KV Writes

The Great Paint

2012-01-23T12:57:00.001+11:00

It's amazing what a bit of paint can do. As an ~~addicted~~ avid home reno blog reader there is nothing I like more than before and after shots. Love them. I love to watch the changes, how a room unfolds, and nothing beats the final shot of the great unveiling.

I didn't take any before shots. I suck.

Here, though, are the afters of my beautiful kitchen.

The colour on the walls is heaven. It's called Knowing, by Dulux and I'm in love with it. So clean and fresh. And the trim is Dulux Antique White USA in gloss. I used this in the lounge room, and in fact all the house's doors and skirting boards/trims will be done in this colour.

We painted the kitchen cupboards with laminate paint. We wanted simply to replace the doors and drawers but being as ancient as they are no one makes doors and drawers in that measurement anymore. Go figure. So, on our super tight budget, we painted them white instead. At least I know now that I love, love, love a white kitchen.

In case you were wondering, I shamelessly stole my dream kitchen from The Handmade Home. Thank you to Ashley and Jamin, who unknowingly, inspired me :)

Like them, I have used yellow as an accent colour. This, however, was due to the fact that we didn't change the yellow splash back tiles. Lucky when I shopped the house I had enough yellow things (who knew??) to make it work!!

Here, now, are some shots of the lounge and rumpus room. They were done first, but because the kitchen is my favourite room now, I had to show it first. The light's a bit off in some of these. Sorry! The wall colour is Dreamy Cream.

I read a great article over at Starry Sky Ranch on photography tips. I think I need to pull out my manual and play around a bit!!!!

Anyway guys, I hope you've enjoyed the new look in our abode. It's been great to finally put our own stamp of personality onto the place, after two years!!

Content To Rent...?

2012-01-22T08:38:00.000+11:00

Via

Some of the blogs I read talk about the benefits of renting over buying, albeit these blogs are American. Now I'm not sure what the difference is between rent and a mortgage in the US but here the difference is not much.

I heard on the radio that the median weekly rental prices in Australia are now $415, but here in Canberra they are a staggering $500 a week.

We have just bought our house. We were lucky enough to be able to buy the house we had rented for two years, so we didn't have to move or house hunt. It was bliss. But we have discovered that our mortgage, once perceived as outrageously expensive, is only a couple of hundred dollars more a fortnight than our rent! Which is a difference, but very small when you consider that we now own a home!!!

I can't see what the benefits of renting over buying here in Canberra are anymore, as rental prices continue to jump up according to demand. I'm very glad that we have gotten into the market and now own a piece of the Territory (at least for 99 years, as per the ACT's land laws :)

The hardest part, of course, in getting out of the rental market and into buying is getting together that bastard of a deposit. I heard, on another radio segment, that it takes the average Canberra couple working full time four years to save up enough (approx. $100,000) for a deposit on a place here. Not necessarily even a house. That could be more.

So that, plus the fact that we were content to rent for a while, held us back from buying here. Renting for as long as we did meant that I didn't have to rush back to work after having my babies, which is something I am still grateful for. It also meant we weren't locked down to living in Canberra. I was still harboring hopes that we might live back to NSW to be near my family. That didn't happen.

We have now undertaken renovations on our place, mostly superficial like painting but it has made such a difference. I know renters such as The Nester are happy to paint rental properties but I couldn't see the point. As an owner, I'm thrilled with the new looks that my kitchen, living room and rumpus room have taken on.

Even if they come with an enormous price tag and thirty years of debt :) There's nothing quite like owning your own place. As I drive up the street and see our beautifully painted blue door I always smile and think I'm coming home!!

Animal Farm

2012-01-19T08:16:00.000+11:00

Some of the lovely creature that have crossed our path this week:

Uriarra Crossing

2012-01-06T08:50:00.000+11:00

This New Year's Day- for the second year in a row - we have cooled our boots by going out to Uriarra. About a thirty minute drive from here the enormous site is part of the Uriarra State Forest and rests on the Murrumbidgee River.

Having grown up on the coast I've had a bit of trouble dealing with river water, it is brown after all, which completely goes all my instincts, but I think I'm coming around. Plus the kids love it. And it's free.

Here are some pics of our time there this year and last.

The Rapids

This year we had fun racing a massive thunder storm home. It was right on our tail!

Storm, you say??? What storm??

Ohhhhh!!!!!!!

You can't really tell in this shot but the tower had sheets of rain over the top of it!

The best thing about Uriarra is that we can pack some picnic dinner and head there after the crazy heat of the day and have a dip and some yummy food. Just make sure you bring your thongs, cause the rocks and brittle leaves can really do some damage!!

Happy 2012! Hope your year is full of all things lovely

Bacci xxx

December Daybook

2011-12-08T13:54:00.000+11:00

Outside my window:

Although officially it's summer around here, you wouldn't know it from the grey and white clouds that are covering our Canberran sky. As I look out my office window (I'm at work :) I can see that the grass has grown long, dandelions are making a ferocious comeback and it looks like the sun might come out to play after all.

I am listening to:

I went through a phase of listening to all the songs played during my zumba class, and now I'm sick of them all! Mostly it's Christmas carols and the radio. I'm pretty certain though (seeing as I bought them) that Santa has some new CDs for me this Christmas :)

Reading:

Our library at school is weeding out old books so I've been snapping up as many as I could. Today I started 'Australia Through Italian Eyes' by Stephanie Lindsay Thompson. A colleague is lending me his fandangle camera for the holidays and also the book entitled 'Learning to See Creatively' by Bryan Peterson to help me with my new hobby. Hopefully there will soon be some inspiring (or at least pleasant) photos on this site.

At home I've got 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott and 'Veronika Decides to Die' by Paolo Coelho on the run. Both re-reads :)

I am Creating:

Not only have I been trying to get up to date with my scrapbooking (I haven't even gotten up to my son's first birthday yet ----he will be four in February!!!) but I've also started work on my Christmas cards. I'm very pleased with the random appearance, due to my shortage of Christmas-appropriate card stock!!

Also, finally painting has begun at our house, which means there are paint sheets, colour charts, rollers, paint tins and brushes neatly piled up in the laundry ready to go. Cannot wait!! Which also explains my addiction to Houzz!!

Writing:

I am working concurrently on this blog, my class reports (due by the end of today!!) and the new Orpheus. Still very pleased with how it's coming along. And in case you're worried about my dedication to work, this is my lunch hour!!

So, with Christmas fast upon us, what's going on in your daybook???

If anyone's looking for me...

2011-11-21T12:17:00.000+11:00

You'll find me over at Houzz. Yes, that's right. I've become an addict.

Houzz- Kitchen Design, Bathroom Design and More»

Please check it out if you haven't already and join me in my addiction.

Happy Birthday Lovely Sis!

2011-11-12T11:07:00.002+11:00

My sister Michelle is the eldest of three girls.

Growing up she has played a number of roles in our lives: big sister (duh!), mother, bossy boots, source of humour, inspiration, doting 'mother' to some very lucky Cabbage Patch kids (sorry Mich had to throw that in!) fantastic aunty and more.

Having three girls hasn't always been easy. Often there was one who was left out but now that we're older it's amazing how well we all get along. I love family get togethers, which in my opinion, don't happen anywhere near often enough, and I love getting to spend time with both my sisters.

I'm so proud of Michelle, she's always been a high achiever (hello 95 TER??) and now she runs not only her own website but a freelance business that sees her using her many talents to write about everything from make-up and beauty products, to fashion, accessories, a rather long stint in television journalism and even road trips for Ford magazine. Not bad for someone who doesn't even drive :)

Happy Birthday, Tia Mich!! Sorry we can't be with you, but wish you a lovely, lovely day!!

xoxox

Disclaimer: I don't have a scanner so I had to take a photo of the photo - sorry it's so dodgy!!!

The Neverending Story[ies]

2011-11-10T19:20:00.000+11:00

Oh yes, just in case you thought I had enough on my plate with the two kids, the Captain and returning to part time teaching I am indeed still writing my novels. That's right - there's two of them.

I tend to alternate between the two seeing as I can't decide which one I like more - or which one I like less, whichever way you want to look at it.

Currently this is how they stand -

Pepper Ridge Lane is still coming along swimmingly. I have employed the use of some texts, including:
World Mythology by Roy Willis, Thematic Guide to World Myth by Lorena Stookey, The Collected Sicilian Folk and Fairy Tales of Guiseppe Pitri by Jack Zipes and Families, Lovers and Their Letters: Italian postwar migration to Canada by Sonia Cancian. These last two I was lucky enough to access on
Google Books.

The stories and the history behind stories (such as myths and legends) are fascinating to me. As are those of the migrants who took their stories with them and passed them on. Thank goodness they did!

So, Pepper Ridge is finding its own voice, which is actually quite descriptive and is starting to weave itself together, which is a bit trickier than I thought as the story is told from two perspectives - young Marisol returning to the family farm after travelling overseas and the life story of Tommaso (Sol's grandfather) who as we learn in the beginning is very ill. It's nice, every time I read I think, geez this is sounding nice I should write some more!

Then I get sidetracked by Orpheus. Can I just say AAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Orpheus has more face lifts than Joan Rivers. Most of the time it just drives me crazy until another brilliant flash of inspiration strikes through and I end up starting the whole damn thing all over again!! I tell you, driving me crazy!!!

I have, nonetheless, been working on it again this week and I think I like the new take. It's not about time travel anymore but rather reincarnate souls. I know, another cliche but I think I prefer this one :) And it's keeping me occupied in case I find myself without something to do. Ha!!

Most of my research for Orpheus has already been done and at the moment the historical part of the novel is still set in Renaissance Italy.

With Christmas fast approaching I realise that I'm running out of time to get everything completed, including at least one damn book!

What about you? Got anything on your to-do list by the end of 2011?

Camping at Pebbly Beach

2011-11-09T14:42:00.003+11:00

That's right folks for the first time we packed up the Explorer and headed off to the coast for a family camping trip. The place we chose was Pebbly Beach, a beautiful place just north of Bateman's Bay.

And wouldn't you know, I couldn't find the camera anywhere before we left. So there are no pics in this post.

Nope, no pics of the beautiful king parrots, rosellas and lorekeets that came to eat from our hands and heads (which the kids LOVED, I on the other hand could have lived without the birds)
No pics of the kangaroos that came near our towels for a snack whilst we were playing in the water.
No pics of the kids playing in the water.
No pics of the crabs we found in the sand.
No pics of the hours of fun spent exploring rock pools.
No pics of the kids sound asleep in the car after an exhausting and fun weekend camping.

But, hopefully that poetic description just painted a mental picture for you!

When I invited some friends from playgroup to come down with their families, one friend (who is a seasoned camper) asked if there were amenities at the site.
"Absolutely!" I replied, vowing to get back online to check that out before we left.
"Ah, so it's cushy camping then," she said.
When we got there (three families, including 7 kids) we discovered that my adamant reply was indeed based in wishful thinking and not checkable fact.

There were toilets alright. But that's all.
No nice manicured lawns leading up the beach.
No kiosk.
No showers (besides the cold water one as you come back from the beach).
Not so cushy after all. Actually, I'd call it rustic. Earthy. Natural.

But you know what? We all had a ball anyway. The beach was beautiful, even if the water was a little rough. I still went in for a swim! I know! Talk about daring. But I was hot, and I figured we've come all this way, may as well! The water was cold but after my breath was knocked out of me after the first wave or two I found it ok. I just didn't want to go out too far.

Like I said, the kids had a great time exploring the rock pools and there were other families with kids there.

The kids were pretty wiped at the end of the day, but I think that the toasted marshmallows gave them a last sugar high before bed that getting to sleep was a little harder than usual. But I suppose that's to be expected with an 18 month old, a three year old, and two adults crammed into the one tent!

Overall, an excellent first camping experience. We will definitely be going again now that the weather is warming up. Actually I was quite surprised how warm it stayed in our tent.

If you're thinking of taking the kids camping I'd definitely recommend it - just so long as you know that it's not the time to be precious. Treading in roo poo with bare feet, bush wees, makeshift wipe downs at the end of the day are all part of the fun.

So, here are the details:

Where: Pebbly Beach, smooshed between Bateman's Bay and Ulladulla

Why: Why, for camping of course!!

How: definitely need a big car, as camping requires a surprising amount of stuff!! Our poor Explorer nearly carked it getting back up Clyde Mountain, needless to say it's in the shop this week getting fixed!!!

How much: $10 per night, per adult, kids under 5 free, kids 5-15 $5 a night, plus $7 national park daily fee.

More info please: http://www.pebblybeach.com.au

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Zucchini and Chocolate Muffins

2011-10-30T11:57:00.004+11:00

As the creative title of this post suggests, this is a recipe for dairy-free, egg-free zucchini and chocolate muffins.
I may have mentioned before that my daughter has allergies; namely egg, dairy and nut. And cat hair. But seeing as we cook so little with that these days, I haven't had the need to develop recipes to accomodate such an allergy.

Most of the time I take 'normal' recipes and adapt them. That's what I did with this. I use Nuttelex which is a dairy-free, preservative-free margarine. So many margarines are chock full of preservatives that many allergy-prone kids are allergic to them because of the preservatives. So I use Nuttelex. I also use Orgran No-Egg Replacer. And soy milk. But if you have an allergy to soy, then rice milk often substitutes well.

Can I just say, before you start to think ew, gross who wants all those 'pretend' ingredients these muffins are delicious and sweet and gooey and none of the aforementioned ingredients are tasteable.

Also, another disclaimer. I'm not one for hiding vegies in kid's food, but I had some extra zucchini and thought I'd be creative. Zucchini and chocolate are actually a very delightful couple. And again, can't taste the zucchini so if hiding vegies is your thing, then this is one for you.

So....here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

3 tsps Orgran
3 tablespoons water
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp bi carb soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom
(For these last four ingredients, I just used a teaspoon of mixed spice :)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease or line 2 x 12 cup muffin tins with patty pans.
2. Mix orgran and water in a large bowl until frothy.
3. Add sugar and oil to orgran mix and beat until light. Add the cocoa, vanilla, zucchini and stir well.
4. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix until just moist.
5. Pour batter into trays 2/3 full.
6. Bake at 180° for 20-25 mins.

And then enjoy :)

A Feast for the Senses

2011-10-25T10:37:00.009+11:00

Floriade is one of Canberra's favourite times of year. And one of ours too.

Here's why.

This year's theme was, yep, you guessed it - A Feast for the Senses. There were great displays in the shape of food, and these edible displays with lettuce, cabbage and more delicious vegies and herbs.

I especially loved the Moroccan Market display.

But with the kids the main attraction was the reptile zoo. We had missed the farm animals, which were there for the first half of Floriade but we all enjoyed the reptiles. Goannas, snakes, turtles and lizards GALORE!!! Like this little guy :)

All in all it's a great day for the family.

THere's something for everyone, including the fancy Lindemanns tent for wine tasters, and it's free to get in. Food and rides can be a bit pricey though so I suggest you pack your own lunch. There are also some great stalls - I picked up some lovely lemon myrtle balm for my daughter's dermatitis - so if you're into that sort of thing bring some extra cash.

When: It's usually the middle of September til the middle of October but check their website for confirmation.

Where: Commonwealth Park, Canberra Australia.

What: Flowers, attractions, stalls and markets, Night Fest and more.

Enjoy, oh and don't forget to pack your hat!!!

Bye for now!

Date a Girl Who Reads

2011-09-06T20:13:00.003+10:00

by Rosemarie Urquico

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas, and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by God, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

Reviews-Day Tuesday

2011-09-06T10:07:00.001+10:00

Miranda

If you haven't seen this hilarious British show written by and starring Miranda Hart, then please drop everything you are doing and go and watch it right now. I don't care if you're taking your frail, elderly Grandma grocery shopping, or if your baby needs to be changed, you need to watch this show. For your own sanity.

Every Monday night at 8.00 on ABC2 this show saves my sanity. I have never watched a show that consistently makes me laugh like Miranda does.

And I'm talking about snorting, chortling, little-bit-of-pee comes out comedy. From all the characters. There's the main character Miranda. Her desperate-for-her-daughter-to-marry Mother. Her super-cute and possible love Gary. Her sweet friend who is also the manager of her joke shop - why she needs a manager is beyond me...she does nothing all day anyway!!

