The day before yesterday, at the Oxfam shop, my manager (not manageress!) Catherine gave me a certificate and bronze badge to mark my five years as a volunteer. It doesn't seem so long ago but I really did begin working there in early December 2014. Every Wednesday afternoon - week in week out. It has become the hub around which the rest of my week seems to revolve.
Yesterday I made a tasty evening meal for yours truly and for Nurse Pudding who had been on duty at the university health centre all day. There was poached salmon with lemon, broccoli, pasta in red pesto, roasted tomatoes and for the first time ever - fennel. I had sliced it roughly and tossed it in olive oil with a good splash of balsamic vinegar before roasting it on an oven tray. Scrumptious! I will certainly buy fennel again.
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| Fennel |
The "Bosh!" dream journey continues. Ian and Henry are being flown out to Dubai next week for a food conference with demonstrations. Of course I am assuming that this trip is not stymied by the growing coronavirus health crisis. They will be staying in a five star hotel - all expenses paid.
Meantime last weekend's "Yorkshire Post" newspaper paid homage to the lads once again. There was even a reference to me and to Shirley and to Henry's parents too - thanking us all for our love and support. Quite humbling.
The fourth episode of "Living on the Veg" will be screened here in Great Britain on Sunday at 10.30am (ITV 1). Also available on ITV HUB and there's a repeat of Episode 3 on Saturday morning. It's all going well. The on-screen dynamic between Henry, Ian and each week's guest is friendly, relaxed and watchable. They are two cool guys - not trying to preach - just making tasty vegan dishes. We are so proud of both of them.
And, rightly so, that you are proud of the two young men. It is wonderful the successes they've achieved; are achieving. There are many more waiting in the wings for them, of that I am certain. Hard work and the love of what one does bring rewards...deserved rewards. Dreams do come true...
ReplyDelete(I've read and re-read my response in the hope I've not once again blotted my copybook by making a typo...or, written in Aussie strine! You've probably not viewed what I added to my previous responses. If that should be the case...I cannot let an opportunity go begging.
At the risk of repeating myself - garlic is not to blame.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qx_2I9QBaA ) :)
I will look back. Thanks for the link Lee...and for the positive vibes re. Bosh!.
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DeleteJust for interest's sake, Yorkie... (seeing we both have inquisitive minds)....
Yorkshire (11,903 km²) is 0.01 times as big as Queensland (Australia) (1,730,648 km²).
Queensland alone is seven times the size of Great Britain...and Australia is about 32 times bigger than the UK.
No need to boast Lee! Size isn't everything you know - as Errol Flynn often said to his mistresses (not misters). The population of Queensland is 5.01 million but the population of Yorkshire (ancient boundaries) is 5.52 million. We may not have as much land but we have more people.
DeleteWe don't have anything to prove, Yorkie! lol
DeleteApart from bread dough.
Delete*smile*
DeleteWell, this mish mash is all good. Time goes by very quickly at volunteer jobs that we like. I did front of house duties at the local college theater. It was all fun.
ReplyDeleteFront of house? You should have been on the stage Red!
DeleteA nice mishmash for sure. Congratulations on five years at your volunteer job. Well done. You can wear your pin with pride. That's a nice picture of the Bosh Boys. It was good that both sets of parents were mentioned.
ReplyDeleteAs they might say in the far north east of England - thank you bonny lass!
DeleteI enjoy mishmash posts! Congratulations on five years of giving back to the world. And a big "well done" to the Bosh! fellows for all the good that is coming from their pursuit of their dreams. I hope it continues for a long time.
ReplyDeleteMishmash sounds like it should be a food dish. Thank you Jenny.
DeleteFennel is a tasty and versatile vegetable. When I was still part of a Sicilian family, I learned many different ways to prepare it. My favourite is this: Cut the fennel into slices about as thick as your smallest finger, turn them in egg and then in flour and fry in a pan in plenty of olive oil as if they were slices of meat.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that tip Meike. I must keep it in mind - possibly for next time.
DeleteWell...... I shall be asking where is my badge when I do my Oxfam shift next week! I have been with them about 8/9 years...no sign of a badge, and no one else has one either. You must be very special!
ReplyDeleteI am so special I have got special needs! A big "tut-tut" to your manager and your area manager! All Oxfam volunteers have the right to be recognised in this way. It is part of the Oxfam volunteer plan. You should raise the question using my example in your support.
DeleteI shall indeed be asking the manager(ess), but I expect I will just get a load of " waffle" !! She has a degree in waffle !
DeleteShe might be better off working in a waffle shop then! Can you contact your area manager directly?
DeleteI have been watching them, they are very sweet, looking to each other for cues, what happens though when all the fuss dies away, a restaurant? My daughter works in a charity shop in Manchester, she gets paid though. She has always loved it, sorting out the goods, pricing them, her two girls know the price of everything.
ReplyDeleteWho knows where Ian and Henry's journey will lead them? Thee's no plan. They are simply riding the wave.
DeleteI wonder which charity your daughter works for?
She works for the RSPCA, directly for the shelter involved. Some people curse charity shops because they see them as bringing a town centre down, but they are just one of the changes and they do move stuff around, and also allow many 'characters' to do something every day, like just chattering to the shop assistant.
DeleteCharity shops are also involved in the business of recycling and reducing landfill.
DeleteHappy 5th Oxfam anniversary! I must try your fennel recipe to impress my friends the next time they come to supper. It sounds easy enough even for me.
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to say, what a great photo if the boys.
DeleteThank you for your kind words JayCee. By the way, I found that simple recipe via Google. Just don't let the fennel burn!
DeleteWell done to both you and your son for your successes. It is lovely to get that appreciation for a job well done. I know what you mean about the charity work becoming a hub around which your week revolves. I feel the same with the food bank work, although it seems to be taking over lately!
ReplyDeleteI was just talking about food banks in the pub last night. We couldn't remember food banks existing ten years ago. They seem to have arisen because of Tory austerity measures. I wonder how many food parcels HS2 spending might have covered. Keep up the good work ADDY! I send out my respect to all the thousands of food bank volunteers around the country.
DeleteI've often wondered about cooking fennel. I'm not a great lover of aniseed though. Anyway I shall give it a try. Thanks for the tip. Someone mentioned cheese on toast this morning. I don't think I've eaten cheese on toast for at least 26 years. A delicacy to revisit.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the Boshers are doing so well. Most of my vegan friends now have a copy of the first book. I'll have to stock up on the second one.
I like the word "Boshers" and will pass that on to them. As for the fennel - it seems to lose most of its "aniseed" flavour through roasting.
DeleteThe vegan Ant and Dec! I can't see a link to the full YP (Yorkshire Post not Pudding) article. It's: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage/meet-the-vegan-sensations-from-sheffield-who-now-have-their-own-tv-show-1-10219815 It allows comments - just one so far, and a rather stupid one at that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that link Tasker. I read the stupid comment and wished to leave my own highly intelligent and advanced comment but as I do not subscribe to Facebook I was shut out.
DeleteIt now currently has two comments, a very stupid one and a very perceptive one.
DeleteThank you for that Tasker. By the way I thought that Tasker Dunham was just a pseudonym. I thought I might be able to confirm your real name when I checked out the new comment - Muhammad Azir-al-Habab.
DeleteCongrats on the plaque! If your manager isn't a manageress maybe she's a managerlady?
ReplyDeleteIt would be best if she simply referred to herself as The Boss.
DeleteAfter your description of the dinner you cooked, I can see where Ian got his love of cooking and food.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on five years of service!
He saw me cooking very often when he was little.
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