Sunday, October 31, 2010

Alternatives to LCM bars

The girls LOVE LCM bars. I've never tried one, but on Saturday I decided to have a bite and I nearly DIED!!! Boy, they're so SWEET!!!!! Blah!

So I decided that it would be a good idea to try and make our own, which the girls will still enjoy, but maybe slightly less sweet (at least).

I tried two different approaches today:

1. Rice Bubbles and Marshmallow Slice

Take 200gm White Marshmallows, 60gm Butter and melt. (I did it in the microwave, worked okay). When this is melted, stir together to mix and then mix in 4 cups of Rice Bubbles.

Press into a lined cookie tray and place in the fridge until cool.

The girls loved this and reckon it tastes just like the LCMs (but a bit less sweet).

2. Rice Bubble and Chocolate Slice

Halve 100gms mini cooking marshmallows, mix with a pack of glace cherries (quartered) and some coconut (I didn't measure it). Set aside.

Melt 125gm copha and mix with 2cups of rice bubbles and the marshmallows, glace cherries and coconut. Press into a lined cookie tray.

Melt 400gm of chocolate (I did two lots, white and milk) and spoon over rice bubble mixture. Place in fridge until cool.

Surprisingly this was less sweet than the first version.

So now I have two alternatives to the LCM bars for their lunches. The other benefit is that I can better control the amount that they get. LCM bars are quite large.

Miss 9 has been cooking again

Here's her with her "Traffic Light Salad with Panier and Red Wine Vinegar Dressing" .... it was delicious!



I've put the Panier cheese recipe up before as it is one of our favourites. This time she used lemon juice instead of Greek Yogurt. I think I like the tang of the Greek Yogurt based Panier better than the lemon one.

In the salad she had baby Roma tomatoes red, yellow and orange capsicum, deseeded cucumber, snow pea shoots, carrot and celery. The dressing was a mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano and sea salt.

DELICIOUS!!!

Overheard in the kitchen

(Miss 7 gets upset if I cook Bolognese sauce without her assistance, I had asked her earier if she wanted to help me make some today and she had said "no". I was just going to start cooking it and decided to double check:)

Me: "Miss 7, I'm just going to start cooking Bolognese sauce."

Miss 7: "Can I help ... eat it?"

Friday, October 29, 2010

The vegy garden has been planted

I have been wanting to get a vegy garden up and running for awhile now. Digging in this area is not possible so above ground is really the only option. We purchased a colorbond garden bed about 10 days ago, and last weekend put the straw, manure and potting mix into it.

Tonight we planted the vegetables and herbs. In the bed are two cherry tomato plants (Miss 7's favourite vegetable). Red and yellow capsicum plants as well as a new variety of capsicum - a cherry one! It will be interesting to see how they taste. There's also onions, garlic, parsley, cos lettuce, coriander, basil, dill, marigolds and peppermint.



The girls also want some snow peas so we've left a bit of space to put a trellis up and grow those.

Looking forward to our first harvest.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Heard at the doctors

(I had to take Miss 7 to the doctors for an infected ingrowing toenail - Miss 9 came along too).

Dr: Is she allergic to any antibiotics?

Me: Not that I am aware of.

Dr: I'll prescribe some then.

Miss 9: And we'll soon know if she is!

The Dr cracked up!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Shooting over $500

A 32y.o. Perth man has been charged with murder over the shooting death of a 39y.o. father of 2 on Saturday afternoon.

Apparently, if news reports are to be believed, the shooting was over a $500 drug debt.

There's a photo of the shooter at http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/anger-erupts-at-kaine-mcnamara-murder-charge-hearing/story-e6frg143-1225944218419 and he looks like a pretty ordinary guy.

Now I'm guessing he could have been under the influence of drugs / alcohol at the time of the shooting or has other issues but you have to ask yourself why would someone seriously mess up their life over $500?

Independently of this, one of the guys at work ask me the other day under what conditions I would shoot someone and this has got me thinking.

