Saturday, January 29, 2022

2022 - Glenn and Judy History - Week 4


The mural on the lounge wall at 70 Kruger Ave, Discovery.
This was taken just before it was papered over.
That was a mural I couldn't live with...


Douglas' first day going to Discovery Primary school.


Glenn loved this!
Angela would play with his hair.
She enjoyed this too.


 We knew that by moving to Randburg we were moving 
into the Sandton Ward area.
We went to look at the foundations of the Sandton Chapel.

Monday, January 24, 2022

2022 - Glenn and Judy History - Week 3

 


Vi, Brenda and Dennis Bray
6 Dirkie Uys St, Kenmare, Krugersdorp.
22 February 1975


John and Brenda Holmes
22 February 1975



Judy, Angela and Dianne
Simple pleasures!
70 Kruger Avenue Discovery.


Dianne at Florida Lake.


Douglas, Angela and Dianne.
70 Kruger Ave, Discovery.


70 Kruger Avenue, Discovery.


Tim, Leslie, Philippa, Ken, Ronald, Judy, Glenn
Shirley, baby Jennifer, Nicola, Jane, Angela, Douglas
51 Jan Hofmeyr Ave, Florida Park.
September 1975

Friday, January 14, 2022

2022 - Glenn and Judy History - Week 2

Ken and Phillipa Powrie Family Photos


September 1972
Insert Mark Goodger, 
Tim and Shirley Powrie, Ronald, Ken and Philippa, Judy and Glenn Bray
Leslie, Douglas Bray, Jane


September 1973
Tim, Shirley baby Nickola, Jane, Mark in front, Philippa, Ken, Ronald,
Judy Bray with baby Angela, Glenn Bray with toddler Douglas.


September 1974
Insert Leslie
Back - Glenn, Angela, Judy Bray, Tim, Ken Jane seated on arm of couch
Front - Ronald, Douglas Bray, Mark Goodger, Shirley with baby Nicola, Philippa


April 1975
Oribi Gorge, Natal
Glenn, Angela and Douglas Bray


 April 1975
Durban Botanic Garden Orchid House
Glenn, Douglas, Angela Bray

Thursday, January 6, 2022

2022 - Glenn And Judy History - Week 1

 2022 is the year I've decided to convert our photos in our albums to digital 
and upload them to my blog.



Our birthdays are on the same day - April 17th.
This year (probably 1969) my family wrapped all our presents in the same paper.
We had fun opening and figuring out whose present was was whose.

- When I find a wedding photo I will add it in. -

We were married in Johannesburg in the Ramah chapel on Friday 17th April 1970.
Immediately afterwards we went to the airport and boarded a plane for England
where Glenn was endowed we were sealed in the London Temple 18th April 1970.
(I had been previously endowed six months earlier when my parents, siblings and I 
went to England to be sealed as a family in the London Temple.) 


We had a couple of weeks of honeymoon travelling in England.
This was on a trip to London.


In 1971 we took a brief trip to the Eastern Transvaal.


Douglas was born 25th June 1971.
This photo was taken at my parents home.
51 Jan Hofmeyr Ave, Florida Park.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Apricot Jam from Scratch

 It's a long time since I made Apricot Jam...

My friend Bulelwa asked me how to make jam...
I thought to invite her over,
but she's getting ready to deliver her baby, 
and it's not one process from beginning to end...
So here goes.

I'm rusty... I think I last made it in 2015, from the dates on the bottles.

So, here's how I make it, so I can remember, 
and so I can permanently share with her how I do it.

(I remembered I actually have a book...
I got it out after I'd made the jam...
I see I got this book in 1972.  
25c!!!)

And here's the page for jams...
With my former notes.


So, not remembering how much fruit would make how much jam...
(I hadn't got my book out yet...)
Equal weights of fruit and sugar.
That much I remembered.



Cover the fruit with the sugar. 
Let it stand for... I left mine for about 18 hours.
Last night as we were going to bed,
to today lunch-time.



Blend the fruit and sugar.
I started with my stick blender.
Then got out my jug blender.
A much easier result with my jug blender.


I put the oven on to 110C
and put more bottles than I thought I'd need in the oven to heat up.
(I usually put in several size bottles too.)


In the meantime I warmed up the jam.
Slow heat to start and gradually increasing.
I started on 3 on my stove, then 6, 9 and 11 out of 14.



The jam is foamy and watery to begin with.
The pegs on the pot help the spoon to not slide down between stirring.
I used a big pot because I couldn't remember how much it would bubble up.
The advantage of the big pot - larger heat surface.
The disadvantage, heavier to handle when pouring.

As the jam thickened the foam disappeared.
Watch.  
Stir regularly all across the base of the pot so it doesn't "catch."
As it thickens stir all the time.


This below is my test plate.
Drop a drop on every now and then.
When the drop holds its shape as it cools, it's ready to bottle.
From start of boil to bottling about 50 minutes.
Take the jam off the stove to cool slightly, not bubbling any more.


Take a bottle out of the oven.
Careful, the bottles are very hot.


I have a cut-off funnel for bottling.
It keeps the rim of the bottle clean.
(You can buy such funnels, I just cut an ordinary one.
I've had mine for many years.
I use it for all sorts of things.)

I also keep a tricky-dicky handy for handling the bottle.
(I wonder if they still make them???)
I have 2 actually, in case I need them.
I suppose you could use a damp cloth?


