the true meaning of Christmas

Lots and lots of people out there at the moment are posting about the true meaning of Christmas and i don't want to take away from that but let me share a few thoughts with you today.

- 22% of the population of the UK live in poverty every day

- 1.6 million children live in poverty in the UK

- 200 people living  on the streets of London, died last year (2010)

- 1 in 5 adults never give to charity in the UK

- if you were asked to give 10% of your income to charity would you?

"For i was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, Lord, when saw thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying Verily I say it unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." 

Matthew 25:42-45

Bread post

(I wrote this last week but never posted it - erm - no idea!)

Food seems to be a problem right now. I’m so bored of food and I really have no desire to be entertained by it. Everything either tastes of nothing or it tastes of metal – iron. And headaches or just a nagging head that never seems to go away either. So I don’t really know what to do with this foodie problem I seem to have, I know I need to make changes but I’m not sure how to even start.

I keep reading lots of foodie blogs and some of the food looks delicious but it all seems to be mixed together whereas I would love a slice of well-cooked roast beef and my mother’s Yorkshire puddings on the side with lovely gravy that only my mother can make. Who as the time any more to make anything fresh? Besides I keep venturing down one road and then down another road and heading off down a branch line here and there but not really coming up with anything solid, concrete. Saying that concrete is not as solid as they thought it was when they first invented it.

Take bread for instance. I like my bread fresh, I mean really fresh. I only wish I had the tenacity to make fresh bread every day but there lays another problem, getting down to light the oven. Maybe I could see if I could get someone to mend the thingy button that lights the pilot light. Then it would be a doddle. I’m surprised that my computer accepts that doddle is word, oh well we live and learn. Now back to bread. I don’t really like the packet bread, it tastes better from the bakery counter. Morrison’s supermarket bakery bread is better than Asda’s why? Because it goes off or should I say it goes dry after three days. Freshly baked bread should only be fit for toast after three days not three weeks. 

So what is the easiest way to eat healthier? Stop eating altogether for 24 hours, fast in other words and then start by only eating fruit and then adding nuts, rice, vegetables, oats, etc. Eating a perfect diet is possible but if you want to be still part of the human race you have to be able to give and take a little. Although they do say that if you give up eating all the junk; sugar, salt, prepared foods, dairy, wheat, meat, (life would be very boring) you would eventually sort out what you were allergic too or sensitive too and then you could eliminate that one thing. 

I don’t know what is happening to my body maybe it’s just old age but it does feel like my body is attacking itself, fighting to just exist. As for my friend, I know he’s concerned but I also think he thinks I’m a little crazy. Maybe it’s just all part of God’s plan and when I’m finally doing what the Lord wants me to do I’ll get better or better – er at least.

bread and butter pudding

I've just realised that this is only the third blog i've done this week and i'm so sorry. It's been a tough week but not going to share here, will spoil your appetite.

I've always loved bread and butter pudding, the traditional one, not the chocolate one or the fancy sweet bread one, just the plain and simple bread and butter one. Now it's best to use bread that is slightly 'old' but not green mouldy and no the mould would not add extra flavour. So slightly dry bread like the end of the loaf but not the crust might be a bit tough.

so here goes ...

6 slices of bread, white is best for this one

butter

3-4 tbsp sugar

1 pint milk - whole or semi 

3 eggs beaten

dried fruit - to taste

nutmeg

You will need a pint dish with deep sides but not too deep, shape of your choosing but you don't want a bowl/basin, i normally use a small lasagne dish but a casserole dish would do. Butter the dish. Butter the bread both sides (gets a bit messy but it's worth it). Cut the bread into quaters and layers into the dish adding fruit as you go - i'm very sorry i'm not a measurer i just tend to add the amount that looks right so i'm giving you permission to do the same. Heat the milk in a pan to warm but don't boil it and if you do, leave it to cool to warm before adding the eggs. Now using a fine-sieve pour the milk through the sieve onto the bread in the dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cook on gas mark 6 (medium/hot) for about 30 minutes. Make sure the egg mixture is set/cooked by inserting the point of a knife into the middle of the dish, if you can still see liquid it's not cooked give it a few more minutes then try again.