As it is illegal to carry here it is unlikely that I would have a gun in my possession for an 'on the spur of the moment' shooting and I'm not a rash person anyway.

As guns are required to be in a safe with magazines and ammunition stored (also in a safe) separately, again it would be unlikely that I would have the time to use a gun for self-defense in the case of a home invasion or break-in.

This then leaves the 'intentionally breaking the law to shoot someone' scenario which, I'm assuming, is what happened in the news story above (there may of course have been other laws broken in the lead up to this shooting as well).

I can not imagine any situation whatsoever where I would deliberately take my gun and go and shoot someone - especially not over $500.

I guess that there is a possibility that I could shoot someone in self defense (or defense of family), but as I've mentioned above, the likelihood of this is small. I would find it distressing however to be in this position and it is not a decision I would take lightly. I would feel absolutely devastated if I ever pulled the trigger on another human and it would only be in a situation where there was absolutely no other option left to me.

So the answer to my work colleague was along the lines of "well as it will be probably the last time I see my guns and the likelihood of ending up in jail is high, it would have to be a definite act where shooting was the only self defense option that was left to me, and even then, I'm not sure I could actually do it. Other than that, it would just not be worth it."

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Miss 9's First Dinner Party

Yesterday afternoon Miss 9, with the help of a friend, cooked a dinner party for us ...

Here's the menu:



And this is what the table looked like with all the food laid out. Miss 9 is in the back of the photo:



The food was excellent. Even Miss 7 tried EVERYTHING and especially loved the Paprika Chicken.

I really liked the Bread Sauce with the vegetables (and everything else), and I'm not a fan of sauces.

Dessert was fantasic - must get her to make those tartletts again! I'll post the recipe on my blog too when I get it off the chef.

Unfortunately, after a morning of Little Athletics, an afternoon of cooking - Miss 9 was actually too tired to eat much :(

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Bad news for prices and an interesting concept ...

From today's news ...

Drought-ravaged farmers head to WACA as WA's big dry hits hard

FARMERS will be bussed in from the country and given tickets to the cricket as the State Government tries to ease the plight of desperate landowners who are facing the worst drought in memory.

Forty farmers from the dust-bowl towns of Perenjori, 370km north of Perth, and Kondinin, 280km east of the city, will arrive next Sunday for a cooked breakfast and the Twenty20 clash between Australia and Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground.

It comes as mental health workers are put on alert in towns across the South-West and the Wheatbelt, as hundreds of farmers battle what the Department of Agriculture has now deemed a "hydrological and biological drought".

New maps released by the department this week show half of WA has suffered well below average rainfall in the past six months, while tens of thousands of hectares received the lowest rainfall since records began in the 1900s - causing crops to fail and forcing farmers to sell off breeding livestock to eastern states buyers.

Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron said the cricket tickets would not help crops or ease financial pressure, but they would offer struggling landowners a short break and the chance to look beyond the "front gate" of their farms.

"This won't help the seasonal outcome, but sport and recreation and sport and recreation clubs are the glue that holds rural communities together," Mr Waldron told The Sunday Times. "They are places to meet to share stories and hopefully help break down isolation that can breed despair."

WA Farmers Federation president Mike Norton said State Government relief was desperately needed as parts of the Wheatbelt had become a drought "black hole" and many farmers would have nothing to harvest this season.

Mr Norton said the drought would soon hit home for metropolitan residents as well because prices for meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables would "go through the roof".

Lake Grace farmer Bob Iffla, the WA Farmers Federation regional president, said the drought was the "final nail in the coffin" for many cockies who had been hit by frosts and successive dry seasons.

"It's the worst season anyone has seen in their lifetime," he said.

"It's dire out here. We're in real trouble."

As estimates put the cut to WA's export harvest at $2 billion, Beverley farmer Jeff Murray said he had been reduced to hand-feeding his sheep to keep them alive because his crops had failed.

The Water Corporation said just 11 gigalitres had flowed into South-West dams this season - a tenth of the average and the lowest amount ever recorded - while the Agriculture Department elevated the drought to the second-highest level of its internal "incident rating" scale.

