To Strong Women

Every time I touch the soil, that’s my mother's hand, guiding me.

And every time I cook pasta, she is looking over my shoulder.

I know she always hears me, so I talk to her and I will never stop.

The funny thing when it comes down to it, the only thing we need to know is how to find clean water, how to grow your own food, how to cook, how to build and how to love. None of those is taught at school!

You might say because the schooling system isn’t the “village” that should be manifesting these qualities, it is up to the family and parents to do this. School teaches literacy, numeracy, thinking skills, interpersonal skills, science, history, research skills etc. We need this set of skills and knowledge to do those important things, well.

I say all of those things should be taught at home. My mother taught us how to provide for our needs. We didn't have money so we had to take what we had to make what we needed. In doing that you learn to love and fulfilment and build your self-esteem.

So here’s to strong women:

May we know them

May we be them

May we raise them.”

Talking of strong women, in 1918 a doctor in Mexico prescribed a shot of tequila, salt and lime to ward off the symptoms of flu. Not sure you can get that on the NHS. The doctor was Gabriela Hernández which ironically means strength. Hernández is also the most popular last name in Mexico, 5,526,929 of them and growing, I suppose something like Jones in Wales.

I think it is time to change the subject. Birthdays, Peter’s birthday, he is getting on a little and we were invited to a cruise and dinner at Christchurch. First, let me say I would have loved to attend but circumstances dictated otherwise. Happy Birthday, I will raise a glass to your continued life and happiness. On those rare occasions when family make the time to get together, it is important to be there, tonight my ambassador and loving partner is attending on my behalf. 3 cheers for Peter, may he live long and happy.

I believe his family are giving him a BBQ for his birthday, dodgy but with good intention, black sausages and burnt chicken come to mind. I will send a link to How to BBQ for Beginners (https://youtu.be/KRR2-AeAB0Y) as a gesture of goodwill, Julia will appreciate the thought and I do believe, make good use of it.

Talking of BBQs, I hear the Australians cook shrimps on the Barbie, is that the way they say it, is intricate and it has a high level of failure. Matthew Charles Dickens Jnr has eaten many a shrimp coated in ash, this is from a nation where men are strong and I am not sure how the sheep feel about this, adult viewing only. I am interested to know what the sheila’s think, but I would hazard a guess, they are not too ace’d.

Talking of cooking. What do I cook and for whom?

Monday, that easy - Robert and three different pasta dishes.

Tuesday - Susan and Lady Vivienne, chicken breasts, butternut, broccoli and roast potatoes.

Wednesday - Michael, steak, eggs, chips and a vegetables

Thursday - Susan, fish, peas and starch of sorts

Friday - The Family. Burger night, dagger through your heart time Angela but this meal is about all of us.

Saturday- Roast chicken and chips with a tasty salad and a crusty bread

Sunday - Roast Pork/Gammon, good food for the week.

I do this every week and it seems to work.