NB you could add cooked fruit such as apple instead of the dried fruit and cinnamon.

NBB Its very nice cold for breakfast :)

passions

There comes a point in life when we all have to say 'this isn't working' whatever 'this' is depends on the individual. I have been readings a number of blogs recently about finding your 'passion' and following your 'passion' and giving up the 9-5 job and breaking free of restrictions  - and all that. The other thing that seem to be repeated is that you don't have to continue to do a menial job just to pay the bills. Personally i'm really grateful for someone who does the menial jobs, thank you. 

I know a man, who is long time retired, who i think he would still say that in his time he had a powerful job but life being what it is and time bring changes that job was no longer available to him and therefore he had no job. He was not far from retirement and did not feel that retraining was what he needed to do. He got a job, a job people would see as menial and i'm sure it wasn't anything to do with 'passion'. The job? he cleaned streets for the local council but i can tell you now those street were the most cleanest streets in the whole of the area. He did best job he could under the circumstances. He made it his 'passion'.

We don't have to earn a pay packet fulfilling our passion but we do need to be passionate about what we are doing whatever it is. I'm grateful for the man that walks down every day picking up litter and for the ladies who continually clean the public toilets in the bus station and i'm really grateful for the tea-lady at work who without whom life would be even busier, who is actually known as a House keeper and does a beautiful job and we know instantly when she isn't working that day.

Yes, find your passion and enjoy it, we only have today we may not have tomorrow.

eat what you fancy

I'm having one of those moments when i really don't know what i want to eat and all i keep hearing is 'eat what you fancy'. To tell the truth i don't fancy anything. Even half my dinner went in the bin last night - again. Okay there is plenty of me and i'm unlikely to starve to death just yet but food holds no delight for me any more, not even chocolate.

My specialist thinks i may also have the beginnings of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the osteoarithis. I didn't think it was possible but apparently it is. The RA normally affects multiple joints and opposite joint, such as both hands, both feet. Whereas OA can effect just one joint but sometimes more. RA is an immune response from the body, basically my body is overeacting and is now fighting itself and the OA is normally wear and tear on a particular joint. Hope that make sense?

What the causes? no one knows but it's thought to be genetic. Treatment: pills - my body doesn't noramally like those very much - and diet - need to try harder - including a dairy free diet but it does like citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes) and exercise, of cause.

I'm feeling a bit scared to eat anything this morning as once you stop something that is causing an allergic reaction your body will never be able to tolerate it again and how do you actually go 'erm, no milk please'. And what do you eat? There is dairy in many foods, especially processed food and i like cereal with milk, breakfast and supper, oh and chcocolate. And what will my family say erm do erm say erm do erm say erm do erm you get the picture when i tell them that my house is now dairy free? And where to start? do you go the whole hog and just banish all dairy or do you wean yourself off it slowly? And what is dairy free chocolate actually made from? 

I did read somewhere this morning that those who suffer migraines and breathing problems can also suffer RA and that's definately me on both accounts. I've had on going migraines all my life accompanied with flair ups from time to time and i suddenly started with breathing problem about three years ago, with no known cause but treated as asthma to which it took some time to respond but is now reasonably under control.

My body is poisoning itself and i'm hoping i can slow the decline but it's hard to know where to start???

Is it a scon or scooone?

Well actually it's a pizza!

My pizza base is made from a traditional scone mixture, add tomato base and some cheese and then whatever else you want. So here goes - 

Pizza Base

200g self raising flour

100g butter

1 egg beaten

pinch salt

Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and then chop the butter into cubes and then add to the dry ingredients. Rub the butter into the dry ingredient using the tips of your fingers. Add the beaten egg a little at a time until the dry mixture comes together into a soft dough. (May need a little milk but add sparingly). Roll out to a 12in or 30cm circle or whatever shape you prefer; square, oblong or as it ends up.

