My new phone I got at the beginning of December is a 'smart' phone, so I am trying to do my blog from here. Excuse the typos and such as I am still getting used to the technology as I have only had posession of my phone for half the time it has been mine, but I wont bore you with my disgruntled telco customet rant!
We survived the first term of school! I am anxious to see how these holidays play out. We have so much planned, but everything is pending certain other things take place first and it is a whole waiting game at the moment. We have started the first day of holidays on a rather boring note, not doing much, as is the plan until monday when people get back to work and phone calls etc can be continued.
I have finally re-enrolled to complete my diploma, it has taken me this long to settle into our new life up here, Master 5 starting school and entertaining Miss 3, sorting out chickens, dogs, and the odd other animal influence around us!
In the time I had been offline from my studies, the course I am srudingg has become paper based, rather than the online course I was enjoying. So I am a little disappointed at having to adjust to this new method of course delivery, but I am determined to finish it this year, so I will be knuckling down!
Miss 3 joined a Music Makers class last week and has been having a blast singing songs and dancing around to any snippett of music she hears! It is very cute, she is enjoying it to the extent that I am no longer allowed to help her! I will get used to having the extra time to myself eventually, just was not prepared for it so soon!
Well, I feel I have rambled enough, and am sick of typing on this thing, let me know how I went on my new toy!
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Why did I do that?
Just came off a 2 day detox and felt great. I usually do the 48Hr Rapid Detox you can buy in the supermarket, just to give the system a chance to process everything else we tend to consume but never burn off!
I tell you it was hard though. 2 little kids and a husband still had to be catered for. Needless to say, sunday pancakes did not happen this weekend past! And the cheese cake I made the other day was finished by others (my hips thank them). I tell you I was not the perfect detox-er, I did lick the peanut butter off the knife after making Miss 3's lunch, and later stole a cracker off her plate. I made a nice chicken dinner last night and it was really hard not to eat any!
After all that hard work, today started with a coffee which I did not drink all of, and a nice egg white omlet with parmesan cheese. I reminded myself everytime I got hungry just a glass of water was fine until the next meal, and it worked for the morning. Lunch was a slice of bread with turkey meat, tomato and (too much) cheese, which was good but again too much cheese. The dinnertime routine was a fail for me, I forgot about the P&C meeting on this arvo straight after school and had no excuse to get out of it. So, we did not get home until 430 which is usually when we are getting ready to eat dinner. Dinner ended up being leftover chicken for Master 5 (and we wont go into the tantrum which ensued when he realised it was not the chicken meal he though he was getting), chipolatas for Miss 3 and I have just finished off the last 2 chipolatas and a chocolate drumstick. What a way to finish off the first post detox day! I had all these plans of easing myself back into food and having salads today, good luck to that for next time.
Playgroup tomorrow, and I would like to go, but a plate of food is requested for attendees. I have no problem with that but the plates usually derive of crackers and cheese, or cakes of some description. Am thinking I might just go for a cracker and dip with smoked sausage but really limit what I consume. Damn you self control!
Think I might have to go make myself feel better now and have a cup of green tea!
I tell you it was hard though. 2 little kids and a husband still had to be catered for. Needless to say, sunday pancakes did not happen this weekend past! And the cheese cake I made the other day was finished by others (my hips thank them). I tell you I was not the perfect detox-er, I did lick the peanut butter off the knife after making Miss 3's lunch, and later stole a cracker off her plate. I made a nice chicken dinner last night and it was really hard not to eat any!
After all that hard work, today started with a coffee which I did not drink all of, and a nice egg white omlet with parmesan cheese. I reminded myself everytime I got hungry just a glass of water was fine until the next meal, and it worked for the morning. Lunch was a slice of bread with turkey meat, tomato and (too much) cheese, which was good but again too much cheese. The dinnertime routine was a fail for me, I forgot about the P&C meeting on this arvo straight after school and had no excuse to get out of it. So, we did not get home until 430 which is usually when we are getting ready to eat dinner. Dinner ended up being leftover chicken for Master 5 (and we wont go into the tantrum which ensued when he realised it was not the chicken meal he though he was getting), chipolatas for Miss 3 and I have just finished off the last 2 chipolatas and a chocolate drumstick. What a way to finish off the first post detox day! I had all these plans of easing myself back into food and having salads today, good luck to that for next time.
