandpa, " she asked, "How come when the first man asked you, you told him that our town was a terrible place to live . . . and when the second man asked you, you told him that our town was a wonderful place to live?"

The old man lovingly looked down at the little girl he cared so much for and said, "No matter where you live or move to, you take your own attitude with you and that's what makes the place you live either terrible or wonderful."

Now that . . . is real food for thought. Interestingly enough, I have loved every place I have ever lived, and I expect I always will!

I had a lovely conversation on the telephone last night with Angie of Can You All Hear Me At The Back . We must have been on the telephone for at least an hour. I had been very worried about her these past couple of weeks, as I had not heard from her, and I had written her telephone number down incorrectly when she had given it to me so was not able to contact her. The last time I had heard from her, she related to me that she'd taken a bit of a tumble. She fell on some cement a few weeks ago, and broke several of her toes and also injured her tail bone and so she's not been able to sit at the computer for any length of time at all and is in a great deal of pain while she recovers, which hopefully will be soon. In any case, she wanted me to let her online friends know that she was OK, and slowly recovering and will be back soon to entertain us with her lovely words. In the meantime, I ask that you would keep her in your prayers and thoughts. She's a truly wonderful lady and, despite this minor set-back, remains cheery and optimistic.

It's been so very warm and humid this past week. The garden is taking off like crazy and my sweet corn must be about 4 or 5 feet tall now! I noticed last night that little corn cobs are beginning to appear here and there on the stalks. I told Todd that he is in for a real treat when they finally mature. Most of the corn that you buy here fresh in the shops is not very good. It's just like what I would call cow corn back home! I grew these from some seed that my good friend Linda in Washington sent to me and I am really looking forward to having a tasty feed in a few more weeks!!! I can't wait to show Todd what "real" corn tastes like or should do!

Last night we feasted on fish and salad. Well, Todd had a baked potato as well . . .



*Saucy Baked Fish*
Serves 6

This dish is so easy and quick. It's so delicious, it's a great dinner to feed company when they come. They will think you slaved all day over it and will be most impressed!

butter for greasing the baking dish
6 thick white fish fillets (Cod, haddock or other mild flavoured fish)
the juice of 1 lemon
sea salt and black pepper to taste
200g grated emmenthaler cheese
1 TBS grainy mustard
1 cup cream
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 knob of melted butter

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/375*F. Butter a shallow glass baking dish large enough to fit all the fish fillets. Place the fish fillets into the baking dish in a single layer. Season them well with salt and pepper and squeeze the lemon juice evenly over them all. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top.

Whisk together the mustard and cream. Pour it evenly over top of the fish and cheese. Mix the knob of melted butter with the bread crumbs and sprinkle them evenly over top of the dish.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with the tines of a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Spreading Love

I am but one amongst millions and billions of people on this planet. Even though I be only one, I can be a powerful force for good or evil. Every single thing on this earth has a purpose for being here, a reason d'etre . . . an effect. Just like a pebble thrown into a pond, every single thing we do, every action we take spreads out in ever widening circles, hugging and embracing, engulfing everything it touches . . . no matter the action taken, be it for good or for bad . . .

That concept . . . that idea of all things being connected to one another . . . that whatever happens to each of us affects all of us in a very real way, however large or small . . . that idea can be somewhat difficult to concede . . . to understand. This means that whatever we do, whether good or whether evil, it's not really a private affair. It means something to us all.



As long as we live in a world where there is pain or suffering . . . loneliness . . . hunger . . . people doing without, cruelty to others . . . whatever the need or loss . . . it is our responsibility. As a member of the human race we have the responsibility and the power to change the lives of the people we love simply by caring and by giving, and in doing so . . . we have the power to change the world . . .



Someone shared some love with me the other day. When I found out about it I grew two inches in stature, I kid you not! It made my heart sing and my toes tingle. It made a smile break out on my face a mile wide! Melody of Slurping Life shared her love with me in the way of a Sharing the Love Gift. Melody is a gal with a heart as big as life itself and that she would think me worthy of this type of thing really amazed me! Like a pebble in the water this gift ripples out and spreads, hugging each person that it touches and I would love to touch . . .

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
Rhondi of Rose Colored Glasses
Lura of Grammy's News
Erin of The McGibbon Family
Schotzy of Winging Upward
Angie of Can You All Hear Me At The Back
Jeannene of Love Conquers All

I hope this gift of love touches them in the same way it touched me, and the way I am touched each and every time I visit one of their pages. Can you feel the warmth of the love water lapping at your heels ladies?

