Today's message from me to you is this - 'Take your time. There's no rush.'
I'm off today so I went to a facial. I don't do these things very often. In fact, I had done it only once in the past. This was my second time. A friend of mine, whom I've known for more than twelve years and whose face has recently become visibly radiant and glowing, recommended the place. It was a very gentle massage with no machines involved, and it felt so good that I would want to go again, probably in about two to three months' time. (It's not cheap...)
The lady at the salon took me to a beautiful and calmly lit room with slow music playing without any lyrics. She asked me to take my jumper and socks off and to get tucked up in bed. As she was leaving the room, she softly said, "Take your time. No rush."
It suddenly occurred to me that nobody has ever asked to take my time in doing anything. At least I've never noticed anyone saying that. Chances are I'd been rushing and harassing myself. After her calming massage she left the room for me to get dressed, and she said the same thing again as she was leaving - Take your time.
It suddenly occurred to me that nobody has ever asked to take my time in doing anything. At least I've never noticed anyone saying that. Chances are I'd been rushing and harassing myself. After her calming massage she left the room for me to get dressed, and she said the same thing again as she was leaving - Take your time.
The result of this facial, which I would wait and see ;) , isn't the point for me any longer. These words were worth the money :)
Healthy, balanced, and easy fish pie today. I like smoked food, and there's no shortage of that in the UK - any fish, cheese, chicken, garlic, etc. I used lightly smoked salmon that they sell in fillets in supermarkets here. If you can't get hold of this you could use ordinary salmon and add some smoked salmon.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
(for the pie)
2 fillets lightly smoked salmon
200g baby spinach
3 medium or 2 large potatoes
2 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
(for the white sauce)
500ml milk
40g butter
30g flour
1 bay leaf (pinch from someone's garden)
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Put the salmon fillets on a large foil (large enough to wrap the pieces), lift up the four sides and pinch them at the top to seal the parcel. Place this parcel on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool in the parcel and break them into large chunks.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3-4cm chunks. Cook in salted water (from cold) until a wooden skewer easily goes through. Mash them and season with salt and pepper.
Boil a glass of water in a pan and add the spinach. Turn off the heat and stir around. Drain and leave to cool. Squeeze any excess liquid.
Now you get on with the sauce. This is a trick I saw on the telly - dry fry the flour for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan. This gets rid of...err...flour smell. Add the butter and make a paste. Add the mild bit by bit. Stir and mix the paste and milk every time you pour the milk until well amalgamated. Don't stop stirring. Turn off the heat and season well to taste.
In a gratin dish (about 20cmx20cm) lay the salmon pieces, spinach, boiled and sliced egg. Pour the sauce over everything. Top with mashed potatoes. Leave the surface rough and chunky but cover the surface.
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Voilà!
Healthy, balanced, and easy fish pie today. I like smoked food, and there's no shortage of that in the UK - any fish, cheese, chicken, garlic, etc. I used lightly smoked salmon that they sell in fillets in supermarkets here. If you can't get hold of this you could use ordinary salmon and add some smoked salmon.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
(for the pie)
2 fillets lightly smoked salmon
200g baby spinach
3 medium or 2 large potatoes
2 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
(for the white sauce)
500ml milk
40g butter
30g flour
1 bay leaf (pinch from someone's garden)
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Put the salmon fillets on a large foil (large enough to wrap the pieces), lift up the four sides and pinch them at the top to seal the parcel. Place this parcel on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool in the parcel and break them into large chunks.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3-4cm chunks. Cook in salted water (from cold) until a wooden skewer easily goes through. Mash them and season with salt and pepper.
Boil a glass of water in a pan and add the spinach. Turn off the heat and stir around. Drain and leave to cool. Squeeze any excess liquid.
Now you get on with the sauce. This is a trick I saw on the telly - dry fry the flour for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan. This gets rid of...err...flour smell. Add the butter and make a paste. Add the mild bit by bit. Stir and mix the paste and milk every time you pour the milk until well amalgamated. Don't stop stirring. Turn off the heat and season well to taste.
In a gratin dish (about 20cmx20cm) lay the salmon pieces, spinach, boiled and sliced egg. Pour the sauce over everything. Top with mashed potatoes. Leave the surface rough and chunky but cover the surface.
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Voilà!