As promised Annika and I stayed home on Wednesday. Given that I'd stressed my back exercising too vigorously at aqua on Monday, in an attempt to keep warm in the too cold water, I was glad to take it easy. Annika asked whether I wanted to be the teacher or the student. I don't know why she asked. She ALWAYS wants to be the teacher. So I asked if I could be the disability student lying on the couch. "Of course grandma." So I did my times tables and wrote my story lying on my back. She marshalled the remaining six students, planned school excursions, gave us recesses and gold stars.
I took her home in the evening and had dinner with the Hewers. "Ooh, my favourite dinner," says Mathew hoeing in with gusto, spaghetti flying everywhere. That boy loves his food. I love his enthusiasm. I think he was born with a pogo stick up his bum, he jumps up and down so fast and so constantly he makes your head spin.
I'm at Skye's house today. The parents have bought two new peices of equipment for her, a travel cot that looks like something you would take up Mount Everest, an all enclosed pop up affair in black. I call it 'base camp'. She's going to have great fun with that when she's two. The other is a high chair that looks like a step ladder, it has no tray but can be set close to a normal dining table. She christened it this morning, little head bobbing back and forth, a big grin on her face. Pictures to come. Now she has somewhere to eat her rice cereal in. She had her first taste yesterday, did quite well. That's another kid who loves her food, any way it comes.
No rain for once. I look forward to taking her for a ride in the pram this afternoon.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I wore the kid out
That's what Annika was complaining about last night. "Grandma we've done too much!' How do you think the 70 year old felt?
We left the house about 10 am, started off with aqua aerobics, one hour, then a ride in Kit's sports car with me following behind in the budget vehicle. Lunch at the bistro at St George League's Club then a trip to Cape Solander to see migrating whales making their way up the coast. With the help of Ed's binoculars we saw two of them and a pod of frisky dophins. It was a beautiful afternoon, the ocean a millpond and good visibility. On the way back Kit directed us to Dijon's, a catering outlet with all kinds of foodstuffs in bulk, all kinds of flours I'd never heard of, and other products from Tibet, Pakistan and other far flung places. Maxine (daughter) I think you would like this place.
We got home about 5pm, The kid kept visiting the toilet, on account of the over eating! Dinner was a very simple affair. Then the whining started, 'Grandma we've done too much today.'
Today we saw Toy Story 3 and came home to play schools. She's much happier especially since I promised to go nowhere tomorrow!
We left the house about 10 am, started off with aqua aerobics, one hour, then a ride in Kit's sports car with me following behind in the budget vehicle. Lunch at the bistro at St George League's Club then a trip to Cape Solander to see migrating whales making their way up the coast. With the help of Ed's binoculars we saw two of them and a pod of frisky dophins. It was a beautiful afternoon, the ocean a millpond and good visibility. On the way back Kit directed us to Dijon's, a catering outlet with all kinds of foodstuffs in bulk, all kinds of flours I'd never heard of, and other products from Tibet, Pakistan and other far flung places. Maxine (daughter) I think you would like this place.
We got home about 5pm, The kid kept visiting the toilet, on account of the over eating! Dinner was a very simple affair. Then the whining started, 'Grandma we've done too much today.'
Today we saw Toy Story 3 and came home to play schools. She's much happier especially since I promised to go nowhere tomorrow!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
more food news
In the coldest week of the year I tried two new recipes, Bobotie, a sort of South African version of Moussaka which I used to cook years ago in South Africa. We all cleaned our plates with that one. We followed it up with Stephanie Alexander's version of treacle sponge (actually made with golden syrup)which also turned out well. She uses lemon juice with the syrup which I liked, it cuts through the sweetness of the syrup.
I also made a frittata, using winter vegetables pre roasted in the oven. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't a glorified omelette. Nevertheless I enjoyed it
A friend at aqua aerobics gave me two recipes yesterday, one for a a sausage casserole which I'll be trrying soon, and a scone recipe that uses lemonade as the raising agent. Thanks to Masterchef, I now know that scones should be placed touching one another on the baking tray. A bit like people you can't rise to the occasion in isolation, you need others to help you along!
