Monday, August 20, 2012

New Bowling Season, Books, Swimming the Channel,

One week today we start the winter bowling season again, we miss three weeks though bMacDaddy'secause we never bowl on Labour Day, the one day of the year when the woman who runs the place is always off, and then we will be on vacation for two weeks. No doubt we will be doing some 10-pin bowling whilst in North Carolina. I follow MacDaddy’s on Facebook which is where we go when we bowl down there. They have been having all kinds of lunch or dinner specials on with specials on shrimp appearing once or twice. We occasionally have lunch there with our friends before we bowl. Their food isn’t bad.

Over the weekend I finished my second Alcatraz book, Alcatraz versus the Alcatraz vs. CrystalliaScrivener’s Bones. The funniest thing, to me, was an extra two pages after the end of the book for those who cheat, detailing how someone died who didn’t actually do so in the story. If you did cheat you would have been upset to read about the death of the character which is intended to be a punishment for cheating. I think Brandon Sanderson is totally zany with these books. They are intended for a much younger audience but I am thoroughly enjoying them I am impressed with his totally different humour.. The next book is Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia.

At the time of writing there is a teenager attempting to swim Lake Ontario. It set up a train of memories in my mind. When I was about 14 we were living on a canal in Lincolnshire, England, and one morning, before I went to school, a man went into the water and swam to the beginning and back (don’t remember how far) but basically he was swimming all day and didn’t get back til late evening. I vividly remember my mother saying that, all day long, whatever she had been doing, she kept thinking about him still swimming. I don’t know much else about him other than he was practicing to swim the English Channel which he subsequently attempted towing his own supplies and completely unsupported. Unfortunately he went missing. I started wondering who he was and whether in the intervening years anyone else had attempted the same thing and had success or otherwise. I tried Googling without result. I have emailed a Channel Swimming group who may have records. Whilst trying some research I came across videos of people actually doing the swim, dunno why they do it, they are nuts. Here’s one of the ones I found. I had never thought about the problem of crossing the shipping lanes.

I don’t often snack between meals or when travelling, but this recipe sounded good and as we will be driving to NC very soon, I just thought it might be useful. One thing I am not quite sure about, do you shell the edamame or not?

Spicy Lemon Edamame

South Beach Diet

Frozen edamame in the pod are easy to find in most supermarkets these days. spicy-lemon-edamameThis recipe will make them your new snack favorite on any Phase of the diet. While the edamame are best served warm, they can also be chilled for a take-along snack.

Ingredients

3 clove(s) garlic large, smashed and peeled

1 medium lemon juiced (use 2 teaspoons), and 2 large strips of zest, cut into thin slivers

1/2 teaspoon pepper, red flakes

16 ounce(s) edamame, frozen in pods (1 bag)

1/2 teaspoon salt, sea coarse

Instructions
  • In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups of water, the garlic, the lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, partially covered, for 3 minutes to blend the flavors.

  • Add the frozen edamame. Return the water to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

  • Drain well and transfer the edamame to a serving bowl. Discard the garlic. Toss the edamame with the lemon juice and sea salt. Serve warm.

    Each serving is 1 cup.

Have a great day

Jo

13 comments:

  1. I love bowling, although I rarely break a hundred. Its a great way to spend fun time with the fam.

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    1. We really enjoy it, but we normally do 5 pin which is only in Canada. Less pins, smaller ball.

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  2. Jo in Wagamama I always suck the beans out and discard the pods when eating them
    http://onceuponathyme.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/edamame-beans-with-chilli-salt/

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    1. I figured that's what one would do. Thanks. What is Wagamama?

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    2. It's a chain of noodle bars. There's one in Cork I like to go to......it reminds me of being in Vietnam!

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    3. I am surprised we haven't got anything like that over here. Sound good.

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  3. Replies
    1. Which one, Lake Ontario or the English Channel? I've never been that good a swimmer. Hubby was, but not that good.

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  4. Hi Jo
    Could it have been Edward (Ted) May who died attempting the swim in 1954?
    http://www.bakkumopzijnkop.nl/tedmay.htm

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    1. The name sounds familiar Sue, will read that article later - had a quick look said he was from Kent which makes me think why would he have been practising in Lincolnshire? Except It was a canal.

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  5. His wife and children (9 of them)!! stayed at home in Dartford whilst he worked in Scunthorpe which is North Lincolnshire. That's what made me think he could be the swimmer you remember.

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    1. Sounds like you've got the right man then, thanks. I was just going to read the web page. What a daft thing to do when you have 9 kids.

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    2. Having read the article, I think you have found the right man, thanks so much Sue. I had no idea he came from Kent, but obviously he trained in Lincolnshire as he was working there. The minute I saw the name it rang a bell. By the time he died I was about 16 and back living in Kent, but when he swam the canal I would have been 13/14 I guess.

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