Playgroup tomorrow, and I would like to go, but a plate of food is requested for attendees. I have no problem with that but the plates usually derive of crackers and cheese, or cakes of some description. Am thinking I might just go for a cracker and dip with smoked sausage but really limit what I consume. Damn you self control!
Think I might have to go make myself feel better now and have a cup of green tea!
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Sausage: to be or not to be??!!
So, I was told I had to blog about this so here is my side of the story......
A couple of weeks ago my DH showed me a picture on his computer and said 'what do you think'? 'It' is only $100. I don't remember giving a response at the time. I was busy being Mum.
We found a dog cage online and decided to buy it for camping trips so we can bring our dogs safely. Little did I know, DH had an ulterior motive for this purchase.
I had an appointment booked in town (2hrs away), so it was a big day out. In planning the day, DH said great, we can pick up that thing at the same time. So, obviously he was going to get 'it', I explicitly said I was not dealing with 'it'. 4days before we go to pick 'it' up, DH disclocates his shoulder at football training. I should have taken it as a sign to say NO, but figured there was a lesson to be learnt for all of us so off we went to get 'it'.
'It', was a pig.
Destined only for one thing, we got it home. I asked how long we would keep it and DH said we will see. I had purchased a bag of food for the pig and named it Sausage (its final destination). DH mentioned at one stage when it was big enough we (he, not me), would do the deed and sort it out. Then he changed his mind and said once the bag of food was gone it would happen. Cool, I thought, so the pig got really well fed, all the table scraps (dogs even more jealous now!), brekky, lunch and dinner, and more inbetween just to shut it up!
After having Sausage in our yard (penned off) for 5days, we got a call saying we needed to get it out of town within 24 hours. Someone was not happy with us having the thing. It was friday and we had just driven an hour each way to go grocery shopping, making sure we were back to pick up Master 5 from school. Remember DH had a dislocated shoulder, all the driving responsibilities fell upon me. So, we get Master 5 from school, hop in the car and the only decision we could make was to take Sausage to the farm, 5hrs away. We left home at 330pm, but instead of making a weekend out of it, DH wanted to get back home straight away for football sign on. Priorities right! We could have put it in the freezer but DH was not in a position with his shoulder to perform the deed.
My wonderful Father and Mother in law met us on the highway so we cut an hour off our trip, they took the pig back to the farm and we began the return journey. Made it back by 2am. The kids were fantastic in the car, but I don't want to do a road trip like that again too soon!
In the 5 days we had Sausage, our kids became attached and don't want to 'kill' her. Sorry children, that is life.
Unfortunately I could not find my camera charger at this point in time so I did not get any pictures of the beast, probably for the best!
A couple of weeks ago my DH showed me a picture on his computer and said 'what do you think'? 'It' is only $100. I don't remember giving a response at the time. I was busy being Mum.
We found a dog cage online and decided to buy it for camping trips so we can bring our dogs safely. Little did I know, DH had an ulterior motive for this purchase.
I had an appointment booked in town (2hrs away), so it was a big day out. In planning the day, DH said great, we can pick up that thing at the same time. So, obviously he was going to get 'it', I explicitly said I was not dealing with 'it'. 4days before we go to pick 'it' up, DH disclocates his shoulder at football training. I should have taken it as a sign to say NO, but figured there was a lesson to be learnt for all of us so off we went to get 'it'.
'It', was a pig.
Destined only for one thing, we got it home. I asked how long we would keep it and DH said we will see. I had purchased a bag of food for the pig and named it Sausage (its final destination). DH mentioned at one stage when it was big enough we (he, not me), would do the deed and sort it out. Then he changed his mind and said once the bag of food was gone it would happen. Cool, I thought, so the pig got really well fed, all the table scraps (dogs even more jealous now!), brekky, lunch and dinner, and more inbetween just to shut it up!
After having Sausage in our yard (penned off) for 5days, we got a call saying we needed to get it out of town within 24 hours. Someone was not happy with us having the thing. It was friday and we had just driven an hour each way to go grocery shopping, making sure we were back to pick up Master 5 from school. Remember DH had a dislocated shoulder, all the driving responsibilities fell upon me. So, we get Master 5 from school, hop in the car and the only decision we could make was to take Sausage to the farm, 5hrs away. We left home at 330pm, but instead of making a weekend out of it, DH wanted to get back home straight away for football sign on. Priorities right! We could have put it in the freezer but DH was not in a position with his shoulder to perform the deed.