So, please, take my advice and watch Miranda. Here's a sneak peek from Youtube:

http://youtu.be/GymUCt_MFoY

Enjoy!!

The National Museum of Australia

2011-08-09T10:47:00.000+10:00

Although we are in the grips of winter here in Canberra (with only some random-climate-change-inspired warm days) our family has been trying to get out and about.

A couple of weekends ago we took a family trip to the National Museum of Australia.

Photo Source: http://www.nma.gov.au/about_us/the_building/

The gallery was showcasing an exhibition called Not Just Ned - A History of the Irish in Australia. Although this looked really interesting, we skipped it and headed into the permanent collection instead.

I wasn't sure how the kids would take it. Being three and a half and 15 months, their tastes, refined as they are, are more along the lines of toys, parks and tv. But I needn't have worried.

Fantastic displays included the Diprotodon replica skeleton- a giant wombat which my son both loved and feared.
Photo Source: http://nma.gov.au/blogs/education/2010/09/17/big-real-stuff/diprotodon/

A car that looked remarkably like Doc Hudson from the movie Cars, but was actually a Holden prototype.

Photo Souce: http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/holden_prototype_car_no_1/

There were also some hands on displays which included listening to the Wiggles and seeing their shirts, looking at Colonial artefacts, life -size cattle and sheep displays and more.

I think the highlight was playing in the Garden of Australian Dreams.

Photo Source: http://www.nma.gov.au/about_us/the_building/

Or perhaps it was creating a car of the future in KSpace, an interactive computer-based activity for kids. We then got to watch our own inventions as they flew through a city of the future with 3D glasses.

Then again, maybe it was sitting out by the lake at the end of the visit having tea and cake and watching the kids play on real green grass and walk along really high walls.

A good day out for the family.

Where: The National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Canberra

When: Open 9-5 everyday, except Christmas Day

How much: Free general admission - visiting exhibitions cost

Why: Learn about Australia's history, the exciting stories of people, places and events that make this great country

What else: Gift shop, cafe, lakeside views

Of Mice and Men

2011-08-08T10:31:00.004+10:00

We had a mouse. His name was Gerald. Gerald was very fond of eating all the packet food in our pantry. I didn't know that mice could climb shelves but Gerald could. He liked noodles, Arrowroot biscuits, cashews, anything he could get his grubby little mits on.

And he liked pooping. In wardrobes, under the lounge and, of course, in the pantry. Finally I pushed aside my animal-loving instincts and said "Enough!" (with a strange German accent) and sent The Captain out to buy a mouse trap.

With the sweet allure of an Arrowroot biscuit Gerald was caught within a week. Head snapped just after 9 in the morning. After a frantic call to both The Captain and my sister (neither of whom could actually do anything about said-dead-rodent) I had to pretend to ignore it all day until The Captain got home from work because there was no way in hell that I was going to touch that thing.

Anyway, Gerald was disposed of that afternoon. End of story.

Or so we thought. Apparently mice like to hunt in pairs.

A day after Gerald was taken to the great big Cheese House in the sky I started to notice an odd smell in the vicinity of our fridge. I pointed it out to The Captain who claimed to smell nothing. Pushing it aside I got on with things. Like going to work.

The days I was home, however, the smell got worse. And became a whiff. The whiff became a pong. And the pong became a stink. And the stink....Anyway...It got bad.

Finally on Saturday night I made The Protesting Captain move the fridge out in case a mouse had gotten caught underneath it and died. There were some wicked dust balls, but no Sue (that's what I had named the stink. I was sure it was a dead mouse.) Feeling vindicated The Captain moved the fridge back. But the stink had been awoken. And boy did it reek. The Olfactory-Challenged Captain still claimed to smell nothing but my three year old son adamantly backed me up.

After an intense argument with shouting and finger shaking The No-Match-For-Stubborn-Me Captain moved the fridge again. I had heard that mice could squeeze in behind the back of the fridge and get stuck in there and die.

The Heavily-Swearing-And-Disbelieving Captain reluctantly got a torch and began to search in the back of the fridge, behind the back panel.

"Oh," he said rather surprised. "There's a dead mouse in here. You were right dear."

One very sheepish Captain and one very pleased (although I have to say it's not the kind of thing one wants to be right about) Mama went to bed happy that night. One very curious three year old, however, still wonders every night what happened to Gerald and his loving partner Sue.

I am just hoping that Gerald and Sue didn't get too intimate before they left us for the micey afterlife.

Pumpkin Soup Fit For A Queen

2011-06-07T17:22:00.003+10:00

Winter is certainly here these days. Minus four over night, tiny snow flakes (so small as to actually just look like rain - but I know otherwise!!) during the day. I love it!!

And what goes better with winter than a warm, yummy soup?

A friend of mine made this delicious pumpkin soup at Mum's group a couple of weeks ago and it was just heaven. I made it tonight and it's even better than I remembered it!!

Please, please, please make this pumpkin soup. This long weekend.

In celebration of the Queen's birthday.

And when you look at that creamy golden colour just, remember this:

It truly is soup fit for a queen!!

Here's the recipe. Write it down, then go buy the ingredients. Ok? Great. Thanks.

Queenie's Pumpkin Soup

60g butter or margarine (I used olive oil - I know, I'm a rebel)

2 rashers rindless bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

1 butternut pumpkin about 1.2 kg peeled, seeded and chopped

2 litres chicken stock

¼ cup milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ cup cream

Snipped chives

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Sauté bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is crisp and onion is tender

Add pumpkin. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer, covered, until pumpkin is very tender.

Blend mixture – process until smooth. Return to heat with milk, add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with cream and chives

Please enjoy xoxox

Pepper Ridge Lane

2011-06-04T12:31:00.001+10:00

My daughter was baptised about a month ago and we had the immense pleasure of having all our favourite family (hehe) over to our place afterwards for lunch.

During the busy day of cooking, eating, laughing, catching up and celebrating my brother in law asked about my writing. He said that he was impatient to read something that I had written. I asked which one would he be interested in. He said the one with the quivering virgin and the bodice-ripping pirate. I had to laugh.

I don't have a book like that. I wish I had a book like that. Maybe I should write a book like that.

The book that I have been working on, Pepper Ridge Lane, is very different to Orpheus and Tomorrow we May Die. I am totally in love with it. I love everything about it. I don't know if writers are supposed to say that about the things they write, but I don't care. I love it.

It is a sweet story, I think, about a young woman returning home to her family's farm after years overseas travelling because her beloved grandfather is sick. She returns to find that things arent't exactly as she left them, and her little hometown Mt Houser, is next on the list of the developer's take over list. But don't worry, the story doesn't end there. It is intertwined with her grandfather's own life story (based on my grandfather's life) from when he was a young man in the second world war to how he created a new life in a strange new country.

Like I said I love it. The writing is so different to any of the other novels I've written (or attempted to!!) and seems to roll off my fingers almost like velvety, smooth poetry (see? Just talking about it makes me poetic!!) I'm not tooting my own horn, I'm just saying that I really enjoy writing this one and hopefully it will actually get finished.

There was a line in a Supernatural episode that I watched not long ago, and forgive me for not quoting it verbatim, but it went something like this. It was the final episode ("Swan Song") of Season 5 and Carver Edlund/Chuck Shurley is narrating. He is talking about endings and has a classic line about writers. He says something like - "Endings are hard. Any monkey with a keyboard can write a beginning, but endings are harder." The Captain and I both burst out laughing. I am the monkey with the typewriter!

This was enough to spur me on to actually attempt an ending for Pepper Ridge Lane but unlike some people I can't seem to write out of chronological order. But I do have an ending in sight. Keep an eye on the word counter next door!!

And in case you're interested here's the opening from Pepper Ridge. Happy reading - and let me know what you think!!

Marisol Cicero had been a rebel since birth. Only hours after she was born she fought hand and foot at her mother’s breast, like a puppy fighting for its life source against five other siblings. Little fists flailing, mouth gnawing hungrily. Her mother, Sylvia, wanted to name her Emily but her grandfather, Tommaso decided that was too meek a name for such a ferocious little creature and suggested Marisol instead. Marisol. Mar y sol. The name of Tommaso’s own grandmother – supposedly a Catalan princess – it represented the powerful elements of sea and sun. Tommaso believed that such a creature as his new granddaughter needed the force of a name that could harness such elements.

I didn’t know Marisol then, but I heard the stories. And I met the untamed toddler only a couple of years later. It was the beginning of a special relationship. I must say, at this point, that I’ve been around a hundred years or so, offering those above the comfort of my path. Pepper Ridge Lane, that’s my name. I’m the lane that led Marisol to her true home, the farm called Il Prato.

* * * * * *

So, would you want to read more??

Reviews-Day Tuesday

2011-06-03T11:38:00.007+10:00

Okay so technically today is Friday, but "Reviews-Day Friday" just didn't have the same ring to it and I couldn't be bothered waiting til next week to write this post.

It has been a while since I have reviewed or discussed any of the books that I've been reading so this post may get a bit long as I try and cover just what has been passing these eyes over the last few weeks.

Recently I was reading Diana Gabaldon's blog and came across a really great post called How do you Read? In it, Diana addresses the all important issue of reading. And how, where, and when she gets the time to read. And I have to say, I'm pretty darn impressed. I thought I was good sneaking in pages (rarely chapters) when the kids are actually playing nicely together, while I'm cooking breakfast, or feeding the kids their lunch. But Diana...let's just say I haven't progressed to doing it while brushing my teeth!! What a hero!! No wonder her books are so totally excellent!

So, what's been on my agenda lately?

The one that I have been wanting to blog about for a while was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Not only is this brilliant, talented and funny writer Australia, apparently (according to my friend Jenny) he's also a bit of a cutie. Not that that bares any weight at all on his writing, I just thought I'd mention it. In case you were wondering. Now you know.

Set in Nazi Germany this story is told from the perspective of Death, a sentient and rather compassionate being who has massively strong and caring arms with which to sweep up the millions of souls that die on his watch.

The story deals with a young girl's (Leisel Meminger) experience during the war. She is fostered into a home after her younger brother dies. Her foster parents are the most complex yet sweet-hearted characters I have read in a long time. And I can just picture Hans Hubermann's (her foster father) crinkly silver eyes.

Anyway, as the title indicates Leisel becomes, quite by accident, a book thief. After discovering a book at the grave of her younger brother, The Gravedigger's Handbook, she slowly yet enthusiastically develops a love for the written word. At a time when many books were condemned to the pyre, she, with the help of her touchingly loyal friend Rudy, acquires a variety of books to help fulfill her curious and intelligent mind.

The theme of World War 2 Germany is not a new one, yet I absolutely loved the way Zusak created it in The Book Thief. It was fresh and original and a delightfully inspiring read. This book stayed by my side - in the rumpus room, the kitchen and the bedside table. Couldn't leave it alone. (Much to the poor Captain's dismay.)

Next on my list is a return to an old favourite writer, Italo Calvino. I first met (in the literary sense) Calvino during my studies of Italian at Sydney University, 104 years ago.

To say that I didn't quite get him in Italian would be an understatement but I fell in love with him in English. I have just borrowed Invisible Cities from the library and it blows me away.

This short story is actually a clever collection of descriptions of cities, given by the explorer Marco Polo to the great Kublai Khan. The reader learns, though, that he is actually just describing the one city to the Chinese ruler. The incomparable Venice.

With superlative imagery and adjectives, Calvino is a master at creating the scene, without being repetitive or boring. I look forward to finishing this book, just so I can read it again and discover what I've missed!! This one lives in the rumpus room, because with it's singular page chapters, I'm sure to get a few good chapters in each day!!

La Bella Figura by Beppe Severgnini was originally borrowed as research for my story (which I have yet to detail on here - sorry!) but turned out to be such a funny account of "the Italian mind" that I ended up reading it just for the humour!

If you are planning to travel to Italy or you are interested in the Italian way of life, or the people, or their food, or their art or architecture, please read this book. That's all I'm going to say on that. It beats The Lonely Planet guide by a million. (How's that for an eloquent review?!)

I have also started re-reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon because I actually read this book first (even though it's number 6 in the series!) without realising! So now that I've read the other seven I'm going back to my beginning to discover all the wonderful things I missed out on the first time!!

There are a couple of other books that I'm currently coasting, but I won't go into them just yet.

I hope you're all reading something (even if it just this blog once in a blue moon!!) and please share...

What are you reading now? Or what have you just finished that was really worthwhile??

Ciao xox

Birthdays, Easter and Blessings Abound

2011-05-11T10:10:00.011+10:00

April is a very busy time for us - birthdays, anniversaries, Anzac Day, Easter (this year), school holidays, plus the glorious arrival of autumn.
Today even has a bite of winter to it with a top of 10 degrees (!!) and snow around the region. According to El Capitan we have had 6 days of morning frost in a row, which is a first since 1970-something. Suffice to say, chilly nights!!

Easter Friday was a quiet celebration at home. We got all dressed up and I even laid the table out all purty style. We had The Meal, salad and all the lovely trimmings. Then it was off to the Gong for more partying.

It was my daughter's first birthday last week and we had a little party with all the family. A big thanks to my sister-in-law who offered up her lovely house as a last-minute-wet-weather plan. Due my daughter's allergies - dairy, egg and nut - I made her cake with a recipe I found online. I doubled the following recipe and sandwiched it with jam in the middle, only because I had to feed twenty-odd people(as in roughly, not that the people were odd. Well....). Here's the recipe for one cake serve:

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Birthday Cake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Method

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C

Sift dry ingredients together

Make 3 wells in dry mixture. Fill one with water, one with oil and one with vinegar. Don't worry when it all runs together.

Stir with a fork.

Place in a 9 x 13" pan and then into the oven.

Bake for approx. 25-30 minutes. A skewer should come out clean.

Icing

2 cups icing sugar, sifted
125 grams of Nuttelex Lite (butter substitute, the original Nuttelex does not work for icing)
1/2 cup rice milk.

Beat icing sugar and butter together til white and fluffy.
Slowly add the milk - you may not need the whole amount, see how you go.
When it's at the consistency you like for spreading add the food colouring.
Spread on to the cake and decorate with whatever dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free decorations you like.

I used sugar marshmallows to make a number 1 down the middle. But as the day was so busy I don't actually have a photo to show you. This is the best I could find. Sorry!

I love this shot. It's of the birthday girl going head to head with her much older cousin. They then proceeded to wrestle on the floor!! That's my girl!

Here's a pic of my three monkeys - see if you can spot them all!!

And finally, another picture I love of my two lovely children on mother's day, caught unawares in a candid moment. Sometimes they get along really well, others, not so much. But this one just melts my heart!! Such a tender hug!

We have my daughter's Baptism coming up this weekend, so it's the same lovely bunch of people crashing our place this time. Lots of cooking ahead. Good thing the weather is so yucky out. The only down side is the tummy bug that is going through our house at the moment - although so far it's only my son, fingers crossed! We don't want our lovely guests to go home with more than nice memories of the Baptism!

I've also been doing a lot of writing on my new book, Pepper Ridge Lane, but I'll outline all of that success in a new post later this week.

Kirsty x

Wonderful Noises of the Night

2011-03-28T19:38:00.001+11:00

As I sit here on my computer browsing blogs and sending emails I suddenly hear something. Wait - could it be?

Yes, it most certainly is.

But the cat is away.

Therefore it must be my boy.

In my study, through a thick brick wall I can hear my boy snoring.

And it makes my heart smile :)

You should always...

2011-03-20T17:47:00.004+11:00

Sacrifice Something...Sometime.

That title sounded so much better in my head - here's what I mean. Catholics, Christians, Orthodox and perhaps other religions around the world which I am not familiar with, are currently celebrating Lent. Traditionally Lent is a time of sacrifice and fast to remember Jesus' time of fasting in the desert (forty days).

Today is the second Sunday of Lent, so we're already underway. This post then is coming a bit late :)

There are two things that I'd like to sacrifice for the next 33 (also a symbolic number, but I won't get into that :) days. Before I tell you what they are I'll give you the reasons for why I'd like to give these two particular things up.

1. a) Recently I bought a pair of duck feather pillows. I've been having a lot of trouble finding a new pillow that doesn't hurt my neck or feel like I'm sleeping on an enormous pile blankets. Most of my pillows are polyester and because I couldn't afford latex I went with the feather ones.
Let me tell you something about duck pillows that I didn't know and perhaps you don't know either.