Who wouldn't love to share these delicious little cheesy baskets with people they care about?? Quick, easy and perfect for sharing, these delicious little babies are wonderful!



*Cheese and Chutney Basket Melts*
Serves 2 (but is easily doubled and multiplied)

These wonderful little bread baskets are so easy to put together and so delicious when they are done. They're perfect for light and cosy little meals a deux or for a light meal for friends. All you need is a lovely leafy salad on the side and you have perfection. If you keep fresh crusty rolls and cheese in the freezer and a jar of chutney in the larder you have a delicious meal ready anytime just at the drop of a hat.

2 large crusty bread rolls
1 TBS olive oil
2 heaped TBS chutney (I used Apricot the other day but any chutney would be delicious. Fruit and cheese and spice go together very well)
2 small rinded goat's cheeses
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 190*C/375*F. Get out a small baking tray.

Take your bread rolls and cut a deep hollow in the top of each roll, just the size to drop the cheese round inside. Remove the bread from each centre and brush the insides of the rolls with the olive oil. (Share the love and give the bread from inside to the birds in your garden) Season with a touch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Place them on the tray and bang them into the oven for about 5 minutes, until lightly crisped.

Remove from the oven and spoon a tablespoon of chutney into each hollow. Remove the rind from the top and the bottom of each cheese round and drop one into each hole, on top of the chutney. Press a spring of thyme into the top of each and then season with a bit more freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of sea salt.

Take some foil and scrunch it around each roll, covering the bread, but leaving the cheese exposed. Bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Remove the foil for the last five minutes of baking.

Serve with a mixed and leafy green salad on the side.

Answers to Burning Questions

My goodness, but what a difference a day makes!!!! There are no birds singing here at Oak Cottage this morning, although the wind chimes are ringing away! The poor little dears are probably battening down the hatches and holding on to their branches for dear life! The gales are a blowin' and the rain is a fallin'! It's a nasty day outside for sure and it is so nice to be tucked up warm and cozy here in the cottage. I think it's the perfect day to get on with those questions so grab yourself a cuppa and pull of an armchair and set a spell . . . and I'll get on with it!



Grammy Staffy of Grammy's News wanted to know the story of what brought me over to England. (She is an inspiring lady herself. You want to check out her page. She even had us all over for breakfast last Saturday morning!)

Well Grammy, I got divorced about 9 years ago now. My ex husband had never been much of a spiritual man and in fact I was often derided for having been so myself. It was really important to me that if I ever found another partner in life, that he be my spiritual equal, and so I decided early on that I would not even date a man that was not a member of my church. Only one problem with that. There was a dearth of single men my age where I lived. Lots that weren't members, but literally none that were. I knew early on that I would have to look further afield. I belonged to an LDS chatroom at the time. I met quite a few men on there, but none that worked out to any degree. I had even had about a six month relationship with one who was a bit younger than myself. When we met in person though, it was clear that wasn't going to work out either. Nothing seemed to be happening, and I had begun to think that, perhaps, I might never find anyone and I should set my mind on going on a mission, for that is something else that I really wanted to do as well.

God had other plans.

I remember this one day getting on my knees and praying to Heavenly Father that, if there was going to be someone special out there for me, then would He please show me that there was . . . and if there wasn't, then would He show me what I should do re going on a mission or whatever. And then I went on about my business.

The next day I went into the chat room after work, as per normal, to say hello to some friends and was there for a little bit when this name came into the room that was new. I had not seen it before. Todd50's He asked was there any woman in her 40's or 50's that would like to chat and I, very boldly and quite out of character, said I would. And so we chatted, for what seemed like hours. It was really amazing. We seemed to have so much in common and were even reading the same novel at the time, which really amazed me. Only one problem. I was 44 and he was 62. As nice as he was, I thought he was far too old for me. I even told my mother (whom I was living with at the time) as much. Next day though, I found myself going back in there and looking for him to chat with, and was thrilled when he did the same.

We chatted on like that for several weeks, and then decided we wanted to speak on the telephone, which we did and it was wonderful After a time it didn't seem to matter to me anymore that he was so much older. We just had so much in common and I really liked him. We could talk about anything and everything. We felt the same way about things, liked the same books, loved doing the same kinds of things. After about six months we thought we should meet in person if we wanted to continue. When you get to our age you don't want to waste too much time, and as much as you may think you are made for each other through the airwaves . . . you really need some real time together before it can progress.

