Hausfrau Róisín´s Ten Tips for the Trip ....

O.K. so everyone knows when you go on a long trip you need your I.D., funds for the trip, a cell phone and a change of Unterhosen.

In addition to that whether you are going to the corner shop, a day trip on the bike, or halfway around the world, your trip, I opine, will be much easier if you follow the following:

 

Here are Hausfrau Róisín´s Ten Tips for the Trip

1) NEVER leave home without the means to get yourself back there.  

 

And I don´t just mean here your return ticket.   What if plans changed and you had to go home now, today, this minute.    On a long trip that would be the means to buy a new airplane ticket.  On a bike or a hike, best to have info on the local train or bus schedule to hand.  

2)       Write your home address and person-to-contact-in-an-emergency details in the back of your passport NOW.

   

Bet you did not know you could write in your passport. You can, in fact, they ask you to.  Check it out.  Even if the journey does not require a passport, it is always good to carry this info. in your wallet.  

This is a no brainer and it is amazing the amount of people don´t have this basic information on them.

3)        In addition to your home address, if you are travelling with others carry a business card of the location you stayed last night, or where you will be staying tonight:

If you fall off the curb and knock yourself out, it will be much easier for you, the first responders and your fellow travelers, if they can be contacted immediately instead of the local police having to call your Mammy and Daddy two hundred/thousand miles and three time zones away.

True Story:

When I lived in New York a fellow tenant did a three month cycle around the U.S. before his planned return to Ireland.  We expected Liam to arrive back on the 2^nd of September.  When we did not hear from him we contacted the Irish Embassy some weeks later to discuss our concerns.  Turns out they knew about said Liam.

It seems the bold Liam had had a bad accident the day he was due to arrive back to our flat in N.Y.C.   He was in hospital and suffered all sorts of unfortunate drama.  His parents were flown over from Ireland.  Liam was brought back to Dublin…. 

And heck how much easier it all would have been if Liam´s family had had an inkling their son´s roommates were not five subway stops away from the hospital where Liam had been hospitalized.

4)       Carry your medical info: Insurance card, BLOOD GROUP - are you allergic to whatever?  And other time/life saving stuff.

Don´t know your blood group?  You should.  If you ever donated blood the info. on your blood group will be on the card they give you.  Ask your doctor on your next visit.

True Story:

While chatting with cousin Mary (almost) perfect son R. phoned in from Australia.  Almost perfect son R., 24, is doing a Masters in Accounting, so clearly grown up more-or-less. None the less, did not know his own blood group.   A medical situation, they wanted to know his blood group NOW, it would save important minutes.   What if Mum had not been there? 

And more   Mum had to look up her files for the info… ´What , you mean you don´t love me enough to know my blood group without having to go check it out` Shock and horror for junior to be dealt with after the blood donation was administered!

5)          Confuse the bad guys.

Frankly it is easy for me to do this, just look distracted all the time, carry lots of bags - they won´t know which one to rob.  Dress down, not up, esp. if travelling alone. -  But not too down, you don´t want to be put out of the airport!   

Similarly the bad guys will more likely rob an expensive looking case than a bog normal one.  I said bog normal NOT bog awful… A bog awful case will make the bad guys think no body travels with such a bog awful case unless they have something they don´t want you to find.

6)         Wear a security purse BUT ONLY HAVE NON-ESSENTIALS in it.

If I say so myself this is a really good trick.  It should really be part of no. 5, but it deserves a spot on its own. I always have 20 or 40 Euros/dollars and an out of date medical card.  Then in the daily comings and goings I use the dollars there, in addition the card will be able to identify me, but will be useless if someone else tries to use it.

7)           Hide your important stuff everywhere! 

Yes, still coming under no. 5. But like no. 6, worthy enough of a special mention.  If you have a form of I.D and a few shillings or whatever stuck in a few unexpected places, you will always have something to fall back on.  Be it an inside pocket in your toiletries purse, your smelly socks where ever, it will take too much time and effort for the bad guys to find it all. -  Only be sure you remember where you have the money before you wash those smelly socks!

Consider this.  If you are one of these people who insist on carrying all your important papers, money, tickets in a security belt all the time, saying ´I always have the belt on me.` I don´t want to travel with you… because you will drive those around you demented when you forget and take off the f---ing belt.  And you WILL forget the f---ing belt sometime(s).