They smell.

They smell like wet, dead duck.

I've had these pillows outside everyday for a week "airing" to no avail. Still stinky. If you're interested in a free pair of duck feather pillows please email me at im-an-impulse-buyer@kvwrites.com

1. b) Friday night I went shopping with the family and bought four square canvases with the intention of creating my own art a la young house love. But then I couldn't find any material I liked and now I'm stuck with four non-returnable canvases.

I bet you can see where I'm heading with this.

The second thing I wish to give up is linked in closely with this point (1-b).

So firstly I'm going to NOT BUY ANYTHING I DON"T ABSOLUTELY NEED. The idea came, not only from the buyer's remorse induced by the above two examples, but also from this website - We don't buy it.

They did it for a whole year, ie didn't buy anything. I don't think I can do that. In fact I know I couldn't do that. I know I'd fail abysmally and go crazy and buy all of Hobby Sew, or Bed Bath and Beyond in a fit of binge buying. Baby steps for me.

The second thing I will be sacrificing is those blogs that inspire me to crazy levels of house decorating. And I mean really crazy levels. Like constantly looking around my house and feeling a feeling of discontent and the urge to move things. And I'm not simply talking about a winter of discontent. I'm talking about a whole, indefinite, never-ending season of discontent. And to be frank (hello Frank), I'm sick of it. I'm sick of looking at my house and not feeling happy or pleased. And really it's a lovely house and I'm just sick of criticising it and comparing it to the houses on the blogs of the people who have amazing, done-it-themselves homes.

Therefore, I'm not going to look at any of those blogs til after Easter. That's right. No more home blogs. No more interior decorating blogs. No more how-to-match-your-hundred-year-old-lounge-with-this-fab-$5-thriftshop-find blogs. Enough.

Phew. So, to sum up. No home makeover blogs. No buying things I don't absolutely need.

Me thinks I'm going to have a lot of free time on my hands...

I'll keep you posted on how I'm going.

And just so you know, I'm planning a huge blow out trip to Ikea after Easter with my good friend Nigel and all that I've saved during this time of sacrifice will be spent there. That's ok isn't it?

So tell me - is there anything you could sacrifice? Now or at some point, that might help you feel a bit better about yourself???

K xx

When It Rains, It Pours

2011-03-11T07:52:00.006+11:00

This week I was offered two teaching jobs. Both of them were organised through the help of friends. This was taken into consideration when I made the lists that were to help me make my ultimate decision - people were willing to put my name forward, recommend and advocate my cause on my behalf!!!

And yet, I could only accept one job.

So I took out the old pen and paper and make a pro con list. In no time it was quite obvious which one was the clear winner.

Despite the mountains of paperwork (well, after four years of no paperwork it seemed like a lot!!) most of which I'm still waiting to be approved from the Department, I am really happy with the decision that I have made. The job is - hopefully - meant to start in July which gives me time to organise daycare, prepare classes and getting my teaching mojo back.

Don't laugh - teachers have mojo! Sometimes it's hidden behind corduroy jackets with patched sleeves or knee high socks (sorry KV which school exactly are you planning to work at??? The one from 1980??) but it's a very important thing, and I've gotta get mine back.

Wish me luck :)

And no, the zebras don't have anything to do with this post, I just found the pic on my computer and thought I'd pop it in. They were grazing lazily at Lake George mid last year but got moved on by crazy people who found them a nuisance.

Bacci a tutti xx

Have a cuppa - let's catch up

2011-02-26T07:24:00.007+11:00

It's been a while since I've been on here, so thought I'd make an appearance and say ciao!

It's been a pretty busy summer both here in Canberra and up at the coast where we spent most of January. Here are a few snaps of what we've been up to this year (which, I can't believe is already almost three months in!! YEEK where does the time go??)

A stinking hot New Year's Day (complete with yummy lobster the night before!!) spent down at Uriarra, picnicing and dipping in the river. Us Canberrans don't have a beach too close so this is where we go when the temperature rises. Thankfully it's been a fairly mild summer this year.

Visiting the beautiful Botanic Gardens in Wollongong with my mum, nana and sister for another hot picnic. And chasing the ducks of course!!

Celebrating my son's third birthday with 15 - that's right folks 15!!! - other kids and their parents. It was lots of fun and even though we set up the garage because it was forecasting rain, the weather stayed fine and everyone got to play around the yard. And yes, that is my creation - the Thomas the Tank Engine cake. It was delicious - but then anything slathered with butter icing usually is :)

My three year old started play school one day a week so my daughter and I have been having some good old girl time together. We discovered last year that she has food allergies, namely dairy, eggs, nuts and cat hair. Which means we've said goodbye to our beloved Dash (who is currently staying at the Hotel de Nana in Wollongong :)

I've been doing some research on recipes to feed my now ten-month old and found the Nuttelex website to be helpful, and of course with google at your fingertips it's not too hard to find vegan-type recipes these days.

And I'm sure you're all wondering about Orpheus and if you haven't looked over at the counter recently you'll be interested to know that it's now at.....drum roll please....47,339!! And the great thing is I'm actually on track. For the first time in two and a half years I know where I want the story to go, how the plot should run, and I'm really, really, enjoying writing it. Stay tuned there may be another excerpt coming here soon :)

I'm off to check out some fun decorating blogs that I've discovered, pop over if you've got the time.

Sherry and John @ Young House Love

Becca @ Adventures in Decorating

Sadie @ Cotton Rose

I've also been looking for some blogs that are using more colour and bold styles, and haven't had much luck finding any. Got any suggestions?? One site I absolutely LOVE though is Melba Levick's Photography site. Her Mexicasa shots are really gorgeous. Love all that Mexicolour!!!!

And to see if Katie has posted her big Texan news over at Harrington House.

Ciao for now!! xoxo

Canberra Nara Peace Park

2010-12-29T14:02:00.007+11:00

Hi all, hope you've had a satisfying and fulfilling Christmas. God knows Santa was more than generous around our house and I am still baffled as to how we ended up with so many toys!!! Surely the rug rats weren't that good this year :)

So as things are settling back down to normal around here and we're getting back into some semblance of routine I've had a thought. Today we decided to have a spend free day which meant something rare and unusual occurred - we went to a nice place for a picnic. And a ridiculously long walk (and although the Captain will blame me for that I take no responsibility for where the car was actually parked seeing as I wasn't driving ;).

Anyway, we ended up at Canberra Nara Peace Park and it was so pretty there by the lake that I thought of a new segment to do on my blog. It's called Around Canberra and each week (or fortnight depending on how I go) I'll do a little profile on somewhere nice to go around here. Not many people know about Canberra and it really is a pretty little city. So I thought I'd show it off :)

And because I've decided to write For Tomorrow We May Die these summer holidays which is set solely in Canberra I thought it would be good research too. So here, in the very first episode of Around Canberra, I give you Canberra Nara Peace Park.

Where: Canberra Nara Peace Park, in Lennox Gardens, Lake Burley Griffin

What: A Japanese garden which celebrates the sister-city relationship between Canberra and Nara, Japan

Why: Perfect to view the lake, have a picnic, follow the excellent tracks on bikes or by foot. If you don't like sitting on the ground there are some lovely undercover picnic tables and BBQs available.

Who: Everybody as there is plenty of shade and parking is very handy (you don't have to walk two kilometres just because we did). The park itself is not so interesting to young ones as there is no playground but there are plenty of ducks, swans and geese - just be sure to take plenty of bread (punks can turn vicious if you suddenly run out).

When: In nice weather. We went today - ie late December and although it was warm the breeze off the water was nice. Much hotter though and it would have been too hot. In winter keep in mind that around the lake can be freezing and windy. In September this year there was a candle festival held there.

Cost: Free

Other notes: There are no shops around so if you don't pack a lunch don't worry - The Southern Cross Yacht Club is just around the corner and during the warmer months does a delicious fish and chips. You can also eat in the club.

More info: Waymarking - includes a map (which I didn't know how to put on here!! Sory!)

PS My son managed to duck into most photos - it's like Where's Waldo!!

This plaque was actually to remember the seventy Australians who fought in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39. Hmmm, I'm sure there's a story in there somewhere...

The lake through the trees

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T19:23:00.000+11:00

Skinhead

2010-12-22T13:44:00.002+11:00

The Captain cuts his hair quite regularly. He does it in our bathroom with a Remington rasor. (Raser? Razer?) Lately it hasn't been too hot so it's grown longer than usual but the weather is expected to pick up so today he took to it.

And there was a lot of hair. I'm sure we could be rich if we sold his hair to a wig company.

But apparently he wasn't satisfied. So he took to my baby's hair. My beautiful boy who has lovely thick curly hair. Lately I've been going over it with the clippers to keep it neat, but not as short as his dad's.

When my boy is tired he likes to twirl the curls in his hair with one hand and suck on the other. I can't look at him now because it makes me want to cry watching him twirling the air.

My baby looks like Romper Stomper.

I'm heartbroken.

And The Captain is sleeping outside tonight.

Old Year Resolutions

2010-12-14T18:19:00.009+11:00

With the countdown until the school holidays officially on – only three days to go!! – and six glorious weeks of summer holidays looming in front of us I have decided to make some resolutions for myself. These are two things I plan to do over the six week period. Don’t get me wrong I already have a list as long as my arm that I want to do, that includes organising photos and painting the pantry doors, but these are two special resolutions. The first one is a big one. I’ve decided that if I want to seriously consider being a writer, which I do, then I damn well have to write. And with the Captain home for six weeks there should be no excuses why I can't find the time to do so.

Therefore my first resolution is to finish a complete first draft of ONE of my novels. Any one, I don’t mind. And it’s not a plan, not an outline. But a full story, which one can read from beginning to end and have it make perfect sense. That’s my first resolution.

The second one is a bit more challenging. Which says a lot about me, because most people would consider writing a novel in six weeks challenging.

No this one involves food. Now when it comes to food I don't really do moderation. For me it's all or nothing. And since I got pregnant with my daughter LAST AUGUST it had been all. Especially sweet food. This last year I have baked and eaten more cakes, biscuits and slices than ever before in my whole life.

Today I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and for a split second thought "aw, a baby bumpt." Then I remembered that my daughter is almost 8 months old. I'm no longer pregnant. I'm just porky.

So, that's the second resolution. Cut out the crap. My son doesn't need it. I'm already worried about his teeth rattling around in his head. I sure as hell don't need it. My daughter doesn't need it. The Captain doesn't need it. But we all love it.

Especially now that it's Christmas time. Here's a quick inventory of some of the things in our pantry.

Panettone. An all time Christmas staple around here.

Image: Apartments Florence

There's really no excuse for not knowing what this delicious brioche/cake/breakfast good is...It's in every Woolies and Coles these days. And of course Aldi.

Dulce de Leche. Sweet caramel milk made into a spread. Evil. (And for even more evilness check out these recipes using it).

Image: freealfin.blogspot.com

Dulce de membrillo. A type of solidified jam eaten with crackers and cheese.

Image: freealfin.blogspot.com

They call it Martin Fiero in Argentina and Uruguary after a legenday poet. I don't know why so please don't ask me. If you must know, just google it.

Cadbury Favourites. A whole box. A Merry Christmas/thanks for babysitting present from a friend. I watched her son today and this is how she thanked me. I don't think she likes me much.

Candy canes. Self explanatory no??

So that is why this is such a challenge. Not only am I having to curtail my sweet tooth, I'm having to rip it out without an anaesthetic and flush it down the toliet.

You can see now why writing a 100,000 word novel is a piece of cake in comparison.

Mmmm, cake....

In the summertime when the weather is fine...

2010-12-12T18:16:00.011+11:00

Ha!! We've been having days of 7-20 degrees here in the capital and we've also recieved 300ml of rain since the beginning of December! Hardly summertime weather! And yet I'm glad for it. And I still believe it's summer so I'm going to blog about some summertime essentials - or wishful items. Things to have, see and do.

1. St Tropez Bronzing Mousse

I've yet to use this but it comes highly recommended by my sister who is a beauty writer. St Tropez have also thoughtfully included a video on how to apply the mousse on their website. Check it out here

2. Body Shop Baked Bronzer

Now this one I have used and if you're like me and pale as milk and intend to tan up the rest of your body a light, shimmering face bronzer is the go. I love this very much.

3. Stone fruit. All stone fruit - plums, peaches, nectarines but most of all mangoes. And in particular Kensington Pride. You can keep your R2D2 or whatever they are. I'm all about the Kensingtons in the evening after dinner.

4. Blooming delights.

Begonias. Hydrangeas. Bromeliads. Tomatoes. Strawberries. Our yard has them all. And it brings me great peace to look out at them all. The recent rain has actually made our yard a bit of a jungle but I only like that even more.

5. Lovely summer shoes.

Playful wedges from Nine West
New takes on an old fave:

Pretty florals:

(and because I'm so po' I got a cute pair of floral prints from Kmart for only $10!!)

6. Summerizing Your Home - à lá The Nester

Bringing in cooler, paler shades to combat the heat outside. See what I've already done in my home, on a minimal budget.

7. TV faves that are finally on DVD -

Supernatural Season 5

Fringe Season 2

Bones Season 5

Love them all!

7. Camping

We haven't been yet as a family but I'm really looking forward to it. There are, apparently, some lovely spots around Canberra in Wee Jasper, the Brindabellas, Uriarra, Casuarina Sands and more. Check out Canberra's Tourism website for more info.

And to make sure you have all the goods you need see Big W's range of camping gear. I have my eye on Andrew Ettinghausen's 6 person 3 room tent. Plenty of room for everyone!! Camping doesn't have to be foul you know.

8. Getting ready for Christmas! There are a ton of great blogs around that have Christmas ideas, home tours, gift ideas, decoration ideas and more! But that's a whole other blog for next time!!

Happy summer day kv-ettes xoxoxo

Total Eclipse of My Heart

2010-12-01T13:06:00.004+11:00

For a while I've been trying to think of something to blog about. Should I write about the incessant rain that has kept us cooped up in doors, frantically scratching at the walls and pulling on our hair like dogs with cabin fever? Or should I write about our new Christmas tree - a 30cm tall conifer that I hope will be with us for many years to come? Or maybe I'd write about some of the great Christmas craft for kids websites I'd seen. Perhaps that I've started writing a new story (I'm sorry was that a groan I just heard??)

Anyway, all this procrastinating and umming and ahhing, toing and froing and then today when I walked into Woolies to buy some milk, I saw it. Standing there calling out to me in all its $26.99 glory.

Eclipse.

As in the third instalment in the Twilight Series.

My heart missed a beat. I gasped. Was it December 1 already? (I won't tell that I've had this date circled on my calendar for a while now - for this very reason!!! Oh, wait, yes I will).

So I buy it.

Came home and put the kids to bed (wishful thinking I know!)

And jumped on here to blog about my excitement and good fortune.

If you haven't seen the movie or don't know anything about it SHAME ON YOU!!! No, just kidding. Here's a sneak peek from the Trailer.

Enjoy Twi-hards. I know I will!! (and for what it's worth, I'm Team Edward all the way:)
xoxox

Compare...

2010-11-09T13:18:00.005+11:00

The Thomas the Tank Engine "Toby's Windmill". For sale for approx $75 dollars (just the windmill, not all the extra bits shown here).

With our windmill....

Free!! Made from a paper towel roll, paint, two paddle pop sticks and a paper fastener.

I'm all about the thrifty fun!!!

My Wooden Romance

2010-11-01T17:47:00.004+11:00

Those of you who know me may be familiar with my plastic aversion.

I don't like it.

Not in the kitchen.

Not in the nursery.

Not in the rumpus room.

Not on a train. And not in the rain.

I've replaced most of my fooe containers with glass ones. My son drinks from a stainless steel drink bottle and his sippy cups, although plastic, are Tommee Tippee BPA free ones. So is my drink bottle from Kathmandu. My sister bought me some glass bottles for the baby but I haven't had to use them yet.

I've also gotten new cloth nappies for my daughter and only use the disposable ones at night. I decided to go with Baby Beehind Magic-Alls Multi Fits. And despite the extra washing I'm really loving them.

