Shredded pork & K.A.H.I.N.I Day

A few weeks ago I had K.A.H.I.N.I day. My kahini is Eleanor. We've been friends for a long time and because we're so close and 'sisters' doesn't explain our relationship well enough we came up with a word to describe our relationship:
K - Kindred spirits
A - Accept
H - Hearing (Listening to each other)
I - Intercede
N - Never leave
I - I love you

We were apart for quite a number of years since we were at different universities and she was not in the country so now that are back in the same country we're having Kahini day every month - which is basically a day for ONLY kahinis :-)

And we share a common love for anything meaty so it was only natural that we make shredded pork on our kahini day. It's a recipe I pieced together and I hope that you'll enjoy it too.

Ingredients

• 350gms pork
• 250 gms bacon
• 2 large bell peppers (green)
• 2 large onions
• Soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• BBQ Sauce
• Garlic powder
• Ground mixed spices
• Corriander
• Ground white pepper

Note: The spices, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce and BBQ sauce should be used to taste.

• Chop the onions in rings or as shown below and the green pepper in strips.

• Cut the pork into strips. 
• Cut the bacon into bite size pieces. 
• Fry the bacon in a non-stick frying pan.
• Put the bacon in a separate dish and then fry the pork on medium heat in the fat from the bacon, add salt, white pepper and garlic powder.

• When the pork is ready (dark brown) increase the heat and add the bacon, green pepper, onions, mixed spices, corriander, BBQ sauce, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Yum yum!!! Especially with the garlic thyme potatoes. This is the recipe for the potatoes.

It was a fabulous day! :-)

Learning to be nice....

 
I'm an emotional person. When I'm happy it's obvious and when I'm not happy it's even more obvious. If I don't like someone I can't help but show it - no matter how hard I try one day I just snap!

The hubby is a sweetheart. He will give his biggest enemy the best seat in the house and speak to them as if he were speaking to an old good friend. Don't get me wrong, he will not talk about them behind their back and he won't be pretending he likes them - he genuinely does. In fact I'm usually the one who will be the meanie and he will ask me to be nice.

For a long time I knew this about myself but now that I live with someone who is the complete opposite I feel even more ashamed. Case in point: We have a neighbour. A little boy aged about 8. The hubs and I love kids so when we moved to this apartment we were glad to find a kid who was friendly. His mum doesn't give him enough attention so we thought we'd reach out to a boy who felt unloved. He would come over to our place and we'd give him a drink and he'd talk with the hubby. We soon found out that when he got back home he'd discuss a lot of things that had taken place in our house. What he'd seen, what we own - you get the picture? Since we're farmers we have a lot of food and he began to ask for it and we'd get no thank you from his parents. RUDE!!!!!!

Then he started knocking on our doors at all sorts of hours. As long as he saw the car in the drive way he'd come right up. 9 am on Sunday mornings, 3pm on Sunday afternoons, 9 am on Saturday mornings. I mean we are 'newly' weds - can you give us some space??!!!

Needless to say, I was not amused! I immediately began to cut him out of my life. I mean, I don't want a gossip in my house or someone who is snooping around to see what we can give him. And I'm not sure what his parents ask him about us. Generally, I don't trust the kid.

The hubby on the other hand is as sweet to him as he has always been. He's been able to show him the boundaries in a very diplomatic way. While I resorted to 'the angry eye' he would sit and talk with him on the stairs and let him know that we're busy getting ready for church or we want to relax after a long day at work. Me? I didn't want to see him near me.

Now, I know that he's just a kid and that it's probably his very rude parents fault that he is the way he is but it does not change the fact that I don't want him taking all sorts of information to them. Therefore, I don't want him in my house.

