Blog – Page 19 – Nyamazela

The Clink: thank you BBC for this hilarious news report

Posted on 9 Jun, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

“The Clink, probably the first prison in England, built in the 12th century by the Bishop of Winchester. The prison was notorious for the brutal treatment of its prisoners and received its distinctive name from the clinking sound of the prisoners’ manacles and chains. Standard torture practices included stretching prisoners on the rack, crushing with heavy weights, boiling in oil and forcing prisoners to stand in water until their feet rotted.”

London by Tube: A History of Underground Station Names by David Revill

What is wrong with the world when corrupt FIFA officials continue in their roles, earning heaps of money quietly laundering money, while in other world news, a pigeon is detained on suspicion of being a spy?

You think I’m joking? I’m not.

I also double checked my diary to make sure it was not in fact the 1st April. This is a true story and you can read it on the BBC.

Continue reading The Clink: thank you BBC for this hilarious news report

The kindness of a good Hubby

Posted on 8 Jun, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.”

The Bible, Proverbs 30:18-19

Sometimes it’s the small kindnesses that touch me deeper that the gallant gesture.

The slow dance in the kitchen to calm me down; the hand reached out to me on an ordinary summer walk along the river; putting out the rubbish; putting away a pile of things that have built up in the entrance hall; a kiss on the forehead; a text during the day; a hot cup of tea and a rusk brought to me in bed; a late night belly laugh or a sleepy morning cuddle.

Continue reading The kindness of a good Hubby

It’s a mad, mad, modern world

Posted on 5 Jun, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

“Maybe you’re standing on a commuter train, using this book as a filter between you and a repellent armpit. If so, I’m terribly sorry. That’s no way to start the day, is it? Face in a pit. Commuter trains are the only place you’d not question standing what in any other social scenario would be freakishly and embarrassingly close to a friend, let alone a stranger.”

Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart

This actually has happened to me on numerous occasions. I’m 5 foot 1, so optimal hight for the average armpit. The author of this book is about 6 foot 2 so I’m not sure she is really speaking from first hand experience. I would add to this. Worse than having your face in a pit during the morning commute is having your face in a pit during afternoon commute, on a boiling summer’s day in London. The Lord, in His wisdom has given me an olfactory system almost matching that of a sniffer dog, so imagine my torture…

I’m still trying to find my one true purpose with this nose of mine. More on that another time.

Continue reading It’s a mad, mad, modern world

English humour

Posted on 3 Jun, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

“…though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been busy all morning making tea-bread and sponge-cakes.”

Cranford, by Elizabeth Leghorn Gaskell

I absolutely adore the English sense of humour. My husband claims I don’t always ‘get’ him, but this is not true. You see, I grew up on a diet of Faulty Towers, Birds of a Feather, The Two Ronnies, Mr Bean, The Vicar of Dibley, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Roald Dahl novels, Enid Blyton books… the list goes on.

Continue reading English humour

Words: a beloved engine of communication and fun

Posted on 27 May, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

” Quite suddenly, with blinding insight, the secret of their blissful marriage was revealed to me. She couldn’t speak a word of English, and he couldn’t speak a word of Spanish.”

Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950’s by Jennifer Worth

Having been married myself now for almost 18 months I cannot even begin to write tomes of wisdom on the subject, but I do love to collect quotes from books I have read. I share them first with my husband, who generally mumbles ‘ahem’ while distractedly reading something else. Then I highlight and save the clipping to muse over later. Continue reading Words: a beloved engine of communication and fun

Chilli Black Bean and Chorizo Soup with rice

Posted on 18 May, 201531 May, 2016 by nyamazela

“It isn’t the great big pleasures that count the most; it’s making a great deal out of the little ones – I’ve discovered the true secret of happiness, Daddy, and that is to live in the now.”

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

Try this little pleasure:

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
+- 85g Spanish chorizo, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder/flakes (If you like hot food, chop up some fresh chilli) Continue reading Chilli Black Bean and Chorizo Soup with rice

Everything has a beginning

Posted on 12 May, 201519 Jul, 2018 by nyamazela

“Suppose there were a great big hollow sphere made of looking-glass and you were sitting inside. Where would it stop reflecting your face and begin reflecting your back? The more one thinks about this problem, the more puzzling it becomes.”

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

I have been writing for many years and I’ve loved it always, and every piece must be found, formulated and pulled out of me.

I’ve written a diary or a journal most of my life – always delightful to re-read. Though generally not a daily writer, I keep coming back.

Some entries are trivial: “I broke a nail!” (1991 school diary complete with nail stuck into the diary with sticky tape).

Some entries are tentative: “How do I begin?” (2013 catching up after a few months of not picking up my journal). Continue reading Everything has a beginning