BEST IDEAS FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

  

                                   

Night is the time to take rest after the day’s work.Good night’s sleep helps us to recover from tiredness &prepares us for the day ahead. Night's sleep is best ensured when the bed is properly laid.  Major benefits of sleep are:

*A good night’s sleep helps the brain function better.

*Sleep is also said to repair heart and blood vessels

*Studies have shown that people who sleep less are more likely to be obese.

*It is also said to help the skin recover after exposure to ultra violet light.

             

                           

Bed making is a task which requires little care &effort.

- The bed room itself should be clean &well ventilated. Air &light in the        day time keeps away the bad odour &dampness in the bed room.

- Paint the bed room with light colour paints. Small night lamp can be used     if needed. Have bed side switches for light, fan &AC.

- The size of the cot should be in proportionate with the size of the room &    it should provide space to move around. Never place the cot close to the    window.

- sleep placing the head in the east direction.

 - Before buying the cot &mattress ensure that they are suitable to  your     height &weight. 

- Many varieties of mattress are available in the market. Foam, coir or    blended ones and many customised options are also on the move. Ensure to   buy the one that is more comfortable &convenient.

- Pillows too should be of reasonable height &thickness. Make sure to place  your neck properly &the pillow should support your neck in the right  way.

- Dust your bed &pillow every day. Turn mattresses occasionally unless made of latex &plastic foam. Wash bed spread &pillow covers every now &then.

- Bed spread should be neatly laid &surplus bedding should be tucked in at the sides. Badly made bed can spoil the comfort of sleeping as well as the appearance of the room. Quilt is placed on the top of the bed spread.

-With these measures the bed is ready to offer a good night’s sleep.

Have a shower or drink a glass of warm milk, or listen to music or read a book –one of these are definite to bring a good night’s sleep.

                            

SIR JOHN BETJEMAN’S THE COTTAGE HOSPITAL

At the end of a long- walled garden

In a red provincial town,

A brick path led to a mulberry-

Scanty grass at its feet.

I lay under blackening branches

Where the mulberry leaves hung down

Sheltering ruby fruit globes

From a Sunday –tea –time heat

Apple and plum espaliers

Basked upon bricks of brown;

The air was swimming with insects,

And children played in the street.

Out of this bright intentness

Into the mulberry shade

Musca domestica (house fly)

Swung from the August light

Slap into slithery rigging

By the waiting spider made

Which spun the lithe elastic

Till the fly was shrouded tight.

Down came the hairy talons

And horrible poison blade

And none of the garden noticed

That fizzing, hopeless fight.

Say in what cottage hospital

Whose pale green walls resound

With the tap upon polished parquet

Of inflexible nurse’s feet

Shall I myself be lying

When they range the screens around?

And say shall I groan in dying,

As twist the sweaty sheet?

Or gasy for breath uncrying,

As I feel my senses drown’d

While the air is swimming with insects

And children play in the street.

HOW I TAUGHT MY GRANDMOTHER TO READ BY SUDHA MURTHY

                               

Sudha Kulkarni Murthy (1950), born in shiggaon, Karnataka, is a social worker and author. She is known for her philanthropic work through the Infosys Foundation. A graduate in Electrical Engineering, she was the first woman engineer to be selected in Telco (now Tata Motors). In 2006, she was awarded the Padmashri, a civilian award from the Government of India and received an honorary doctorate from Sathyabama University. Sudha Murthy has written many stories which deal with common people, their lives and experiences. Some of them include “Sweet Hospitality”, “Wise and otherwise”, “The Magic Drum” and other Favourite stories, “How I Taught my Grandmother to read” and other stories and “The old Man And His God.”

                           

HOW I TAUGHT MY GRAND MOTHER TO READ is a short story written by Sudha Murthy. The Story revolves round the anguish

experienced by the narrator’s grandmother because of her inability to read and her determination to educate herself. It begins with the narrator diligently reading to her grandmother the story, KASHI YATRE. The grandmother is able to relate to the protagonist as she shares her desire to visit KASHI. She feels lost and helpless when her granddaughter is away and there is no one to read out the story to her. She is so depressed that she opens up to her twelve year old granddaughter and begins to narrate the story of her life, of how she felt lost after her mother’s death, the deep regret she harboured at not being sent to school and getting educated. She makes a fervent appeal to her granddaughter and requests her to educate her. Determined as she is, she makes very quick progress and empowers herself with education which transforms her whole outlook towards life.

