Thursday 22 February 2018

The whippet and the hare


I am all about the fermenting at the moment. Nothing is safe. There's yoghurt, kefir, celery, kimchi and sourdough. I'm a fermentation maniac. Lynda of Sultanabun has an excellent post here if you'd like to know more about the benefits. Gut health is linked to so many other things, possibly including allergies, blood sugar stability and inflammation, all of which I find quite fascinating. I am all for treating things naturally where possible. Prevention and all that. The littlest boy has some allergies sometimes, and my blood sugar levels can be a bit wobbly at times. I'm hoping an increase in fermented things will help.

It's at this time of year that I shall start to miss the allotment I think. The possibility of all that fresh organic food. But I'm fairly overwhelmed with everything anyway, I do know it was the right choice to let it go to someone else.

Yesterday was a case in point. I just about survived a ridiculous morning with every possible drama, you know the kind of thing, one of those days when everything goes wrong, when the littlest boy's school rang to say he'd cut his leg. The rest of the day was spent at children's A&E in the city getting stitches. And that was the end of Wednesday. No big deal, I'm happy I was around for him, but honestly, sometimes the days just seem to evaporate.

His leg is fine, but he did take a big chunk out of it leaping at a metal edged picnic bench in some complicated parkour manoeuvre. If I've told him once... Someone suggested to him that he probably wouldn't do it again. He said he thought he might well.

I never fail to be grateful for the medical care that's available here. And for everything really. As I said goodnight to the children tonight I felt very aware of the children in Syria. There aren't any words really, but my thoughts are there, and I try never to forget how much we have.

Half term was good. I even managed to read a book. This is me at the skatepark. It was so lovely to sit and read in the afternoon, honestly, undreamt of luxury.



The book was Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I really enjoyed it, as I know many of you have too.

Back to the grindstone now though. I am taking a little hour this evening to write this, but otherwise I'm pressing on with the freelance writing malarkey. Onwards and hopefully one day upwards. I live in hope.

I went to the biggest boy's school earlier for GCSE options evening. I am trying hard to let him do what he wants to do rather than what I want him to do. It doesn't come naturally though. The bottom line may be, does he do what his friends are doing or what his mother tells him to do. I shall try and rein myself in.

The puppy is sleeping blissfully as I write. He went down to the river this morning with his whippet friend. She was the whippet and he was the hare and a lot of really, really fast running was involved. He loves it, but in a slightly hysterical, whites-of-the-eyes sort of way, and afterwards he has to have a lie down.

Hope everything is well with all, and that you are feeling more whippet than hare.

23 comments:

  1. I'm feeling kind of...slug...at the moment? It's been a rough week. I'm sorry to hear about your son's leg. That sounds terrible, but I agree, it does remind you of how fortunate we are to have medicine and safety when so many others do not. I hope your poor little pup recovers from his mad romp. :)

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  2. Fermenting! I like when my husband does this. Mainly because the jars are pretty, ha! I'm sorry little boy got the A&E visit. ugh. But I'm glad he'll be alright.

    My son just turned 15 and this quote spoke to me in volumes: "I am trying hard to let him do what he wants to do rather than what I want him to do. It doesn't come naturally though."

    I keep trying to convince him I don't need him to be like me. I just want him to apply himself. I told my husband that people just say work ethic like some fancy skill set when all it means is working hard at things even when you don't like them. ha! Knowing how to work and how to be kind. I can't emphasize these life skills enough. Coping with disappointment is high up there too.

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    1. Yes, learning how to work hard even when you don't want to and how to be kind, you're so right, they are important things. And tough to teach and learn. CJ xx

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  3. I love your son's self awareness and honesty when he said he'd probably do it again! I keep meaning to have a go at fermentation; must look into it further. Are those bags of water in the jars? Is it to keep it all submerged? It looks fun anyway. Now I just need some big jars! Keep persevering with the writing - you're a natural. xx

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    1. Yes, the bags of water are to keep things submerged. You can use pebbles or glass weights or a folded cabbage leaf as well. And you can poke things down if they stick up during the fermentation process. I've found it easier than I thought I would, but I'm still very much at the experimentation stage. Sauerkraut is a good one to start with - just cabbage and salt. CJ xx

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  4. The art of being a mother...never easy to know when or what to let go x

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  5. I always find narrowing down subject choices very daunting at that age. Yes you want to influence, but you’re right he will no doubt be swung by friend's choices too. Hopefully his friends make good decisions too :) I keep reading about Eleanor Olliphant and everyone raving about it. Time I hunted it down in the library. Good luck with the fermenting and the writing and have an accident free weekend. B x

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  6. A somewhat thoughtful post. I don't think that I'm feeling like a whippet or hare, more like a lazy cat who wants to stay curled up nice and warm in front of the fire.
    Enjoy your weekend. xx

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  7. I'm feeling like a hedgehog- lots of lovely running this week means by dusk I'm pooped and ready to hibernate for the night :o) Love the image of Bert white-eyed during his racing. I can picture it exactly. Glad no significant damage done to the leg and applauding his lovely honesty in saying he would probably do it again. Options were straight-forward here. L knew exactly what he wanted to give up and why. I'm sure it'll ease itself through nicely once it arrives. Keep up the writing and the supporting. xx

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  8. Wishing you a drama free weekend CJ. As you say we really are very fortunate compared to many poor souls in war ravaged countries. The news is so hard to watch isn't it.
    Thank you for all your kind comments over on my blog. They are always appreciated.
    Jacquie x

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  9. This weather is providing me with plenty of opportunities to read, on my case on Kindle. I ran out of space of my bookshelves so ebooks are a godsend and the fact that I have a travelling library.

    Hope the rest of your week settles down.

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  10. Thanks for the link to Sultanabun, it was very interesting and informative. I've started making sourdough and tried Kimchi, not too successfully, but it was a 'short life' recipe. I've now bought glutinous rice flour and Gochugaru, so will go for an authentic recipe next. Helping your teenage children make choices is always fraught and I think you reining in could result in him following your advice not his friends, in the long run.

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  11. Other than my weekly sourdough loaf, I've let my fermentation experiments lapse a bit lately. Though I really must get back into it. Like you, I find things like gut health and the potential effects on health fascinating. Plus fermented foods are generally so tasty. Glad half term was good and littlest all sorted.

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  12. I've been a non starter this week with a cold. Really can't remember the last time I had such a nasty one but at least it was in the comfort of a warm safe home with nourishing food and clean water on hand.
    I do hope that the Littlest boy heals up quickly and that GCSE selections cover a wide enough range to keep everyone happy.

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  13. Little boys, eh? I hope his leg is healing well. I might have to give fermenting a go - maybe in my alternative universe where I have more patience with slow food. I do love kimchi. There is a teeny tiny Korean lunch place near my work, they make fresh chips with kimchi and cheese! Annie had to make her National 5 choices this week (our GSCE equivalent). It was completely stress-free. She is such a determined young woman, and far too practical for her age (maths, english, chemistry, biology, geography, modern studies and home economics) and very refreshing after Sam. No doubt it won't last and we'll have a couple of rocky years ahead. I hope your son will be happy with his choices, such difficult decisions. Have a lovely weekend. xx

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  14. The poor little one with his leg all cut up. Boys are like that aren't they? I fear my oldest had the same scab on his elbow for an entire year, it was from skateboarding but it never got to heal because he was always re-injuring it. Glad your half term was fun. I have that book on my list to read, first I have to finish this boring one I am half way through with. Have a great week.

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  15. I keep meaning to investigate fermentation but I'm a little bit wary in case I poison us all. I've never even tried kimchi. Hope the leg mends soon. I did laugh at his gung-ho approach... so like my third son. Good luck with those GCSE choices. It always seems too young to have to be deciding in which direction they want to go.

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  16. Oh my .... stitches are not fun. Hope your boy heals up quickly. He probably WILL do it again . . . boys are like that. LOL

    Loved Eleanor Oliphant ---- hope you will love it too.

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  17. How have you got on with the kefir ? I have tried it twice with little success I just don't have the spare time to look after it properly. Does the other fermentation need so much maintenance? Sarah x

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    1. The kefir is okay, but not particularly thick. If I leave a bit overnight on my soya milk and oats it is all thick in the morning though, which is good enough for me. I think the grains need to grow a bit, they started off quite small. The vegetables are very easy, just leave them to ferment and make sure none of it pokes up above the level of the brine. We've been eating the celery and kimchi and it's honestly delicious. The sourdough starter is a bit more of a pfaff, it needs feeding every day. I take out most of it and either use it for a loaf or dispose of it, then add 80g water and 80g of flour to the remaining little bit and mix, then leave. It's best to use for breadmaking about 12 hours after feeding. CJ xx

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  18. Good to hear you managed to find time for your book (it's on the TBR list here). Have to say I'm not a fan of fermented foods (just the word is off-putting!) but good on you for giving fermentation a go. Hope your wounded boy is all mended and yes, we are so fortunate to have the health service we have, even if it is sometimes stretched at the seams.

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  19. Am i right in thinking you have a cockerpoo? I recently went to the beach with my friend and her cockerpoo, Harry, and the children. He and Ziggy got on famously. For a whippet, Ziggy really is hilariously slow and has the turning circle of a cruise liner. There is nothing more joyful though than watching dogs run and play together, don't you think? It always lifts my mood.

    All that talk of kefir and gut health reminds me that I need to catch up with The Archers. ;-)

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    1. Yes, that's what Bertie is, he does love his whippet friend. I know exactly what you mean about watching dogs playing and running and having fun, good for the soul. CJ xx

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