I'm back! hmmm, and what's on now TV ratings are back?

After an hiatus, I'm back. I was very busy and lost motivation frankly. But it's a new year, and although I was thinking of canning the blog, I find myself with some interest still. So to start the year the way I mean to go on, a list of the new shows to TV I plan to try out (new to us Aussies that is).

(A brief pause while I retrieve the TV guide from the black hole that is Bhaer's side of the bed)

ABC
Angry Boys - latest Chris Lilley - who I find funny though I find myself spending too much time cringing -there is an unpleasant side to the humour. So we will see.

Art Nation - weekly wrap up

Kevin Mcloud's Grand Tour - oh love my architecture mediated through Kevin.

Life at 5 - well I've got one, so I will want to compare with other 5 year olds...
Poh's kitchen - Masterchef runner up cooking show.
Strictly speaking - public speaking contest. Public speaking is an underrated art.

SBS
Gourmet Farmer - ex SMH food critic goes rural.

9

Winter Olympics

10
The Good wife - Us political scandal - like my US political shows!
Hawke - our own ex PM bio series. With some politicos this would be boring, but Hawke lived as if he was wanting a biopic.
Masterchef and Junior masterchef - the addiction continues!
Modern Family - twisted comedy

Lifestyle (which I don't have!!!! what will I do???)
Grand Designs Australia - love the UK version, so will take a gander at this on the in laws TV.

Check out http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/ - I just discovered this site and have found it great for the latest on TV and film.

Sparky's five

Sparky turned 5 on Friday. In time honoured tradition (well from last year) - I give you a happy birthday post with youtube. Here is the song Sparky wants every night - I have to admit I make up my own words (which usually involve both boys' names and lots of love yous).Sparky, you are so inquisitive, kind, affectionate, talkative, intelligent and friendly - I love you greatly.

Gleek alert

Let me confess:

I am a gleek.

Recipe meme response

Cecily gave a recipe for charcoal corn cobs, all the way from Pakistan. Yum!

Easiest risotto ever (in answer to a meme)

Prue tagged me for a recipe meme she was tagged for by Nicole.

The idea is you take at least one ingredient the same as the tagger's recipe and put up a new recipe on your blog.

Rules:
Choose one ingredient from my recipe and post a recipe using this ingredient on your blog, linking back to the previous blogs that have posted a recipe.
- Then tag four new people, and we will see how it grows.
- To keep it exciting please post within a week of receiving the tag

Prue did a moroccan chicken casserole
Nicole did a creamy chicken casserole.
Ally ( the origin) did an apple and pumpkin risotto

I'm going with the oil or garlic or stock (take your pick).

I've chosen a baked risotto, as someone who loves risotto but really can't always be bothered standing there stirring. This is easy and yummy comfort food.

Baked lemon & basil risotto. Serves 4 by itself or 6 with meat.

2 tbs olive oil or the spray if watching fat
2 leeks sliced
grated rind of one lemon.
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 cups arborio rice
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock (This is the trick - by adding more liquid - a 3 to 1 rather than 2 to 1 ratio, you can put it in the oven and leave - give it a go with other risottos)
at least 1/2 cup torn basil, or more to taste
at least 1/4 cup grated parmesan or more to taste
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 200 C
Heat oil in frypan over medium heat. Add leek, garlic and rind and fry til soft
Put in casserole dish and add rice and stock and stir. Cover and bake 40 mins at least, or until at texture you desire.
Remove and stir in basil and parmesan and season to taste. Sit a couple of minutes to thicken and then serve.

Options:
Instead of parmesan, use a slice of brie on top.
Can add chicken in if precooked.
Can serve with veal/pork/fish/salad.
Put some white wine in instead of some of the stock.

Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe.

I tag Kristen, Cecily, Mim and Andrew - only if you want to. And Cecily and Andrew cause wanted to see the difference between what the husband puts and what the wife puts!!!

