Orienthailiving and Retired No One Told Me, Weekly update…Tamarind, Obesity and Horseradish.

If you have a few minutes to put your feet up and gather more food and cookery tips and recipes, then head over to Carol Taylor’s round up… something for everyone – from horseradish to tamirand

Retired? No one told me!

Quite a mixed bag this week in this weeks update not so many posts. I have lots of ideas but haven’t translated them into posts… I have been trying to do more work on my Cook Book it is taking shape and has lots of recipes so I am now filling in the blanks you all know how I love to chatter …Don’t you?

The first post in this update is my monthly guest post on the Recipe Hunter and this month it was the letter C and surprise, surprise not a chilli in sight… haha… There are Curry Plants, Cloud eggs and much more but I don’t want to spoil it if you haven’t read it yet.

https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2018/04/19/the-culinary-alphabet-the-letter-c/

Next, we have Fruity Fridays which is the lovely Tamarind. This week I have a lovely rare Thai fruit for you… The reason I love it here as I come across some little gems…

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Letters from America – 1985 – 1987 – Texas weather, Suntans and Trivia Pursuit

Another letter from America from early June 1985.. we discover the new game Trivia Pursuit with dire results… and the weather gets hot!

Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life

We had returned from our trip to Las Vegas and Los Angeles and were taking things easier in June…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2018/04/19/smorgasbord-letters-from-america-1985-1987-las-vegas-hoover-dam-and-los-angeles/

My parents were also doing some gadding about whilst we were in the States.. including a trip to Paris with my sister and her husband. Here they are at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

4th June 1985

Dearest M &D,

Lovely talking to your on Sunday, glad all is well and that your trip was so much fun Mollie. We spent a quiet weekend after our adventures away and we had a few friends over on Sunday night for supper and to play Trivia Pursuit.  It is not a game that we would have played in the UK but it is great fun to play, if a little competitive. We bought it a couple of weeks ago after we played it at a friend’s apartment and we will show…

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#BloggersBash Agenda

The agenda of the #BloggersBash 2018 is now available and details on how to get your tickets. Sorry not to be there this year but you will have a blast. Head over to Shelley Wilson and find out more.

I Write. I Read. I Review

The Bloggers Bash 2018 Agenda Is Live!

It’s hard to believe, but the Bash is less than a month away! Final preparations are underway at Bash Central, including setting the agenda for the day. We’re putting together a great event, including awards, speeches, talks and our popular panel debate, as well as time for networking and getting to know your fellow bloggers.

So, without further ado, here is the agenda for the 2018 Bloggers’ Bash:

10:30-11:15am             Arrival and Registration (including a registration video by Hugh!)

11:15-11:20am             Welcome Speech

11:20am                       The first three awards will be handed out!

Informative, Best Pal, and Hidden Gem

11:45am                       Presentation and Q&A with Ritu, winner of Best Overall Blog in 2017 (Read more about Ritu here)

12:15-1:45pm              Break for lunch/Networking

1:45pm                         Presentation and Q&A with the intrepid founder of the Blogger’s Bash, our very own Sacha Black (read more about Sacha…

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49 Days In 1988: Week 16 – Closing Doors

Tina Frisco is a guest of Hugh Roberts as part of his series 49 days in 1988 and she the song she has selected is one that many of us will have enjoyed over the years. Head over and find out what was happening with Hugh at that particular time and which song Tina chose.

Hugh's Views & News

Click here to read the first week of this feature, and follow the links at the end of each post.

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London – April 13th, 1988

Well, I certainly will not rush into things as far as Dean is concerned. A phone call from him this evening meant another long conversation and a dinner date tomorrow evening. We both get on well, and I hope it lasts. It may all be happening far too quickly, after Stewart, and I may be on the rebound, but the waters around Dean seem calm and steady. I wonder if he sees the same in me? Afterall, Stewart is still on my mind and we’ve that upcoming meetup we promised each other.

It looks as if I could be moving again soon. We were told tonight that the house is on the market. It came as quite a shock to all of us. I…

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Jazz Age Wednesdays 30 ― Hullaba Lulu 5.1

It is time for Jazz Age Wednesday with Teagan Geneviene.. the mystery about Valentino deepens as Lulu overhears a conversation between him and her grandfather. They clearly have history but what exactly is the connection? #recommended

Teagan's Books

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Valentino and Lulu wait at the abandoned subway station.  (Rob Goldstein)

Hi there, Sheiks and Shebas.  You’re at Jazz Age Wednesdays.  Today’s episode brings us to Chapter 5 of the new series, Hullaba Lulu.  I hope you are enjoying my change of pace from the “Pip-verse.”  Yes, it’s another story set in the 1920s, but this one is a “Diesel-punk” fantasy. 

Once again I have more of the pos-i-lutely fabulous artwork from Rob Goldstein.  He’s made another fun video for this series.  Button up your overcoat and check it out below.  Rob and I are also having inspiring discussions and he’s sending me “three things” to spontaneously drive each chapter of this pantser story. 

However, this time I’m cheating a little…  When I started fleshing out my notes for this chapter, I found myself relating the backstory of Lulu’s family — before I even got…

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RECENT FEATURE – GUEST AUTHOR, OPEN HOUSE BY SALLY CRONIN – PART 4 OF 4

Part four of Gregg Savage’s recent interview for the Open House.. this is the movie review for Donnie Darko… please head over and enjoy..

