everyday miracles

~ charming californian poppies ~

2012-02-22T14:42:00.000+11:00

Loving floral wordlessness.

♥

~ donate life ~

2012-02-20T20:57:00.000+11:00

Its donate life week.

Some time ago I promised another blogger that I'd write about organ donation.
Its particularly pertinent to her as she's on the list for a double lung transplant.

I think its important for all of us.

When I was in fifth year medical school I spent some time at a small (ish) country hospital. There was lots to learn - not least the nitty-gritty of being part of a small community and being kind of apart from it as well.

One of my most profound memories from that time is of a young man we treated there. I didn't really meet him...he had tried to commit suicide and was in the ICU (or equivalent) being kept alive by machines.

I was part of the medical team speaking with his parents about organ donation.

They were in shock. They were devastated. At times they were barely coherent. They were adamant that his organs should be donated. Other family members vehemently disagreed with this.

I've never really mastered the whole detached professional thing. I certainly hadn't as a 22 yo student.

I have very clear memories of sitting next to his mum crying with her as the debate went on.

He did go on to donate organs.

I was allowed to watch the harvesting (a huge privilege).

I cried then too.

I saw his mum a few weeks later. Gaunt and hollow eyed. She made a point of saying that the only good thing to have come out of the whole event was that other lives had been saved/changed.

This was despite the fact that her own mother was still upset by the fact that she felt she didn't get to say goodbye properly; that he was with strangers in an operating theatre when he died.

I've since been lucky enough to look after patients who have had successful transplants and seen their lives transformed.

Hope manufactured from the depths of despair.

I was always a believer in organ donation. I still am.

I carry my card. I've registered. I've discussed it with my loved ones.

Have you?

♥

http://www.donatelife.gov.au/decide

~ grateful for... fresh starts ~

2012-02-18T20:24:00.001+11:00

{also grateful for my children who indulge the photographer mummy}

School started again this week.

Cue cheery excited faces, books to cover, routines to be re-established.

We've had a fabulous summer but they were ready to be back.

Me, not so much.
School's been tough for the last 2 years - not for the girls but the fight to save our school (the Tasmanian government is trying to shut small schools to save money) and the trials and tribulations of working with a very difficult woman who had a "reign of terror" at our school.

She's gone and suddenly everything seems brighter.

There's a freshness at school, a new vibe, new energy and it's feeling great.

Our new principal actually stood up on the first day and acknowledged he will be fighting alongside us to save our wonderful little school.

I'm so grateful that we have the opportunity for a fresh start this year. That there's hope and something still worth fighting for.

♥

What are you grateful for this week?

I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at kidspot Thanks Maxabella.
I broke the rules this week. I'm always grateful for nature and I post wordless posts about this every week so I thought it would be ok
xx

~ fancy forget-me-nots ~

2012-02-15T12:12:00.001+11:00

Loving floral wordlessness.

Linking with my little drummer boys.

♥

~ grateful for.... food filled memories ~

2012-02-11T20:46:00.000+11:00

{my grandmother's recipe book}

What triggers your memories of places you've travelled or special events?

Seeing the snapshots? Maybe certain scents or music that you associate with that place/event that brings it all flooding back?

For me and the Doc it's always been about the food.

I remember what we ate on our first date rather than what I wore or what he said.

We reminisce about our travels through Europe with stories about our meals rather than the museums or churches.

Our highlights reel is full of fabulous pastas, amazing hidden restaurants that we stumbled on, great gelatis, the search for the best coffee in Italy.

We even have "bread rules" and "dessert rules" (he gets the larger serve of bread, I choose dessert).

Even when we are not travelling, food is the way we index our life, our memories.

My recipe books are full of recipes listed thus;

Kerrie's rice salad (that we ate at the AFL grand final lunch)
Susan's mud-cake (which we had for Lily's first birthday)
Nan's brandy sauce (made religiously every Christmas)

- this is a family trait; my mum and my grandmother had hordes of hand-written recipes always annotated with the event, the person responsible or the response to the food.

I've caught the kids at it too: "oh you know, that place where I tried broccoli soup for the first time",

" can we go to the cafe where they have "those amazing biscuits".

I'm grateful we life a life full of such abundance.

That our relationship with food is so healthy.

That our memories are so sweet.

♥

What are you grateful for this week?

I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at kidspot Thanks Maxabella.

~ fabulous fuchsias (wordless) ~

2012-02-08T18:23:00.000+11:00

Enjoying floral wordlessness.

Linking with my little drummer boys.

♥

~ the winds of change ~

2012-02-06T17:13:00.000+11:00

Change.

It's inevitable.

Sometimes good, sometimes bad...

Always requiring a little adjusting; a switch in mood/attitude/behaviour.

We learn to cope.

To adapt.

Move forward.

The little one has been a ~~little~~ lot clingy.

I've been impatient.

Forgetting how small he is.

About all that has changed for him in the last few weeks:

A new bed.
No dummies.
No nappies.
Sisters home all the time.
A move to the big-kid room at care without his best friend.

And so I resolve to change.

To be more patient and respectful.

To marvel at his capacity to cope with all of this.

To nuture that ability.

For it's that that makes us strong.

How do you cope with change?

How do you help your kids cope?

♥

~ grateful for.... reasons to smile ~

2012-02-03T23:08:00.001+11:00

Lots to smile about this week (and I'm always grateful for smiles).

Our girls (and their twinny besties) heading off to tennis camp. I am so grateful my girls have these friends in their lives. Girls they've known their whole lives. Girls who are sleeping over tonight and who I can still hear chattering and giggling away (at 10pm!) even though they've spent ALL week together.

My little man heading to his first dress-up party. With his spider man hat on backwards. Not caring it was a pirate party. At all.

A perfect night for a picnic on the lawns at Salamanca.

Holiday food - pancakes for breakfast and then "Muuuuum - we really should have SOMETHING healthy this week".

I didn't think I was going to like being told what to be grateful for each week.

But it turns out I'm really quite enjoying it...

♥

I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at Kidspot. Thanks Maxabella.

~ heavenly hydrangeas (wordless) ~

2012-02-01T09:49:00.002+11:00

Back in the realms of wordlessness with more beautiful flowers.

Happy wordless Wednesday.

Linking with my little drummer boys.

♥

~ grateful for....kindness ~

2012-01-28T17:02:00.001+11:00

I think kindness is one of the most under-rated attributes.

Even used sparingly it is one of the things any of us can do to ease the path of another.

Unlooked-for and unexpected kindnesses can make even the greyest days brighter.

I've been watching for kindness all week.

I found examples every day - little things that made my heart sing, put a smile on my face, made my day.

My husband stopped on his way home to bring me coffee, a friend offered to look after my children so I could go to gym class, a text message commenting on the letter I wrote to the paper, comments on my blog, the grocer guy offering to carry my stuff to the car, the understanding smile from another mother when the 3yo let rip with yet another tantrum at the beach.

More amazingly I've watched my children being kind to each other. Even in the middle of their long holidays when they've been thrown together far more than normal they are treating each other with respect and kindness. Letting the 3 year join in the card game even though they know he will wreck it before the end, giving up the favourite red spoon to a sister, letting someone have first choice of the lollies; - watching out and caring for each other.

