Talk Crate

Posts

It’s All In The Name - ’Pen-Pal’

I t's funny how time flies and how times have changed. I am sure you are familiar with the popular statement, "oh how I miss the good old days! ", but were they really good old days? I feel that is something to ponder about. The other day my daughter asked me about 'pen-pals' and I immediately reminisced about how it was such a big thing to have a pen-pal, when I was growing up. Don't get me wrong, we all did have friends in the neighborhood, but there was just something exciting about receiving a letter in the mail. I began to smile as I remember how I would come back from school, so excited to check the mail and see if there was a letter from your pen-pal. We lived for those moments and when you see that familiar handwriting on the envelope, you'd feel such a rush of excitement! In hindsight, it was only just a letter but that letter meant a lot to me as teenager. Nowadays, you'd be suprised to receive a letter in the mail as services such as ema

How To Save Your Sanity

I s It safe to say that l am not alone in this? Is it safe to say that it is normal to feel like this? I can already feel those piercing eyes of yours wondering...where is she going with this? Is it safe to safe that it is not a sign of weakness when one cries? —— S ometimes it is necessary to let the tears roll down and scream, in an attempt to release all the emotions. It is important to note that crying is not a sign of weakness - that is an old school way of thinking. Crying is a response to all types of emotions. One does not need permission to release what they feel. The simplest analogy to explain this is: Imagine a drain that is blocked and without any intervention, you expect it to miraculously unblock itself. Obviously a plunger is needed to relieve the blockage. It is the same with emotions. Sometimes we need to let it all out regardless of the judgemental 'Tom and Joe'. W hichever way, people will always have an urge to judge, but l encourage you to 'DO YOU'

The Joy Brought By A Furry Friend

W henever there is a new addition in the family it comes with all sorts of changes and responsibilities. In this case, it changed my daughter the most. He was a birthday present for my daughter and she actually had absolutely no idea that she was going to get a puppy. She had spent years begging for us to get one and eventually had given up. The reason we initially refused to get a dog was because my husband and I felt that she was not mature enough to handle a dog but now that she is a teenager, she is at an age where we felt that she was ready. We decided to get her a Pekingese due their loyal and affectionate nature. Their cuteness was definitely a bonus! The day we recieved the dog, everyone was on edge, especially my daughter. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect. When we received the dog, she actually cried. It was everything she had ever wanted. She decided to name him Oreo since he had black and white patches all over his body. As time went by, we all learnt how to

Why Camping Is Not For Me

S ometimes, one needs to leave the busy city atmosphere and be one with nature. My husband loves to surprise us with unexpected trips. Usually, we plan as a family but sometimes we can never really agree on where to go. In such cases, we have a family tradition where we leave the ball in my husband’s court and he gets to suprise us! This particular trip was surprisingly different from what we are used to and we aren't quite "outdoorsy" people. This was definitely something out of the ordinary and new for us to try out. O ur cabin was situated near a lake. It was truly a beautiful scene...until night time arrived - that is when everything suddenly went wrong. We were aware of the fact that we would come across different bugs, but we weren't sure to what extent. We had already been told upon checking in, that it is best to stay indoors if we aren't used to what comes out at night! That was not a problem for us as we were exhausted from the drive. The unfortunate par

The Year That Was

2020: The year that was! T his year was something taken straight out of a comic book to the point where you wonder if we are all waking up from a dream... But, even with all the pitfalls, there has been some good moments to cherish. Though the outlook has been bleak, we also, at the end of the day have to acknowledge that there has been moments when we have laughed and felt at ease. I am not disregarding what has transpired or what is transpiring around us. What l am saying is, where there’s been pain you are not alone. We have felt the pain together and where there is joy, we have laughed and rejoiced together. W e have to rise out the slumber and use wisdom to be the best that we can be, in a loving manner and at the same time supporting and bearing each other’s burdens. This is no longer about me and me only but its about us - all of us coming together, being supportive of one another and being compassionate in the best way that we can. Sometimes, just a phone call or a text to ch

Pumpkin Leaves In Peanut Butter - Trying Out A New Dish

I think we can all relate when I say that there are certain days where you just do not know what to cook. l was reminded of a dish my gran used to make. It has a texture similar to that of creamed spinach but in this case, pumpkin leaves are used. It's such a versatile and simple dish that's tasty and nutritious. * Before starting, make sure you peel off the strings found on the stems of the pumpkin leaves * Ingredients [ ] One cup of water [ ] Half a grated tomato [ ] Half a chilli [ ] A pinch of bicarbonate of sode [ ] A pinch of salt to taste [ ] 2 to 3 Tablespoons of peanut butter Steps 1. Roughly chop the pumpkin leaves 2. Mix the water, bicarbonate of soda, tomatoes and salt in a saucepan. Allow to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes 3. Add the pumpkin leaves. It should take them about 10 minutes to fully cook. 4. Add the peanut butter to the pumpkin leaves and stir. 5. Allow to simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes then it will be ready to eat! Tips! • You can enjoy thi