MEDIEVAL.. IN TIMES GONE PAST.. PART TWO.

Dear Readers.. decades past and SHE never thought or questioned why SHE no longer 'flew' down stairs.. SHE always walked and always held the banister / handrail.

In 2001, SHE met and had treatment in London by an Kinesiologist called Gabi Flixeder. On a visit to Gabi's home in Gmunden, Austria in June 2004, they talked about Past Life Recall. Gabi said that she knew someone who did this but recommended that SHE do further research on the subject before going through this.

Just over a year later Gabi gave HER the contact details for Sonia Desiderio and SHE made an appointment in October 2005.

Sonia welcomed HER into her home and talked HER through how she worked, this started with HER going back as far as SHE could and telling Sonia about HER life. For over two hours SHE talked until SHE reached present age in time.

Sonia asked HER to take HER shoes off and lie on the bed, she covered HER with a cosy blanket and explained that, although SHE would be under hypnosis, SHE would be fully awake. Sonia would be sitting beside HER and have a hand on HER shoulder.

That if at any time Sonia thought that SHE was distressed or showing signs of great anxiety, she would, by stroking HER shoulder, bring HER out of the hypnosis.

She said that SHE would be counted down into the hypnotised state by walking down a flight of 27 steps.. so she asked HER to close HER eyes and 'to start walking down the stairs'.

HER immediate response, in a young voice, was as follows "It is dark and I do not like this staircase", Sonia said "who are you, where are you, what are you wearing, you can turn on the light".. 

SHE replied "I am a young English woman staying with MY parents, their home is on the border, as MY husband is away it is safer for MY small household to be here, it is a dangerous time, I am aged 19, MY clothes are long, I am wearing several layers, I am carrying MY light which is a lantern, the staircase is steep and curves inside an tower, it is dark and cold, there is only one rail which I can hold onto, it is on the outer edge of the stairs".

Then after a silence of several minutes and in a much happier tone of voice, SHE said, "Oh, I know how I can get down, I can come down on MY bottom".. Sonia immediately asked HER "What are wearing", and HER response was "Jeans".

The rest of the session was 'uneventful' but extremely interesting.. but what was riveting was the discovery of where and why HER fear of falling down stairs, ONLY after SHE had reached the critical age of nineteen, came from.. 

For aged nineteen and living in the Medieval age on the border of England and Scotland, whilst staying with HER parents, SHE had tripped, fallen down on a staircase and died of a broken neck.

That was seven long years ago but if SHE is quiet and closes HER eyes.. SHE is that young woman in those long clothes, holding that 'light'.. luckily SHE has no recollection of the fall.

That is quite enough for YOU..  the next Post will be of Oxford Street.. sounds 'funny'.. wait until YOU read it, Dear Readers.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 14th, 2012.

BISCOTTI di PRATO.. aka CANTUCCINI!

I think these Biscotti take the biscuit.. hahaha.. don't laugh at YOUR own jokes GeeGee!

Well, WE don't know anyone who doesn't eat these delicious things.. animal or human, they gobble them up as fast as SHE can make them.

Here YOU are, baking is good on cold FROSTY TIGER days, as it warms YumYum HQs and the smell is scrummydumptious beyond belief. 

Ingredients:
Self raising flour -250 gms. 
Soft Unsalted Butter -185 gms.
Caster Sugar -185 gms. Egg - beaten.
Almonds - both whole and chopped.
Plus a little amount of Ground Almonds.
Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoonful.
Almond Essence - 1teaspoonful.
Tin foil. Hot oven - 200 degrees.

Mix flour and soft butter until mix is crumbly.
Beat egg, add the 2 teaspoonfuls of essence.
Add sugar and beat all together.
Mix with flour.
Add the whole and chopped Almonds.
Turn mix out onto board - SHE puts a sprinkling
of Ground Almonds instead of flour onto the 
board to stop it sticking.
Divide into large quite long rolls.
Wrap these in tin foil and place in freezer.
When firm but NOT frozen place on baking tray.
When slightly golden but NOT hard, take rolls out and slice diagonally across the roll.
Place back on baking tray and return to oven.
Biscotti are done when golden and crisp.
Allow to cool. 

