Feeling Cold, Cold, Cold but Very Grateful.

Obviously it is cold. It is December and winter, and we have had storms, snow, rain and short, dark, days. This is what happens during UK winters, but I am warm and cosy at home and I am also very grateful. 

This comfort should not be taken for granted. Christmas can be such a hard time for people, especially those who are homeless or living in inadequate accommodation. Some people will be struggling with rising fuel and food costs this winter and many people will be lonely. Then there is a new Covid variant and all the difficulties of living through the pandemic.

It is very easy to take life for granted. I have an incredibly interesting job and a good employer. My employer recognises the complexity of the pandemic and the impact of this on the seafarers we serve and on our own lives. Life is stressful and it will continue to be for some time to come.

This world has always been a stressful place for some, but now the stress touches all of us because even if you are financially secure and stable you cannot avoid the suffering of others, unless of course you are really hard hearted.

I am not a millionaire but I have a good job, a warm and cosy home, health, faith and food. I also have supportive family and loving friends. It hasn't been easy to see everyone over the past 18 months but they are there, just a phone call or a WhatsApp away.

I also have books to read, clothes to wear, Netflix and the time to enjoy all these things. I can also cook and eat what I want and the pandemic has meant that I actually have time to think about cooking, baking, experimenting with recipies and planning. It is not that I didn't do these things before, but now I do them all the time and I enjoy it immensely.

Now when I cook I have the time to really appreciate the colour of the ingredients and the beauty of the way the ingredients come together. Cooking is now an experience instead of a rushed chore. 

When I cook I find myself relaxing and I listen to audio books as I cook. Sometimes I cook in silence and allow my thoughts to wander and wonder, and I allow prayer to rise. Sometimes cooking becomes an act of worship and an act of gratitude. Today is a chilly day because it is a chilly season but yet the act of cooking brings warmth and colour.

I cooked a Tartiflette today, bringing bacon, cheese and potatoes together in one dish. The cheese melts together with the bacon and crispy potatoes forming comfort and delicious goodness in one spoonful. The recipe is from James Martin and can be found here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tartiflette_and_bacon_21649

I also needed a bit of greenery so I made  Gordon Ramsays Sticky Pork with Asian Greens from his Quick and Delicious cook book. 

The food brings warmth and colour to a cold wintry day with the green of the vegetable

and the warmth of the honey and soy marinade on the pork.

Delicious 😋 

And then the gratitude follows because not everyone has the ability to buy these kinds of cookbooks or even cook these kinds of meals. So I am grateful that I can take the time to experiment with different meals and with different food and brighten up a cold, cold, cold winter day.