Booming Banter

Today bread was high on the agenda. It started rising yesterday!

Last night we had our annual chili dinner and did great business. We make enough chili to feed several hundred so we always have tubs to sell the next day at Church.

People like to have chili as they watch the super bowl that’s on right now. Well it’s half time! We had made lots of corn bread too so  anyone getting a tub of chili got bread for free today! We made over a $1000!

Last night when I was safely tucked up in bed sound asleep Aaron arrived home with another huge box of leftovers from work.

Normally these delicious goodies are picked up from Panera by Churches to distribute to food pantries but it’s seems there is a high no show rate on Saturday nights. Maybe because most food pantries aren’t open on Sunday.

Last Sunday I’d done a bit of research and found a homeless shelter for men in central Columbus that would accept the items. Not everyone will take them. So while Aaron was still fast asleep Krishna and I made a drop there last weekend on his behalf and went there again today.

The same manager was on duty today so I’m anticipating a new friendship may be in the making.

Hoping none of you are offended by what I’m about to say next but all I could think about today was Give Us Today Our Daily Bread.

We were giving bread to those supporting missions and we were bringing it to a mission itself and we still have a load of cinnamon buns stashed away in our fridge to keep us sweet for the week!

Blessing #596 – Gluten Networks

Have you seen these tests on Facebook where you plug in some detail about yourself like the month of your birth and in an instant they analyse you and tell you what a wonderful person you are. I love them. We all need to be told regularly what our good points are even if it’s a social media concoction.

Today for Chinese New Year Aaron got Scooby a new chew toy.

The one he got for Christmas had been shredded pretty good so let see how long this one last.

When Aaron does things like this I get all gooey about how kind he is. This usually last about an hour until he and I have a go at each other about something stupid like just now when I told him to tuck his pockets into his jeans and he took the huff with me!

Just as well we have Scooby to talk to and console us!!

Blessing # 595 – A Good Heart

This is our first Chinese New Year with Scooby. Born September 2018 he is appropriately a dog!!! Takes after his Dad!!!!!!

It’s such a joy to watch Scooby learn new things and see how quick he is to read what’s going on. We might be a bit biased but feel he is very smart indeed.

Before each walk he follows me to the place where his leash is kept and puts his paws up on the counter till the leash is clicked on his collar. He then puts it in his mouth and walks to the door till I get my coat on.

He hears or sees or smells things we don’t. For example, when his doggie friends walk by on the street he runs barking from one window to the next watching them to let them know he’s around.

When we go for walks if I say long walk he knows where to turn or if I say quick quickies he goes another way.

The sound of the pantry door opening of course brings an immediate response and as soon as Krishna puts his shoes on Scooby heads for his little kennel.

Today he gave us a good laugh. After a long walk, when we had finished our lunch the lad disappeared. He wasn’t by the window and he wasn’t in the hall which are his usually haunts. He’d taken himself for a snooze to bed.

Well how wise is that? Just couldn’t  resist the temptation to join him! He’d be so lost in that big bed all alone!

Blessing # 594 – Learning a Lesson

Today we went to see a movie that will have a lasting impact on our lives. See it if you can!

Bryan Stevenson’s work deserves a Nobel Prise.

His quote at the end of the movie bears remembering. «Hopelessness is the enemy of justice »

Thanks to him and his colleague including his first partner Eva Ansley at The Equal Justice Initiative 140 death row prisoners have been released!

Blessing # 593 – Freedom Fighters

Last night my attempt to produce an authentic version of the Sichuan specialty Ma Pao Tofu bombed. It looked grey and insipid compare to the recipe picture. Maybe because I held back on the chili oil because a certain young man doesn’t like it hot!

Today that same person has work this evening so he has to through something into himself between work and school. So I have to make something that he’ll like but that will hold for Dad and me till later in this evening as were fed up eating dinner at 3:30!

Chinese food doesn’t hold that well so Irish Stew in the crock pot it had to be! Very fitting too as it was also the cultural fair at school and Aaron as usual, rather than taking Chinese things, took all his Irish rugby gear and paraphernalia!

Wednesday is our trash pick up day and because of that this stew really got going really early. It was in the slow cooker by 7:00.

The reason? Well I have a confession to make and am interested to know if other people are like me. When it’s trash day I will do things like drink any extra milk in the bottle just so I can bin the package. It’s becoming a bit of an obsession to clear things out. Sort of the opposite of those people who hoard things. I gotta get rid of straggly stuff and if I find a bottle or box with just a little bit in it I get mad as a hatter.

Thats why making stew on trash day feels so good to me because I can get rid of all those potato, carrot and onion peels rather than have them hang around fermenting for a whole week.

There must be a name for this type of behavior. My Mom was like this too only she took it to the extreme  and cleared out the whole fridge. Mind you it was about the quarter size of ours and she’d turn it off and scrub it with baking soda too!

As yet the clear out hasn’t extended to a clean up but as I continue to morph into my Mum it most likely will.

