Poet. Author. Creative.
Que Sera Sera? Whatever will be will be?
It’s a well worn phrase, but it’s not necessarily true. To some degree, what will be, will be. But you have the power to change outcomes through your choice of action.
Life will happen without you doing anything, because that’s just what it does. Time waits for no man.
You can live a passive life and just let things happen to you. But if you want to make things other things (read better things) happen, you can.
Accept liability for your own future!
Celebrating women all around the world on this International Women’s Day! I believe the official theme is ‘Inspiring Change’.
International Women’s Day is important to me, and not least because I have four daughters.
Women should be holding out their hands to others and pulling them up. That is the first change that I would like to see.
All life starts within women. We raise children. We build businesses. We support others. We put others before ourselves. We laugh. We cry. We talk. We stand up for what we believe in. There is power in the feminine.
I would like to inspire the young women of today to know that they can do or be anything. I want them to feel the power of being a woman and never to feel held back by it. I want them to pass that knowledge down through the generations. I want them to know that they can be the change!
I want them to listen to their little voices!
Little Voice is a poem written by Ms Moem for International Women’s Day 2014
I’d like the inspired change to mean more confidence, more adventure, more compassion. Sisters are not just doing it for themselves, they are doing it for all women, all around the world!
Happy International Women’s Day!
Reinvention. As we progress through life, that seems to be the key. Everyday we are getting older, and we acquire more knowledge, and are put in different situations. If we didn’t reinvent ourselves to fit our new situations, I am not sure that we would get through the changes.
I’m sure it is different for everyone, but for me, I like the idea of trying lots of different things. Some people might say one shouldn’t dabble in many things, but rather become a master of one thing. I would put myself firmly into the dabble category and I am more than happy to be there though I sometimes wonder if that might also put me into the ‘flighty’ category too. I don’t think I care really. The one thing I do want to focus on though, is to develop my finishing skills. The danger with trying lots of things and of reinvention, is that when your mind is buzzing with ideas, sometimes things don’t get all the way to completion before the next idea takes hold. There are so many things I want to do which will all contribute to the person I am yet to be. The person I am today is beginning to realise I really need to get on with my ‘must-do’ list as time waits for no man. So that requires a reinvention to start with, to get my ideas and my motivations and actions all on the same page.
No-one remembers the guy who was going to fix the world or whatever. They do remember the guy that did.
So, rather than say I am going to do x, y and z though, I want to be able to say I HAVE DONE x, y, z. This was the inspiration for the reinvention poem above. In other words, show, don’t tell. I’m going to use it as my own personal reinvention mantra.
Do not mention your intention
To pursue a re-invention
If it’s worthy of attention
Let them see your new dimension
Reinvention Poem by Ms Moem
This sticky lemon cake is certain to win itself a place amongst your best and favourite recipes. It requires a little forethought as I find that this a cake best enjoyed on days 2 and 3 (if it lasts that long) but trust me, it is worth the patience.
This is not a heavy cake. This is a light, lemony and moist cake, perfect as a mid-morning snack, or equally as a guaranteed people-pleaser for afternoon tea. You could even serve it warm with custard as the ideal comfort food or pudding. However you eat your version of this cake
Ingredients For The Cake
4oz butter
40z caster sugar
40z self-raising flour
lemon essence OR (lemon juice & lemon zest)
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
Ingredients For the syrup
8oz sugar
125ml water
lemon essence OR lemon zest and lemon juice
Recipe Method
Cream your butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Beat your 2 eggs. Add half the flour to your creamed butter and sugar, then blend in half the beaten egg. At this point, add your lemon essence or lemon juice and lemon zest. Then add the rest of your flour and baking powder before adding the rest of the egg. I like to use a wonder whisk to ensure a nice smooth batter.
Transfer your sticky lemony cake mixture to a greased and floured tin, and bake for 18-21 minutes, until it has gone a lovely golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
When baked, allow 5 mins to cool before releasing it from the cake tin. Then use a skewer to poke holes all the way to the base of the cake. The more holes, the better. Try to ensure an even distribution as this will make the syrup step more effective.
