Book Review No6: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell.

For this book review I  recruited my husband to be the reviewer of this book, which he recently read and (not to give too much away) loved.  I shall say no more.  Enjoy.  He says:

I am no reviewer. In fact, if I’m honest, for the last few months I’ve barely even been a reader. You see, I have been suffering a bit of a reading drought of late – the irony of which is not lost on me in a house in which we are drowning in books. Some time ago, reading non-fiction started to seem a chore after a day of work, and reading fiction left me feeling guilty that I wasn’t reading, well, non-fiction. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoetwas just what I needed to remind me how much a good book can do for your well-being.

Set in 18^th Century ‘Edo-era’ Japan, our protagonist, a young and fresh faced Jacob De Zoet, seeks fortune and status as clerk for the Dutch East India Company. Posted to the Japanese port of Nagasaki, where the Dutch serve as the exclusive trading partners of the local magistrate and therefore Japanese empire, De Zoet soon lays eyes upon Miss Aibagawa, a young and well-born mid-wife… and so the story progresses.

It is such a fascinating age in a fascinating country. Japan, steeped in millennia of tradition and a finely balanced social order, can no longer ignore the great colonial game which is being played just beyond its horizon. Even if it could – would it want to?

David Mitchell, also author of Cloud Atlas, apparently spent four years researching and writing this book- and it really shows. The attention to detail is excellent – and particularly commendable given that the detail is now over two hundred years dead. By way of illustration, Mitchell apparently spent half a day trying to find out whether the Dutch would have used shaving cream to shave in 1799. An incredible amount of effort to ensure the accuracy of just one sentence.

The book is a little laboured to begin with; littered with complex Dutch names, phrases of the age, and characters which you don’t immediately identify with. Yet, for some reason, you can’t stop yourself wanting to find out what happens to these characters with barely pronounceable names. I rarely enjoy a book if I don’t identify with the central character; yet on this occasion it didn’t seem to matter that I didn’t identify with De Zoet as I got to know him over the course of a book which spans the majority of his lifetime. When I put it down, it left me with one overriding emotion – a sort of rueful nostalgia; or probably more accurately it left me feeling Jacob De Zoet’s rueful nostalgia, which just goes to show how well Mitchell immerses you in the story.

The last half dozen chapters of the book are its best. We spend time with a De Zoet who is no longer fresh off the boat from Holland; but a seasoned trade-clerk who has ingratiated himself with the Japanese in a way none of his compatriots were able to or interested in; a De Zoet who remains in love, whether he knows it or not, with Miss Aibagawa, whose own life has been shaped by the social power plays within the Nagasaki elite, which De Zoet is unfortunately oblivious to but we are fortunately privy to.

Mitchell really does have a way with words, and brings 18^th Century Japan to 21^st Century Catford with the most startling use of language. At one point, prior to the book’s climax, the text almost becomes a poem, with half a page of text describing the city using fantastic rhyming couplets.

As the book draws to a close, time passes exponentially faster – paragraphs describe months and sentences describe years until De Zoet is left contemplating his life, in the shadow of his death, with only us for company.

A very good book, which you should read if you have the time and read if you don’t.

Hospitality No 3 and 4 / Recipe 5 – apologies for the boring title!

It feels like it has been so long since I last blogged, and it has been really.  Thoughts, ideas and recipes have been buzzing round in my head and life has been happening – guests have been coming and going, and I have seemed not to have time (although of course I actually have had time) to sit down and blog about it!  Well, here I am eventually, having to summarise a lot in to one, for anyone actually interested!! Hope you don’t feel robbed by me collating events into one.

So, to start we had my little sister and her boyfriend, Andrew, with us!  And my other little sister!  They were here during the fun and games of the housewarming and  the Run for Congo- but due to those events they barely got a mention! (Apologies).  And even worse, failed to have their portraits taken, so they will just have to come back!  While Fiona and Andrew were here another (sort of a stretch) like little sister came to London Town, Deborah.  Due to hideous accommodation, which I imagine is plentiful in  London, she was v welcome to stay with us!  And was great to have around as well, lots of cups of tea were available and she defo earned her keep by her decorating advice contributions.  She stayed for two weekends and so of course at least one adventure in the kitchen had to happen (with her help). It is a great recipe to share because it was so simple yet so yummy and so different – Sausages and Apple!

