Heat, Cell, FIFA, Oil Spill, Health

At last Sunday morning the intense heat let up – we had some rain on Saturday which I guess helped. It is still pretty warm mind you but NOT the thick, muggy heat which makes it difficult to breathe. I basically stay in doors in weather like that, I can’t hack it unless I have a pool handy to fall into. I miss the one we used to have when we lived in Cambridge some years ago. It was an above ground pool, quite big, a 30 ft. oval I recall, and we spent a lot of time on the deck or swimming in it.

I have spent a lot of time playing with my new phone. I discovered it had a lock on it, I took that off. Although I think it is a good idea, Matt would never manage to deal with that in a thousand years. Technology is certainly not his forté. I sent a couple of text messages to a friend just to try out the little keyboard, what a difference, instead of having to jab a number several times for each letter. Much easier. Of course I only have 40 minutes a month so I cannot do too much sending and receiving. One thing I discovered, my memory card from my old phone works like a charm (they told me it wouldn’t) which makes me wonder if I wouldn’t have done better to have my old SIM card, too late now though. One thing I didn’t realise, if I call 911 which is the emergency number over here (999 in the UK) it is free wherever I/we are so that is useful to know.

So Spain won the cup, I have no doubt the country were celebrating like mad last night. The Netherlands has nothing to be ashamed of, neither of them have ever won the cup or nearly done so before, so I would say that was a pretty good job by both teams. Germany came third which is maybe some consolation for the country, I know our friend here was disappointed. But at least they weren’t disgraced like some of the teams. It is, after all, only a game, but devotees get so emotionally involved with the whole thing, something I do NOT understand.

BP are working on a new cap http://tinyurl.com/39wjteo for the oil leak but meanwhile the oil is gushing free and unrestricted. Maybe I am a  bit slow, but I don’t understand why the proposed drilling from the side can’t be done til August. This picture from CBC shows workers cleaning up oil booms.

Another ezine I get is Real Age and the latest one talks about flat bellies. Apparently dieting  is not the way to achieve one, but exercise is. There is an article here http://tinyurl.com/2vlmnla, there was also a healthy recipe from Eating Well. We enjoy salmon so this will go in our favourites.

Grilled Salmon with North African Flavors

EatingWell.com

Our version of the classic North African herb paste known as chermoula serves as both a marinade and a sauce for this richly flavored salmon. If it is too cool to grill outdoors, you can roast the salmon at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Serves: 4  

1/4 cup(s) low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice

1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

3 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika

1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper , to taste

1 pound(s) center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions (see Tip)

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Stir together yogurt, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup for sauce; cover and refrigerate. Place salmon fillets in a large sealable plastic bag. Pour in the remaining herb mixture, seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag over once.
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Oil the grill rack. Remove the salmon from the marinade, blotting any excess. Grill the salmon until browned and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. To serve, top each piece with a dollop of the reserved sauce and garnish with lemon wedges.

Have a great day.