Annika is with me this week. I'm going dizzy playing Pictureka. She's so good at it she's contriving to lose to give me a chance to win. Oh the ignominy, the shame!!!!
We're going on the train to the city today where I'm going to introduce her to the delights of the Lindt chocolate shop, their macaroons and strawberries with dipping chocolate, yum!
Thanks for the early morning phone call Joan, always a delight to catch up with you. Where would I be without my very dear friends? I'd be like those unrisen scones, hard with not much life in me.
I also made a frittata, using winter vegetables pre roasted in the oven. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't a glorified omelette. Nevertheless I enjoyed it
A friend at aqua aerobics gave me two recipes yesterday, one for a a sausage casserole which I'll be trrying soon, and a scone recipe that uses lemonade as the raising agent. Thanks to Masterchef, I now know that scones should be placed touching one another on the baking tray. A bit like people you can't rise to the occasion in isolation, you need others to help you along!
Annika is with me this week. I'm going dizzy playing Pictureka. She's so good at it she's contriving to lose to give me a chance to win. Oh the ignominy, the shame!!!!
We're going on the train to the city today where I'm going to introduce her to the delights of the Lindt chocolate shop, their macaroons and strawberries with dipping chocolate, yum!
Thanks for the early morning phone call Joan, always a delight to catch up with you. Where would I be without my very dear friends? I'd be like those unrisen scones, hard with not much life in me.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
new recipes
Inspired by Masterchef Australia, I am going to try a new recipe once a week. Not one of theirs necessarily, but I need to get out of the doldrums of my hum drum, same old same old dishes.
This week's was a Masterchef one, their beef stroganoff, which is a cross between goulash and stroganoff. They use Paprika for one thing, something I never use in my recipe, Brandy (hello! I blew my newly formulated weekly budget on that) tomato paste, something I stopped putting in Stroganoff over 20 years ago, and creme fraiche rather than sour cream. Well I saw no difference between how the sour cream blended into the mix and how the creme fraiche did, therefore I will not be using that more expensive version in future. In fact I will not be making that version again. It was not bad, just different but I prefer my old recipe Anyone interested can find it on the Masterchef Australia website. I had fun making it.
Next dish is going to be a fritatta. I'll probably find that on line,as I do most of my recipes these days.
The earth has settled on its axis today. The new PM is forming her new Cabinet, Spain(my favourite team) is through to the round of 16 in the World Cup and England meet the old enemy Germany in their next match. Ah well more sleepless nights and groggy days ahead.
Three months old and Skye is working us. She knows it's bed time when we start fastening her into her sleeping bag and tells us off. She does not hide her feelings. Her chatterbox tendencies continue, yeah!!! (She's got to have something of mine to inherit)She loves songs and tries to sing herself. Lovely girl.
This week's was a Masterchef one, their beef stroganoff, which is a cross between goulash and stroganoff. They use Paprika for one thing, something I never use in my recipe, Brandy (hello! I blew my newly formulated weekly budget on that) tomato paste, something I stopped putting in Stroganoff over 20 years ago, and creme fraiche rather than sour cream. Well I saw no difference between how the sour cream blended into the mix and how the creme fraiche did, therefore I will not be using that more expensive version in future. In fact I will not be making that version again. It was not bad, just different but I prefer my old recipe Anyone interested can find it on the Masterchef Australia website. I had fun making it.
Next dish is going to be a fritatta. I'll probably find that on line,as I do most of my recipes these days.
The earth has settled on its axis today. The new PM is forming her new Cabinet, Spain(my favourite team) is through to the round of 16 in the World Cup and England meet the old enemy Germany in their next match. Ah well more sleepless nights and groggy days ahead.
Three months old and Skye is working us. She knows it's bed time when we start fastening her into her sleeping bag and tells us off. She does not hide her feelings. Her chatterbox tendencies continue, yeah!!! (She's got to have something of mine to inherit)She loves songs and tries to sing herself. Lovely girl.
