Babyboomers enjoy / visit/revisit crunchy, fresh flavours from Vietnam

Dear Babyboomers
OK  - time to get back to other important matters such as cooking.   

We had a Vietnam lunch with friends, who had recently visited there as had my G, so we enjoyed a few delicious fresh tasting dishes from the region. 

We have developed a tradition with good friends where we share the joys and burdens of the meal, which works soooooo well since we are all busy........ whether we are retired or not.  I have heard it said that some retirees are busier than they ever were;  true but great to choose what you  want to busy yourself with.

My dear friend offered to do the entree which was CAC MON KHAI VI - Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Dipping Sauce.  I asked her for the recipe  - she laughed and said "They do it better in Cabramatta."  Which is probably true since these were superb. 

G prepared the pork dish, which turned out to be a great re entertaining since it could be prepared beforehand.  Rice, of course,  Asparagus on the side, (for those who may be allergic to chilli, poor things), then the salad.  A lovely thank you card included the words, "Great company and the most amazing salad."

The recipe morphed from the original, the magic stemming from basic method as is Clara's way ie heavy handed on the fresh, if possible, homegrown herbs, in this case including homegrown lemongrass and fresh mint  (actually Vietnamese mint is so easy to grow and gives a peppery flavour), Coriander root (where most of the flavour is), plus stems and leaves.    Love the added crunch of chopped celery or carrot,  oven roasted nuts or toasted sesame seeds, water chestnuts marinated in the herb mix, or bamboo shoots/Alfafa shoots etc
So it goes together depending on what you have in the frig or the garden.

Clara's Amazing Crunchy Vegetable Salad
Serves 6
Vegetable prep - Measures are approx depending on what is available - these veges are great for this dish in whatever proportions you decide. 

A couple of handfuls of  Snow peas - topped and tailed, and blanched for 1 min in boiling water then refreshed under cold water, 2 sticks sliced celery, lebanese cucumber, sliced diagonally,   red and/or green pepper, sliced or roasted if you prefer;  rocket - or even the tangy addition of fresh pineapple wedges.   
Dressing - 3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar  or vinegar of your choice
1 tablespoon hoi sin sauce (optional)
Be careful not to overdress the salad

Combine and top with crunchy sprouts and oven roasted nuts (peanuts but cashews work well too - spread on oven paper and roasted for about 5 mins)
Cheers Crunchy Clara


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How to wear leggings/jeggings and not look pregnant

Dear Babyboomer women and other friends

We had our first of many open fires last night which smelled wonderful and was cosy after a cold rainy day.  Definitely out with the woolies in earnest.  Lots of leggings around which have evolved since they hit the market some years ago and now we have “jeggings,” which are just really tight-fitting jeans. 


I must admit to needing to wear a longer top if I wear tights as the tops of my legs do not match the glory of my firm muscular calves.  
How Not to Look Pregnant
When wearing leggings, it’s best to wear a top that can be cinched in at the waist or goes straight down to your hips and avoid flouncy tops with too high empire cut or yoking.  Leggings are cute with flats or heels, heels elongating the leg of course.  And of course with boots.
A few of Renotta's  fabulous creative tunics and neckpieces, to provide inspiration as to what to wear over leggings and jeggings.  http://www.shopatnextdoor.com/




Cosy Clara

Everything Old is New Again...March 4th

Loom Knit Tunic with Out of Africa Neckpiece






















Faux Forsythia...

Loom Knit Poncho with Hope Springs Neckpiece























Post Note...March 17th

loom knit silk poncho inspired by shard neck piece

Blue Belle...April 20th


off the shoulder lace knit wrap with robin's egg blue necklace


















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 or visit my website at http://www.babyboomerconnections.com.au/

Wrap yourself in a cosy scarf in your own seasonal colour

Dear Babyboomer Women
"The South Wind doth blow
    And we will have snow
    But what will   Rosella
    Do then?  Poor thing!       Southern Hemisphere version   
We could wrap ourselves up in a cosy scarf in our own seasonal colour. 
R wrote yesterday - There's a great way to tie a scarf that fills in the neckline nicely and keeps the scarf situated. Fold a long narrow scarf in half and loop it around your neck. Pull one end through the loop. Twist the loop and pull the other end through. Voilà!

I tried it today and was pleased with the result.



The right colour next to your face can change your whole appearance. What are you -  a spring, summer, fall or winter?

Your seasonal colour range will complement the colouring of your skin, hair and eyes. I am a summer being a blond, with fair skin (tending more towards a blue tinge rather than golden - damn it). A friend of mine has dark hair with similar skin and I would call her a Winter.  Autumn   looks good in the rusts, browns, orange, cream and tend to have skin warmer hues as do Spring who looks good in the clear bright colours. 


Your seasonal color range will complement the coloring of your skin, hair and eyes

Winter colors are cool, clear and dark to light intensity. Think of the winter landscape colors. In the low light of winter colors appear darker, but on a bright day with the sun reflecting off snow colors appear pale and icy.

Summer colors are also cool, but muted and medium-light to medium-dark in value. Think of seeing the landscape through a summer heat haze. The colors are muted, paler versions of Winter’s. The light colors are creamy pastel rather than icy.