I value kindness. This week I've been more aware of it than usual - but I'm always grateful for it.

I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at Kidspot. Thanks Maxabella. xx

~ Australia Day ~

2012-01-26T09:29:00.001+11:00

I feel very fortunate to have been born and brought up in this amazing country.

I like to think we can be better in the future - more welcoming of new arrivals, more accepting of difference, more sensitive to our past.

I want to see the day we celebrate what is great about Australia changed so that all Australians can join the celebration.

We'll be heading out for a bbq and a swim later when the Doc is home from work. We'll get out those shorts and the Aussie beach ball - but not the tatts - they took waaaay too long to come off last year.

Are you celebrating today?

What does Australia day mean to you?

♥

~ endless summer ~

2012-01-24T22:38:00.000+11:00

We're back.

We've been at the shack for 3 glorious weeks.

3 whole fabulous weeks. I'm still smiling when I think about it.

3 weeks of no plans, no appointments, nothing that has to be done (but so much to do).

{It felt like running away from the real world}.

3 weeks of amazing weather - like the "olden/golden days" of childhood summers.

{We've actually been at the beach I spent my childhood summers at - its like my children are

drinking in my memories - I love it}.

3 weeks of sunshine, sand, swimming and sports. Of reading and sewing and lounging and "doing nothing".

{we only had 2 ambitions for the holidays - to toilet train the youngest and get the middle one

riding her bike - huge milestones - both achieved - yay!}

All of us being a bit slower, a bit more in the moment, a bit calmer, a lot more content

{it's a lot to do with the 3 holiday rules - a swim, an icecream and a nap/rest every day}

We'll try to hang to those feelings as long as we can.

How was your holiday?

Any milestone achievements?

♥

~ the one without the resolutions ~

2012-01-01T20:52:00.000+11:00

I don't do resolutions.

I'm just not that into them.

They feel too hard. Like a list for failing. They never last.

Hopes and dreams I can do. Wishes too.

I hope I can reach out and grasp at opportunities, to seek challenges and find joy.

My dreams are for my family - for health and happiness, for nuturing and empathy, for fun.

I wish for world peace.
Or a huge tattslotto win.
Or simply some fabulous summer days as we while away our summer up at the shack.

What are your hopes, wishes and dreams for 2012?

What's your summer looking like?

♥

~ letting go gently ~

2011-12-31T16:10:00.002+11:00

We're saying goodbye to 2011 quietly tonight.

The Doc is working from home and we're having a few friends over for casual dinner and drinks.

Some chatting, some slip'n'sliding, some silly pictionary and scattergories games.

Lots of bubbles and laughs.

We'll remember a happy, busy year:

When we moved back into our house and loved it so.
When we adopted two kittens and loved them so.
When Lily spread her wings at a new school and blossomed.
And Gracie had her own space at school and revelled in it.
When Jack continued his love affair with trucks and cars and maxi-taxis.
An amazing conference, a fabulous adult getaway with old friends, time at the shack, the fabulous Wednesday dinners, new friends, blogging, raspberries, Tuesday play days, family traditions (new and old), soccer games, a quilt in progress, lots of photos, ballet concerts, priceless art works, precious moments....

We'll go gently into 2012 too.

Counting our blessings, looking forward to new challenges and enjoying the little things that make every day special.

Wishing the same to you.

Happy 2012!

♥

~ 'tis the night before Christmas ~

2011-12-24T21:56:00.000+11:00

All is not silent.

Jack had decided to give his dummies to Santa...but apparently NOW he is not so sure...could be a long night!

The carols are on and the music is washing over me.

The dishwasher and oven are still on too (the pavlova is just about done - cracked and crooked but that's how we like it).

I love Christmas Eve.

We're wrapping and chatting and sipping on wine. Looking forward to tomorrow.

I hope your Christmas day is full of joy and the people and things that are important to you.

♥

~ the man of the moment ~

2011-12-21T07:49:00.000+11:00

Happy (wordless) Christmas!

Joining in the wordless experience at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ the unexpected bonuses of blogging ~

2011-12-20T21:51:00.001+11:00

This week I've made a recycled Christmas card garland

packaged up lots of reindeer noses

and made a felt ornament for a friend.

I blame blogging.

I've been blogging for about 6 months.

I started because I wanted to write, to remember and record, to connect.

All good. All safe. All ticked off.

But I've also found friends, a latent desire to craft and the cooking bug all over again.

I've spent hours admiring beautiful photos, been inspired by words, thoughts and deeds and discovered pinterest.

I've laughed and cried, been made to think, to ponder, to wonder... and won a couple of awesome prizes.

78 posts down and I'm loving it.

♥

~ saturday evening ~

2011-12-17T21:46:00.004+11:00

The carols are on, the children are asleep, the first Christmas cocktail of the night has gone down a little too easily (vodka, ginger ale, lots of lime, mint and ice).

Its much calmer than last night when we followed a pathetic meow to find a kitten stuck up a tree and almost had to call the fire brigade (do they still do that?). Sense prevailed and we left her there - she obviously waited until first light and came scooting down demanding food.

We've had a fabulous dinner - crayfish courtesy of a grateful patient (we love those ones) and raspberries freshly picked (Still). At the current prices we've gobbled our way through $500-600 worth so far. Will definitely be planting more for next year.

I'm sitting down now to finish the Christmas cards. Wondering why it feels like a bit of a chore.
I love getting them - catching up with the news, remembering some of those friends whom we only seem to hear from at this time of year, seeing how the children have grown.
I think its the burden of having to do them in a hurry, of writing the same things over and over.
Tomorrow I'll post the last ones off (late again!) and will feel satisfied.

Do you send cards? Do you love to receive them? Or think it's all a bit of a joke and just do the email cc'd to everyone?
How's your weekend going?

♥

~ handpicked ~

2011-12-14T08:14:00.004+11:00

There's always something pretty on our table.

Joining in the wordless experience at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ grateful for ...Christmas craft ~

2011-12-10T12:26:00.001+11:00

I simply adore the little handmade creations my children bring home from school.

Made with clumsy hands and big hearts.

I am so grateful to their lovely teachers with their big imaginations and boundless patience.

I am extra grateful each Christmas when I unearth these treasures from the Christmas box and get to have the on display all over again.

{Joining with Maxabella this week (and often) to express gratitude for the little things and big things that make life better}

♥

~ when winning isn't everything ~

2011-12-09T20:24:00.001+11:00

Infant school sports day... quite possibly my favourite day of the school year. I love that its so totally appropriate for the littlies and the whole competitive thing is left on hold until they get to the big school. Blessed this year with perfect sunshine (hello sunburn).

One of the things I love most about our little school (and its a long list) is how inclusive it is - parents, siblings, various other family members are encouraged to come along and join in at any time. And on sports day it's generally all in. Grandmothers falling over in sack races, brothers and sisters holding hands for egg and spoon racing, teachers failing miserably to manage tiny obstacle courses, mums trying too hard to recall their youthful racing days in the sprints (or that could have just been me).