No ideas what to post, so here is a photo

Totally out of inspiration. So look at my boys - Sparky (almost 5) behind Scout (almost 2 3/4).

eccentricity

My 2 year old, Scout, just gave me an insight into how others might see me. He brought me over my new box of cotton buds and said yours Mummy! and proceeded to get me some out. I realised I am the only person in the house that uses them. And I use them fairly frequently - I don't like the feeling of dirty waxy ears. And then realised it is probably odd to keep them in the living room. Which I seem to have got into the habit of recently- I hasten to add we have a small bathroom without much storage room. I had an image of myself as an elderly lady with my economy sized pack of cotton buds, a house littered with used buds scattered everywhere, and trying to give them away to any visitors.

And I realised this was a possible eccentricity. And started to wonder what other eccentricities I had. There is the not liking socks thing, as it feels my feet can't breathe, just for starters.

Btw, Scout has been sick the last 2 days but seems to be on the mend. And I have been very busy, hence only 4 posts for August!

Stitches and Craft show

I went to this show yesterday with Prue and her twin Yvette - she talks about it here. We had a wonderful time without our kids and we all spent more money than intended.

I bought some hand printed red birch fabric from Ink and Spindle. I've taken a photo of it and will put it up soon. I'm thinking of making something Christmassy - perhaps as a motif fabric on stockings?

I also bought something from Prints Charming - it is hush hush though because I am making a gift. Last year I made their Christmas decorations - a lovely scando Noel. As per usual, I didn't put a photo up on my blog - so Prue has made me promise to do so soon.

I bought a couple other gifts from various other places, and envied Prue the wonderful fabric she bought from Ink and Spindle and from Cloth. I'm sure she will share it on her blog! Edit: she has

Psalms - singing faith in the midst of it all - sermon series

I'm in the middle of planning my next sermon series. Our church theme this year is on having hope through faith. I've just finished a series on Romans and just about to do one on Psalms. Any suggestions on which Psalms I should preach on? I'm trying to get a good representative sample both of the content o the book and the reality of human experience

womanhood and drop dead diva

We have just started a study series looking at womanhood with the 16-21 year old women at church. We had a fantastic discussion in our first one, particularly about the conflicting messages society sends women - for instance that you should be loved for who you are (as long as you are underweight, under 30 and constantly well groomed). That motherhood is very important - but that you are a nobody without a flourishing career.

I found at the ancient age of 35 I could contribute a lot to the discussion of what it is like to be a woman. For instance, I know at that age I was full of self righteous assertions that I would grow old gracefully. Now, as the first wrinkles and grey hairs appear, I have started to understand the measures many women take to keep a semblance of youth.

Then last night I watched the new TV show Drop Dead Diva. Having read the promo material I expected to see a fat woman as the star - in fact she was an attractive woman in her early 30s who was somewhat overweight, and looked like many women do at her age (that's her in the picture above, Brooke Elliot) - except in TVland, of course. I enjoyed the show and think on the whole it might be good as a corrective on this sort of thing - well except that almost every other woman on the pilot show was skinny. Still Tvland...

Well, I better stop gazing anxiously in the mirror at the obviously Botox free forehead I am developing and go back to looking at my Bible, which declares me to be of a great worth not dependent on my outward appearance. Hang on, is that a grey hair in my eyebrow....

one of the most difficult tasks of parenting

Today Sparky got a bad splinter. He made a great commotion over getting it out. Bhaer was meant to do it, cause his eyesight is better, but he was too tenderhearted and was taking too long with no success so I had to step in, hold Sparky down and quickly though I'm sure painfully scratch it out. Sparky thanked me immediately though when he realised that I had got it out in a couple of seconds, which was good after all the screaming.

I felt terrible. But it had to be done. And done quickly. I also felt bad because I lost my temper in the middle of it all and told my frightened child off.

What a terrible tightrope we walk as parents, doing things for a child's good that are painful at the time (shades of Hebrews 12:11) and having to work out when that discipline is warranted and when not, and how we should go about it. Sometimes we will make good decisions (like getting the splinter out) and sometimes bad(like losing my temper). Sometimes we will fail our children by being too indulgent or inconsistent, and at other times we will fail them by being overly rigid or unfair. Parenting requires the patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon. Though I do recall that Job did do some complaining and Solomon did some foolish things.

And all I can do is keep trying to love as much as I can, apologise whenever I need to, and pray. hard.

the lazy crafter strikes again

I hardly ever get around to doing craft and even less often do I get around to showing it to you. I would call myself the armchair crafter except that indeed thats where you usually do do craft. Maybe I'm an internet crafter!