True story. 

Places I know people left the security belt that they `never’ take off.

-          In a changing room trying on a swim suit.

-          In a massage salon.

-          In a toilet… (Heard this one several times)
       And in each case, the expected drama ensued. 

8)        On the bus/train/ferry/park bench where ever, when you stand up LOOK AROUND YOU to make sure you have left nothing behind.

Just think of the trouble Yo Yo Ma would have saved himself if he had done this the day he left his cello in a taxicab in New York City.  Yep his 280 yr old Domenico Montagnana cello – the very same one valued at  US$2.5 million. 

I have no doubt that you too gentle reader have your own ´left behind´ memory that you can cringe about for a moment, and determine in the future to ALWAYS LOOK AROUND YOU when you get up to leave where ever you were.

9)           Always have the following with you: 

a)      Charger for the telephone

b)      Camera – not only for fun, and happy memories.

c)      Something to write with AND something to write on.  There will be a day you can ´t recharge.

d)      Enough small change in the local currency to quickly buy a bus ticket, or to access a toilet.

e)      Something to read, or amuse you when train/ferry whatever is delayed.

f)       And if possible a radio… one never knows.

10)         Learn some words in the local lingo:

Never leave home without at least:  Hello, thank you, my name is, how much, toilet, embassy, airport, hospital, police… and go from there.

A gifted linguist once told me:  `Someone knowing a bit about brain surgery is absolutely no use to anyone.  But to know a few words of the local language in the country where one travels can make the world of a difference; you immediately connect with the local community, and they are more open to your needs when they see you have taken the time make the effort to learn words in their language.`

And one more tip for good measure.  To be sure to be sure!

Be open to all the possibilities on your travels; the unexpected only happens unexpectedly.  Make the most out of it.  Or, when needs must, make the best of it.  

In fact the same goes for life as well.

 

Ladies and gentlemen readers, the aforementioned gem of advice is the best Hausfrau Róisín can give you today.  Or indeed any day.

Happy travels!                           

P.S. Would welcome any tips from readers.  Or comments on tips they disagree with....

Ponderings while ´in the zone`....

So as faithful, or even unfaithful, ISFTS blog readers may know, I was busy making Quince Jelly earlier this month.

Much time in that pursuit is given to cutting up the quince.  Stress free work that can put one ´in the zone’ so to speak.  And there in my zone, did n´t I think many thoughts, not particularly relevant to each other, or to the work at hand.  Indeed truth be told the aforementioned thoughts might be considered by some as not particularly relevant full stop!
 

BUT, that won´t stop me sharing the aforementioned in-the-zone-while-cutting-up-quince thoughts with you anyway!  - Whether you peruse them or not is your choice.

1)  Some old adages are very true, while others are definitely not.

 For example the saying: A stitch in time saves nine.  

This adage is true at every level, be it regarding a ripped hem, a broken computer, a wonky bike, or a bad relationship:  The sooner one attends to a problem the easier it is to fix it.  Or if need be, to change the computer/bike/relationship etc.

No more to be said on that.

But other adages are nothing short of dangerous to say out loud: For example: There is no smoke without fire. 

True if Seppt Platter had been witnessed furtively leaving FIFA headquarters in the middle of the night sometime between 2003 and 2007, especially if he was carrying a bag that could contain say €6,7 million.   Well one could perhaps rightly deduce that ´there is no smoke without fire` as to what happened to the illegally procured and now missing €6,7 million. 

But on the other hand what happened to an acquaintance of mine; a diabetic that required regular injections of insulin.   Word got out that she was a drug addict because she was seen injecting herself, and of course one said… ´there is no smoke without fire`.  In this case however ´the fire was a different house´.    This very dangerous assumption caused a lot of harm.

Now this next thought I can only say out loud because I do not have children.

2)  Parents often have a favorite child and deny it. 

Yes, for generations, many parents the world over have been denying they have a favorite child.  But it is true.  And it can be seen perhaps best by total strangers when they see the family interacting.  But worse it can be also be seen by the unfavored child/children. 

The parents deny the feeling of favoritism.  Indeed I have no doubt  many of these parents would be horrified if it was as apparent to them as it was to the rest of the world that they favour one child over the rest.  

