So, remember when Barack Obama stood up and said we were going to have to increase public transportation to help with the energy issue? I cheered, but thought ‘no way you’re getting the people I know in the US to take public transport’. Then I heard this report about how teenagers are less likely to… Continue reading No Money for Public Transportation in Energy Bill
Category: Passions
All my posts about things-about-which-I-am-passionate-other-than-writing: you’ll find posts here on parenting, knitting, cooking, frugality, the environment, gardening and whatever else catches my eye this week.
Best Chocolate Buttercream Icing EVER
(as defined by my seven year-old son, so you know it’s good!) This is a delicious, rich dark chocolate butter-cream frosting recipe, with hints of orange. Perfect for icing an 9×13 cake or 8″ or 9″ round layer cake. Rich and chocolatey. No eggs in the mixture, but firm enough to spread. Substitute vanilla essence… Continue reading Best Chocolate Buttercream Icing EVER
Well Done, SpaceX and Falcon 9!
That’s a beautiful sight. There’s a video of the launch too: (stay tuned for the 3:00 – 3:20 min mark when you can see the edge of space and the stage separation. Very cool.
Hey, Yarn is Yarn, right?
When I was about 11 I took a notion to try tapestry, even though I knew nothing about it. They had taught us some rudimentary needle skills at primary school (the girls were whisked off once a week to do needlework while the boys mucked about with paints. I have always been grateful for that,… Continue reading Hey, Yarn is Yarn, right?
Chopped Salad Will Save My Life
I’ve never been a fan of salads. It could have something to do with growing up in a country where a salad consisted of a few limp lettuce leaves, a slice of tomato and spoonful of Salad Cream. Salads were only ever served in the summers (which were notoriously short. Sort of regarded as a… Continue reading Chopped Salad Will Save My Life
All You Need Is Rov(ing)
I can be a bit reserved. I can see someone who looks really interesting and unless I’ve got a good excuse (like when I worked for newspapers, or in bars and shops) I tend not to wander up, introduce myself and ask all the questions I want to ask. Last week, however, my love of… Continue reading All You Need Is Rov(ing)
How To Write A Story A Day
I’m not sure yet (because I haven’t done it), but I think it’s going to be possible to write a story a day.
Here are some of the ways I’m planning to make time every day to tell stories:
Creative Writing Mentors
There are books that I enjoy and there are books that I love.
When I want to do some creative writing I tend to dip into a piece by one of my favourite authors (sometimes that can be a TV show or a movie) to get that fix, before I start.
My “Get Jazzed About Writing” superstars are…
Better Breakfasts – Southwestern Scrambled Eggs
Heat your butter (or wimpy non-fat cooking spray) in your frying-pan/skillet of choice. I use a small, thin non-stick omlette pan. Medium heat, don’t let the butter burn.
Pour in your scrambled egg. Allow to cook for a minute, until you can see that it’s starting to firm up at the edges.
Turn the heat up and stir like crazy until the egg is mostly cooked, but still looks kinda moist.
Toss in the spinach, stir until it starts to wilt…
Health Care Reform for US – Why We Must Have It
I’m taking on one of the many, many myths about what will happen in the US if we have health care reform. Just one, but I think it’s one of the two or three most powerful and it says:
“If we change the system we’ll end up having to pay more.”