Freebies

What is this strange yellow gloop, you may ask? 

Well, it was this... Plus some other ingredients. 

2 years ago, I discovered a tree in the communal carpark for the flats at the end of my road. I noticed apples littering the ground and kept an eye for days. No one collected or moved them so I started going to pick up the windfalls. I made some fruit amber (blended stewed fruit) to eat on cold days. 

Fast forward to last Summer, I obtained a whole lot excess apples from my Dad's garden and then made lots of stewed fruit for the freezer. As last year was a mast year for fruit trees, the carpark tree littered the ground for months and I made batch after batch of fruit amber which I put into little glass jars and ate cold on the train for my breakfast. I actually was eating a tasty, healthy, free breakfast regularly and it was good for me. 

This Summer, I ended up with some windfall from our Norfolk holiday cottage (also passed on some to Ang when we met in Holt!). 

I visited my carpark tree for some more to supplement but it wasn't a hugely fruitful year for it. Still, I had 2 weeks of breakfast and 4 takeaway tubs stowed away in the freezer at school (shhhhh.... My freezer is full at home!) 

I talked to a lady from church down my road and she mentioned there were other apple trees nearby and I recently discovered 5 apple trees on the grass by some other flats. 

These ones were COVERED in apples. Again, no one picking. Whyyyy??? 

This Sunday, I decided I needed a vitamin rich breakfast again and walked down to look at the apple trees. There are still apples on all the trees but the ground was covered in good-looking apples, not even the half squished, half ok ones I usually get. True, they were muddy but they looked good. I picked up about 70 apples from the mud and put them in my bag. I dropped in on my neighbour L to offer her some, which she was pleased about, she took about 15. I got home and counted my swag after washing them and turned out to have 56 apples. 

I grabbed my chopping board, saucepan, peeler, knife, chip bag for debris and sat on my lounge floor to re-watch Marble Hall Murders whilst peeling and chopping  up apples. 

 Once they were done, the saucepan was too full to host them all so I took a portion out, added the remainder of two jars of honey,, added some rhubarb, raspberries and Blackcurrants from the freezer and decided to experiment with adding some Tumeric, black pepper and butter for health benefits.  And that's why my mixture turned orange. 

By the time I added back in the portion of apple and blended it, I made up the equivalent of 12 small jars of amber and an extra takeaway tub and left it to cool down. I've told CBC he needs to take a portion each day to eat as he has similar breakfast issues as I do. For two days, I've enjoyed my healthy breakfast! Here's to collecting more free windfalls and stocking up for winter health!

Xx

P. S. Mainly for my own memories, the Mental Health counsellor came to see me in my room today as I was transcribing a song from Nativity and told me how amazing he thinks my year 3-4 choir is and told me he'd heard nothing like it at any other school locally . Even nicer was he told me he used to work at quite a prestigious school with a music focus before he became a counsellor and we discovered friends in common!

A weekend of joy!

 After battling a week of losing my voice, being extremely tired, the last thing I wanted was a full weekend.  But, that was what my schedule was offering up.  Despite, my exhaustion, it turned out to be a pretty magical weekend.

Saturday morning, I woke up irritatingly early but I enjoyed not having to rush as per usual.

CBC and I enjoyed a lazy breakfast and tea watching Traitors (yes, I have joined that particular joy this series! So much fun!) . We got dressed and then drove the journey to Brentwood for our concert with the BPO.  The rehearsal at 2pm went well.  We performed Sibelius 2nd symphony, Rossini Barber of Seville overture and Paganini's 1st violin concert.

At the breaktime, CBC and I headed to the Giggling Squid restaurant for dinner. I am a creature of habit when I go for a Thai meal and usually always have a Green curry or Paneng but since I was in a not-strictly authentic restaurant, I decided to try something different as did CBC.

I chose some delicious prawns for a starter and then ordered Crispy pork with veg and then a morning glory dish for my mains. They were really tasty but I couldn't eat them in time so I asked for them to take away. Annoyingly, I had brought containers with my to Brentwood for this eventuality but left them in the church! So I had to take disposables but they were presented to me in the loveliest reusable bag which I will reuse for lunch etc. The jelly beans came in a mini one too with the bill.

Our concert went really well. The violin soloist, Tadasuke Ijima, was utterly sublime.  The Paganini is fiendish!  The Sibelius was an utter triumph too! It was a bittersweet concert because Izzie, my friend, who plays 1st flute, had declared this was her last concert (apart from our Cimarosa concert next June).  We really enjoyed the concert and I can't bear to think of her not being there again. We've both played with that orchestra for 30 years.

The next morning, we had to catch an 8.30am train into London for a 50th birthday party. This was a special friend, Tom, who was the conductor of Kensington Chamber Orchestra for over 10 years. He now lives in Germany so we miss him very much.

From the moment I walked in, it was the most incredible day.

SO many wonderful people who I have played with, past and present were there. Everyone was SO happy to see everyone.

We played the following list:

Alfredo Casella: La donna serpente — Sinfonia  

Edvard Grieg: A Swan     (Miranda Johnson, soprano)

Jean Sibelius: Spring Song   

Tarisha, arr. Danyal Dhondy: 

Deep into the earth     

Carry me home

Love finds the way through   

Perez Prado, arr. DD: Que rico el mambo 

Giuseppe Verdi: ‘Sul fil d’un soffio etesio’ from Falstaff    (April Fredrick, soprano)

Sérgio Mendes, arr. DD:   

Keep this heart 

Si señor 

Some morning (original comp. Ivan Lins)

You can listen to the playlist here:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTc5SrF_Npzc&si=wic719zMpH2Adrxp

One of the most special moments was meeting Tarisha, Tom's sister, who writes the most incredible meditation songs which we sang 3 of.   One song, Love finds the way through, Tom had asked me to play the flute solos for this song. It was a real honour and very poignant, as Tarisha recorded the original flute solos herself but now, because of illness, is unable to play anymore.  It was a deep honour to play beside her, to play those solos on her behalf. At the end of the first practice, I saw her well up (which made me well up) and we had a big hug.  The songs were incredibly moving.

We enjoyed a wonderful bring and share lunch and then rehearsed more.  Some ridiculously fun pieces by Sergio Mendes which ended with a full blown conga around the hall.

I cannot tell you how moving and wonderful the whole day was.  To be surrounded by so many wonderful people in one place, some whom I hadn't seen for 10-15 years.

Today, in singing assembly, I decided to teach Year 5-6 Deep into the Earth I know.  

It was utterly wonderful.  The children sang it so beautifully. With a simple drone and drumming on their knees, in 15 minutes, they had learnt the song to perfection in unison and canon. It was deeply moving.

Tarisha

Open Spotify

Youtube

I messaged Tom to tell him about the children singing it and he sent me the loveliest message back, which made me cry!  He referred to me as 'his flautist' saying there was no doubt that I would play that flute solo out of all the amazing flautists that were there.  2 words that make you realise you are valued.  The sweetest thing being the hilarious loud music his lovely toddlers were playing in the background as he spoke.

Oh, it was indeed a weekend of joy!