The Peoples Friend

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A SHORT STORY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! JANUARY 5, 2013 No. 7452

Happy New Year

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to all our readers!

BEINN A’ GHLO, PERTHSHIRE: J. CAMPBELL KERR

page 51

Cookery Serve up a quick and tasty supper

page 59

Craft

Stitch a pretty patchwork key ring

H

APPY New Year! May 2013 bring you every happiness you could wish for.

Have you made any New Year resolutions this time? I long ago decided to stop making any that contained the phrases “give up” – as in chocolate! – and “not to”, as in “This year I’m not going to . . .” Why, I’ve often asked myself, would you set out on the exciting, brand-new blank canvas full of opportunities that is a new year by imposing restrictive behaviour or denying yourself small pleasures?

For 2013, I’ve set myself the target of spending more time with friends, something that can be squeezed out by the demands of a busy life. Not original, I know, but it should be a lot more fun than giving up chocolate!

But really, spending time with others, and looking to the future, is what New Year has always been about. I was fascinated by Willie Shand’s article on New Year traditions and their origins (page 8), though I have to say I’m quite glad not to be his next-door neighbour when he marches round his house playing the bagpipes early on January 1!

Here at the “Friend”, our New Year resolution to you is to fill every issue with the best stories and features we can find. We’re starting as we mean to go on this week, with some fabulous reading for you to relax with, including a fascinating insight into the life of popular author Pat Thornborough. I’m sure you’ll enjoy finding out about her lovely home, her writing career and her sources of inspiration.

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Angela Gilchrist, Editor

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Contents This week’s fiction

Serials

28 Home To The Kingdom

by Lisa Main 66 Along The Drovers’ Road

by Neilla Martin

Short Stories

4 The Ugly Duckling An uplifting story by Alison Carter 13 The Moon And The Stars A feel-good story

by Samantha Tonge 21 Sticking Point An inspirational story

by Marilyn Fountain 39 Doing The Right Thing A period story by Sally Wragg 47 Brownie Points A humorous story by Annie Harris 55 Charlie Parker’s Resolution A romantic story

by Natalie Kleinman 79 New Beginnings An emotional story by Pat Posner

From The Manse Window 7 Treasures To Share by the Rev. Ian W.F. Hamilton

Travel

8 A Guid New Year

by Willie Shand 26 Welsh Wonder Solange Hando in the Brecon Beacons

Queries

Competition

23 Win A 40" Samsung TV!

Puzzles

25 Puzzle It Out! 69 Solutions

Nostalgia

35 Those Were The Days 65 The Fisher Girls 77 I Never Left School Ruth Spencer recalls her first job

Out & About

36 Back To Nature

by Hilary Bowman

Your Money

44 Ways To Watch The Pennies

Series

48 Tales From The High Road Gwyneth Guthrie returns

Cookery

51 Frozen Assets Making the most of frozen food

Craft

59 Safe & Sound Make pretty patchwork key fobs

Royals

62 A Royal Snapshot Stunning photos of the Queen

The Farmer And His Wife 71 Absent Friends

Real-life

72 Tales From My Writing Desk

by Pat Thornborough

16 I’d Like To Know . . .

Your questions answered

Children’s Corner

Your Health & Wellbeing

Your Letters

18 Tips To Keep You Healthy!

85 Happy New Year!

86 Between Friends

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16

The People’s Friend

queries

I’d Like To Know...

MY friend’s father told her that he knew a man whose pigeon had won a medal during WWII. She always thought it was just a tall tale, but another friend assures us that this could have happened.

Can you help?

– Mrs J.L., Milton Keynes.

Q

Pigeons were used as messengers during WWII and played an important part in the war due to their homing ability and speed. The Dickin Medal, the highest possible decoration for valour given to animals, was awarded to 32 pigeons, including the United States Army Pigeon Service’s G.I. Joe and the Irish pigeon, Paddy.

A

Q

My husband and I were lucky enough to spend New Year with family in America a few years ago. We were very surprised to discover that the song “Auld Lang Syne” was popular there, too, and wondered why. Is it because of their Scottish heritage?

– Mrs S.A., Oban.

A

That’s partly true, but another reason is the band leader, Guy Lombardo. He first heard “Auld Lang Syne” in his home town of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. He played the song with his brothers in the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, at midnight at a New Year’s Eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York city in 1929 and it became a tradition. Broadcast at first on radio and then on television, Lombardo’s version of the song was played every New Year’s Eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria.