Sausages and Apple:

So – one of the joys of blogging is that people randomly check in on your  blog and can share other random things that you may like – more so than you may actually do in the ‘real world’. So a very old friend shared this recipe with me and I have to admit, I was definitely going to try it but I wasn’t sure how the results would be.  Wow – we were all v pleasantly surprised.  So, defo check it out and try it!  It is basically really flavoursome sausages with apple (kind of obvious).  They recommended serving with rice, but we debated whether it should be mashed potato.  Ultimately I think they were right with the rice.  You can decide for yourselves.  You will for sure be getting some version of this served at future BBQs we have!

Here is the link as thought it just as good to share it from there, than write it out!!

http://thelocalcook.com/2009/12/26/dark-days-challenge-sausage-and-apples/

So yeah, Deborah was hospitality No 3 really.  And she very dutifully had this lovely portrait taken.  Pro.

Even with the slight flash issue, I still liked this one the best.

Hospitality No 3 was unexpected,  but lovely.  Hospitality No 4 was expected, but no less lovely.  Last weekend my father, brother and his girlfriend, Kim, came to visit.  Loving all this family time.  So yeah.  This was my first time meeting Kim, which was great.  We had a good weekend, and think they had some chill time after a long flight in from Kuwait!!  After a few issues with the shower had us worried from the previous weekend – it was actually nowhere near as bad as expected, espec for my bath-loving bro.  So yeah, that was really nice last weekend.  I took them to the safe option of dinner by Tower Bridge – safe as a good London experience, and also Le Cote Brassiere, which was our find last summer, continues to be a good and safe option!! Here’s a few pics from Tower Bridge (excuse the red oompa lumpa).

Graeme and Kim by Tower Bridge!

Tourists.

That weekend was also Father’s Day.  Could not tell you the last time a card was even sent for that –  but this weekend he got the full treatment.  Sunday Roast lunch (yes, paid for as well), an after-lunch stroll to the Royal Academy of Art for the Summer exhibition (v good – would highly recommend that!!!), church at All Souls, and home for homemade Mac and Cheese (becoming a fav recipe that needs to be recorded).  So yeah.  That was good.  However, think the hospitality has room for improvement in terms of sleeping equipment!!

Eeeek – the ‘bed’. Room for improvement.

Daughter’s cooking!

Father’s Day at the Royal Academy.

So – thank you to all our guests for coming to visit and hopefully you had a good stay.  We had fun and you pretty much all escaped without a portrait – epic fail.  So you better be back.  Think that’s about all I can update on for now.

 

So, one of the things I do  (early on a Sunday morning) is help teach 9-11 year old girls in Sunday school.  At the moment we are doing Hebrews and some important truths from this, alongside workplace sunday, gave me some important perspective this weekend.

I have on my list of 30  bible verses to remember, Colossians 3 v 17 – yes, I did remember where it was from.  I haven’t yet learned it though exactly.  But in the morning at church we were thinking through the difference between the old and the new covenant – pretty tough stuff for kids.  The way our discussion went was thinking through the difference between us trying to obey God well enough,  therefore being in relationship with him; and us being forgiven, therefore being in relationship with him because of what He did for us, not what we do for him.

There is always a tendency to think “I need to do this…” or “if I do this or am involved in that or don’t do this or that” then we will be good Christians.  However, the reality is that no matter what I try to do on my own I will never be good enough anyway – and God’s promise or covenant of forgiveness to me is a gift – a free one!  And we can be sure about this promise because it has already been accomplished!

One example (a bit of a stretch but from the mind of an 11 year old).  If someone in school asked to borrow an apron for a costume and I promised to bring one in, but then when I got back I couldn’t find one – I would have broken my promise.  But if I know for sure there is an apron and promise to bring it – then that is like God promising to forgive us, because he already knows that it has been done through Jesus!  At least she grasped that forgiveness and being made right with God is a promise that has already, and will forever be kept!