Keep, if not eaten or given away, in an airtight tin.

I am in such MAJOR disgrace.. Whilst SHE was 
doing something facing the other way, I 'found' a BIG dish full of fresh Ginger Root.. ummm, tasty, so crisp to MY beak.. so I gave it a good Beaking.. bits flew everywhere.. until SHE turned around at the strange noise.. 

Oh dear, Dear Readers.. YOU see.. SHE had apparently promised a friend Crystallised Ginger and that's what I had just munched.. GULP..

Think of other things like the next Post, which will be the next instalment of mysterious Tale.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 14th, 2013.

EASY DUMPLING SOUP.

When days are cold and temperatures low.. make Soups and other goodly things. Use Spices and Herbs.. 

Dear Readers, here is a recipe for Dumpling Soup that WE make quite often, very easy, very quick!

Ingredients.

Rough Semolina - about 5 1/2 soupspoons.
Star Anise - 1 pod. NOT a WHOLE STAR! 
Sunflower Oil - 2 tablespoons.
Egg - 1 medium size.
Stock - of any flavour WE use Beef & Chicken
(Frozen in a ice cube mould).
Small Red Chilli.
Fine Sea Salt. 
Water - 2 Pints.
Pot with tight fitting lid.
Dessert or large teaspoon for shaping Dumplings.

Put Chilli, Star Anise and Stock into COLD water, bring slowly to boil, put lid onto prevent liquid   evaporation.

Beat Egg and Oil together with small pinch of Salt.

Mix Semolina with Egg & Oil mixture until stiff.


Set aside for 15 minutes.

Shape Dumplings into not too large Crescent shapes, then put carefully them into the slowly rolling stock, turn off the heat and allow to sit for 
10 - 15 minutes.

ALL recipes need tweaking - sizes, oil, semolina all being different but this has been a recipe that has been made for many a year in OUR YumYum HQ.

WE hope that YOU too, Dear Readers, enjoy it!

Next up.. Biscotti di Prato.. aka CANTUCCINI!

GeeGee Parrot.
January 14th, 2013.

CHILLY-BILLY DAYS & CONTENTS OF A BAG!

It is Chilly-Billy indeed! Brass Monkeys in fact!

And old norty iPad kept flashing his light all night long whenever he registered a change in temperature! It is - 1 at the moment he tells US! 

Good thing that there is stuff to do at home and that SHE squirrel's away dry stores and other edibubble goodly things, this saves HER having to out into the cold to buy yumyum, it also means SHE has cleaned silver and MY cage.

Whilst cleaning MY cage, SHE stubbed HER foot on something hard.. bent down to investigate in a large bag, whoopee, a slow-cooker! 

OUR YumYum HQ, as friends know, is minute and this is the largest of the large slow-cookers.. which is why it has never even seen YumYum HQ, let alone worked in there, SHE rootled around for a baking sheet, put it over a back ring on the gas stove.. et voila! 

Perfect! A scrummydumptious stew has been transferred from a pot into the liner, it will be ready for supper tonight, with Celeriac and Potato Mash and Brussel Sprout tops.

Yes, folks, there is nothing, absolutely nothing better than glorious YumYum to keep YOU warm. 

Later WE will Post second instalment of OUR mysterious Tale but SHE is feeling generous and so OUR next two Posts will be of how to make a very tasty Dumpling Soup and Biscotti di Prato aka Cantuccini.

Don't go away.. or come back soon.. SHE will be typing those two Posts after I press publish.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 14th, 2013.

OH.. WE LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE WRITE TO US!

Dear Readers.. Oh, how nice is this? Mary-Lou has told US that WE have inspired her to make herself something delicious to eat.. Broccolli Soup with Cheddar Cheese.

Such good YumYum Mary-Lou and yes, WE too LURVE nothing better than to be cosy on a Sunday afternoon / evening watching something good on the 'box'. Especially when it is chilly-billy outside. I sit on HER head.. toasty toes I have.

And she told US that she also had something similar and strange happen to her, she was referring to HER being frozen in fear behind the Abbey up on Mont St.Michel from MY last Post. 

But that she is going to write and tell US her Tale when she has her computer switched on, oh yes, indeedy, WE like mysterious stuff!