Grace took Jack under her wing and let him do everything with her. They fell over 3-legged racing, they threw noodle javelins together, she tried patiently to teach him flowerpot stilts.

They came dead last in the siblings race with the biggest grins ever.

We embraced the concept of participation and fun over winning*. We had fun. In bucketloads. Roll on next year.

♥

* It must be noted, in fairness, that my children are far better at this than me. I was born with a competitive streak which has bypassed them completely.
I'm a bit on the fence on this - I love that they enjoy participating for the sake of it but the joy of winning has yet to make its mark on them. I want them to know that too. I guess the question is when? and how?

~ romantic roses ~

2011-12-07T08:25:00.001+11:00

From my garden

Happy wordless Wednesday

Linking with faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ fa la la la la, la la la laaaa ~

2011-12-04T21:01:00.001+11:00

{tonight by the fire}

It was freezing here today...we lit the fire, did some sewing, cranked up the carols and decorated the tree.

Much excitement.

Lots of "oohing" and "ahhhing" and "remember this...?"

Lots of decorations round the bottom and not much at the top.

Lots of enthusiasm and (regrettably) not so much style

Much love though.

And some new decorations that I made today - they turned out ok - wonky stitches and all.


{another pinterest inspiration}

How are your Christmas preparations going?

♥

~ grateful for .... raspberries ~

2011-12-02T21:08:00.001+11:00

They're early. They're delicious. They say summer to me.

Plump, juicy and not well hidden from the birdies.

It's the first year we've had enough to fill containers rather than just eat them straight from the vines.

I've had them on weet-bix and ice-cream today.

I've hidden some more in the fridge for later.

I'm always grateful for raspberries....and even more so when they're ours.

And not $11.49 for a teeny container at the local fruit'n'veg place (seriously).

{Joining with Maxabella this week (and often) to express gratitude for the little things and big things that make life better}

♥

~ my creative space - advent calendar ~

2011-12-01T13:09:00.001+11:00

I only just got this finished and on the wall last night.

The squeals of joy made the late night scramble all worthwhile.

Totally inspired by others I've seen but don't have the links for.

I used Kikki-K stickers and other bits I had lying around. So happy with how its turned out.

Planning to find lots of little treats and surprise activities inside (but may well resort to chocolates).

Joining up for the first time with loads of clever people here.

♥

~ brilliant browns ~

2011-11-30T11:59:00.001+11:00

My different hued wordless theme continues.

Linking with faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ the big girl turns 9 ~

2011-11-28T21:23:00.001+11:00

Our beautiful Lily turned 9 over the weekend.

She was the baby who made me a mother, the one who changed the landscape of my heart and turned everything I thought I knew about myself on its head.

She's the one who has borne the brunt of my uncertainty and ineptness as I learn to be the best mum I can.

She made us a family, introduced us to that terrible fear when you realise that part of your heart resides outside your body and teaches us all the time.

{the red bike that goes faster}

{Harry's hat - cake #15 or so that we've made from the AWW bible}

I've been a mother for 9 years - it's amazing, challenging, tough and joyful - and it just keeps getting better.

♥

~ grateful for....no water restrictions ~

2011-11-26T11:25:00.001+11:00

It's been a gorgeous week here - loads of sunshine, some time off, happy children.

We've had lovely outdoor dinners on the deck, friends visiting, family arriving this weekend.

Yesterday we hauled out the old sprinklers and the children had the most wonderful time running, screaming, dancing ... uninhibited joy.

It's one of my most enduring memories of summers as a child - the green caterpiller sprinklers snaking across the lawn, those icy poles in plastic tubes from the freezer and nude kids running screaming round the back yard.

I'm so glad we live where the water is plentiful and there are no restrictions.

That the simple pleasures of childhood are still so easy to find.

♥

{Joining with Maxabella this week (and often) to express gratitude for the little things}

~ ravishing reds ~

2011-11-22T22:01:00.001+11:00

I'm doing wordless with a rainbow flower theme.

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ and then she was 7~

2011-11-21T18:46:00.001+11:00

Our Gracie was 7 over the weekend.

Apparently 7 is VERY exciting - so exciting that you wake your parents at 4am, and when they refuse to stir, you sing "Happy Birthday Self" over and over and over....until they do.

Makes for a long day for a newly minted 7 year old (and her parents).

She was as equally thrilled with her balloons as with her books, Lego and new desk (it had been hidden in the shed while the Doc painted it for the last week -at one stage we told her it was a goat and she still didn't peek).

She was super thrilled with the pool party and the Zappo the alien cake.

And who wouldn't be? - 20 friends and her brother and sister for an all-in splashing frenzy. I kind of wished I was in there too - but I was pacing looking for stray drowning kids (none - yay) and of course there is the small matter of bathers....not ready to go there yet this year.

7 is joyous and smiley.

It's growing and exploring.

It's hopeful and impatient.

It's a learning experience for all of us (all over again).

It's going to be fun.

♥

~ grateful ~

2011-11-18T22:11:00.001+11:00

Today I'm grateful to the former owners of our house who planted the most beautiful roses along the verandah.

They make me smile every time I come home.

They keep our vases full of lovely flowers.

Total bonus - we get compliments from passers-by.

(And they look even better now we have a new roof and a great paint job)

{Roses with new roof, new paint and too much junk on the verandah}


{Roses with new roof but old paint, samples of new paint and hidden junk}

I am also, of course, grateful to Maxabella who hosts grateful posts every week and lets us focus on the little things that make life good.

♥

~ yabba, dabba, do...its yellow ~

2011-11-15T22:34:00.001+11:00

I'm doing wordless with a rainbow flower theme.

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ making connections ~

2011-11-15T20:19:00.001+11:00

When we left WA (almost 7 years ago now) my heart was light and we moved with great anticipation.

We were coming home. Bringing our little family back to where we belonged, where we wanted to raise our children. Where life was good.

Not that it hadn't been good in the West. Life was easy and breezy there. Good times, happy times but we were a long way from our heart's home.

It's mostly the little things I miss - the lemon scented gums, the jacarandas in spring, not wearing socks.

Notably thought, in the first couple of years back, I found myself achingly missing my mother's group. That random group of women who met because we lived in nearby suburbs and all had babies (all girls) at the same time. I know its not for everyone but we had one of those groups from a chick-lit novel. We clicked. We got each other. We listened and talked and shared and learned and marvelled at the amazing transformation that motherhood had made to our lives.

I tried playgroups when we got back here; the hippy one nearby for which I had showered too recently to fit in, the one down in the posh end of town where I had the wrong clothes on the girls...it just wasn't the same. The Doc ended up taking the girls to a dad's playgroup down the road and they all loved it. I cannot rave enough about what a fabulous concept dad's playgroups are and I wasn't even allowed to go. And that was the problem - I was missing out.

When Jack came along I knew a couple of other mums having 3rds or 2nds with big gaps and we've created our own little routine. On Tuesdays we meet at the local park. We have a coffee roster. We bring food. The boys play and run and jump and we don't bother with craft (or healthy eating).