Anyway, the point of this post is I've been doing some Christmas shopping online and have been browsing the great site My Wooden Toys for both my toddler and my baby. They have some great ideas and the prices are really good, compared with wooden toys in stores. I've got my eye on a few things but can't go past the fun stocking fillers.

My son doesn't have too many plastic toys. His obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine means he has a lot (I'm talking dozens) of wooden trains which he zooms around the wooden track (and across the carpet, the tiles, the window sills....and so on and so forth....) I'm sure he would love the Excalibur Blue Fort or the Magnetic Fishing Boat.

For those of you doing Christmas shopping for little ones I suggest you check it out.

Ciao for now xoxo

When it's heating up, it's time for cooling down

2010-10-28T13:50:00.009+11:00

As the temperature starts to rise here in the nation's capital I have decided to take a note from The Nester's book and cool down my decorating. I don't really go into the whole 'decorating for the season' look, but I do like my living room to look snug and cosy in winter and cool and comforting in summer. Especially because we have no air conditioning in our house and when it reaches 40 degrees (which it does with impressive ease and suddenness) our living room (which faces west - gee our house is sounding like a real catch now isn't it!!) often gets above 30. And because we spend so much of our time at home, I need for it to be a cool place where we can chill out. Literally.

There are things in our living room like the green lounge and wooden furniture that I couldn't afford to change so most of my changes were for the 'sitting area' and were either cheap (as in 7 bucks for a can of white spray paint) or free (as in from my own home and garden).

So, based on The Nester's tips, I did the following:

Chose a cool colour palette - blue, white, green.

Grouped like colours and items.

Remember that old red chair from the garage sale that I blogged about? Well here it is again, in case you forgot:

And here it is now, new and coolly improved:

I just have to find the ideal place for it.

Then I shopped around my house, gave a couple of other pieces a quick touch up with my white spray paint (I love the stuff - so addictive and quick to use) and put it all together. This is the result.

And I have to say, I'm very happy with it. Except for that blank spot on the wall above the wooden table. Still hunting for the perfect thing to go there. (And in case you're wondering the recliner hidden under the bedspread does only have one arm!! It's twin is behind me - you can see it's brown arm in the corner of the photo!!)

Now all I need is for the rain to stop and the hot weather to descend.

Happy Halloween all.

Kirsty x

Ain't no baby whispering goin' on round here

2010-10-26T06:12:00.003+11:00

Well last night topped off almost two weeks of crappy nights. My daughter, light-of-my-life, angel of sweetness that she is, woke up every TWO HOURS!! But let me go back to the beginning.

A week and a half ago The Captain left for an army training course which was meant to last until today. My sister, God bless her, came to stay with me and the kids last Saturday. She stayed until Friday, which was bliss. I wouldn't have managed the week without her. But, since the very day that The Captain left the kids decided to channel the whole crew of the Bounty, and mutiny. And mutiny they did! They tag-teamed sleep, one would doze off and the other would wake and cry (oh the crying !! I'm sure the neighbours think something heinous is going on), then vice versa. My daughter was the main culprit. Since birth she has been a fairly good sleeper, especially at night. She hasn't woken before midnight (after going to sleep at about 5.30-6.00) for months. Until, of course The Captain left.

My son who has also been a great sleeper these last few months, suddenly wasn't. He needed me in the room to actually fall asleep, which is a hard task when I can hear my daughter crying uncontrollably and my poor sister trying in vain to soothe her.

So after a few crappy day sleeps and even crappier nights I decided to get pro-active. I needed a plan. I went on to Google and searched for baby sleeping techniques. And I quickly realised that the simple wrap and put down method that had worked for my daughter up until now was no longer enough of a sleep routine. As she is almost six months old, she needed something more substantial. And this is what I found.

http://www.babycenter.com.au/podcast/

Lullabies. Why hadn't I thought of that before? Since birth my daughter has always slept with the radio on the oldies station. But, I thought, perhaps Neil Diamond and CCR were no longer doing it for her. So I downloaded this podcast and burned it onto a CD. I grabbed a couple of baby books and put them next to her rocker.

And now I had a sleep time routine. The first time I went in so confident, all prepped up with my plan that it actually worked and my daughter fell asleep on her own (up til then I had been having to feed her to sleep - sometimes a sweet method but most times a tiring, prolonged one that only delivered forty minutes sleep). My sister and I were cheering.

But I'm sure you can see where this is going. After that first initial success, it went downhill again. Now don't get me wrong. My daughter is almost six months old (this Thursday in fact) and at this age I'm not adverse to letting her cry it out til she falls asleep, but after an hour of crying and no signs of abating is my limit (I do go in and check on her during this time - it's not total neglect!!).
That's when I cave and feed her to sleep. Everytime. I'm sorry if this makes me a bad mother, but who wants their child to cry for longer than an hour??? Who wants their child to cry at all? That's the sucker's argument I use on myself whenever I feed her to sleep. I did the exact same thing with my son, and can see I'm heading in the same direction now with my daughter.

Anyway all this extra breast feeding has now left me with a nasty case of mastitis. A very painful don't-even-touch-that case of mastitis. So last night's crappy night has left me in a state of sleep deprivation, pain and something akin to panic only slightly less energetic. I'm not really sure what to try now. My sleep deprivation was realised this morning (just before 6 when I finally got up with my son who was up and in our bed since 5) when I couldn't figure out why the vegemite lid was not fitting on the milk bottle. :)

I've been doing a bit of research online here whilst writing this post and here are some sites that I've come across that have been helpful and may be for you if you're in a similar situation.

Save our Sleep - you need to buy most of Tizzie Hall's articles and pages from this site, but if you're getting desperate approximately $30-$40 doesn't seem like too much of an ask for up to twenty separate articles in the area of your choice. These include 'Cat-napping package,' 'Breast-feeding package,' 'Contented baby package' and many more.

The Wonder Weeks - and I did a quick calculation and of course my daughter is 26 weeks old - another mental development milestone or 'wonder week.'

Baby Centre's Good Sleep Habits - a helpful, age-by-age guide. There are a TON of other articles on this site covering all sorts of questions and issues relating to pregnancy, babies, infants and toddlers, not just sleep-related.

Greece and the Greek Islands - a girl can dream right?

Anyway, The Captain came home early on Sunday which I thought would herald a return to normal sleeping patterns for everyone. Alas, it did not. Although it was great to have him here to tend to our daughter when she called out last night. I'm very grateful. I'm also grateful to my mum and nana who came down on the weekend to do their stint of helping out whilst I was a single parent. And of course to my sister who gave up so much of her holiday time to come and hang out with my crazy family.

Very grateful.

Now that I've gotten all that off my chest, I'm going to plan my trip to Greece.

Oh, some good news before I go. My son seems to be toilet trained. Simple as that :)
I ran out of nappies the other day and decided the time was right. Seems to be too. You go boy!!!

I Love...

2010-10-13T08:32:00.005+11:00

Her. For not being too shy to say, "Bugger off Mum, I've had enough of the photos!!"

Him. For always asking if I'm happy..."You happy Mum?"

My new cushion covers. For teaching me that patience is a virtue.

The Captain. For being a wonderful father and husband.

Dash. For keeping us all entertained.

Venice - City of Excellence

2010-10-07T08:37:00.011+11:00

I have had the immense pleasure of visiting Venice of couple of times, each time in winter. It wasn't as crowded as I hear it gets in the summer months and we were able to move through it fairly easily. The first time was with a fellow Aussie traveller, the second was with a group of students I knew when I was studying in Padova. There were a couple of Italians amongst us, which made the trip even better. Travelling around a country with a native of that country is a really great way to see the real thing. You know, when you're a tourist with Lonely Planet thrust tightly under one arm, phrase book in the other, you miss most of the good bits trying to get to the place where all the tourists are.

When I went with the group of students we wound up in a little cafe that served delicious warm red wine, glorious hot chocolate (thick and bitter - delicious!), sensational antipasto and more. I have no idea what it was called or if I'll ever end up there again. I think it may have been near some water. Down a dark, quiet alley. Hmm....

I remember this was the trip where I tasted salted licorice for the first time (yuck!), made fun of the raucous American students with their fancy cameras around their necks with my Swedish friend Steine and dodged the attentions of an Italian named Zeno who I knew had a Mexican girlfriend.

Anyway, this post isn't just about my more than enjoyable trips to the capital of the Veneto, it's also a look at a book that I have, called Venice Cità Excelentissima: Selections from the renaissance diaries of Marin Sanudo.

Source: The Book Depository

When I discovered this book on Google books last year needless to say I was very excited. One of the things about being a historical writer is finding primary sources that cover the topics pertinent to your story. Sanudo kept his diaries from January 1 1496 to 1533. He tried several times to give away his journal writing, but luckily for us historians, he was convinced otherwise.

Sanudo's work covers an enormously broad range of topics including Venetian government, crime and justice, war and diplomacy, economics, social life, religion and superstition, humanism and the arts, theater and much more.

Sanudo's account of life in Venice during the Renaissance is so comprehensive that for the first time, in all the many and diverse lives of Finding Orpheus I am considering changing the location of my story from Florence to Venice. Sanudo paints such a vivid picture, such inspiring first hand accounts that the information available to a novelist to create a realistic and historically accurate setting is hard to resist.

And Venice too has such a romantic image, being on the islands, with their dark, secret alleyways, the quiet lapping water that holds a myriad of secrets and mysteries. It also stands so close and in such contact with the mysterious and dangerous Ottoman Empire, something that snakes its way into my character's lives.

Who knows Ana and Giovanni may well end up in Venice sometime in the future. The killer that they are facing may lead them there. Or some other circumstance.

For those of you who are interested in the renaissance in Venice though, you can't go past Sanudo's diaries.

You should always...

2010-09-26T18:04:00.001+10:00

Double check the recipient of your text message before hitting SEND!

Source: Classic Rotary Phones

Spring has sprung

2010-09-22T14:17:00.015+10:00

The flowers have riz

I wonder where

The birdies is...?

Spring has finally sprung in Canberra and here are a few of my favourite spring things:

Re-potting plants (sorry the pic for this one wouldn't work, but I wanted to keep it anyway because I like doing it!)

Finding new buds that survived the cruel and unforgiving frost of winter

Babies' feet

Floriade

New animals

I don't even want to think about the fact that every year spring comes to Canberra in September then around October/November we go back to freezing cold weather.

Nope, not thinking about it...

The Women of the Renaissance

2010-09-19T17:10:00.016+10:00

In April when I was holed up in the hospital for a week with nothing to do except feed my newborn baby and sit around and think (because sleep was completely out of the question as most of you new mothers would know) I was, of course, thinking about Orpheus. Now those of you who know me know how time inappropriate I can be. Those of you who don't know me may be thinking how inappropriate it was of me to be thinking about my novel after just having had a baby. Sorry but I'm trying to be honest here.

I was still, painfully, stuck on the idea of time travel. And I was also keen to have a crime thriller as my genre. So I wanted a time travelling woman who would go back to Renaissance Florence to solve a mystery using modern day techniques. However, after a discussion with my good friend and godfather to my son, Nigel, in which he suggested that instead of having a time travelling woman, why not just have a woman with a vast network of women connections to solve the crime, I was thrilled to have the new premise of my book.

Those of you who read my latest excerpt of Finding Orpheus will know that my new leading lady is called Ana. She is an English woman who has lost her memory and has spent the last three years living in a convent learning the ways of the herbal healer. She is not a nun, but rather a paying border who can move through society to help both the rich and poor. I made her a foreigner, something which afforded her a little bit of liberty that the Florentine women did not necessarily have.

My research on women in the Renaissance has brought up a lot of surprising and interesting information. Jacob Burckhardt in his tome The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy made the rather sweeping statement in his chapter entitled The Position of Women: "To understand the higher forms of social intercourse at this period we must keep before our minds the fact that women stood on a footing of perfect equality with men."

This statement was taken at face value by historians for many years until the feminist movement in the 1970s when historians began to revise history and examine it also from a woman's perspective. Joan Kelly's Did Women Have a Renaisssance is one essay that raised the notion that indeed women were not on equal footing with their male counterparts.

Kelly illuminated the unique social position of Italy during the Renaissance: emerging from the Middle Ages and excelling in mercantile and manufacturing business it was more advanced in many ways than other European countries (please keep in mind that "Italy" as a country did not exist at this stage but was instead made up of many individual city states, republics and kingdoms - but that's a lesson for another day). She boldly states that these very advancements "affected women adversely, so much so that there was no renaissance for women - at least not during the Renaissance." (Women, history & theory: the essays of Joan Kelly, p 19 available from Google books). Kelly examines women in a number of roles for her essay: female sexuality; economical and political roles; cultural roles (including education); ideology of women, in particular in art, literature and philosophy (ibid, p20).

In his equally fascinating book Women in the Streets: Essays on Sex and Power in Renaissance Italy Samuel K. Cohn Jr also looks at the decline of the appearance of women after the beginning of the 15 century. His study focuses on evidence from court and criminal archives, convent and dowry lists, and wills. It is an examination of women that delves so much deeper than merely the famous elite women of Italy delivered from a purely bourgeoise perspective. Women such as Sofonisba Anguissola, Catherine de Medici, Simonetta Cattani (beloved, but not wife, of Giuliano de Medici), and Lucrezia Donati (beloved, but not wife of Lorenzo de Medici) are women that are well known to the historian as elite, wealthy women who were able to participate somewhat in Renaissance society. The latter two are referred to as the "ideals of love." This was a common role for women belonging to the upper echelons of society and although Donati and Cattani were both married to other men, their public veneration by the Medici men was infamous. In fact, Lorenzo composed an early love sonnet to Lucrezia.

Catherine Lawless in her essay Women on the Margins: the 'beloved' and the 'mistress' in Renaissance Florence expounds further on this notion of "ideals of love". She also asserts that "Renaissance historians now know a great deal about wives, widows, mothers, nuns, tertiaries, anchoresses; even, although to a much lesser degree, about women who were poets and artists...women who did not fit into such clearly sanctioned, or perhaps it is more true to say, clearly defined roles have received little attention." (From Studies on medieval and early modern women: pawns of players, co-authored with Christine Meek, Four Courts, 2003 and available online at Three Monkeys Online

K.J.P Lowe's work Nuns' chronicles and convent culture in Renaissance and Counter-Reformation Italy (Cambridge University Press, 2003) was a look into the lives of a somewhat forgotten and often ignored group of women in Renaissance history. It is insightful and has assisted me in developing a believable and historically accurate portrayal of Le Murate, or the Convent of Santa Annunziata where I have set my novel.

The role of women in Renaissance Italy and in particular Florence is an important one to the student of the Renaissance and it is worth investigating further. To accept Jacob Burckhardt's dated and now incorrect statement is an easy out for the student of history and further, deeper investigation is required (as is often the case in women's history) to truly understand the complex and diverse roles of women during this time. I hope these sources and this brief essay has helped those of you who are wishing to delve deeper and really examine closely the women of the Renaissance.

Kirsty x

You should always...

2010-09-19T17:08:00.003+10:00

Take the time to watch your children sleep. Even the second one, and the third one. And even when they’re teenagers and freak out when you go in their room.

PS: I don't mean all the time because that's a bit creepy, but every now and then is good.

Finding Orpheus - version 1,473

2010-09-14T18:32:00.008+10:00

It has been approximately a thousand years (give or take) since I last posted and I feel pain, actual physical withdrawal pain. Not quite as bad as when I quite smoking but pain just the same.

There are a number of reasons why I haven't been able to get on here and post but I'm not going to bore you with them. The fact that my son has given up daytime naps was a big contributor. And the restless sleeping that my daughter has undertaken during the day (she did NOT want to give up her bassinet for the cot. So what did I do? Gave in and put her back in the bassinet. Her head and feet are scraping the edges but she sleeps like a dream).

But like I said I won't go into the lame excuses of why I haven't written. One of the not so lame excuses is that Finding Orpheus has taken off. The few, brief, blissful minutes I get to myself these days have been spent on working on the novel! Hooray!!! I'm so excited, it's coming along really well. I plan to give you a sneak peek, but I thought first I would put up some interesting sites that I have come across in my latest research. Hope you like them!!

Latin Phrases

Renaissance Tragedy and Investigator Heroes - this one was particularly insightful as the newest version of Orpheus is a mystery, a whodunit, a crime that needs solving, a sexy detective novel...yeah, ok maybe not that last one. But it's meant to be.

