Posts
The blog is closing
7 months ago
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Speling Mistakes
Ha ha ha.
OK, I am guilty of quite a few typos, sorry, typographical errors. Pure laziness, on my part. I also write the way I speak, especially in casual mediums, like email, or this blog, so I am always making grammatical errors.
However, I just got my son's report card. There are quite a few spelling mistakes in the comment sections. What, they don't have spell chuck?
Come on guys, this is a formal document. I still have report cards from my primary school days, so this is a document that will be kept for long time. Not to mention, passed around Grandparents, and doting Aunties.
OK, I am guilty of quite a few typos, sorry, typographical errors. Pure laziness, on my part. I also write the way I speak, especially in casual mediums, like email, or this blog, so I am always making grammatical errors.
However, I just got my son's report card. There are quite a few spelling mistakes in the comment sections. What, they don't have spell chuck?
Come on guys, this is a formal document. I still have report cards from my primary school days, so this is a document that will be kept for long time. Not to mention, passed around Grandparents, and doting Aunties.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I did not know, did not think to ask and was never told
For about a year, when I was eighteen years old, I used the “oral contraceptive pill”. If I had been informed of the true function of the pill I would never, ever, have taken it.
Prior to then I had used condoms. However, I was convinced that only women who engaged in casual sex, with a number of partners, needed to use condoms. Condoms weren't respectable, the pill was. To use the pill was to be in an adult, committed relationship. It was a right of passage, a part of becoming a woman. I was told my feminist Grandmothers, Mothers and Aunts had fought bitterly for my right to have penetrative sex without the risk of fertilisation. My sexual partners, the media and even my women friends convinced me that having semen washed over my cervix was extremely pleasurable, and that having a thin synthetic coating between partners ruined intimacy and reduced pleasure.
My mother lived in fear of me “repeating her mistakes”, by which she means having children while young, and becoming dependent on men, either a husband, or the Government. She instilled into me that “only stupid girls get themselves pregnant”. Sensible, educated girls are in control of what goes into, and what comes out of, their vagina. I knew if I fell pregnant, before “having lived my life” (whatever that means), I would be an enormous disappointment.
I had internalised all of these views, some consciously, and some unconsciously. So believing I had made an educated choice, I asked my doctor for a prescription.
I never questioned that to receive this right I had to ask for permission. If control over fertility is the most basic of feminine rights, why is distribution recorded, controlled and regulated? If prevention of pregnancy is so basic a right, on par with education, health care, freedom from harm, and freedom of association, why is contraception not free? Someone, somewhere, is making money from millions of women ingesting steroidal hormones daily.
At the age of eighteen, I had trouble achieving orgasm from penetrative sex. I perceived this as a defect in my own physiology, or possibly psyche. Why then, when pleasure was possible, and actually more likely, without penetration, was I so intent on using the pill? Why did I need a method of contraception that was specifically designed to allow ejaculate to come in contact with my cervix? Why did I feel that the only “real” sex was penetration?
At eighteen, it had not occurred to me to question any of this.
For 12 months I took that tiny, innocent-looking, almost pretty tablet. For 12 months I experienced the absolute terror that I would forget to take it. For 12 months I had painful, humiliating abscesses and blind pimples on my face, which my doctor could not (would not?)attribute a source to. I regularly experienced “breakthrough bleeding” for periods of more than three weeks at time, as my body “adjusted” to the chemicals. Through 12 months of extreme cramping in my womb, of gaining weight, of developing anaemia, and of feeling foreign in my own body, I persevered. For this is what all women must go through, to experience the wonder of semen inside their bodies.
Finally, I fell pregnant. To my relief, the dreaded event I was enduring agonies to prevent had happened and I was allowed to unceremoniously, throw the pills in the f---ing bin.
One reason, in fact, my main reason, for using the pill was because I didn't want to have an abortion. I had decided that if my ovum did become fertilised, it would remain in my womb. My reasons for this are many and complicated, and I would never presume to force my choices on others.
However, my choice was removed from me. Every 28 days, or so, I had unwittingly, performed an abortion on myself. I did not know, did not think to ask, and was never told, the oral contraceptive pill is not actually contraception, but an abortifacient. Instead of preventing sperm reaching and fertilising my eggs, as I believed, it made my womb a hostile environment, so that embryos were prevented from attaching to the wall and were simply expelled.
I found this out, not from my doctor, not from a medical source, but from Germaine Greer’s The Whole Woman. When I found out, I already had a beautiful baby. I knew the exquisite agony and pleasure of motherhood. And I felt grief, absolute sorrow at the thought of those approximately twelve “almost, could have been” babies, flushed out of my womb, in my ignorance, by my own actions.