Anyway for those of you who do actually do it rather than sigh over how lovely other people's craft is, I just discovered another fabric deisgner I love (see previous post on amy butler).

Anna Maria Horner. She has 6 kids too. And is about my age I think. Wow.

Party Planning

I have to admit that the thought of planning kid's parties really doesn't thrill me. So far for Sparky and Scout I haven't really planned a proper one at home. For Sparky last year we went with what in our house is called the Scottish Place (because of Sparky's ability to spell - can you guess which fast food chain?).

But this year I feel it is about time I made an effort. Sparky's 5th birthday is in about 2 months. I'm thinking a cooking party - making mini pizzas and cookies. Any ideas or suggestions on where to get supplies will be welcome!

It's kids' prerogative to change their minds, right?

After explaining we weren't going to see Ice Age 3, we ended up going as we got an invitation, and suddenly when asked by a friend, it became a lot more attractive to Sparky!

It was on the scary end for a preschooler though - lots of bad stuff that almost happens. Everything turns out Ok of course.

Trailer below.

Museums, Galleries and lots of culture oh my

When we went to the powerhouse museum, we discovered the premier's adventure passport for kids which gives free entry to school age kids for the next 6 months to cultural institutions on weekends and holidays- and 4 years old counts apparently.

This was great! what with that, Scout being free and having a voucher from the Entertainment Book, it only cost us 10 bucks for the 4 of us.

The Powerhouse was wonderful for this age - 5 play areas, including a play building site that our boys loved.

But now Sparky wants to take advantage of this scheme to the full - where to next? Maybe the Australian Museum? Anyone got a suggestion?

Museum over movie

Well you know Sparky and I love movies. And we had decided to go to one every holidays. But there are no G movies this holidays except Hannah Montana, which he declares is too girly. He also reckons that the PG rating for Ice Age 3 Dawn of the dinosaurs is probably warranted - "because even the title scares me mum" so we are thinking we won't go to that.

So our movie substitute is the Powerhouse Museum, which has a special school holidays exhibition for children called the Odditoreum which looks interesting, showcasing curiousities from their collection with stories written for each by the children's writer Shaun Tan. I hadn't realised the museum is so reasonably priced ($5 for over 4, $10 for adults, and we have a voucher). Scout can come too, unlike a movie.

My - no - husband's pressie

Don't you love it when your spouse gets a pressie you like too?

Bhaer got this table for his 40th. With the ash legs. We haven't put it up yet, so the photo is from Matt Blatt, which is where the table is from - if you like design classics, take look at their stock. This is our second piece of furniture from there.

Gasp! childfree time and sleep ins

If you read Prue as well you will know that I have been away with Prue for a mini break, sans kids. Thanks so much Prue for inviting me! You can read her entertaining synopsis here, though she doesn't mention our meal at a Katoomba cafe run by a Christian (well some questions over this designation!) commune, which we didn't realise was the case until after we had ordered. There have been serious concerns raised about the group as I discovered when I researched them later. Suddenly the amazing cheapness of the food was explained - the workers are according to what I have read, not paid ( see previous link).

Other than that, we had a lovely time. A relaxing time out, though we didn't take time off from our masterchef addiction. Fortunately we shared this, so we were both willing to time everything else around it.

So, how does this blogging thing work again?

well, feeling somewhat better, though it seems I may have some kind of immune system condition. And my laptop is back up after 3 weeks on the blink.

So, I'll have to start thinking about blog post topics.

Meanwhile, news from our place:

Bhaer turns 40 soon. What will it be like to be married to a middle aged man?

Sparky (4 3/4) has started helping me with word puzzles such as crosswords. This warms the cockles of my verbal heart.

Scout (almost 2 1/2) is starting to show a talent for taking people off - in the last couple of days, he has cracked us up by imitating his brother and his father.

And I have managed to get through the last few weeks with a lot of help and comfort from family and friends - phone calls, visits, outings, gifts, meals, housework, child minding and hugs. Thanks.

where am I?

sorry I haven't been around on my blog - I'm battling a prolonged period of ill health - which is being looked into - so the blog is one of the first things to slide! Please pray.