soon

Michael returns from Dubai tomorrow. He boards a plane in five hours and ends his stint of driving cars for hours through the desert. It has been 14 days and some of them have been very long. Apparently keeping a blog up to date and being a single mother is beyond my ability.

sick, but still cute

Sam came home from school with a sore throat, then promptly curled up on the couch and fell fast asleep. I hope it doesn't last long. Michael leaves on Sunday. Temporary Single Mother will be a challenge. Temporary Single Mother with a sick kid will be diabolical. On the upside, the doctor today told me I can ditch the crutches and my ankle seems to be a straightforward simple sprain.

lunch

I've been looking at a couple of foodie blogs and websites lately and wondering why I often eat the same things over and over again when I do actually know how to cook. So today I made this zucchini and ricotta galette for lunch. It took less than 10 minutes to make, I had everything I needed in the fridge, 25 minutes to cook and a quick parmesan and leaf salad with balsamic glaze and I had the best lunch I have had for a LONG time. Sure beats a ham and cheese sandwich. I think cooking food I would go out for may be my new challenge.

lovely places to sit

This is my favourite place in Amber and Russell's flat. I spent a couple of hours sitting there on a Sunday afternoon last month. Reading a book while Amber brought me afternoon tea of bread with jam and cream. No kids to tend to, no house to clean and lovely friends who understand that company doesn't have to include conversation. I wish it was just down the road instead of in Brisbane but this is most definitely a lovely place to sit.(And yes, it is gold velvet, and it is sumptuous)

plans

I have got plans. Garden plans. They involve the removal of the cubby house (sorry kids, it's been two years - you've played in it less than 20 times - it's going); the extension of the chook run; and a spunky new modular raised garden bed. All we need is $300 for the bed, many hours of hard work and love and we will have a dedicated vegie patch this year rather than our beets, tomatoes, strawberries and basil growing amidst the flowers (which did have a certain appeal as seen in the photo here). Stay tuned, I am thinking the tax return will pay for it.

school's back

This is my school photo from Prep. 1975 at Scott Street Primary School in Whyalla. Simon was in Grade 1. Other than having lapels wider than my shoulders, it's not too horrifically 70's.

As for my own preppie boy and kinder girl. We have had the most lovely school holidays. The kids have played with each other peacefully, There hasn't been a need to schedule outings to save us from ourselves. So now it is the night before school and there are rolls in the freezer for the coming week's sandwiches, uniforms are ironed, the reader has been read, the holiday story written and shoes polished. I think we are ready for Term 3.

countdown

I just looked at the date. It is exactly 2 months until my 40th birthday. Hmmmm....

lists... movies

movies I haven't seen that I want to...

Amelie, Bright Star, Brokeback Mountain, Milk, Million Dollar Baby
I think I may be hitting the dvd shop while Michael is in Dubai

cuteness

Milly in Daylesford in her mittens, wearing overalls handed down from Kate's daughter Josephine. Sam dressed as a robot for his school's dress up day parade- giving rock star high fives to the Grade 6 kids.

farmers' market

I love a farmers' market. A cliched feast for the senses - sights, sounds, taste, smell. On my Saturday in Brisbane Amber and I literally walked across the road to New Farm Park and the fortnightly Farmers' Market. We bought a breakfast of croc galois from the lovely french macaroon man and when Amber pronounced it correctly he gave her a wink and a free macaroon (which would be enough to see me back every fortnight). Then the myriad of stalls: the highlight was the spud stall which had every variety imaginable and the huge punnet of strawberries and bag of passionfruit I bought - spectacular. I also feel somewhat virtuous when I buy from a Farmers' Market, sad but true.

wonderful #44

The first winter blossoms I have seen this year.

