The Week That Was

I am linking up to Elizabeth's Sunday Snippets linky! (photos are coming, I promise, but Blogger is not letting me upload just at the moment!)

Our week was a busy and yet quiet one.  Busy because Boyo worked some afternoon and evening shifts.  Quiet because he wasn't doing 55hrs a week (which he is back to this week).
Quiet becuase a lot of friends were still away so Munchkin and I hung out at home a lot.

So what did we get up to?

Received a VERY cool card and gift from sister-in-law (I am guessing that the artwork is not my brother's at any rate!)...she knows I love buttons.

Went to Spotlight with my mum and Munchkin.  Forgot that the extra wool I need for Munchkin's cardigan (which has been on the go since about May last year) was purchased at a different store, not Spotlight.  Oh well, good outing for us still.  Bought another fan from Mega10.  Which is getting good use in this hotter weather.  Also found a real bargain.  These two pieces of cotton fabric for just $4.  Wahoo!  I can probably make 4-6 decent sized drawstring bags out of them for my Operation Christmas Child boxes.  After I finish my skirts.  And do the rest of my mending.  Haha. 

I could become a fabric addict.

Discovered that mould is hazardous to your health.  Which I guess I always knew in a vague kind of way, but I didn't realise just how much it contributes to and causes poor health...from sore throats and colds to breathing issues, depression, and tiredness, mould has a lot to answer for.  The problem is that we have a mould problem.  Quite a large mould problem.  You would think that we don't open our windows or something, when in actual fact we open them every day, even in winter.  And this past winter I wiped a lot of condensation off windows and Munchkin had a heater in his room at night.  But still, this is what the external wall of his room looks like.  AFTER I wiped the mould from wall and ceiling several months back.  Not encouraging.  It is kind of ingrained into the texture of the wallpaper.

We will need to contact our landlords but other than insulation I don't know that there's much they can do (and that's a fairly pricey thing to do).  We are going to borrow a dehumidifier hopefully this winter - but that's of course going to add to our powerbill at a time we really don't have the money for it.

I am currently feeling very grateful to my youngest brother for making me aware of the mould issues, and also offering a great solution.  Google tea tree oil for mould, he says.  So I do.  And discover that it can kill most any mould!  Yippee.  $18.50 spent on small bottle of tea tree oil.  I also discovered in my reading that plain white vinegar kills quite a lot of common mould too.  Ceilings and walls in both bedrooms and bathroom were sprayed with vinegar yesterday (have I mentioned lately how much I LIKE vinegar!?  Boyo can't stand the smell, but the stuff sure is useful!).  The tea tree oil I am holding in reserve, to spray on walls should vinegar not appear to be effective.  And I will have to wash all the curtains in the house with vinegar and tea tree as they pretty much all have mould up the backs.  Even the new ones.  The lounge has managed to come off lightly as we run the heat pump in winter, but it still has a little on curtains and ceiling.  YUCK.  So, if you happen to have mould you really should do something about it as it might be making you sick.  My poor Munchkin, sleeping in a bedroom that has been a mould-fuzz-zone, no wonder he was getting so sick last winter!

Our last day of 'non-routine' this summer was spent at Church at the Beach, then a friend's birthday bbq lunch.  Munchkin had a blast.  He also missed his sleep which meant we didn't get such a great sleep last night, but ah, it was fun.  This has got to be one of the highlights of our day (and our week):

Sliding down a dirt bank with a friend.

One VERY dirty little boy...covered in dust and dirt.

This week past we also discovered that our less-than-one-year-old stroller is almost broken.  Despite our best efforts to treat it with tender loving care.  The left wheel started clunking.  On closer inspection we realised the internal plastic bits the brake mechanism is supposed to click into are almost all broken, twisted, or otherwise not up to scratch.  Grr.  A great deal of frustration as this cost us quite a bit and should have lasted.  Waiting to hear back from the manufacturer.  Feeling a little cautious about using stroller with brakes that are almost gone.  Ugh.  There are only about three intact pieces on the left wheel (below).