WE will write the next part of OUR Tale tomorrow, it will tell of most unusual things.. so "stay alert mes amis", ahha.. from this YOU can summise that WE are watching Sunday night television Poirot.

Bonne nuit.. dormez bien.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 13th, 2013. 

FROZEN TO THE SPOT ON MONT ST.MICHEL, SEPTEMBER 1969. PART 1.

Good afternoon to YOU all, Dear Readers, are YOU all sitting comfortably? 

For from times lonnng gone.. WE write a Tale of most mysterious things.. medieval times.. but which ends in modern times, it will come in several parts, so settle in and read Part One..

In the early autumn of 1969, a dear friend, James Luddington, and SHE decided to take the ferry across to France and drive along the coast to to Mont St.Michel, they chose to meander slowly driving from village to village with no special route in mind.

He had just left the Army and was emigrating to Australia in January, who knew when he would come back to visit Europe, so the trip was rather special, it was his way of saying "goodbye" to a part of France he liked very much.

The weather was lovely, people pleasant and food delicious, it is a charming area of La Belle France and they were very glad that they had chosen to make the trip.

Mont St.Michel is an extraordinary place and well worth visiting, it was 'officially' out of season so there were not a huge amount of tourists, they pottered about and then walked their way to the rear of the island and decided, for fun, to climb the back of the Mount.

A very stiff climb but nothing for two fit people, from the top the view was absolutely spectacular.. then it was time to turn and climb down.

Problem.. BIG problem, for SHE had frozen.. as SHE had suddenly been filled with a fear the like of which SHE had never known, it filled HER whole being and SHE was scared to death..

Without a doubt.. thank GOD it was James SHE was with, he took one look at HER face and realised that something incredibly serious was going on.. for he knew SHE was not a wimp and the fear was not an imagined one.

He came back up to where SHE was standing and turned HER around to face the mount and talked HER down, a step at a time.. it took a long time as sometimes SHE was unable to move.

Eventually after several hours, they reached the bottom and were able to walk back around to where other people were.. SHE was ice cold with fear and shaken rigid so he took HER immediately into a bar and bought a calvados for them both.

SHE sat and burst into tears.. very unlike HER.. and when SHE tried to talk through it.. all that came out was "I knew I was going to fall and break MY neck".

They went back to the car and headed slowly for Calais and the ferry.

And from that moment on.. SHE, who had scampered up and down stairs, climbed trees and run down escalators in the Underground all HER life, never ran down anything ever again and always held onto the bannisters or handrail.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 13th, 2013.

IN DAYS OF OLD WHEN KNIGHTS WERE BOLD!

Dear Readers.. Good morning to YOU all. WE trust that all is well?

Here in deepest Knightsbridge it is very FROSTY TIGER weather, very chilly-billy indeed but WE have a remedy for times such as this.. it is called LAPSANG SOUCHONG TEA!

And this takes ME immediately to title of this morning's Post.

Imagine being a Knight in days of old. What do YOU mean YOU can't? Try harder. Think about it.. clanking about in all that chain mail and armour, NO thermals in those days, brrrrr AND NO TEA!

For tea had not made it's way to England in medieval times, they drank Ale, Cider, Mead and Wine, they knew water was dangerous and brought 'sickness', there were no nice shiny copper pipes in those days, their water came from a river, spring or well. Often dirty.

YOU are wondering why I am thinking about these poor Knights? Well, it is because WE have just woken up and SHE has made US a cup of of this amber nectar.. the mug (WE always drink OUR first morning 'cuppa' from a pretty blue and white Spode mug) sits for a while to brew.. yes, I confess first mug is always Tea Bag Tea.. then SHE tastes it for hotness and I am offered the mug.

I am off HER head like rat down a drain-pipe.. onto HER shoulder.. I stand on HER left wrist.. beak in.. slurp.. head back.. and ahh.. all is well in OUR world.. LappySang down the throat.. delicious.

How do YOU start YOUR Sundays? I hope with as much pleasure.

Next stop YumYum HQ.. for Buttered Eggs, Rye Bread toast and a pot of strong Coffee.

