Favorite toy - Kapla planks

Kapla planks

I loved the time that existed before electronics became so pervasive in our lives. The time when my kids were constantly immersed in imaginary play and could build worlds and create settings for myriad stories and epic sagas. 

To solve the crisis imposed by building with Jenga blocks (which curtailed structures to 54 blocks), and to enable structures to evolve beyond the shapes that are somewhat dictated by the substantial (heavy) blocks provided in traditional wooden building sets—we invested in a set of Kapla planks. This is one of my favorite toys—right up there with the cardboard box!   

Nic attempting to outdo a structure

The beauty of these planks is that they are all the same size (ratio of 1:3:5), and the same color—simply finished pine without embellishment and with the beauty of the timber grain apparent. The planks are thin enough to build floors and roofs. The lightness of the planks enables them to be stacked to astronomical heights, yet avoid abundant noise, damaged floors, or injured children when the predestined demolition occurs. A large number of planks allow imaginations and structures to grow and evolve in tandem. Kapla planks are a brilliant toy for open-ended play and encourage creative and logical thinking and spatial awareness. 

Of course, coupling a toy requiring sustained concentration and patience with the vagaries of gravity can end in tears from time to time. 😁

Boys posing with yet another structure

The planks were designed by Tom van der Bruggen in 1987. The name Kapla is derived from "KAbouter PLAnkjes" which is Dutch for gnome planks. 

Soup for the sick... and the soul

cream of chicken soup

I agree with the mantra "you are what you eat" and the notion attributed to Hippocrates of "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" (whether he happened to say it or not). It's a philosophy adopted by my mother, and one I have tried to emulate when feeding my own family: serving good food leads to good health. Well. It certainly can't hurt!

Having a family member who is recovering from surgery, made me think of serving chicken soup. Jewish grandmothers foisting homemade chicken soup upon sickly family members is a common stereotype - and for good reason. Known as Jewish Penicillin, the benefits of feeding chicken soup to treat respiratory illness are not only anecdotal but have been medically and scientifically proven. The effectiveness of chicken soup as a restorative has seen it enter the lexicon, as a "shorthand for a cure-all, a mysterious-but-effective way to solve problems". Indeed, soup-as-medicine is common amongst many cultures. 

A science experiment was conducted by primary school children in conjunction with Imperial College London. The study sought to identify the anti-malarial effects of homemade broths. The study succeeded in finding broths that actually did inhibit the growth of the malaria parasite. As a bonus, the children were listed as authors of the scientific paper. 😁

we demolished this roast chicken before making soup stock

My chicken soup started as a broth created from our leftovers from a roast chicken. I boiled the bones with carrot, onion, celery, parsley, black peppercorns and bay leaves. Using the strained broth, I made two soups. 

making stock

congee

The first soup was a congee. I had my first taste of congee in China, where it was served as a breakfast food. Considered as a comfort food throughout Asia, congee is known by many different names and is served with a variety of flavorings. It is commonly served to the elderly, infirm, babies, and the ill. I made mine by simmering sushi rice in the chicken broth for at least 90 minutes, with a few thick slices of green ginger and some finely chopped onion. I needed to keep adding water to keep the congee from drying out. It is a bland dish that benefits from additional flavoring. We experimented with soy sauce and then with some toasted sesame oil. Luc liked it with a splash of mirin and grated fresh ginger. Sliced green onions would be a good addition - or Kimchi for more robust tummies. 

mirepoix

The second soup was a cream of chicken. I fried a mirepoix (diced onion, carrots and celery) in a small amount of olive oil, then added the broth with leftover chicken meat and any meat I was able to scavenge from the carcass. I blended this all together. The texture was a little 'gritty' but benefitted with the addition of some cream. This was good for our recovering patient who needed a restorative but liquid diet. I'd be inclined to serve the soup as a strained clear broth (not blended and omit the cream) for wobbly tummies or for anyone with respiratory problems. 

I loved the story I heard of recent medical school graduates taking hands-on nutrition training. The aim is for physicians to provide valuable advice to their patients suffering from chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol) and prescribe food changes instead of medicine as the first line of defense.

Fun

Fun for me is learning.

I like to keep myself informed and educated. I end up accumulating endless tidbits of information. I'd be a wiz at trivia quizzes—as long as subjects such as sport, current music, TV shows, and late 20th-century American history are not included. Oh... and if my recall of said tidbits were only a whole lot faster! 

I love to learn new skills. 

I set myself a challenge to learn how to animate this weekend. Well—make a start at least. I'm a bit of an Adobe nerd, so had a go using the Animate software. The process was fairly intuitive for a long-term Adobe user. My problems arose with the terminology and commands that would be part of the basic vocabulary for filmmakers or animators. Anyway, I became transfixed and had much fun in the process. See the gif above for an idea of what the Animate software is capable of producing. 

LIFE!

Life.
Life has a way of happening. 
It comes at you, hitting you like a huge truck. Perhaps more like a hurricane. Without adequate warning. With an unprecedented and relentless force. Without care or sympathy or subtlety. One doesn't notice life's ability to topple or maim unless one has, themself, been assaulted by its full fury or callous fervor. 

I have always felt I lived a rather charmed life. I have had to work for it, but have largely been left unscathed by life, riding its waves, but remaining afloat and with enough control and momentum to continue forth. I know this now. I know this as I have had life flung at me for the last four years. It hasn't been nice. I have shed more tears than I ever thought were possible. I have had losses that have been torturous and heartbreaking and totally unexpected. Before the pain from one affliction abated, another pain would assail itself. I have felt as I have been drowning. Carried along by a racing current, without relief or respite. Without support or succor. Every time I thought I might be able to catch a break, life 'happened' again.

Amongst everything else that has happened, I lost both my parents. Unexpectedly. Painfully. Too close together. This has been a huge wake-up call to my own mortality. I had started this blog for my parents. As a means of communication and updates from afar—before the advent of social media as we now know it. Mum longed for my updates and snippets of news. Then with everything that ensued, it all ground to a halt. I won't go into all that now... perhaps another day. But, I had always intended to return to writing.

I know my pains are largely first-world. There are so very many in the world living in conditions and situations that are merciless and incessant and without any hope of opportunity or amnesty. I will never feel that level of pain. 

I have the opportunity to make a fresh start. So here goes!