“All this suffering, all this mess, is the direct consequence of the insistence upon the accessibility of the cervix to the ejaculating penis. Whether you feel that the creation and wastage of so many embryos is an important issue or not, you must see that the cynical deception of millions of women by selling abortifacients as if they were contraceptives is incompatible with the respect due to women as human beings. [...] Fake contraceptive technology manipulates women in ways that we are coming to condemn when they are practised on members of other species. What women don’t know does hurt them. If we ask ourselves whether we would have any hope of imposing on men the duty to protect women’s fertility and their health, and avoid the abortions that occur in their uncounted millions every day, we will see in a blinding light how unfree women are.”
Greer, Germaine, (1999), the whole woman, Transworld Publishers Ltd, 1999, ISBN 0-385-60016-X, p
Prior to then I had used condoms. However, I was convinced that only women who engaged in casual sex, with a number of partners, needed to use condoms. Condoms weren't respectable, the pill was. To use the pill was to be in an adult, committed relationship. It was a right of passage, a part of becoming a woman. I was told my feminist Grandmothers, Mothers and Aunts had fought bitterly for my right to have penetrative sex without the risk of fertilisation. My sexual partners, the media and even my women friends convinced me that having semen washed over my cervix was extremely pleasurable, and that having a thin synthetic coating between partners ruined intimacy and reduced pleasure.
My mother lived in fear of me “repeating her mistakes”, by which she means having children while young, and becoming dependent on men, either a husband, or the Government. She instilled into me that “only stupid girls get themselves pregnant”. Sensible, educated girls are in control of what goes into, and what comes out of, their vagina. I knew if I fell pregnant, before “having lived my life” (whatever that means), I would be an enormous disappointment.
I had internalised all of these views, some consciously, and some unconsciously. So believing I had made an educated choice, I asked my doctor for a prescription.
I never questioned that to receive this right I had to ask for permission. If control over fertility is the most basic of feminine rights, why is distribution recorded, controlled and regulated? If prevention of pregnancy is so basic a right, on par with education, health care, freedom from harm, and freedom of association, why is contraception not free? Someone, somewhere, is making money from millions of women ingesting steroidal hormones daily.
At the age of eighteen, I had trouble achieving orgasm from penetrative sex. I perceived this as a defect in my own physiology, or possibly psyche. Why then, when pleasure was possible, and actually more likely, without penetration, was I so intent on using the pill? Why did I need a method of contraception that was specifically designed to allow ejaculate to come in contact with my cervix? Why did I feel that the only “real” sex was penetration?
At eighteen, it had not occurred to me to question any of this.
For 12 months I took that tiny, innocent-looking, almost pretty tablet. For 12 months I experienced the absolute terror that I would forget to take it. For 12 months I had painful, humiliating abscesses and blind pimples on my face, which my doctor could not (would not?)attribute a source to. I regularly experienced “breakthrough bleeding” for periods of more than three weeks at time, as my body “adjusted” to the chemicals. Through 12 months of extreme cramping in my womb, of gaining weight, of developing anaemia, and of feeling foreign in my own body, I persevered. For this is what all women must go through, to experience the wonder of semen inside their bodies.
Finally, I fell pregnant. To my relief, the dreaded event I was enduring agonies to prevent had happened and I was allowed to unceremoniously, throw the pills in the f---ing bin.
One reason, in fact, my main reason, for using the pill was because I didn't want to have an abortion. I had decided that if my ovum did become fertilised, it would remain in my womb. My reasons for this are many and complicated, and I would never presume to force my choices on others.
However, my choice was removed from me. Every 28 days, or so, I had unwittingly, performed an abortion on myself. I did not know, did not think to ask, and was never told, the oral contraceptive pill is not actually contraception, but an abortifacient. Instead of preventing sperm reaching and fertilising my eggs, as I believed, it made my womb a hostile environment, so that embryos were prevented from attaching to the wall and were simply expelled.
I found this out, not from my doctor, not from a medical source, but from Germaine Greer’s The Whole Woman. When I found out, I already had a beautiful baby. I knew the exquisite agony and pleasure of motherhood. And I felt grief, absolute sorrow at the thought of those approximately twelve “almost, could have been” babies, flushed out of my womb, in my ignorance, by my own actions.
“All this suffering, all this mess, is the direct consequence of the insistence upon the accessibility of the cervix to the ejaculating penis. Whether you feel that the creation and wastage of so many embryos is an important issue or not, you must see that the cynical deception of millions of women by selling abortifacients as if they were contraceptives is incompatible with the respect due to women as human beings. [...] Fake contraceptive technology manipulates women in ways that we are coming to condemn when they are practised on members of other species. What women don’t know does hurt them. If we ask ourselves whether we would have any hope of imposing on men the duty to protect women’s fertility and their health, and avoid the abortions that occur in their uncounted millions every day, we will see in a blinding light how unfree women are.”
