12.02.10

Today's Heart is.......

Is an earring.

Well, half of a pair of earrings really.

Just it's a bit difficult taking a picture 

of both of them, 

at the same time 

by myself......

I inherited these, among many other earrings, from Himself's mother.

 I am sad to say that she and I had a prickly relationship, 

we both loved the same man and neither of us was prepared to share. 

As a young (and immature) woman, I could not see why she hung on to him so fiercely, 

but now that I am a mother to two boys, I realise and understand why. 

I wish I had the insight then of what I know and feel now. 

I also wish she had seen our boys, 

it might have improved our relationship.

Despite both boys looking more like me that Himself, 

I see hints of some of her facial expressions in the Eldest.

I have found this post quite hard to write, as it is making me recognise my selfish behaviour 

with no way of saying sorry.

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Time to change the subject.

Still adding to my 52 new recipes challenge, I can now add..........

9. Fruit mincemeat loaf - so successful that good half was eaten on the first day and most of that was eaten still steaming hot! 

10. Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter - please ignore the uninviting name and just do it - this is a recipe from a site called Smitten Kitchen and the recipes are brilliant!

11.Potato and Tomato Curry - a happy ending to  poor prepping and checking of the contents of the store cupboard....... 

Moral of the story is - check what you have in stock BEFORE you get half way through a recipe and go to reach for the ESSENTIAL and MAIN ingredient and find nothing there! 

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Originally, in my germ laden fuzzy head, I had a vague idea that I would make Chana Masala (Chickpea curry) and in a fit of misplaced and unwise inspiration, decided to photograph it as I went along. I diced, sliced, grated and chopped. All the time having mini intervals for streaming eyes, camera positioning and general unwellness. But - being  stupid stoic and  persistant  selfless - I continued......

All through this photo-shoot and cooking, I was putting together my goodies for Knit n Knatter and getting the boys ready for their music lesson with lead-weight blocked sinuses and rheumy eyes.

 The recipe called for ground cumin and coriander, which I measured out and began to crush with the pestle and mortar. It needed chick peas .....................

Then just as Himself stepped into the kitchen from work, I found or rather I couldn't find the ESSENTIAL and MAIN ingredient - the chickpeas. 

I was almost overcome with the situation and rather started Himself as I had a mini but necessary strop - only a pathetic one though coz in my state I was not in a fit state!

After all three of my men carefully took three paces back and made soothing sounds at a safe distance, I recovered myself.

I reached for some potatoes and with their skins left on I par-cooked them instead. Added them to the now ready sauce.  

Unfortunately having spent all my energy cooking and photographing it - 

I couldn't eat it, 

much to Himself's delight 

as it meant more for him 

and he ate it all!

Drat this cold...Sniff.