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Tai Chi
This afternoon, Mike and I went to a free tai chi try-out session, mostly because one of the paid-for courses that it was trying to get people onto is in the village down the road, so quite convenient. I signed up because I was interested to try it, and to my surprise Mike decided to come along as well.
It was a little bit woo for my tastes, but that may be because the instructor was trying to get people interested in the concept. I could also have done with him doing a bit more than just standing at the front of the room and doing the actions with occasional pointers about how to do it better, but presumably on his regular classes he does get off the mat (as it were) and correct people individually. He came across as a bit nervous, in fact.
I struggled a bit because some of the moves were vaguely close to Pilates ones but slightly different, so I'd keep getting to a certain point and then realising that my foot was pointed instead of flexed, and similar.
We were surprised by the mix of people: Mike was the only bloke, which surprised me a little, but also there was pretty much no one between about my age and about Mike's, which was odd: I'd vaguely expected to be the youngest person there.
As we were leaving, we mentioned that we were thinking about the local course, and he said that he wasn't sure it would be running as there wasn't enough interest. I guess we'll sign up anyway and see what happens?
When I was out picking tomatoes this afternoon, I found a few (in the back garden bed, which is likely to be the coldest place) that had what I suspect is a bit of cold damage. I've pulled up all those plants, as we're due to be chilly again tonight, and I'm currently torn between trying to ripen the fruit and making experimental green passata. Online, I can find a few people saying "presumably it would work?", often in threads about making pasta sauce with whole ones, but no one actually saying "I have made this and it is good". Maybe I'll try a jar and get Mike to try it before I decide, but right now there's regular passata on the go (in the Aga, to see if it works: it seems to, as it's reducing nicely).
(I also picked up a sensible-sounding passata trick: bash them with a potato masher and then put them in a colander to let some of the liquid drain off. I know that you can get a Device to de-seed them, but clutter. I did try one batch where I scooped out all the middles, and it did indeed reduce down much more quickly than when I don't. Unfortunately, the reduction in cooking time was about equal to the increase in prep time, and the effort vastly greater, so bugger that. Ditto skinning them: that's what sieves are for. I am tempted to try part-roasting the tomatoes first, though, as people say the flavour's much better.)
It was a little bit woo for my tastes, but that may be because the instructor was trying to get people interested in the concept. I could also have done with him doing a bit more than just standing at the front of the room and doing the actions with occasional pointers about how to do it better, but presumably on his regular classes he does get off the mat (as it were) and correct people individually. He came across as a bit nervous, in fact.
I struggled a bit because some of the moves were vaguely close to Pilates ones but slightly different, so I'd keep getting to a certain point and then realising that my foot was pointed instead of flexed, and similar.
We were surprised by the mix of people: Mike was the only bloke, which surprised me a little, but also there was pretty much no one between about my age and about Mike's, which was odd: I'd vaguely expected to be the youngest person there.
As we were leaving, we mentioned that we were thinking about the local course, and he said that he wasn't sure it would be running as there wasn't enough interest. I guess we'll sign up anyway and see what happens?
When I was out picking tomatoes this afternoon, I found a few (in the back garden bed, which is likely to be the coldest place) that had what I suspect is a bit of cold damage. I've pulled up all those plants, as we're due to be chilly again tonight, and I'm currently torn between trying to ripen the fruit and making experimental green passata. Online, I can find a few people saying "presumably it would work?", often in threads about making pasta sauce with whole ones, but no one actually saying "I have made this and it is good". Maybe I'll try a jar and get Mike to try it before I decide, but right now there's regular passata on the go (in the Aga, to see if it works: it seems to, as it's reducing nicely).
(I also picked up a sensible-sounding passata trick: bash them with a potato masher and then put them in a colander to let some of the liquid drain off. I know that you can get a Device to de-seed them, but clutter. I did try one batch where I scooped out all the middles, and it did indeed reduce down much more quickly than when I don't. Unfortunately, the reduction in cooking time was about equal to the increase in prep time, and the effort vastly greater, so bugger that. Ditto skinning them: that's what sieves are for. I am tempted to try part-roasting the tomatoes first, though, as people say the flavour's much better.)
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