Damn sick of hearing about Mr. T Woods and his affairs. He's like last year's Amy Winehouse, never out of the headlines. The latest thing on the radio about him was the excuse he did what he did because of what his father did and he was distressed by it. If he saw he own dad cheat on his mum, saw and felt the pain, yes you could say he saw and replicated that, equally you could say he saw the pain caused and vowed never to do it. You are responsible for your own actions and to like father ... like son , well I don't think it's black and white, a lot of it depends on yourself.

In my own world, my dad cheated on my mum am I going to do the same thing ? I saw the pain it caused and the trouble and it made me more determined not to do the kind of things that made me hate him. He's also a compulsive gambler spending most of his life in a casino, I feel so much revulsion that I've never stepped foot into a Casino ever.

Mr FD is giving me a GPS for my car as my Christmas present. He knows that I have no sense of direction and I am quite convinced that he hopes that should I ever decide to run away, that I can run, far, far, away.

Swans a-swimming

The Seventh Day of Christmas – Seven Swans a Swimming

 December 31.

Officially it is the last day of the calendar year. However, New Year’s Day was not always celebrated on January 1^st. In ancient Rome, the year began on March 1st.  Later, in many countries of Europe, the year began on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation.  The change to January 1st was gradual.  Scotland changed in 1600, and England changed when the Gregorian calendar was adopted there in 1752. So basically, to my way of thinking, New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be made on the New Year, they can be made any time – and we shouldn’t feel like we need to make them if we don’t want too! Philosophy according to Flamingo Dancer!

The Egyptians believed swans represented immortality. The Greeks priests , who worshipped the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, were believed to have been descended from swans. The Greeks also associated the swan with wisdom and creativity as they considered that bird related to the nine Muses.  It is said that when Apollo was born at Delos, the event was marked with flights of circling swans. It is in the form of a swan that Zeus assaults Leda and in so doing, engenders the twins,  the Gemini, Castor and Pollux, who hatched from eggs and also their sisters, the tormented Clytemnestra and the fatefully beautiful Helen, whose elopement with Paris caused the Trojan War.

The myth of a swan who turns into a young woman is known as the motif of the Swan-Maiden, and it appears in both eastern and western cultures.  Women who turn into birds and vice versa are popular themes in folklore and literature, too.

 Many celtic beliefs centred on the belief that loved ones became enchanted and turned into swans with gold or silver chains around their necks. The transformation took place during the Samhain festival when the gates of other worlds open up and souls are free to pass through.

Therefore, in Indian mythology, the swan (Skt. hamsa) embodies the union of Garuda and Naga, and since those two are enemies, it also stands for the highest wisdom teachings concerning the union of opposites.

Tales of the Thousand and One Nights includes the story of Hasan of Basra, who visits the  place of the bird-maidens.  When they take off their feather garments, they become  beautiful women.  Hassan hides the clothes of one of them in order to keep her as his wife, but she manages to regain her feathers and flies away.  Hassan sets out on a quest to regain her, and after many adventures finally succeeds.

Sweet Mikhail Ivanovich the Rover is a Slav tale that begins as Mikhail is about to shoot a swan that warns him "Shoot not, else ill-fortune will doom thee for evermore!"  When the swan lands, she turns into a beautiful maiden but when Mikhail tries to kiss her she warns him that she is an infidel.  However, if he takes her to the holy city of Kiev so that she might be received into the Church, he will then be able to marry her.

In a similar South German folk tale, a swan again speaks to a forester who is about to kill her.  In this instance, she says that if he can keep the secret of her existence for one whole year, she will be his but of course, he fails.

In the religious tradition, seven swans a-swimming represents the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

1. Prophecy,

2. Ministry,

3. Teaching,

4. Exhortation,

5. Giving,

6. Leading, and

7. Compassion

Romans 12:6-8

Baby swans (an ugly duckling) grow to become a beautiful swan and Christian growth is when the gifts of Holy Spirit are practiced.

Leonardo da Vinci painting of Leda with The Swan and their children:

http://www.leonardo-da-vinci-biography.com/images/leonardo-da-vinci-painting-leda-and-the-swan.jpg

Tim Minchin says it all for me. Listen to the end ... I cried. I mean, I might have cried if Flamingo Dancers cried, and we don't. So don't even think I did...

