Thursday, January 28, 2010

What's For Dinner


Feeling better today. Despite the chaotic respite of yesterday. Began my morning with the usual yoga. (Don't know how I ever coped before I found Jeff and Harmony). Came home, made myself a lovely coffee and began to usher orders of the day. Sofie and Jane were heading off to some friends for the morning, leaving me alone with Jack and Piper. Jack was jonesing for a trip to the Bugzoo, more than I could take on, knowing what was ahead for the afternoon. I convinced him to pop on one of his favourite Planet Earth dvds while I hopped in the tub.

I ran myself a steaming hot bubbly bath and decided to call a good friend, and report on how great yoga was this morning. I am about to slide myself into said bubbly bath, when in pops a toddler, who decides she should join me. "But it is too hot" I insist. She quickly strips down dips in a toe, and reports back that it is fine. Thwarted by a three year old!!!

My tub is now turned into a splash fest that involves handfuls of bubbles being lofted at the wall. "Stop it" I say, "You will wreck the wall". She does stop, but the next moment is eating them off and spitting them at ME! We loll around until the water begins to chill, I wash my hair and we both climb out.

I make a quick lunch and proceed to be urged to watch Planet Earth, for the next two hours when I really should be planning, if not making dinner. (I am still recouping from my cold, I convince myself, and sit down on the couch with a cup of tea).

So this is where things are going to get a bit messy, the schedule for the rest of the day is as follows.
3:30 Sofie and Jane to yoga (meanwhile, I will get the A string replaced on Jane's cello and return a bath math)
4:30 to the Paintbox to help Emily paint some mural pieces.
5:30 cello
6:00 dinner
7:00 gallery opening.

Does anyone see a time in there for me to cook dinner. No, I didn't think so. On the way to the music shop, I get a brainstorm. My vegan husband will not be around for dinner so I will take this opportunity to feed our children fish (Not Jack, like father like son). So after the A string, we swing by the bagel shop, pick up a dozen and make plans for Tuna melts.

Fortuitously while painting, my children invite Emily for dinner, as she will also be going to the art opening. I seize the opportunity for some adult conversation and extend the invitation, so generously offered by my children. I drop Jane off at cello, swing home with the rest of the tribe and begin making tuna melts. Emily arrives and, when I am about to dash out to grab Jane, she offers to go, taking along Sofie and Piper. I finish making dinner while they are gone.

I am pretty sure having dinner with four children may be enough to turn even the most patient person off ever having a family. Emily is a trooper, all her teaching makes her amazing with children. We all shared what we were greatful for today, then jetted off to the gallery to catch the opening of Great New Wave a Contemporary Japanese art exhibit.

But what is in my tuna melts you say.

Here goes,
I take two of the big cans (you can easily half or quarter this recipe) of water packed tuna, drained.
Mix with a couple table spoons of salad cream or mayonnaise (whatever is on hand)
Some frozen corn or chopped pickle or what ever your fancy and is available.
I like to grind up some fresh cumin and toss that in. Mix it all up and
spoon over sliced bagels.
Top with grated or sliced cheese.
Broil until cheese melts and starts to go slightly brown, or less if you like.

I like to serve with some chopped veg as well. Fast, yummy and nutritious.

Now as much as I hate cookbooks without pictures, I am sorry to report I have no picture of my lovely melts. I will try to remedy that sometime soon.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Pro-D Day


Recently while doing a little clean out, something quite necessary when you share a smallish house with five other people, I came across a copy of Australian Women's Weekly from January 2009. (Clearly I need to do these clean outs a little more frequently). There was a fabulous article about News Years resolutions. I am not generally one for resolutions as I learned quite some time ago, it just wasn't worth wasting the paper, I just wasn't going to follow through, and flipping through a yearly undone list of 1. Get in shape 2. Stick to a budget and 3.Drink more water. etc. etc. can be damaging to your self confidence. But this list of New years resolutions by Pat McDermott was right up my alley.

Things like - Stop asking if someone has fed the cat and just simply feed it myself. Instead of demanding to know who left the dirty dishes in the sink, acknowledge this is not working, move on and just stick them in the dishwasher myself. My favourite being #10. Take to bed one day a month. Now that I can do.

Today, after battling a cold for the last few days, I decided it would be a good time to rest. I came home from yoga, feeling briefly better, but realizing taking my day in bed was the only way to go. I informed my family I would be in bed for the day and that I would be just trying to rest and get over this cold. You know, basically telling them they would need to make me tea and look after me.

It started pretty well, I climbed back into my pj's, put on my house frau sweater (you know, a comfy cardigan that you would never wear outside, my children call it my snot sweater, and not because it is covered in MY snot). I climbed back into bed and then one by one each of my children decided to join me. I imported the photos and movies from 3 memory cards, gave practice instruction for the cello, helped input a report for my oldest daughter and solved more than one dispute. I tried in vain to fend off an attack which involved a new hairdo with a handful American Girl rollers, while my 3 year old practiced her somersaults before climbing on her brothers back to be potentially pitched backward out the second story window. I have been served natchos in bed and I know for a fact that my kitchen looks like we just had a cooking class for 9 year olds.

I always found it intriguing when teachers were off sick, there was usually some sort of plan in place for the substitute, like they knew they were going to be sick. You know a list of what everyone should do. I like this idea. Sadly I have no substitute, but perhaps a plan, an emergency preparedness 'day in bed' kit, would have made my day a little less chaotic. Still, I am in bed and I am going to try and not worry about the state of the house. However, next time I take to my bed I will have a plan in place, and now that I know this, I will just think of today as a professional development day.


Pro-D Day Make Over

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Birth of a Blog


I occasionally meet with a group of wonderful women, all who work for themselves. We have some women in PR, an HR lady, a number of artists and even a Chef. It really is a talented pool, not sure how I made the cut and I sometimes fear I will be voted off the Island. Not to say that I am not wonderful or talented, I of course am both, but it is the business area that is a little sketchy for me.

You see, I became a part of this group about a year ago, I may actually have been one of the founding members, I am not sure, I really don't remember the details, though I am quite sure it was born over a few glasses of wine. Anyways back when this group was coming together, I had this great idea, I would start marketing the pottery I make in my spare time, set up an etsy shop and try to get into a local market. You know basically turn my pottery into a home business. Well, I made it into the market and spent almost every saturday there last summer. It was a bit of a drain on my family, not to mention me. I don't think I am cut out to be a production potter, in fact, I know I am not. You see, I am not interested in making six matching mugs or two for that matter. I like to create, I like to make things of interest to me, in whatever colour, or pattern or style that moves me at that particular moment. I also like to knit and felt and paint and cook and lots of other things.

So now, a few weeks ago, I get together with this group, the plan, bring an objective to discuss at the meeting. Well I have laundry list, my whole "business" idea has done a header and I am no longer sure of any objectives, let alone one to discuss with the group. On my ride home, I blabbered on ad nauseam to my dear friend, about my lack of direction, focus and any sort of plan. There was a lot of discussion about blogging. "What on earth would I blog about?", I mean, I do have lots of ideas, I just don't know where to take them. "Just that" she says. So here we are, birth of the blog.

My plan - to blog about my plans and the things that I planned and actually happened. But let me warn you I am a procrastinator (it has already taken me 2 weeks just to get around to this post). And like any new baby, I am on a steep learning curve, I will add some photos and a link to my etsy shop, yes I managed to get that up, though I only have 3 listings. And who knows where this will take us after all, right now I really don't have a plan except for this plan. But I have to say I am excited about this plan.