When the bottle is full,
I use one tricky dicky to hold the bottle,
and the other to hold the lid.
I do a quick twist, twisting the lid on tight.
Actually, you can often just hold the bottle with the tricky dicky,
and the lid with your other hand.
(I don't heat my lids.
I just make sure they are sterile.)
If you heat your lids, you'll need two tricky dickys or such I think.


And there the two bottles are cooling on the cork mat.
As they cool, the lid will tighten.


And the little left-over.
Which Glenn and I enjoyed immediately!


Monday, July 12, 2021

Fruit Salad Bursting with Nutrients

 When I feel that little ominous scratchiness in my throat...

I'll go on a boxed apple juice fast for two days.
Apple juice only, as much as I want, whenever I want it.

Many years ago I had a Visiting Teaching Companion 
whose father was a homeopath.
Her children used to come Visiting Teaching with us.
This one morning her son wanted something to eat.
She said, "No, only apple juice for you now."
I later asked her why only apple juice for now...
She explained that whenever they were heading for illness 
they'd go on for two days drinking only apple juice.  
I thought I'd try it too.  It works for me...

I've wondered about other juices...
I haven't found any others that work like plain apple juice.

I sometimes add a tablespoon of barley juice powder.
(Thank you Mary Ann Shearer "The Natural Way.")

(I used to use Barley Life.  
I could buy it easily not far from me here in Gauteng.
When I was in KZN I couldn't find it.
I found Barley Grass powder at Dischem.  
It doesn't mix as easily as Barley Life, 
nor taste as pleasant as Barley Life, 
and I adjusted quite easily and enjoy the same benefit.  
It's also less expensive.
When I got home I found this container of Barley Life in my cupboard.
I'm using it up after sifting and pressing it through the sieve to return it 
from it's lumpy state back into powder.)

And I also drink water when I'm apple juice fasting.
I'll drink good clean water whenever I want it.
I'll also be sure to rinse my mouth out with water after drinking apple juice, 
just to clear my teeth of any acid effect of the apple juice.


(I've tried the apple juice fasting when I'm well.  I can't do it.  
I remember going to the Doctor for something else when I was apple-juice-fasting.  
He looked into my throat and said it was inflamed. 
I didn't feel ill.  I knew I was "under the weather" but, I didn't feel any pain or incapacity.
My lungs feel extra clear, my breathing better than normal.
My joints are completely functional and free of pain.  
I don't usually have any more than a degree sometimes of stiffness.)

After two days or so I choose this fruit salad to eat for breakfast, on an empty stomach.


And then nothing else to eat for an hour or so.
This gives my body the chance to utilize as much as possible from the fruit 
for repairing the imbalances in my body as soon as possible.

Then I might have my breakfast smoothie for mid-morning.
(Separate post.)
Or just more boxed apple juice.  As much as I want.

Then a lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad with a boiled or baked potato for lunch.
Boxed apple juice mid afternoon.

This fruit salad is bursting with healthy vitamins and anti-oxidants 
in my opinion and my experience over many years.

(When I was a Boy Scout Cub leader, more than 30 years ago,
I remember explaining to those 8 - 12 year olds about basic nutrition.
Protein for building strength in the body
Starches for fuel, energy for the body
Vitamins and minerals for repair of the body.  
And... when your car is being repaired, it isn't being built or running...)

My fruit salad recipe...

Cubed fresh papaya, 
a quartered and sliced strawberry, 
10 or so blueberries, 
5 or so red or black seedless grapes cut in half, 
boxed mango juice 
and half a banana - sliced.  
Delicious!

I might do this for 10 days or so until my body 
feels thoroughly cleansed and healthy again.

I haven't been really ill for years.
Last time was when we were in England in 2003 when SARS was virulent.
I wonder if we didn't contract it there...
We were both really soberingly ill then.

And so there I've recorded this...
Partly so that if I can't speak for myself any more one day,
Someone caring for me can read this and know what my body is accustomed to.
What my body has become accustomed to...

And also partly, so that it may be of some use to someone, sometime, somewhere.
I believe we are nudged to what will be useful to us.
And when we come across information we "know" (recognise) the truth for us.

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Breakfast Smoothie

Blend 3/4 blender of fresh or frozen spinach with boxed mango juice.
Pour into separate mixing jug.



Chop 1 cored apple, 1 peeled orange, 1 peeled lemon, 3 carrots, 1 beetroot, a thumb knuckle of ginger and 1 peeled pineapple.


Blend two ladlesful at a time with added boxed mango juice.  I usually use about a litre of mango juice for this quantity of fruit and vegetables.  Empty each blending into the mixing jug.


Stir all together.  Ladle into 3 X 750ml glass bottles.


There might be some over, then I ladle into an appropriate smaller bottle. 


 Store in the fridge.  This quantity usually lasts me 9 or 10 days.

Keep separately in the fridge:  1/2 cup each of natural sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds. Grind them together.  I use a coffee grinder.

Each day I stir and pour some of the mixture into my glass for my breakfast smoothie.  Then I add and mix in 3 - 4 glugs (tablespoons?) of cold-pressed flax oil, 1 sprinkle (teaspoon to dessertspoon?) of chia seeds, and 2 tablespoons of ground, flax, pumpkin and natural sesame seeds.


I like to drink as much as I can with a thickish straw, and use a dessertspoon for the last little bit that sometimes has a lump or more that is too thick for the straw.

Enjoy! if you feel inclined to try this smoothie!