Delifresh Valentine

Give and take, prod and pull

Anne McClain (astronaut) has given good tips on living in (quarantined) close quarters:

• Communication. Listen attentively, respond, identify non-verbal signals, question, reflect, repeat….
• Leadership/followership. Accept responsibility whether you’re leading or following and present solutions not problems (Anne points out that a follower is actually a subordinate leader, contributing to the leader’s direction – and on the international space station everyone both leads and follows, a good tip for relationships – give and take, prod and pull)
• Self Care. No-one knows how to take care of yourself better than your very own self (as long as you take time to check what works for you: check regularly hygiene, sleep, fuel, body, mind and mood – and change if necessary.) Optimise strengths. Be open about weaknesses and feelings.
• Team Care. Demonstrate patience and respect. Encourage. Monitor stress, fatigue, sickness, supplies, resources, workload. Volunteer. Share credit. Take blame.
• Group Living. Cooperate, don’t compete. Keep calm in conflict. Take accountability and give praise freely.

Walk. Love. Limit the News.

In my first post this year, I set myself the three resolutions in the subheading above. I will now add a fourth. For 34 years of marriage Sally and I have shared “KP” (as we call it, from White Christmas…. Kitchen patrol….) and had our own particular dishes but cooked independently for 99.9% of the time because we (me, to be honest) didn’t follow Anne McClain’s advice and I like total control when I am Chief Chef. But in honour of 2021’s Valentine’s Day we invested in a box of fresh local produce from Delifresh with recipe cards (and online video training) to cook a 3-course Valentine’s dinner together. Together! Cooperating, like Anne McClain recommends for astronauts on the international space station.... And it worked – restaurant-quality ingredients and techniques resulted in hearty portions, including leftovers for the next day. For the first time in 60 years I helped make fondant potatoes! So…. Walk. Love, Limit the News. And…. Cooperate in the kitchen. Never too old to learn new tricks.

Changing Landscapes

More and more people I know are being vaccinated against Covid-19. I’m hoping to be jabbed before the end of March at the latest. I wonder what will change when we are living with Covid in a vaccinated world? I don’t think walking will stop. I’d never have guessed that the same series of walks over and over again could remain interesting but the changing mist and low cloud, changing frost and icy conditions, changing skies and winter light seem endlessly fascinating. A perfect ingredient in our astronaut Self Care.

Then welcome, Winter

Hunkering down with Call My Agent and It's A Sin

Winter's costs and benefits

Although this year’s Winter has not included usual highlights like sitting by roaring fires in stately homes, getting a beer at a Christmas market, singing carols in the cloisters at Fountains Abbey or solving Murder Mysteries on New Year’s Eve, snow has still fallen appropriately, woolly clothes have been wrapped around, mulled wine has been glugged and boots have crunched on icy meadows. And I thank the Winter stars for the universe’s permission to savour stodgy pudding and custard at this time of year. I manage to stem the flow of inner tears when our weekly posh takeaway from La Rue restaurant in Saltaire doesn’t include a sponge pud as a dessert choice on their menu. But then I’m only human. Winter has costs but benefits too – hunkering down with movies and box sets, curtains shut, anticipating that Spring will come. Carpe diem.

Winter's Beauty
by W H Davies

Is it not fine to walk in Spring,
When leaves are born, and hear birds sing?
And when they lose their singing powers,
In Summer, watch the bees at flowers?
Is it not fine, when Summer's past,
To have the leaves, no longer fast,
Biting my heel where'er I go,
Or dancing lightly on my toe?
Now Winter's here and rivers freeze;
As I walk out I see the trees,
Wherein the pretty squirrels sleep,
All standing in the snow so deep:
And every twig, however small,
Is blossomed white and beautiful.
Then welcome, Winter, with thy power
To make this tree a big white flower;
To make this tree a lovely sight,
With fifty brown arms draped in white,
While thousands of small fingers show
In soft white gloves of purest snow.

One tree, Four Seasons.... (plus the real Frankie Valli and the movie-acting Four Seasons from Jersey Boys)