Tuning in

I think when your on a break it is even harder sometimes to start up again, and I am all where to start?

It's not that I haven't thought about posting because I think about something to write every single day. But then I sit down in front of the computer and read so many other interesting posts on other people's sites I run out of time to write my own.

So baby steps are always best.

On the weekend I actually posted some photographs and a couple of older recipes on my food blog for the first time in absolutely ages, I need to catch up on a couple of recipes there because if there is one thing that doesn't stop in my life it's my interest in the kitchen.

This weekend I was interested in all things Thai and bought lots of Thai basil, fresh galangal, lemon grass and Kaffir lime leaves. I also bought a fresh duck so it was a red curry paste (from scratch) plus duck and Pad Thai. The next day I tried the same curry paste with beef cheeks!

I also felt inspired enough to make some cinnamons rolls which I discovered on Small Hands site. I am most relieved to say they turned out extremely well and will post a photograph and the same recipe I used hopefully next weekend.

A disjointed post but I wanted to write a couple of things about Gabriella who is just sooooooo incredibly entertaining for us at 20 months old. Lately when I ask her to dance she races up to her and Elliot's little dining table and jumps up top and does a dance which involves alternatively stomping her feet and dropping her shoulders. I have no idea where she has learned about dancing on table tops but it certainly seems like she is starting young.

The other day P was playing "Wild Thing" on Elliot's guitar and she would run to the table jump on top dance around and then stage dive into my arms, giggling all the while. She really is our "Wild Thing."

This weekend she learned how to say reasonably discernably "Elliot" and "Mason" but the word she says most clearly is "HAPPY".

My little ham

Highlights

I had some highlights that I wanted to capture before they become a dim memory of yet another busy week followed by two jammed pack days of childrens' activities and adults activities and just being well, very generally full of stuff like Elliot's soccer, and cooking and shopping.

Friday afternoon enjoying lunch at a Bistro at Dockside on a banquette surround by big fresh yellow cushions, eating some gorgeous duck with a glass of crisp white. The company, a group of women I have known for 2 decades celebrating 4 decades of one woman's birth years. It was special and I felt special being invited.

Saturday evening - with P, a night at a play, "Vincent in Brixton" by the Queensland Theatre Company. A late night supper at my favourite South Bank restaurant chatting and staring out into the luscious darkened park occasionally sharing my Duck pie, mash and asparagus (couldn't resist the duck again!) a glass of pinot and trying some of P's Thai spaghetti with poached salmon, lots of mint, lemon grass and kaffir lime flavours.

Sunday morning a wonderful sleep-in without the children till 9.30am then I had to wake up and make our oh so indulgent breakfast, toasted soy and linseed english muffins with avocado, baby spinach, smoked salmon, poached eggs and hollandaise. It's been a long, long time since we have had so luxurious a morning.


Then I had to hustle and bustle to take Elliot to Bunnings to make a mini herb garden. Then more tooing and frooing with the children over to Nanny and Poppy's for the first birthday of the youngest cousin, then back from that and off to the fete close by.

Later on, I made time to make a comforting Sunday evening dinner of slow roasted lamb shanks and cannellini beans(I will post the recipe and picture on NJD later this week) mashed dutch cream potatoes, and sauteed zucchini,garlic and lemon! A lovely bottle of red again. Hmmm winter.

Off to bed, I am being reprimanded for starting to type just as I said I was also going to bed.