We all watched, amazed as our rescued monarch caterpillars became chrysalis.  It was incredible to watch.  They actually become liquidified inside as they hang suspended upside down, then shed their final caterpillar skin to reveal the chrysalis underneath.  We got to watch two of them transform.  Boyo took photos...you can actually see the caterpillar going green underneath it's skin in his collage here.

And here you can see the newly formed chrysalis compared to one that was a day or two old.

I just love the glitter of gold on each chrysalis.  Beautiful!

I hope you had a good first week of 2013.


Amy

Brushing up on my Skills

I'm slowly getting better.  Slowly gaining confidence.  This is a long learning curve and a slow process.

I tell myself that sometimes it is not about the finished product.  While a neatly finished product is always good for the ego, sometimes life is more about the learning.  And sometimes (often-times I tend to find!) learning is messy.  There's lots of unpicking.  Lots of starting over.  Lots of learning from your mistakes and then trying not to make the same one again.

I am learning to sew.

I am learning because I need to.  Being a slender build, and short as well, I really need to be able to hem a skirt or pants, or tuck in a top.  I imagine I will need this skill for Munchkin too, but for the opposite reason.  He's tall.  Very tall.  I will probably be constantly dropping hems for this boy!

I'm learning because I want to.  I don't want to be the one who has to tell my children or grandchildren that it was me, my generation, that lost centuries of skills because I was too busy or too lazy to learn.  Because I somehow figured it wasn't important any more.  Sure, I have a mother-in-law and a mother who are both skilled with a sewing machine.  I could always ask them.  Sometimes I do.  Usually if I think a mending job is well beyond my abilities, or if I am busy (read: studying madly!).  But I'm trying these days to rely less on them and more on my own abilities to make do and learn for myself.  One day they won't be here to ask.  My children will be asking me instead, and I need to be able to do at least some of these things.  So instead of asking them to do it for me, I'm trying to ask them HOW to do it.  Or ask my pattern-making friend.  I'm learning how to choose fabric (really, really important as I used to choose the wrong weight, etc and then hated wearing the clothes because they didn't work the way I thought they would).  I'm learning how to do simple mending.  And I'm learning to make clothes for myself.  My friend is teaching me how to make a basic gathered layer skirt, with a pattern we've created.  Suits me really well, I'm discovering, this 'make yourself a pattern' concept as it is really basic and simple sewing, but flexible for my body shape and size.

I do at least have a sewing desk accessible now.  It is beside the bed, tucked into the corner of our bedroom.  I didn't realise we could even fit it in there, but we can!  I've even used it.  This is what I did when Munchkin had a sleepover with his grandparents recently:

I changed the straps on a dress (top left - ta-dah!), as it was nearly strangling me (made them straight instead of up round the neck), reattached strap on another dress (bottom right - ziggzag - I am working out that sometimes it doesn't matter how it looks as long as no one will notice and it will hold together! In this case, the big ruffle in the front covers my sewing nicely and there was just no way to get that strap back into the lining so this will do!).  I mended a tear in one of Munchkin's tshirts.  I shortened straps on another dress as well as cutting a good 30cm off the hem so it is now mid-calf instead of to my shoes (WOW!  Even a year ago I would have never attempted that!).  And I made a Christmas Stocking for Munchkin, using another one we had as a guide for size and shape.  I am feeling quite pleased with myself.  Now if only I could manage to stitch in the elastic on the two skirts that are almost finished, and then work on the two that are barely started....hehe.


Amy

My Favourite Crop

I think I have just harvested my all-time favourite vege crop.

Garlic!

