Long way from home

I am a long way from home today, spending some time in Nickinightrider-land to catch up on family business. Last night was Cousin M’s wedding to K (his K, not my Beloved K…..gee, that’s confusing!). The weather wasn’t perfect (I would have been freezing to death whether I was at a wedding or not), but the ceremony was creative and enjoyable. Note for Cousin M – best “function food” I’ve had anywhere…..bar none. I saw faces I had not seen for a while….some for months, others for years. It was really fun and good for the soul too, I felt. All the members of my extended family were who I remembered they were, even if some were struggling somewhat. Helping Grandma up the stairs was nervewracking….not that I thought I would drop her but that I just didn’t have the experience in doing it carefully but properly that some others had. All ended safe and well though. It was so much fun watching the various kids running amok. An excellent dose of harmless fun.

I have to confess that I am missing my babies terribly. Beloved K and I have a running joke….to anyone who asks what I do for a living, she says I “go to work and play with my friends”. On this trip I’m catching up with all of two friends in three days, preferring to spend my time talking to Nicki. Sure, I could have the same conversations on the phone, but somehow that just doesn’t have quite the same qualities…..the glint in the eye, the knowing expression at just the right moment. I guess moving nearly 2000km away will do that (no regrets, just wistful “wouldn’t it be nice if we all lived closer together”). Not seeing Beloved K and Children S and A is hurting. I want Child S to talk all the way through a movie, asking questions he already knows the answer to and will declare loudly as soon as he determines that I don’t know. I want to hear Child A play the piano so I can tell her how wonderful she is. And I want to fall soundly asleep in Beloved K’s arms.

One more sleep, and then I get home in the middle of the night.

Cheerio

Star Trek XVII: The Search For An Avatar

My wide audience of blog commenters and readers……I need your help. I am suffereing from a brand identity crisis. In just the last few weeks my blog avatar has gone from a picture of myself (I now weigh far to much to justify using that trim, taught and terrific image) to a genius murderer, a parrot and now a kangaroo. I tried to upload Jack Sparrow but it wouldn’t work…..I decided that was telling me something as well. With a complete lack of inspiration myself, I throw myself on the mercy of the audience. Help me!

And about time too

At long last, after many months, the waiting-for-football season is finished. Tonight, the football season begins. Yes, I have to wait a couple more days for my beloved Magpies to take the field, but the feeling of optimism is even more irrational than in most other years…..I think we are going to do very well.

Must go….have to check snack levels in the cupboard!

Cheerio!

I’d like…….I’d like? I’d like a trip to Europe!

Quality Daffy Duck quotes aside, I really would like a trip to Europe at some point. For a year or two know I have talked about my long service leave plan – when the kids are 15 and 10 to take a two or three month family holiday to the UK and Europe. This is partly so Kath and I can have the holiday of a lifetime, but just as much to open the eyes of Child A and Child S that there is a magnificent wide world out there and that one day they can explore it. Knowing that I still have around four years up my sleeve, this week I have taken the very first steps towards turning this from a dream to reality. I have requested an update on my long service leave entitlements to work out exactly how long I can take while continuing to get paid (might help somewhat, since the mortgage won’t go away by then). I picked up a couple of comprehensive Europe travel brochures so I can start looking at the practicalities of travelling through a series of foreign countries with children. I will have to find a holiday experience that allows us to see the magnificent and famous things, but also allows enough tastes of real life in these places so that the kids come away with some genuine experiences that will enrich their lives. I’m thinking I also need to make sure that we dont’ spend three quarters of our time on buses. Scenery is lovely, but I don’t think a 15-year-old and a 10-year-old would get the same enjoyment out of it as me and Beloved K might. It might be that we look for more “do it yourself” itineraries than grand tours that last a month.

Such are my random thoughts for today.

Cheerio!

Life as normal…..whatever that is

Yesterday we took Children A and S back to their old piano teacher to resume lessons. After weeks of Beloved K leaving messages on the recommended new teacher’s answering machine, and listened to the household piano skills getting rustier and rustier, we decided we had to take action. So Beloved K kicked things in to motion last week, calling the old grump of a teacher (I don’t like her that much, but she gets good teaching results!) and booking the kids in for the remainder of the term. This has upsides, including the chance for weekly catch-ups with Jury and Co., which is always good.

The lessons went fairly well. Child A was, as indicated, rusty but nothing insurmountable. A bit of regular practice and we are sure she will be back on track and in the swing of things. Child S has remembered everything except the way he was supposed to hold his fingers while he played. You would think his last lesson was three days ago, not three months. Lunch was equally pleasant, an extra-large Woolies chook, lettuce, tomato, mayo and a dozen fresh(ish) rolls. No, that was not just mine…..that was for everybody.

Nephew K seemed very relaxed, as you would on your day off from work. He said furry animals sold a lot faster than finned ones, and that if fish had fur they would sell a lot better. Chances are we won’t find out. Niece H was at work, obviously still juggling the work/study thing. Then again, at 18 I didn’t give a toss about work-life balance at all……or know what it meant. Ahh for the days when we could just re-prioritise sleep to find the extra couple of hours we needed.

Today we are going shopping. I might pick up another new shirt and tie for work. I’m hoping Beloved K will spend some money on her own wardrobe….just because she deserves nice things. She is inclined not to spend on herself and often comes back with things for everyone except herself when she goes to the shops. I’ll try to post an update when we get back.

Cheerio!

Easy dinner recipes

I must admit first up that I don’t cook anywhere near as often as I should or could, but I do love good food (as anyone who has seen my bodyshape would likely attest to). I have the good fortune to be married to a woman who has talent in this field, not to mention creativity. Beloved K has her own time pressures, working three days a week and doing the bulk of the child-based running about, but despite this she puts wonderful meals on our table and seems to do it with relative ease.

Tonight was a case in point……Starting with frozen pizza bases, the first came to life with spaghetti sauce (in place of tomato paste), pumpkin, sweet potato, brocoli, ham, cheese and leftover roast lamb. The second was different, but just as good……she replaced the lamb and ham with tinned salmon. The end result was a great family dinner, cooked in no time at all and everybody happy.

My question to the assembled masses is, what is your favourite throw-together meal, and how do you do it?

 Cheerio!