Friday, June 25, 2010
a wild twenty four hours
The planets are wobbling surely, must be something like that, so many strange things have happened in the last twenty four hours.
1) Biggest news here is a new prime minister. Even the pundits didn't see that coming as quickly and savagely as it did. Moreover she's a woman, Australia's first. Now we have a female prime minister, female governor, female state governor and female state premier in NSW. Wonderful!I like Julia Gillard the new PM. Hopefully she'll win in her own right at the next election. After talking about refusing to vote at the next one I will now vote Labor.
2) The longest tennis match in history. It's ridiculous, all those hours played over 2-3 days. I hope you weren't stuck there Valerie. I wonder what happened to the ticket holders for that match. Is it because the Queen attended for the first time in yonks? No I think it's those misaligned planets.
2) Italy and France are out of the world cup. (Yeah!!!!) The Asian teams are doing well, there's a changing of the guard.
3) England have beaten the Aussies at cricket...twice. They're looking good this season.
4) The American commander in Afghanistan dropped his bundle and has been given the flick.
Apart from that the sun keeps shining the rain keeps raining, babies keep growing, and my back is getting better, yeah!!!
1) Biggest news here is a new prime minister. Even the pundits didn't see that coming as quickly and savagely as it did. Moreover she's a woman, Australia's first. Now we have a female prime minister, female governor, female state governor and female state premier in NSW. Wonderful!I like Julia Gillard the new PM. Hopefully she'll win in her own right at the next election. After talking about refusing to vote at the next one I will now vote Labor.
2) The longest tennis match in history. It's ridiculous, all those hours played over 2-3 days. I hope you weren't stuck there Valerie. I wonder what happened to the ticket holders for that match. Is it because the Queen attended for the first time in yonks? No I think it's those misaligned planets.
2) Italy and France are out of the world cup. (Yeah!!!!) The Asian teams are doing well, there's a changing of the guard.
3) England have beaten the Aussies at cricket...twice. They're looking good this season.
4) The American commander in Afghanistan dropped his bundle and has been given the flick.
Apart from that the sun keeps shining the rain keeps raining, babies keep growing, and my back is getting better, yeah!!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Celebration
Last week the joy of music, this week the joy of reaching age 70 without a major mishap.
Maxine, Cristina and her mum pulled out all stops to provide wonderful food for my party. Ed lugged big speakers up to the fifth floor to help provide music which I must admit was lost in the cavernous room, amidst all the chat and laughter. Dirk pulled strings to provide the wonderful venue, and did a sterling job looking after Skye since her mother was too busy in the kitchen. Skye did the rounds in her pretty pink dress, looking a little startled.
I cried at my own speech, hard to speak when your throat is full of tears!
My writing buddies were as usual screaming with laughter. When I dropped in to overhear I discovered they were talking about body parts especailly the one beginning with 'V'. I wished I'd been in at the beginning on that topic of conversation!
It was a fun occasion, and I spent Sunday on the couch recovering, and since my back is playing up, it looks as though Monday is going to be spent the same way. Not a bad proposition since I have a couple of good books to read.
Maxine, Cristina and her mum pulled out all stops to provide wonderful food for my party. Ed lugged big speakers up to the fifth floor to help provide music which I must admit was lost in the cavernous room, amidst all the chat and laughter. Dirk pulled strings to provide the wonderful venue, and did a sterling job looking after Skye since her mother was too busy in the kitchen. Skye did the rounds in her pretty pink dress, looking a little startled.
I cried at my own speech, hard to speak when your throat is full of tears!
My writing buddies were as usual screaming with laughter. When I dropped in to overhear I discovered they were talking about body parts especailly the one beginning with 'V'. I wished I'd been in at the beginning on that topic of conversation!
It was a fun occasion, and I spent Sunday on the couch recovering, and since my back is playing up, it looks as though Monday is going to be spent the same way. Not a bad proposition since I have a couple of good books to read.
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