The 'Tower', then and now.

                                

It's six years since we reached the stage above, and in the intervening period things have changed a bit.

Now it's almost disappeared!

"IS ANYBODY THERE?"

The Fly in the Ointment.

I love the lazy days of Summer; sitting by the pool with friends, discussing nothing in particular, enjoying a glass of wine.

We've had visitors from all over the world this year. In the photo above he (D) is from Canada/Barbados, and she (S) is from Johannesburg. Others this year have been from California, Australia, and even Blighty. The world seems such a small place, yet our lives and aspirations are so similar.

The only thing that spoils such occasions is knowing that elsewhere in the more primitive world children are suffering, men are being tortured and executed, and women are being forced into slavery.

I know I tend to go on about this quite often, but it preys on my mind; night and day.

When I see pictures of middle-eastern towns that are no more than piles of rubble, or fanatics destroying precious ancient monuments, I wonder if the perpetrators can possibly be of the same species as myself. 

How can one human being be so fond of peace, quiet, and order (me); yet others think of little other than hatred, killing, and destruction.

I suppose it all boils down to 'brainwashing'; or dare I say it, 'religion'. Actually, the two seem synonymous.

Alarming Noise.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep....

Cro: What the hell's that bloody noise?

Lady M: Dunno.

Cro: Is it your iPad thingy?

Lady M: Don't think so.

Cro: Well it must be something; it's deafening.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep....

Lady M: Maybe you'd better go inside and have a look.

Cro: I may be some time!

Lady M: Well, what was it?

Cro: It was the Toast Alarm; your breakfast's ready!

Lady M: Phwar... open the windows someone!

An Important Day for UK Politics.

                            

It's of little interest to the world outside the UK, in fact it's of little interest to most inside the UK. But yesterday the man in the above photo (a Mr Corbyn) was re-elected leader of the UK's Socialist (Marxist/Leninist) Party.

Everyone seems to be happy. His supporters are happy because their man won. His non-supporters are reasonably happy as it'll probably mean a definitive split in The Labour Party. And absolutely everyone else is very happy because it heralds the absence of Socialism in UK politics for the foreseeable future.

As good a reason as any to make September 24th into 'National Corbyn Day'.

Of course this does leave a void. All democracies require a viable opposition, and the UK no longer has one. The Dim/Libs are hopeless, UKip is a spent force, and the poor old Greenies have just ONE ineffectual (but quite cute) member of parliament.

UK politics can certainly now steer a calmer route towards the future, but she would be better served with a serious opposition party overseeing any excesses. Sadly this is no longer the case.

Look at his picture, and try to imagine this would-be Prime Minister meeting President Trump at the Gold Plated House (as it will be re-named).

No, Cro; I just can't picture it.

Oldie Selfie.

                                          

Self portrait, Rembrandt 1657.

You can almost grab that nose!

Veggie's to the left of me, veggies to the right.

Lady Magnon (and Cro to a certain extent) is slowly becoming veggie.

One of her favourite dishes is a simple veggie curry. I've experimented with several recipes over the years, but she 'demands' this one, far more than any others.

It is a three ingredient (plus spices) curry; Red Onion, Red Kidney Beans, and a small Aubergine. Home grown other than the tiny tin of beans. It couldn't be simpler, or more delicious.

Method: Fry a finely sliced Onion in plenty of Rapeseed oil, add a teaspoon of medium curry paste and about the same of Garam Masala and fry for a while, add the Aubergine (quartered lengthwise then halved) and fry until half cooked, add enough water to make a thinnish sauce, then add the drained Red Beans and cook until you're happy.

I also added S & P, a quarter of a vegetable stock cube, a splash of Lemon juice, and as I had a couple of long thin (not hot) peppers handy, I threw those in as well. I cooked it about 2 hours in advance, then re-heated it to eat.

Serve with Basmati Rice, a few Poppadoms, and your favourite Indian Pickles or Chutney.

If you fancy a really authentic, meatless, Indian domestic curry, then try this one; you wouldn't be disappointed.

If consumed accompanied by Indian music; you'd almost be in Rajasthan.

Still preserving.

A very familiar sight in most country kitchens.

My Tomato plants were dripping with fruits, so yet another batch of preserves was made; this time just plain Tomatoes.

I still have plenty of unripened fruits at Haddock's so no doubt a few more batches will be done before Winter sets in. Each batch makes 7 x 500 gm jars, so 3½ Kilos at each go.

I picked the Tomatoes at 8.30 am, and after preparing, cooking, jar-filling, etc, they went on to sterilise for an hour at 10.30. All was done by 11.30; and very little work involved.

The way things are looking, I shall still be preserving well into October.