Greer, Germaine, (1999), the whole woman, Transworld Publishers Ltd, 1999, ISBN 0-385-60016-X, p
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Ode to Pepe
"pepes home im very happy
my song /im vary vary hapy my cats home
happy happy happy happy
my cats home la la la la la la da ha"
my song /im vary vary hapy my cats home
happy happy happy happy
my cats home la la la la la la da ha"
-By Jella B. (Number one son), NB: "vary" = very
Our cat went missing on Tuesday 22nd, we didn't think too much of it, he can sometimes stay away for a couple of days.
The dust storm happened on Wednesday, and he didnt come home.... He still wasn't home by Friday and i was very worried. I walked up and down the street, rattled his biscuit box, called his name, a number of times, but still no Pepe. On Sunday, I snuck into my nieghbours yard, who is away, and called out again, not much hope by now, but I still had to try.
And guess what? There lying under some bushes, alive, but skinny, and dirty, was our cat! I picked him up and noticed his back leg was all floppy. I took him home and called the vet, thinking he had a tick, or had brocken his back. Of course being sunday, our vet was closed, I had to take him all the way to Brisbane vet hospital, in Albany Creek. My knight in shining armour (my sister), drove us out there, the gps getting us lost on the way... I love technology....
It turns out that he had smashed his upper back leg and his hip socket, which required massive surgery and a few days in hospital, (and a big chunk of the savings for our house deposit!). He was probably hit by a car, because his claws were shorn down.
It cost a heck of a lot of money. But I know it's worth it, especially when I know my son has cried himself to sleep for the last week, and I shed (more than) a few tears myself, thinking he would have to be put down.
Right now, the patient is sleeping in a make shift bed, with a certain 7 year old lying next to him on the cool bathroom floor. He's looking a bit punk/emo, with a pink arm cuff (painkiller patch) and his leg, thigh and random patches of fur shaved. He is also a bit groggy, but he can limp around and he's alive, so i'm breathing a sigh of relief.
We can always earn more money, but we can never get another Pepe.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
i read a news item out loud to my son, because it said that doctors were telling people to stay inside, and i wanted to convince him that im not the meanest mother in the world for making him stay inside today.... but some how he picked up on the advice to clean all surfaces with a damp cloth.... and he is now washing all his hot wheels cars...
"people should minimise their exposure, cover their mouth and nose if going out, and damp wipe and mop their house to further get rid of any lingering dust."
"people should minimise their exposure, cover their mouth and nose if going out, and damp wipe and mop their house to further get rid of any lingering dust."
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Parenthood is....
...standing on an incredibly sharp piece of bionicle and not only are you not allowed to swear through the pain, but you have to console the owner of said bionicle because you got blood on his toy.
... getting up 1 and 1/2 hours before sunrise and making breakfast in your sleep. Only to be told you made it in the "wrong" bowl.
... sweating over the contents of a lunchbox every night. Red light food vs green light food; no peanuts, tree nuts, or eggs; no excess packaging; no preservatives, colours or flavours; nothing that might spoil or go soggy; nothing politically incorrect, (e.g. nestle or coca-cola amatil,) trying to stick to local/organic/fairtrade.... and then finding the untouched lunch in his bag come 3pm.
...standing on an incredibly sharp piece of bionicle and not only are you not allowed to swear through the pain, but you have to console the owner of said bionicle because you got blood on his toy.
... getting up 1 and 1/2 hours before sunrise and making breakfast in your sleep. Only to be told you made it in the "wrong" bowl.
... sweating over the contents of a lunchbox every night. Red light food vs green light food; no peanuts, tree nuts, or eggs; no excess packaging; no preservatives, colours or flavours; nothing that might spoil or go soggy; nothing politically incorrect, (e.g. nestle or coca-cola amatil,) trying to stick to local/organic/fairtrade.... and then finding the untouched lunch in his bag come 3pm.
Monday, May 25, 2009
uni
Aargh.
I stayed up late last night choosing subjects for next semester, and then enrolling in said subjects. It gives you a heart attack when you realise how much one subject costs, (between $600 to $1000 AUD per subject), then you start having a panic attack when you realise how many subjects you've failed and you still have to pay for. Well, if you're me anyway.
And i still need text books....... this is where HH starts having heart palpitations. I love new books, so i don't mind so much, he he.
I have posted a want ad on the uni forum for 2nd hand text books, so we'll see if i can get them cheap.
I'm also a bit panicky about having enough time to study. My family gets neglected when it comes to exam time...
hmm, i've worked myself up and it' still 2 months away......
I stayed up late last night choosing subjects for next semester, and then enrolling in said subjects. It gives you a heart attack when you realise how much one subject costs, (between $600 to $1000 AUD per subject), then you start having a panic attack when you realise how many subjects you've failed and you still have to pay for. Well, if you're me anyway.
And i still need text books....... this is where HH starts having heart palpitations. I love new books, so i don't mind so much, he he.
I have posted a want ad on the uni forum for 2nd hand text books, so we'll see if i can get them cheap.