We chat and catch up. We exchange idle gossip (the harmless kind). We never finish a conversation. We exchange parenting tips and mock complaints about our wonderful husbands. We encourage each other in our exercise/study/craft/whatever plans for the week.

We leave refreshed, renewed and reconnected.

It feels good to be part of something again. Something good.

♥

~ grateful for....~

2011-11-11T12:53:00.001+11:00

This week I kneel and kowtow in appreciation of my tumble dryer.

Last week our washing line met with a dreadful accident.

{part of some elaborate jungle game...forbidden forever now unless in real jungles}

And, of course, this week has been swimming week - every day at school for Gracie, for me at the gym, Jacks 2nd ever lesson and lessons for the girls yesterday.

That's a lot of towels and soggy bathers to get dry in Hobart weather.

And so my trusty dryer has been working over time and I'm very grateful.

(but still planning to replace her with one of those you beaut condenser ones)

Sometimes it really is the little things.

(and can you believe I've posted 3 times about washing??!!)

♥

~ gorgeous greens ~

2011-11-09T08:22:00.000+11:00

Continuing my rainbow themed wordless Wednesdays

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ the one about the eyebrows ~

2011-11-08T16:28:00.001+11:00

{me and my eyebrows, by Lily aged 5}

I've always quite liked my eyebrows.

Sort of Natalie Portman's crossed with Keira Knightley's (in my imagination).

Not as bushy as Brooke's, no evidence of a Frida monobrow and certainly not a Gwen-ish overplucked look.

I never did anything to them. (Too scared to pluck or wax).

It was with great trepidation that I finally let a beautician near them a year or two ago - I checked after every twitch of the tweezer and I must say I was impressed with the neater result.

Completely surprisingly to me, people noticed. Mostly favourably.

And so we've gone on - I get them done when I remember but I warn them each time that I'm nervous and I really "don't want much done"

Until this week when Cheryl and I were gossiping away and suddenly she went "oh" and I knew that that "oh" wasn't a good "oh" for me or my eyebrows.

I'm sure they'll grow back (eventually)

I'll suppress the urge to draw them in with pencil (or red paint).

I'll just let people marvel at my amazingly pink skin and green fangs instead.

♥

~ the fine line between bribery and incentive ~

2011-11-06T21:06:00.005+11:00

{maybe he'll be the next superfish!}

Jack had his first swimming lesson this week.

He was not all that enthusiastic about it.

We should have suspected this - he hates getting his hair washed, will NOT have a shower and has been telling us that swimming lessons are for "big 4 boys" (ie not big 3 year olds).

We have delayed a while - the girls both started at about 6 months in those classes that are all about the parents and the nursery rhymes are loud enough to scare the children.

But swimming started again this week (we go to an outdoor pool in Hobart - gasp!!) and we were determined that it was time.

Cunningly we took him to watch the big girls first - he was quick to spot the end of lesson reward - the jars of mixed lollies that the kids spend an eternity in front of trying to work out how to get best value from 50c.

{Miss Pat has an amazing collection of vintage pool toys}

And it worked...he was a bit slow to warm up but by halfway he was shouting across the pool to me "this fun mummy" and proudly announced at the end that "me did evvything Miss Pat says, me get green snake now."

{floaties and a back float but solo!}

I'm sure it's called incentive

♥

~ beautiful, beautiful blues ~

2011-11-02T06:07:00.003+11:00

Continuing my rainbow themed wordless Wednesdays

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ work in progress ~

2011-11-01T14:00:00.001+11:00

It's been a month since I started the quilt project.

I'm really happy with how things are going.

The downsides are the rough callouses on the tips of my fingers from pushing the needle through (soft I tell you) and the missed reading time (the pile of books next to my bed is growing tall). I've also misplaced 2 needles that I hope no-one sits on.

I am refusing to calculate how many hexagons I'll need (and what on earth I do round the edges and on the back) for fear of depressing myself.

(I am well versed in denial.)

My September project (the whole first ever gym membership thing) is going well too - the special deal elapsed and I've signed on for a whole 12 months. I'm aiming for feeling healthy and some gentle toning. Hopefully achievable.

♥

~ from our garden ~

2011-10-30T21:48:00.001+11:00

{Cecile Brunner roses in a small milk bottle}


{pear, rocket, pine nut and parmesan salad - only the rocket is ours!}

{fresh lemons - a shared harvest from our tiny tree and mum's huge one}

We enjoyed some fruits of our labours this week.

The sweetest scented roses from the spilling abundance along the fence.

Lemons (our first ever crop this year) made into never-fail Lemon Delicious Pudding from the Perfect recipe book and shared with friends.

Rocket that self seeded and went into a salad for a quick dinner during the week. (My current favourite salad - fantastic with Kelly's traditional dressing).

Basil shredded on tonight's feast of slow cooked beef ragu (from the latest Donna Hay magazine - it may have been slow-cooked but it was gobbled too fast for photos).

And some little parcels in the post from blog giveaways (although I can't really claim any labours other than commenting) - thank you Megan for the skin care and Posie for the lego.

Do you cook from your garden? What's your favourite recipe to use your home produce?

♥

~ random thoughts whilst doing the washing today ~

2011-10-27T22:10:00.001+11:00

Where do all those odd socks go?

Why doesn't anyone else get lights vs darks? (still missing the pink load)

Why do 6 year old girls change 4 times a day and dump everything in the wash?

Hankies really are better than tissues.

Why don't I turn all the clothes in the right way before washing? (I really get irked doing this when I'm folding)

How on earth did women of previous generations manage to have one washing day when I have 7?

Do I need to go back to work so my brain gets a better work out?

♥

~ obviously it's orange's turn ~

2011-10-26T08:25:00.000+11:00

So hard to find words with "O"

Here's an outstandingly orange wordless day.

Continuing my rainbow themed wordless Wednesdays

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ and now he is 3 ~

2011-10-23T21:34:00.001+11:00

I love birthday #3. Its when they get it. When they realise the presents, the cake, the fun is all about them. He revelled in it. Squealed for the presents. Screamed with joy at the balloons. Looked fit to burst as he ate his 4th piece of kite cake. (So glad he finally went for this and not the fairy princess castle - not because of the whole boy thing but because the kite was far more my skill level). Started planning birthday #4 as soon as we got home.

We didn't go all out for this birthday - the little man only wanted "my best friends" and in the end this turned out to be our regular Tuesday morning park gang with a few almost-family friends thrown in.

So it felt casual and relaxed. Just perfect for him. And for us.

We made waaay too much food. This is a family tradition. We had fairy bread and striped jellies, choc crackles, honey joys and strawberries. I tried some new things too - the little teddy cars and the grissini wands were hits (thankyou Emma and your wonderful blog ). The girls made the lolly boxes. We marvelled at how rich he's made our lives and how much joy and love he brings. We had fun.

I'll write him a letter tonight. I have a special book for each of them where I write a letter each birthday and record the highlights of the year and my thoughts on how they are growing. It makes me cry each time I write it (or glance through it). Its such a bittersweet experience watching them grow, knowing that they'll never be THIS perfect age again but hoping the next one will be fabulous too.

