Cucumbers

After my last lengthy scribble, a short slapping together of words…

It is an experience to travel with kids… I don’t know what I thought might ‘go down’, but I am increasingly prepared for the different age group reactions to any new moment.
The big kids initial moods and approach can make or break Christos and I and how we remember a place.They experience everything at such a different level to the little kids and you can’t just let it flow and sit and ‘be’, they want reasons, plans, and justifications at times. They are ready to argue for or against a plan. Prodding and awakening their imaginations allows them to absorb history or the wonder of a given place. We haven’t pushed history or museums much at all, but on occasion a story of the harsh history of a place can really fascinate them. The little three kids on the other hand; give them an open space, give them a closed space, give them no space and they’ll make happiness and laughter and stories and occasionally tears…

To another topic, equally important…
How many cucumbers are needed to keep the Miliking kids happy?
When I lived in the village in India I learnt a little trick with cucumbers… Have you ever had a cucumber that has that furry, tongue stick out, frothy feel in the mouth? This is my tip for you… Cut one end/tip off the cucumber trying not to cut down so low as to get to the seeded area. Rub the cut end/tip of the cucumber in a circular motion around the cut area of the rest of the cucumber, flat surface to flat surface. If this is a furry/frothy cucumber froth and bubbles will develop around the cut edge. Wipe this off and enjoy a crisp refreshing cucumber. We have needed this little tip a few times with cucumbers of varying quality. Anyhow, the point is, our trusty pocket knife is in constant use peeling cucumbers for consumption wholus bolus. We got into the habit of peeling them in China because of lack of clean water for washing them….

Nowadays ten cucumbers are consumed within the blink of an eye! I always think ‘enough’ when we gather cucumbers at a stall. When we start munching I invariably think ‘not enough’!
Mama Miliking