I'm also a bit panicky about having enough time to study. My family gets neglected when it comes to exam time...
hmm, i've worked myself up and it' still 2 months away......
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
ABC Gardening expo
I forgot to post about The ABC Gardening Australia Expo.
We went on Saturday, the 18th.
It was great. I wanted to see Jerry Coleby-Williams and HH wanted to see Colin Campbell. We love the TV show and the website is so useful, it is the first place I go to for gardening tips and info. Northey St City farm had a stall there, and they had a couple of chooks in a chook tractor, that mesmerised my son. We bought too many books and plants (me), ate junk (my son), drooled over huge ride on mowers and mulchers (HH), and basically had a good time.
Jerry Coleby-Williams did a talk on survival foods. It was really interesting. Basically, he gave a whole heap of subtropical alternatives to potatoes. Potatoes can be hard to grow in humid weather, but sweet potato, yams, arrow root etc, just look after themselves. He also talked about a couple of things I'd never really considered, the plaintain and green (unripe) pawpaw! I had to try green pawpaw, I have a huge tree full just sitting there. We don't really eat our pawpaws. The ripe fruit is not that great, we have the yellow kind, I prefer red pawpaw, also we rarely beat the fruit bats to it anyway. That night, I cooked some up, without telling the boys. It tasted sort of like sweet potato. They totally ate it, no complaints. It's surprisingly good, we will do that again.
We also joined The Digger's Club, which I had been trying to talk HH into for ages. When he saw thier stall and talked to one of thier sales people he was finally convinced. I think the free seeds pulled him over the edge ;)
We went on Saturday, the 18th.
It was great. I wanted to see Jerry Coleby-Williams and HH wanted to see Colin Campbell. We love the TV show and the website is so useful, it is the first place I go to for gardening tips and info. Northey St City farm had a stall there, and they had a couple of chooks in a chook tractor, that mesmerised my son. We bought too many books and plants (me), ate junk (my son), drooled over huge ride on mowers and mulchers (HH), and basically had a good time.
Jerry Coleby-Williams did a talk on survival foods. It was really interesting. Basically, he gave a whole heap of subtropical alternatives to potatoes. Potatoes can be hard to grow in humid weather, but sweet potato, yams, arrow root etc, just look after themselves. He also talked about a couple of things I'd never really considered, the plaintain and green (unripe) pawpaw! I had to try green pawpaw, I have a huge tree full just sitting there. We don't really eat our pawpaws. The ripe fruit is not that great, we have the yellow kind, I prefer red pawpaw, also we rarely beat the fruit bats to it anyway. That night, I cooked some up, without telling the boys. It tasted sort of like sweet potato. They totally ate it, no complaints. It's surprisingly good, we will do that again.
We also joined The Digger's Club, which I had been trying to talk HH into for ages. When he saw thier stall and talked to one of thier sales people he was finally convinced. I think the free seeds pulled him over the edge ;)
Recently, Ps. Ron Favaloro, a family friend and the pastor who married my husband and me was on Australian Story.
When I was googling for info about the program, I found this photo, I just had to share.
From left to right: Ps David Warren (my dad, he he), Ps Ron Favaloro, and Ps Terry Walker.
The photo was in the local paper advertising a charity bike ride to raise money for Zoeys Place.
Photo from ALBERT AND LOGAN NEWS, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2008 p3, Dale Haberfield
view original article
From left to right: Ps David Warren (my dad, he he), Ps Ron Favaloro, and Ps Terry Walker.
The photo was in the local paper advertising a charity bike ride to raise money for Zoeys Place.
Photo from ALBERT AND LOGAN NEWS, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2008 p3, Dale Haberfield
view original article
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The environmentally responsible child
My son cares for the environment in a number of ways.
The first is by showering once a month at the most, to save on electricity, water and soap.
He also reduces the amount of washing up we have to do, by drinking out of the milk bottle and eating with his fingers.
He chooses to fertilise the garden, instead of flushing his nitrogen rich pee down the loo. When it comes to flushing the toilet, his motto is: "if its yellow its mellow, if its brown, let it sit there and stink!"
He also tends to wear his clothes to bed, saving loads of washing.
See, his mother may find it irritating, but he is just trying to do his bit for the planet.
grrrr
The first is by showering once a month at the most, to save on electricity, water and soap.
He also reduces the amount of washing up we have to do, by drinking out of the milk bottle and eating with his fingers.
He chooses to fertilise the garden, instead of flushing his nitrogen rich pee down the loo. When it comes to flushing the toilet, his motto is: "if its yellow its mellow, if its brown, let it sit there and stink!"
He also tends to wear his clothes to bed, saving loads of washing.
See, his mother may find it irritating, but he is just trying to do his bit for the planet.
grrrr
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Holidays
I haven't had a chance to post anything for awhile. I have been having loads of fun, but I have been thinking of you, lol.
