Leon's weekly 'rap' – 24 December 2021
It's the last Rap of the year! I've had so much fun writing this 'column' and I hope you have enjoyed it, too. I'd be interested in your feedback: what you like, what you don't, what was the best 'tidbit' you got from this column this year.
Thanks for coming along for the ride this year. It's been challenging for most of you and I'm glad we've been able to share a bit of us with you to (hopefully) help you through.
With that being said, stay safe, enjoy the sun and, in the meantime, this week's rap ...
The best show I watched this week (and this year)
Still watching Elementary, which I am very much enjoying. As far as my pick of the year: I would have to say The Queen's Gambit followed by Fleabag. Both feature amazing lead actors and stories about women getting on in two very different worlds. If I had to pick one, it would be The Queen's Gambit, but I really did love Fleabag, which was very funny at times.
The book I'm reading right now (and the best book I read this year)
I'm currently reading The Big Bounce by Elmore Leonard, who is in my top five favourite authors. The best book I read this year was easily The True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey. If you haven't read that, find a copy and indulge. I started reading it on a week-long winter retreat in a mud brick cabin in the hills near the Yarra Valley. Perfect setting, and sometimes I think that influences how a book is received. Still, this tome is a masterwork, and once I started reading it I looked forward every night to getting back to it.
Most interesting thing I read on Wikipedia
Purple – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple
Yep, there's much more to purple than meets the eye. I researched this after finding out it is the only colour not used on any national flags. Evidently, back in the day, it took more than 10,000 sea snails to make one gram of purple dye, which is why only wealthy people and royalty wore it. Purple carries a lot of mystique and symbolism and the wiki page is well worth a read, if you like random facts (or love colour).
Music discovery
Not so much a discovery for me as a gift to you. I made a 'Christmas Cocktails' playlist for you all to play on Christmas Day!
And here are a few more you may like to play.
This one is the 'Christmas Crooners' list.
And this one is the 'Classical Christmas' list.
Then there's the 'Jazz Christmas' list.
And for those of you who like it a bit more 'rock'n'roll-y' here's the 'Jingle Bell Rock' list.
Best quote I heard or read this week
"Skip the boring parts." ~ Elmore Leonard (this is why he's one of my favourites). If only life were this simple!
Food I most enjoyed this week
My daughter made gingerbread men, Christmas trees and houses and then she decorated them. They were the best thing I ate this week. I hope you get the same thrill from the handmade treats you'll get this week!
Favourite article on the YLC website this week
I think the article about how often you should clean your appliances from our contributor Sam Wylie-Harris takes the cake this week.
Best article I read on the web
How to use the delete button in your brain to make it more effective published on Medium.
One of the simplest ways to keep your brain in tip-top shape and make learning new things easier.
Thing I am most grateful for right now
Holidays! It's been a long year, so I'm very much looking forward to time off with my family and, hopefully, will get to see a few of my friends, too!
What I wish I could be doing that I can't do right now
Being on holiday! Honestly, it can't come quickly enough!
Feel like sharing? Go on, I dare you!
Don't forget the creme fraiche to go with the pie...
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9455/creme-fraiche/
Re: The best show I watched this week
I am looking forward to watching
guaranteed to be the best show to watch this week :)
The top four artists competing for the crown on The Voice 2021 are
Bella Taylor Smith from Team Guy,
Arlo Sim from Team Keith,
Mick Harrington from Team Jess
and G-Nat!on from Team Rita.
The Voice coaches... Keith, Rita, Jess and Guy
The only time I was in SA back in 1968 my husband was sailing in a race at Cape Town, we didn't know each other back then he had come down from Harari and I was sailing back into Fremantle.
Travelling around the Baltic was very nice, one little city called Tallin we enjoyed.
Also the island of Bornholm off the coast of Sweden if you get a change to travel after the mess of this virus we are all under!
WikipediaPopulation: 39,440 (2020)Area: 588.4 km²Location: Baltic SeaLargest settlement: RønneHighest point: Rytterknægten
Thank you Hola for answering my question!
I have always wanted to keep it quiet if it ever happened! LOL But it hasn't sadly.
In the news some months ago in the USA was a woman that was creating a village for people in the US, just little homes for those people that didn't have any of their own, she touched me greatly and it was something I had wanted to do for years, but not the way she had done it. Although I think she is wonderful doing it.
I would love to create a little village for those that have nothing, like I would for all the animals that are lost and are cold and starving on the streets. Recently I had contact with a lady that does this in her own home for cats.
I would love to purchase a large parcel of land and create a community to help both people and animals, of course I would love to help the education of many children that had lost their parents also.
The architect in me would have a field day! LOL
This community spirit would be wonderful to experience.
At my age the idea of spending money going on another cruise is not on, much as I would adore to return to Norway I doubt I would feel safe traveling the planet, I think we are all safer at home, however, with the recent news of these submariners upsetting the French and now it appears our closes neighbors it is a worry.
However, I transgress and have turned to politics! Heaven forbid.
Yes it would be a lovely dream to win that about of money and start destining and helping people.
What do you think please of this bit of news?
It just goes to show how one person can affect the lives of many.
'Who knows what they will do to us now?' Horror of 255 interpreters stranded in Kabul after MoD email blunder blew their cover
RICHARD PENDLEBURY: At 9.22pm on Monday evening, Kabul time, former interpreter Abdul Ahmad received an unsolicited email from the Ministry of Defence in London. It read: 'Dear Sir or Madam. We hope this message finds you safe, please rest assured that the ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) casework team in the UK is doing everything it can to relocate you as safely as possible. Pictured: Interpreter Abdul Ahmad (left), journalist Richard Pendlebury with a Taliban security guard (top right), the damning email containing the details of interpreters (inset) and Taliban fighters in Kabul (bottom right)
Re: Food I most enjoyed this week
Having my own rasberries growing I gave it a shot
Please thank your lovely lady for sharing this recipe with us