Another podium place

I

In Bracknell for a few days. The kids, Natalie Nicoll and Theodore Alexander,  were placed 3rd in Basic Novice Ice Dance. Not bad for only their 2nd competition together. Both their Pattern Dance and their Free Dance were marked with personal best scores. Onto Solos today.

Catch up with their progress with regular updates by following their page on facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/IceDancers.NatalieNicoll.TheodoreAlexander/posts/405820972937378:0

Having a proud Mum moment, please share it with me?

Add caption

Natalie Nicoll and Theodore Alexander 10 year old British Ice Dancers have this week both received Training Awards as talented athletes from GLL SPORT FOUNDATION (GSF) in partnership with Lambeth Councils Gifted and Talented Programme for 2015/16.  This allows them access to GLL sports facilities for their off ice training.  We are looking for additional sponsorship for them to help with training and other costs.

Posted by Natalie Nicoll & Theodore Alexander - Ice Dance Couple on Saturday, 18 April 2015

So very true

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." — Voltaire (1694-1778)

Post by Seeking Wellness.

Merry Christmas

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Lady Isabella Boo & Sir Thomas Too are expecting... Visit Blog

toofamily.wordpress.com

Need Some Names. Can you help?

While we do not want to give the puppies permanent names, that will be for their forever families to decide, I think it would be nice to give them some temporary names.

via Day 10 - Need Some Names. Can you help?.

New blog - Lady Isabella Boo and Sir Thomas Too are expecting

It is about time I got back to my blogging.  I have had so much going on for so long, but then that is silly really, when there is so much going there should be so much more to talk about and I don't usually have a problem talking.  I have been challenged to blog again, so blog again I will.

I started this blog a month or so ago, but it is probably worth sharing now:

Lady Isabella Boo and Sir Thomas Too are expecting......

Merry Christmas

Posting on this blog with resume in the new year.

Natural News -Twelve unsustainable things that will soon come to a disastrous end on our planet

This guy, Mike Adams just speaks so much sense.  Lovely article pulling so many of our global problems together in one simple piece.

(NaturalNews) If you look around what's really happening in our world today, there's an inescapable pattern that curiously emerges: Much of what's going on is simply unsustainable. It can't go on for much longer, in other words. And it must collapse due to the laws of economics or physics...  click to continue reading

Asked to leave a supermarket!

Lady Isabella Boo is on Facebook!

Have you ever been asked to leave a supermarket? I have. It happened yesterday in a local Sainsburys. My crime? I was carrying 2½ pounds of Chorkie. She wasn't doing anything naughty, she wasn't making a noise, she wasn't dirty, infact she was not on the floor or in contact with anything but me. I was out with my 6 year old and needed a couple of groceries. I could have popped home and dropped her off, but that would have wasted half and hour.

As I passed the supermarket door I was complimented on my tiny puppy by a lady wearing the supermarket uniform. I looked wistfully at the supermarket door and mentioned that I needed to buy a few things, shame I could not go in. "Of course you can" she said, "You are ok so long as you don't put her on the floor." "Really" I said! So off I toddled, small puppy tucked firmly into the crook of my arm.

Wrongly Convicted? The Case for Saturated Fat - Health & Wellness

(sott.net) Recently the Harvard School of Public Health issued its criticism of the new USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, complaining that among other things, the new guidelines were too soft on red meat. It points out that a porterhouse steak has 44 grams of fat, 16 of which are saturated fats, and that should mean eating red meat sparingly.

Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, disagrees and faults the guidelines for continuing to demonize saturated fats based on unsound science..... Click to continue reading

Feeling winter heaviness? Five common cleansing foods and herbs to lighten up

(NaturalNews) If the approach of spring has you eager to get up and go, but you're feeling weighed down from winter hibernation and heavier foods, it's time to lighten up.

For most of us, especially those who live in colder climates, it's somewhat natural to feel sluggish after the winter months. However, the heavier foods and inactivity can lead to imbalances in the body that often create feelings of depression or moodiness, as well as laziness and/or congestion......  Click to continue reading

What could be more important than good health?