I harvested 18 from under half a square metre of garden.  I forgot to count how much we got from my parents bigger plot.  Mine are a bit smaller than my parent's.  I forgot to weed.  They remembered.  Garlic doesn't like competition.  I also forgot to water regularly too.  But they are still delightfully decent-sized clumps.  Previous years have been a bit disappointing, a combination of poor maintenance, late planting and poor soils.  This year, we've had better soil and (sometimes at least!) better maintenance.  Also better seed garlic.  The bigger the clove, the bigger the harvest.  I'm learning not to plant pitifully tiny cloves.  I'm learning to put the very best ones in (even though I really, really want to roast 'em instead!).  This year, rather than spending a small fortune buying seed garlic from a garden centre (which we have done in the past), I bought some garlic from a local organic store.  Being organic, it didn't have any growth-repressing stuff on it and it was really nice garlic.  I chilled it for a few days.  Only a few days because I forgot to do it early enough, and then some of it got zapped by my over-zealous fridge.  Opps.  It was so badly frozen it turned to mush.  No germinating there.  Some survived though, thankfully!  You can see why I am so chuffed with our harvest, after such a poor start.

April till January.  That's quite awhile to wait. But it does just do it's own thing for the most part.  Plus it takes up next to no space.  And then you get to eat amazingly fresh garlic that you grew yourself, all year round if you've planned it well.  Not sure that I have quite enough for that.  I do like a lot of garlic so I imagine that 18 clumps will not be enough.  My parents have a whole lot more though, so maybe?  We will be keeping a few big ones to plant again in April.  May as well save ourselves the cost of buying seed again.  Then next year I can eat garlic almost for free!  Seeing as it costs $20/kg for NZ garlic in the shops, regardless of season, I figure that's a great cost saving.  I know you can get garlic cheaper if you buy the Chinese grown stuff, but you just don't know what crazy things they are putting on it, so I only get the New Zealand grown variety.  And now I grow it myself instead.  When the leaves die down on the tops, I get out my fork and carefully dig it all up.  Then it's a quick wash with the dishbrush in the kitchen sink, trim the roots off and tie it all up to dry.  No fancy plaiting here.  That's a bit beyond me at present.  Just some string and a convenient hook.  Then we wait while it dries a bit.  And dream of garlic bread, chilli con carne, oven roast garlic, beans sauted in garlic, hummus and pesto....hmmm, garlic, garlic, garlic.

We now have a conservatory that smells vaugely of garlic.  Every time I go to get my shoes or grab some pegs, I get attacked by garlic leaves.  I don't mind the smell.  And I don't mind the leaves.  I just think about how scrummy that garlic is going to taste!

Amy

Interesting

We've been sampling some different and interesting food recently.  Or at least, Munchkin and Mummy have been.  Daddy is not so keen.  Although he does love the bacon and rosemary risotto we had for the second time tonight, Daddy is pretty traditional in his eating habits.  Although he's still off cucumbers.  He used to LOVE them.  I was hoping it was just a one-summer phase, this not liking cucumbers that much.  Last summer they tended to rot in the fridge.  But this summer is starting out the same; Boyo will eat them when presented at dinner, but isn't interested in cucumber sammies for some reason.  I'm going to have to be on high rotting-cucumber alert.

So here's a quick snapshot of our yummy food.  I must say I'm loving summer food.  I was a bit over soup.  Yes, even me, the lover of soup, has had my fill of it for a few months. 

Top: pesto and egg on toast, left: popcorn, right: hummus on crackers

So there's the popcorn.  Ah, a homemade snack food that is both fast and easy.  What's not to love?  I am trying not to load it with butter, salt and sugar.  Trying.  Not necessarily succeeding, but trying.  Grin.

Then I tried making pesto, inspired by a night out at a Destitute Gourmet presentation (FABULOUS!).  The risotto is one of Sophie's, by the way.  And she has a blog.  Of course, I didn't have a recipe, just a list of ingredients.  Put in just a tad too much garlic.  But that's okay.  I just added almost an entire bunch of basil from the markets, then when that wasn't enough almost an entire bunch of Italian parsley and it was all good.  Really good stuff.  Almonds, herbs, olive oil, garlic and parmesan (which I bought especially - oh, la la.  I haven't had parmesan for a couple of years and how I do love having the other half of the block available to sprinkle on my risotto!).