But feelings don´t keep rules, nor are they moral judgments, they are simply feelings.  The problem is when the feelings are not accepted and actions not taken by said parents to make sure their offspring never find out.

I only know of one parent who admitted to me they had a favorite child.  To make sure none of his children knew he was a bit more stringent on ´the favorite´.   She always complained that she was the least favored, (perhaps not ideal, but better than it being plain as day that she was the favorite).  All six children are full grown now and not one of them has a clue.  At least if they have, they have not aired it.

3) The wonder of medicine is gob smacking!

    I am not even talking about the hugely amazing stuff, like organ and limb transplants, only because I cannot get my head around that hugely amazing stuff. 

No I mean, relatively speaking, the ´simpler’ medical wonders.  For example vaccines, anti-biotics, tetanus shots and other great stuff.  Hardly a problem to take, but can save your life, or at least a very sick and painful stretch on the bed.  

 I could sit and think about that amazement for three cups of tea I could. 

Now I am heading off to the kitchen cupboard again to gloat in awe at my 8 jars of quince jelly! 

I wish you in the meantime my dear reader, a delightful day.

Making Quince Jelly and Winning Brownie Points.

So you regular readers know the Hausfrau Róisín ´Art und Weise´on matters housekeeping.  

If you are newer to ISFTS you can link here for details on same:
http://irishstewforthesoul.blogspot.de/2013/11/hausfrau-roisin-housekeeping-tip-of-day.html

Making quince jelly is my favorite project of the moment.  Quince jelly is full of goodness, tasty, inexpensive AND easy to make.  So loads of vitamins and ´loads ´a brownie points all in the one jar so to speak.

How to make Quince Jelly

You will need:

1. Quince

Buy at local garden or farm produce store.  Any amount you care for.  I suggest two kilos for a newbie to jelly and jam making.

2. Sugar specifically for Jelly and Jam making   1 Kilo.  

Here in Germany, one can buy sugar with pectin.  I never make jelly before so I don´t know if you can get this sugar anywhere else. 

3. Lemon – juice of.  Optional.

In addition and very important:

4. A juice extractor. 

I got a loan of one from my mother-in-law.  If you can´t get a juice extractor, then cancel the project unless you love hard work.   – The extractor looks a bit like a big cooking saucepan with different layers.   

Without this extractor I would not bother trying this business of quince jelly making.  Even Jamie Oliver could not make jelly making easy without this juice extractor.  If Jamie can´t make it easy most of you, my dear readers, could not either… (Go on shock me and tell me I am wrong!)

5. Jam Jars - sterilized

About 8 x 500 grams jars.  Always have one or two extra just in case.

To sterilize jam jars al la Hausfrau Róisín:

The night before you are cooking, wash jars and lids in sudsy how water. 

Rinse. 

Pour boiling water into each jar and lid. (I go with one kettle of water pouring from one jar to the next.) 

Put jam jars on a tray in the oven.

The next day before cooking the jelly turn oven on low, put jam jars on a cooking tray and let them warm up in the oven until you are ready to pour in the juice.

Preparations the night before.

- Rub off fuzzy bits (you´ll see what I mean when you buy the quince).

- Wash quince.  Cut out any bad bits.

- Cut into bit size pieces. 

-  Fill bottom container of extractor to about ¾ full with hot water.  Simmer for about two hours, give or take.

Check every so often esp. if you are a newbie, to make sure there is still water in the lower tray of the juice extractor.  A right mess if you get that one wrong!

-  Put cut up chunks of quince into top layer of extractor.  Simmer for about two hours, give or take.

-  Leave stand overnight so the juice from the quince can drain out.

-  Pour the juice that has collected over night out of the ´thing gummy tube´- you´ll understand if you have an extractor, you won´t if you don´t.  In which case you are likely not bothering to make this jelly, so it is not a problem anyway.

-  Measure whatever quantity of juice you have collected and put into a pot to cook. 

-  Put in half that quantity of the special jam sugar.  I.e. if you have 1000 grams of juice add 500 grams of the special sugar.

-  Add juice of lemon.

-  Cook in bubbly mode THEY SAY for four minutes, I say for more like ten minutes.  Stirring occasionally. 

-  So after about ten minutes pour into the warm jam jars and screw close immediately.

And there you have it folks.  There I am with my eight jars of quince jelly and swimming in brownie points!