1000 page views - crikey dickens!

Wow!  So I've had 1000 page views on my wee old blog......Who knew?!

It's surprising as I've only given my details so a very (privileged) few so the rest of the readers must have stumbled upon my blog in some other way.  And some might even be repeat readers!  Which does surprise me somewhat!

I mean it's a funny thing blogging.  I type, get out my frustration, share my joy, have a whinge, pass on a recipe....you know - whatever....and people......friends, family and then strangers read all about it.  Kinda random really, don't you think?

I think about trying to explain this to my Grandma.  "Why?" would be her first question.  And probably quite a good one.  I suppose "why not?" is also a valid question. 

I'm happy to think that perhaps someone has read my blog and got something out of it, even if it's a giggle, or a 'Christ I'm happy I'm not that woman' ....either way it works for me.  And I guess 1000 page views means I mays well keep doing it!

Thanks for reading! 

Married 9 years and still in love!

So tomorrow is our 9 year Wedding Anniversary.  I'm blogging about it now because I am going to be hanging out with my significant other tomorrow night!

My Farmer is the rock in my life.  He is my best friend, certainly most enduring, the father of my kids and the love of my life (unless Johnny Depp is reading this then he is my 2nd....tee hee!)

The Farmer and I knew we were meant to be together after a week.  We, like any couple, have hard patches.....mortgages, children, farming and even building a house are all things that have been bumps in the road....but they have made us stronger.  We are a team.  And I hope our kids can see that.  It's what we want for them.

I'm grateful that I am blessed with such a good husband/father and friend.  Looking forward to many, many, many more anniversaries and to growing grey together!

One of my favourite wedding photos!

Akoori

Okay folks it's time for another recipe.  And this time it was DELICIOUS!  It's really just a very tasty scrambled eggs - you could have along side bacon, hash browns, toast as a brunchy type breakfast.  Tonight it was just a super quick tea and I really really liked it!

Akoori from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

75 grams of butter

Two tablespoons of oil

Two medium onions, sliced

A piece of fresh ginger (about three centimetres) peeled and chopped

One large stalk of coriander leaves

Three green chillies

A medium sized tomato cubed

Six eggs

Salt to taste

Two tablespoons of milk

Heat the butter and oil in a pan.  Sauté the sliced onions and ginger till light brown.  Add the chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chillies and tomato cubes to the pan.  Break the eggs into a separate bowl.  Add salt and milk and beat lightly.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan containing the onion mixture, lower the heat and stir carefully till cooked like scrambled eggs.  Serve hot, garnished with more coriander and tomato cubes.  This dish can be served in individual portions with triangles of toast or friend bread, or it can be put in a bigger serving dish for people to help themselves.

The actual recipe I was given was for twice this quantity and the chef said it was ideal for brunch parties but much has escaped me since then, including brunch parties, so I have halved the recipe.  You can put any leftovers in vol-au-vent cases and these are very nice if you are having people visit for drinks and little bits to eat.  This is another thing that has also passed me by, so I keep the leftover for lunch the next day and they are not too bad at all served with a  green salad and a piece of wholemeal bread.

  Janes' review:

1; being a sucky flop 2;definitely do this one again  3; being add to your repertoire immediately

Taste: Oh yeah baby this will be being done again 3!

Ease: quick and tasty! 3

 

Family verdict: The Farmer "very nice"; Master 7 : "Mum this is my favourite meal ever!" and Miss 4 - well lets just say, she's in bed and her tea is still on the bench. 3 out of 4 aint' bad!

My children. Just when I thought I couldn't love them anymore.....

My kids never fail to astound me.

Not only are they loving, funny, wonderful creatures but they are full of imagination and joy.

Since we have got home from school today they have been nothing but wonderful to each other.  They have collaborated to make an amazing play area for lots of small toys.....without fights and included each other in whatever part they were doing/building.  When Miss 4 was struggling with something Master 7 jumped in to help. 

