I really have no reason to whinge
Wow – aaaaaaaaaaaages and aaaaaaaaaaages… I had a camera-man friend once who had three sons. He was also a keen stills photographer. He said he had about eight photo albums of his first born, approximately four of the second, and one for the third (that is, he had the photos for one but hadn’t bothered to stick them in there yet). That’s what happened to my blog, I fear. The first year of absence there was one every month, then there were perhaps four per year, then two, and then the thing became quite willfully sporadic. Perhaps I don’t have that much to talk about nowadays.
Let’s see whether I can counter this argument with deeds: I am actually planning to write another book. Whether that’s going to be a novel or another ‘How to…’ I am not sure yet. ‘How to raise small chickens’ perhaps, or ‘How not to pay for lunches’.
In a novel you can do what you like. I always wanted to write what the cartoonists draw. Take, for example, the ‘Road Runner’. Remember Wile E. Coyote (also known simply as ‘the Coyote’) and the Road Runner? When the coyote doesn’t quite make the bend and runs on over the abyss, he can continue until he looks down, whereupon he drops, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee. In a novel you can also let the coyote run on air as long as you please.
I have more and more of my poetry published which keeps me chuffed and at least I get the feeling that I am not writing into a vacuum. Ok, so poetry is not everyone’s beef, but at least, since it’s mine, I find like-minded folk who actually are willing to put their effort to my output. Gives me an upper every time. I have prepared an MS which is out there somewhere and hopefully will be picked up for publication at one point. That would give me my second collection of poetry published since 2011.
So, what I am trying to say, I have been busy. I also had a major run-in with Gremlins & Co: when I got back from my yearly Europe holidays my hard disk died and took a lot of my photos into an electronic grave which grieved me and still hurts. I managed to retrieve a lot of them and won’t bore you with the details. In fact, I am still retrieving as we speak – it’s donkey work, question of nose to grindstone rather than techie genius.
Talking of Europe: as always a warmer of old cockles and a delight to see family and friends. This time pleasure was tempered by sadness: my brother died while I was still in London. I was at Heathrow, waiting for my flight back to Madrid, when my nephew texted me that my brother had fallen asleep forever, peacefully, in the night of 13th July. And I was glad. He did suffer so during his last days, had bone cancer, was in great pain, and already in palliative care. But it wasn’t only the pain, he also suffered dreadfully from his inability during those last days to care for himself. He was exceedingly independent and proud. In the end he couldn’t do anything for himself any longer, not even walk. So I’ll miss him dreadfully but I am glad he could just go. Even though I am far away, thanks to the Internet we always exchanged jokes and interesting stuff we found, or a bit of family lore. I miss him.
Let’s see whether I can counter this argument with deeds: I am actually planning to write another book. Whether that’s going to be a novel or another ‘How to…’ I am not sure yet. ‘How to raise small chickens’ perhaps, or ‘How not to pay for lunches’.
In a novel you can do what you like. I always wanted to write what the cartoonists draw. Take, for example, the ‘Road Runner’. Remember Wile E. Coyote (also known simply as ‘the Coyote’) and the Road Runner? When the coyote doesn’t quite make the bend and runs on over the abyss, he can continue until he looks down, whereupon he drops, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee. In a novel you can also let the coyote run on air as long as you please.
I have more and more of my poetry published which keeps me chuffed and at least I get the feeling that I am not writing into a vacuum. Ok, so poetry is not everyone’s beef, but at least, since it’s mine, I find like-minded folk who actually are willing to put their effort to my output. Gives me an upper every time. I have prepared an MS which is out there somewhere and hopefully will be picked up for publication at one point. That would give me my second collection of poetry published since 2011.
So, what I am trying to say, I have been busy. I also had a major run-in with Gremlins & Co: when I got back from my yearly Europe holidays my hard disk died and took a lot of my photos into an electronic grave which grieved me and still hurts. I managed to retrieve a lot of them and won’t bore you with the details. In fact, I am still retrieving as we speak – it’s donkey work, question of nose to grindstone rather than techie genius.
