Literary goodness!

My husband and I studied literature in high school so we LOVE to read. I prefer novels while he prefers anything to do with business or self development (seriously?????) Anywho, the other day we were reminiscing about all the lovely books we read in school and we decided that we'd read a few together since we have studied different novels.

The first novel we picked was 'Mine Boy' by Peter Abrahams.

It's a novel based in apartheid South Africa about a man called Xuma (pronounced with the click of the tongue) who came to Johannesburg to get a job in the gold mines. He struggles to understand why the people in the city are so sad and why the black people are treated the way they are. It gets harder when he starts dating an educated black girl who wants to live the way the white people do. Xuma's boss- nicknamed the Red one for his red hair- wants to be his friend but Xuma does not understand how a black man and a white man can be friends because he thinks they are too different. The Red one tries to explain that they are the same but just have different skin colour and Xuma does not get it. Eventually Xuma and the Red one have to stand up to the authorities and defend the rights of the black men working in the mines and that's when Xuma's eyes are opened - he realises that he is a man first before he is a black man because the Red one is supporting the black men against his fellow white men. It's a really good story. Xuma really struggles to understand that all men are the same. I like the way it ends though - Xuma has a eureka moment!!!! Yay!

What really amazed me about this book is it's written like it's directly translated from a native language because there are some expressions that do not exist in English or are not proper English but would exist in my native tongue. There is only one bit in the book when the Red one is chatting with his wife that seems to be written in proper English because - I assume - they ares peaking to each other in English. I think someone who does not speak a second language (whether it's French, German or Zulu) would be a bit puzzled by it at first but that's what makes it such a masterpiece. Hubby has not finished reading the book so I'll move on to the next book alone I guess :-(

Next up - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy!!!! My dad recommended this book and told me I won't want to put it down once I start reading.

 I've not found a copy yet but I hope to soon.
What kind of books do you love to read?


(All images found here.)

Going home :)

I'm going home today!!!!!! Well, to my parents' home that is :) I know, I know - it's not my home anymore but it's really hard not to think of it that way. And I'm going to spend the night :) My hubby is going off on a retreat with his workmates so he said I should go spend the night with my parents - isn't he sweet? (heart him). In our culture it's frowned upon to leave your marital home and go back to your parents home for a night (unless you are annulling your marriage)  but right now culture can go hang!!!! My mum is soooooooo excited - she even made my bed last week thinking that I would be going then hahahaha!

Now, you might be thinking that I'm being childish but allow me to make you understand. I am the only girl in my family and my mum is the only girl on her family. She has 5 brothers, I have 3. So in a way we are sisters. Now I don't have to explain how hard it is for men to understand the simple things that come so naturally to us women - shoes, clothes, colour coordination, talking about three different things in one minute :) They just can't keep up!!!! So my mum and I are really close and we've been thrown into houses with men only!!!! It's hard I tell you hahaha!! So I'm looking forward to sitting with my mum and telling her everything that I've not been able to tell her since we last spoke - on Monday :) and I'm also looking forward to seeing my dad - that man was the measure that I used to select my wonderful husband so he is beyond AMAZING!!!!!

Mummy and Daddy, I can't wait to spend the night in my old room (the one that was usurped by my brother once I left because it was better bigger than his) and to talk with you at the dinner table. Coming home will make me cry when I leave but I'm glad that you've not let culture stand in the way :)

Has any of you gone back to your parents' home for a night since you got married?

Lazy Sunday

On Sunday, I go out of bed at 1pm!!!!! I've not done that in a very long time! I have a really good excuse though. We went to bed at 4am because we had a friend's wedding and my darling hubby was part of the organising team. We were exhausted!
I'm used to making a rather filling Sunday breakfast and even more filling Sunday lunch but since we'd skipped breakfast and I was way too lazy to make a spectacular lunch I decided to try a quick and oh so yummy recipe that I kinda came up with a few months ago. I don't know what to call it and I'm almost sure that someone else made it before I did so I will hold all boasting till I'm sure that nobody has ever ever heard of it (yeah I know - I'm so modest!!!!) It's a dish made out of pasta, sausages, a few veggies and lots of spices. Here goes....

First I grilled the sausages. I always use beef sausages- can't stand pork sausages!

Then I chopped them up

Heated up some olive oil and added A LOT of onions and garlic (our two favourite things to use when we're cooking)

Then I added the green pepper, chopped sausages and skinned tomatoes. Then came the spices (brace yourself) I used garam masala, corriander, cumin, basil, mixed spices, white pepper, soy sauce, worcesteshire sauce and barbeque sauce. Yes, we love spices that much!!! heehee! I usually leave it to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes till the spices blend in and the tomatoes soften (I guess tomato paste instead of skinned tomatoes would be a good idea)

Then I added the pasta (already boiled) and mixed it all up to even out the taste.

I love cheese so I could not resist sprinkling a bit of shredded gouda cheese on top - yum!!!

My darling hubby always wants to do something to help when I'm cooking (bless him) so he made the passion fruit juice - it was soooo good!

It's a quick and delicious lunch. My husband couldn't believe how fast I was able to get lunch ready :) We had our lunch while watching the Bill Cosby show!!!!!! Nice way to kick back and relax huh? My parents have some dvds of the show so we borrowed one and I always pull it out when we need to have a good CLEAN laugh - so hard to get those these days!!!
Don't you just love days when you can afford to be just a little bit lazy?

Going traditional...

Hubby loves traditional Ugandan food. Me? Not so much - especially when I have to cook it. I love cooking but traditional food does not allow me to be creative and I can't stand that.

Anywho, on Sunday I decided to give the hubby a treat and cook matooke!!!!!!!! He was sooooo excited!!!
Even though I knew how to do it I had never done it before all by myself (don't judge!) And since I like to be different and not follow all the rules I decided to make it with a modern twist :)

So, instead of steaming the matooke in banana leaves then mashing it, I boiled it, mashed it and then put it in banana leaves and left it to steam to a nice softness with the banana leaf flavour :) So much faster and easier!!!

Peeling the matooke. I had to make sure I had an apron that would not stain from the sap and I found one at Capital shoppers for 2500 shs!!!

The mashed matooke in banana leaves

Wrapping the matooke

Mama would be so proud!!!! :)

I added some plantain to be steamed

Finishing touches :)

Steaming :)

I purchased a nice cooking pot/ frying pan at the American Club sale so I used it to make pork stew (and also to feel some excitement in the kitchen!)

My darling hubby had to get in on the action too so he made banana and mango smoothie. His smoothies are the best!!!!!!! And no I'm not biased!

Here are the finished products!!!!

The matooke was ok for my first try and the hubby loved it so it felt good that I had finally made his favourite dish. Yes, it took me 6 months but the point is I did it right? heehee!
I'll be doing it again in 6 months soon :)

Introducing my babies!!!

Like I said - I love babies!!!! And though I don't have any of my own yet there are three kids who are especially dear to me and have put a smile on my face and brought light to my life. They are my darlings, my sweethearts and they make my world a much happier place. They have been sick for the last couple of weeks so I've not been able to see them and I missed them so so much!!!!!

So, without further ado, introducing (drum roll) MY BABIES!!!!!!

I love you sweeties!!!!!! I can't wait to see you :-)