Glorious Ginger

My affection for ginger started when, as a girl, I ate ginger snaps. This ginger flavoured cookie is still one of my favourites. I also remember stumbling across a ginger truffle in a box of assorted chocolates - and I liked it. This innocuous root and I were firm friends from the start. One of my mementos from Australia was a jar of ginger sauce, remember? (see Bootylicious September 2009)

This week my affection for ginger deepened. I discovered that ginger tea wards off colds. Its spicy taste flames the back of your throat soothing the ache that starts there as the first sign of a cold. Its aroma is comforting to a body starting down the slope to sickness. And ginger tea helps with meeting one of those first pieces of advice when fighting a cold - drink a lot of liquids.

And that is what I have done this week. But first I peeled about three inches of ginger root. The one I actually bought to go into a curry recipe. Then I sliced it thinly. Next I added it to water in my corning ware tea pot and brought it to a boil. Finally I simmered it for 20 minutes to draw the flavour out. And that ladies and gentlemen is my cold remedy recipe. All I would add is - enjoy it in your happiest tea cup.

Oh, and with regard to that other piece of advice about colds - wash your hands frequently - I would say, why stop at your hands? Soak your entire body for as long as you can at night and then slip into bed early.

All Work and Some Play

"If a guy asks me to dance, are you okay with it?" I ask M. "Yes, just watch your drink," my hubby of 15 years replies. "Okay, will do." I take a deep breath in nervous anticipation of my night out with the girls.

Now some private night time shopping at Colette's on Second Street, I can do. Sipping champagne and encouraging girlfriends "Yes! Yes! That looks great on you", I can do. But it is the second happening of our birthday party night out that has my stomach a little tied in knots: dancing at The Lynwood.

The Lynwood is not one of my usual haunts. I'm glad I'll be with 5 other gals - there's safety in numbers, and besides, when the average age of your group is 40 and some, guys at a pub know you aren't looking to be picked up - don't they?

At The Lynwood we make a stir. We walk through the doors and - everyone turns to look. I hold back and slip behind Betty. With Alberta confidence to match her pink cowgirl boots, she crosses the darkened room to a spot near the back, close to the pool tables. The barman comes to take our order at the table. He's all gentleman.

"What can I get you ladies?" He looks at Betty.
"A honey brown," she orders.
Yes, that will do.
I order my lager just as Betty did, "A honey brown, please."
When at the Lynwood ...
Jules orders tea and the barman doesn't skip a beat. "Tea, yip, we can get that for you. Would you like milk and sugar with that?"

A couple of sips into our drinks and we do what we came here for: we fill the dance floor. Our fun is contagious and others join in, as couples or solo. Even the band is enjoying having us on the floor. The band leader asks more than once, "Do you girls have another one in you?" How old do you think we are? We're turning this place on its head aren't we? A young stud dances the night away with us. He dances with one of his dates while the other sulks at the table. He looks left out whenever we take a break from the dance floor.

It's getting late and some of us have to work tomorrow, even though it is Saturday. We head for the door and I take a last twirl on the dance floor as we leave. The young buck struts behind us dismayed, "Where are you going - you're the most fun in the place!" Not bad for a group of mid-life girls who still know how to have some good clean fun.