Disasters, In Her Name, Meeting Friends.

I don’t know what it is but every time I look at the news headlines lately there is another crash, like a head on train crash in Switzerland, a bus plunging 100 ft. in Italy, you know, you see the headlines the same as me. Makes me wonder what’s happening, have people suddenly developed death wishes or become more careless or what? Just remembered the boat with the bride and best man getting lost overboard because the driver of the boat was drunk. Mind you, if he was, maybe the others were too. Seems to be all death and disasters lately.

I have now started book 3 in my trilogy called In Her Name – The Dead Soul by Michael R. Hicks. The pace and excitement of the books has definitely been maintained and I am as interested in the aliens and their lives as I am in the humans. What I don’t understand is why the aliens haven’t tried to learn any human languages – humans don’t get the chance to learn the language of the aliens, if they meet them they have to fight them and are likely to die one way or another, but you’d think at least one alien would hold their sword for a bit in order to learn the language. Of course, I’m thinking like a human. Referring to Andrew Leon’s post, yesterday, I wouldn’t want these aliens in my head if I were writing this book.

I am really looking forward to my vacation and I have an extra reason now, both L. Diane Wolfe and Jeff Hargett live in North Carolina and we are planning to get together whilst Matt and I are down there. That will be absolutely great. Some years ago I managed to meet a whole bunch of English women with whom I had been corresponding on our cookery club. It is absolutely fantastic to meet people who have become close friends on line and get to know them face to face. Last year I met a friend from South Africa and I know a couple of people in my local area whom I met through the internet. With the internet, the world becomes very small.

I have mentioned before that our source for liquor and wines, LCBO, puts out a magazine called Food and Drink about 3 or 4 times a year, it usually includes some excellent recipes, so I thought I would share a few of them. Those tiger shrimp in the picture really are extra large, look more like lobsters. We don’t see them much round here, I might just use the shrimp I bring up from the Carolinas, next time we have any that is. Run out til September.


Grilled Thai Shrimp and Mango

Summer 2002
By: Heather Trim


If you're not familiar with some of these ingredients, look for them in the Asian section of the supermarket. Lemongrass can be found in the produce section or in greengrocers. Jalapeño or serrano chilies work well in this dish. If serving as an appetizer use extra-large peeled shrimp.


4 to 6 shell-on tiger shrimp, about 1 lb (500 g)
3 large limes
1 stalk lemongrass
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped coriander
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) each finely minced hot chili pepper and ginger
1 tbsp (15 mL) peanut or vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 ripe but firm mango
2 tbsp (25 mL) finely chopped fresh mint

1. Make a lengthwise cut down the back of shrimp shells and remove vein. To allow the marinade to penetrate and cook shrimp more evenly, after removing the vein make the cut a little deeper. Cut 1 lime into wedges. Set aside. From remaining 2 limes, finely grate 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime peel and squeeze out 1/4 cup (50 mL) juice. Place juice and peel in a medium bowl. Remove outer husks from lemon grass and finely chop bulb only. You should have about 3 tbsp (45 mL). Add to lime along with coriander, chili, ginger, oil, fish sauce and sugar. Stir to combine. Add shrimp and push marinade under shell next to shrimp. Marinate, covered and refrigerated for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, peel mango (if you wish) then thinly slice into wedges.
2. Grease grill and preheat barbecue to medium-high. Thread shrimp, randomly alternating with mango onto skewers. Sprinkle exposed part of shrimp lightly with salt. Place on grill and barbecue until shrimp meat is white and grill marks appear, about 3 minutes a side. If you choose not to skewer shrimp and place directly on the grill, add mango after 4 minutes of barbecuing.
3. Serve shrimp on a bed of rice, scatter with mango slices and reserved lime wedges. Sprinkle with mint.

Serves 2 as a main course

Have a great day

News, Cribbage, Cover Art.

The news lately has been filled with murder and mayhem. You can see why people start predicting the end of the world. As you know we watch Good Morning America a lot and it comes to us through Channel 7 Buffalo so we get their news as well as national news. Every day it seems someone has been shot or something has been burning. Matt used to say he would never go to Detroit, seems to me Buffalo is getting just as bad. Then there's the woman I mentioned the other day who had driven the wrong way on a street and ended up killing herself, her child, her three nieces and three guys in the other vehicle. The toxicology reports said she had twice the legal limit of alcohol plus having marijuana in her system. Now her husband is saying it can't possibly be true, she didn't drink. The relatives of the three guys who died are talking of suing - who for goodness sakes? Click here for the latest reports. It seems to be a very strange story as witnesses are saying she was not drunk when she left the camp where she had collected the children - mind you, sometimes you can't tell. A phone call later, from one of the kids in the car, said her aunt was having trouble talking. We had an enjoyable afternoon playing cribbage yesterday although I regret to say Matt won LOL. The woman we were playing with seems to be a very nice person and we enjoyed her company. Its the first time we have been in the social room, rec room or whatever you call it, for some time and it has been improved considerably. For many years it wasn't even open and the super of the time used it for storage. There is a sauna which was once in use but he closed it because young people were having sex in there! The sauna is still closed, but the rest of the unit is quite pleasant. People are spending time doing jigsaws there too, one excessively complicated one was in progress on one of the tables. These days I prefer to do my jigsaws on line, then I don't have to turn over the pieces. Lazy? Me? Naaaah. People also put a lot of books there for others to read. I checked them out but couldn't see anything which appealed, not that I looked thoroughly I must admit. One thing, we opened the sliding doors which lead directly onto the lawn and park, then forgot to close them again, I had to go back down. Good spot for illegal entry and I had left an open invitation! I have just about finished The Last of the Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, I remembered some of the story, but I was surprised how much I had forgotten. The Valdemar books are very good. I am awaiting more from the library. Because they are an old series, they aren't readily available any more. During these re-reads I have been looking at the cover art. It is something that always tees me off because it seems to me the artists have never read the story. This particular trilogy covers a period of something like 15-20 years, the main protagonist is getting silver streaks in his hair because of working node magic and yet he looks the same on the first cover aged 16, as he does on the last cover, in his 30s. I really think authors should be given more input into such things, after all, who knows the story better than they. I know with Karen Miller's books, most of them end up with someone hidden in a blowing cloak. Come on, lets have some imagination please. I am sure you all know how good salmon is for your health, luckily I love it. In fact I like most fish, not sure I have a favourite, but Matt loves swordfish. Fresh tuna is good too. However, today its salmon and here is a recipe from Eating Well which we will probably try this weekend as we have just picked up some salmon fillets. Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon Makes 4 servings 1 scallion, minced 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 4 portions 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (see Tip) 1. Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce. 2. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. 3. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds. Tips: How to skin a salmon fillet: Place skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either. To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add seeds and stir constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Have a great day.