Mutterings*

I was reading a blog post I came across, about discrimination against Tamils at the Omanthai check point . It reminded me of my own experience travelling to Jaffna on the bus. I was asleep. Woken up as the bus slowed down. I have an NIC card. I don't know what I look like. Or sound like. Especially around 2am, groggy and tired. I get down from the bus and people are asked to go through the check point.  A farce of a check really, just carry your stuff and go through the line up. Like a military ruling state, which is, I remind myself, what we are. How sheltered we live in our little bubbles. How it must feel like to actually be a Tamil speaking person, and be looked upon suspiciously. I was sleepy. I am walking through the line. Three women, huddled together. In Army uniform. I hand over my id. They open my hand bag and start looking inside. They look over my id. Ask me a question. I forget what it was. I believe, something to the effect of "ah oya sinhalada" an

I really am thankful to the internet. How easy it is to find any recipe at a whim,  no matter what ingredients one is stuck with at home and play around with wondrous creations.  To learn from strangers in different places, sharing their own experiences and tweaks to recipes.  A wonderful collection of human beings connected together.  Here I am,  moving it forward. Thanking the kind souls that share their own adventures in the kitchen and inspire us to create our own.  A kitchen aid is by the way, a wonder gift to receive. Perhaps a bit over the top for a novice in the kitchen.  But still. Much appreciated. Heartfelt love. xoxox I found the Ciabatta Bread recipe here.  Basically, cut and pasted from the site above:  1 1/2 cups   water 1 1/2 teaspoons   salt 1 teaspoon   white sugar 1 tablespoon   olive oil 3 1/4 cups   bread flour 1 1/2 teaspoons   bread machine yeast Kitchenaid in the shadows Place ingredients into the pan of