Wheatbelt Men's Health co-ordinator Julian Krieg said calls to the helpline had jumped 20 per cent as many farmers battled depression and stress.

Agriculture Department practice director David Bowran said large parts of WA were in the grip of both a hydrological drought - meaning dams were running dry - and a biological drought, meaning plants, animals and the environment were being devastated by lack of water.

Mr Bowran said some farms had had less than 70mm of rain in the past six months - less than a sixth of their average expected rainfall.

The Dry Season Advisory Committee said water shortages and bank finance had become critical issues facing farmers, with some bank managers threatening to shut second and third-generation farms.

A special land sales committee has been activated by the State Government to provide a mediation service for farmers under pressure to sell their properties.

Meanwhile, WACA bosses said the 40 tickets to the cricket had been donated for farmers and would be handed out this week on the ABC's Country Hour radio program.


-----------------

I knew it had been a dry winter, but didn't realise it was soooo bad.

How to waste a morning

On Friday we had an appointment at 9.30am with the Orthopedic Surgeon. We were hoping to get a surgery date for hubby's hip replacement.

So ... we did a 'dump & run' with the girls at school, drove the hour to Freo Hospital - managed to locate a convenient parking bay (major WIN), got up to the clinic just before 9.30am and signed in.

Few mintues later we were called by a nurse and given a script for an x-ray. Odd, we thought, as there was an x-ray taken only a month ago and no indication that anything had happend in the meantime to cause issues. Anyway, trudged off to the radiology department, waited half an hour there, had the x-ray, trudged back to the surgery area and sat down to wait.

Just after 11.00am we were called again my a nurse who took us into an examination room (rather than the surgeon's consulting room) and asked us to wait. Odd we thought again as we weren't expecting a physical examination.

About 15mins later a youngish guy comes in and introduces himself as one of the surgeon's registrars. Apparently the surgeon was called into the operating theatre a couple of hours ago and can't see us.

However, as the blood infection markers are at 5 and the x-ray looked okay, we could go and come back in two weeks time!

EEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, such as waste of time! I was not at all impressed.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

It's a start ...

From today's news:

'Abandon Stop and Search' laws - MPs

CONTROVERSIAL stop and search powers for police should be immediately abandoned, the majority of a parliamentary committee investigating the proposal says.

Three of the five committee members - Greens MP Alison Xamon, Nationals MP Mia Davies and Labor MP Sally Talbot - recommended the proposed legislation "should not proceed in any form".

Ms Xamon said the proposal was "deeply flawed" and "the sheer level of imposition on the civil rights of innocent citizens could simply not be justified".

But the committee has also recommended a series of proposed amendments.

Ms Xamon said: “Clearly this is legislation which never should have gotten this far".

"There has been an appalling lack of attention to appropriate safeguards, no costings or provision for additional resources, and no clear evidence as to its effectiveness in preventing crime," she said.

“The Premier has repeatedly made the claim that in practice this legislation would only result in people needing to walk through “electronic arches” or being subject to electronic “wanding” but the evidence shows this to be completely false with no such arches being available, the police having an inadequate number of electronic “wands” and no additional funding being allocated to enable any more equipment to be purchased.

"As such, all those subject to arbitrary search will be required to submit to the far more intrusive “pat down” searches enabled by the Bill.

“The massive majority of submissions received were against the legislation with only the Police Union in favour. And a considerable part of the concerns raised centered around the potential for the abuse of power by the police.

"As we have seen in recent times, there is already considerable concern about the conduct of some of our Police Officers with their existing powers. As such, the wisdom of giving even more power has to be seriously questioned.

"Certainly the Committee found that the current requirement for the police to hold a “reasonable suspicion” in order to stop and search someone was not an onerous threshold and contained essential safeguards.”

Ms Xamon also warned that the evidence examined by the committee "casts serious doubt over assertions that certain rates of crime are on the increase".

"In contrast the police themselves admitted that programs and strategies that address the root causes of crime had been working," she said.

