Marriage: not for the shallow hearted

As the words of a sappy song go, "Why doesn't anybody ever stay together anymore? And if love never lasts forever, tell me, what's forever for?"

Nowadays married break up for having "grown apart". Too often people use this excuse for separation or divorce. What message are you sending to your children? Or is it that people don't care as much about children nor the damage they do to them for the sake of adult personal desires? For those who support this 'emancipation of self' in the midst of a young and childed marriage, I find their thinking borderline hedonistic. Marriage is not a fete that you can just leave when the music stops or the drinks run dry, it is a serious commitment, meant for life...raising children even more so. Please do not marry if you have a short attention span for true love, which goes way beyond physical attraction and "hobbies in common". It is supposed to be for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, boredom and enthusiasm. However, the way the institiution of marriage being corrupted I can understand why same-sex marriage legislation is imminent. Marriage is no longer for procreation...it has gone primitive and is now about sexual pleasure.

I fired a client today

I had a phone call tonight from a very paranoid, possibly alzheimec client who once about 2 years ago threatened me with legal action because she couldn't find a deposit slip from a deposit I made for her. She actually put her 'lawyer' on the phone. I countered that as per her instructions I gave the slip to her nephew. In a few days the nephew who was out of the country at the time came back to ease her hysteria by showing her the deposit slip with the correct amount I deposited. Needless to say she never apologised. So tonight, 2 years later, she had the nerve to call me asking for help her with some issues at her rental apartment. I was shocked to hear her on the phone but not too shocked to calmly tell her she was on her own now and that I would never represent her again due to her past insinuation she would sue me.

Someone asked me if I felt good after I told her off and the answer to that is a firm no. I hate telling people off because it feels uncomfortable. The last employee I fired for stealing left me upset, angry and mostly disappointed. I don't like 'sticking' it to people even if they deserve it and do it so rarely I don't see the pleasure in it but understand its necessity.

Quick relief from a liquid burn!

If cooking and you splash HOT cooking oil, water, soup, tea or coffee on yourself the first thing you should do is IMMEDIATELY wipe the liquid off your skin with a clean tea towel or napkin DRAG, don't pat, the towel over your skin. I am guessing this works because you remove the liquid before it has a chance to burn through skin layers.

Many people are inclined to run their affected area under cold water or grab ice cubes, which prolongs the suffering later. But before you reach the sink or freezer, grab that nearby rag and wipe off the heat. It has worked for me many times and I have avoided burn marks and lengthy pain...hope it helps you!

Seamoss is boss!

Like glorious kelp local seamoss shyly stands as one of the oceanic fibers good for the body, plus it makes a creamy, tasty drink.

Frothy seamoss banana shake

1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 overripe banana
2 tablespoons seamoss
6 icecubes
1 tsp brown sugar (or...dare I suggest decadent condensed milk!)

Blend all ingredients on low speed for 10 secs then on high making sure the banana pieces are invisible.

Don't give your kids vitamins!

I am no longer a a believer in synthetic vitamin supplements, especially for kids. From what I have observed, people who are on supplements (where vitamins are produced chemically) seem to develop illnesses faster if they skip a day or two! I do not consume any unnatural vitamins and for the kids sake, I will be tossing my Centrum "Dora" bottle tomorrow!

Toast with an orange twist

My kids love whole wheat toast with butter and jam...but I've found a way to sneak some fresh vitamin C into the slice. Here's how...

1 warm whole-wheat slice
1 tsp butter
1 tsp guava or strawberry jam
1 blot of honey
1/4 orange

Toast bread, add butter and honey. Squeeze orange wedge over the slice, add jam and spread!

Tip: Don't mention the secret ingredients!

I hate Lady Gaga

I can't think of another performer as synthetic as Lady Gaga. Wigs, pancake makeup, techno music, clothing made out of fire hazardous material, this transvestite is the total opposite of where the developed Western world promised it was going...green. Absolutely nothing about LG is natural. This 'Lady' (and what a loose use of that term, or was her name supposed to be tongue in cheek?) looks like a dude. In fact I think she could be Amy Winehouse incognito, pretending to have no talent. Her voice sounds like dial tone or a phone ringing.

Herbal tea as fruit juice substitute?

If your little one is a fruit juice addict, here's a simple alternative that tastes like juice. It's fruit-based herbal tea! Brew, add a little brown sugar or honey (if your child is over 12 months), then cool with ice. Put in a sippy cup or serve with lunch.

The best brand I can find at the moment is Twinings teas that have raspberry, elder flower, blackcurrant and a cornucopia of other infusions.

Fruity herbal iced-tea

1 fruit herbal tea bag
1/2 cup just boiled water
1/2 tsp brown sugar or 1 tsp honey
ice cubes (optional).

Brew tea in boiled water for aprroimately 1 minute, add sugar or honey, let cool or add ice cubes.

*Benefits: Fruit herbal tea is a natural antioxidant and no caffeine.

Quickie lunchkit idea

Day one of back to school, great for you! Now you can take a much needed break from keeping the kids entertained or spending a fortune for camp. But ulp! Have you packed a kunchkit yet?Here a quickie lunchkit idea.

Tinned tuna paste

1 can of tuna in water
1/2 grated carrot
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
*optional 1 teaspoon of tartar sauce

Mix together and it's a sandwich perfect lunch that will yield about 8-10 mini sandwiches
2 raw vegetables in there, well disgiused by tasty mayonaise! Hmmm, now what for the snack?

Get your kid to give up soft drinks

Here's a trick to appease that coca-cola or sweetdrink-loving young hankerer. When your child asks you for some "coke", sneak some PLAIN WATER into the coke...not too much to be obvious, but definitely more than just a splash. This will mitigate the carbonation (which is 90% of plain coke's appeal). Also serve the 'coke' at room temperature. When you give them the coke, enjoy saying, "Doesn't that taste bad? You know it's also bad for you". They won't like the taste anyway and most likely will never go back for the 'black juice' (just make sure they don't catch your diluting-sabotage).

Have a coke and a smile!

Need to poop?

After all the high cholesterol binge we've all been on over Christmas, I am certain some of our bodies are in shock. Some people I know have been "irregular" since the season started. These days I am buying into the water and fruit first thing in the morning but an hour after that, here's my breakfast carb recipe:

Warm Oatmeal for ONE

1/3 cup raw oatmeal
1 cup water
1 shot prune juice
1 tsp. brown sugar

*Put oatmeal and water in ceramic bowl, cover and microwave on high for 1 minute (Do not over microwave or it will all spill over). Bowl will be HOT. Add prune juice, sugar and stir--let it cool a little. You can halve this recipe if 1/3 cup is too much.