♥

~ due preparations for the party ~

2011-10-21T14:11:00.000+11:00

{you can make these here}

~ perfectly purply ~

2011-10-19T11:34:00.001+11:00

Continuing my rainbow themed wordless Wednesdays

See more wordless posts at faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys.

♥

~ a year ago today ~

2011-10-18T20:26:00.002+11:00

A year ago today we moved out of our house to start the big renovation.


{the back of our house just before the builders moved in}

Tonight we had dinner on the deck, basking in the sunshine of a beautiful day and enjoying our new outdoor space. I love daylight savings and the extra long evenings and I'm loving the newer version of our house.

{from the same spot - the newer version}

It's been a long, busy, chaotic and ultimately very rewarding year. I'm not sure either of us are planning to renovate ever again but we're very happy with what we've learnt and where we've ended up.

We're not completely finished (does that ever happen?) - in fact the painter was here again today finishing the garage roof and painting the bay window (I had thought I wanted to leave as stripped pine but its now a beautiful gleaming white and I can't wait for the curtains to arrive).

We are enjoying living here much more than we ever did. The Doc says he's never moving again...

I'm more of a "never say never" kind of girl....

♥

~ things I've learnt (the ballet version) ~

2011-10-16T21:14:00.000+11:00

Ballet concert season is approaching fast.

It's the Wizard of Oz this year (no, I never knew that was a ballet either).

It's been two years since the Nutcracker and I had forgotten the rehearsals, the make-up (on that sweet, soft skin - enough to make me cry) and the whole palava of it all.

This year Lady L is a clown (who knew there were clowns in Oz?) and Princess G is a farm girl (who has to dance with a "ridiculous" farm boy). Thankfully my follicularly challenged girl is not to have a bun this year (sighs of relief all round).

So this weekend has seen me sew on my first ever press studs (amazing that I've got this far without that skill really) and do my first ever perfect ballet bun (even if I do say so myself).

{ta-daaa}

Maybe, just maybe, I can be an ok ballet mum even if I won't slather the make-up on and use glue instead of stitching on my sequins.

Maybe?

How was your weekend?

Learnt anything new?

♥

~ at the table ~

2011-10-13T20:17:00.002+11:00

Today started and ended at our kitchen table - for once clear of the detritus of life.

A quiet day.

A walk, some pottering in the garden.

A cute new mail competition, a lunch alone, washing to do.

A tute at uni, afternoon tea with my girls.

And now can't wait to watch Part 2 of the Slap.

{breakfast}

{playing with light}

{my competition entry}

{picked from our garden}

{a moment alone}

How was your day?

Are you watching the Slap?

♥

~ pretty pink (wordless) ~

2011-10-12T08:21:00.000+11:00

Missing the fun we used to have on Tuesdays at Flickr - so here's the wordless Wednesday version of pretty pinks.

Joining faith, hope and a whole lotta loveand my little drummer boys

~ in which I get to see my husband in a new light ~

2011-10-10T20:47:00.000+11:00

I met my husband at work.

More correctly, he was my boss (in a kind of junior, slightly less junior, senior, more senior, boss ladder type affair where I was the bottom rung and he was a step up).

We had, as one of my friends likes to bring up at all sorts of awkward occasions, one of those Grey's Anatomy type romances that involves the on-call room.

So I've seen him in action (at his job) In fact, that's the where and why of how I fell in love.

He was (is) a caring, compassionate, highly skilled doctor who has bedside manner in spades.

Occasionally we still work together and so I feel very lucky to know the work and the home Doc - it seems to me that not many people know their partners in their work-role.

Last week I got the chance to see another side of him.

He was convenor and trouble-shooter for a large conference of docs that I was attending. He was cool, calm, professional, managerial (and added bonus - he looked great in his suit).

People kept coming up to me and gushing about his skills as a manager, organiser and motivator and to tell me what a success he was in this new role.

Total eye-opener for me - this is the man who can't find his socks, who has sent his children to school without underwear, who never knows what we have on tonight, let alone next week....

It was a privilege to see him like that.

I like this new Doc.

{Sadly - not enough to stop begrudging all the late nights and phone calls and extra (unpaid) work time completely - but enough to stop the nagging and start the praising a little more.}

♥

~ i-thanks ~

2011-10-08T08:06:00.000+11:00

This week, like so many others around the world (geeks and non geeks), I have mourned the death of Steve Jobs. His work and passion have changed the world forever.

It is not much of an understatement to say I love my iphone (and the ipod is a close 2nd) and I really am thankful most days that I have this amazing gadget to help and amuse me.

So I give thanks for the life of Steve Jobs. A creative, brilliant and brave man who died too young.

RIP

~ whispery white Wednesday (wordless)~

2011-10-05T13:41:00.000+11:00

Wonderfully white version of wordless Wednesday.

More wordless wonders at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

♥

~ the October project ~

2011-10-03T15:51:00.001+11:00


{the beginning}

For the longest time I've been thinking about making a patchwork quilt.

I started once...years ago....with mum's scraps. I remember ghastly pastel florals (I'd probably love them now as vintage) and wonky stitches all of which got shoved in a bag and forgotten when I made no progress over what seemed like months.

But now I'm feeling game.

I want to craft, to make, to do.

To pour some love and effort into something tangible.

The girls are already bickering over who it will go to....I've warned them not to hold their breath. I'm under no delusions that this is a long-term project.

I'm hoping to tough it out this time and get it finished.

I can see I'm going to be obsessed for a little while.

I'm feeling hopeful though...and inspired.

I'll keep you updated.

What's your latest project?

♥

{my September project was all about me getting fitter and feeling better about myself. I joined a gym for the first time ever. Somewhat surprisingly (to me, at least) - I've been going regularly - swimming, spinning and stretching. I'm feeling good. No teeny tiny waist yet... it's obviously a w-i-p}

~ the one with the sick kids ~

2011-09-29T22:31:00.000+10:00

When I signed onto this mummy caper (in truth there was no signing on, not much planning even) the one thing I thought the Doc and I would have a handle on was kiddy illnesses. We're both medical, we have the bit of paper that says we completed extra kid training, we even have quite a good dose of common sense between us (not so common).

And its true, we can recognise, diagnose, not panic about the minor things - the colds, the cuts, the sore ears, the wheezy, moist coughs that have others running to the clinics.

The major things...well touch a whole forest....we haven't had to deal with too much there; a couple of broken arms, a hospital admission for gastro, an asthma attack that had us at ED in the wee small hours.

Its the nuts and bolts of it that get me; I'm ok with blood but too much vomit, snot and poo have me running for cover.

And there's been way too much of it this week - all three have had a day or two off, the panadol's running low, there's not a whole lot of quality sleeping happening (but what's new?), tempers are frayed and patience is low.

{our cute retro medicine chest - in truth, its full of chocolate hidden from the Doc}

So I'm hoping this week is the end of all those niggling winter viruses, funny bugs and what not.

That we can have quiet weekend at home, resting and recuperating and then move into the rest of spring happy and healthy.