COULD you please tell me the name of the actress who played Eva in the “Last Of The Summer Wine” episode entitled “Eva’s Back In Town”? I watched the programme, but missed the credits at the end.

– Mrs M.C., Nottingham.

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Q A

Eva was played by Shirley Anne Field in this episode which first aired in 2008.

If you have a question, write to I’d Like To Know . . ., “The People’s Friend”, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Please do not send an SAE as we cannot give personal replies.

that was? A girlfriend? It was possible, she supposed, though he hadn’t seemed the type to ask out one woman while dating another. If coffee and cake could be called a date. Maybe she was reading too much into a simple gesture of friendship.

Later that day, she was still shaking her head as she applied her nail polish. At least now she could really look forward to tomorrow without worrying so much about making an impression. Despite a sinking feeling in her chest, Val was relieved that she’d not made a fool of herself in front of him.

At ten o’clock sharp the next day she walked into the café. Marty was already there.

“Val!” His face lit up as he got to his feet and pulled out a chair for her.

The waiter came over and they both ordered a cappuccino.

“A chocolate cupcake, please,” Val told the young man and took off her glasses.

“Vanilla for me,” Marty said. Then he rummaged in his briefcase for a moment and pulled out a CD. “I found this amongst my collection,” he said. “Knew I had it somewhere. It’s jazz versions of Glenn Miller’s bestknown tracks.”

Val took it from him and studied the playlist.

“That’s kind of you, Marty. I look forward to listening to that. Years ago, Alan and I visited a jazz club in the city. It was called the Silver . . .”

“The Silver Sax?” Marty finished. “I was there just last weekend! Haven’t you been back there since?”

“I didn’t know it was still there,” Val said and smiled. “It was a great evening. We didn’t get to bed until dawn. Not long after that we had our eldest, though, and then life got busy.”

Marty nodded.

“Gill and I never had a regular babysitter. Much as I miss the kids, it’s been nice, these last years, to have the freedom to go out at night to a restaurant or cinema, even if it means going on my own.” He glanced at Val’s cake. “That looks good.”

“Do you want to share? Alan and I often used to.” Val grinned. “He had a knack of always ordering a sweet treat that looked better than mine.”

“What a good idea,” he said.

Val cut each cupcake and then swapped two of the halves. In between mouthfuls, they talked about their careers and children and laughed about the latest family comedy show on television which, it turned out, they both loved.

Y

OUR hair looks nice, by the way,” he said after draining his

coffee.

Val’s cheeks tinged pink.

“I thought I saw you again yesterday morning,” he said.

“Oh, um, yes, and I noticed you over the road,” Val stuttered. “Um, with . . .”

“Maria,” he said.

Val sipped her coffee.

“She’s an attractive woman.”

“Hmm. She comes from Italy. Very friendly. Apparently that’s the continental way.” His eyes twinkled. “All that kissing was a bit of shock when I first met her. Lovely lady. She works for another drugs company and our paths often cross.”

“Oh! I thought . . . So you and her aren’t . . . ?”

“A couple?” Marty laughed.

“Lord, no! For starters, Maria does salsa dancing twice a week. I’d never be able to keep up!”

Val’s stomach tingled as they laughed together, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening.

“My life’s more sedate,” he said. “That’s why I like jazz. In fact, how about I take you to the Silver Sax, Val? See if it’s changed much since you were last there.”

“I’d love to,” Val replied.

Was this really happening? A warm fuzzy feeling rose through her chest and she felt as sparkly as her jumper.

“Let’s exchange numbers,” Marty said and took out his phone.

Val opened her new handbag and searched for her mobile.

“What’s your surname, Marty?” she asked, finger poised to punch in his details.

“Moon,” he said. “Martin Robert Moon, at your service.”

Val’s mouth fell open.

“I know – unusual name nowadays, isn’t it?” he said.

“I like it,” Val said softly, and typed out the letters.

Perhaps that survey had been wrong, and January was a romantic month after all.

The End.