Talking of Europe: as always a warmer of old cockles and a delight to see family and friends. This time pleasure was tempered by sadness: my brother died while I was still in London. I was at Heathrow, waiting for my flight back to Madrid, when my nephew texted me that my brother had fallen asleep forever, peacefully, in the night of 13th July. And I was glad. He did suffer so during his last days, had bone cancer, was in great pain, and already in palliative care. But it wasn’t only the pain, he also suffered dreadfully from his inability during those last days to care for himself. He was exceedingly independent and proud. In the end he couldn’t do anything for himself any longer, not even walk. So I’ll miss him dreadfully but I am glad he could just go. Even though I am far away, thanks to the Internet we always exchanged jokes and interesting stuff we found, or a bit of family lore. I miss him.
Effie, Blossom and I spent 10 days in Mijas, Costa del Sol, I stayed at Demo's and Saskia's and spent some time wit Daphne, we went to the World Garden, fed the ducks, I tried out the London cable cars (great invention), we did the River Thames Taxi and more stuff.
Talking about far away: now that I am a grandma I feel the distance tremendously. ‘My’ babies are already four going on to 25 and this year, in the UK, had to start school. I personally find this far too early, but what can I do. The Finns, who have – according to research and statistics – the best education anywhere, start school at seven. I am sure early schooling has its good sides too. Not least for the mothers, gives them a little breathing space. I remember it well. In other words, they are growing up so quickly that I’d like to be there, closer, able to pop in from time to time, or go on the cable care with them, take them to the zoo or the park or on a Thames boat or… At least thank God for Mr. Skype.
And here in Peru? We are slowly moving into spring, the days are warmer, the sun gets a look-in more days, the big grey Lima cloud is receding. Even though it’s subtropical, the houses are cold because they don’t have central heating. I must have told you that before. But it makes for thoroughly cold living spaces. I bought some gas heaters, bless them. I still don’t get quite used to the fact that here people come into your home and don’t take their coats off.
In Lima (and everywhere in Peru) we’ve had local elections. The big Lima mayor, district mayors and regional presidents had to be voted for. I won’t go into details, they are too depressing. But from 4,000 or so, almost half had been in prison, or were/are about to, or have reasonable doubts about their participation in money laundering, drug trafficking or trafficking influence, under-age prostitution... In other words, the Mafia is muscling in big time. People in Lima were asked a few question about their choices. One answer was almost verbatim, “I vote for him even though he is corrupt, as long as he commits to public works (infrastructure etc).” This is either a people’s resignation as in, “They’re all corrupt”, or perhaps even a certain admiration. With presidential election looming (in 2016), we are in deep-shit trouble if there isn’t a wake-up call and a candidate who’d fill the shoes of an honest (and experienced, and intelligent, and… ) man. Dream on, girl.
I remember somebody talking about the ‘relative shirt’ and me asking what it was. “When all your shirts are dirty and in the dirty-washing basket and you have a meeting and no clean shirt at hand you put on the relative cleanest from the dirty-washing basket. That’s a ‘relative shirt’. “ At the time I found it funny.
As already mentioned a while back, the media for the greater part are in the hands of parties/politicians/corporations and they fill us with dread (more robberies, more killings, more beatings, more deadly accidents, more drunk-driving, you name it) and with lies (outright and subtle). They (and their bosses) decide who should win the next elections. Sometimes journalists resist the pressure and are promptly dumped. Makes me think of FOX News.
Never mind, there are wonderful things happening nobody tells us about officially. You find out via word of mouth or the Internet (of course), and Lucho is one of those who makes good things happen. The not-for-profit organization he founded is going strong and they hope to make a difference. Even if it’s only another drop into the ocean, without those drops there wouldn’t be an ocean. Let’s stay optimist and cool. The Peruvians deserve better. Much better.
Have a look here, for example: http://www.peruthisweek.com/travel-the-huacas-of-lima-104117
I also suggest you click on HOME, and then on some of the Peruvian travel gallery pics - if you have the time, of course.
Then I read about the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Russia, the States (just think Koch brothers) … and corruption seems to be a way of life. We do screw up as a race, friends. And the icecaps are melting.
I am happy here and the country is magic. Much is being done, at the pace of a crab but still… We do have commissions (made up from Congressmen and –women) who do look at colleagues and others who may have been corrupt in some shape or form. They do their best, being pulled from all parties. But then the judiciary decides there is no case to answer or throw the whole thing out on a technicality, and one can’t help thinking that someone paid them well.