A History of Murano Glass - in case you were wondering...

Aesop c. 1480 - from the New York Library. This is where the picture at the beginning of this post came from. Glorious.

Shakespeare Insulter - Thou puking clay-brained bugbear!! Because 'idiot' just doesn't cut it anymore.

Medieval Diseases - this one was particular useful as I wanted my villain to be afflicted with some telltale malady. I still haven't decided yet...Any suggestions? It needs to be something notable, something that other characters in the story can recognise but not necessarily anything too obvious. If you know what I mean. I was initially thinking some sort of skin affliction, acne or the such. Or perhaps an eye infection, like conjunctivitis, or even a nervous condition, anxiety or something. Perhaps they can all be related? Hmm, the possibilities.

Medieval Naming Guides - An excellent source on the nature of names throughout Italy during the Renaissance.

Alright, here's a little sneak peek of the new Orpheus. I really hope you like it :)

Cervelli, Orfeo ed Euridici c Source: Wikipedia

"Giovanni, what a pleasant surprise," I said.

Giovanni turned and smiled down at me. He was clearly delighted to see me. As I was him.

I held my hands out to him and he took them in his warm grasp. His skin was as dark as a roasted nut; obviously he had been travelling in the summer months. That explained his long absence.

“Ana, it has been too long.”

“Well we don’t exactly move in the same circles. You a highly respected man of society, and me a humble church worker.”

Giovanni scoffed at the suggestion. “A highly respected man of society? Ana you know that I was not born into this position but that I’ve worked up into it. And I owe most of my favourable reputation to my relationship with Lorenzo de Medici. He is the one who has accepted me into society.”

Giovanni was an esteemed importer of Greek and Middle Eastern texts. His clients included Lorenzo de Medici and he often travelled to bring back new pearls to add to Il Magnifico’s collection.

“Both your position in this city, indeed the whole of Italy and the benevolent manner of your benefactor are laudable.”

“And surely you must also know that you are more than a humble church worker. Who knows who your kin may be? Why, you could be the daughter of an English lord.”

It was a fantasy I had played out in my mind many times, and Giovanni and I had oft spoke of the possibilities surrounding my past. Although not as often as late. Fantasy had quickly given way to reality in my bleak, Spartan surroundings. I smiled as I removed my cloak. I had forgotten about my ruined attire until I saw the shock register on Giovanni’s face.

“Goodness Ana, your dress. Are you hurt?”

I laughed looking down at the blood stained dress.

“Not in the least. I have been delivering a fresh new babe this morning.” I felt a warm glow of pride at the success of the visit. “But please forgive my appearance. I will change if it alarms you too much?”

“It is your own comfort that concerns me. I shall wait outside.”

I changed quickly into my spare dress and tunic. The grey and red gown was long since gone and I now got by in the humble clothing provided by the abbey. I quickly called Giovanni back into the room.

“My apologies for not visiting earlier. I have been travelling these last few months. With the winter fast approaching there has been much to do in preparation for the latest shipment of texts.”

“Of course, of course, sit down please.” I gestured to the one chair in the room then sat myself on the edge of the bed. As I looked at him I could see that my first surmise had been correct. There were tension lines around his dark brown eyes and his full lips were pulled tightly together.

“How have you been?” I asked cautiously.

His reply was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. Sister Agata brought in a tray carrying wine and bread and placed it with a knowing smile on the little table.

“Thank you, sister,” I said. Giovanni nodded his thanks as I poured us both a glass of wine. My busy morning had left me parched.

“Fine, yes I’m fine.” He paused and I waited patiently for him to extrapolate. As if he could no longer remain sitting he jumped up and paced over to the window. Too high for me to see out, his direct gaze took him outside to the abbey’s little garden. Late autumn now; I knew the trees would be shedding their leaves, the last of the summer fruit long gone.

“You are familiar with the Torregrossa family,” he said it as a statement, not a question. I nodded. Although I had only been involved in Florentine society for three years, the name was a prominent one, and I heard it often in my dealings with both the lower class and the merchant class.

“Yes. Armando Torregrossa is a merchant, is he not? Quite a successful one?”

Giovanni nodded in agreement then waited for me to expatiate.

“His son Matteo I have heard is an intelligent boy, although lazy.” I spoke freely in front of Giovanni, aware that he expected the truth from me. “There are concerns that he won’t be able to maintain the family business when he inherits it. And the daughter, Vittoria. I hear she is very beautiful, wilful. She has many admirers.” I suddenly remembered something. “But it is your own brother she is engaged to, no?”

Giovanni looked surprised.

“How...? Ah, Of course it is your that your work brings to you all manner of information.”

I raised my hands in mock supplication, as if the gossip that accompanied my work was beyond my control.

“I really should have known,” he continued, “it is the reason that I have come here. I need your help.”

I was surprised. In the three years that I had known Giovanni he had never once asked me for anything. I owed him so much, everything he had done for me since that day when he first found me in the woods, that he still did for me by paying my board at the abbey.

“Whatever I can do.”

“You said that Vittoria Torregrossa is engaged to my brother Silvio, but this is not entirely correct. She was engaged to him.”

“Oh, I see. Has the wedding been called off then?”

“In a manner of speaking. Vittoria Torregrossa is dead and Silvio is being blamed for her murder.”

“Murder?” I gasped. “What...? How...? When...?”

“Last night,” Giovanni replied taking a gulp from his wine. “I see you have been out this morning, but even Florentine gossip does not move that quickly.”

And so begins the exciting (and so humble is the author!)tale of mystery and intrigue as our killer strikes again and Ana and Giovanni are left chasing a murdering madman around Renaissance Florence. It's all engines go, I tell you!

Hope you've enjoyed the snippet and remember, as with everything I post on here the story is copyright to me 2010.

Ciao for now!!

Kirsty x

Victorian Vignettes

2010-08-21T13:15:00.007+10:00

It all started a few weeks, or maybe months ago when I went to the doctor. In the waiting room I discovered they have a book shelf where you can borrow a book and return it next time you come there. They all looked fairly new (our doctor's surgery only opened up this year) and not too germ-infested so I took one home. It was The Curse of the Kings by Victoria Holt.

As you can probably guess it was about the mummies of Ancient Egypt. However, it was set in Victorian England. And thus, it was the beginning of my new relationship with Victorian England literature and culture. I have taught Victorian History once before and I must say I'm ashamed to admit it now, but I found the whole thing a bit of a snooze (can't imagine my students were that inspired either!!), but now I'm loving it! I wish I could go back and teach it all again - how different it would be!

So after I finished the Kings I started reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. If you haven't read this book, then you should.
Really. Source: Amazon(And I purposely chose the DVD cover instead of the book because I'm unashamedly in love with Colin Firth. Don't tell the Captain).

Definitely.
Absolutely.

I read somewhere that you become smarter if you read Jane Austen and that is so like, totally, far-out for real! The language may seem like a deterrent, especially if you're used to more candy pop-fiction with contemporary lingo (à la Oscar Wao), but once you get started it's fantastic! And so witty, I had no idea (sorry if I'm sounding like a literary nitwit at this point, but I'm being honest!) What I also didn't realise (again, another nitwit alert -stop reading now if you're already offended by my Austen autism) is that Bridget Jones is so totally based on this story. I knew that Sense and Sensibility and Clueless shared the same storyline, but didn't realise it with this one. Right down to the stuck-up, yet misunderstood Mr Darcy (and Colin Firth of course!)

After I finished Pride and Prejudice, I started on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Now this one I had read before, but many moons ago (back when it was compulsory HSC reading).

(Again with the DVD cover because I have a thing for Timothy Dalton - truly the best Heathcliff in my mind :)

Source: Amazon

Wuthering Heights is not the same style as Pride and Prejudice which is more witty and flippant in tone. Wuthering Heights is much more tragic and the writing reflects that. If you're not sure of the story I suggest you download Kate Bush's rendition. Man that song says it all...

Heathcliff, it's me Cathy, I've come home....

My Victorian tastebuds were tickled. So we borrowed The Wolfman. We thought that with a cast like Benicio del Toro (yum!), Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving it was going to be a sure hit.

Source: Amazon

It wasn't.

I mean, it was easy to watch and had all the dark, stereotypical imagery of Victorian England but totally lacked in engaging dialogue and intriguing plot development. Very predictable, not all that great.

Finally our sojourn into the 19th century ended with another movie: Sherlock Holmes.
Source: Amazon

Brilliant.

Absolutely fantastic.

Totally made up for the disappointment that was Wolfman. The acting, the humour, and the settings were all spot on. Can't wait to read the books now.

Anyway, I've been so inspired by this little bit of Victorian culture (more or less :) that I've decided to do a history post on it.

Coming soon....

Kirsty x

Catarrh and Fievre

2010-08-17T09:11:00.004+10:00

Well, it's official. The "cold" that I have been battling for the past two weeks is officially the flu. How do I know this? Because I ache. All over. And my throat still hurts. And I sound like a dog when I cough.
And to top it all off, as if the mucous that was oozing from my nose and throat wasn't enough, it's now coming from my eyes too!
That's right folks.
I have conjunctivitis.
An illness I haven't had since I was a child. But instead of making me feel nostalgic for the lost days of yesteryear, it makes me feel sad.
And itchy.
And goopy.
The only good thing is that the four bright eyes that grace my babies' faces are blissfully free of such goop and gunge that are now characterising my own.

I'm off to the doctor this afternoon so that I can get a medical certificate so that the Captain can stay home and look after me. I think I'll ask for it to say that I have catarrh. It sounds so much more exotic than the flu, don't you think? I wonder if my doctor will also draw a little skull...just for effect.

The kids and I caught up with my mother's group on Friday (before the catarrh had fully formed and the pus started leaking from my eyes) and one of the ladies there, who has just had her second baby asked me in all incredulity: "How do you do it at home every day with the two kids?"
And my answer was relatively simple. It was how we had always done it. Unlike her daughter who has just finished her child care and is now at home fulltime, my son has always been at home with me and has learnt how to entertain himself and thankfully, does not mind a number of days at home in a row. I understood from my friend, that her daughter doesn't like this one bit.
Today though I have to tell you, I fell so crappy that a child care service would be just great. As it is, we have Thomas the Tank Engine on DVD. Four hours of it.

I think I might also ask my doctor for the medical certificate to say fievre - much more exciting than a plain old fever. I wonder if there is an olde-timey way of saying conjunctivitis? Goop eye? Sticky eye? Custard eye? (Sorry for those of you who like custard, but it's really what the stuff coming out of my eye looks like).

Anyway, I hope you're all well and surviving the cold winds that are characteristic of this time of year. I'm sure if we lived on the moors like Cathy and Heathcliff (more on them later) then it would be romantic. As it is, we don't.
And so it's not.
It's cold.
And annoying.

Love always,
The Neurophile x

Wish I May, Wish I Might...

2010-08-13T18:58:00.015+10:00

As my thirtieth birthday (or the dirty thirty as one friend so charmingly put it recently) fast approaches...in fact, it seems to be bearing down on me like pack of dogs on a juicy piece of rump (no visuals necessary, please)....I've been thinking about some dreams pieces I'd really like to receive for my birthday. And I'll warn you now, this daydream seems to have crash tackled into my other daydream about a dream house. So, here are some of the pretty things I'd like to see brighten up my life for my thirtieth birthday (or anytime in the next few years - I'm not pushy).

I love this crisp white and blue trim tablecloth...and very neat and orderly garden. Sigh I'll have one of those too please!

Source: Coco Cozy Interiors

Beautiful hydrangeas. They've been on so many blogs that I surf lately that I want some too!!

Source: Flowers Basket

I love this whole room but I was actually drawn to the cane table at the bottom of the pic. Love it!

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Bright and fun coloured mirror collection.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

This is where the daydreams collide - I love this library, this beautiful, harmonious collection of books and knick knacks. Yes please, Captain!!

Source: Coco Cozy Interiors

Another gorgeous mirror - I think I might be channeling Narcissus for my thirtieth birthday...

Souce: Country Living

Anything at all from the following two pictures. I'm not fussy, I'll take any of it. Thanks! Although I do really love those blue arm chairs in the second pic. I have no blue furniture and I find this a sad fact that needs instant rectifying.

Source (both pics): Molly Frey Designs

Or this chair. I told you, I'm not fussy. Really I'm not.

Source: Oliveaux

And this clip that I found at Megan Morton's blog Home Love (whose book of the same name I have recently devoured cover-to-cover) that I wanted to share with you. It's not got anything to do with my birthday, except perhaps that it looks like a lovely way to spend a day. It's actually an advertisement for a furniture brand Dedon, but I think it's the way life should be. Enjoy!

Kirsty x

Why?

2010-08-09T19:08:00.003+10:00

1. Why do two and a half year old boys think that tipping water out of the cat's bowl and then proceeding to sprinkle it with litter all over the laundry floor and producing the following result fun?

2. Why am I always the only one at home when this happens?

3. Why is this laundry clean up then followed by a spilt milkshake all over my glorious (ha!) kitchen chairs and floor?

4. Why does this all happen before 9.30 in the morning?

5. Why does all this happen and then the baby wakes up crying?

6. Why did I think it would be a great idea to be a stay at home mum and not put my kids in childcare and go back to work like all the sane mothers do?

7. Why don't the kids nap at the same time?

8. Why does my dirty washing breed like rabbits in the spring time?

9. Why doesn't my laundry look like this?

10. Why do I still have a really bad cold when I truly am a healthy person?

11. Why does my poor little boy share the same cold, at the same time?

12. Why haven't they developed cold and flu tablets that are safe to take when breastfeeding?

13. Why, oh why do children go from one day to simply accepting everything you tell them with a lovely "yes mum," to suddenly answering every question, statement, comment, phrase, joke, snort or groan with "why??"

Kirsty x

Shadows and cabbages

2010-08-05T18:32:00.003+10:00

Hi all. Not much has been happening around our house this week. I've got another killer cold (it's the most times sick I've ever been - I blame the little people in my life) so we've been having a quiet week. We went out to the Belconnen Markets this morning, just because I thought we needed to get out and that it was a place where I could probably control my son with the added bonus of a great cafe and a huge park. My mother-in-law made a surprise visit and ended up coming with us. I wanted to buy some flowers and when I saw these beauties I had to have them.

She told me they were ornamental cabbages. Once I got them home I discovered that they also share another characteristic with the brassica brethren - they're a bit woofy. As in on the nose. So if you're going to get them, do what I did and get them when you're sick and can't smell a thing!!

Once home, my son and I made some cheese muffins (so good and so easy too - 1 cup self-raising flour, 1 cup cheese, 1 cup milk, paprika - I also added some ham just to mix it up) then sat in the one sliver of sun we get in our living room and ate about twenty of them. Here we are.

Off to the gong for the weekend, so I hope you all have a good one.

Kirsty x

In Love with Graphics!

2010-08-02T19:41:00.005+10:00

I have been playing around online this evening, dressing up the old blog a little and I must write a little post about the Graphics Fairy. I think she is just incredible and she has the best vintage clip art I've ever seen!! All of the new pics on my blog are from her site, and I most happily acknowledge that! Here is just a small collection of some of my favourites from her site. Hope you love them as much as I do!

A gorgeous pic that would make a great Mother's Day card.

Sweet Valentine's Day.

Boy's best friend.

Because nothing screams woman like a bat! (Actually I really like bats, so that's why I chose this Victorian lady!)
Very cute!

Adorably pensive.

Man in the Moon.

Ballerina girls.

There are thousands more that I could keep looking all night long! Instead I'm going to have a shower and enjoy some quiet time with the Captain.

Kirsty x

Garden of Good Spirits

2010-08-02T16:54:00.005+10:00

At the risk of this blog turning into a (morbid?? me? never!) history lesson, I've decided to post some pics from around the truly, non-morbid garden today. I wanted to take a stack of photos yesterday when we went to the Hall Markets - a fantastic and fun local, country market here in Canberra, but other than this photo:

And this one:

I didn't have much success. That's because it was literally 7 degrees up there, with wind and rain keeping me too huddled to even take my hands out of my pockets. Actually that's a lie. I didn't have pockets because when we left home it was sunny so I didn't take a coat. Oh, when will I learn? Always, always take a coat in Canberra!! Anyway, for the hour that we braved it there we had a nice enough time.

