Judi Dench

 

In her own words;

Judi Dench

"Don’t prioritise your looks my friend, as they won’t last the journey.

Your sense of humor though, will only get better with age.

Your intuition will grow and expand like a majestic cloak of wisdom.

Your ability to choose your battles, will be fine-tuned to perfection.

Your capacity for stillness, for living in the moment, will blossom.

Your desire to live each and every moment will transcend all other wants.

Your instinct for knowing what (and who) is worth your time, will grow and flourish like ivy on a castle wall.

Don’t prioritise your looks my friend,

they will change forevermore, that pursuit is one of much sadness and disappointment.

Prioritise the uniqueness that make you you, and the invisible magnet that draws in other like-minded souls to dance in your orbit.

These are the things that will only get better."

Pumpkin carrot and coconut Dog Biscuits

 

Agatha Christie

 

In 1926, Agatha Christie faced a personal crisis. At thirty-five, she was devastated by the death of her mother and the revelation that her husband, Archie, was leaving her for another woman. This double blow led Agatha into a deep depression, where she felt that life had lost its joy. The only light in her life was her seven-year-old daughter, Rosalind.

Agatha Miller was a gifted writer from a young age. Born in 1890 to a wealthy family, she learned to read by age four. She married Archie Christie, a charming pilot, on Christmas Eve in 1914. They endured the challenges of World War I and welcomed Rosalind in 1919. By the time her marriage began to fall apart, Agatha had already published five successful detective novels.

As Agatha began to recover from her marital troubles, she found comfort in writing and sought new adventures. A journey on the Orient Express lifted her spirits, but it was an archaeological dig in Iraq in 1930 that changed her life. There, she met Max Mallowan, a younger archaeologist. Their romance flourished, leading to marriage later that year and a happy partnership until Agatha's death.

The year 1926, which seemed like the end for Agatha Christie, turned out to be just the beginning of her remarkable career. In the following decades, she became one of the most successful authors in history, with over 70 best-selling novels and the longest-running play ever. Her second marriage brought her joy, and both she and Max received honors for their achievements—Max was knighted in 1968, and Agatha became a Dame of the British Empire in 1971.

Agatha Christie passed away on January 12, 1976, at 85 years old. With more than two billion copies sold, she remains the best-selling novelist ever, her legacy reflecting her resilience and literary genius.

Image Credit: Pinterest

Robert Louis Stevenson

 

American Philosophy   

 ·

Robert Louis Stevenson was high on cocaine when he wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. His wife Fanny Stevenson claimed that one night, she was awakened by her husband’s cries. She woke him from his nightmare, only to be scolded: "Why did you wake me? I was dreaming a fine bogeytale." She had interrupted him as his mind wove the first transformation scene of Dr. Jekyll into his dark alter-ego Hyde.

Fanny Stevenson had not been the kind of woman Robert’s parents had imagined for him. While she was beautiful and witty, Fanny was 10 years his senior, divorced, American, and something of a tomboy. She rolled her own cigarettes and knew how to shoot a pistol. But Robert was absolutely besotted by her, even following her back to America. When his family refused to pay for his passage, he toiled and saved for 3 years, just to be reunited with her. All turned out well in the end, for had Robert fallen in love with someone else, perhaps the story Dr. Jekylll and Mr Hyde might have turned out very differently.

Fanny read Robert’s first draft, advising him to re-write it as an allegory. So Robert started from scratch, burning his first draft for fear that he would try to salvage it. He re-wrote the whole story in 6 days, and this version went on to become one of the most famous horror novellas of all time, reflecting a deep inner struggle of good and evil, found at the core of every man.

( All credit goes to the original creator )

CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO FUDGE

 

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 64 pieces of rich fudge

• 350 grams dark chocolate (chopped, minimum 70% cocoa solids)
• 1 x 397 grams can condensed milk
• 30 grams butter
• pinch of salt
• 150 grams pistachios

METHOD

1. Put the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt in a heavy-based pan on a low heat, and stir to melt.
2. Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.
3. Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.
4. Pour and spatch this mixture into a foil tray 23cm / 9 inch square, smoothing the top.
5. Let the fudge cool, and refrigerate until set. You can then cut it into small pieces. You can best achieve this by cutting the fudge so that you get 8 rows across and 8 rows lengthways, and this should give 64 pieces, each approx. 2.75cm / 1⅛ inches square.
6. Once cut, it can be kept in the freezer — no need to thaw just eat straight away.

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/chocolate-pistachio-fudge