                    

                                       

This short story flashes the light on education, love, determination and care. Irrespective of age, learning is a fulfilling and enriching process which ensures definite progress.

‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle.’ is well narrated &nicely put forth.

FEW POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT GARNISHES

                             

Garnishes are ingredients used to complete or to decorate a dish or to add eye appeal. In the classical cookery nearly all dishes are named after their garnishes. Many groups of garnishes are identified by special names, referring to countries, cities, trades, events or to persons more or less famous. New dishes with new names are invented nearly daily by creative chefs.

                                

Many items are used for garnish which cannot be consumed where as Herbs, spices &condiments, nuts, vegetables, fruits, creams, sauces, bread items, dairy products, flowers, roots & stems of certain plants are judiciously used which adds colour, flavour & new look to the dish and they can also be consumed.

                            

Garnishes are used differently for different dishes, the garnish varies for entrees, desserts, sweets,& beverages. Major garnishes are fried onions, croutons, red pepper rings, sliced almonds, cilantro, cocoa powder, rolled wafers, pieces of pistachio, green olives & mint.

                                       

For garnishing tools like knives, graters, skewers, tooth picks &parchment cones are generally used.

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON’S THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

A naked house, a naked moor,

A shivering pool before the door,

A garden bare of flowers and fruit

And poplars at the garden foot:

Such is the place that I live in,

Bleak without and bare within

Yet shall your ragged moor receive

The incomparable pomp of eve,

And the cold glories of the dawn

Behind your shivering trees be drawn;

And when the wind from place to place

Doth the unmoored cloud-galleons chase,

Your garden gloom and gleam again,

With leaping sun, with glancing rain

Here shall the wizard moon ascend

The heavens, in the crimson end

Of day’s declining splendour; here

The army of the stars appear.

The neighbour hollows dry or wet

Spring shall with tender flowers beset;

And oft the morning muser see

Larks rising from the broomy lea,

And every fairy wheel and thread

Of cobweb dew- be diamonded.

When daisies go, shall winter time

Sliver the simple grass with the rime;

Autumnal frosts enchant the pool

And make the cart-ruts beautiful;

And when snow- bright the moor expands,

How shall your children clap their hands!

To make this earth, our hermitage,

A cheerful and a changeful page,

God’s bright and intricate device

Of days and seasons doth suffice.

GOOD BYE

An evening, set in with slight showers

Trees & branches nodding in sync with nature

Showers pampered and nourished the flowers

People happily hopping in the hardy roads

Feeling free to reach homes within rains

Truly “rain” is a festival of joy indoors

All the days of summer, dry &dry

Showers & rains are cool pack treasures

A relief for intense red rash skin

I witnessed these, from the dentist clinic

As my sister, - a patient in pain &panic

Losing her wisdom tooth to the thunder showers

Saying “Good bye” to her pain in the beautiful rain

(This poem is a part of the long list of word weavers poetry contest 2017)

3 DIWALI SWEETS WITH ''JUST JAGGERY''

“Happy Diwali greeting “is the talk of the town, as Diwali is round the corner. Sweets are synonymous with Diwali. Almost every house hold gets ready to grab their quota of sweet delicacies.

Avoiding sweets is a tough Job, at least try to substitute the sugar that is added in the sweets with the Jaggery which will provide the same sweetness without causing much harm like sugar.

A few well know benefits of consuming jaggery are:

1.    It helps in purifying blood & prevents blood disorders.

2.    It aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system and eases constipation.

3.    It is rich in Antioxidants and is a good source of iron.

4.    It strengthens the muscles, bones and is good for the skin.

5.    Substitute it for refined sugar in tea as it is low in calories.

Diwali special sweets of Tamil Nadu are many, but few are traditional both in preparation &consumption. Therati pal, Suyyam & Appam are special ones & they are to be consumed after the oil bath (GANGA SNANAM)

                                  

THERATI PAL is a sweet preparation made with milk & jaggery. Boil the milk & keep stirring till  it turns cream in colour & reduce it to half the quantity, then add the jaggery (it should powdered with help of a knife or a rolling pin). Keep stirring till the jaggery is mixed well with the thick milk.  Add powdered cardamom & ghee.  When it reaches a thick consistency, (like a halwa) remove it from fire, let it cool & transfer it to a air tight container. It can be stored for more than three to four days.  It can also be refrigerated if needed.