HH has just returned to work after having 4 whole weeks off. We made the most of the time together. We spent a weekend on the Gold Coast, just HH and me. All three of us went to Fraser Island for a week. The two boys went off for a boys weekend, camping at Neurum Creek, while I flew to Melbourne for a big family do with my sister.
We also used the time to set up a business. So much paperwork, ABN, insurance, registration, phew. Finally, it all came together and "Ellaby Yardcare" is open for business. Visit the website here.
And no that's not the Irwins in those photos, it's just me and HH, dressed up in khakis lol.
Our weekend on the Gold Coast, was soo relaxing. We saw Tim Minchin, at the Gold Coast arts centre, which was hilarious. Then we had dinner at an italian restaurant. We also slept in past dawn, such bliss. We stayed at the Meriton, which was inexpensive, but really stylish. HH commented that he really liked the apartment and its furnishings, I just really relished having a shower in a bathroom, which didn't have holes in the walls and missing louvres. I also liked applying make up without having to stand on tippy toes, in the dark (our mirror is installed too high, and the bathroom light doesnt work).
Side bar:
I think the main reason we felt so relaxed, was probably because the place wasnt full of our junk, I mean stuff. I tried to explain to HH, that books piled up against walls (mine) and unpacked boxes in the hallway (his), not only clutters the walkways, it clutters your mind. We have pledged to rid ourselves of junk, hallelujah, he has seen the light. He is even letting me sell some, ahem, wedding presents that have never come out of the boxes, let alone been used. We got married in 2007, people. Fingers crossed we don't offend anyone, not that that has ever stopped me before. We just have to be brutal, we live in a tiny, tiny unit, with (I am not making this up) no cupboards! There are no cupboards in the bedroom, none in the bathroom, we don't have a linen cupboard, we dont even have a pantry. There are some shelves in the kitchen, and a cupboard under the sink, that is it! Think about it, for a moment, where is your vacuum cleaner? your broom and mop? your toilet paper? your towels? I am guessing in a cupboard somewhere? Oh ho, not me folks, all my stuff is out, in the open, for every visitor, in law, and door to door salesman to see. Anyhoo, back to talking about holidays.
After our cozy weekend, we all traipsed off to Fraser Island in the 4runner.
(or should I say we bounced, jostled and jarred our spines?) The weather was absolutely perfect, it was lovely and sunny, yet not too hot. We stayed at Fraser's at Cathedral beach.
We slept late, and ate when we felt like it, like all good holidays. HH did some serious 4 wheel driving, I read trashy novels. There was no TV, no phone, no computer....
I took heaps of photos of bush tucker, which I think I will upload in a different post. We saw dingoes, kookaburras, turtles, goannas, eagles. It was heaven to use an overused cliche.
HH has just returned to work after having 4 whole weeks off. We made the most of the time together. We spent a weekend on the Gold Coast, just HH and me. All three of us went to Fraser Island for a week. The two boys went off for a boys weekend, camping at Neurum Creek, while I flew to Melbourne for a big family do with my sister.
We also used the time to set up a business. So much paperwork, ABN, insurance, registration, phew. Finally, it all came together and "Ellaby Yardcare" is open for business. Visit the website here.
And no that's not the Irwins in those photos, it's just me and HH, dressed up in khakis lol.
Our weekend on the Gold Coast, was soo relaxing. We saw Tim Minchin, at the Gold Coast arts centre, which was hilarious. Then we had dinner at an italian restaurant. We also slept in past dawn, such bliss. We stayed at the Meriton, which was inexpensive, but really stylish. HH commented that he really liked the apartment and its furnishings, I just really relished having a shower in a bathroom, which didn't have holes in the walls and missing louvres. I also liked applying make up without having to stand on tippy toes, in the dark (our mirror is installed too high, and the bathroom light doesnt work).
Side bar:
I think the main reason we felt so relaxed, was probably because the place wasnt full of our junk, I mean stuff. I tried to explain to HH, that books piled up against walls (mine) and unpacked boxes in the hallway (his), not only clutters the walkways, it clutters your mind. We have pledged to rid ourselves of junk, hallelujah, he has seen the light. He is even letting me sell some, ahem, wedding presents that have never come out of the boxes, let alone been used. We got married in 2007, people. Fingers crossed we don't offend anyone, not that that has ever stopped me before. We just have to be brutal, we live in a tiny, tiny unit, with (I am not making this up) no cupboards! There are no cupboards in the bedroom, none in the bathroom, we don't have a linen cupboard, we dont even have a pantry. There are some shelves in the kitchen, and a cupboard under the sink, that is it! Think about it, for a moment, where is your vacuum cleaner? your broom and mop? your toilet paper? your towels? I am guessing in a cupboard somewhere? Oh ho, not me folks, all my stuff is out, in the open, for every visitor, in law, and door to door salesman to see. Anyhoo, back to talking about holidays.