So – the link from this for me to workplace sunday, was the freedom.  I am not bound by rules and regulations, that I would never be able to keep anyway –  but I am freed by Grace to live for someone who has sent me free!  So, this does mean that I may want to be involved in this or that, and do this or don’t do that –  but not because I have to, but because I want to! Anyway – that is something I find hard to always express at times and feel that the verse from Colossians really helps with.   So – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Colossians 3v17.

Well, it is Monday and my week started off with the right perspective.  I hope I can continue to view my work through God’s eyes and see it as being for him.

Recipe 4: Victoria Sponge, Jamie’s recipe.

Jamie Oliver’s Classic Victoria Sponge with all the trimmings – AWESOME!!  That’s why I have started with it.  And it was my first Jamie recipe.  I will defo be trying another – surprising myself!  It turned out well as well.  I think it is the perfect recipe for me – as so much of it is hidden / coverable!! I am loving the tip of dusting the top with icing sugar – makes all the difference!!

Ingredients

• for the sponge
• • 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• • 225g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• • 225g caster sugar
• • 4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• • 1 lemon
• for the filling
• • 250g fresh strawberries
• • 1 vanilla pod
• • 150g good-quality strawberry jam
• • 150ml double cream
• • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• • icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4
• Grease the bottom and sides of two 20cm sandwich cake tins with butter
• Line the base of each tin with greaseproof paper, then dust the sides lightly with flour (I didn’t do this and think I should have as they were hard to get out, including Raymond dropping one on the floor!!!!)

To make the sponge:

Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon, until very light and fluffy
Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before you add the next

Sift in the flour
•Finely grate over the lemon zest then fold it into the mixture (halve the lemon and save it for later)

Divide the cake mix into the prepared tins and spread it out using a spatula
•Bake in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and risen
•You can check to see if the cake is cooked by sticking a cocktail stick or skewer right into the middle of the sponge

Allow the cakes to cool slightly in the tins, then carefully turn them out on to a rack to cool completely

To make the filling:

Hull and slice your strawberries

Carefully score the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out all of the seeds (I didn’t have a vanilla pod – just added a dash of vanilla extract!!)

Gently warm the jam in a pan over a low heat

Remove from the heat and stir in your sliced strawberries
Add the cream to a bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds, and squeeze in the juice from your zested lemon
Whip until you have nice soft peaks

Pick the least attractive sponge to go on the bottom and put it in the middle of your serving platter or cake plate
If it’s a little rounded on top, simply trim and flatten it off by using a sharp knife and rotating the plate and sponge as you cut

Smear over the jam and strawberries,

Then spread the sweetened cream over the top (I found the only practical way to do this was to use my fingers – messy!

Place the second cake, with the pretty side facing up, on top and dust it with icing sugar (best bit!!)

I did not take a photo with the dusting bit – as I did this the next morning.  But check out the almost finished product – and if you read the previous post, check out the difference the icing sugar makes!! It looks so pro!! Also a pro-tip.  I made this the night before and think this was better as it sort of sogged in the middle and the filling was just delightful!!!!!!

One final tip – last night, Raymond and I made Eton Mess – Meringues, Raspberries, Cream and yes – a slice of leftover victoria sponge.  Oh yes.  Do it!!

Added bonus!!

Big Event: Housewarming and Cake for Congo (Recipes 4,5,6)

What was that saying!?  “One women can change anything, many women can change everything.”  Well, there are many women all over the world in war torn countries, including DRC (Congo), who are changing everything.  And one small way they are being helped is through Women for Women International’s year long programme in countries affected by war to develop skills that will assist women in setting up business to provide for their families when their fathers or husbands or brothers or sons have either been killed or are off fighting.  So, that sounds like a good enough reason to me to support them from this part of the world in a small way to contribute to changing everything!!

As you will have read  before, Raymond and I bought this house a few months ago and now the living room is finished (what do you think!?) we thought it was about time we invited some peeps over to celebrate.  While celebrating we thought we may as well fundraise so in return for a LOT of cake we just asked for a small donation towards our Run for Congo women the following day!! Thanks for being so generous one and all!!