My wonderful Father and Mother in law met us on the highway so we cut an hour off our trip, they took the pig back to the farm and we began the return journey. Made it back by 2am. The kids were fantastic in the car, but I don't want to do a road trip like that again too soon!
In the 5 days we had Sausage, our kids became attached and don't want to 'kill' her. Sorry children, that is life.
Unfortunately I could not find my camera charger at this point in time so I did not get any pictures of the beast, probably for the best!
Chickens, a lovely beginning, a sad ending.
Here goes another lesson in life!
Our favourite pet of late is our chickens. So much that the dogs are jealous the chooks get all the attention now. Rusty is jealous of the chooks getting most of the food scraps, he has even been eating their feed (the dog droppings around the yard are now speckeldy!).
Our chickens are doing great, getting along with the dogs and having fun just roaming the yard. Master 5 has become our chook wrangler, and confidently catches one when he is home, to cuddle up to for an half hour or so!
This morning Miss 3 was in the chook pen patting her chicken (a sadly, skinny looking one, DH and I had decided wont live long), the only one she was ever able to catch by herself. I walked by and she asked me "is this one dead?"
Bugger, DH is on night shift so had not long gone to bed for the day, so clean up duties fell on me (how unusual). So, to get the 'unfit for here' chicken out of the pen, I first had to make sure the rascally dog did not discover it, nor catch me burying it. Half an hour later I had a hole deep enough I hope the dog does not sniff it out. Making sure both children knew what had happened, we discussed the chicken going to heaven, not a new concept for Master 5 but something unusual for Miss 3. She kept asking why god wanted our chicken, her favourite chicken.
To take their mind off the deceased chook, I offered up some craft for the morning. As they were doing their collages, Master 5 declared he was going to bury his masterpiece so the chook could have it in heaven, how thoughtful!
And then there were 5, lets hope they start laying us some eggs soon!
Our favourite pet of late is our chickens. So much that the dogs are jealous the chooks get all the attention now. Rusty is jealous of the chooks getting most of the food scraps, he has even been eating their feed (the dog droppings around the yard are now speckeldy!).
Our chickens are doing great, getting along with the dogs and having fun just roaming the yard. Master 5 has become our chook wrangler, and confidently catches one when he is home, to cuddle up to for an half hour or so!
This morning Miss 3 was in the chook pen patting her chicken (a sadly, skinny looking one, DH and I had decided wont live long), the only one she was ever able to catch by herself. I walked by and she asked me "is this one dead?"
Bugger, DH is on night shift so had not long gone to bed for the day, so clean up duties fell on me (how unusual). So, to get the 'unfit for here' chicken out of the pen, I first had to make sure the rascally dog did not discover it, nor catch me burying it. Half an hour later I had a hole deep enough I hope the dog does not sniff it out. Making sure both children knew what had happened, we discussed the chicken going to heaven, not a new concept for Master 5 but something unusual for Miss 3. She kept asking why god wanted our chicken, her favourite chicken.
To take their mind off the deceased chook, I offered up some craft for the morning. As they were doing their collages, Master 5 declared he was going to bury his masterpiece so the chook could have it in heaven, how thoughtful!
And then there were 5, lets hope they start laying us some eggs soon!
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Always busy!
A week away, a first week of school, new family additions, it has all been happening around here!
Well, to start we had a nice little 'holiday' catching up with much missed family and friends. We did miss some but that is how it goes. It was wonderful just to 'hang' out at the farm! Shame that is all we could do due to the endless stream of drizzly rain.
Getting some bad news during the week put a bit of a dismal spin on our time away for me (RIP Pop Melein), but alas time moves on and that is what we have to deal with sometimes. It meant I missed out on seeing my sister but in her place came her partner and their kids which was a wonderful treat - even if for only a quick lunch break!
It was also fantastic to catch up with my old mothers group from Brisbane, we met when our first borns were a few weeks new and we have all managed to move on but keep in touch ever since, gotta love modern technology :-) I loved that we were able to have a little celebration for the kiddies 5th birthdays.
