My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
In these times when people might want to cheer themselves up with an indulgent cake but there are no eggs available, this plant-based, chocolatey Victoria sponge is a great substitute and easy to make. It’s a recipe I use all the time and, although you can jazz it up by adding your favourite extra ingredients, …
Continue reading Chocolate Celebration Cake – (Plant based)…
I have big plans for lock down. The imposed isolation is for our own good and I’m going to try to turn the challenge into an opportunity. I will do my usual amount of walking and going to the gym, which is just a bike and a running machine and a mat upstairs, and I …
Continue reading A book and a bite: plant-based recipes to lock down to…
There have been some incredible changes this week that affect everyone in ways we couldn’t have predicted. Two weeks ago we were making jokes about ‘car owners’ virus’ and now we’re grumbling about the lack of pasta in supermarkets and being seriously concerned about what the future holds. Most of us aren’t as worried about …
Continue reading Stating the obvious about anxiety and the virus
I was watching my team play in the Champions’ League this week and, I suppose, I was feeling a little bit confident. We had a one-goal deficit, conceded away from home and, on our own territory, I was sure we’d win. The captain was back from injury and we had a full team of strong …
Recently, a soap opera storyline focusing on domestic abuse had me cringing with horror. The husband threw his dinner in the bin because the wife did not put any meat in the dish. The reason for this was because he controls how much she spends on food and she didn’t have enough money; he holds …
Continue reading The one about the tortured wife, the chicken and the empathy muscle
Blame isn’t something I want to spend much time thinking about: it’s like anger: it is a negative emotion and, although it has its place, it can also do harm to everybody concerned and mostly it doesn't resolve problems. Blame is often a knee-jerk reaction to a situation that we find difficult to deal with: …
I recently went to see The Hu perform in Brighton and I can’t praise them enough. It is a wonderful experience to go and see a live band play and come away not only having enjoyed the music but also having being filled with respect for the performers. The Hu are a Mongolian rock band …
Continue reading The Hu and cry for hu-manity through Mongolian music
Many years ago, I qualified as a Reiki healer and although I practise a lot it tends to be mostly on family and friends. Oh, and on animals, who are often the best recipients. On many occasions a dog or a cat will sidle over for a spot of Reiki and only the two of …
Each novel I write seems to follow a pattern at the beginning up to the point where I decide I’ll definitely write it. If it doesn’t pass this stage, then it doesn’t happen. First of all, I have an initial idea and, for the idea to take shape, it has to grab my interest really …
Continue reading What I’m writing at the moment and the 30,000-word test
I work at my computer most days and listen to rock music on the radio on my smart speaker. I love a lot of the songs and I enjoy the DJs’ banter, the cheery voices and the sense of company as a happy voice rattles away in the background while I type. Most of the …
Continue reading Now about some of these old rock song lyrics…
That quintessence of dust 