So yeah.  I set to baking, and will update you on the recipes in a separate post now (Recipe 4: Victoria Sponge; Recipe 5: Rocky Road; Recipe 6: Choc chip cookies).  But I was not alone.  Lindsay made her usual AMAZING red velvet cupcakes (I do not know how she nails it each time!!) and a carrot cake, Kati made delish choc cupcakes and muffins, Emma made beautiful brownies and a cake (not to mention her spanish omelette for our picnic the next day!), SL made a lemon drizz, Ria rocked up with a banana loaf (that was one of my favs) and Joanna ‘home-made’ a beautiful house cake!! Wow.  I am so lucky to have you guys as friends!! My sisters out-did themselves too with their millionaire shortbread and rocky road (as well as other  assistance!!)

Anyway – have I made you hungry?! It was all for a good cause and was lovely to have our house full.  All of you are welcome back anytime!! And we raised £158 just from that – bingo! Thank you xx

So, I hope some people who were there were inspired by the ways we can help women and people all over the world! And have fun doing so!!  I plan to run again on 6 October and also host a bookclub on Thursday 25 July back at mine.  We will be reading A Thousand Sisters: My Journey into the worst place on earth to be a women.  It sounds depressing, but it is also challenging and uplifting.  You can order it here, read it and come along!!

http://athousandsisters.org/

So, I guess that is it! I had a great day on Saturday and thanks to all who made it so! And we ran on Sunday – 10k.  I will upload the photos for you to enjoy / laugh at!! Thanks again for all your support in sponsoring and generally being interested in this cause.  It kind of just overflows out of me sometimes, so I appreciate the patience!! Ps.  For the last time – it is not too late to sponsor us for having run – you can do so here!!

http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Asfour?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email%2B&utm_campaign=firstdonation_auto_email

Run photos:

Prep before run!!

Lining up to start..

Sibling rivalry

jokers!!

Pros – Andrew (aka SL), Lauren and Fiona!!

Joanna looking pro…

Loving the Women for Women supporters for Runners for Congo!!

Raymond finishing!! 47 mins.

Andrew just rocked up on the day. What a pro – not far behind!!

Laurenzo!! What an amazing girl – 53 mins xx

Ha ha – ‘sprint’ finish!!

Brilliant – first every 10k and one of the 101 things to do in 1001 days – tick!! Love you guys!

Last photo of almost all of us!! Well done everyone!!

Book Review 5: The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

There are times I feel when a book just chooses to be read.  Books that you have started reading several times all of a sudden just engross you.  Or you miss all the hype of a book but then just randomly read it one day and LOVE it.  That was me with the Time Traveler’s Wife.  Everyone else I knew practically had read it and then Fiona got me it as an engagement present and I devoured it in a weekend! (Causing me sadly to rush out to tescos to buy the DVD to watch as well – big mistake).

So firstly, this review needs to be clear that I loved the book and I hope you have read it.  It’s not to late if you haven’t!

I think you can say that it is basically a story of love (if not a love story), but it is quite a dark one.  There are many strands and themes that I cannot go in to in a review but Henry and Claire have an intense love, which grew in strange ways at different times, and is filled with a lot of loss.  There is much longing and loss when Henry is away, the pain of loss in childbirth and the ultimate loss in life, death.  I do love Henry and Claire’s relationship and the care for each other, but this too has a dark side – the feeling of being left behind for Claire, when Henry goes where she cannot follow.  She says,

“It’s hard being left behind. I wait for Henry, not knowing where he is, wondering if he’s okay.  It’s hard to be the one who stays.  I keep myself busy.  Time goes faster that way.  I go to sleep alone, and wake up alone.  I take walks.  I work until I’m tired.  I watch the wind play with the trash that’s been under the snow all winter.  Everything seems simple until you think about it.  Why is love intensified by absence?”

With Raymond just making his way back from Somalia now, this made me reflect on my feelings about this.  He goes where I cannot go and there is cause for worry at times.  One significant difference being the purpose for which he goes and why I love to support him in this.  That is what makes it ok, a good thing even.  And why it is important that he knows and I know why he is going and that he feels it is what he should be doing.  But still, it is not so much being left behind that is hard,  but not knowing what he is experiencing or being able to experience it with him.