WE are going to tell YOU an extraordinary Tale of medieval times, Mont St. Michel, Sonia in North London, Debenhams Store in Oxford Street, Los Angeles and Angels.. ALL IN ONE TALE!

It will be 'HOT OUT OF THE BEAK' later today.. don't miss it!

GeeGee Parrot.

January 13th, 2012.

ALL CHANGE.. ALL CHANGE..

It is ok Dear Readers.. WE are not moving.. it is just SHE was going to go to Dalston to purchase knitting wool and to find a pattern.. but somehow.. SHE ended up in YumYum HQ cooking soup.

WE eat a lot of homemade soup in this house throughout the year, it is vegetable soup today, the ingredients are Celeriac, Carrot, Onions, Leek with Ginger and Garlic.. but alas and alas, there is NO stock! Run out.. disgraceful state of fridge when NO frozen stock to be found, SHE was on hands and knees rooting around in the bottom drawer and found other 'exciting' things but no stock cubes.. sigh.

Never mind.. a quick rootle through the store cupboard produced jar of Barley, SHE will add this to the soup when it has been pureed and then it will be very delicious indeed.. scrummydumptious, in fact, just perfect for a frosty Friday night.

SHE was also to be seen rootling through a HUGE bag of wool.. not enough of anything to make a jacket with, SHE has a very pretty jacket that SHE would very much like to copy. It is made out of panels of boiled wool, scarlet sewn together with black thread.. very chic! Bought whilst SHE was staying with a friend in Ojai, California in 2005.

Quite wise really not to go out if YOU do not have to as it is very chilly out there, WE have food in the cupboard, fridge and store.

The next Knitting class is not until Friday, this gives ample time to find a pattern or something similar to HER jacket, SHE knows what wool SHE would like to use, has already made a long scarf out of it, a jacket would be very chic in this and look good over skirts and trousers.

SHE was going to go and plant a bare rooted Plum tree this weekend but with the forecast of snow and ice, tree will just have to stay here a bit longer, it is dormant so quite happy.

And I am happy too.. got HER within sight, a wide comfy door to perch on, had a mini-dippet in MY water bowl.. that caused HER to make various comments like "daft bird, YOU'll be wet and clammy, not the best day to do that young lady" but a bird has to do what a bird has to do and IF I had gotten too cold or wet, well.. a quick flight down onto HER head usually ends up with a session with HER machine.. yes, Dear Readers, the most beloved Feather and Hair dryer!

Oooh.. such pleasure.. warm air rushing through MY feathers.. Quite enough to make ME jump in and get soaking wet.. the trick, though, is to remember to do it whilst SHE is at home.. I have occasionally forgotten and dived in.. only to realise.. oh dear, SHE went to the Library. BIG mistake.

But no.. all is well in deepest Knightbridge, it has been a happy and pleasant week, SHE had supper with Leigh and Ossie on Tuesday.. FISH PIE.. made by Santi their Spanish son-in-law.. "Come back soon Santi, the pie was delicious".. got great news from that Radiologist on Monday, worked at Trinity on Wednesday, garden was safe and found that unknown heroes or hero had taken that massive pile of cuttings and rubbish away yesterday.. oh, and found a massive piece of Calfskin when SHE was rootling through the wool bag.. certainly enough to make a long jacket out of AND somewhere tucked away, SHE has an old pale blue goat hair lining that used to be in an 'apres ski' jacket..

Don't YOU agree, Dear Readers, it all equals a very fine week to ME.. I hope that YOURS, wherever YOU may be, is as fine. I know that SHE has a close friend whose daughter is going through a very traumatic time and so she is experiencing grief and shock at the moment.. I ask ALL of YOU to pray for 'Long Legs', YOU do not have to know her real name.. but a candle and prayer for her would be good. Thank YOU.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 11th, 2013.

UNAUTHORISED SLEEP-IN!

WELL.. Dear Readers.. Good morning to YOU all.. 

It is a chilly-billy morning here in deepest Knightsbridge, no, I have not put MY beak out to see what is happening, I can tell by the way SHE is dressed, with layers of thermal clothing and socks! 

I, of course, have thermal clothing - in the way of downy feathers - on all year round but normally they lie close to MY body, when I need to put the heat up a degree or two, I ask them to fluff up a bit to trap the air.. very clever things feathers! 