After our cozy weekend, we all traipsed off to Fraser Island in the 4runner.
(or should I say we bounced, jostled and jarred our spines?) The weather was absolutely perfect, it was lovely and sunny, yet not too hot. We stayed at Fraser's at Cathedral beach.
We slept late, and ate when we felt like it, like all good holidays. HH did some serious 4 wheel driving, I read trashy novels. There was no TV, no phone, no computer....
I took heaps of photos of bush tucker, which I think I will upload in a different post. We saw dingoes, kookaburras, turtles, goannas, eagles. It was heaven to use an overused cliche.
After we got back, the boys took off to Neurum Creek, to eat junk food, burn stuff and behave badly in general. My sister and I flew off to Melbourne for my Aunts 50th birthday and had a girly weekend, catching up with our family from over the border.
I think that catches everyone up...
I think that catches everyone up...Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I want a backyard oven
I want a backyard oven. I want fresh bread, but it's too hot to bake, and it hurts to pay $3.50 for a loaf of bread. especially when i know flour costs them less than it costs me!
Ages ago I bought Earth garden's Backyard Ovens and i've taken to casually leaving it in conspicuous places. Unfortunately, HH just sings under his breath, "put it back, put it back, put it back where it goes" and shoves it back in the bookshelf. He has to shove, because my poor bookshelf is about to burst. I say the sagging shelves add character to the decor (what decor? would that be hand-me-down chic? or dumpster diving deco?).
Maybe if i just go on strike, not buying or baking bread, or muffins, or pizza, until i get my oven? Huh, that would hurt me more than him, I'm a carb addict. it might take him months before he realises.
I'm researching making bread in a camp oven, but i think we aren't allowed fires in our yards. Something about getting smoke on peoples sheets hanging on the line. I've tried googling it, but i can't find out from BCC. It's not like anyone in my neighbourhood uses their clotheslines any way, even in summer when there is free solar power to power the hills hoist.
I'm eagerly awaiting NSCF's next diy cob oven workshop, i'll drag him kicking and screaming. He might even have fun(?). Somewhere deep (very deep) inside him, there is a green hippy just waiting to get out, i know it, lol.
Ages ago I bought Earth garden's Backyard Ovens and i've taken to casually leaving it in conspicuous places. Unfortunately, HH just sings under his breath, "put it back, put it back, put it back where it goes" and shoves it back in the bookshelf. He has to shove, because my poor bookshelf is about to burst. I say the sagging shelves add character to the decor (what decor? would that be hand-me-down chic? or dumpster diving deco?).
Maybe if i just go on strike, not buying or baking bread, or muffins, or pizza, until i get my oven? Huh, that would hurt me more than him, I'm a carb addict. it might take him months before he realises.
I'm researching making bread in a camp oven, but i think we aren't allowed fires in our yards. Something about getting smoke on peoples sheets hanging on the line. I've tried googling it, but i can't find out from BCC. It's not like anyone in my neighbourhood uses their clotheslines any way, even in summer when there is free solar power to power the hills hoist.
I'm eagerly awaiting NSCF's next diy cob oven workshop, i'll drag him kicking and screaming. He might even have fun(?). Somewhere deep (very deep) inside him, there is a green hippy just waiting to get out, i know it, lol.
Monday, March 2, 2009
phew
Its so hot, still, at 9pm.
Its only 26 degrees or so, but the humidity makes it feel worse. Trying to get comfy is hard when you are irritable and sticky.
I'll stop whinging now. Here is a recipe for my lime cordial:
1 cup lime juice
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup water
Go next door and "borrow" about 10 limes. To juice the limes, sit them in hot water, or zap them in the microwave for 10 seconds. Roll the limes on the bench to loosen the juice, then use your citrus juicer. You should get more juice this way. (Save the rinds, the zest freezes well. You can rub the spent half limes all over your kitchen sink/bathroom sink/bathtub/toilet to freshen them.)
Heat the sugar and water until the sugar is all dissolved, do it in the microwave if you can't stand the thought of turning on the stove in this weather.
Add the juice to the syrup. Pour it into a bottle. Store it in the fridge, labelled, or someone, possibly your husband, will take a swig from the bottle and decide it tastes terrible and never touch it again. No matter how many times you tell him he should try it diluted.
To drink the cordial, you can add just a dash to cold water, soda water, or lemonade. Top up the glass with lots of ice and stick a few mint leaves in it.
Lie outside on the verandah, in the dark and tell the kids you are on strike.
Its only 26 degrees or so, but the humidity makes it feel worse. Trying to get comfy is hard when you are irritable and sticky.
