What's Occurring?

It might suprise you to know that I've had quite a bit of spare time on my hands lately. I've done a few jobs around the house and kept involved in freemasonry in West Wales and beyond. I've enjoyed creating blog posts amd hopefully some of them have amused and entertained people. In an act of supreme generosity I have given up my office so that my son can carry on his work placement with gobal power company Eaton (I hadn't heard of them either).  This leaves me sharing a work space with my wife Helen who works for Pembrokeshire County Council and who is working from home. This arrangement is not quite as romantic as you might think, especially as she insists on having Radio 2 on all day. I prefer to work in silence, so that I can concentrate on what I'm doing, but sadly that hasn't been one of the choices 😊. I can't block out Radio 2 by listening to my beloved Radio 4 on my headphones, because I really can't concentrate then, which has le...

This made me smile - it reminded me of Jasper Carrott.

I think I've mentioned before that my wife Helen studied Modern Languages at University and spent 12 months living in France and Germany studying. Some of her best friends were learning Spanish rather than German and at the end of their time abroad they all met up and spent the summer in Valencia. She was due to fly to Valencia on Monday 25th May 2020 for a reunion with her University pals. Obviously that hasn't been possible, so we are doing the next best thing and pretending that we're on holiday in Spain. Here's what we selected from the Tapas Bar on our first imaginery evening. I like to serve things one at a time, but the rest of the family prefer to have it all in one go. Artichoke Hearts We keep a tin or two of artichokes hearts in the cupboard. They make a very easy and quite unusual starter. Just drain, rinse and dress with olive oil and finely chopped garlic. Olives These olives are stuffed with anchovies. No preperation, just open and place...

While modern freemasonry began in 18th century Europe, Freemasonry undoubtedly contains the remnants of bygone eras and forgotten cultures. The Roman mysteries of Mithras, the cult of Dionysus and the ancient art of Alchemy are all referenced and represented by the cryptic narrative passed down by Masonic Ritual. Some of these traditions insist that the collection of rites and rituals now known to the world as Freemasonry have their source in the mystery traditions of ancient Egypt. The connection between the mysteries of this long vanished society and the relatively modern practice of Freemasonry, was however, established by Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, a contentious figure among Masonic researchers, who has been regarded as a charlatan, a wonder worker, and a devout mystic and profoundly spiritual man.    Born the 2nd of June 1743, Cagliostro grew up in Albergheria, the Jewish Quarter of Sicily. He was educated by his grandfather and uncles, and briefly by the Cat...

Honey and Garlic Chicken - Asian Style Garlic plays an important role in my life. It’s my absolute favourite flavour. The first time I took my now wife out for a meal, she wasn’t very hungry. She hardly ate any of her pizza, but she finished her garlic bread. A match made in heaven! This recipe is adapted from one the winners of the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California. Like all my favourite recipes, it’s quick, easy, and effective. Ingredients 1kg chicken skinless thighs in bitesize pieces 3 tbsp peanut oil (if you have some) 1 head (not a mistake!) of garlic peeled and chopped finely 2 small chillies chopped finely (optional) 200ml white vinegar 75ml soy sauce 3tbsp honey Method 1.       Using your favourite frying pan, brown the chicken in the oil. 2.       When the chicken is starting to brown add the chillies and garlic. 3.       After a couple of minutes (less if it’s catching...

Me'arat Tzedkiyahu or Cave of Zedekiah, more commonly known as the Quarries of King Solomon, is a deep cavern, opening beneath the wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, and extending for hundreds of meters below the surface of the city in the direction of the Temple Mount. The cave's entrance, which had become lost in the course of centuries of vandalism and neglect, was rediscovered in 1854. The opening lies at the base of the wall, 100 meters north of Damascus Gate and near King Herod's Gate. It is one of the most extensive caves in Israel, measuring about 220 meters in length and some 900 meters in circumference. According to tradition. the cave extends all the way to the plain of Jericho. The last King of Judah, Zedekiah, is said to have fled through this cavern when Jerusalem fell into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, in the summer of 587 B.C. It was Josephus Flavius, the great Jewish historian of the first century C.E. who for the first ti...