WE were sleeping in late today, SHE was full of fresh air from tramping about at the garden and WE had gone to bed late.. when suddenly landline telephone sprang into action.. tingaling tingaling, luckily SHE looked at the dial before pressing a button.. for it was the person who was so rude and unpleasant to HER last year.

SHE knows why the person is calling.. it is January and they are having the final phase of teeth implants and they want HER to do the collect from the dental surgery and over night stay again! 

HA HA.. WE think not, find someone else to do it.. Dear Reader, do YOU know the definition of insanity? It is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result.

On to much nicer things.. silly HER, was just about to bounce out to the Crochet and Knitting Class when SHE realised that SHE had neither wool nor pattern.. duh. So later today, armed with a good book for it is a long journey, SHE is off to Ridley Road Market.

No, NOT primarily to see lovely Leila at The Turkish Food Centre, but to Dalston Fabric Mill.. to see the equally lovely Carmen. They sell wonderful wool and needles and all sorts of things.. in fact, they are a PROPER haberdashery.. besides selling fantastic fabrics of every sort.

Talking of good books, SHE has just finished 'The Potter's Field' by ANDREA CAMILLERI.. oh.. go immediately, if not sooner, to get this from YOUR Library or buy it. SHE has read all of his books, YOU may have seen a couple that were made into films for television, his 'hero' is Inspector Montalbano, a Sicilan Policeman, this was, undoubtedly, one of his best novels. FUNNY. SHE was reading it yesterday on HER journey to the garden, a couple of people asked HER what SHE was reading as SHE had laughed out loud.

OH.. WE like a good book.

Now it is time to spread a wing or stretch a leg.. off to Dalston SHE must go.. pip pip Dear Readers but before I flap off, I have to say how touched SHE is / was by emails  and calls SHE has received.

Patsy wrote that "a jar of very special Apricot Jam is heading our 
way".. special because the Apricots were grown by her brother-in-law, WE LURVE Apricot Jam "THANK YOU PATSY", Rosamund from German wrote that she is not the Lone Reader in Australia as she is still in Germany, Pegeen wrote to say she was now up to date and had caught all the Tales from MY Tail "Thank YOU for the Christmas card" Pegeen, Karen - The Bird Watcher - wrote to say she enjoyed MY Blog, Diane WE are SO sorry that Blackberry did not send YOU that email, MaryLou "Thank YOU", Sam and Bob both of whom are in New York "Thank YOU both for your support".

And I pray for Long Legs every day. Bless YOU darling.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 11th, 2013.

Silly Blogspot..

The post WE have just written has been put BEHIND another post! The latest one is actually "HEY HO HEY HO"..

Good night to YOU all..

GeeGee Parrot.
January 10th, 2013.

EARLY BED FOR US DOLLIES..

Oh lordy.. MY ears and feathers.. what a time WE have just had..

SHE had a medical test on the 20th of December and was told the result would be through on the 4th of January.. bit optimistic SHE thought as Christmas and New Year were around the corner.

And sure enough.. there was no letter on the 4th but instead a scary telephone call on the 5th, last Friday, telling HER to go to the Assessment Clinic today for further tests..

GULP..

SHE and I played all sorts of silly games to distract ourselves over the weekend.. but sleep was a trifle disturbed.. and SHE looked a trifle pinched around the eyes, if truth were told, which it always should be.

But marvellous news.. is that today SHE went for the further test, UltraSound, and the 'suspicious' things turned out to normal tissue..  however, I do wish SHE would stop having these scary things happening..

Within the past few months, WE have had the Nutter, aka the anonymous letter writer, which involved the Boys in Blue, unpleasantness from a neighbour who is three sheets to the wind ALL the time and enough is enough.. I want HER to be able to start annoying those poor worms again, to do HER volunteer work and for there to be peace in MY house..

But as SHE has to go and have a Blood Test tomorrow and has to do it on an empty tumtum, WE are early to bed and are tucked up for the night.. I have a few Almonds and Cashew nuts in MY dish, just in case I feel peckish and SHE has three hot water bottles!