Blessing # 592 – Scrapless

At Chinese New Year families give each other gifts. The kids get red envelopes with money but when families return to see their parents they often bring them the very special gift of tea. This can cost a fortune and is a true sign of love.

My dear Mother never tasted green tea but one of her favorite sayings was “not for all the tea in China”. She’d use this to reinforce a point on any issue. For example a certain politician she’d never vote for under any circumstance!

Tea was a very important part of her life and therefore mine too. If you have a weak stomach stop reading now. She more or less weaned me with tea because I would not drink milk she’d put plenty of milk in a mug of tea and mash up two or three chocolate digestive biscuits in it and give me that to eat as a breakfast or snack. It is beyond yummy but looks like puke. We even had a name for it Naty-Mate!

Tea bags were anathema to my Mum. They were the cheap sweepings off the floor and we had to always have the same brand. Nambarrie loose leaf tea and it was served very strong.

To this day each time I go to Belfast I bring back Nambarrie tea bags that no doubt Mother is frowning on from above.

When we moved to China in 2001 it was amazing to meet people more passionate about tea than my Mum. One of them was my colleague Dr Lien who introduced me to the finer varieties of green tea. Much as she tried I never did develop a passion for it but appreciate her willingness to try to educate me.

Those of us used to a British brew just can’t imagine what the Chinese green tea looks like when consumed by the common man. It looks more like chopped cabbage than tea but it is much loved and held so close to the heart of this great nation.

Such a gift they gave us!

Blessing # 591 – Camellia Sinensis

A New Year would not be a New Year without a few resolutions. So this Chinese New Year where better to look for some thought provoking guidance than the philosopher Confucius.

He was born around 550 BC in a middle class family went on to marry, have children and progressively become more influential within local government and as a teacher.

He has touched and guided the culture not just in China but across Asia from Japan to Tibet.

One of his followers once asked him if he had to sum up his belief in one word what that would be and he answered RECIPROCITY! Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself!

He was also a firm believer in the need to find contentment.

Are you content? I’m not but I am improving and no longer constantly searching for novelty and change.

Think for just a moment about a person you know who embodies contentment.

After some reflection the person who came to my mind was someone I worked with in Switzerland. His name is Jacques and he and I are almost exactly the same age. He was always so thankful for his life for his wife and kids his work and always seemed to find joy in the simplest things. I don’t think I ever heard him say a bad word about anyone.

So what is the secret to contentment? Modesty is probably a good starting place.

A little quiet time perhaps?

Or maybe just finding more to laugh about.

Blessing # 590 – Going for Gladness 

Shirley, one of our Chinese friends, posted pics today of the banquet she had prepared for her family for the New Year. What a spread!

Aaron got his traditional red envelope as well as a big box of peach jellies but our food was a little less inviting than Shirley’s.

Dad made Chinese style spare ribs last night that were yummy and today we had good old dumplings that were very mediocre!

Aaron isn’t hard to please though and enjoys most everything provided it isn’t too spicy. That’s where good old chili oil with black bean comes in handy. It transforms the blandest bowl to the most delightful dish and turns any sleeping beasts into fire blowers!

Blessing # 589 – Loving a Dragon

Today we celebrate the start of the Chinese Year of the METAL RAT! 

The last time this combination of the Metal element with the Rat animal occurred was in 1960 the year of my birth. Our Chinese friends always tell me when it’s your year wear red underwear because you are going to need all the luck you can get! 

A lot of water and a lot of rats have passed under the bridge since 1960. Lets see what this tough little  rodent brings! It certainly seems to be off to a shaky start with a lot of scary things going on not least the coronavirus in China itself.

The 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac are not related to stellar constellations but their cycle is linked to Jupiter’s orbital period.

It’s simply amazing that for so many thousands of years Chinese astrologist were following the movement of this planet. You gotta believe that such a huge force in our solar system must have some impact on our personality.

The Chinese don’t mince their words when it comes to pointing out your strengths and weaknesses. Metal rats for example are faithful friends but a little on the blunt side. Oh well! Say no more! Just Gong Xi Fa Cai

Blessing # 588 – Victoria’s Secret

The last dry weekend we had here was December 6. As if by clockwork when Friday rolls around it starts. Today it is doing the proverbial cats and dogs!

Wet weather’s played a part in great works of fiction. Some downpours had favorable outcomes not least the soaking of Jane Bennett that gave her the sniffles and got Mr Bingley all lovey dovey.

More often than not rain and storms have tragic implications. Thomas Hardy is quite the expert in that field don’t you think?

Bathsheba Everdene and Gabriel Oak working through that terrible tempest to cover the hay. Nothing too much for that two!

On the heart though it has to be the life of dear Fanny Robin. Imagine getting the chance to marry Sergeant Troy, climb out of poverty with the most handsome man in the world and then going to the WRONG CHURCH.

It was a wet weekend from there on in for poor Fanny even the flowers Troy placed on her grave were washed away!

She was so innocent and had loved him so deeply and don’t you suspect she knew he’d loved her too. It was a romance of epic proportions even some might say operatic.

Blessing # 587 – Labors of Love