Last week I went to Radio 4 bookclub with the author, Audrey Niffenegger.  It was amazing and lots of fun being in the recording studio!! She said she often gets letters from people in long-distance relationships, wives whose husbands are in the army.  And for this review I just want to briefly explore two questions / thoughts I had for this book club.

The firsts is very specific to the storyline and characters. One thing that really annoyed me about Henry was the fact that he didn’t tell himself about his future relationship with Claire – therefore allowing himself a free and ‘easy’ (although more of a train-wreck) life prior to meeting her in his present.  He lived with no duty to their relationship, although Claire had to grow up knowing her future and with a duty to this.  I thought this was a bit selfish, maybe unfairly (?).  Then even worse I was so mad with Claire that she had slept with Gomez before meeting Henry!! But I won’t go in to that!!

The second theme, is more a thought.  Claire says the first time she meets Henry’s father that “it’s better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life” – what an amazing and liberating world view.  To be happy with what we have, when we have it and the challenge to think of how we would cope if we lost it.  Is this world view possible and do you have it!?

This book will make you cry (or feel like crying), ruefully smile on many occasions, and possibly even laugh out loud! (I did when Claire tells Henry’s father why she wants to marry him!!).  The best bit is that when I recently re-read it in prep for the book club, it was just as addictive and enveloping as the first time!! And I suspect it would / will be the next time too!

Here are some pics from the book club, I was too embarrassed to take a pic with Audrey so they are just all a bit random actually!! But it was a great experience.  You can listen on Radio 4 anyway – in July I think, I can upload the link at the time!!!

Rating 9.4 out of 10.

Into Broadcasting House for Radio 4 Bookclub.

Have no idea why this photo won’t upload the right way – but that is Audrey in the background! And the room where we were recorded!

And this one!! But this was just the autograph.

Joy.

So, a while back I wrote a review of ‘Dennis the Duckling’ about Dennis and his little sister from the pond moving to live with another family on the river.  And I have used this book with children I have worked with and watched their faces look up at me in realisation that they too have moved, and they too will be ok as they get used to things where they are.  But no matter how simple that may seem in a book or even a contained direct work session, real life is out there and it can be hard.  There is real pain that needs to be worked through and loss to be dealt with.  And help is needed to do so.  Unfortunately, while there are some amazing foster carers out there – it is not all ‘Anne of Green Gables’.  And there are not enough Matthew and Marillas or duck families!!

Anyway, the reason I am discussing this is that tonight, as part of the ‘Home for Good’ campaign (See previous blog post) I went to watch a show my Joy Carter.  She is a Comedian, originally from Nigeria and adopted by a White UK family.  She is working to promote the Home for Good Campaign to encourage Christians (from all walks of life) to consider Adopting or Fostering.  She arrived with her parents in a washing bowl and they were warned that she may only live a few weeks – but her father said it was worth it to have even a few weeks of love.  And her question, the Home for Good question, and my question is – do you think it is worth it? To care for those children in our society who need it the most.    Watching Joy perform tonight and know that in spite of all the positives in her life, there is still that loss and missing gap – but she was helped through this.

I want to encourage people to think about what they can do to help others through this, and provide a loving home.  I won’t pretend it’s always easy and there are many hurdles to jump.  But they are worth jumping and they need to be jumped – otherwise many thousands of children just remain on the other side of these hurdles.  Joy was funny (of course) tonight and in many ways inspirational in her wish to support Home for Good – starting with asking the church to stand up and fight to provide for these children.  So that was amazing.  And I am just now off to buy her story, along with other children adopted from overseas: ‘Chosen, Living with Adoption’.

But on the train back, my mind reeling with thoughts about adoption and fostering and when and why and who! I am still making my way through Krish Kandiah’s home for good book but there is one thing that stood out that I wanted to challenge you with, and which has been great learning for me in my job. That is the vulnerability and opportunity that young people approaching adolescence / teenager years present.  They are often not considered when thinking about adoption particularly but I want to challenge you to think about how we can care for teenagers in our society.  This is a passion for me.  Developmentally they are at a stage where they can be influenced and are looking for care while also testing out their independence.  Not  unlike a toddler in fact (think of those temper tantrums even – I know you can relate whether you were the one having them (like me) or on the receiving end).  They are insecure and they can attach and may be looking for something they didn’t have before.  The difference you can make for a young person a this time in their life is significant and should not be underestimated.  So think about it.

