Healthy Eating

My eye remains on the subject of good, healthy, non-fattening meals. Tonight I had a mushroom stir fry. (Don't get over-excited, it came in a packet as usual.)

Followed by chocolate cream-filled meringues.

I can hear you from here!

I'll Be True

I could never betray Bobby.

"Do you mean that, Val?"

You'd better believe it.

"Thanks. Here's a D'Evine profile to reward you."

"Hey, Eames, it's getting really cold up here."

"Someone just said the Vixens have found a new hero."

"I don't know what I'll do wthout them."

"This is your doing, you witch."

"What lies did you tell them?"

"You low-life. I'll win them back."

No winning back to do, darling. We could never be diverted from our adoration by a nasty, mean troll like her.

To Hell and Back

Once again, not a whole lot of laughs, but I'll do my best to lighten the load.

The guy who can only see out of the sides of his eyes spots Bobby full on.

Bobby looks round in disappointment to find he is now being approached

by another man, not a hot woman.

Bobby looks round carefully to see if he's being followed by a stray Vixen.

Hoping to catch a Vixen for his pleasure , Bobby checks his gun.

Ready. Aim. Fire.

You hit a million hearts with your love dart, darling.

Once again Bobby slams someone who is NOT ME against a wall.

I don't know what to do, doctor.

There are hundreds of thousands of women around the world who adore me.

"Eames, I'm trying to look really cute (especially the little curl),

but you seem to be the only woman on earth immune to my charms."

Eames and Goren play a deadly game of chicken. They both lose.

Bobby does his best puppy dog look, in vain.

The elegant, impressive and MASSIVE Det. Goren

puts the squitty little Chief of Ds in the shade.

Chained Up

I don't know about Untethered, who wouldn't pay a LOT of money to have Bobby chained up?

A brick, a brick, my dollars for a brick.

(Apologies to Shakespeare and Richard III)

"May I have this dance?"

"Listen, Frank, you might have been my big brother once,

but I tower over you now."

Oh, to be locked in with him smiling at me like this...

"Tempting almost-glimpse, Vixens, but this is not an episode to think about sex."

You want to bet, baby?

For example, I want to jump all over him when I look at this picture.

"I think this brick used to be part of an artwork at Tate Modern."

Oh, to have him in chains.

Python, show yourself, stop hiding in those overalls.

This is how Bobby would look when I'd just "finished him off".

Of COURSE you could restrain him like that, little weed.

The Vixen committee gets to work on the immobilised Goren.

Bobby begs us to stop.

But this is our chance to have our evil way with him.

When we've worn him out, he has to be helped away.

The Python tries unsuccessfully to hide.

Bobby struggles not to fall asleep while the Chief of Ds lectures him.

Bobby tries not to murder his brother.

You might as well, baby, he doesn't have long left anyway.

Lonely without his Vixens, Bobby tries to look pathetic so we will go and rescue him.


No Untethered post would be complete without The Hands which play such a great part in it.

Ratatouille recipe

OK, Fuzzytweetie, you asked.

This is not a text book recipe. It will not include weights or cooking times, just the ingredients and some general tips.

Ingredients
Courgettes (zucchini)
Aubergine (eggplant)
Red and/or green pepper
Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

The four main ingredients should be combined in fairly even quantities or according to personal taste. Use as much or as little as you like.

Slice the aubergine into slices no more than half-an-inch thick and cover in salt. Allow to stand for at least an hour to remove bitterness, then rinse. Use fresh rather than tinned tomatoes if possible, skin them before use. (You can also discard the pips if you prefer.) Cut courgettes into half-inch slices. Chop up onions into rings, cut peppers into slices, and crush the garlic.

Use a large saucepan to fry the onions and garlic till the onions are soft and transparent. Add the augergine, courgettes and peppers, season to taste, and cook on a low heat to release the moisture. When you feel it's looking and feeling good (after maybe 30 minutes) add the tomatoes, check the seasoning, and cook for a while longer - maybe about 15 minutes. Make sure the seasoning is right for you again, give it a final good stir and serve.

If you actually add meat, it isn't ratatouille any more. But if there are vegetables you really like, experiment with them. My French host used french beans a lot on the second or third day.

Enjoy!

Cooking Tip

You don't get many of these from me. My idea of cooking is putting a packet in the microwave. Once they were invented, I saw the advantage of preparing a meal in five minutes and having half an hour to eat it, instead of vice versa, and I've never looked back.

Anyway, in 1970, as a sweet seventeen-year-old, I won a 10-week scholarship to France. I stayed for one month of that time on a farm in the Loire Valley, where the owner ran a children's summer camp. She taught me the wonders of:

Ratatouille

(properly pronounced ra-ta-too-y[er], not ra-ta-too-i )

She would make a huge amount in a pressure cooker, and then over the next few days, would add other bits and pieces and reheat. It was wonderful on the first day. By the time it was all gone, it was DIVINE!

So today, instead of throwing away the remaining stock from the veggie stew I've been eating the last two days, I added another bag of stew veg (you didn't think I'd cut them up myself, did you?) and some extra stock, and Bingo! A delicious meal.

Not being a meat eater, I don't know how safe this would be with meaty stews.

Lying's Made

Feeble title! I couldn't think of one that was clever or witty and linked in with the title of the episode Self-Made. So my play is on the name of a UK brand of ices, Lyon's Maid. Pathetic.

Thanks goodness for Bobby to redeem me.

"There she goes, flattering me again."

"I don't know what this is, but sniffing it makes me feel happy."

You look coy, actually, Bobby. It's very fetching.

Yep, I'd be taking his picture too. Including from behind. And naked? Please?

He may be taller, but this twirp isn't a match for our big man.

Oh, those fingers are real fantasy-inducers.

Blue bottles = poison, but Bobby risks a sip.

He savours it. Looks a bit doubtful.

"Woo! That packs a punch."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drink an illegal substance."

Bobby tries not to laugh as Ross attempts to cover his broken fly.

Bobby offers his finger for a suck.

Sorry, er, was I supposed to make a comment here? Lost concentration there.

Bobby winces as his knickers get in a twist.