A Life in Pictures

It Could Always be Worse?

It Could Always be Worse!

It was when one of my sons moved back home that I recalled a story I used to read to his older brother.  It was about an old woman who thought her house was too small and she was told, probably by a wise old man, to move lots of things or animals into the house until it was practically overflowing. Then, after living like this for a while, she was told to move everything out one at a time, and when everything had gone her home didn't feel small anymore!

Unfortunately I can’t remember the title of the book but I was listening to the radio recently and heard someone relating a similar tale, called ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ by Julia Donaldson, far too recent to be the book I had.  I couldn’t look this tale up fast enough and found it was from an old Jewish folk tale, retold by Margot Zemach, and called ‘It Could Always be Worse’, but this title doesn’t sound familiar either.

Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern is a similar story but this title doesn't ring any bells for me.

I can only assume the book I had was another re-write in a similar vein, it was one of a series of small books that were given to children travelling on Saudia airlines in the 1970s. Also in the series were Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood and Little Red Hen and they were probably published in the USA.

Now, back to my boomerang son moving in, with all of his belongings, cluttering up my home, I can take comfort from this folk tale because one day he will leave again, along with his boxes and amps!

Update:

I have found another version of this tale:

A Big Quiet House

A Yiddish Folktale from Eastern Europe

There was once a man who wished his small, noisy house was larger and quieter. He went to the wise old woman of the town and explained his need. She said, "I can solve your problem. Just do as I say."

The man agreed.

"If you have a chicken, some sheep, a horse, and a cow," she said, "bring them into the house with you."

"That's a silly thing to do," thought the old man. But he did it anyway. Now his house was already small, and with all those animals in it, there was no room at all. He returned to the old woman and cried, "I need more room! The animals are so noisy I can't think!"

"Take all those animals out of your dwelling," she replied.

When he had put all the animals comfortably back in the barn, the man went into his house. To his amazement, it suddenly looked remarkably bigger! Without the animals inside, his house was now quiet too!

Do you have a special keepsake you can’t bear to throw away?

I enter quite a few competitions and one I entered recently was this, run by Space-Station.co.uk:

Do you have a special keepsake you can’t bear to throw away?

Posted on Monday, January 08, 2018 by Space Station

From lockets to old postcards, keepsakes can be reminders of a loved one, a special moment in our lives or a memory we don’t want to fade.

Some items that are passed down or collected over the years might seem unusual on the face of it, but actually have a really special story behind them.

Do you have an unusual item that has been inherited from friends or family, or an item that you have had for years and cannot bear to part with?

If this sounds like you, or someone you know, we need YOU to enter our competition by sending in your best photos.

We want to know the story behind your keepsake - who gave it to you, where you got it and why your entry has a special meaning to you?

The best entry will win a £100 Not on the High Street voucher to spend on personalised items that will help you to cherish even more memories.

To enter, all you need to do is:

Upload or import a photograph of your keepsake via the panel below

Give your photo a caption, explaining the story behind it

Enter your full name, age, hometown/city and email address so that we can contact you if you’re the winner

The overall winner will be selected by the Space Station team on 19 February 2018 and notified by email.

I racked my brains to think of something I had kept and remembered my fireman's cap, not exactly a treasured memento, more a curiosity, acquired on the return journey, in an MGA sports car, from Yugoslavia in the late sixties.

I was rather surprised to see the competition had been mentioned in the Daily Mail!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5447259/People-reveal-moving-stories-precious-keepsakes.html

The Austrian fireman's cap

Christine Monk, from Derby, treasures this memento of a trip to Austria more than 40 years ago. 

'I was given it as a souvenir, although I'm not sure if the owner knew,' she recalled. 

'I was in Trebesing after being invited to a village party to celebrate a new fire engine, and I remember an oompah band and Austrian dancing.'

So although not precious at all, perhaps I misunderstood the brief, I have kept it for over 40 years, in fact nearer 50!

The village dance to celebrate their new fire engine was a lovely experience because at the time I think tourists in Trebesing were a novelty and we were treated like celebrities.

I was also given a lovely traditional gingerbread love token, which I also kept for a long time, not the gingerbread but there was a message, a little mirror and ribbon to which it was attached.

I wrote about my trip through Austria in an earlier post:

https://sortoflife.blogspot.co.uk/p/holidays-in-1960s.html

Always the bridesmaid?

Sometimes a bridesmaid...

...and once a bride.

Taxi Company

Thank you for your patients and support!

Hilarious, I think they mean patience, I did wonder who might be to blame, was it a phonetic error, taken over the phone, or was it written and the printer decided to print it anyway!

It is possible that they only have contracts with hospitals and/or medical centres!

Mmm Tasty

Lemon Meringue without the Pie

 

Meringues seem popular at present, they're everywhere, so I made some today.  Then, left with two egg yolks I rustled up a bit of lemon curd in the microwave (2 egg yolks, juice of one lemon, approx 30 grams butter, 60 grams of sugar) and it was a delicious, a new take on lemon meringue without the pastry and no cream in the meringues, just the sugar to worry about!  Oh, and the egg yolks and the butter... doh!

Toasty!

Grilled tomatoes on Marks and Spencer's Champion seeded bread, topped with artichoke antipasto (Aldi's best, £1 a jar) and fresh basil.  Delicious!

 

Vegetable Curry

 

Onion

Garlic

Ginger (grated)

Tomato puree

Chicken or veg stock

Dried coriander, cumin seeds, ground cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, garam masala, tamarind paste/sauce, chilli flakes.

Apple

Carrots

1 large potato

Frozen green beans

Frozen spinach

Cooked chick peas

Top with chopped coriander and preserved lemon.

Spicy Mexican Eggs - (huevos rancheros)

 

 

#BreakfastWeek

 Onions, peppers, tomatoes, chilli and eggs.

Lamb Biryani

Lamb, cooked, I used the remainder of my Sunday roast

2 large tomatoes

Large onion

Oil

1 tablespoon tomato puree

Meat juices or half a stock cube

Spices

Coriander

Turmeric

Asafoetida

Garam masala

Cumin

Chilli powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Basmati rice

Method

Sweat the onion in the oil until soft and slightly browned, add spices and tomato puree, continue cooking for a minute or two, then stir in the meat and chopped skinned tomatoes.  Leave to simmer and when the rice is cooked stir in the almonds and raisins.

Add water to cover and meat jelly/juice or half a stock cube.  Bring to boil and simmer.

Meanwhile put the basmati rice into cold water, with a little turmeric for colour, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes then drain.

Layer the rice and curry into an ovenproof dish, cover and bake for about 45 minutes.

Serve with chopped preserved lemon and freshly chopped coriander.  I also like a little mango chutney with mine.

 

21st Birthday Photo - Vintage Fashion

I was so disappointed with the photo that my father took of me cutting my 21st birthday cake, he obviously thought the cake was more important than my head! So I have tried to remedy it with modern technology:

BEFORE

AFTER

And I still have the Dollyrockers by Sambo outfit, along with a few other vintage outfits:

Psychedelic Dollyrockers dress I spotted in a magazine a few years ago:

The Louis Vuitton dress, on the left in this magazine cutting, is practically identical to my cream dress above:

And another from my collection: