Old Ruth

On the news yesterday re smoking,drinking and drugs affecting sperm DNA.The public are so gullible and the fear factor used by the media is ridiculous.Just a statement with no data---men have been smoking for so many years and before contraception 100s of normal babies have been born.Impression given that if you want to produce a child you must give up---does that mean that the day after you give up you are A O.K. ?? I do not condone smoking or excessive drinking and drugs,believe me.Isn't it time the government banned the import of tobacco ?? So it will become another "underground" drug but it's availibilty to 10yr old and up will not be so easy.

I have often wondered what the Americas and Caribbean would be like today if there was no slavery of the African peoples.On research of the subject of slavery in the Caribbean--all the islands had African slaves.The people living there before the various islands were discovered in the 1700s were the Amerindian arriving from north America.But as they were not good workers the Spanish got rid of them and preferred the African slaves.Imagine North America with no slaves ??? Any comments will be welcomed.

This recipe,my own,is not for "cook a 3 course meal in 20 minutes" person.:.Please follow absolutely otherwise you may be disappointed with result.
500 grm stewing beef--trim off fat and gristle.
2 big potatoes--- cut into big squares.
2 big onions---sliced.
6 mushrooms-or 2 big black--sliced coarsely.
2 big garlic cloves--cut in half.
2 bayleaf,6 peppercorns,4 cloves.
300ml red wine.
Pkt of dumpling mix.Follow directions to mix.
Cut beef into +- 1" squares--DRY very well with paper towels--very important.Large lidded pot.Oil to cover bottom of pot on HOT plate.Wait to heat to HOT and add meat to fry on ALL sides until nice and brown.Add sliced onion and garlic and spices.Stir well until onions have also turned a good colour.Add potatoes and mushrooms.Mix adding wine and 500 ml water.When it boils again turn heat down,give a good stir about every 15 minutes,when water reduces add 1/2 cup at a time.Simmer until meat is tender about an hour.Meanwhile cook some rice,when cooked put in colander,top of pot with boiling water, and keep warm.Mix the dumpling mix and leave.When meat is cooked,add water--a cup.,bring to the boil.Now,ignore recipe on box,take a teaspoon,big scoop of mixture,and drop--about 7-8--around pot and centre.Do not stir or cover JUST PUT ON THE LID AND DO NOT OPEN FOR 15 MINUTES.VOILA--a meal to really enjoy.It also freezes well depending on how many,about 4,people you are serving.Please feel free if you need to ask me anything.E N J O Y.

WHAT is happening ?? Is it my imagination but in the last months so many in trouble.Incompetence,overloading,ignoring weather forcasts--or blame it all in GLOBAL WARMIMG ??

" FOOTBALL IS ALL VERY WELL AS A GAME FOR ROUGH GIRLS,BUT IS HARDLY SUITABLE FOR DELICATE BOYS.
To jump start my elderly grey cells I do a word puzzle every morning while sitting on that throne in the bathroom.Every few pages there is a nice Cryptogram of various quotes.This one really made me smile.

Just to share this lovely,sunny warm day.Spent an hour pruning an elderly friends MONSTER of a vine in her greenhouse--hope for lots of grapes.Then,car loaded with cuttings,etc.etc,off to the dump.Love living in the country and doing my bit for recycling.Bulbs coming up everywhere and tiny grape hyacinth in bloom."My" sparrows loving the food tray and robins calling to each other.Hope your day is as good.

This morning checking my Ebay I receive this message.Complaint that I am selling an item in Dollars with Dollar postage.American glass.And he---definitely a he--is here and etc. Ends--"HOW FUCKING WEIRD " Well is he a weird fucker or fucks weirdly or just cannot speak without a fuck ???????

The HUGE problem of the Western world---obesity,of course.Give this some thought---how often do you eat when in fact you are NOT hungry ?? Can you honestly say that you don't buy that sweet,bun.crisps,etc to stop your child nagging or having a tantrum.What you are letting the child realise that this behaviour is always rewarded.How often have you heard a MOther say " My child won't eat veges " and that goes for other home cooked food---good idea is to think that you felt sorry for the child and let him/her have all the pizza,chips etc. because he will go hungry.Believe me,if the child is hungry, he WILL eat,just be patient.What a child learns at home,early,will be for good.Remember the saying--FAT BABY,FAT CHILD,FAT ADULT.You rarely see a child from a fat family that isn't fat.Harsh words,possibly,but the facts are wellknown---health problems are the future.Enough said and hope this is food for thought and not food for fat.

£ anecdotes on WASTE in Hospitals.I am sure there are many more !
1]Waiting in a short corridor to see Dr.--porter opens door,switches on light,leaves withour putting off light.
2]Waiting in Outpatients waiting room,go to the loo,flush--enough water rushing for about 3 minutes to have a shower.
3]In waiting room,secretary leaves,nurse enters and sits down as a patient and proceeds to empty the tissue box into her pocket.
AND there must be many more---the mind boggles as to the savings if lights in a storeroom went off automatically,over flushing of loos and dripping taps were checked.And as for the tissues what else was she stealing and taking home ??? Am I nitpicking ???

I have been buying and selling on Ebay for about 9yrs.I never stop being amazed and delighted--no tonque in cheek,please----at the amount of sellers that are semi-literate.Mainly spelling and grammar.What an opportunity to make some money rather than having to suffer the embarrassment of having to admit that reading and writing is not your forte.A case of have computor, can sell.And what an interest and hobby for the retired---ME Please do not misunderstand,I applaud.Any feedback--ha ha ?