Master 7 has hugged me today, without reason and Miss 4 has been a kind friend to the other children I've had today............she did a fantastic job face painting them!

And probably they do this more often than I give notice, but today for whatever reason it's been incredibly obvious to me.  And I will need to reflect on this on the days when they drive me bananas.

I love you both so much................Thank you for being my world

love Mummy

A celebration of all things old...

I had some friends over today for 'afternoon tea'.  I had been wanting to dust off my collection of family tea cups, dollies and special plates.  It's lovely to have these things but if they aren't used, whats the point!?!!

And while making some treats to eat at afternoon tea I couldn't help think about my Grandma, and Mum who couldn't make it today.  I know Grandma would have loved it today.  We would have heard stories, had lots of laughs and marveled about her tomato sandwiches, which I couldn't bring myself to make.

It's times like this I miss her the most.  But at the same time I feel very close to her.

Busy times in our lives sometimes stop us from the golden moments.  The long afternoon teas where you can talk amongst friends, new and old.  You can share stories, discuss parenting trials and tips.  And laugh.  Then laugh some more.

There is probably something to be said about old fashioned tea rooms - a far cry from the 'takeaway coffee' and racing pace we live.

So my celebration of all things old, spending quality time and friendship is marked today.  I plan to do it again very soon!

A special mention to the chief photographer - The Crafter!

Chocolate Date Roll

Okay so I'm still plodding with my recipes but I must warn you before you get all excited and think what a delicious sounding thing this is.........when I made it.....it was a freaking disaster.  I don't often get COMPLETE write offs with my cooking but unless you want to eat chocolate covered rice bubbles then this is not the recipe for you..........

But perhaps someone out there can make this and let me know where I went wrong.....I challenge you!

Chocolate Date Roll from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

 One-third of a large cake of dark chocolate (perhaps king size)

200 grams of dates

100 grams of butter

50 grams of brown sugar

Three cups of rice bubbles

Desiccated coconut

Put the dark chocolate in a saucepan with the dates, butter and brown sugar.  Melt all this very carefully over a low heat until the dates are quite soft.  Add three cups of rice bubbles and mix well.  When it is cool enough to handle, roll the mixture into two rolls, each about four centimetres in diameter, then roll in desiccated coconut.  Wrap in greaseproof paper and store in the refrigerator.  Cut into slices to serve.

PS not going to review it due to it being a disaster!  I think that speaks for itself.

Johnny Depp and I......confession time.....

It's a documented fact (well I write about it in my blog....) that I think Johnny Depp is....well..... pretty gosh darn awesome.  A great actor, true to himself (as far as I can tell!) and not to shabby on the eye.

Well here's the confession.....

I wouldn't ever know what to do or say to him if I meet him!!  Lucky for me never likely to happen but if it did I'd be worse than 13 year old girl...giggling, not being able to talk and very self conscious.

Why have I suddenly come to this conclusion?

Johnny stares down at me from the calendar that my dear friend, The Crafter, gave me day after day and quite frankly its hard to get anything done!  But the Farmer was away last night and after the kids were safely tucked into bed I retired to the lounge........glass of wine in hand (yes I know it was a weekday and I'm not meant to be drinking then but well bite me!)........looking at the washing pile, the pile of  filing that was sitting there and numerous other things to be done........ and I thought sod it all!  I pulled out a Johnny Depp DVD.......assumed the prime spot on the couch and RELAXED. 

Fricken awesome. 

I even went as far as watching some of the bloopers and other bits after the movie had finished.  I watched a segment with Johnny and Keith Richards......2 legends just hanging out, talking about cool stuff and being lads.

But then came the realisation.......How would I ever hold a conversation with Johnny Depp?!!  It would be tragic beyond words.  Another wannabe fan with a teenage crush that has lasped into her thirties.  Sad.

Anyway I feel the best thing to do right now is to think about some intelligent questions, so when he does phone......I'll be ready. 


Johnny, just give me a week or so, okay?! ;-)

Working Mums - guidelines anyone?!