But let's face it, I need to learn to be nice to the kid. The fact that I 'ignore' him just makes him think that all women are mean. To be honest when we get home and he's playing outside his eyes light up when he sees my hubby. And yes, sometimes I shoot him the 'do not disturb' look but he's just a kid and I need to learn to be nice. The hubby has clearly set the boundaries so we don't get visits at odd hours so now I need to smile at him, ask him how he's doing. You'd think it would be easy but it's not. Especially for an emotional person like me.

They say that you become more like your spouse the longer you are married - I really hope that I pick up on the quality of always thinking the best of people and being nice to people no matter what they do to me because they probably don't know any better. Lord, please!!!!

Do any of you struggle with being nice to people you don't trust? And how do you deal with it?

Getting excited!!!

 
I like it when I don't have to go to work or wake up too early. I especially like it when I get to wake up in a hotel because I don't have to do much - just get washed and dressed and head down for breakfast :-) And all these things are coming up very soon. I'm taking my leave next month and the hubs and I are going for our second honeymoon!!! I won't disclose where we're going till we get back though - sorry.

But I can tell you that I'm going to make sure I shop till I drop!!!! I can't wait to be away with my hubby. We NEED some 'us' time.

I'm looking up all sorts of malls and shops and getting super super excited!!!!! Yay!!!!!

Are any of you planning an exciting vacation?

Our Paper Anniversary!

 Yesterday was our One year Anniversary - which is also referred to as a paper anniversary.
Time flies so fast! I can't believe it's been a year. Sounds cliche right? But honestly, we can't believe it. We didn't even do much to celebrate. We just went out for lunch at our favourite restaurant and kept telling each other how we can't believe it's been a whole year.

We have a fantastic trip planned so maybe it will hit us when we travel and are reminded of our honeymoon but for now it feels like we're talking about another couple :-)

I don't take the fact that we've made a year for granted. I've seen too many couples separate in a matter of months to look on this like it was supposed to happen. I'm not boastful either. We couldn't have done it without God. He has and will always be in the centre of our marriage. He has taught us how to be friends, to compromise, to listen to each other and most importantly how to love each other.

It's been a wonderful journey so far. It's not been smooth all the way but there has been a lot of love through it all and we are grateful to God.

This too shall pass....

There are a lot of things that are making me sad in my country. I'm not pleased with what is going but I know that the Lord will see us through this. You can read more about it here.

My hubby sent me this poem to remind me that things come for only a moment - whether they be good or bad. I'm sure that each one of you has something going on in your life - good or bad and this poem is just a reminder to enjoy the good and endure the bad because one day it will be gone.

This Too Shall Pass Away

By Theodore Tilton

Once in Persia reigned a King,
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before his eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they;
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought him gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these;
But he counted not his gain,
Treasures of mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

Mid the revels of his court,
At the zenith of his sport,
When the palms of all his guests,
Burned with clapping at his jests,
He, amid his figs and wine;
Cried, 'O loving friends of mine;
Pleasures come, but not to stay;
"Even this shall pass away"

Lady, fairest ever seen,
Was the bride he crowned his queen.
Pillowed on his marriage bed,
Softly to his soul he said:
Though no bridegroom ever passed;
Fairer bosom to his breast,
Mortal flesh must come to clay-
"Even this shall pass away"

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers, with a loud lament,
Bore him bleeding to his tent.
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried;
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue carved in stone.
Then the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name,
Musing meekly: "What is fame?"
Fame is but a slow decay;

Even this shall pass away.

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the Gates of Gold,
Said he with his dying breath,
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the king,
Fell a sun beam on his ring,
"Even this shall pass away."

Recap of birthdays past (Warning: photo overload :-)

First of all, I'm sorry that I've not posted in a while. I don't really have a good reason but please forgive me. Pretty please?

Over the last two months we've had quite a number of birthdays in my family and it's only fair that I give you a little recap right? Right! With pictures of course so here goes....