This quote from Krish’s book stood out to me and I will italic the bit that really got me thinking.  How lucky I am and how I have been ‘adopted’ by families throughout my life, particularly those times in late teenage years and early twenties when so many young people in care are left.  p63:

“Perhaps we need to challenge the assumption that nobody would come forward to adopt a troubled teen.  Without a family they will have nowhere to call home, not only for the last few years of dependency,  but for the rest of their lives.  Without a family they will have nowhere to go for their Christmas dinner.  No one to call if they end up in hospital.  No one to celebrate with them as they get a qualification or a new job,  No one to test for some advice on how long to leave a casserole in the oven.  No one to send a mother’s day card to.  No one to give them away at a wedding.  No one to present a grandchild to.”

He goes on…” For those of us who are feeling cautious about the practicalities of taking in a young child, it may be that offering a home to a teenager is a real possibility.  It may be that we could set a trend to show love and inclusion to a whole generation of children for whom homelessness and destitution are the path of least resistance.  This may be the biggest contribution the church could make today to change society, in one move relieving the foster care system, relieving the prisons, relieving the abortion clinics, relieving the mental health units, relieving the problem of homelessness.  The power of being set in a family is not to be underestimated.”

I’m not saying it is a quick fix or an easy decision – but I am saying, think about it, talk about it and share those thoughts with others.  And as a further note, maybe fostering and / or adoption isn’t for you.  There are still ways to help – Nightstop being one amazing way. Offer a teenager a home for even one night, or a couple of nights to prevent them being homeless.  This would be showing hospitality, and this is something we must always remember to do.

See their website for more info:  http://www.depaulnightstopuk.org/

Hospitality Take Two: Getting better now, although still experimenting with family!

Well it was mother and sister-ville in our lives this weekend! Raymond ventured up to Newcastle to hang out with his mum and two sisters, to celebrate Lauren’s 21st Birthday!! While I stayed in London to hang out with my mum and sister in the lovely Catford.  So, I can’t tell you what Raymond did really except for surprise some very happy women and go to watch the Reluctant Fundamentalist (look out for guest blog book review to come!).

But we had a wonderful time.  Both mum and Fiona arrived Friday night and they voted for a Laura Recipe – Macaroni Cheese.  Oh goodness – that went down a treat with them both and was so simple.  I will give the recipe in a separate blog post as it is something any one of you reading should recreate (if you can purchase cheese where you are!) – mum has already committed to repeating it! So that was a success.  So, we just chilled at home on Friday evening and also on Saturday morning – that is being very hospitable I believe – breakfast prepared, although they did both have their jobs, what kind of mother would she be if she didn’t do some washing up!!?!

But the main event was that evening – Singin’ in the Rain.  Aww, my little bro got us tickets for Christmas and he made a good choice for sure!! After Fiona got over how hard done she has been her whole life as I never took her to a London show (whoops, note to self, I need someone to go to Matilda with) she was happy to go!! And it was really good, I would definitely recommend it.  It was lighthearted, cheesy and quite funny at times actually.  The singing was not of high calibre I dont think – but weren’t any major belting tunes like ‘Close Every Door’ or ‘Bring him Home’.  So that was ok!!

Mum and Fi before the show…

With our ‘umbrellas’ incase you were wondering what we are doing!!

As it says..singing in the rain!!

So yeah, that was a really great evening!! A RAoK was also completed on the way home that evening.  And that was really the fun and games over.  Was nice to plan a weekend just for fun really, no pressure, no big plans – just go to a show and have fun!! Which is exactly what we did.  I should say, that was after treating ourselves to afternoon tea and a stop off via a couple of london phoneboxes – much too many pictures to upload on the blog, so I have selected the ‘best’!!!