What's your week been like?

♥

~ today was school vaccination day ~

2011-09-28T14:17:00.000+10:00

Today was a work on wordless Wednesday day for me.

Sharing the fun with faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

~ a lovely Sunday ~

2011-09-25T21:43:00.000+10:00

Sunday is my favourite day of the week.

Historically it was our day for lazy lie-ins, marathon weekend-paper reading sessions and lots of coffee.

These days a lie-in involves 3 children, lots of wriggling, many demands for more space, more stories, more cuddles and it feels like an escape to get up and get moving.

Today we escaped to the farmers market.

It was a beautiful morning - the sun tried to shine, we saw friends and drank that much-needed coffee.

We left with arms laden - farm fresh spuds, apples and greens. Bunches of daffies. A small pot of sprouts for school lunches. A taster of some amazing bikkies (I love that word so much more than cookie) that our friends bake there each week. That warm feeling inside from supporting our local farmers and provedores.

And as an added bonus we were there so early there was still enough day left for a gym class*, some gardening, plays with friends and time to cook a roast for the family that are arriving to stay tonight.

How was your weekend?

♥

*Progress report on my little gym experiment - I have been going swimming and to stretchy class (yoga/pilates) at least twice a week - no waist yet and no other visible results but I feel better. Yay! And I had to buy new gym clothes so that was fun too.

~ the story I heard last night~

2011-09-23T15:03:00.000+10:00

The end of another boring school meeting.

We were sitting, chatting, idly gossiping, sharing stories, laughing.

One of the other women suddenly turned to me and asked if I wanted to hear a story.

"Is it a good one?" I asked.

"It's a doozy"

And it was.

Here it is.

Almost 6 years ago C was living in Edinburgh, on a working holiday, enjoying life. She was working hard, partying hard and flatting with her sister.Just before Christmas her mum flew out from Australia to have a white Christmas with her girls.Christmas Eve they walked the streets, ate well, drank gluhwein and enjoyed the winter version of Christmas.

But C began to feel unwell. Soon she was vomiting. They called the NHS; "see how you go and come in if it gets worse"A couple of panadol and a restless night with not much improvement and C fronted up to hospital instead of unwrapping her presents under the tree.

A doctor ran some tests and then pale-faced asked to speak to her privately.

Her mum and sister left the room.

The doctor then informed her she was pregnant.

2 hours later she gave birth to a full-term, healthy, 7lb baby.

The biggest surprise Christmas present ever.

She had had no idea.Her periods had been regular. Her size 10 jeans still fit. No-one had noticed a thing.

I'm sure my jaw literally dropped. I've always been a sceptic. Thought those stories in trashy magazines and late-night tv were rubbish. Dismissed them out of hand.

I still find it hard to believe. For me, nothing remained the same when I was pregnant. My appetite changed, my boobs changed, I was tired, I grew babies that wriggled and hiccoughed and whose feet I could hold through my abdominal wall.

To imagine a life growing inside someone with no outside changes simply staggers me.

And yet, there's no denying C's story.

I'm sure some people would envy her easy, trouble-free pregnancy.

Not me - I loved being pregnant - enjoyed (nearly) every step - I marvelled at how my body changed and evolved and coped. I loved the planning and the dreaming of the future. Thrilled at the anticipation of what was to come.

{no mistaking what's going on here}

Do you have a hard time believing stories like this?

Have you heard any good stories recently?

♥

~ spring fever ~

2011-09-21T13:25:00.002+10:00

A spring edition of wordless Wednesday.

More wordless wonders at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

~ one of those days ~

2011-09-19T21:40:00.000+10:00

I sat down to write tonight full of the gripes.

To tell of all the little things that went wrong today - of the spilt milk (but we remembered to say "there's no use crying over it"), the ruined jigsaw, the endless whine of the-not-quite-sick-but-not-well 2yo, the spilt cream all over my new shoes(the "no use crying over it" line came out again but through gritted teeth), the tissue in the wash.....it was truly one of those days.

And then the Doc came home halfway through my little rant and as I reheated his dinner (and broke to him the news of his jigsaw) I very wifely asked about his day - the telling of the diagnosis of cancer to a bloke our age certainly added some perspective to my day.

And so here is the other version of our day.

The one when I put on my new shoes and felt happy cos they were the perfect shade of corally watermelon.

{they came out ok after a wash}

Where a little gift arrived in the post and put a smile on my face.

{thanks Helen}

{pretty lanterns inside the package}

The one where we walked to the park and played and I got to grab coffee on the way.

{my fix}

The one where little hands picked a small bouquet.

{pretties from our garden}

Where we ended up healthy and happy and I was reminded of gratefulness all over again.

One of those days.

♥

~ grateful for.....my parents ~

2011-09-17T21:14:00.000+10:00

I like the idea of practising gratefulness.

I love that the fabulous Maxabella encourages this every week.

I've read lots and now its time to join in.

Read some more grateful posts here at Mira Narnie.

This week I'm grateful for my parents. Of course I'm grateful to them all the time and I'm so glad we moved back home to Tassie and we get the chance to see them more often and for my children to know them as they grow.

But this week in particular I'm especially grateful;

To my dad for the flowers and the amazing home made bread.

{my beautiful lunch }

And to my mum who took the girls all day today so I could stay home with the small vomiting one, tend to his needs and fall asleep with him on the couch in front of "ABforkids" (I am also, endlessly, grateful for ABC kids and the extended format).

♥

~ 42, Douglas Adams and the meaning of life ~

2011-09-16T14:11:00.001+10:00

Yesterday was my birthday

I love birthdays.

I love the rituals and the celebration, the giving (and receiving), the planning, the cake, the dinner, the spoiling.

I'm not so big on the numbers. I don't feel 42. Or what I thought 42 would feel like when I was (much) younger. I thought forty was ancient, sensible and grown-up; a holding pattern, if you like, for the rest of life. And yet here I am - mum to 3, one still in nappies with occasional thoughts of what a fourth would do to our lives (that's really only idle speculation - I can hear the screams of the Doc, my obstetrician and my absent abdominals already). Not sorted, not mature, not always sensible.

In my heart I'm still in my 20s. Still believing anything is within reach and possible if I put my mind to it. I catch myself scanning the uni students milling around wondering if I'll see anyone I know. I get shocked when I don't recognise the movies showing at the cinema or the songs in the top20. I feel betrayed when my body aches and screams if I push it too hard or if I stay up too late, or have too many bubbles. I still have to pinch myself that I am responsible for 3 small people - that they rely on me for food, shelter, love and knowledge. I still feel like the world is out there waiting for me to come and explore and wonder.

Denial? For sure. I'm not one to gaze in the mirror checking for wrinkling and aging. I have no list of what I need/want to achieve by this age, or that. Sometimes, in those moments when I let myself think about aging, I feel paralysed with fear that I'll be too old to play with my grandchildren (imagine if our kids wait as long as we did...), that genetics will catch up with me or the Doc and we'll fall prey to those health demons that lurk in the family histories.