I had always wanted to go to England for a holiday, and I had a bit of money saved, and so I decided that I would come over here. Then we could meet in person, and if it worked out, great! If not, well then, at the very least, I would have had a nice holiday. When I think back on it now, it was really very brave of me, but I honestly felt that it was something I needed to do. Besides, I had had my Bishop back home talk to his and knew he was on the up and up. I also had several other lady friends over here that, if I hadn't liked what I saw when I got off the plane, I could have gone and visited with them for a time. Todd was living up in Chester then, and there was a lady in his Ward that ran a boarding house for students, who said I could stay at hers for the three weeks I would be here, free of charge, so it worked out perfectly!

I landed here on September 7th of the year 2000, which also happened to be Todd's birthday. We met, and spent 3 lovely weeks getting to know each other better, and at the end of that time Todd asked me to marry him. I said yes. It was really hard to say goodbye and go back to Canada after that, but I had to tie things up over there, and spend some time with my children, and also apply for a visa to come back permanently. We thought it would take a lot longer than it did, but I suppose it was a bit easier pre 9/11, for I had the visa within 3 weeks and I landed back here to live, on the 31st October of that same year. We were married and sealed together in the Preston Temple some 11 days later on November 11th, 2000.

I have never regretted one moment of it, although I do miss my children and other family members dearly. We both wish we had met each other when we were younger so we could have had children together, but then again, we both trust in God's plan for each of us and know that this was the perfect time for us . . . and so it goes.



Angela of Stressed Out Mum Seeks Inspiration had several questions: (She is a sweet lady. We met and became friends on Recipezaar, a cooking site which I frequent and am a host on)

1. What would you say is the dish you are most asked to prepare?

I make a pumpkin streusal bundt cake that everyone loves and so am often asked to make and bring that to functions that I go to and people just love my cabbage rolls and my deviled eggs. I also make a really delicious chicken casserole with a homemade stuffing on top that is very popular as well!

2. What ingredient could you not have in your store cupboard?

Ohh, that is a hard one Angela! There are so many, but if I had to pick just one . . . umm . . . err . . . . it would have to be tinned tomatoes. If you have a tin of tomatoes in your cupboard you have a meal. They're so very versatile and go with just about anything else, which I will show you a bit later on!

3. What made you start blogging, I ask this because you have inspired many others to start their own blog (me included)?


This is actually the third place I have blogged. I started off on MSN and had a blog of sorts there, and then I went to AOL journals and then finally to here and this is where I plan on staying. What got me started was that I had so many stories that I wanted to get down for my children to read . . . special memories and thoughts. I thought if I put them all in one place, then that would be good and they could go and read them whenever they wanted to. My church actually believes in journaling, and indeed, if it weren't for the many journals that people kept in the early days of the church, we would not have such an incredibly wonderful record of our church history. I loved reading other people's journals and thought I could, and should, do something similar myself.

I was hooked from day one. I love this special "me" time that I have every morning. It's very precious to me and I love the feedback that I get from my readers. I have met so many lovely people through blogging and made some really wonderful friends. I've always been a person that loves to share ideas and thoughts with others and this serves that purpose for me. I like to think that I help people from time to time and that you might think of me as a bit of food for the soul as well as the tummy. I also live a fairly isolated life here out in the rural countryside and this helps me to feel connected with others on a more regular basis than just on Sunday's when I go to church. Because of the hours I work during the week, there is not a lot of time for me to join clubs and such, so I guess it also helps me to fill a social need. How sad is that!!!



Angie of Can You All Hear Me at the Back? (Angie is a dear lady and friend that I met on AOL Journals. She's got a huge heart and wonderful wit!)

If you could be famous for one thing only, what would it be?

I'm not sure I'd want to be famous Angie. The price these celebrities pay for their fame and fortune often seems far higher than what the actual trade off in loss of privacy is worth! However you asked, and I guess the answer would be that, if I could be famous for anything, it would be as a writer. I love writing probably more than anything that I do. It's the one thing that I would miss most were it to end. I love stringing words together into something that people want to read and I love the idea that people actually want to read them! It gives me the greatest fulfillment of anything that I do.



Allison of The Rabbit Hole . A lovely young lady from New Hampshire who has a wonderful and quirky page. You never know what you will find there, but one thing is for sure, it's always interesting!

