Seeing Mruczek Again

Always good to catch up with Mruczek:

Mruczek is the next door neighbour's cat and pest control officer in our barn.

Lilacs above the Well

Nice to see the lilacs out in the garden in eastern Poland.

Also nice to see our old friend, Mruczek, again:

My Tomato Soup

My quickly made tomato soup: I simmered small pieces of beetroot, carrot, potato, sweet potato, parsnip, and mushroom burger for 10-15 minutes; then simply added a tin of tomatoes and stirred for a few minutes. The result was surprisingly good.

Cheese Melting into the Aubergine

A shot of some cheese melting into half-simmered/half-steamed aubergine above.

This was then topped with courgette, sweet potato, and vegan sausage:

During these crazy times, it's good to keep getting the healthy meals in.

Steaming and Simmering the Veg

I have a pretty primitive but effective way of steaming and simmering my vegetables.

While the carrots, potatoes, and beetroot gently boil in water at the bottom of the pan, the aubergine, courgette, and sweet potato get steamed at the top of the pan.

Scarf Rather Than a Mask

When going outside in Poland, you're now legally required to wear a mask.

I prefer to wear a scarf over my face, because it's more comfortable on the ears and it's easier to breathe.

Find this mask-wearing rule really strange, as some doctors say it's dangerous for health. Still, I find myself kind of complying with the rule, because I don't want to risk a big fine.

Halfway through Lord of the World (Robert Hugh Benson)

Since some time last year, starting with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, I've been reading Catholic literature and apologetic work, and as a result, I can feel my faith being strengthened.

I'm currently halfway through Robert Hugh Benson's dystopian novel, Lord of the World, written in 1907. This seems to be an apt novel for right now given the globalist shutdown triggered by the virus situation. In a way, Felsenburgh reminds me of a young Bill Gates or George Soros, a puppet-master working behind the scenes.

Have found a couple of scenes/episodes deeply moving, Oliver Brand's mother recovering her Catholic faith towards the end of her life, and Father Percy Franklin's experience of mental prayer (this reminded me of the way Father Ripperberger describes it).

So far, I just find it a novel befitting the current situation, and as I enter the second half, I'm intrigued to see how much it mirrors the current globalist takeover via the virus.

Quasi Modo Chant

Love this Introit chant from Quasi Modo Sunday.

Through hearing it a few weeks ago, I currently find myself watching the 1997 film version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Richard Harris and Salma Hayek (as Esmeralda).

Watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame has given me a thirst to read the novel (have never read anything by Victor Hugo, so this would fill a bit of a gap).

Tasty without Meat

The chunky soup above contains carrots; aubergine; courgette; sweet potato etc., and the essential ingredient, sour cucumber.

On the sandwich below, there is a courgette pancake topped with sauerkraut:

One of my staple meals during the lockdown, vegan sausage, vegetables, and salad, all topped with cheese, the magical addition:

Halfway through s similar meal below where beetroot was the star of the show:

The beetroot salad can be seen more clearly below:

Have had a flexitarian approach to food for a good few years now, have only eaten meat twice during the lockdown, each time pepperoni and courgette pizza.

Online Mass with the SSPX Again Tomorrow

Will be watching online Mass from an SSPX church in Florida again tomorrow.

Before the virus situation started, I'd been attending the old Latin Mass at a Redemptorist church in Warsaw for 15 years. From a few weeks before Easter to the present, I've been watching the Old Latin Mass streamed from an SSPX church in Florida.

I'm aware of the Church Militant-SSPX business that is the talk of traditional Catholic circles at the moment, and it does look messy. Still, I can't help but admire how the SSPX priests have got out offering the holy sacrifice of Mass in spite of the virus situation. This is real faith, I think.

Small Stockpile of Beer

My small stockpile of beer, something very important in the strange times we find ourselves in.

Only get out twice a week, and the thought of a few cans of beer on a Friday evening helps me to get through the week.