I miss my Dad.

Cynthia lou

For the last few months my neck and shoulders have been killing me.  I went to the gym with the Hubs for a couple of weeks thinking it would help ease the pain.  Turns out the gym only aggravates my neck and shoulders.  AWESOME.

I went to the chiropractor last week thinking it would help, but it only provided temporary relief.  Temporary as in a couple of hours.  Sigh.  I made an appointment with a regular doctor.  I hope she doesn’t just prescribe pain meds because that’s not what I’m looking for.  My neck and shoulders issues went away when during my reformer pilates classes last year and I think I need to start those up again.  They are just so dang expensive!  We’re in a recession, there has to be SOMEONE out there that offers reasonable rates.

I would also like to ween myself off of my coffee addiction, but dude, if this cute little bear can’t even do it, how do you expect me to go cold turkey?

I visited Paris first time after 10 years. I have so many beautiful memory from my last visit but one thing I strongly remember is this restaurant.

Restaurant Le Souffle.

My father took me here 10 years ago.

It's not a fancy Michelin's restaurant, a very local, classic one locating on a small street. But was full with local people, we couldn't manage to get in if we didn't make reservation.

Specialty here is of course Souffle. If you want, you can have "Only-Souffle-Menu", from appetizer to dessert.
This is my appetizer, "foie gras souffle".

 Oh yes, this is the one I ate with family 10 years ago. Souffle is very delicate and airy, it melts in your month. I love Souffle but there are not so many restaurants where offer this special french dish.

My husband ordered grilled scallop as an appetizer. You can of course get something delicious besides souffle in this restaurant.  Garlic flavored scallop was very tasty.

I ordered roasted duck as a main dish. Slices of duck are served with sliced oranges. They actually match very well.

Beef stroganoff was the main dish of my husband. In this time of the year, wild foods such as rabbits and dears are also good in France.

 Both of us have chosen souffle as dessert.

This one is pure chocolate souffle.

Mine is Pistachio Souffle. The waiter made a hole in the middle and poured chocolate sauce inside.

Souffle are quite sweet so you will need Espresso together.

There were lots of classic picture of foods hanging on the wall and I liked this one the most:)

I think I am now more experienced with restaurants than 10 years ago. I was not so impressed by the dishes except souffle. (souffle were really good!) But what surprising is that the restaurant has nothing changed for 10 years and still very popular among local people. I see that this restaurant is quite old and has history. The restaurant has been loved by Parisian and will be continue loved in future.

Le Soufflé

36 rue Mont Thabor

75001 Paris (France)

Well, it was extremely cold in Paris and my lips easily get dried. Damaged lip is not attractive.

Li Cosmetic LIP BALM

Constance lip care is absolutely necessary. Healthy lip makes food also delicious looking.

You can get it here.

Dear Ms Hairdresser

Dear Ms Hairdresser,

        A little numerical work on the fingers has confirmed that you have been styling my hair for almost 7 years. I think that 7 years is entirely enough time to mutual agreement that, Yes, my hair does grow quickly and Yes, my hair is  very thick. So do we really have to go through the routine every time I am in your salon? I am really tired of being made to feel as though I am a freak from a sideshow with a social disease because my hair is thick and full of body and bounce.

       I also object to your inference that you are doing me some gigantic favour by taming my wayward locks. I am not going to thank you for performing some sort of miracle in the name of communty spirit. It is a hair cut, and I pay you.  I pay you very well.

      I am a grown woman. I am intelligent. I don't think that I should be expected to gush and squeal when you flourish a mirror at the end to show me the back of my own head.  It is not brain surgery. I think that you do a fine job - otherwise I would not have been your client for  7 years, though once or twice I have thought that perhaps you could snip a little more off the length, or flourish the blades to thin my hair just a little more and assist me in actually making it 6 weeks to my next cut, without looking like an English Sheepdog. I understand though, as I know most women fear a bad hair cut - for me it only takes a week for it to grow over!

       So, unless you want me to get a severe case of the 7 year itch and move onto new scissors, may I suggest that you SHUT UP about my hair's rate of growth and density, or run the risk of me tearing that pair of scissors from your hands and thrusting them into your heart before I leave your pretentious hair salon in search of hair understanding.