Tomato base

4 tbsp tomato puree

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp basil or mixed herbs

Mixed together and then spread across the pizza base. Add grated cheese and whatever you fancy. Put it into a medium/hot oven and cook for about 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and brown. 

Enjoy.

It's too early

I woke at 6:30 with headache and feeling sick. In fact i wake most mornings feeling sick these days, i put it down to the pain pills i have to take on a regular basis. But, there must be some way to overcome feeling like this every morning.

My insides and therefore my whole being feel like it's being poisoned by all the pills and potions i need to take. Some so i can get up in the mornings and some so i get some sleep. I don't think i slept very well either. Woke up feeling like i had tossed and turned and ended up bent the wrong direction. 

There has to be something that i can do to stop myself feeling like i've been poisoned every morning. Arthritis, or just living with pain, is a very odd animal i never know how bad it's going to be until i step out of bed and sometimes i don't know until i step out of the house and have to walk to the end of the street for a bus. Then there are days when i dont feel too bad, walking isn't bad either and then wham the pills wear off and i am just stuck wherever i may be. Usually i have to find somewhere to sit, have a bit to eat, take some pills and wait for them to work before i am then able to hobble on my way.

So i need pain management with less pills and arthritis managment without surgery. The answer seems simple, exercise and lose weight. So why don't i just get on with both? I think it comes down to acceptance. Whereas once upon a time not so long ago i could jump out of bed and be out the door in 15 minutes, if i had too, now it can take 2 hours. Accepting that my time table isn't the same as the world's. The beat of my drum is now different. 

I envy those people who say this is my life and this is what i'm doing with it and then do it. Whenever i try and do something like that reality kicks in and my family need me or i have yet another bill to pay or the cats need feeding and i have to slip back into life. I wish i could throw my clock away, live in my own time but i can't i have people who need me and things that need doing but just for now i will dream a little and pretend.

Out with the old, in with the new - maybe?

Well here i am again. I think i got told off a little from my sister for not blogging the last few days, she said she missed me or maybe not me but my blog. It's just been a bad week so far with one thing and another but i will not dwell on the bad and plough ahead into the future.

 I've been having another look at the British Heart Foundation diet for those who would like to lose weight and i came up with a little chart which at first glance may seem a little confusing, but i felt their lists of this and that were confusing too. 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Breakfast	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d	2c 2fv 1d
Lunch	3c 1p 1f 3vf	1t 1d 1f 1vf	3c 1p 1f 3vf	1t 1d 1f 1vf	3c 1p 1f 3vf	3c 1p 1f 3vf	3c 1p 1f 3vf
Dinner	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f	3c 3vf 1p 1f
Extras	1t 1d	3c 1p	1t 1d	3c 1p	1t 1d	1t 1d	1t 1d

Oh still confused? Let me try to explain. We are supposed to eat the following every day;

 8 carbohydrates = c

 8 portions of fruit and vegetables = Fv

2 dairy = d

3 protein = p

2 fat = f

1 treat = up to 200 cals

So, I split the portions up throughout the day so that i would eat the recommended amounts and not too much of one or too little of another. These amounts should give you about 1,800 cals a day. Now i know that i eat far more then that on some days, probably most days and so i know that amount of calories would be a good place for me to start. As for how or what a portion equals too i did it in an earlier blog but an example of what i would eat or did eat on my nearest to perfect day, this is how it went;

Breakfast: 2 weetabix, milk,  1small banana, small glass orange juice

Lunch: 3 slices bread, mayonnaise, cheese, salad, grapes

Dinner: fish, potatoes, carrots, sprouts, pear, 

Extra: yogurt, jaffa cakes (4 would equal the accepted amount but i think i may have eaten more then that.)

So what looks complicated really isn't and it doesn't matter how you share things out in the end it all works out the same and everyone is different and we all eat differently so whatever way you want to go it all workd out the same. I have been weighing myself at Boots and i was beginning to think that the scales were broken because i was either the same or it went up but no, it is not true, they are not broken and today it told me that i had lost 5lbs. I have come to the conclusion that my body is just very good at food storage.

http://www.bhf.org.uk/