Autumn colors are warm, muted and medium-light to medium-dark intensity. Think of fall New England landscape colors of rich burnt oranges, reds, golden yellows and sludgy greens.

Spring colors are also warm, but clear and bright with medium to light intensity. Think of the bright clear colors of spring flowers and the new season’s clear, bright green shoots.

Happy scarf tying.
Clara




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Babyboomer Women dress up and show up

Dear Babyboomer Women
My desk calendar tells me today, "No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up". 
In the process of compiling, with your help, the Secrets to Successful Retirement", this has to be a biggy.  'Get up' - well - sometimes not easy,  'Dress up', whatever that means to you but I find even though it is tempting to go out in my 'comfies'  or at least my gym shoes, it's worth the effort to make an effort, even if it's to add a flattering scarf or an interesting neckpiece.  It is said by the colour experts that you can correct an unflattering colour choice by adding one of your flattering colours in the upper left quadrant.

Get Looped...May 11th
Brighten up your outfit
 with my new loop necklace with pewter pendant. R

http://www.shopatnextdoor.com/

'Show up' is the really important one here as it suggests that there has been some planning to go somewhere, meet someone, perhaps a commitment to engage in an activity.


Tuesday is traditionally a blah day - with rainy Tuesdays the worst - maybe this is because it is situated in a blah  position in the week (Monday is first, Wednesday, the middle, Thursday getting towards the end of the week, Friday, Yeahh.  Tuesday - nothing much really.  Tuesday's activities, in our local paper includes all these exciting activites - well - at least one or two may appeal, and this is before you take advantage of the Evening and Day College, Private clubs etc -  7am - 8-15am - North Sydney Sunrise Rotary, breakfast at Plato Restaurant,  9-30am - 2-30pm: Cards, Bridge, Jigsaw, Internet Access at Neutral Bay: Seniors Community Centre;  10am-11am:  Tai chi for seniors, Crows Nest,  10am - noon: Mah-jong for all;  10am - 2pm: Computer Club; 11-30 - 12-30: Heartmoves gentle exercise;  Noon to 2pm:  lunch at Mosman Square Seniors Centre for $9;  12-45pm - 2pm: Rotary Club Mosman, Horizons Restaurant;  6-30pm Free Tai chi for beginners at Nth Sydney; 6-30- 7-30 Yoga and meditation at St john's Uniting Church, Neutral Bay, 7-30 pm - 8-30pm: Meditation at Mosman Art Gallery and Community Centre  


Off to do some errands,  meet a friend etc so add  scarf and neckpiece and begin surgical process of removing gym shoes - anyone for Tai chi? 
Cheers Clara
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Babyboomer Women enjoy Disposable Time

Dear Babyboomer Women 
OK......    Disposable Time?  What is she talking about -  you ask? 
Perhaps you don't relate because there wasn't any.  We are hardwired to be the carers and keep everything moving forward positively.  Wow - how good are we?
The downside was that we didn't have time to ourselves.

And now we do.  How was it for you?
Cheers Clara





Visit my website at www.babyboomerconnections.com.au To view or add comment, click on comments at bottom of page or send an email - clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au or visit my website at www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Dear Babyboomers

I'M BACK! MOB (Mother of the Bride) has returned to Blogsville. The wedding can only be described as fabulous.  How good it is to see one's offspring, happy and fulfilled!   

I sat next to a charming man  - we agreed on most things until he talked about retirement, which of course was a trigger for MOB (after a couple of glasses of excellent vintage wine.)  His words were 'Retirement is God's Waiting Room' or something to that effect, then followed it up with 'Women last longer than men because they don't work as hard'.   
A lively conversation followed - as you can imagine. 

I'll leave the second statement for others to debate, and focus on the first as this is my area of interest.  Since beginning this project of 'Blueprint for Successful Retirement' where discussion and chat contribute towards concepts and strategies towards that end, I feel passionate about the positive aspects of retirement.  Which is actually fabulous because I wasn't feeling that way when I began.  In fact, I had similar negative ideas, thinking phrases like, 'I'm finished',   'I don't have an important role in society any more', I feel invisible out there'.  etc

I see differently now -
There are now over 45 million women on the far side of 50, becoming visible, influential and numerous. Never before, in recorded history have there been so many women with so much competence, experience, independence and resources." Babyboomer women are powerful mentors in today's society. We are the Matriarchs - the female elders - the holders of the wisdom for the next generation. There is dignity and strength in this position." 

But there are some simple ideas and strategies to share with you; in the meantime to leave you with the thought that 'we are not finished - we are just starting' - ie now we have the time to explore and act out many aspects of ourselves.   I can't help but comment on the second remark - women and men traditionally work hard, but the one differing  factor which stands out to me, is that women generally  are left with less disposable time. 
Perhaps this is why we value our retirement - we now have precious, disposable time to ourselves, to decide how we want to spend it. 
Cheers Clara
Visit my website at http://www.babyboomerconnections.com.au/
To view or add comment, click on comments at bottom of page or send an email - clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au