We bid YOU a good night (or day).. I notice that WE have a lone Dear Reader in Australia.. Happy New Year to YOU down there.. please send US up a few rays.. mighty grey up here.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 7th, 2013.

HEY HO.. HEY HO.. IT'S OFF TO WORK SHE WENT

Yes, Dear Readers.. 

SHE.. aka couch potato.. finally went to do some work at the garden today, especially to do winter pruning of OUR seed fruit tress - fruit has seeds or stones and YOU prune them completely differently. Apples and Pears are seed fruit.

So out with the knife sharpener and a quick flash over the secaturs and then off SHE went. Via the £1.00 store in Hammersmith for fat balls for the garden birds.

VERY muddy out there.. BUT a wonderful surprise awaited HER! 

Someone has taken the BIG pile of rubbish of broken pots and ALL the autumns clippings! All that is left are a few pieces of vine clippings.. This saves HER a huge amount of work getting them all to the local council dump, WE wonder WHO could have done it? Whoever it was, SHE is incredibly grateful to them, such a nice thing to have done. 

And little Shed was ok, no vandals had broken in, all was as it should be.. there was even a couple of Narcissi leaves poking through.. SHE told them not to be too keen to show off.. winter is nowhere finished yet!

But no one else was there.. not a sign of Jack or Robert, two of HER allotment buddies, garden was snug and quiet under the thick layers of compost and manure SHE laid in October and November but one silly Sonesta Plum tree is still in full leaf! How mad is that?

WE are expecting FROSTY Tiger weather to arrive any day now, certainly it was chillier today than of late, BUT at home, WE are very snug, with lots of insulation still in place, I keep warm by standing on HER head whenever possible.. and when WE go into the bedroom, SHE has three hot water bottles in bed, a large one at HER feet and two mini ones, one behind HER back and one on HER tummy.. MY feet are baking as HER head is SO warm!

Tomorrow SHE is joining a Crochet and Knitting Class.. I will report back to tell YOU how it went!

But before I go.. WE are extremely saddened to realise that a couple of HER dear Friends did not get the email SHE sent when SHE got the latest "ALL CLEAR" on Monday afternoon, that very norty Blackberry mobile let HER down.. I will have to speak very sharply to it and remind him that his contract is up in a couple of months time and he 'could' find himself being replaced..

GeeGee Parrot.
January 10th, 2013.

Hello.

Greetings Dear Readers and a very happy new year to YOU all.

WE hope that YOU and your families are all happy and healthy, for this is all that is important.

Happiness, of course, relies on various things being as they should be and being healthy depends a lot on YOUR lifestyle / choices and a HUGE amount of good genes and luck!

SHE is back at work for Trinity Hospice which SHE enjoys as the people with whom SHE works are extremely nice. Two of them are planning to join HER on a jaunt to Columbia Road on a Sunday, then they will go for lunch at a Vietnamese place on Kingsland Road, followed by a visit to one of HER favourite Places, the Jeffyre Museum.

SHE and I are going on a jaunt in February! By train to Taunton and then by bus to Watchet in Somerset, WE are going to stay with HER most beloved friend called Lorraine Davies.. I have never met Lorraine but think very highly of her as she makes MY mama laugh on the telephone AND when she invited HER to stay she also said " You must bring GeeGee when you come".

Watchet is at the seaside, I have never seen the sea.. apparently it is big and VERY wet!

Talk about being wet.. I had to be blown dry earlier this week as I took a plunge into MY freshly cleaned water bowl.. luckily SHE was here and rescued ME from several hours of being clammy and cold. I really should remember that 'swimming' should only be done in the height of summer.. silly ME!

SHE is a little pre-occupied with stuff at the moment.. making choices / decisions etc, etc.. YOU know what I mean, it is grown-up stuff and life is quiet here in our little bit of deepest Knightsbridge, SHE is hoping that it will be dry again tomorrow, there is a bare rooted Sonesta Plum tree sitting in a bucket in the sitting room which needs to be planted and all the Apple and Pear trees at the garden need to be 'winter' pruned whilst they are dormant.

WE will be back, in the meantime stay happy and healthy wherever YOU maybe.

GeeGee Parrot.
January 4th, 2013.