On our way home, we made a slight detour to collect our new family members - 6 black australorp chickens, of around 5months old. Hopefully they start producing eggs in the next few months. Our chook house needs a few adjustments to fit properly on the garden beds as planned, but it works for now. The dogs are slowly getting used to having them around and have only tried to play/eat (we are still deciding their intentions) with the chickens a few times. We let the chooks in the yard of the afternoon so the dogs get used to them being here.
The big news is our Master 5 has now started school! First day was a bit of a flop in dropping off (I had to get a teacher to hold him so he did not run after me), but he has been fine ever since. I think having Daddy there to drop him off helps. Plus, he confessed his fear on the first day was being scared because he did not know anyone. I think he has become familiar now with his new classmates and I am hoping fridays drop off is much more settled! I loved the cuddle I got when I picked him up this afternoon, a very - I missed you - type cuddle followed by lots of kisses and more cuddles and more kisses (I felt very priveleged and am aware this will not happen all too often in the future!). He made me feel like the luckiest Mummy, a moment I will treasure forever.
On that happy note, I hope all my friends have had a great first week with their first timers at school, and good luck to those yet to experience these fun times! I am looking forward to a quieter week next week so I can begin enjoying my much missed 'nanna naps'!
Well, to start we had a nice little 'holiday' catching up with much missed family and friends. We did miss some but that is how it goes. It was wonderful just to 'hang' out at the farm! Shame that is all we could do due to the endless stream of drizzly rain.
Getting some bad news during the week put a bit of a dismal spin on our time away for me (RIP Pop Melein), but alas time moves on and that is what we have to deal with sometimes. It meant I missed out on seeing my sister but in her place came her partner and their kids which was a wonderful treat - even if for only a quick lunch break!
It was also fantastic to catch up with my old mothers group from Brisbane, we met when our first borns were a few weeks new and we have all managed to move on but keep in touch ever since, gotta love modern technology :-) I loved that we were able to have a little celebration for the kiddies 5th birthdays.
On our way home, we made a slight detour to collect our new family members - 6 black australorp chickens, of around 5months old. Hopefully they start producing eggs in the next few months. Our chook house needs a few adjustments to fit properly on the garden beds as planned, but it works for now. The dogs are slowly getting used to having them around and have only tried to play/eat (we are still deciding their intentions) with the chickens a few times. We let the chooks in the yard of the afternoon so the dogs get used to them being here.
The big news is our Master 5 has now started school! First day was a bit of a flop in dropping off (I had to get a teacher to hold him so he did not run after me), but he has been fine ever since. I think having Daddy there to drop him off helps. Plus, he confessed his fear on the first day was being scared because he did not know anyone. I think he has become familiar now with his new classmates and I am hoping fridays drop off is much more settled! I loved the cuddle I got when I picked him up this afternoon, a very - I missed you - type cuddle followed by lots of kisses and more cuddles and more kisses (I felt very priveleged and am aware this will not happen all too often in the future!). He made me feel like the luckiest Mummy, a moment I will treasure forever.
On that happy note, I hope all my friends have had a great first week with their first timers at school, and good luck to those yet to experience these fun times! I am looking forward to a quieter week next week so I can begin enjoying my much missed 'nanna naps'!
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Ugh - heat!
Wow, never knew I had that much sweat in me! The heat lately here has been unbearable. We have resorted to turning the bedroom air conditioners on, leaving the internal doors open and closing everything else (we don't yet have an air con in the living area). A situation we will need to rectify soon if I don't want to have a heart attack when the next electricity bill comes in! Needless to say we don't get up to too much at the moment.
We did, however begin to paint the chook pen. I had a day out with my big, soon to be at school (sob) boy, the other day and we got the paint - he chose the colour (initially wanted pink he said, with a cheeky grin on his face), but we opted for Mint Melody green.
We did, however begin to paint the chook pen. I had a day out with my big, soon to be at school (sob) boy, the other day and we got the paint - he chose the colour (initially wanted pink he said, with a cheeky grin on his face), but we opted for Mint Melody green.
It has now had a few coats of paint and is currently drying in the garage, partly assembled and taking up way tooooooo much room! More pics of this when we have it up on the garden beds.
Just before it got soooooo hot, we had a few opportunities to play in the parks in town. Every trip to town Master 5 asks to go to 'his' train, so this particular day in town was the perfect opportunity as it was early and the sun had not heated it up too much - yet!
It is an old steam train and every time we drive to town it is requested we go play on it. Given it's high metal content and sunny disposition, it is not prime play equipment around here!