So, here are some lovely shots of the plants and flowers around my garden. My jovial jonquils just waiting to bloom:

I think this is wisteria. It's growing on our garage wall and on our makeshift pergola. I think it looks positively merry!

Lovely, cheery, healthy looking red Nandina in the front garden:

The approaching, jolly storm:

And finally the cheerful, little posey I made from the garden flowers:

Rumour has it that there is happy snow covering the mountains. We may even get it here. Here's hoping!!

Kirsty x

PS Paola, thanks for the comment - please keep posting them!! x

The Black Death 101

2010-07-31T11:02:00.009+10:00

Source: history.howstuffworks.com

Where are our dear friends now? Where are the beloved faces? Where are the affectionate words, the relaxed and enjoyable conversations? What lightning bolts devoured them? What earthquake topped them? There was a crowd of us, now we are almost alone. We should make new friends, but how, when the human race is almost wiped out; and why, when it looks to me as if the end of the world is at hand?

Petrarch wrote these words in 1350, two years after the outbreak of the Black Death or the Black Plague as it is also called. This term is a relatively new one and refers to the horrible outbreak of plague that ripped through European and Islamic society in the 14th century. It also returned in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries as well, although not as bad as that initial outbreak.

It is believed that the plague began in Asia and travelled along the trade routes of Asia Minor, the Middle East and into Europe and England. The major trade route that connected India to Persia would have been the likely source of it reaching the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It moved through Egypt, North Africa and came into Europe through Messina, in Sicily. This is where we have our first primary accounts of it reaching Italy in 1347.

Source: tea.state.tx.us

As students of the history, we are fortunate to have been left behind a variety of primary sources in regards to the plague. Not only Italian writers such as Petrarch and Boccacio (famous for his plague-inspired Decameron) but also Islamic scholars such as Ibn Khalund, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalari and Ibn Battuta. From France we have the writings of Jean de Venette and Jean Froissart.

These different writers refer to the plague in a number of ways. The term Black Death, as mentioned, is a new one and the plague was often referred to as: the great pestilence, the great death, the universal plague, the plague of the kindred, the great plague and so on.

The Black Death was generally believed to have been a strain of the bubonic plague, borne by the fleas on black rats, but this notion has been disreputed in recent times. Unlike the Black Death the bubonic plague is characterised by the swelling of the lymph glands. Michael Platiensis (1347) gives us an account of what the symptoms and process of the plague was like.

In their bones they bore so virulent a disease that anyone who only spoke to them was seized by a mortal illness and in no manner could evade death. The infection spread to everyone who had any contact with the diseased. Those infected felt themselves penetrated by a pain throughout their whole bodies and, so to say, undermined. Then there developed on the thighs or upper arms a boil about the size of a lentil which the people called "burn boil." This infected the whole body and penetrated it so that the patient violently vomited blood. This vomiting of blood continued without intermission for three days, there being no means of healing it and the patient expired.
(Quoted in Johannes Nohl, "The Black Death", trans. C.H.Clarke, London, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1926).

The devastating effects of the plague are realised not only in the massive decline in population through out the known world, but in other areas of society as well. Firstly, though, let's look at just how much damage the Black Death did to European and Middle Eastern populations. Estimates at exactly how many people died in the plague of 1348 varies considerably. Conservative historians place it approximately 35 million people dead in Europe alone. It is believed that up to two thirds of the populations of many of the major European cities was struck down by the plague from 1348-1350. Other sources say that between one quarter and one third of the the populations of Europe and the Islamic world were lost to the Black Death. In Egypt the Marmluk's army was severely affected, this in turn was believed to be a contributing factor to the eventual loss of Egypt to the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century.

According to Joseph P. Byrne in "The Black Death" Pope Clement VI was informed that 28,840,000 people had died or about 31 per cent of the population of 75 million. Yet Byrne goes on to assert that these numbers are merely guesses as no one can know for sure how many people actually lived in Europe at this time. (There wasn't really a door-to-door census in those days). Boccaccio claimed 100,000 dead in Florence and Robert of Avesbury said over 200 died each day in London. Jean Venette believed that 500 died each day in Paris, Agnolo di Tura said that 52,000 died in Siena; Friar John Clynn reported 14,000 dead in Dublin; and a Flemish chronicler wrote that 62,000 died in Avignon in just three months. (Joseph P. Byrne, The Black Death, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004, p58

Whatever the true number it is certain that it was significant and the effects on society even more so. The responses in Europe were two-fold. Most people looked to the Bible as to why the plague was happening and the result was that Europe was being punished for the greed, avarice, pride, lust and other equally detrimental sins in which they were living their lives. The notion that God was striking down the sinners is also evident in the art contemporary to the plague.

Many people turned to the church for help and consolidation during the tragic times of the plague. We even see the return of the self-flagellants, a group of people who would travel around meting out their own self-punishment. The church always condemned self-flagellation, however it was still a recurring phenomenon in times of tragedy.

Reactions to the plague weren't just increased piety and religious devotion.
Boccaccio's Decameron is famous for conveying a different reaction, that of the devil-may-care attitude. Boccaccio says "they practiced what they preached" drinking heavily and roaming gaily from house to house, tavern to tavern. Those who could afford to quickly fled the cities and retired to their country estates, where they could live in seclusion and isolation and still enjoy a more than comfortable life.
Elizabeth I was one such dignitary who fled to the country in an attempt to avoid the plague as did the Sultan of Egypt. This latter case is an unusual one as, unlike Christianity, Islamists saw the plague as a form of martyrdom from Allah. Those who died from the plague would be admitted instantly into paradise. Obviously, the Sultan didn't agree!

In response to the lack of action by the church and lack of assistance from general doctors and apothecaries (due to the unknown nature of the plague) there also developed a rise in supernatural ways of dealing with the plague. Spells, amulets, chants, prayers, magic squares and more became quite popular in both the Christian and the Islamic world in an attempt to ward off the plague. I think we can even safely assume that the dissatisfaction of people toward the church during the plague continued to grow and this combined with the notion that God was punishing people for their sins were both contributing factors in the Reformation two centuries later.

Economic consequences were many, the most obvious being the closing down of shops and businesses. Shops, factories, even taverns were all brought to a production stand-still. With this came the hald in food production and the decrease in provisions brought in from nearby countrysides. In turn, the poor food situation led to higher deaths and the higher demand for food led to inflated prices. Those who worked the farms were able to demand higher wages due to the scarcity of healthy workers. Likewise doctors and apothecaries were able to charge exorbitant prices for their services. New healers and doctors sprung up all over the place, most of them uneducated but with some knowledge in herbal and natural remedies. Here is a famous picture of a doctor wearing his "beaked" mask to prevent catching the plague. The mask is filled with specific herbs for warding off the pestilence.
Source: The Medieval World
Health committies were set up in many of the large cities and governments did as much as they could (in many instances) to try and prevent, and then contain, the spread of plague. Venice in particular prided itself on its ability to block off entrance into the islands, however this did not stop the spread of plague in the end.

A tremendous shift in the consciousness of the medieval people due to the Black Death also contributed to the budding movement soon to sweep through Europe's lands. The Renaissance, that magnificent re-birth of classical belief and art can be linked to the Black Death in that people no longer wanted to live their life with the afterlife in mind, but rather to enjoy their time on earth for their own sake. Other significant consequences of the Black Death include changes in law and legislation, a shift away from medieval social structure, agriculture, economics, work and land entitlements and more. For more information on this, see Joseph P. Byrne The Black Death, chapter 4 'Effects of the Black Death on European Society.'

Anyway, I could go on and on about the Black Death and will expand on this further at a later date. This is really just the tip of the plague's iceberg. Hope you enjoy your breakfast!

Kirsty x

Malaria not poison killed Medici

2010-07-22T08:35:00.002+10:00

An interesting case has been solved regarding one of the Medici clan - Francesco I and his wife Biana Cappello. Read the full article here.

It's really incredible that we can do forensic tests on people long dead (almost five hundred years in this case) but I have to wonder if it doesn't tread a little bit on my own feelings of ethical behavious. I'm not an archaeologist and my interest in that area is purely amateur and theoretical. I love to learn new discoveries and so on but in cases like this I have to wonder what's the price?
I don't know, call me old fashioned but should the dead not be left to lie in peace? Isn't that the whole point of dying - to rest in peace? But then, as a historian what wouldn't we know, what secrets would still remain hidden from us if we didn't go digging around in the past? It's a quandry of Medicean proportions, I assure you.

Kirsty x

Italian Renaissance 101

2010-07-21T13:56:00.007+10:00

I'm going back to my roots as a history student and teacher and blogger of historical fiction to bring you the first of a series of posts on the Italian Renaissance. I'd like to just state for the record that if you found yourself here by googling the term "italian renaissance" by all means use these posts as background information and although I am a qualified teacher of the subject I am not a published author so you probably shouldn't source me in your bibliography. Most of the info comes from my own brain but if I'm referring to someone else's ideas, etc, I'll source it for you, with a link where possible.

And this work of mine is copyrighted 2010 so please don't cut and paste this info into your papers as that's just plagiarism and really not cool. Plus my own musings will probably come into it, as will any side comments and totally biased opinions I may have that you may not necessarily share. So go the hard yards, do the research and write the darn thing yourself!
If you have any questions though or want ideas on books or other sources please email me. Oh, one more thing - if it's the French Renaissance you're looking for this blog here is really great.

So let's begin.

The Italian Renaissance is generally considered to begin in the late 14th century (after the Black Death) and end during the middle 16th century (around the beginning of the Reformation). It refers to a time of great cultural and social change as European society moved out of the Middle Ages and into a new era of enlightenment and change. The term renaissance is a French one meaning reborn. In Italian the term is il rinascimento.

The Italian artists and writers of the late 14th century Giotto, Boccaccio, Petrarch and Dante are considered amongst the forerunners of the enlightened souls who were at the birth of the Renaissance. Although these men came from different places it was the city of Florence where they found patronage and acceptance.

Florence is often called "the cradle of the Renaissance" because it was the city that most strongly supported the development of new ideas and encouraged the looking back to antiquity. Fundamentally, the Renaissance examined the literary works of the ancient Greeks and Romans, works that had long lay doramnt in the minds of the medieval Europeans. These works included Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Homer, Cicero, Pliny, Plutarch, amongst others. These ancient writers were revived and revered by the new emerging writers of the 14th century and hailed as literary and artistic inspiration. Much of the works written, painted, sculpted and otherwise created during the Renaissance take their inspiration not only from the writings of ancient Greeks and Romans but also from Greek and Roman mythology.

Some of the most prominent artists during the Italian Renaissance include Michelangelo Buonarotti famous, amongst other things for his painting of the Sistine Chapel (and the glorious Creation of Adam scene) The Sistine Chapel (ceiling) - Michelangelo Buonarotti - 1508-1512

and his giant statue David;

Sandro Botticelli of La Primavera and The Birth of Venus fame
The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli - c1485-87

Donatello, Masaccio, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Filippo and Filippino Lippi and Giovanni Bellini.

The architect Filippo Brunelleschi is the genius behind the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, a creation that astounded artists, humanists and mathematicians alike. His development of linear perspective was crucial to Renaissance architecture. And truly, he was the only one who could get that enormous dome to stay put on top of the church. A competition was run and his design was chosen as the winning one - it was like the X Factor of the 15th century!

Santa Maria del Fiore(dome) - Filippo Brunellechi - 1418

One of the most significant and influential figures of the Renaissance is of course, the world-famous, incomparable, omnipotent, Leonardo da Vinci. Artist, sculptor, writer, engineer, inventor, mathematician, physicist, and more, da Vinci took the notion of a renaissance man to a whole other level. His level of genius and the contributions he made not only to Florentine society (in fact despite being trained there very little of his working life was spent in Florence) but to Italian society as a whole are staggering. It is, however for the following work that Leonardo da Vince is so fondly remembered:

Mona Lisa - Leonardo da Vinci - 1503-1519

The notion of humanism is an important one in understanding the Renaissance but what exactly is it? That's a pretty loaded question that really requires a post all on its own (maybe one day, I've already got a ton of other renaissance-based posts planned). Basically, in a nutshell I suppose, humanism puts man at the centre of his (or her) own universe. Riding on the back of the Middle Ages and the Black Death where God and the Church were all, that the afterlife was the key to living this life, the people involved in the movement of humanism during the renaissance decided to start living their lives for themselves. Man is the measure of all things. An idea that man (and I use this term here in place of human - although women weren't necessarily an integral cog in the whole humanism/renaissance wheel they did play their part. But that is definitely another post for another time) could live his life as he wanted to, to enjoy the here and now and not necessarily focus on the afterlife as an end reward. They became active participants in the world around them, making contributions to society and being responsible for their actions.
Humanism also plays its part in the development of art during the renaissance. The book European Art of the Fifteenth Century explains "the humanists rediscover the values of moderation, reason and a sense of proportion."

One of the men most highly regarded as being a benefactor of humanism is Lorenzo de Medici.

Lorenzo de Medici - Andrea del Verrocchio, 1480

Lorenzo il magnifico was the grandson of Cosimo de Medici, a Florentine banker who was considered the grandfather of the renaissance. Lorenzo himself, however, is the one accredited with patronage and support of some of the city's finest artists, writers and humanists. As Francesco Guicciardini stated: "'if Florence was to have a tyrant she could never have found a better or more delightful one." (From, Hibbert, C. The House of The Medici: Its Rise and Fallp 157).
Lorenzo not only patronised and commissioned works he also supported the overseas expeditions that searched for the lost texts of the classical Greeks. Important historical occurences such as the fall of Constantinople in 1458 saw a huge influx of Greek humanists from Turkey into Italy and mainland Europe, some bringing with them books, artefacts and other important artefacts that brought the classics to the forefront of the renaissance mind.

Alright, I'm going to leave it there today but I'm on a roll so stayed tuned for more updates in the history of the Italian Renaissance. I hope you've learnt something today!!

Kirsty

Struck down

2010-07-20T15:17:00.003+10:00

Well what can I say other than it's been an interesting few days. The Captain had to go away for army on the weekend so I invited my sister and her daughter (who's 8 months younger than my little boy) to come and hang out with us for the weekend. A nice girly weekend, I thought. (My son is such a mama's boy, he's just like one of the girls). I had lots of fun things planned. A nice trip up to the little shops at Gold Creek, maybe a visit to the train at Weston Park if the weather was nice, and a trip to the mall to buy the Captain's birthday present.
So I met my sister at the train station on Friday morning and we brought them back to our place. We had a great day playing and catching up. Then Friday night disaster struck and the whole weekend changed its pace.
My poor sister (who won't let me post any pics of her on my blog - can't imagine why) came down with the dreaded gastro. She was up all night, poor thing. I, of course, had no idea. Even though I got up to my own hungry, nuzzly (is that a word?) baby I didn't hear a thing. It wasn't until 7 the next morning that I discovered the extent of the damage. It was too much for me to handle alone. I was in way over my head. I needed reinforcements.
So I called my ever-loving, ever-supportive mother who made the three hour mercy dash in great time. My sister spent much of Saturday recovering and her husband came down on Saturday night to take them home the next day.
Sunday dawned however and with it came my own experience of the crippling stomach pains and vomiting. I won't bore you with too many details but between the two of us, it wasn't a pretty (or nice smelling) picture. My sister and her family finally headed home Sunday afternoon, but my mother, saviour that she is stayed to look after me. The Captain didn't return home til almost 6. Mum headed back home Monday morning and the Captain took the day off work to watch his poor, miserable, recovering wife. And the crappy thing is I'm still recovering. It hasn't even gone yet!!
To add insult to injury (that's right - there's more!) my poor little boy got hit with a bad cold, but thankfully not the tummy bug. There's nothing worse for a mother than a sick child. There's very little to make a mum feel better. Except maybe this...(Sorry for the poor quality of the pic, the Captain took this pic without the flash. And yes, my beautiful boy is asleep!)

A big thank you to my loving husband for looking after us, and I promise you will get a birthday present. And a party. And a cake. I love you!

Kirsty x

Jack Frost

2010-07-13T15:28:00.005+10:00

This is how it's been looking in the capital lately. Needless to say, there have been a few days indoors. Today is freezing, cloudy and misty (the bottom photos). This first one shows a good day. Yes there is frost on the ground but it's sunny. An infinitely better alternative to no frost and cloud and mist. Infinitely. My son has become obsessed with Jack Frost after he hit Percy during a cold night and left a big icicle on his nose. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, never mind. Neither do I half the time!