A couple of years ago, after a series of family set backs.  Double redundancies, business difficulties, selling our much loved home etc, I was left depressed, weak and debilitated.  Visits to the doctor really achieved little as I was not in their eyes 'ill' but neither was I 'well'.  It was left up to me to find a way of bringing my mind and body back to wellness.

I searched the internet, read everything I could lay my hands on about illness, nutrition and vitamin & minerals.  By a combined effort I have coaxed myself back to heath.  Initially, I learned about raw foods, and juicing and the wonders of superfoods, but I am sure that anyone who has tried juicing will admit that it takes a huge commitment to keep juicing all the time.

Imagine my excitement recently when I discovered some products that have the beneficial effects of juicing, without the continual fandango of shopping, washing, juicing and cleaning all the equipment afterwards.  Oh it is nice to juice, but who has the time every day?  I am told that there are 97 reasons to use Limu Plus! and I do not think convenience was even listed as one of them.  Check out further the full benefits of this amazing tonic. 

But perhaps my personal favourite item in this range is the VitaOne multi vitamin product.  It has the benefit of the nutrition that I include in my home made juices, but it is just so convenient!  Each daily allowance comes in a handy pack of that day's tablets.  Conveniently priced too, as it works out at about £1 a day.  Pop a few packs into a handbag or briefcase and they can be taken even after leaving home in the morning.



Ok, well I have to admit that I am so impressed that I now have my own website of these products.  When I find something really good, I just want to share it with family and friends.  I will tell you of the other great things in this range later, unless you want to have a look for yourself.........  website here

If you would like to keep in touch with me, please 'like' my page on facebook


Please do feel free to drop me a line by email if you are interested in more info or would like to obtain any items other than via the internet.

Banana Ginger Cake Recipe

Now this recipe is really yummy.

Cake:

6 oz sugar, (3 oz demerera, 3 oz caster)

2 oz butter, softened

3 medium bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
7 oz flour

1½ tsp baking powder

1 oz finely chopped glace ginger

2 tbps semi skimmed milk

Topping:

6 oz icing suger
2 oz butter

½ tsp ginger powder (or to taste)
Sprinkling of nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C/350° F (Gas Mark 4)
2. Grease an 8" square cake tin
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix sugar and butter together. until blended.  Add mashed banana, vanilla and egg.  Mix well.
4. Add flour, baking powder, glace ginger, to mixture.  Mix well, and add milk as needed.
5. Transfer to the cake tin.
6. Bake for around 25-35 minutes at 180° C, until a skewer into the centre comes out clean.  Leave to cool, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
7. In a small bowl cream the butter, then mix in the icing sugar and ginger.  
8. Cover the cake with the topping, leaving it rough or peaked.  Sprinkle with the nutmeg powder.  Cut into around 9 squares before serving.

Whenever I make this cake, it is well received.  I have to say, I just love ginger, so this is one of my favourites too.

My Beautiful Christmas Present

Christmas came and went this year, the Christmas Cards were left unmade, but hey, it is only a day, a holiday, not real life.  The household was thrown into disarray by the arrival of my Christmas present.  The arrival of the delightful Bella!  She arrived a week before Christmas less than 2lbs of Chorkie.  We set out in thick snow to collect her in time for her to settle in for Christmas.  As DH put it, you get a lot more steak for your money!

The delightful, dainty, diddy Lady Isabella Boo is a Chorkie, a Yorkshire Terrier and Chihauhau cross.  My last baby, the little girl of our family.  She is my little princess....

She has a page on facebook, so feel free to follow her there.   Lady Isabella Boo on Facebook....

Saturday 26th February 80 years commemoration outside Streatham rink 6.30pm

This Saturday evening at 6.30pm we will be holding a gathering outside Streatham Ice Rink to give the old lady the last rights in her 80th year rather than celebrate her birthday we will be highlighting the ghastly fact that she will be demolished in September.  Join us to commiserate together this untimely loss, we fear she will not return to Streatham.

