The Big See-saw, the Bully, and Marmalade.

What with the weather and the general election campaign starting, it was a good time to get out of Ireland. There is something particularly depressing about an election campaign that seems to be mainly a competition to see who can put up the most stupid posters, with barely a real issue or principle in sight and less genuine engagement in debate.

Our Leader Mr Kenny claims of course to have pulled the country round from the brink of economic collapse. Sorry, I don't buy it; we are all part of an admittedly complex world economy, but I'm afraid I see it with the eyes of a child in a playground, looking at a big see-saw. Oil went sky-high, and the oil exporting countries did very well while the importers like Ireland headed for bankruptcy. Oil price collapsed and just now it is the other way round.

There seems also to be a playground bully walloping the see-saw up and down, much to the terror of the wee chiddlers on it. The big question is, how to get off it? Then there is the imperative to do so from the climate change perspective. But who or what is that there bully?

One thing is for sure, bullies like to cover their tracks, while they enjoy terrifying the kids. I think there must be something in it for the War on Terror merchants myself. There remain some awkward unanswered questions about the 9/11 business that got the show on the road. Are we to believe that the brilliant security measures in place are responsible for the fact that America has actually suffered rather little from the terrorists since? All praise to the heroes of security, like the wee man who relieved me of my half-used jar of coconut oil at the airport the other day!

It would be more in their (the Americans’) line methinks to tackle the gun culture, or hey Mr Trump, how about banning automobiles? After all, they kill something approaching 40.000 Americans every single year, and about a million and a quarter world-wide. How about 'bombing the Hell out'a' the motor car factories? But that wouldn't 'make America great again', would it now? But Mr Trump wants to rob her of whatever rags of credibility she still has!

Ah well, here's to life on my own little see-saw, between Ireland and the Guadianaland. But just to prove that I am prepared to do more than give off, on Tuesday 23^rd February at 8pm in the Clarion Hotel, Sligo, I will be with Fiona at a meeting called by the Iona Institute, which will be addressed by Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin on the subject of How should a Catholic think about Politics?

Meanwhile, back with the Anna M on her winter mooring, I am very slowly improving her off-grid capabilities. The solar panels and led lighting installed two years ago have made a huge difference. Now I've just taken the Ebersbacher oil-fired heating unit out of her. It never worked well for long anyway, didn't like the marine environment, and I'm slowly working towards a wood-burning stove. It is needed even here in the winter, what with condensation and chilly nights and damp river air. There's plenty of wood drifting past, but it's a complex business reorganising the saloon for this stove, because the old and also defunct fridge is in the corner that it needs. First move is a new fridge in a locker beside the galley.

Talking of which, and of living off the land, there are any amount of oranges going at a loss round these part at this time of year, and since marmalade is one of the basic necessities of life for me, I had to have a go at making some here. No menu, no scales, no jamming pan, no thermometer, but thanks to Brother Anselm I do have a basic idea of how to make it – the recipe is in his Glenstal Cookbook – and also with compliments  to Jean-Paul, the French cook on Sherkin, a basic attitude that 'You must cook wiz your 'art'.... It turned out fine, fruity and delicious, and this is how I did it:

·         Fill the pressure-cooker full of mostly bitter oranges*, with two sweet ones and a lemon, and water half-way up, and cook under pressure for half an hour.

·         Cool till you can slice them up, separating out the pips. Putting the chopped fruit to one side, return the pips to the juice in the cooker, adding maybe another cup-full of water, and give them ten minutes or more under pressure, before sieving them out and returning the fruit to the juice in the cooker, and adding about a (2kilo) packet and a half of sugar. Our pressure cooker, about a 6 pint one, is at this point about three-quarters full. Maybe a little extra water is required to bring it up there.

·         Boil away, with no lid on the cooker, stirring regularly. It takes a good while, and has to reduce quite considerably. Fiona swears by 'the wrinkle test' – put a bit on a plate and push it with the wooden spoon, and it's ready when it wrinkles. I find I know when it's cooked; it turns a darker colour and starts to stick to the bottom. That makes a good six jars.

*The bitter oranges have somewhat knobbly skins, while the sweet ones are smooth.