52

Vegetable Chilli

V

1

Ingredients 200 g (7 oz) frozen chopped onions 1 tbs olive oil 3 tsp frozen crushed or chopped garlic 1 tsp hot chilli powder 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp frozen chopped jalapeño chillies 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes 2 tbs tomato purée 200 g (7 oz) frozen broccoli and cauliflower florets ● 100 g (3½ oz) frozen butternut squash ● 100 g (3½ oz) frozen baby broad beans ● 200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable stock or water ● 1 tbs frozen parsley ● 1 tbs frozen basil To Serve: cooked frozen rice or potatoes baked from frozen. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Tip:

Try replacing the florets with frozen grilled vegetable mix and the butternut squash with frozen sliced mushrooms for variety.

Method 1 In a frying-pan, fry the onions in the oil for 5 to 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, chilli powder and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the jalapeño chillies, tomatoes and tomato purée. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the vegetables and stock. Return to the boil.

Simmer, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. Stir in the herbs and serve with cooked frozen rice or potatoes baked from frozen.

Serves 4.

Tip:

Replace the steak with thawed chicken to ring the changes.

Steak and Onion Fajitas 1 Ingredients ● 1 x 400 g pack frozen sirloin steak strips ● 200 g (7 oz) frozen sliced or chopped onions ● 1-2 tbs vegetable oil ● 200 g (7 oz) frozen sliced mixed peppers ● 1-2 tsp frozen crushed or chopped garlic ● 280 ml (9½ fl oz) double cream ● 1 tsp chipotle paste ● 8 tortillas, warmed To Serve: rocket salad; salsa; sprinkling of coriander.

Method 1 Fry the steak and onions in the oil for 3 minutes to brown. Add the peppers and garlic and continue to fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the steak is almost cooked. Stir in the cream and chipotle paste. Heat whilst stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken.

Recipes and photographs courtesy of the British Frozen Food Federation.

For more information and recipes, visit www.coolcookery.co.uk.

2 Divide the steak mixture between the warmed tortillas, fold and serve with a rocket salad, salsa, and a sprinkling of coriander.

Serves 4.

Remember: Recipes have been given in both metric and imperial. It is important to use one method throughout as they are not exactly the same.

Tip:

53

If the fish needs longer to cook, simply reseal the parcel and return to the oven for a few minutes

Fish Parcels

2

Ingredients For each Parcel: ● 1 x 200 g sachet frozen Basmati rice ● 50 g (1¾ oz) frozen mushroom medley (sliced speciality mushrooms) ● 25 g (1 oz) frozen peas or sweetcorn ● 1 frozen fish fillet (cod, haddock, salmon etc.) ● 1 cube or 1 tbs frozen pesto To Garnish: lemon wedges; chopped basil.

Method 1 Pre-heat oven to 200 deg. C., 400 deg. F., Gas Mark 6.

2 Allow the rice to thaw for 5 minutes to separate the grains. Place the contents of the rice sachet in the centre of a large piece of foil, breaking down any large clumps. Cover with the mushrooms, peas or sweetcorn and then the fish fillet. Top with the pesto.

3 Draw up the sides and ends of the foil, folding several times to cover and completely seal in the contents, to form a loose parcel. Repeat the process to make more parcels, as required.

4 Place the parcel(s) on a baking tray in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the fish is cooked. This will depend on fillet thickness.

5 Serve garnished with a wedge of lemon and a sprinkle of chopped basil.

Serves 1 (each parcel).

Thai Chicken Bites

2

Ingredients 1 tbs Thai fish sauce 1 tsp soft light brown sugar 1 lime, juice only 3-5 tbs frozen spicy Thai mix, to taste ● 1-2 tbs groundnut oil ● 500 g frozen mini chicken fillets, thawed ● 1 tbs frozen chopped coriander To Serve: 1-2 tbs sesame seeds; chopped spring onions; lettuce leaves; sweet chilli dipping sauce; cooked frozen rice. ● ● ● ●

Method 1 In a small bowl, mix together the Thai fish sauce, sugar and lime juice and then set aside.

Next week: easy, inspiring meals on a budget

2 In a frying-pan, stir-fry the Thai spice mix in hot oil for 1 minute. Add the chicken and continue to fry over a moderate heat for 7 minutes until lightly browned and cooked. Stir in the coriander and the contents of the small bowl.

3 Pile the cooked mixture on to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions.

4 To assemble the fajitas, place a piece of chicken on a lettuce leaf, drizzle with the

dipping sauce, roll up or scrunch together and serve with a bowl of your favourite cooked frozen rice.

Serves 4-6.