Now they are talking about passing a law that will make it impossible for Peruvians with a criminal (or any) record to aspire to public office. Duh.
Sorry, guys, I didn’t mean to sound so down. I am not, really – or am I? When I look deep inside I still find initiatives to wax lyrical about, things that make me happy, give me hope. Stuff which makes me laugh. I want a better planet for my granddaughters to grow up on.
On this note, I say goodbye for today and promise myself, as always, not to let so much time pass between one ‘letter’ and another. Oh dear, again I almost forgot the recipe and the bad joke.
The Recipe
Did we do Red Hot Peppers before? Rocoto Relleno in Spanish. I don't know whether you can get Rocoto - they are greenish-red chilly peppers, but not the thin, pointed variety, but round. They look very much like paprika.
Ingredients:
10 –12 medium-size rocotos (red hot peppers)
Oil
2 cups of onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Sundried red aji paste (chilli) to taste
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
1 lb (1/2 k) ground beef
2 sausages, skinned and finely chopped
1¼ cup of vinegar
1 cube of beef bouillon
½1 cup of raisins
¼1 cup of parsley, chopped
4 boiled eggs, chopped
1 ¾ oz (50 g) chopped pitted olives
Fresh cheese slices (cheddar is fine)
2 cups evaporated milk
1 ½cup of water
3 eggs
¾1 cup of cream
Preparation:
Cut top part from rocotos and set aside. Carefully remove seeds and veins. Rinse well and soak rocotos (with top parts) 12 to 24 hours in salted water, changing water several times. Let rocotos soak overnight.
The next day, drain the rocotos and place them in a large saucepan with hot salted water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the rocotos and place them upside down on a rack to drain.
Heat oil in a saucepan or skillet and sauté onion until tender. Add garlic, salt , pepper, red aji/chilli paste to taste, and cumin. Add ground beef, sausage and beef bouillon. Add vinegar and combine. Add boiled eggs, olives and parsley. Mix well and season to taste.
Stuff the rocotos with the beef mixture and place a slice of cheese on top. Cover with top parts. Place the rocotos on a greased oven tray.
Combine the milk, the eggs and water in a medium-size bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour this mixture carefully over the rocotos.
Bake in preheated oven 350°F (175°C) until milk starts to thicken and set. Open oven and pour cream on top of your rocotos. Continue baking for 10 minutes more.
Serves 6- 8 persons
(via http://www.yanuq.com)
Ingredients:
10 –12 medium-size rocotos (red hot peppers)
Oil
2 cups of onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Sundried red aji paste (chilli) to taste
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
1 lb (1/2 k) ground beef
2 sausages, skinned and finely chopped
1¼ cup of vinegar
1 cube of beef bouillon
½1 cup of raisins
¼1 cup of parsley, chopped
4 boiled eggs, chopped
1 ¾ oz (50 g) chopped pitted olives
Fresh cheese slices (cheddar is fine)
2 cups evaporated milk
1 ½cup of water
3 eggs
¾1 cup of cream
Preparation:
Cut top part from rocotos and set aside. Carefully remove seeds and veins. Rinse well and soak rocotos (with top parts) 12 to 24 hours in salted water, changing water several times. Let rocotos soak overnight.
The next day, drain the rocotos and place them in a large saucepan with hot salted water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the rocotos and place them upside down on a rack to drain.
Heat oil in a saucepan or skillet and sauté onion until tender. Add garlic, salt , pepper, red aji/chilli paste to taste, and cumin. Add ground beef, sausage and beef bouillon. Add vinegar and combine. Add boiled eggs, olives and parsley. Mix well and season to taste.
Stuff the rocotos with the beef mixture and place a slice of cheese on top. Cover with top parts. Place the rocotos on a greased oven tray.
Combine the milk, the eggs and water in a medium-size bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour this mixture carefully over the rocotos.
Bake in preheated oven 350°F (175°C) until milk starts to thicken and set. Open oven and pour cream on top of your rocotos. Continue baking for 10 minutes more.
Serves 6- 8 persons
(via http://www.yanuq.com)
The Joke
For those who haven't seen this one before, please take a moment for a good old belly laugh. Click on the link. PLEASE!
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=571118263017187&set=vb.479042895558058&&theater And it's good night from me for now. Be well, and don't let them tell you there aren't any good things in this world. |