That one was me being a bit spesh. I like it!

Crazy cockies!

The delightful smell of our neighbour's fire. I love it!! The perfect weather for enchiladas courtesy of The Pioneer Woman methinks.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to send a big THANK YOU out to Dave from Climate Master (who I'm sure is reading this blog with fervour and anticipation). Dave was the sweet, sweet man who came to fix our temperamental and neurotic, middle-aged central heating system and told it to play nice. And now it does. Ahhhh. Love you Dave!

Hope you're all keeping warm!

Kirsty x

Writing in the 21st Century

2010-07-09T19:51:00.003+10:00

I'm writing this post from my mother's house in Wollongong. The Captain and I packed up the truck (and I mean packed - the poor cat barely had enough room in the back!) and hit the road to the 'gong yesterday. We're here for the school holidays and also because tomorrow is the celebration for my grandmother's 80th birthday party (but that's another blog for another day).

I must say the great thing about technology is being able to stay in touch online wherever you may be. I guess that's also the worst thing about it. There are two articles I read in the paper here at my mum's that I wanted to share from the Sun Herald.

This is an excerpt from Gretel Killeen's column entitled Plane truth about high-level cleverness.
She wrote this article from the plane on the way to London.
______________________________________________

The fact is you don't choose to be a writer. A writer needs to write to feel normal. To be a writer means thatyou're at the same time a romantic and a cynic, believing that absolutely anything is possible, and as a result constantly breaking your own heart. To be a writer means you're a membrane and a messenger. It's your function to see things, feel things and translate things that most people in our society are unaware of until you point them out. This means, of course, that you must be sensitive, which also means you're a constant pain in the arse. To be a writer can mean you need constant reassurance...which you never believe. To be a writer means you can rationalise why a character can spontaneously turn into a lizard and fly, but be confounded when someone doesn't reply to an email. To be a writer means you can make something out of absolutely nothing - just like magic. To be a writer means that you can agonise over whether to add an exclamation mark to a text message that says"I love you" - and then accidentally send the message to your accountant.
__________________________________________________________

The second article that caught my attnetion was one on happy marriages and how to maintain them in the 21st century. The question of technology came up. As I already said, having access to the World Wide Web wherever you go, laptops, computers, even phones, can be a double edged sword. This article posited the question is alright to take your laptop with you when going away together for a romantic weekend? Or should you send a text (or read one for that matter) during a romantic dinner? Where should we draw the line with our access technology? At what point does the internet and all the many wonders that it holds go from being god-send, can'-live-without-it, to all-consuming, personality-destroying addiction? And what is being sacrificed in favour of technology? I'm sitting here clacking away on a faulty keyboard with a space bar that doesn't work properly whilst the Captain sits alone on the lounge reading a book. I'm not suggesting that every minute should be spent with your partner and the Captain and I certainly have our quality time together(we insist upon it) but for some couples it's the norm. And certainly for some singles too. I just hope that we remember to recognise the limitations of technology and in particular the internet. Yeah it's great to get an email, to keep intouch via facebook and so on, but nowhere near as good as a hug from your child or a conversation and a meal with loved ones. That said I'm going to go and lay with my husband.

Kirsty x

Layman's Alchemy

2010-07-05T18:40:00.003+10:00

I heard this term (layman's alchemy) in a book I just finished reading and it struck something inside of me. I like the idea of everyday magic, or layman's alchemy. Some sort of magic that exists around us everyday if we're open and receptive to it. Some people, I guess, might considerate it a sort of faith, whether it be in God, life, people, chocolate, whatever. Others may view it like fate or signs, omens that good - or bad - things are happening. I like that. I don't have much organised religion in my life but I do believe in magic. And fate. And destiny. And maybe even God, whoever that may be.

I suppose that everyday magic could also be the simple fact of being open to our instincts. It's hard in this day and age (gee, do I sound like a grandma???) to take the time to follow our insticts, listen to what our heart, or soul, tells us. So often we are second guessing ourselves, not trusting what it is that we, as individuals, believe to be true and right. Too often do we find ourselves trying to live up to other people's expectations or caring what others may think of us to follow our own dreams and desires. And sometimes, we just don't listen to ourselves enough that we don't even know what those dreams and desires may be. There's no reason to limit them. Dream big people!

Sometimes I think that meeting my husband was magic. It all happened so quick, a sort of whirlwind that took us, and most of our friends and family by surprise. We were engaged only six months after we met, then married a year later. It was crazy, intense, completely irrational. It was also perfect and magic. Since then, the magic has continued to grow with our two beautiful and precious children. Having the time at home with them gives me the opportunity to reflect on the everyday magic that surrounds us. Ours is not a rushed life. It is not an overly busy one, nor one filled with high levels of stress. Although some days I'd give anything for a large G&T and a cigarette. But it is perfect. Just the way I like it. I wouldn't change a single thing about it.

Being a mum for the first (and second) time has been a magical time, but for a lot of it my instinct has been uncooperatively quiet. Before I had my son I'd never been around babies, never held one, never changed one, had no idea how to soothe or comfort one. Any instinct I may have had for child rearing was long buried under the more important survival instincts of what colour to dye my hair and which shoes I should wear with which skirt. And yet, somehow, here I am. Daily surrounded by magic. Layman's alchemy. Magically I have swapped my hair dye and nail polish for nappies and wonder suits (well not really, I still dye my hair and paint my nails) and I'm so lucky that I have the chance to watch even more magic unfold everyday before my eyes. Watching my children grow and learn is the most beautiful, precious thing I could ever have imagined.

Today my daughter had her first set of immunisations. Oh the pain!! The poor little thing looked more afronted than anything else, I thought my heart was going to explode for her as I held her shaking little body in my arms. She turned her head toward my chest and nuzzled me for comfort (and probably milk too) and I comforted her. On pure instinct.

Keep your eyes open to it. There's plenty of crap and pain on the news, plenty of reality on the tv, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about magic, real soul-turning, gut-wrenching, spine-tingling layman's alchemy. It's out there, I promise. You know it. You might call it déjà vu, or premonition. You might have felt an undescribable feeling to pause and wait thus narrowly missing a car accident. A feeling that you've met someone before, or have an instant bond or connection with someone you've only just met. Trust it. Acknowledge it. It's everyday magic.

Oh and for those of you who are wondering, the book I read was Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris. A definite must if you need to get away from it all and find a little slice of magic for an hour or two.

Kirsty x

The not-so healing properties of milk

2010-06-29T09:18:00.007+10:00

They say that Cleopatra had fantastic skin and looked like she was 16 even when she was actually 104 all due to her milk baths. The healing properties and anti-aging properties in milk baths have long been known. The French believe it gives you firmer, softer skin. Well in that case, I should be looking like this:

That's because I've been spewed on more times in the last two months than the floor of a pub. And yet, I'm still looking more like this:

Hmmm, perhaps because it's breastmilk and not cow's milk. I'll have to look into that. I also wonder if Cleo washed it off, or perhaps a milk bath doesn't give that curdled smell that regurgitated breast milk gives. And I've geard regurgitated formula is even worse.

We've also entered into the age of poo-namis. Those of you who have kids know what I'm talking about. The poos that go all the way up the back, out the legs and if you're really lucky up the front too and onto you whilst you're feeding. Love those ones! I know it's a small consolation that everything is working as it should, but is it really that necessary? Especially at 4.07 am in the middle of winter?

I gave Nico a haircut this morning. Last time I gave him one he looked like David Spade in Joe Dirt but this time I used the Captain's clippers. Much better. Check out this cutie-patootie....

Ok so not the best pic especially with the mouthful of banana, but the hair is an improvement, trust me (wouldn't you trust this person?)

Fringe

2010-06-27T15:38:00.008+10:00

Those of you who know me were probably a bit suspicious about the whole "I haven't been on here for ages because of playgroups and baking" line and you'd be right to suspect my lame excuse. Both babes go to bed at about 6-6.30 so what exactly have I been doing with my time? Well, it's funny you should ask. The Captain and I have become obsessed (as we tend to do because tv is so crap) with the first season of Fringe. Now for those of you who don't know the tv show that's ok because I'm going to tell you about it.
Agent Olivia Dunham is an FBI agent working in Boston for a special unit. After a series of 'unexplained' crimes occurs (very X-Files I know!) she becomes privy to some information regarding The Pattern. This is what the head honchos are calling these strange occurences. Anyway with her crack pot team of Dr Walter Bishop (one of the funniest and complicated characters I've seen on tv in ages!!) - newly released from a mental institution after 17 years, his son Peter Bishop (also quite funny and of course, a genius who forged his way into MIT) and another Agent, Astrid Farnsworth (quite a cute character but pretty minor) Olivia unravels many mysteries and solves weird crimes. Most of them are linked back to a pharmaceuticals company called Massive Dynamic. It just so happened that Walter and the head of MD William Bell used to be lab partners a hundred years ago - convenient I know :) It also happens that whenthey were doing some testing on children 30 years ago, guess who got tested?? If you guessed Olivia you'd be right - (if you guessed Astrid, I already told you she's a minor character, pay attention!) Anyway Olivia was 3 years old when she was injected with a drug known as Cortexepham (or some such spelling) which apparently was meant to unleash her full potential, which in this case means travel to alternate realities. It is, I know, sounding very X-Files - meets Supernatural - meets Buffy (Olivia is blonde and can handle herself quite well in a fist fght), but with the added dimension of scientific and technological explanations, which I suppose if you don't know anything about that sort of thing (like me) makes it much more believable. Anyway, we've just finished watching season 1 and I'm totally ready for season 2. So that's where I've been hiding every night after 6.

I got a letter from the hospital the other day asking if I would help them with a trial for a new flu vaccine for babies and infants. They wanted to use my two month old daughter. Now I probably would have said no anyway (I know it's important to do the testing, but really who let's someone test on their baby???) but after my two week dose of Fringe and seeing what testing at a young age can do I sent back a resounding NO to them. And a copy of Fringe, season 1.

On a different note I've got a cold. A real humdinger. The kind that makes my voice sound like my alter ego Lionel, the chain-smoking transvestite and my nose drip like a tap. Which really leaves me with two options, constantly drippage or pieces of tissue stuffed up my nose (which entertains my son to no end - and no, blowing my nose as required like a normal person is not an option running after two kids). It actually reminds me of an episode of Fringe where the victim's brains liquified. Got the visual?

Only one week to go til school holidays - yippee!! Can't wait. Am already planning fun family days that cost little to no money. Is 10 degrees really too cold to go to the park??
Don't forget to check out Fringe if you're into Sci Fi tv with a humour factor to it.

Kirsty x

Times of usurption (is that a word?)

2010-06-26T19:34:00.003+10:00

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that during my return to bloggerland after a 35 year absence I forgot to comment on the big news that's been rocking us here in the 'berra (and probably the country, although I'm not too sure) during this last week. And no I'm not talking about the never ending debate about roo culling, although that is one tough issue around here. I'm talking about the loss of our not-so-revered leader, Kevin Rudd. And for those of you living under a rock, no he did not die, although I'm sure the poor bloke felt like it. He was overturned by his own people and replaced with deputy prime minister Julia Gillard. Now truly this is an auspicious moment for the Australian people - a female prime minister. I'm sure that blogs all over the internet have been buzzing with commentaries on this occurence and I'm going to throw my two cents worth in too. Only because my political opinion is widely respected around here. To tell the truth I feel really sorry for the guy. Mum and I were talking about it today and the truth of the matter is, he wasn't corrupt, he didn't make any monumental mistakes, he just sort of lost his way. And as this is an election year surely his own party members could have waited til the election had been called before presenting a new leader. I don't know if any of you saw his speech but goodness me it was heart wrenching. Very sad stuff. Poor bloke. I only hope Jules is aware of the position she now holds, not everyone will be happy with what can be construed ultimately by some (I'm being very diplomatic aren't I??) as a betrayal.

On a different note, toddler boy has begun exercising his right to not sleep in a sleeping bag or a nappy for that matter during his day time sleeps. We have yet to have any number 2 incidents during the time that I insist I stay in his cot, pantless and cold (I'm a tough mummy) but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before he exacts his revenge on me. No really, he seems quite content in there, revelling in his freedom, his naked glory bare for all the world (or at least his stuffed animals) to see. Perhaps someone should suggest such liberating and joyful practices to poor old Kevin.

I've just been informed that the new season of Doc Martic is on and baby girl has been asleep for like 5 hours and probably needs some form of sustenance, so better dash. Chin up Kevin, console yourself with these wise words from my dear mother - "Are the Australian people really so stupid that they would have voted for Tony Abbott?" Probably not, mother, probably not.

Ciao -

Kirsty x

PS did I mention how glad I am to be back??

Unexpected surprises

2010-06-26T17:32:00.005+10:00

Well who knew? You go away for a few weeks, spend some time with the kids, reading and stuff and you come back and Blogger has finally figured out that the templates and backgrounds they had were just plain boring!! I've had lots of fun playing with the new ones, as you can tell by my super-pretty new blog! The only problem is I don't like where the title is. I'd really prefer it in the middle. Any suggestions on how to centre it?

Anyway, life here has been pretty busy, you know with a new babe and all. And even though she's a trooper at sleeping during the night (only wakes for one feed!), she hasn't quite got the daytime napping down so well. Not that I'm complaining, ha! I'm terribly grateful for the night time sleeps :) But we've been busy with playgroup and just settling into some sort of routine with just me and the kids (while X is at work). Mum's down this weekend so while baby girl naps, she's hanging with big boy. So I get a chance to play on here. Actually I really did log on to do some writing, but you know me and distractions...What was I saying again? Oh right, writing.

I made the monumental decision to start a third novel the other day. I know, I know, finish the first one already! Good news is I'm back onto the original one, or rather the latest original one. For Tomorrow We May Die, which is also enjoying the new working title of Bad Omens (not quite as original but certainly less of a tongue twister!) - let me know which one you prefer. It's pretty much all planned out in my head now, which is a really novel idea. I like it. Having an idea of where the story is going (and perhaps leading into a second one) makes the writing much easier.

I've also discovered some interesting new websites on historical fiction. Once I've sussed them out a bit more I'll blog about them.

Projects at the homestead are well underway also. I've been doing some odd bits and pieces, painting and scrapping mostly. I got an awesome old wooden chair which I spray painted beautiful cherry red and I gotta tell ya, spray painting is the way to go! Check it out:

Before:

After:

It's soooo much easier than using paint and a brush (although not as much fun for toddler boy!) and the end result is much cleaner and shinier! Love it!!

Well, better dash and get some dinner ready, baths done, etc etc. I must say though, it's good to be back :)

Ciao for now ,

Kirsty x

Tempting excerpts

2010-05-18T12:42:00.006+10:00

I don't know how much time I'll have to write this post....both babes are fast asleep (phew - how on earth did I manage that one!!) and I've already been fritting away my time by looking at Outlander fans on Youtube. People are so dedicated to these books that they've already started making up mini movies, with characters and music and everything. Incredible. (If you're interested in seeing Jamie and Claire in the imagined flesh of lucifmello or Hadishadis you can check out their trailers here). Very tempting and tantalising indeed. But then again, I'm not sure if I want to see Jamie and Claire actualised - like most fans their physical appearances are firmly embedded in my own imagination.

I've also been reading up on Diana's own blog, catching up with what she's been doing. Those of you who know me, know I'm a huge fan and it was her books that inspired me to finally put one down and pick up a pen (or rather a keyboard, I hate writing with pen and paper anymore - it's just way too slow!!)

So, after reading some of her latest blogs I've been inspired to start writing again. Actually, that's not true, I started writing again before I read her blogs. I spent some of this morning (while my son was off playing with his grandmother) doing a description of Canberra for For Tomorrow We May Die. I've been compelled to go back to that one, and although the Second World War one is still developing in my mind I've accepted the fact that I can multitask (it's amazing what having kids can do for your organisational skills!) and actually work on more than one piece at a time. So as the characters slowly develop for that story (it's not really about the war, it's just set in that time period in Sydney - like Tomorrow it will be a crime/mystery), not to mention my plot development for the new Orpheus, I've gone back to Tomorrow to continue working on that story.