 View from our window on a sunny day. The view stretched to Cape Byron and includes the Gold Coast lights at night. 75 whales were counted skirting this coast yesterday. Wonderful indeed. (Amber - Stradbroke Island)

daylesford

 

Last Saturday we had a very cold and very lovely day in Daylesford. So cold Emily wore mittens most of the day and Sam didn't push up his sleeves. The Makers' Market was great, the Farmers had packed up and gone home before we got there. We wandered the main streets, walked around the lake, had hot chocolate and played with the self timer for more daggy family portraits.

the kids have been talking - chapter two - who's who

Me: Who's Tim?
Emily: Grandpa
Me: Who's Don?
Emily: Grandad
Me: Who's Joan?
Emily: Adelaide Grandma
Me: Who's Margaret?
Emily: Sunbury Grandma
Me: Who's Vicki?
Emily: My teacher
Me: Who's Sam?
Emily: My brother
Me: Who's Violet
Emily: My Owner

the kids have been talking - chapter one - childbirth

Sam: You'll be a woman one day
Emily: No I wont
Sam: Yes you will, won't she mum?
Me: Yes, but not for along time
Emily nods satisfied that she can defer the horror that awaits
Sam: And you'll get your guts cut open
Emily: I will NOT
Me: What are you talking about?
Sam: If she is a woman she will get her guts cut open to have a baby and I wont because I will be a man.
Me: well, don't forget that some woman don't have their guts cut to have a baby.
Emily: Yeah, so I WONT get my guts cut open
Sam: it will come out of your bagina (not a typo!!) then
Emily: Mu-umm
Sam: It's true Milly, If you want a baby it either comes out your bagina or you get your guts cut open and get 20 stitches like Mum did. It sounds yucky. Is it yucky Mum?
Me: Yes it is, but the great news is that even though it is yucky, at the end of it the doctor gives you a baby and you forget all the yuckiness.
Sam: So you get the baby and forget about the 20 stitches because you are so happy to have the baby?
Me: Yes
Sam: You are the best Mum, Mum.
Me: Thank you Sam
Emily: I am NOT going to be a woman folds arms defiantly across her chest and stares Sam down.

at the moment I am...

...listening to It's News to Me. A great weekly podcast from ABCNewsRadio. Angela Catterns and Wendy Harmer talking about the weeks' events and current affairs. It kept me going while weeding, cutting back and mulching this week, working up a sweat but laughing out loud.

...watching I am Love. A spectacularly beautiful Italian movie I saw in Brisbane with Amber. Truly stunning. The Milanese Villa the family live in is one of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen in a film. It does however show that I am much more of a "downstairs" gal as it was the servant's quarters and huge kitchen (those sea green tiles on the walls) that had me transfixed more than the opulence of "upstairs". One I will definitely watch again on dvd and take time to press pause and soak up the details.

...reading Corduroy Mansions. Perfect holiday reading in Brisbane. I didn't even know Alexander McCall Smith had started a new series. Lovely, melodic and easily read, I started it in the afternoon at Amber and Russell's and finished it on the plane the next day.

I am harping on about it, but...

I haven't posted about my trip to Brisbane yet. My camera is in the car at the moment and it is just too cold to go outside to retrieve it. I arrived home Monday and Tuesday was the coldest in Melbourne for over 12 months, the maximum not reaching 12 degrees. Only 48 hours earlier, late on Sunday afternoon I had been sitting in my favourite spot in Amber's house (photo on its way) reading a book and generally basking in the peace, quiet and the warmth of the sun when it was almost 6pm. A quick check of my phone told me the vast contrast in temperatures between Geelong and Brisbane. I know the humidity of Summer in Brisbane is a killer but this current Victorian winter cold is bone chilling.

this weekend the plan is...

A TV, Film and Music trivia night Friday night - I am hoping for questions on Sex and the City, the music of the 80's and James Bond films (so Michael can contribute). We are on a table with people I work with and my credibility may be seriously compromised when I can answer questions about Survivor: Villans vs Heroes but know nothing about the films of Frederico Fellini.

On Saturday we are heading to both the Daylesford Makers' and Farmers' Markets. These are on once a month and I have had a hankering to visit them for a while but Saturday we are putting on our beanies and coats and heading to the hills for a hit of craft and veg.

Saturday night will be a games night with the kids as they have been hankering for a monopoly tournament since my return from Queensland.

On Sunday we have the Dott family coming over for lunch (Rosie and Sam went to kinder together and her parents are great fun). So I think I will be cooking up lamb shanks and crumble. I think Rhubarb is on the list at the farmer's market.

So - I am not too jealous that Mum is flying to London at this very minute for a 5 week adventure.