Contrary to Lambeth's and Tesco's assertions that she is about to fall to pieces, we know she could last another 20 years, however these bullies have presented false information about Streatham Ice Arena and the temporary rink in Brixton to justify it is equivalent, we all know it isn't but they have mugged us and this grand old historic Ice Rink will soon be gone forever.

What is worse Tesco's have played the long game, th

Dorset Apple Cake Recipe

• 225g cooking apples
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 225g plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 115g butter
• 165g soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C/350° F (Gas Mark 4)
2. Grease an 8" ring cake tin
3. Peel, core and chop the apples into small pieces, and toss in the lemon juice.  This will keep the apples fresh and stop them discolouring.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder and using an electric whisk break up the butter, until like breadcrumbs.  Alternatively rub in with your fingers.
5. Stir in just 115g of the sugar, saving the remainder for the topping.  Mix the apple and the beaten egg, and the milk, a little at a time.  Mix this to a dough.
6. Transfer to the cake tin.
7. Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle this evenly over the top of the cake.
8. Bake for around 45-50 minutes, until a skewer proves the mixture is set.  Leave to stand for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack.

I have made this cake in a normal round tin too, but it does require slightly longer cooking time.  I also sometimes sprinkle a little caster sugar over the top after cooling, just because it looks pretty.

The cake is beautifully moist, which my husband is most fond of.  He prefers this to the sponges that I sometimes make.

More Home Cooking and why.....

Over the last couple of years, since I have been more home based, I have put a lot more effort into cleaning up our family diet.  It has been a slow process in many ways, but out have gone the processed foods, containing dodgy chemicals and additives, and in have come organic produce and more raw foods.  The process is by no means complete, but much progress has been made.  

For example the Microwave has been discarded, initially, delegated to sterilysing dishclothes, but now removed completely. There are many articles on the internet casting doubt on the nutritional value of food after microwaving, so erring on the side of caution, this has gone!

High Fructose Corn Syrup, (HFCS) appears highly suspect.  There is of course much data available disproving the dangers, but I have now read enough to be sure that it is not something I want in our diet. Most factory produced cakes, biscuits and squashes contain HFCS, so I am buying less and home baking more.  Actually, the time usually runs out before I get round to baking so even better for us, eating less sugary foods altogether!


The Aspartame in most diet products means for me, dieting is back to eating sensibly rather than taking the easy 'low calorie' route. It seems clear that whenever a manufacturer removes sugar or fats to make a product 'low calorie' the chemicals that are added in their place are more harmful than the 'fattening' item that has been removed!  If it says 'Diet' on the packet, it gets left on the shop shelf!

I could go on...  I would love to be able to claim that we are all living a healthy vegan or raw diet, but that is not the case, but where I see enough credible evidence, I seek to remove the items from our diet. 


For me over the counter pharmaceutical drugs are out now too.  A glass of water, usually clears a headache.  Alcohol is for special occasions, and even then in small quantities if at all, rather than an everyday item.


Is it worth the effort?  It is for me. I have got rid of joint pain, brain fog, and many other horrid symptoms..... a few more to sort out still, but I am 100% that this is the way..... and now on with adding some recipes, even naughty ones... at least if I am making it I know what has gone into it.


I read somewhere, and cannot remember the exact quote, but if you read the ingredients on shop bought food, "If you cannot pronounce it, don't eat it!"  Sounds right to me!

Say NO to Streatham Ice rink's DEMOLITION!

"We say NO to closing Streatham Ice Rink before a replacement rink is built at the Streatham Hub site and is fully operational."

"We say NO to any Temporary Rinks that are not fit for purpose. The proposed Temporary rink in Brixton’s Popes Road breaks promises made to ensure continuity of ice skating provision in Streatham; it’s too small, has Health and Safety issues, not enough parking, too few seats, and travel from Streatham is snarled up daily. The people of Brixton do not want it there either."

"We say NO to any more losses of sports facilities in Streatham."

