International Women's Day

Today being International Women's Day I got thinking about the role of women in today's world.  Most of us live in the "free world" where women are relatively free to live, work and dress as we choose. 

We can choose to be homemakers or career women, to be couch potatoes or on-the-go fitness buffs.  We can dress modestly or shamelessly.  We can read what we want and express our opinions without fear of reprisals.  We can generally go about living our lives as we choose.

But, it's not like that everywhere.  In other parts of the world women are restricted.  Some cannot go to school or must brave hazards to get to school.  Other women are limited in the types of work they can do or the places they can go. Still others are forced into marriages or sold into servitude by their families.

These are the women that we should remember today; we need to empower the women and girls who live their lives suffering in poverty, wartorn and dire circumstances.

They say that if a charity gives money to the male head of the household, it is spent on drink and entertainment, but if the charity gives money to the woman of the house, it is spent on food and other necessities.  Empower women.
 

Not Fruit Cake !

Well, yesterday Big J, the kids and I all had a lovely dinner out which put me about a day behind in the weight loss fight.  We went to a Greek restaurant and although I had grilled kalamari, we also had Greek salad, fried kalamari, prawns, dessert and wine.

So, in order to get back on track, today would have to be a fewer calories than normal day.  It was going well until I decided I'd better eat some of the fruit cake before it goes bad.  I'm a big fruit cake fan and cut myself a huge slice.  But it is not all bad.

While trying to determine the number of calories in fruit cake, (I decided it was 500), I stumbled on this garage band:

Apparently there is a huge fruit cake festival every year in a small little town in eastern California called Independence, and this band will often play there.  The festival has a different theme each year like "Fruit Cakes in Space".

Fruit cakes are a love 'em or hate 'em kind of food and it's nice that there is a festival to celebrate this holiday food.

Happy New Year!

A short post today as everyone is likely busy preparing for or already celebrating New Year's Eve.

One of the other parents brought over a Panettone, it's a sweet Italian loaf which is part of the Christmas / New Year's festivities there.  Big J says it's similar to Spain's Rosca de Reyes.  It came with a nice ribbon bow, so of course, I nabbed it for the wreath - there's an update pic at the end of the Wreath post.

Here is Abba with their Happy New Year song:

It's funny, this video is from the 80's? and if you look closely at Anni-Frid's  clothing, she is wearing a lace blouse.  So it's true what they say about fashion happening in cycles.

Happy New Year Everyone!  Feliz Año Nuevo!

Merry Christmas!

As it's Christmas Eve here, we are super busy.  We normally celebrate tonight, but this year guests are coming tomorrow night. I probably won't be posting for a few days but there is time for a quick post today.  If you are also celebrating Christmas, I leave you with:

Happy Christmas Everyone!