It's the final tonight and I must admit I will be feeling very sad as the final credits roll, no matter what the outcome. I have followed this competition throughout, the ups the downs, the lobster and the filleted fish and have enjoyed every minute of it. I think any one of these three could win but I'm backing Ash, the one on the right in the photo. Each one deserves to win as each are inspirational with their use of food and how they marry tastes, flavours and textures on the plate. Exquisite.
I have learned a lot about food as I've watched and seen some incredible things achieved in 3* Michelin kitchens. The Spanish restaurant and its 3 brothers who passionately run it was amazing. Such passion, such lovely gentle guys.
So I will watch again with great interest and no doubt cry whoever eventually carries off the trophy. They have each put their all into everything they have done and have shown such pleasure and delight when other chefs have enjoyed their cooking. There is something quite humble about these 3 Masterchefs!
He's a very round robin isn't he?!
Well I've done it again - what I always swore I would never do - produce a 'Round Robin' to put in our Christmas cards! But realistically, I am not going to contemplate repeating the same things time and again just so that they appear more personal. The things of import that have happened to us this year are what I'm writing and the people I intend to send them to will hopefully find this interesting, despite the lack of the 'personal touch'. When you receive a card which just has a signature and a pre-typed address label perhaps that is even more impersonal. Grab a card, sign it, stuff it in an envelope and press 'Print' for all your address labels to be ready to peel and stick! I know everyone is busy but really, what is the point? And all the overspending on gifts that are usually neither needed nor wanted and are on their way back to the returns desk on Boxing Day?
I love Christmas - the lights, the time spent with family, the 'Good will to all men' but we're not buying into the whole commercialisation of Christmas this year. We are not going to have a house groaning with food and enough satsumas to sink a battle ship. The shops will only be closed a day or two at most. We will have a church meeting because 25th falls on a Sunday but we celebrate Jesus every day no longer going over the top on some arbitrary date in December which has its roots in paganism when all is said and done.
So I will send cards to people who I really want to remember and who I wish I kept in more regular contact with; and I'll include the round robin so they are a bit more informed about where we are after a year's passing than "Lots of Love Beverly and Duncan" would tell them. I do hope they all view this as a gesture of love and affection rather than an imposition or a way of not sending a personal greeting.
The written word, or its absence is always open to misinterpretation. One can read so much into what usually is intended as a flippant, off-the-cuff comment.
We have on-going discussions in our house about the boon or the blight that Facebook is in our lives. There are many bonuses to this 'social interaction' site. I have made contact and regularly 'chat' to pupils I taught many years ago and it's wonderful to see how their lives are developing. I am frequently reduced to laughter (LOL!) over some of the postings, quips and jokes people find and re-post in order to brighten the day of their Facebook friends. I can quickly maintain relationships with an occasional on-line chat and this is especially precious when the one you are talking to is on the other side of the world! So there are many good things about Facebook.
But... yes there is always a but. You do have to be careful to write what you actually mean, careful not to ignore or exclude people from conversation strings or you may risk offense or hurt. Careful to remember what a large audience you may be writing to as you sit in the comfort of your sitting room typing away!
I have, as I said, maintained relationships with former pupils and lived through some incredible life changing experiences with some of these young people, both the exciting and the tragic and I am the better for this. However, I have also been privy to some exploits, some conversations, some language that I fear is none of my business and have had to 'unfriend' myself pretty swiftly. (I did explain and hopefully no offense has been taken!) Their lives are not for me to be a part of.
You can learn a lot about people through their statuses!
My only real caution is that I feel Facebook 'chats' may take over from the real thing. To actually pick up the phone and actually interact with someone may become a dying art! Moreover, to visit and socially, physically and emotionally interact with your 'friends' will never, never be bettered by interacting on screen. To see the people you care for, to hug them, hold them in your gaze and your arms can never be superseded by on screen activity. Facebook is an addition not a relationship in itself!