Next we make the syrup. Add the sugar and water to a pan and bring gently to the boil, swilling the water round to encourage the sugar crystals to dissolve. You want to let this mixture bubble away for around 5 mins. Keep an eye on it as if it starts to burn, your syrup will be discoloured and not tasting at its best. Once you turn off the heat, add in your lemon essence OR lemon juice and zest, and decant into a cup to cool.
Now this next step is a labour of love, but it is ultimately what makes this cake shine. At 10 minute intervals, you want to spoon a little bit of your lemon syrup over the cake, allowing it to trickle down in the holes. If you’ve ever made a Christmas cake, it’s like the process of feeding the cake with alcohol. It’ll take about an hour or so to saturate your lemon cake with the syrup. Then all you need to do is wait for 24 hours and dig in. *This may be impossible. Just eat the cake when you want! Let me know what you think if you try it!
You can serve it on its own or with some lemon cream and strawberries, or raspberries. This cake differs from a lemon drizzle cake as there is no crunchiness. This is soft, fluffy, moist, lemon loveliness! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Ode To My Sticky Lemon Cake
I love your moist deliciousness.
I love your lemony crumb.
I love your sticky indulgence.
You were made to fill my tum!
I’ll serve you up with strawberries
Or simply by yourself.
In fact, dear sticky lemon cake,
I’m keeping you all to myself!
Poem Ode To My Sticky Lemon Cake and recipe Ⓒ Ms Moem
Pity the chaps on Valentine’s Day
Who simply don’t have a clue.
What they really need is a buying guide
And a trip to Boux Avenue!
They’ll find silky satin playsuits
And beautiful, elegant bras.
There’s even stockings and suspender belts
If they want to go that far.
Men can’t fail to get it wrong this year
With the range of Boux temptations.
A gift of lingerie from Boux Avenue
Makes any day a celebration!
Ladies, help the men who love you to buy the perfect lingerie for you
By directing them to the gentleman’s lingerie buying guide from Boux Avenue!
Orchids or lillies? Satin or silk?
Country estate or church?
Artificial flowers won’t wilt.
All day guest, or just reception?
Horse and carriage or cars?
Live band or dj?
Wine on the table or a free bar?
Bridesmaids or pageboys?
Ushers and best man?
Book the magician and the marquee,
The beautician and the ice cream van.
Nude lips and lashes?
Garter and heels?
Tiara or something subtle?
Lift the veil for the big reveal.
Don’t just plan for the wedding;
The act of becoming husband and wife.
Plan for your future.
Plan for the life.
Ⓒ The Wedding Plan is a poem written by Ms Moem.
Nurses Are Born
Nurses are born.
The tasks they perform
Mean quality of care.
Someone being there
When we are in need.
They’re a special breed
Yes, nurses are born.
It’s not boxes on a form
Nor the uniform that is worn.
Because Nurses are born.
On rota 24 hours a day
For no where near enough pay
Nurses tread community and wards
To afford patients dignity in ill health.
They bring with them a wealth of knowledge.
Providing more than a source of solace.
Nurses care.
On occasion,
They bear the brunt of frustration
From family members, unaware
of their workload and stretched resources
Of course, the criticisms levelled at them hurt
But it never stops them from doing their work.
Because nurses are born.
It is something within
That prompts them to begin
And subsequently follow the path of their vocation.
The unsung heroes that deserve respect and celebration.
It’s a purpose, a mission
Not community service as an act of contrition.
But pride
To be the gentle voice at the side
Of someone who is scared.
Nurses care.
But never toot their own horn
Because it is just what they do.
Not for themselves, but for me and for you.
Nurse are born.
Ⓒ Nurses Are Born
A Poem About Nurses by Ms Moem
The Source
If life is a journey and you’re aiming for success
Infinite possibilities lie behind the word ‘yes’.
Energy directed manifests all you need
Giving you direction, which nourishes the seed.
It’s defining your message, and getting it heard
It’s walking the walk, as well living the words.
Live your highest vision and plot your own course
And as you look for the light, remember you are the source!
The Source is a poem written by Ms Moem
The Snowman
She called him The Snowman.
It was fun building him up, like no man
Had ever been built before. When fresh, he was a magnificent sight
But as she slept, he always disappeared, just melted away into the night.
She’d see him again.
Perhaps. But she never knew when.
Until then, she resolved to never let it show
That she was waiting on the snow.
The Snowman is a short poem by Ms Moem.