Working Mums. What's the guidelines? I must of lost the manual on how to do it properly! ?

The title 'working Mum' is for all Mums with kids, whether they are in paid employment or not.

My dilemma about being a working Mum always seems to be worse when I'm not in "paid employment".  Today for example I am child free (mine and anyone elses) and I'm cleaning, have some plums on the stove making plum sauce, hanging washing and mentally debating whether it's wise to take on an other children when I am constantly feeling I'm not getting all my things done. 

Specifically "things" are not just vacuuming.  Its the cleaning down the cupboards, giving things a jolly good scrub, fingerprint removal off odd places, cleaning the oven, tackling the linen cupboard, not to mention the outside stuff - oh yeah and then catching up with all and sundry, trying to squeeze in some time with nieces that I don't feel I know so well, not to mention other friends with kids that will be in school by the time I get my shit together.

So back to the question - taking on another child, on days I'm already working - smart?  Possibly not, but if you already have kids it's not such a big issue is it?  Well I guess the fact they need 7.30-4.30 care is a factor.  But do I WANT to do this?

The arse of it is that no one can answer that question for me. 

And in all truth I probably know the answer but hate to let people down.  Dumb huh?

On the other hand, how do other people manage?  I have some amazing friends who work and juggle kids.  Why can't I?  Hmmm.

All this doesn't mean I'm not happy with my lot, I most certainly am.  In fact perhaps happier than I've been in a while - it's just ensuring that it all works and works well.  And I've found, especially with the blog, it's better to write it all out and reassess than let it stew.  So there you have it!

15 things that annoy me......

Not sure why but I'm feeling particularly irritable today...to change my mood I thought I would just have a wee vent......

1.  Wee on the toilet seat
2.  Wee on the floor discovered by your foot
3.  Children dropped off to me with a large full steaming nappy
4.  Snubs on social networking working sites
5.  Having to re clean the bathroom you cleaned just hours before
6.  Stuck on Weetbix
7.  Waking early when you don't have to
8.  Finding the perfect dress/top/pair of shoes.....that isn't in your size
9.  Never winning Lotto
10. People that don't use their indicators
11. Having to look after children that are sick, that aren't mine
12. Having to repeat myself, especially with little or no voice
13. When people don't RSVP
14. Food scraps in the sink
15. Not having enough time in the day

I'm not entirely sure that made me feel any better but at least I can see that it's all small stuff.  As Miss 4 would say 'Mum, build a bridge, and walk over it'.  I'll try.

Why getting 'the Bird' made my day.....

Most people don't like being flipped the bird.  Some people think it's inappropriate.  Silly even.

I think it's very funny especially when done between friends.

So today's posting is all about how getting 'the bird' has literally made me smile all day.  I would say laugh all day but I've lost my voice so laugh probably isn't the right word.....grin and cough, wheeze a bit but definitely it does not sound like laughter......so I'll stick with smile.

These are hilariously funny biscuits that a very dear friend (this post is all about you!!) made and gave to me.  They totally appeal to my seriously off beat sense of humour and I'm thinking would make a great addition to the next 'bring a plate' school function -anonymously of course!

I like the fact that their are friends in my life who keep me on my toes.  They give me shit, take the mickey and make me laugh out loud.  This friend in particular pulls them out of the bag in fine form, when you least expect it, like at 9 this morning.  And I've been smiling ever since!

So thanks my finger pulling friend and for those of you who don't know how to pull the Bird (or the finger) instructions below!

1) Extend either arm at an approximately 90° angle perpendicular to the body.

You'd be surprised how many people don't give The Finger correctly. Save yourself from unnecessary embarrassment by going over these few simple steps. Be Strong. Be Proud. Then Flip. Remember: You are the master of your own bird.

2) Bend arm at the elbow. Position it parallel to the body, forming three sides of a perfect square. 3) Close palm tightly. 4) Fiercely upturn digit between pointer and ring finger.

PAY ATTENTION NOW!

5) Hold approximately 10 seconds to a minute for emphasis.