How prayer saved my day and what you can do to save Trichelle

I have some girls who form the core of personal support and love in my life and for whom I would do anything, and vice versa. Beautiful, strong women who have been in my life for years and years. Earlier this week, I received the horrible news that my friend's sister is missing. It surely has to be every person's worst nightmare - to turn around and not know where your loved one is and whether they are safe, scared or alone.

It has been weighing heavily on my mind and being away from home makes one feel a bit hopeless but then we all feel that way. So while the police carry out their investigations, we wait. All any of us can do now is sit, wait, and pray for her safe return and pray for her family, who undoubtedly need all the support they can get at this time. This could be any one of us, sadly so no thought, no prayer is too small. Thanks to everyone who circulated the photos to friends and lifted the family up in prayer. Hoping for good news soon.

This being said, I have not been the sharpest tack in the drawer this week, and it took me all week to scramble some words together on a page to send to my dissertation supervisor. Not my best work but when I finally sent it off today, I decided that I also needed to eat, having not eaten a proper meal in days. So I did the whole nine yards with the cooking, rustling up a fantastic curry to go with my contraband dhalpuri roti (luckily UK Customs did not feel the need to seize this as they did my NZ cheddar). Hungry and tired, I doled out a serving of this Trini culinary goodness, set it on the table, cleaned up and then went out to put out the trash - a 15 second exercise. In less than 10 seconds, the sound no pyjama clad, fluffy socks and fluffy slippers wearing, bad hair day woman wants to hear, echoed in my ear sockets - the sound of a slamming door, automatically locking me out, while the keys jangled in the lock and mocked me from the inside. F#@^ me!

Luckily for me, two things were in my favour - 1. the neighbours were home and while #2 was the main reason I was in this predicament, with the wind from this source being the reason the door slammed behind me, still, 2. the back door was open.

This is where I put my acrobatic skills to work and for those who know what my university hall name was, this would be funny. The neighbour got out his old rickety ladder, and leaned it against the fence so I could climb up and clamber over. If you know anything about British fences, and guttering, you would know that they are basically shit. If you know anything about me, you would know that I am a true Caribbean woman with an ass and meat on the bones. To say this exercise of climbing over this fence which could barely take the weight of a Barbie doll, and praying I did not break down the entire thing was a challenge, would be an understatement. I looked for something on which to hold on to, and the guttering was as fragile as the fence so I had to hold on to the neighbour, and pray for dear life. I whispered a prayer asking first for personal safety - I did not want to have to tell my mother over Skype that I had broken anything, and also I prayed for the fence cause I am not in a financial position to help pay to repair a broken fence.

Well, I am here typing this, and the fence still stands and the curry was excellent. It just goes to show that prayer is great. Faith is powerful, no matter what the challenge - no matter how big or small, trite or life changing.

My friend's family is going through a situation I wish on noone. Please say a prayer for Trichelle and let's bring her home.

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Celebrating my Inner Indian

To say I love Indian food would be an understatement. I love ah curry. So when my girlfriend gave me an opportunity to get out of the house on Sunday after I had finished my assignment, I jumped at the chance to make a suggestion. The main reason was I was too tired to go into Central London, but it sure did not hurt that the closest decent eating establishment was an Indian restaurant.

I had been taken here before on a date and though the date itself was a bust (a trend here, let me assure you), the food was superb and it's nice having a place I could get to with just a bus ride...and not a gazillion train changes.

The service at Babur's is really great. They always make you feel right at home. I was not aware of the Sunday buffet but it was as good as the a la carte and I tried everything - literally. lol. The best was the coconut curry lamb. Having had lamb on Friday evening, I did not want to go overboard with this fatty meat again today but it was delectable. Add the company of Trini girlfriends,  and the knowledge that the assignment was well and truly finished, and it was a perfect Sunday.

Justa few steps away from the
Clapham North station

Fast forward to Tuesday and despite the great curry extravaganza on Sunday, nothing really ever beats a Trini curry. I had been lusting for a roti for days and the buffet on Sunday did not appease my craving. So I got up this morning, got ready and jumped on the train to Clapham North...to Roti Joupa. Two train rides, one half hour wait for the train back and a walk in the rain, just for a roti? Hell yes!

Roti Joupa. I have been here when on vacation. This is not fine dining. Don't expect to go here and meet a maitre d' at the door, in a butler-esque uniform. Don't even expect tables. There is a counter and some stools for those who cannot wait to get home to dive into their meal, but that's the extent of it. It's a typical rotu shop setting.

Admittedly, in my opinion, and as a curry connoisseur, it is not THE BEST curry I have ever had, but in a city where bangers and mash and fish and chips are king, I will take anything. I was on the brink of a Trini curry meltdown so I ordered everything. Paratha, curried channa (chickpeas), curried aloo (potato), curried goat (goat...lol), with some kuchela on the side (will have to wiki an explanation for kuchela, but it's like pickled, peppered mango...it's great!). While waiting, I also ordered some pholourie which hit the spot like a brick. I almost fell off the stool, it was so good. I just find they very light-handed with the meat though. Not impressed. But...

I am a happy Trini. Satiated. Curried out? Maybe not. But until I make the time to make my own version of the above, this was as good as it got and on a rainy day in London (what else is new?), this was pretty damn good.

I found this video while googling kuchela...hilarious. My Trini people.

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