Then I made hummus.  A cheats version really, as it doesn't have any of that sesame seed paste stuff (tahini or something?).  I can't tell the difference.  I am simply amazed at how easy and cheap the stuff is so make!  Hommus has been a banned food in my household as it is too expensive and treat-like so you can imagine my delight in being able to make it myself for a fraction of the price. 

How something as bland and boring as chickpeas can turn into something that delicious is beyond me!  And that it is incredibly healthy, well that's just amazing.  If I want to lay it on several centimetres thick on my toast, it's okay.  I can even eat spoonfuls of it's delicious garlicy-ness if I want to (and sometimes I do!).

Munchkin has been having pesto or hummus on bread.  Beats jam or peanut butter hands down as far as nutrition goes and he seems rather taken with the hummus.  It's also a super easy addition to a sandwich for Mummy.  A burst of flavour.  Increased protein.  Excellent.  I'm hooked.

Amy

The Squeakers

Our family has some new members.

They are squeakers.
They are fluffy, furry, four-footed girls who love to munch, munch, munch.
They are guinea pigs.
My guinea pigs.

I got them for myself for my birthday.  Long story, but the short version is that Boyo hates guinea pigs but I kept hoping he might change his mind.  After nearly nine years, I finally figured out that this wasn't going to happen.  I decided I needed them anyway.  Having another three years of study before me, I needed something that was 'just for me,' a sanity helper, something to stroke.  I nearly got rabbits.  I'm so glad I didn't.  I don't actually like them.  I'm scared of big rabbit feet.  Guinea pigs have little legs, soft bodies, and cuddly dispositions.  Okay, so not all of them are cuddly, but when well cared for, most are.  I love that they talk to me.  Sometimes it does get a bit much, I admit, but mostly I love the squeaking. 

Munchkin thinks they are great.  He likes to have cuddles.  He reads books to them, tries to force feed them, and helped me bath them.  He is learning that it is never appropriate to poke an animal's eyes. Never, Munchkin, never.  He is learning that having pets does require work.  We have to move their cage every day, pat them every day, and every week I clean their straw out (onto the garden, yay, more mulch!) and refill their waterbottle.  As you can see, he has been very interested in the makings of the cage even before the guinea pigs came to live in it.

I built the cage myself.  And wondered why.  It is not quite square as I forgot to check some measurements of the pre-cut stuff and one was a bit longer (or was it shorter?) than the others and I didn't realise in time.  But it is sturdy and easy to move.  It needs a paint to help keep it dry.  I have just confirmed that this week after a week of mostly wet weather.  The girls were not wet, but they were slightly damp in there!

Squeak and Licorice came to us with their names.  They were breeding stock, and have both had litters before.

Squeak is the whirly white one.  She is slightly indolent.  Okay, quite indolent (read: lazy).  She likes to eat all day long, even while lying down.  She is easy to pick up and hold because she is such a relaxed personality.  If you ever get the chance to meet her, you will understand why she is so named.  When eating she is quiet.  Otherwise, she keeps up a steady stream of quiet, or not-so-quiet squeaking.

Licorice is not relaxed.  She's a bit more savy than that.  She has short hair, mostly chocolate.  She is middle aged already so is very used to people and their ways.  She knows all about how fast you have to move to beat the person to your outside door before they can pick you up.  She has attitude.  Licorice likes to be on the move, watching all the goings on.  She is quiet.  You hardly ever hear her squeak, though she does make a gorgeous little 'brrrr' when rubbed in just the right spot.  She too likes to eat.  I think all guinea pigs like to eat.  Apparently very loudly (according to my husband).