The Daily Tales of Gregg Savage

Hi everyone! Very privileged to be asked to take part in Sally Cronin’s weekly interview series, Open House. Sally’s four unique questions deserved some well-thought-out answers, so I opted to treat each response as its own piece of writing. This took a fair chunk of time to complete (on top of writing a new story every day!), so I hope you won’t mind me presenting my responses in four distinct parts. I’ll post half of the response here and, if you would like to keep reading, then you can click the link below and pay a visit to Sally’s incredibly active blog, Smorgasbord. Sally’s blog was recently nominated for Best Overall Blog by the good folk over at The Blogger’s Bash to be in held in London on May 19. I hope you enjoy this four-part series and best of luck to Sally!

PART 4 – MOVIE REVIEW

Donnie Darko (2001)

Written…

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Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Music Column with William Price King – Aretha Franklin – The Rise to Fame.

William Price King picks up the story of Aretha Franklin as she storms into the 1960s with songs such as Respect… I hope you will enjoy the sow.

Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life

Welcome to the second part of the Aretha Franklin story and here is a reminder of this incredible artist’s honours and achievements.

From the age of fourteen to the present day Aretha Franklin has been entertaining and delighting audiences with her incredible voice. She has recorded 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 17 top ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries and twenty number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in the chart’s history.

She has also won prestigious awards, honorary degrees and Presidential recognition. Here is just some of the highlights.

• Twenty Grammy Awards including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Gospel Performance every year from 1968 to 1975 and further awards in 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 2006 and 2009. Aretha Franklin also one three special Grammy Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.
• Three American Music Awards – Favorite Soul/R&B Album “Jump to it” in…

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Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Food and Cookery Column with Carol Taylor – #Horseradish

That time of the week when Carol Taylor tempts us to eat a lot more than we should.. and why not? This week the pungent horseradish with some fantastic recipes including smoked trout, horseradish and apple…

Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life

Welcome to Wednesday’s Cookery column on Smorgasbord and thank you for all your kind comments on Peppercorns I am now trying to get hold of the Tasmanian peppercorn called Pepper berries which are said to be 10 times hotter than the black peppercorn…I saw these last week on MKR which I love watching… anyway I waffle and this week I am showcasing the Horseradish root which I love and also which I can get here…Happy Days!

The horseradish is one of my favourites it goes with so much and really elevates the flavour and although I don’t eat very much beef at all…Beef and horseradish are one of my favourite combinations.

The horseradish is part of the brassicaceae family alongside wasabi, broccoli, mustard and cabbages. Closer to wasabi and mustard when the horseradish root is sliced the enzymes which are released when the plant cells break down produce sinigrin which…

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Chaos: Blessing or Curse? – Guest Post by, Tina Frisco…

Tina Frisco was a guest of the Story Reading Ape over the weekend and she is sharing how the powerful forces of chaos herald a time of enlightenment and change. There is no doubt the world is chaotic at the moment.. Head over and read the post and share your views…

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

This past winter was a difficult time for me. Family issues, chronic illness, and an irrational and unpredictable government challenged me to cope on a daily basis and left me depleted. I wanted to shut the door on the chaotic energies flooding my being, but empaths do not seem to have a choice in this matter. We can, however, choose the way in which we cope. Cope! I was in coping overload and heading for a meltdown. Then I came upon the two quotes in these images, and I remembered…

We are in the storm before the calm. We are on the threshold of The Golden Age of Enlightenment, prophesied by the indigenous peoples of most cultures around the world. With renewed hope, my health began to improve.

If you find yourself tiring more easily, on an emotional roller coaster, readily distracted, searching for common words when writing or conversing…

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Medicine Woman’s Treasure Chest – Aromatherapy – The very versatile Lavender

Twenty years ago I ran a health food shop and diet advisory centre here in Ireland and we sold essential oils for aromatherapy. I thought that I should learn more about it and took a course on the subject. It is not something that I have covered here on the blog, and I am looking forward to refreshing my memory from my course notes. and introducing you to this relaxing therapy at the same time.

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy uses essential oils which have been extracted from specific sweet smelling plants for therapeutic massage. They are blended with specialised carrier oils to ensure that they are used in a diluted form and are easily absorbed by the skin. The oils can also be used to add these therapeutic aromas to our environment as well with the use of burners.

This week I am going to be covering one of the most common essential oils in use. Lavender Oil is found in skincare products, perfumes and also contains some pretty impressive natural healing properties.

Lavender from Tasmania, England and France uses the flowers.

• Scent: Floral
• Usage: Inhalation, Bath, Skincare, Massage
• Note: Middle
• Mood: Soothing
• Safety: None indicated.

The essential oil that we use today is usually from the common lavender (lavendula officinalis or Lavendula augustifolia).  There are other varieties of lavender such as spike lavender that has a different effect on the body and mind. Check with your supplier and avoid any essential oils that are not made from the common variety as they are not usually suitable for home use and are used in commercial preparations.

via Medicine Woman’s Treasure Chest – Aromatherapy – The very versatile Lavender