Sign the petition here.  Please remember to click the link in the email that is sent to you to verify your signature.
________

The rink has been under threat of closure for years now, by Tesco who bought the building and land some years ago.  However negotiations between Tesco and Lambeth Council had ensured that a satisfactory solution seemed to have been found.  Tesco had agreed to build a replacement Ice rink on adjacent land before the existing rink was demolished to be replaced with a supermarket.  However since the recession Tesco have now gone back on their word saying the solution is too expensive.  Lambeth and Tesco have come up with an alternative plan to put a temporary rink into the centre of Brixton while the development is built in one go.

Problem is the Brixton solution does not provide the ‘Continuity of Service’ that has always been promised, as it is not full size, does not have adequate parking, is difficult to get to for people in cars and coaches because of its location and the existing traffic.  Existing businesses there already have inadequate parking.  There is also the risk that Tesco could in the end find it ‘too expensive’ to build the rink at all.  Leaving us with only a fun size rink, and at that one that is not fit for purpose permanently.

Please help us by signing our petition to persuade Tesco and Lambeth to return to the original plan.  http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savestreathamskating

Please after signing, check for a confirmation email in your inbox or spam folder and click on the link to verify your signature or it will not count.

Vaccine Zombie by Michael Adams - The Health Ranger

Bookcrossing in a nutshell

I'm a keen bookcrosser, both as a way of disposing of books that I don't choose to sell but also as a way of passing on and sharing my own beloved books.  Lets face it we cannot keep them all, interesting and treasured as they may seem.  Somehow registering them online and releasing them does not seem too much like losing them at all.

I currently have my own bookshelf, Long Neck Books to look after.  Released books were up to 1,500 the last time I looked.  I have been releasing books for old school friends too, who have been passing on their recently deceased parent's books.  Actually the bookshelf that takes more of my time is the one that I have set up at the Kiosk in South Norwood Park & Lake.  The park is a beautiful one in South London.  I hope that the South Norwood Bookcrossing Zone adds something to the park, I certainly believe it does.

For anyone who has not heard of bookcrossing, here are a few words in a nutshell.  I am not sure who can be credited with writing this, certainly not me, but it does help to understand the whole concept.

Happy reading and sharing everyone!

what is bookcrossing?

BookCrossing is the act of releasing books “into the wild” and then following their journeys and the lives they touch.  BookCrossing.com is the website that makes it all possible.

when did it start?

The BookCrossing idea was conceived in March of 2001, and the website was launched about four weeks later, on April 17, 2001. Growth the first eleven months was slow, with only about 100 new members each month. That all changed in March of 2002 with a one-page story in Book magazine, which started an avalanche of media attention that continues today.  The result of the great press and the novel idea is that now around 350 new BookCrossers sign up at the website each day.

who is doing it?

The 287,000+ BookCrossers who have registered 1.37 million books (as of September 3, 2004) come from all age and demographic categories, the largest being women age 25-45. Membership at the website is free, so all that is required is access to the internet and a love for BookCrossing.

where are they doing it?

BookCrossing is a global phenomenon, with members from over 150 countries from Antarctica to Zimbabwe. The United States leads the way, followed by Canada, the UK, Australia, Italy, Spain and Germany. Books know no geographical boundaries, and are often released at overseas travel destinations.

how does it work?

BookCrossers register their books at the website so that each has its own BCID BookCrossing ID number), which is used to “tag” or label the book inside the cover. People who “catch” a wild book follow the instructions on the label to go to

www.bookcrossing.com to see where the book has been and to make a new journal entry so that other BookCrossers know it’s in good hands.

why are they doing it?

BookCrossing combines serendipity, adventure, altruism and literature in a unique mix that true bibliophiles find irresistible. With its similarity to releasing messages in a bottle, or notes in helium balloons, BookCrossing harkens back fond childhood memories. With its connection to literacy, BookCrossing makes an ideal activity with which parents and teachers can encourage children to appreciate both reading and sharing.

IT IS COMPLETELY FREE TO JOIN!
GO TO WWW.BOOKCROSSING.COM TODAY TO
BECOME A MEMBER AND START HAVING FUN!