They have settled in really well and I'm glad I chose to get piggies that are already used to people.  It makes negotations with the toddler so much easier, and interactions less fraught with pee on clothing (nary a pee in sight thus far!).  We have a little plastic container lined with shredded paper that the girls come inside in on occassion.  Otherwise they are usually wrapped in a piece of overlocked towel.  Guinea pigs like to burrow and I'm happy to accommodate if it means they like me more.  Grin.

I am a very happy piggy owner.
My husband is tolerant.  He knows it is not worth him being nasty to the cavies.  I know not to expect anything more.  It has been a peaceful transition.

Amy

ps - I built the cage, my parents bought the equipment, and Boyo actually ended up giving me the money to buy the girls!!! I have a most wonderful husband!  Mwwwwh. (that is a kissing sound, by the way!).

Stop and See

What do you see?  Something beautiful, I hope.  That's what I see.
Yet only one of these flowers came from my garden.  The alstromerias...those are the bigger peachy striped ones in the middle.

Even those are growing underneath the banksia rose, wedged behind another plant, in a tiny strip of ground beside our driveway.  I didn't even realise they were there until at least a year after we moved in.  I'm wondering if I should move them elsewhere. Somewhere they will get sun and attention.  But I'm worried that might kill them!  They seem to be doing quite well on neglect.

All the others in this lovely bunch of flowers, I picked on a walk one day down our boardwalk.  There's manuka.  It doesn't last long in a vase but I just couldn't resist the small white flowers.  Then the deep purple weeds we get around here - I don't even know what they are called but when you get a whole deep purple drift of them, it's an amazing sight.  They can grow as tall as I am and love to populate gravelly, abandoned ground.  Then there's the white ones and the yellow ones.  Some flowering fennel or wild parsnip and some ragwort?  I'm not really sure, but I thought they were pretty and I wanted a change so they came home with me.

Isn't it amazing?  Here in a vase, they look incredibly beautiful.  Yet I walk past them almost every day, and see only weeds.  But what makes them weeds?  They ability to survive, and thrive in a hostile environment?  That we want to pull them out to make room for more conforming plants?  I'm always amazed at the beauty that is tucked all around us, into every aspect and facet of the natural world.  We spend our whole lives in it, yet so often miss it.

I hope you have a day filled with beauty.  Beauty seen and found and felt.
Amy

Noodles Anyone?

I found an easy noodle dish recently that is likely to become a regular summer dish.

Easy, quick, versatile, and tasty.  Excellent!

Called Noodle Salad, this recipe came from Nourish Magazine but this is my adaptation based on what I had available.  You could serve it hot or cold (cold is great on a hot summer's day).  Add some shredded meat if you want.  I didn't bother.  It tasted fine without it.  Use some gluten free pasta for a GF variation.

Cook 1 packet of egg noodles as per directions (usually 250-300g of noodles, in 4 clumps in the packet so you are using the whole lot).  To cook noodles, you usually want a large quantity of boiling, salted water.  After cooking, drain these and rinse with cold water.  Cut them up with a pair of sizzors otherwise you probably won't get them into a bowl!

Finely slice:
1 spring onion
Handful of cherry or small tomatoes
2 stalks celery
1 red or orange capsicum

Heat on stove (so it melts together):
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cm piece of root ginger
3 cloves garlic
3 Tblspns brown sugar
1 Tblspn fish sauce

Mix it all together. 
Add some fresh herbs or green leaves (spinach, lettuce, chives, parsley, corriander) or some shredded chicken, or pre-cooked prawns.  You could also add peas, corn, snowpeas, or beans.
Serve. 

YUM!

We are officially into summer now and the weather seems to agree, so I'm trying to make more meals that require little cooking time and are lighter to eat.  This one's a winner.
Do you find your meals change with the seasons?

We were finding it so hot this past week, we even moved the outdoor table and chairs under the trees and ate our dinner outside!  I'm looking forward to more outdoor meals, just as soon as we get some fine weather again.

Amy