Currently I'm reading Disturbed Earth by Reggie Nadelson, which is set in post 9/11 New York. I've been really inspired by Nadelson's use of description in describing the city and decided that this is what Tomorrow is sorely lacking. Character development - check. Plot development - check. Cliffhangers - check. Setting??? Bom bom (for those of you who know the sound on Wheel of Fortune when the contestant guesses the wrong letter, that is what I was attempting to write there!)

So, what does all this mean? Basically, it means I"ve been sitting here at my laptop trying to describe a city that really I don't know much about (I've only ever lived in the 'burbs) and which in truth I don't find particularly interesting or inspiring. But, this city, ie Canberra, does grow on you, in much the same way that the tulips grow at Floriade every year. It's a pretty place, not particularly exciting but nice and liveable nonetheless. And I believe (with only a small trace of modesty, cough) that it would be much harder to write an interesting and captivating description of Canberra than say New York city, where the city is alive and exciting 24 hours a day. Here is a small (and copyrighted) snippet of what I've written about Canberra, ACT. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to hearing your feedback.

Although some people referred to Canberra as 'a big country town,' having come from a small country town, Senga knew that this was not the case. Here you could be totally anonymous. Despite being rather small for a city, it was astoundingly hard to meet people and make friends. Even Senga who had attended uni in Canberra, that social construct where late adolescents and young adults had every chance of meeting others, socialising, and forming all manner of relationships, could count her friends on one hand. A very small hand at that. Perhaps even one missing a couple of fingers.
But again, this said more about the girl than the city. Despite coming across as a cold, closed-off place to newcomers, once you had embroiled yourself in the society and culture of the place (if that was your intent) it took a surprisingly short amount of time before you knew everyone and their best friends. You knew the business of people who you had never met, could trace their relationships, work and social faux pas without ever having laid an eye on them. Canberra was a strange place like that. One day you could know no one, and the next bam! everyone knows you. Then just as quickly you could slip back into oblivion again. A transient city, that's what everyone called it. People came and went, the population changed, but the city never did.

Kirsty x

It's the final countdown...

2010-04-25T19:06:00.004+10:00

That's right folks, the countdown til the baby comes is officially on. Due to her size I'm going in for a caesarian this Wednesday morning, very exciting news.

We've been pretty busy around here this week. It was the Captain's and my anniversary the other day. Four wonderful years of marriage. Here's what I got.

The picture quality is pretty poor because I forgot to take a picture during the day and just ducked out now to take one. It's a lovely big bromeliad. I love it! Apparently four years is plants, fruit or electrical appliances. I must say I prefer this pretty lady over a new kettle or iron!!!

I've finally gotten the baby's nursery looking the way I want and I've finished decorating her lamp and stitching the bunting. I wanted to put navy blue letters on the bunting but because we can't decide on a name for the little one, it's still bare. Not sure how much time I'll have after she comes, but hopefully it'll get done one day!

And wouldn't you know it, the creative juices have started flowing again. It's as if my brain knows it's going to lose itself to baby brain very shortly so has to get as much out now as it possibly can. This is for my crime story set here in Canberra by the way (I know I can't expect you to keep up with my writing projects these days!!) and I'm actually really excited about it. Crazy I know!!

We went to the library yesterday and I borrowed a few books, hoping to spend these last few days lying around and reading. I also got a few baby names books but after scouring those am no closer to choosing a name. [Sigh]. Maybe we'll know when we see her....

Anyway, my son has just gone to sleep and I've got a few more scenes I'd like to write before my brain shuts down for the night.

Happy Anzac Day, KVettes - Lest we Forget....

Kirsty x

Autumn moments

2010-04-12T12:14:00.003+10:00

When we got up this morning it was 11 degrees - inside! I was so excited, until the central heating pad went blank and I thought it wasn't working. Thakfully it found its inner light and pumped out the good stuff. I love it. I love the cold weather after what felt like a hot, looooooong summer!! And it's meant to get down to 2 degrees tonight, that's right folks - 2 DEGREES!!!!!!!

We had some friends come to visit and play this morning and my boy got all tuckered out. He's sound asleep and I've decided to take some time for a cup of tea and a book on the lounge. We had a very cozy lunch with some friends yesterday and I borrowed a bagful of books - ambitious I know! So right now, I'm going to heat up my wheat pack (my back, she ain't doin' so good) and lay on the lounge and get lost in The Time Traveller's Wife.

Ahh, heaven.....

Kirsty x

The Secret Confession of a Scrapper

2010-04-10T10:47:00.005+10:00

That's right folks, you read it right, it's official. My name is Kirsty and I'm a scrapper.

For those of you who have turned up here looking for something else in this ambiguous title, I'm talking about scrapbooking (quick, run now while you still can!!)
I was at a friend's house yesterday and she showed me the two albums she has made for her daughters and they were just great! It seemed to me a fun, easy (as in no strenuous activity involved) activity that could fulfill my creative, nesting urges. I'm so far over the whole painting scene, it's not funny - thank god all those projects got finished! And there's only so many times I can redecorate this blog! (Do you like the new look? Courtesy of the Background Fairy).

So, last night the fam and I went over to the mall to check out some craft stores. I know, I move pretty fast given my behemoth size, but I was so excited to start. I bought two albums, brown for my son and purple for the baby. And they're both refillable so I can add more sheets.

Then I stocked up on paper. This was the hard part, I wanted it all!! It's like buying great fabric, only cheaper! And I discovered Hobbysew at my local mall which was absolutely stocked with great paper choices and a huge selection of fabric. But that's another story :)

Of course I needed embellishments:
tags, labels, stickers, buttons, a flower dye cutter (sort of like a hole punch in the shape of a flower - I'm learning the lingo!!), letters and more.

I also picked up two of these family tree templates for each album. I thought they were great, simple and effective.

So now my lounge room floor is covered in photos, papers, ribbon, beads and goodness knows what else! It was a great fix for my insomnia last night, I was able to sit up for hours doing it and I'm still keen to keep going today!

I'm sure some of you are thinking, pah, that Kirsty she's gone soft in the head. Talking about writing serious historical and crime fiction now here she is blogging bout scrappin' of all things!!

And the truth is I actually think the more mellow side of scrapping is going to be a nice balance for the reading and writing of psychopaths, criminals and the seedy world of Canberra! And in my quest for balance in this life, I think it's a good start! So don't worry, KV-ettes, I'm still surrounding myself with all the gory details of a good crime/thriller novel, only now I'm prettying them up a bit! In my mind at least!! :)

I sense the beginning of a beautiful relationship!!

Kirsty x

Autumn in the ACT

2010-04-07T12:16:00.002+10:00

After what seemed like the longest summer known to mankind (I mean really, who expects 30 degree weather in March!!!??) it seems that autumns has finally arrived in our patch of the country. Although the days are still fairly mild (low 20s) the nights are getting below ten and the mornings are chilly. There's even been a rumour that frost has been spotted!

Hallelujah is all I can say!!!

The leaves have been slow to turn this year, probably because of all the rain and warm weather (poor things don't know if it's autumn or spring!) but finally one of the maples in my yard made a brilliant show of red, as have the nandinas in the front yard. Yippee! I love autumn in Canberra!

Kirsty x

The Meal

2010-04-05T07:35:00.004+10:00

I forgot to add this other tradition to my last post. For Easter, and many other times through out the year, we enjoyed fish when I was growing up. This recipe is my favourite and comes from my very talented father - thanks Dad! It's for a baked, whole fish which is not only delicious but quick, easy and good for you. As for the name, I'm not sure where it came from. It was always my favourite request at birthday time and I guess that's just what I called it!!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and don't forget the crusty bread to mop up the yummy juices!!

The Meal:

Ingredients:

Whole fish (I used snapper but mullet is also very good)
Lemon
Ground Oregano
Onion
Tomato
Salt
Olive oil
Parsley
Bread crumbs (couscous if available)

Method:
Wash fish and add salt, lemon juice, oregano to inside and outside of fish
Slice onion and tomato and place in cavity
Pour olive oil into baking dish
Add fish and pour oil over fish
Place sliced tomato along top of fish
Cover tomato with bread crumbs and parsley
Add lemon juice to dish
Cover with foil and place in moderate (180c or 350F) oven for 30 minutes

Enjoy with potatoes, bread and salad.

Bacci,

Kirsty x

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T06:40:00.006+10:00

I hope you've all scoffed about as much chocolate as I have and are now lying, incapacitated on the lounge too. Well, we survived - albeit barely - easter in our house. It began early yesterday morning, and I mean early. Having forgotten that daylight savings was ending we awoke at what turned out to be 5am! My son got his first chocolate at 6am (I know, someone call DOCS!!) It was a pretty chilly morning so we waited patiently for the sun to come up before we ventured outside for our Easter egg hunt. I was able to buy a really cute basket which we can keep for easters from now on, filled it with some books and a sweet little egg cup. He also got the tale of Peter Rabbit from Nana and a Thomas egg cup from Gran Nan, both big hits.

Because we chose not to celebrate Easter at the coast with my family this year (the thought of three hours smooshed into a car seat was enough to put me off, forget about toilet breaks, an impatient two year old and crazy holiday drivers!!!) it was my job to carry on the family tradition at our house. Normally my grandmother will dye hard boiled eggs red and we spend the morning competing with each other trying to crack each other's egg. Head to head, end to end. I thought it would be fun to dye some eggs (and the packet made it sound so simple) to hide in the garden so my boy wasn't searching for just MORE chocolate!! And because there are only three of us (still!) and there's only so much hard boiled egg one person can eat, I dyed only six eggs.

The orange was a poor effort so I tried again with green.

The end result wasn't too bad, although they did just look a bit rotten and not particularly colourful, but at least they looked dyed!

So that's another cavity-inducing holiday over and the best news is, the Captain only has four more days of term and then it's two weeks holidays!! YIPPEE!!

Anyway, I hope you've all had a happy and safe easter.

Bacci,

Kirsty x

Easter come early...

2010-03-29T13:06:00.004+11:00

We had the Easter bunny arrive a little bit early at our place this weekend, in the very welcome guise of Nana and Gran Nan (my mum and nana). It was so great to have them come down to stay with us for a couple of days. N is such a Nana's boy, I don't think my poor mum had a minute's rest the whole time she was here! He had her playing with his trains, chasing him around the yard for tickles, painting, chasing him around the lounge room for tickles, reading, bouncing on the hippety hop and when we went to a great park in Yarralumla with a train ride (heaven I know!!) he had to have Nana ride with him! It was very precious. I forgot to take my camera with us but X got some good pics on his phone. Once he's transferred them onto my laptop I'll post them.

Last week I re-evaluated my whole "nesting" regime, and although it still pains me how much I need to do before the baby comes, I decided I need a bit of a rest. So I put X on painting duties and now that everything is painted I'm much feeling much better about that (I'll post pics of the hall table and sewing table when they're back in the house). My projects have been much smaller and more manageable. For example, here's that photo frame I got for the baby's room last week at the garage sale. I've put in it some vintage fairy pictures that I downloaded from Graphics Fairy and simply printed off. I'm not sure if I'll keep them or not because they got quite blurred from my shrinking their sizes, but I like them from now. You can see the pics more clearly at her website.

Here are the photo frames I also got at the garage sale. Remember they were just plain timber and I painted them red and blue for N's room.

The felt animals used to hang from a mobile in N's room but it broke (oh-so tempting to a two year to have hanging animals!) so I stuck them to a blank white piece of paper and popped them in the frame. I got the idea from the Nester, who believes in framing everything! I'm really happy with the way they turned out and N loves having them above his bed.

A couple of weeks ago N and I did some craft in preparating for Easter and this is what we produced!

Nothing terrible fancy but fun and lovable all the same. I just cut up some pink cardboard, printed off Happy Easter signs from Word and glued them onto the cards. Then N had the fun of sticking on stickers and stamping animals from his ink pad. Lots of fun and Nana and Gran Nan loved them too!

So as you can see I'm keeping busy without overdoing it. I saw the Dr last week and I measured 36cm. For only being 33 weeks pregnant I'm still a bit big! Nothing to worry about...yet!!! Huh, sure Doc, let's see you push her out!!! I would post a pic but today's my bumming day so I don't think a pic of me in my current state would impress anyone!

Hope you all had a good weekend and that the week leading up to Easter isn't too hectic for you all!

Kirsty x

Nestin'

2010-03-21T08:49:00.010+11:00

Hi, all. What a busy weekend we've had! Instead of resting and getting better from the colds that we've all been suffering from this week, I decided no rest for the wicked and it was all about Mama Bear's nestin'!

It all began first thing on Saturday morning. The church where N and I go for playgroup was having a garage sale so after a shaky start (majorly flat tyre and a big tantrum from N who didn't want Mum to leave!) I finally got to the garage sale myself just before nine. It was packed! With both people and stuff - good stuff, crappy stuff, new stuff and old stuff. You name it it was there! But, despite the fact that it's now getting toward the end of March it was still hot! So I didn't have the stamina to push and shove my way to look at everything (have you seen my last pregnancy pic?!). I had a small list of things I was looking for and I managed to pick up everything on it! Ha! And a few bonuses. Here's what I got:
A bunch of timber photo frames. I plan to paint some of them in bright, primary colours for N's room. Not sure what I'll do with the others, they were so cheap I don't care about painting over the timber to fit in with my decor!

Some pretty pink floral material (about 1.5m) for the baby's room - not sure what I'll use it for but I couldn't resist! I have a fantastic rocker that I got when I was pregnant with N but now the fabric on that is a bit worn (and dark blue, which doesn't match the baby's room at all!) So I was thinking of covering the cushions with this pretty fabric but I just don't think I have the skills to pull that kind of sewing off! Or unfortunately, enough fabric. I wonder if there's a mistreatment for that!
The white trim is a separate piece of material that I thought was gorgeous. It's just cotton but it would look really good as a trim on something. Hmm...

3 cute little photo frames made from a ceramic-type material (ie. they're not plastic!) which I plan to put in the baby's room also. Not sure what I'll put in there, maybe some cute pics or pretty fabric samples. Any ideas?

I got these great little white bowls and the succulents for $2 each! The bowls don't have a hole for drainage so I went with succulents for them as they don't need as much watering. I wanted some lovely little indoor plants especially now that we're (supposedly!!) coming into the cooler weather.

I potted them and just love how they look next to my old white vase on my sideboard in the dining room!

These two frames I actually picked up second hand on Friday and were part of a set of three. I really didn't like the pictures in them but they were the perfect size for a couple of lovely ladies that I'd been wanting to frame for a while.

And now they have pride of place above my new desk in the study. Sigh. I'm very happy when I look at this corner of the room (almost as happy as when I see my white bowls in the dining room!) The pictures actually came from last year's calendar and I have used a number of them around my house (the one in the middle is one too!) The artist is Alphonse Mucha. (You can click on the pic to enlarge it)

Today I headed out early again, this time to Bunnings where I bought hooks, paint and a few other odds and ends. I love Bunninga - truly. I love it so much more when I don't have an excited toddler who's trying to do a runner up and down the aisles the whole time!!
I bought some upholstering tacks so I could mistreat my windows (thanks to The Nester - see her site for more on window mistreatments). Our toilet is separate from the rest of the bathroom and although it has a big slab of glass, there's no actual window! I found an old curtain that I inherited from my grandmother and fixed it up. It's quite plain, but I think it looks much better than before.
Before:

After:

I thought it would look really cute with a trim, but I didn't have any that I wanted to use so I left it for the time being. Maybe a nice pale blue gingham.....
I made the monogram using Becca from Adventures in Decorating's idea. A fancy script in word printed out and framed! I'm thinking of changing the V (for our last name) to a B for bathroom. Not sure though. Anyway, I'm much happier with my loo window now!

We also did some more painting - I swear that hall table is just about finished, I promise!!! And some gardening. Getting ready for winter and spring we planted some jonquil bulbs - one of my favourite flowers.

And in case you thought N was neglected without his own chores, here you can see him hard at work, linin' up them cars and trucks! Go, baby, go! (He's really cute he actually encourages them like that - except he uses their names, like Go, blue car, go!!!)

So now it's Sunday eve and I'm just about pooped! Good thing that tomorrow is our quiet day. Hope you've all had a great weekend.

Kirsty x