So I live for the here and now. For the little moments, the wonders, the sheer mundanity, the joys, the disappointments of the everyday. Where the numbers are irrelevant and I strive to make each day count.

Yesterday was a good day, I hope there are many more of them.

♥

{disclaimer: That is not yesterday's cake. The Doc made 3 cakes (best not to talk about the first two unless you have great tips about what to do with a cupboard full of crumbled chocolate cake) and finally cracked it with a heart shaped, chocolate extravaganza. HRH LLJ had been wondering all day "where's the birthday?" and it wasn't until he saw the candles that he was convinced it was a real birthday. In all his 2 year old excitement at cake and candles with the accompanying jumping and screaming I actually forgot to take a photo.}

~ home again ~

2011-09-14T08:41:00.001+10:00


{and the front door that makes my heart sing}

I'm enjoying wordless Wednesday with faith, hope and a whole lotta love and my little drummer boys

~ tonight at mum's house - glimpses of my childhood ~

2011-09-07T20:02:00.000+10:00


owl and tiny ted


part of my mouse collection(and that wall paper that I still see in my dreams)

my dad's teddy (Stuart) and friend

grandma's mouse

Joining in the wordless fun at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

♥

~ on hollow trees and hollow feelings ~

2011-09-06T21:36:00.001+10:00

When we started our renovations a year ago one of the hardest things was cutting down a couple of old conifers on the boundary so we could extend. I didn't like them but cutting trees down goes against the grain.

I was able to reassure myself that we were protecting the majority of our beautiful trees and that our little green oasis would still be there, even with the bigger house.

The main feature of our back garden has always been the ancient, enormous pear tree.

I loved it unreservedly. It had a ladder and a small cubby area. It provided beautiful blossom and shade to read and play. It had an old tyre swing that we all loved. It also produced upwards of a thousand pears a year - all inedible unless cooked and all of which the Doc had to pick up and cart to the compost (or tip). He didn't always share the pear tree love. The wombles often picked pears up for pocket money and made enough to keep them in icy-poles for the summer.

I think it was one of the factors that swayed our decision to buy the house (a decision that took all of 5 minutes - I have long lamented my ability to choose curtains, shoes, what to have for dinner... but show me a house I love and I'm signing before I've hit the back wall).

Last week the rain stopped for long enough for us to get into the garden again. A bit of weeding, some mowing and a chance to look around. We found, to our horror, a huge crack along one of the branches of the pear tree and a hollow rotting centre. The tree doctor confirmed our worse fears and today he came with his chainsaw and razed it to the ground.

There wasn't even any time to get used to the idea. There yesterday, gone today.

I feel like I've committed a {carbon} crime and I've shed a few tears.

I feel all hollow inside too.

(On the upside we have quite a load of firewood for next year and lots of potential).

What's your favourite part of the garden?

♥

~ a spring resolution ~

2011-09-01T20:42:00.001+10:00

I love this time of year.

I love that it starts to warm up (a little), the garden starts to burgeon and grow and blossom.

My babies are all spring babies and so I am - so there is lots to celebrate in the coming months.

I love the possibilities that open up and the lightness that fills my heart.

None of which explains why this week I joined a gym. For the first time EVER.

I'm still coming to grips with this.

I've always been a hockey girl, a tennis girl, a swimming or walking girl.

Not into jigging up and down, or set classes or (horrors!) gym gear.

So why??

I have 2 very dear friends who have been nagging me, weekly, for months now, to join them at this class, or that class, or on this run, or that run. They are fit, fun and enthusiastic....they've worn me down.
I want to find my waist again - it got lost there amongst all those babies and late night snacks.
The Doc joined and I'm nothing if not supportive.
They had a super special and I didn't feel like I was going to waste my money.

So here I am, committing to regular exercise for the next two months.

A spring resolution if you like (which makes more sense to me that trying to start in the slothful, gluttonous months of summer).

Anyone else making plans, getting started on new projects?

How about a spring resolution?

♥

~ goodbye winter, hello spring ~

2011-08-31T21:24:00.000+10:00

Joining in the wordless fun at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

♥

~ the dinner that makes me feel like a good mum ~

2011-08-29T21:18:00.001+10:00

Princess G's turn to make a request for dinner

And she chose....ta-daaaaa!.....spicy salmon and rice.

One of the dishes I love to make for them because its easy, they love it, and I feel like a good mum.

(how ridiculous to feel proud that they love and ask for healthy food....but Mondays can be like that)

We have been cooking this regularly for the last 5-6 years. The girls used to have just water and a tiny bit of soy with their salmon. Now they love the spicy fish. HRH LLJ is not so sure...yet.

It's one of those recipes on the favourites cycle of my limited recipe repetoire.

We also regularly eat spaghetti bolognaise, lasagna, pasta carbonara, tomato, mushroom and tuna pasta (spotted a theme here?), a pumpkin risotto, a pea and mushroom risotto, burritos, stir fries and roast chicken. These are the things I can cook in my sleep and I know they'll eat. They are meals the Doc and I can bear to eat too (with a tiny tweaking of an added rocket salad or some stir fried vegies).

No cooking separate meals here (that manifests as Thai or Indian take-away smuggled in under the cover of dark).

How different from what I grew up eating. I remember lots of grilled chops, grilled sausages, steaks, roasts, ham steaks with pineapple, liver - - always with loads of vegies and boiled or mashed potatoes. We were a classic meat and more veg family.

So here's tonight's dinner:

{spicy salmon and rice}

{pear, rocket and parmesan salad}

And here's how you do it (I think I originally found it in a Delicious magazine years ago):

5 x 100g skinless salmon fillets (conveniently pre-packaged just like this at the Salmon shop in Salamanca)
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/2 -1 teaspoon ginger from the jar (fresh is best...but so are other meals)
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
Steamed rice, to serve

I heat the oven to about 185. I make little foil envelopes (separate ones for the plain soy and the others) and lightly close them (I open them up just as the fish is about done). I combine the soy, ginger and sweet chilli sauce, pour it over the fish and then bake for about 10 minutes.

Serve with salad or veggies, drizzle some sauce over the fish and rice and gobble it up.

Huge brownie points for the fish (and the veggies).

Minus points for the salty soy (it is light).

And clean plates all round.

♥

~ grateful for small victories ~

2011-08-27T15:22:00.001+10:00

My first grateful post (officially anyway - several of them have expressed gratitude for blossom and friends and so on in the spirit of the blogs name) celebrates a milesone win.

Princess G's first ever trophy

Princess G's soccer team - the seashells (the boys teams are called sting-rays and sharks and scorpions - ha!) have played all year with huge hearts and grins but not a single win.

Today, the last game of the season, they won 4-1.

Its difficult to know who had the bigger grins - the girls or the parents who wouldn't have to trot out "its really all about having fun" yet again this afternoon.

possibly the worst photo ever but I'm still a bit shy about showing the kids on here

Today we can celebrate a little win, revel in the joy of coming first and know that they really do love to play no matter what the score.

