COOKING A STRANGE VEGETABLE AND UNBOXING A PARCEL FROM FRANCE | ISLAND LIFE

We bought an unusual vegetable at the Philippine market. It's ampalaya. I like ampalaya and my husband don't because it's bitter, but the vendors said this ampalaya is not bitter. It's very long and looks like a boa constrictor. We tried it raw and then stewed with shrimp. It's really good and not bitter at all. This is the kind of ampalaya Boris likes. It reminds him of boiled cabbage, but more watery, juicy. It's so good, it's delicious. Especially with shrimp. I cook them so good in butter, they're so juicy. Now we're in vegetable season and tomatoes are cheaper. Boris decided to pickle them. He cut them up, ground them up and canned them. It's hard to find glass jars here, so he canned in small jars we had accumulated from jam. He doesn't know how long they can last because there is no cellar here, no room in the refrigerator for them. I found another hobby.I started painting. It's a paint-by-numbers painting. Each sector has to be painted a different color. It's more about perseverance and patience. It's like doing a jigsaw puzzle. My husband is really glad I found a hobby like this, but he's a bit frustrated that I stay up late at night. I listen to music,sing, and Boris can't get me away from it. He worries about my eyesight. We received a parcel from France It was sent by Galina. She sent us wonderful gifts: foie gras, liquor, yarn for knitting and her autographed book. It is called "LOVE, Komsomol and Winter. Back to the USSR" by Gala Artange.
https://ridero.ru/books/lyubov_komsom...
What was life like in the USSR in the mid-70s? A fresh look of a young romantic girl who lived in France for five years and immersed in the realities of life in a provincial town. Komsomol youth, dance floors, the birth of discos; first love, sacrifice for love and willingness to compromise, jealousy and betrayal - this creates tension and introduces drama into the plot, making us think about our tolerance and ability to forgive. And the red thread is the theme of music and poetry.