Yours most earnestly

FD.

[yes, I did get my hair cut today. I am exhausted from pretending to be nice and holding my true nature in behind a facade of politness. I am glad that I don't have to go out more.] 

true love

The Sixth Day of Christmas - December 30th

Geese are migratory birds and so in the past have been regarded as symbols of the solar year, and also as symbols of fertility. Ancient Egyptians held the belief that the souls of the dead rose up in the form of a goose with a human head. Juno, the Roman Goddess of heaven and marriage, held the goose as sacred. The geese in the temple of Juno on the Capitoline were said by Livy to have saved Rome from the Gauls around 390 BC when they were disturbed in a night attack. The story may be an attempt to explain the origin of the sacred flock of geese at Rome.

Geese were amongst the first fowl to be domesticated. Hey, wouldn’t you rather go to the pen and gather eggs or a goose rather than hunt predator animals far and wide? No brainer! Geese became a common barnyard fowl in England, and  as your true loves appears to have a fowl fetish,  it is natural that geese were included in the Twelve Days gift list.. Geese also mate for life so your true love is really sending home his message of unending love. Your true love is however giving you six female geese, laying eggs, so make your own meaning there!

Following religious tradition six geese a-laying refers to the six days of creation.

Day 1: Light and Darkness

Day 2: Heaven

Day 3: Earth, Seas, Vegetation

Day 4: Sun, Moon, Stars

Day 5: Fish, Birds

Day 6: Animals and Humankind to rule over them

Genesis 1:1-30

Cooked goose? See Australian Maggie Beer’s recipe http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/roast-goose-with-apple-onion-and-sage-stuffing

the Happiest time of the year

I was watching a Christmas movie on Hallmark last night. Henry Winkler was the wise fun uncle who comes to stay for Christmas and  collects a handsome stranger at the airport, who of course falls in love with the uptight, corporate niece with the oh so cute kid.  I had one of those happy inane smiles on my face that you get when you watch a happy inane fluffy romantic comedy Christmas movie.

Mr FD must have been stunned by the sight of a smile upon my face – the first in a few days probably. He must have thought I had some secret supply somewhere and not sharing, so sat down and started to watch the movie with me. In the hope I would share no doubt. It wasn’t long before he was getting annoyed at the “bad guy” fiancé, who was boring and rich and distant and controlling, and cheering for the handsome stranger.

Just after the bad guy manipulates the good guy out of the picture and the wise uncle is telling uptight, list making girl to throw caution aside and run after the good guy, the cable station had some sort of break down. The frame just froze. It was the network’s problem and after a few minutes in which we imagined the lone person at the cable station , drinking coffee in the staff room, realising that the movie had frozen and running down the dark empty corridors to flick a switch, the channel when into an endless string of commercials.

Mr FD became quite distraught – how were we ever going to know what happened next? I said , relax, she will chase after him to the airport, but will not be able to find him and just as she is leaving he will appear from somewhere and all will be well.

No, not good enough for my man. He is obviously not going to sleep until he knows the outcome. I said, look even when it comes on again, they will skip a chunk to make up for lost time. I know the ways of this world, yes I do!

His eyes were like deer in the headlights. I could almost see and hear his mouth forming the word “NNNNOOOOOOOO!”. The man was in serious suffering.

The movie eventually came on, and yes they had leapt a chunk, but we got to see the scene where she is leaving the airport and he sees her retreating and calls out to her. Segway to car returning home and good guy running out of the car to embrace cute kid. Closing scene he and she kiss as the door closes. Sweet.

Mr FD was somewhat mollified, but the missing minutes of the storyline really upset him.  I think he went to bed a little empty.

This morning the #$@$#$%#$%@$#$^% parrots woke be at 5am, chirping away in the trees outside our bedroom, so I gave up the thought of sleep and came downstairs for a tea and one of the coffee muffins I made last night. I flipped on the television and LO! the movie was on replay and I was able to catch up on the missing storyline (I won’t tell in case you are yet to watch!). When Mr FD came downstairs I was able to relate the details to him. Oh happy day, he regained his happy glow.

It really doesn’t take much to keep a Mr FD happy. Perhaps you should buy one sometime. I got the family size.