Feeling The Pinch?

I am! Perhaps you are too. I am pleased as punch with myself this week though. I started rooting around the back of my cupboards and I found a packet of dry beans with an expiry date of September 2022. It is actually a mix of ten different kinds of beans. Jack took a photo for me and put it on his Instagram account asking what we could do with them.

Within an hour we had several responses – and the overwhelming shout was “chilli”!!! It is ages since I made a chilli. I asked a friend of mine if she had any recipes, and she told me that one of her most budget friendly recipes, ideal for mass catering, is a vegan ten bean chilli. Whoop whoop!!! Music to my ears!

She emailed the recipe over to me and I have everything in the recipe except the chipotle chilli paste….well I have onions, peppers, garlic, veggie stock cubes, rosemary, and coincidentally, the three tins of chopped tomatoes I had in my cupboard also expire in September 2022!…oh the recipe says to use vegan chorizo but I am not sure where I will find that. They probably have something in the supermarkets, there is so much choice for vegans nowadays.

I am seriously excited by this!! I will find some chipotle chilli paste tomorrow, and then I will make this apparently vast batch of chilli – and therefore, I will not be anxious about my pennies over the next week or so.

Sorted!!!

Jack Knows All The Answers

Jack has a wonderful habit, one that I suppose is ever so slightly annoying when I am tired an irritable, but one that makes me so glad that he is the man I am going to marry. If ever I am grumpy and grouchy – which is only if I ever come across someone who is obnoxious – Jack will listen patiently while I voice my gripe, and then he will ask me a question:

“What is the loving thing to do about that?”

I love that he asks me that question (yes, initially it might not be what I want to hear) because he helps me to remember the person I am, the person I am always trying to protect and preserve despite the smog of the world.

I know that living the way of love is truly the best way of life!!!

During the past couple of weekends, Jack has heard some of the things that are on my mind, and one of them has been people who seem impossible to please. Are there people in your life – they may be neighbours, relatives, friends or colleagues – who, even when you do what you know is good, right and kind, seem to only have a harsh word for you?

I have a just a small handful of people in my life like that right now, one in particular, who seems hostile. It doesn’t matter how polite and kind I am, how helpful I try to be, how generally lovely I am to them…all I receive back is scowls, snarls, eye-rolling, criticism, and rebukes. I have gone from being generally lovely to being extra special superbly lovely – and the reaction has been even more cold.

Well…I told Jack how it has been tiring me to have to deal with this. He listened, and hugged me and he asked me…

“What is the loving thing to do about that Melody Finch?”

Did You Have A Puppy?

Jim Adams aka Newepicauthor, the creator of A Unique Title For Me, is hosting SONG-LYRIC-SUNDAY and this week he has chosen the theme: PETS / NAMES / MEMORIES

Photo by Steshka Willems on Pexels.com

Perhaps I am wandering down the predictable route with this theme – PETS…well, how can you not think of “puppy”? And as if I needed any other excuse to feature one of my favourite, favourite, favourite tracks of all time!!!

I know I have shared in the past that those who know me still like to rake up the legendary performance I delivered of this song – whilst wearing a silver dress which was one layer upon layer of sparkley fringe. I gave my performance just as much energy as Tina Turner does in her live performances.

Is there any better way to start Sunday than with a legend!!

When I was a little girl
I had a rag doll
Only doll I've ever owned
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now my love has grown
And it gets stronger, in every way
And it gets deeper, let me say
And it gets higher, day by day

And do I love you my oh my
Yeah, river deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby

When you were a young boy
Did you have a puppy
That always followed you around
Well I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy
No I'll never let you down
'Cause it grows stronger, like a river flows
And it gets bigger baby, and heaven knows
And it gets sweeter baby, as it grows

And do I love you my oh my
Yeah, river deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby

I love you baby like a flower loves the spring
And I love you baby just like Tina loves to sing
And I love you baby like a school boy loves his pet
And I love you baby, river deep, mountain high
Oh yeah you've gotta believe me
River deep, mountain high
Do I love you my oh my, oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby

Massage Therapy Yields No Results

That title could look a little controversial. I don’t mean in general, I just mean in my case. This may be easier to understand when I tell you it was Jack who gave me the massage, and the blunt truth is that he does not know what he is doing, he is just trying his best to ease my neck pain.