What advice would you give to a hoping-to-be-new-mom?

Don't try to be perfect. You'll always fall short. Just be the best that you know how to be. Children are wonderfully resilient and forgiving and if you just try to do the best that you can at all times, and love them with all of your heart, then you will be ok. Also, don't be afraid to discipline. Those words from the bible about sparing the rod . . . well they are true. I see so many kids out there today who have grown up with no discipline at all, and I truly believe that is at the root of all the problems we have with our youth today. Children need to know that they are loved and children need to know that they have boundaries. They need to know with a surety what is right and what is wrong, and it needs to stay the same from one day to the next. They need consistency in all things. That does not mean you beat your kids. That is never right, but they need to know their boundaries and when they have crossed them, they need to know there are consequences in life when you do the wrong thing, just as there are rewards when you do the right. They also need to know that the best things in life and the things that have the most meaning, are things that we work for, and that the greatest joy in life comes from reaching outside yourself to others, and in serving others.

How long have you been/will you be in England, or is it indefinitely?

I have been here almost 8 years now and, for the time being, it is indefinitely. I have a really good life here and although I do miss my family a great deal, this is where I need to be. I have a good job, which I could never have back home. I have a wonderful husband and partner, and I love this country just as if I had been born here. Once my parents are gone, I don't have a home to go back to anyways. My children are scattered all over and have their own lives and very busy ones at that. I think my home is now here, for there is nowhere else for me to go I guess!




Lucy asked: (Many thanks Lucy for your very kind comments! They mean a lot to me!)

1. If you could do anything in your life to do with food what would it be? Cater for a huge event....serve your puds to the Queen...teach home ec....keep your current job....anything!!!!!!

I really love my current job, but if I could do anything in my life with food it would be to teach others about preparing and cooking food, and to inspire them to want to cook for themselves and to feed their families. At 52, almost 53 (In August folks!) I am probably rapidly reaching my sell by date as far as that goes, I don't know for sure! I have always wanted to teach cookery classes and in fact do one through my church for the ladies, every couple of months or so, which is great fun! I also show the young women that I work with at church some cooking things from time to time, but yes, I think I'd love to teach cookery! We bought a video camera several months back that I had intended to do some little cooking videos on but I just have never gotten around to it yet! Hopefully soon! (A little encouragement might help out there! I'm not sure I want you all to see my rather robust figure just yet!)

Well, I think I have gotten to the end of my list and am finished anwering questions for now, with the exception of a few memes to catch up on!

Earlier I spoke about tinned tomatoes being a most versatile and useful ingredient and one I could not live without! I always have at least half a dozen tins in my larder and I have been known to sit down with a tin of tomatoes and some bread and butter and nothing else. My goodness but that makes for a tasty meal on a hot summer's day. This is another really tasty way to use them. With a few ingredients you have a meal fit for a king or at least a hungry husband! (Todd is the king of my castle at any rate!)



*Chicken Puttanesca*
Serves 4

Puttanesca is a lovely sauce and can be used on pasta as well as on chicken. The name comes from the Naples region of Italy, supposedly after the prostitutes there. It certainly is a spicy and "tarted" up sauce with a gusty, delicious flavour! This is a favourite of anyone I happen to cook it for and so easy to do!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt, pepper and flour
2 TBS olive oil
2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
14 ounce tin of chopped Italian tomatoes
1 1/2 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
6 ounces pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 TBS capers, rinsed and drained
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 TBS chopped fresh basil leaves
12 ounces of dried tagliatelle noodles to serve

Wipe your chicken breasts and then place them, one at a time, between two sheets of cling film and pound them until they are about half as thick. Season them on both sides with some salt and pepper and then lightly dust them with flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil over medium heat and once it is hot brown the chicken breasts on both sides, until they are a rich golden colour. This should take about 3 minutes per side. Remove them to a plate and keep warm.

Add the chili and garlic to the pan drippings and cook, stirring them for a few minutes until they beging to soften and become very fragrant. Tip in the tomatoes, tomato puree, olives, capers, parsley and basil. Season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper and stir well. Bring it up to a gentle simmer and then return the chicken to the pan. Push it well down into the sauce. Cook and simmer over medium low heat for about 40 to 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened nicely.

Cook the tagliatelle according to the package directions. Once it is cooked and drained, divide it amongst 4 heated plates and spoon the chicken and sauce over top.

I like to sprinkle mine with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, but it's up to you!