                                     

SUYYAM: This is a yummy sweet mostly enjoyed by people of all age groups. The ingredients required are coconuts, jaggery, ghee & powdered cardamom.

Grate coconuts & with some ghee, fry it in a pan. Keep aside. Add jaggery in the ratio of 1:2.   One grated coconut = Two powdered jaggery.  Add jaggery in a pan and pour water, when it gets dissolved, filter it to avoid any impurities and pour it in the pan. Keep stirring it, till it gets string like consistency. Pour the grated coconuts, add ghee & cardamom.  Mix it well and when it reaches a thick consistency, put off fire & leave it to cool.  Then make small round balls & serve.

                           

APPAM: Take required amount of wheat flour & add to it the powdered jaggery in the ratio of 1:2.  Mix well with help of some water adding in between to make it like a IDLLI BATTER.

Heat oil in a pan & pour this batter in small rounds like a VADA with a help of a laddle. It should be deep fried. Slowly turn it & cook till it turns to golden brown.  Remove excess oil with help of a tissue paper & serve hot.   

8 SHORT STORIES WITH 8 SOULFUL MESSAGES

                             

Leisure time is mostly used for hobbies. Reading books is one such. Magazines are also highly helpful in catering the need of reading short stories. Short stories are the best friends for one day reading whereas novels demand more time.

There are many books with short story collections written by an author &short story anthologies are also available where the unique blends of authors serve as a whole new variety of reading.

                                              

 Many magazines in them carry short stories of both upcoming &famous authors. “Woman’s Era” – a popular magazine carries many informative articles on the subjects that revolve around woman’s life. Short stories were also included in that magazine. These 8 short stories with 8 soulful messages were with me from 90’s on wards when they were published.

** “DEAR MOTHER…” by Neela Subramaniam published in woman’s era in July 1994- This is a story about a lonely mother where her children are busy in their own lives in different cities.

**FOR A SISTER by Rukmini Parthasarathy published in Woman’s era in June 1993 - This short story covers in detail the beautiful relationship of a brother & a sister.

**DEAR MRS RAJAN by S.S. Kshatriya published in woman’s era in August 1992 focuses on a Need for a good friend &nice advice is emphasised in a simple way.

**THE GOLDEN HEART by Savithri Narayanan published in woman’s era in March 1994 is a story that presents before us the difficulties of a woman in a new city. Well narrated.

** THE SON by Romola Shanbhag published in Woman’s era in July 1994 is a very touching story. The love, the two sisters’ share with their brother turns the purpose of his visit &the whole story.

**TELLY TALES by Savithri Narayanan published in Woman’s era in July 1994 is a short story which almost every woman can relate to. It revolves around TV & cooking. A story with fine balance of work &entertainment

** A FAMILY FRIENDSHIP by Vernon Thomas published in Woman’s era in May 1993 is a short story of about two set of unallied friends and a cucumber sandwich. It is a humorous story.

** SUMMER OF 91 by Sheela Jaywant is published in Woman’s era in May 1993 is a must read for today’s teens. “How money can be spent in a useful way?” is well handled in this story.

These short stories leave a deeper impact on the readers and at times it compels to read it again &again. Though short stories, they aid us in the long way of life.  If you can get to read these short stories, never miss the chance. Definitely give it a try &you are sure to enjoy &remember it for ever. Thanks for the authors who created such cherishing stories for the readers.

WORKS WONDERS

“I keep six honest serving men

(They taught me all I know)

Their names are What and why

And When

And How and Where and Who”

-         Rudyard Kipling

As the Quote suggests it’s always better to know these six honest men in order to understand a thing fully.

                                       

WHAT: It’s a kitchen appliance which requires one plug point to function. Highly helpful in chopping vegetables, greens &nuts

WHY: Its time saving &easy to handle. Light weight &portable.  It makes the work simple but not messy.

WHEN: To prepare quick dips, salads and to add chopped nuts for special dishes as garnish.

HOW: Just plug it &press- a wonder chopper with just one press. No more strain & sweat. Make sure to cut the large piece of vegetable into 2 cm before it is placed in the chopper.

WHERE: Its available with “PREETHI’ a company renowned for Kitchen Appliances. It can be used in any kitchen where the demand for chopped vegetables is frequent & the same is used in different methods.

WHO: It’s a 450 watts turbo chop with stainless steel blade &0.7L bowl with a lid. The chopping job can be done within seconds.