In actual fact, the opposite occurred!

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

Do You Believe In Happy Endings?

I was talking about happy endings with a friend the other day. We both agree that we would be very disappointed in a book that did not have a happy ending.

I have read books like that in the past, and I ached and grieved afterwards and I suddenly decided I don’t want to be put through that misery any more by other writers. I don’t mind an arduous grueling journey, so long as the destination makes it all worthwhile.

Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

I have lived every day of my life knowing that the painful, stressful, turbulent voyage that we are currently experiencing will give way to a wonderfully happy ending. But this bit right now…I have to admit, I would love to skip a few pages, even a few chapters…I am longing for the climax. I will not grieve the corrupt, greedy, callous system.

Next Neck Update

I came home from work last night shattered after a day of working my way through neck pain on the back of a very disturbed sleep. Last night was a better night sleep-wise – only woke up three times with the pain and was so exhausted I was able to get straight back to sleep. But this morning…

man alive!!! it hurts!!

I am a tough cookie, but this is the kind of pain that is making me tearful. I just don’t know if I can endure work and pain without losing my marbles.

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I Am Stiff-Necked!

…and I do not mean that in a metaphorical sense. I woke up on Monday morning with a terrible ache in my neck…and it is still with me.

I think I have strained a muscle. I have been trying to stretch my neck, limber up, gently of course, but trying to recover ease of movement, but no, no, it just won’t go.

So now I am resorting to painkillers because I need to work, only, the painkillers are not making much difference. The only thing that does seem to help is not moving my next at all. Ever tried that? Not so much fun!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The most painful task of the day – absolutely excruciating but completely necessary – clipping my bra closed. Ay karumba! I thought I would pass out the pain was so overwhelming. Jack told me he would have been happy for me to go without my undergarments, and he added I could just forget about all clothing if it would help my neck (hmm). Jack has had to head back to his place, and I am all sulky because I feel a little useless with this stiff and painful neck.

I hope work is going to be kind to me tomorrow. I don’t think pain and work are a great mix.

It Could Be An Obsession

I have a love/hate relationship with maths. It seems to come naturally to me, which is an asset in many ways – especially in my job in finance. However….it is also something that hooks me in and before I know it I am working out formulas and driving myself loopy with equations.

Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.com

I think I need to someone to take away the abacus before it becomes an obsession!!!!

I Was One Of Those Girls

I tend to shy away from sports nowadays, simply because I am very uncomfortable with nationalism. However, the news about the football final last night did reach my ears and I can see that it means a lot to the women who have won that trophy.

I was one of those girls who used to play football every lunchtime with the boys all the way through primary school. The boys were more than happy to have me play because we went to a small school, so I made up the numbers. I was not particularl skilled, but I had lots of energy, and I would run up and down the pitch and was brave enough to try to tackle any of the boys.

When I reached high-school, the boys sort of laid down the rule “no girls”. I was sad at the time, but then I found hockey, which was similar to football except for the big wooden stick and the very hard and fast ball we played with. Hockey was a great sport for me as I could do exactly what I did in football – run up and down the pitch and be brave enough to tackle anyone else.

Photo by Mica Asato on Pexels.com

But I always have had that soft spot for football. I wanted to play, but there did not seem to be any where for me to play in my teens. Of course every time I was with friends in the park I was able to show my enthusiasm and men were always very impressed by what I could do on the pitch (which was still mainly run up and down tirelessly and perform daring tackles).

I am not going to make a big fuss about the big win because I do not want to say anything that sounds nationalistic, but when it comes to girls, women, wo want to play a game they love – I totally understand that. So bravo ladies!

…And The Scars They’re Leaving

Jim Adams aka Newepicauthor, the creator of A Unique Title For Me, is hosting SONG-LYRIC-SUNDAY and this week he has chosen the theme: ILLNESS/INJURY/SCARS

Photo by willsantt on Pexels.com

Please forgive me, I am dashing out and have prepared this post in great haste. I love the song I have picked for today. I grew up loving “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo”, but I absolutely adore this ABBA track, which has been one of their most successful and was used to raised funds for UNICEF. I leave you with ABBA’s fantastic “Chiquitita” (which I believe translates as “little one”).

Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong
You're enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you've broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumbling down
And your love's a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Written by: Andersson Benny Goran Bror Andersson and Bjoern K Ulvaeus