I'll stop whinging now. Here is a recipe for my lime cordial:
1 cup lime juice
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup water
Go next door and "borrow" about 10 limes. To juice the limes, sit them in hot water, or zap them in the microwave for 10 seconds. Roll the limes on the bench to loosen the juice, then use your citrus juicer. You should get more juice this way. (Save the rinds, the zest freezes well. You can rub the spent half limes all over your kitchen sink/bathroom sink/bathtub/toilet to freshen them.)
Heat the sugar and water until the sugar is all dissolved, do it in the microwave if you can't stand the thought of turning on the stove in this weather.
Add the juice to the syrup. Pour it into a bottle. Store it in the fridge, labelled, or someone, possibly your husband, will take a swig from the bottle and decide it tastes terrible and never touch it again. No matter how many times you tell him he should try it diluted.
To drink the cordial, you can add just a dash to cold water, soda water, or lemonade. Top up the glass with lots of ice and stick a few mint leaves in it.
Lie outside on the verandah, in the dark and tell the kids you are on strike.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Budgie, the Cockatiel
I am sitting here at the pc, at nearly midnight, enjoying the quiet and solitude that can only happen late at night or early in the morning.
Then my cockatiel, [whose name is Budgie :)] starts whistling. It seemed like her whole repertoire was stuck on loop and she was being very loud. She can wolf whistle, whistle a cockatiel version of reveille and say "here buttabutt". I kept saying "night-night budgie" which is her cue to be quiet, even in the day time, but after awhile, I was saying "shut up budgie!"
Finally, I got up and took the cover off the cage to talk to her about indoor voices and not waking up grumpy heads of households. And I found two disgusting, big cockroaches, the flying kind, in the poor bird's food dish. I felt really mean, and guilty and I said sorry to Budgie. After i shooed them away (I don't stomp or spray), she started preening her feathers, and has now gone back to sleep.
I shouldn't have ignored her "noise". She was just calling out for help from her mum :(
So to make it up to her I'm posting this picture. Isn't she beautiful? She could give us all hair and make-up tips. (yes, that's my overflowing bookshelf in the background. what's the emoticon for embarrassed?)
And I have to tell you how smart she is. She has a special hello shriek, just for family members. She never shrieks at our neighbours, just us. She can tell when HH pulls into the driveway, and she lets everyone know he's home. She shrieks at me when she hears the keys in the door. Such a warm greeting, it makes you feel loved. (Actually, it kind of makes me think I'm getting yelled at before I've stepped in the door. "Shriek, here she is! Where have you been young lady?")
She also has a cute 'arck' sound she makes when she gets woken up before dawn, by HH on his way to work. It kind of sounds like f---, I wonder where she picked that up?
Then my cockatiel, [whose name is Budgie :)] starts whistling. It seemed like her whole repertoire was stuck on loop and she was being very loud. She can wolf whistle, whistle a cockatiel version of reveille and say "here buttabutt". I kept saying "night-night budgie" which is her cue to be quiet, even in the day time, but after awhile, I was saying "shut up budgie!"
Finally, I got up and took the cover off the cage to talk to her about indoor voices and not waking up grumpy heads of households. And I found two disgusting, big cockroaches, the flying kind, in the poor bird's food dish. I felt really mean, and guilty and I said sorry to Budgie. After i shooed them away (I don't stomp or spray), she started preening her feathers, and has now gone back to sleep.
I shouldn't have ignored her "noise". She was just calling out for help from her mum :(
So to make it up to her I'm posting this picture. Isn't she beautiful? She could give us all hair and make-up tips. (yes, that's my overflowing bookshelf in the background. what's the emoticon for embarrassed?)
And I have to tell you how smart she is. She has a special hello shriek, just for family members. She never shrieks at our neighbours, just us. She can tell when HH pulls into the driveway, and she lets everyone know he's home. She shrieks at me when she hears the keys in the door. Such a warm greeting, it makes you feel loved. (Actually, it kind of makes me think I'm getting yelled at before I've stepped in the door. "Shriek, here she is! Where have you been young lady?")
She also has a cute 'arck' sound she makes when she gets woken up before dawn, by HH on his way to work. It kind of sounds like f---, I wonder where she picked that up?
Saturday, February 7, 2009
happy birthday to me
In a few hours it will be my birthday.
I am pretty much at an age where I want to stop telling people how old I am so that in a few years, they will have forgotten my age, and then I will be able to lie about it. :)
I spent today with my sister, just the two of us. It's not often we get to just be alone together, without partners, or kids. We had a delicious lunch at a great local place, called Cafe Conti, the portions were huge, and delicious. Then we went down the road, to Northey St City Farm. I had to pick up my secateurs, which i left there after a propagation class, yesterday. Thanks, Caitlin, I thought I'd never see them again. :)
We spent ages wandering around the nursery. The plants they have there are all edible and/or useful, and suited to my local growing conditions. I could have bought one (or more) of everything. There was native tamarind, which i long to sample. I didn't even know there was a native one until today, lol. There were, teeny tiny blueberry bushes, citrus galore, olives, sapotes,vegies and herbs out the whazoo. Sigh. As a birthday present, My sister bought me a luffa vine, and a coffee bush. Soon i'll be roasting my own coffee (how many beans does one plant produce? lol) and drying my own sponges, yay. I think the next plant I will buy is a wampi, i have tried it once. The fruit is so delicate and juicy, sunwarmed and straight from the tree. It has a grape like texture and is sweet, yet slightly acidic.