Master 5 not long had his latest birthday. He chose for his cake the number 5 decorated with trains, but changed his mind to have superheros (the theme of his party) garnish the cake. Not an easy task given my limited shopping opportunities and lack of suppliers around here but we managed to get something together he was proud of. I attempted for the first time to use fondant, and silly me decided since I could not buy any I would make my own, duh! After finding recipes and having no ingredients for regular fondant, I stumbled upon marshmallow fondant, and it seemed easy enough. I only started 'caking' at 8pm, the fondant making began around 9pm and it didn't finish until 1am! When my wonderful DH came home from work at midnight, I think he actually laughed at me! I had mess from the dining room to the other side of the kitchen, and I am still cleaning 'green stuff' off the walls wherever it appears. I ended up giving in to the 'failed' attempt at the fondant and put it in the fridge until the morning. Amazingly my goopy sludge had solidified and I was able to roll it like a fondant to decorate the cake in the morning. I have since read fondant does not work well in the heat, oh well, live and learn! The cake was a hit with none left over at the end of the party!
So, lesson learnt and will try again - one day!
Our gardens are growing well, tomatoes are nearly ready to pick, strawberries have runners going everywhere, ginger and tumeric looking healthy, have managed to revive my bok choy, chilli plants, chives and schallotts are all going well and the dirt is almost hidden under the grass. Can't wait to make it a more productive garden. Beetroot and other salad goods are struggling but so am I in this heat!
Off to get the bread out of the oven, and make the kids lunch (they have only been begging all morning for more and more and more food, starving little things they are!). Cheers!
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Yay!
After years of saying we need one, we should get one, there has always been something else come up and no money left over for it. So when I read on one of my local facebook buy swap and sell sites someone was getting rid of one, I thought twice. Then the man said it was for free and whom was I to argue! I went to town promptly to pick it up. Not expecting too much, kids in tow, by myself I managed to get it into the back of the car. I was a bit busy when I got home so in the back of the car it stayed until a little while ago. Again by myself (I am pretty resourceful!) I got it out the back of the car and proceeded to pull it apart to clean it up. Steel brush in hand, hose at the ready and off I went scrubbing and hosing in the sun (hence the hose :-) I think I may have gotten a tad sunburnt given the time of day but it was well worth it! The pic below is of my 'bargain'. All I had to buy was a gas bottle and I am all set for a BBQ dinner with my wonderful family!
I do apologise to family who like to read my updates, they are not as regular as I would like to do them, but even now whilst I have put this blog together I have had to ward off the mob who so desperately desire my attention (aka my children). So for now you will have to put up with my sporadic updates. School starts in 23 days (not that I am counting), and I should see some free time then to do regular updates.
On a brighter note, my girls puppy is growing huge and he is just as mischevious as she is. He loves our thongs which often end up in 100 pieces and is slowly learning who is the boss, whilst increasingly tolerating DD affection. Cheers for now, and Happy New Years.
My (our) garden is coming along wonderfully with our first watermelon picked the other day. It could have baked for a little longer but still tasted good to our watermelon loving daughter! And our sunflowers bloomed just in time for christmas day. They are beautiful if I do say so myself so we have planted a few more seeds so we can grow them in quick succession (if the dog stops digging them out).
Christmas was a quiet affair in our house, it was a bit surreal that DH was actually home as he was rostered on shift but did not have to turn up for it! So we enjoyed watching the kids open their pressies, had prawns for lunch, a few beers and roast chicken for dinner.
Santa spoilt us with a chicken pen which was finally delivered yesterday, so this afternoon if DH wakes up early enough we will begin to put it together (pictures next time). Unfortunately DH is on night shift at the moment so I will just have to enjoy that glass of wine by myself whilst we (or he!!!) negotiates the construction instructions hehehe!.
I do apologise to family who like to read my updates, they are not as regular as I would like to do them, but even now whilst I have put this blog together I have had to ward off the mob who so desperately desire my attention (aka my children). So for now you will have to put up with my sporadic updates. School starts in 23 days (not that I am counting), and I should see some free time then to do regular updates.
On a brighter note, my girls puppy is growing huge and he is just as mischevious as she is. He loves our thongs which often end up in 100 pieces and is slowly learning who is the boss, whilst increasingly tolerating DD affection. Cheers for now, and Happy New Years.
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