{Linking with the fabulous Maxabella who posts every week about how grateful she is}
(and I would be grateful if someone could teach me how to use the buttony thing)

♥

~ my caffeinated week ~

2011-08-24T20:27:00.001+10:00

Joining in the wordless fun at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

and my little drummer boys

♥

~ the Central Cookery Book comes into its own ~

2011-08-22T23:10:00.006+10:00

The Doc had his birthday on Saturday.

Cue massive over excitement from the 3 wombles.

For even without party bags, games or, heck, even a party, the thought of birthday cake is enough to get them going.

We baked a delicious lemon tea cake from the Central Cookery Book. The book that was my year 7 cooking text (and therefore, over 30 years old much to the wombles amazement).

{teacake with lemon icing}

I didn't learn much cooking at school. 6 months of classes once a week in a mixed class in grade 7.

I can remember scones and pizza (same dough) - that's about it. That's no reflection on the utterly delightful Home Ec. teacher who was in the classic Mrs Beeton mode. And is was certainly a whole lot better than the sewing lessons with a relief teacher for 6 months who struggled to get us to do anything except flirt with each other and throw eggs out the window and hide cooking ingredients . I blame my lack of crafting ability entirely on her... I cheated to get my machine licence (used a pin to poke holes in a straight line) and things have never really improved.

But the cook book lives on. Stained, torn, well-thumbed and certainly worse for wear. Many of the recipes in there would never see the light of day in this house - think kidneys on toast, scotch collops (what??), tripe friscasse... and it suffers hugely from the lack of pretty, light filled photos of the food.

But those old home Ec ladies sure knew a thing or two about baking and cakes. And pikelets, scones and the like.


{simple cupcakes}

So while I drool over the latest food porn mags (Donna Hay, Delicious) and the gorgeous, plump-with- enticing photos cook books that line the shelves, it's the old Central Cookery Book that we turn to for ritual and celebration.

~ what are you? ~

2011-08-19T21:41:00.008+10:00

HRH LL J and I had quite a chat as we were changing his nappy today (as you do).

About our family and what we do and how we describe ourselves.

"Me good boy mummy" he said. "And you good mummy too."

I love that about 2 year olds. The certainty. The absence of doubt. That qualifiers are not needed.

So unlike me. And unlike zebras apparently.

I asked the Zebra are you black with white stripes?

Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me,

Are you good with bad habits?

Or are you bad with good habits?

Are you noisy with quiet times?

Or are you quiet with noisy times?

Are you happy with some sad days?

Or are you sad with some happy days?

Are you neat with some sloppy ways?

Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?

And on and on and on and on and on....

{Shel Silverstein}

So, what are you?

♥

~ a wander in the Gardens ~

2011-08-17T22:00:00.000+10:00

For wordless Wednesday - see more lovely wordless posts here

♥

~ friends ~

2011-08-15T13:37:00.001+10:00

I'm still smiling every time I think about the weekend.
Not because the sun was shining. Not because the in-laws had the children and we got to go to Melbourne alone.
This weekend we caught up with a group of friends we don't see often enough.
And it was great.

We ate.
And we walked.
And we shopped (a little)
And we talked (a lot)
And laughed so much my non existent tummy muscles are aching.

These are special friends
The ones we met after Uni, before kids, in that window of time when we had a little money, a lot of freedom and anything seemed possible.

We holidayed together, played in bad mixed netball teams all together, had parties, bought houses, loved life. Then we started having babies. We bought bigger houses. We walked and beached and holidayed and shared our lives like family.

And then we all moved away. Felt the pull of family, the need to return home to raise our families.

And so we live far apart. We don't see each other nearly enough. We promise to email, to phone, to keep in touch and then find we learn more in the Christmas letter than we knew. And yet....ten minutes together, everyone talking at once, a few old jokes and it feels like we've never been apart.

This is the family we chose.

These are friends for life.

And we promise to do it again soon (maybe)
...but know in our hearts it won't matter how long it is.

♥

~ a wintery walk to work ~

2011-08-10T20:58:00.000+10:00

For wordless Wednesday - see more lovely wordless posts here

♥

~ musical beds ~

2011-08-09T13:32:00.003+10:00

I'm feeling tired today

This is NOT a new feeling (by any means. I'm not going there though. The whole sad litany is enough to have anyone reaching for the anti-depressants, the gin or another blog to read). In fact, things are so much better than they were 12 months ago that I don't feel I have the right to even mutter under my breath about it (except of course I do because that's what some mum's do - sacrifice sleep for love and then ~~talk~~ moan about it when anyone will listen).

[Just in case reading about someone's else's sleep woes might make you feel a bit better about your own lot in life here's a very brief summary. Princess G has barely slept through a night since birth. She's almost 7. She was having bizarre night terror type events that lasted started at 9-ish, lasted all night and that had our GP, the paediatrician, the web and the anyone else who would listen totally baffled. We had tried eveything - including special permission to use a drug they use for airforce pilots with disrupted sleep cylcles. And nothing. Cue an amazing osteopath, a gradual improvement and a total reversal in my opinion of alternative therapies. We have our evenings back now and things are gradually improving all round.]

But the musical beds thing is getting to me.

The small people who live in this house can't seem to get enough of this game.

On and on and on...

Night after night...

The same old tunes....the same old game.

Things start well - we all love story time, they settle well, they are not serial get-uppers, the evenings are generally peaceful.

But I could count on one hand the mornings that we all wake up where we went to bed.

Princess G comes for a cuddle, I move to find a HRH LL J a dummy, I choose the empty single bed, someone has a nightmare/needs a drink/wants a cuddle/is moving from the snoring and joins me. I move again. Someone wakes early and we go somewhere else for an attempt at sleeping past 5am. And there in the KS bed the Doc sleeps (snores) through it all - simply opens the arms wider to cuddle any strays.

Part of me already knows that I'll miss it when its gone. That those precious, barely awake hugs are like gold. That I'll long for those little arms around me and those sleepy endearments.

But for now I want to wake up in the vastness of that KS bed, just me and the Doc, and realise that I've slept all night and that I feel good.

♥

~ wonderful winter blues ~

2011-08-03T22:30:00.003+10:00

My first wordless Wednesday post

There are more fabulous wordless posts over at faith, hope and a whole lotta love

♥

~ missing the pink ~

2011-08-02T13:13:00.005+10:00

Its gorgeous outside - sunny, hint of breeze and the first thought that pops into my head - perfect drying day. (Perfect for Tassie that is - not the perfect we used to have in Perth when just as I finished hanging out a load the first things were already dry!)

Don't worry - I know how sad that is.

So I hung out the washing and I couldn't help noticing the lack of pink . For years I've been doing the dark, the light and the pink load. And now there is no pink.

Lady L and Princess G have almost totally eschewed it. (I would have said totally but the Doc took them shopping for new doona covers on the weekend and they both came home with pink versions. I suspect the desire of new won out - maybe in the light of not much choice -but the bedroom redecorates are definitely on hold again).


{when all was pink} No skirts, no cute stripey tights, no fairy dress-ups...and no pink. My little girls are growing up and while I marvel at their new achievements and enjoy every stage there is a little part of me that feels a pang for the fairy princesses that used to live here. And the pink load. ♥