Mum in the phonebox…

‘Ballet’ outside the phonebox…

Most normal – St Paul’s Phonebox.

And last, but of course  by no means least – the guest book!! Fiona managed to escape but will be back down in 2 weeks times with Andrew so will not escape then.  But here is what I think is a lovely portrait of mum! That’s no 2 in the collection.

Happy mum!! Second visitor in the guest book…

Gran in London: tentative hospitality (No.1)

There is something nice about preparing your home for a guest coming to stay.  Even though it can be stressful tidying up the extreme amount of dishes (we really are extreme in that arena) and trying to cover up the mess of decorating, it is so satisfying when it is all ready and you feel it is at a standard worthy of the guest’s arrival! Maybe a little sad, but I do find it a nice feeling.  The finishing touch being able to fold up the guest towels on the freshly made bed – ready!

Even in the current mess of our home I felt we were able to pull off some level of hospitality for Raymond’s Gran when she came to visit this weekend.  There were no recipes experimented with (as there are only 2 dining chairs) – but we managed with our late night snacks of cheese on toast!! The hospitality is something to build upon, but the weekend was a success overall I feel.

The main plan for the weekend was to attend Prom Praise, which is when the All Souls Orchestra takes over the Royal Albert Hall for one night only – with a choir of around 150 people – for a fusion of the classic proms and worship!! It was a great night and I think we were in the best seats in the house!! Check us out..

On route to the show.

Arrival in our box

Taking in the view from the box

The Royal Albert Hall ceiling.

Sign of a good night out…a cheeky BK on the way home. Shocking.

So – that was that.  It was a great night.  And the rest of the weekend was pretty fun too.  A proper afternoon tea in Harrods (only birth grandchildren not grandchild-in-law), church, a couple of London markets, dinner by the waterfront – in Greenwich and at London bridge, and some sunshine!! It was good and I hope Netta had a wonderful time (as that was kind of the point of the trip and kind of the point of hospitality!!).  Our next guests are also family – my mum and sister arrive on Friday.  So – needing to pull some ideas out of the bag and defo try a recipe I think!! It is important to be hospitable to family though – as they are often the ones we just be ourselves with (which is fine), but often ourselves are lazy and not always the nicest!! So effort is being made!! Keeping up the standard.

So, that is proper hospitality no.1 done.  We don’t have a visitors book but we plan to take a portrait of each guest (beware).  The first attempt was painful for the subject while the photographer experimented – but the result was acceptable for an amateur (I think).  The lesson learned was the importance of engaging your portrait and making them feel relaxed.  Still a work in progress.  Here it is, capturing a grandmother laughing / smiling at her grown up grandson!

Guest No.1: Netta

Beetroot: Recipe No.3

If any of you have a father / husband /brother / basically any male you have eaten dinner with – have they ever said they don’t like beetroot??  Categorically!! Well, I can include all 3 relatives above – Raymond tonight.  I do love to be right!!

Using a recipe from Style Magazine – on subscription thanks to my mother-in-law – I decided to create a salad for tonight’s dinner.  It was a lovely sunny day – we are behind on our running target for Run For Congo, so all in all a salad seemed like a good call.

Great call.  Not quite as good as our signature salad (Apple and Walnut – recipe to follow),  but still pretty good.  And sooo simple.

The funny thing is – when you are following recipes, you know you are not a pro when you have to go out to the shop to buy practically everything on the list.  You are such an amateur that you don’t use the things they have, and you don’t know how to substitute!! I am also a bit of a stickler to the recipe – I am sure confidence will come with time.

Extensive Shopping!!

Anyway – it was just so easy.  And Raymond was even a fan of the beetroot.  Seriously.  So I think my father and brother should give it a go too!!

Boil 125g Asparagus for 4 minutes.  Divide 135g salad between two plates.  Top with 100g smoked salmon (with sweet chilli was my addition).  Add 2 sliced cooked beetroots and drained asparagus.  Mix 3 tbsp horseradish, 2tbsp yogurt and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar for dressing.  Voila.  Couldn’t be simpler – really!! And it was truly yummy. Always nice to have a bit of variety with a salad – so give it a go!!

Mmmm, served up.

The finished product.