The first birthday we celebrated was my dad's on March 7th. We went out to dinner at a nice hotel and gave him gifts - that he actually loved!!!!! (My dad is very difficult to pick presents for because he wants NOTHING!!!) Any who, we had a great time and I've got pictures to prove it :-)

Next was my Mum's birthday on 31st March. And we decided to surprise her by throwing a party for her and her friends. She was very very very surprised!!!! Her and her friends giggled like school girls! Ha! And I we were relieved to have pulled it off- she didn't suspect a thing especially since my dad arrived at the airport that night:-) She's half a century now and still looking like an 18 year old :-) Warning - you might have to tilt your head to the side to view some of these photos :-(

Next was my 'baby' brother Paul's birthday on 2nd April. We went out to dinner with his friends and had a jolly good time :-)

Next was mine on 22nd April. My darling hubby took me to a wonderful hotel for the night. :-D Yay!!!!! We had such a good time. Take a look at the room.

And the handsome hubby and me on my birthday.

Thank you sweetie!!!! And my friends threw me a surprise party two days later - I forgot to take pictures because, well,  it was a surprise!!! Heehee! They're so sweet aren't they?

Next was my sweetheart's birthday on 29th April. I was supposed to take him out for dinner but there were riots in the city so we couldn't go out. But we had cake and I'm making it up to him today.

 Two days later, my in-laws bought him a cake to celebrate too and he cut it with his niece and nephew.

Thank God for birthdays! I hope you enjoyed the photos. I'm off to have dinner with my handsome man :-)

Have a nice weekend.

Happy Birthday Boo!

It's my hubby's birthday today!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY! I love you with all my heart and even though the chaos in town has ruined the wonderful plans I had for you I will most definitely make it up to you.

And isn't it wonderful that William and Kate chose to get married on my hubby's birthday? :-D

Go shorty, it's your birthday!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!! I'm quarter a century now. Yay!!!

 My tall dark and handsome man is taking me to a fantastic hotel to celebrate. Yay!!!!

I'll be back with tales of how it went :-) Laters. 

Us....

I recently saw this Q and A that Faith at Life.Love&Marriage did and I enjoyed reading her answers so much that want in on the action! lol! So here goes.....

How long have you been together?

It will be 3 years next month.

How long did you know each other before you started dating? 

About 4 years.... We were not close though.

Who asked who out? 

Um... there was no asking really... it was more like "So we're serious about this right?" But he made the first move...

 

Did you go to the same school?

Nope.

Who is the most sensitive?

He is.

What about pets?

None. He wants 5 dogs!!!! Not on my watch! I can't stand animals...

 
Where do you eat out most as a couple?

We love Indian food coz it's so spicy and tasty so we have a lil' indian restaurant in town that is ALWAYS our default place to eat out.

 

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?

Egypt for our honeymoon :-)

  

Who has the worst temper?

I do *hanging my head in shame*

 

Who does the cooking?

I do most of it but we cook together. He does the drinks, I do the food. 

 

Who is more social?

He is. He can start a conversation with anyone! When we're stuck in traffic he'll start up a conversation with the person in the car beside us. Weird!

Who is the neat freak?

Hmmmm... He is I think. When I arrange something I disorganise it soon after :-(

 

Who is the most stubborn?

Me.... First born syndrome...

 

Who hogs the bed?

He does. Ha! But I try to understand because he's too tall to fit comfortably.

Who wakes up earlier?

He does. Weird!

 

Where was your first date?

Kirk Franklin concert. Kirk had a big hand in our relationship. *Sigh* Me thinks they had it all planned...

 

How long did it take to get serious?

About 2 to 3 months.

 

Who eats more?

I'd like to say he does but I think it's me :-( I snack a lot.

 

Who drives when you are together?

He does. I'm scared of driving in Kampala but one day I will face my fear.

 

Who is the first one to admit when they’re wrong?

He is. It takes me a while to find my tongue.... heehee!

 

Who wears the pants in the relationship?

He does.

Who eats more sweets?

He does. I have a very very small sweet tooth.

          

Hmmmm.... Isn't marriage interesting? :-D