Then we went to a landscaping store, who shall remain nameless, although I am assured they are an ethical company, I prefer small local shops to chain stores. I needed clean sand to make cutting mix though, so i swallowed my pride, bit my tongue and bought 25kgs.
So hopefully my next post will be all about potting up cuttings, and sowing trays of seed.
I am pretty much at an age where I want to stop telling people how old I am so that in a few years, they will have forgotten my age, and then I will be able to lie about it. :)
I spent today with my sister, just the two of us. It's not often we get to just be alone together, without partners, or kids. We had a delicious lunch at a great local place, called Cafe Conti, the portions were huge, and delicious. Then we went down the road, to Northey St City Farm. I had to pick up my secateurs, which i left there after a propagation class, yesterday. Thanks, Caitlin, I thought I'd never see them again. :)
We spent ages wandering around the nursery. The plants they have there are all edible and/or useful, and suited to my local growing conditions. I could have bought one (or more) of everything. There was native tamarind, which i long to sample. I didn't even know there was a native one until today, lol. There were, teeny tiny blueberry bushes, citrus galore, olives, sapotes,vegies and herbs out the whazoo. Sigh. As a birthday present, My sister bought me a luffa vine, and a coffee bush. Soon i'll be roasting my own coffee (how many beans does one plant produce? lol) and drying my own sponges, yay. I think the next plant I will buy is a wampi, i have tried it once. The fruit is so delicate and juicy, sunwarmed and straight from the tree. It has a grape like texture and is sweet, yet slightly acidic.
Then we went to a landscaping store, who shall remain nameless, although I am assured they are an ethical company, I prefer small local shops to chain stores. I needed clean sand to make cutting mix though, so i swallowed my pride, bit my tongue and bought 25kgs.
So hopefully my next post will be all about potting up cuttings, and sowing trays of seed.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Here is one of my 2009 goals completed. Home made Sour-dough bread according to this recipe. The dough is extremely wet and a bit gloopy. You really need to flour your hands. The finished loaf looks great though, (and smells great, wish I could waft it your way). The texture was quite airy, even though (because?) it hadn't been kneaded. This recipe is great, because you make up a batch, then leave it alone until you want bread. The texture is chewy and substantial, unlike supermarket bread that can dissolve on your tongue like fairy floss (cotton candy.) My Handsome Husband and I ate it straight from the oven, still warm, smothered in butter and honey. *groan of pleasure*One benefit of this method is the dough keeps for two weeks, so it is always on hand ready to go. Today, my MIL came over for dinner, but by 5pm I still hadn't figured out what to cook. Then I realised I already had dough sitting in the fridge. Perfect, I'll make pizzas. Mmmm, so yum. One of the main reasons we rarely have pizza, is because you need to plan ahead a few hours. My usual dough recipe needs to be kneaded and left to double in size twice before you can turn it into bread or pizza bases. This can take all afternoon! With this recipe, you pull a lump of dough out of the fridge, roll it out and plop your toppings on. So simple! Who needs soggy frozen pizzas or greasy store bought ones?
My Pizza sauce:
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (or steak sauce)
1 clove of crushed garlic
1 handfull of fresh herbs (We have basil, oregano and chives. Sometimes I will put a pinch of rosemary and/or thyme in as well. Anything will work, really.)
Chop/process/pound herbs until the flavour is released.
Mix all ingredients in a covered bowl or screw top jar, and refridgerate until you need it. Don't keep it for much more than 24 hours though, it might grow legs and walk away.
Our Favourite toppings:
Pitted Kalamata olives
Grilled eggplant
Fetta cheese (an extra kick for the grownups)
Pineapple (for the boys)
fresh/semidried tomato
Grilled capsicum (char the capsicum by slicing it and placing it on highest setting of your grill, really burn the skin black! Let the capsicum cool enough to touch and then peel off the blackened skin. You will be left with a bright red, slippery piece of capsicum, that tastes smoky and so sweet.)
chopped onion or shallots
Top everything with lots of grated cheese. We use bocconcini or mozarella if we are feeling rich, but any mild, melting cheese works fine.
P.S. Making your own pizza means it is really easy to cater for finicky eaters. It is so simple to just keep the eggplant, or the onions, or whatever, to one side of a pizza. Use a long piece of chive on top of the cheese to show the halfway mark. Can you believe pizza chains charge extra for half and half pizzas?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