"Clearly this is where we should be putting our efforts, not in subjecting innocent citizens to arbitrary violations of their rights.

"Even though the committee has attempted to propose amendments to ameliorate the worst impacts of the stop and search powers there is no escaping the fact that this is deeply problematic and flawed legislation which the committee majority determined should in no way proceed.

"The Premier and the Police Minister should immediately withdraw the legislation and stop their attempts to promote simplistic, populist and ill-thought out legislation."

Opposition police spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said the "shambolic" legislation must be scrapped following the committee's damning report.

"A majority of the committee found there was no justification for the laws and the entire Committee, including Government members, found the Bill could not proceed in its current form," she said.
"The committee made so many recommendations for changes that the whole thing will be a complete debacle if the Barnett Government tries to proceed.

"Even the Government’s own members have found that the Bill is a mess. It requires so many substantial changes that it simply cannot proceed.

"The Barnett Government must scrap its stop and search legislation entirely."



Let's hope they do ....

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Search by Colour

Interesting concept.

You can choose a colour, or two (up to 10) and pictures (from Flickr) with those colours will be displayed.



You can then click on a picture in the results to be taken to the source page (hopefully, some of the ones I chose ended up with "photo not found").

Check it out here.

Hubby

Firstly, I just want to say thanks for all the comments and support on my last post re: Hubby - it's really appreciated.

Well the blood test from Monday showed the markers a bit lower than last week, so that's good news.

He's had another blood test today, which we will get the results for on Friday at the specialist appointment.

If they continue to remain low, hopefully we will be given a date for the hip replacement - and hopefully that will be soon! Finger's crossed.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Let's see where this leads ....

From today's news (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/coroner-recommends-psych-tests-for-gun-owners/story-e6frfku0-1225940331077)

Coroner recommends psych tests for gun owners

PROSPECTIVE gun owners would have to pass a mental health test before being granted a firearms licence under recommendations submitted by a NSW coroner.

After inquiring into the self-inflicted shooting death of a man during a confrontation with police in Sydney, Deputy State Coroner Paul MacMahon found the licensed gun owner had posed a "very great danger" to many unsuspecting people.

The 22-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, drew a Glock pistol when two police officers asked him to stop near Eastwood Mall in Sydney's northwest on March 10, 2008.

The officers exchanged fire with the man before he shot himself in the head, Mr MacMahon said in his findings, handed down today.

Despite emergency surgery, the man died in hospital two days later.

An inquest, in November 2009 and March 2010, heard police evidence that the man intended to kill numerous people at random on the day he visited Eastwood Mall.

He was carrying six full magazines of ammunition at the time of his death, with more ammunition and a reloader found in his vehicle.

"He had a veritable war chest," Mr MacMahon said.

On the day of his death, Mr MacMahon found, the man was likely to have been experiencing a "psychotic episode and that he was acting out of a delusion or hallucination".

"What he could or would have done in Eastwood Mall is open to speculation. However, the situation was one of very great danger in which the lives of the many people present were at considerable risk," he said.

Although not clinically diagnosed, the inquest was told the man's parents thought he was experiencing mental health issues, having become "isolated and secretive".

Among three recommendations to NSW Police Minister Michael Daley, Mr MacMahon asked for greater scrutiny during the granting of firearms licences.

He asked that "applicants undergo a mental health assessment by a general medical practitioner, or other appropriate professional, so as to ensure that they are not suffering from any previously undiagnosed mental health condition that would render the applicant unsuitable for the holding of such a licence".

Furthermore, Mr MacMahon asked, gun licences be shown when collecting firearms from storage facilities and that such facilities keep detailed records of when items are removed and returned and by whom.

On the day of the shooting, Mr MacMahon found, the two police officers acted appropriately.

"The officers' use of their firearm in the circumstances was appropriate," he said.

"The circumstances faced by officers ... (were) life threatening."


------------

Two pictures accompany the article:



From what I can see, none of these guns (or at least, none of the semi-autos) are legal in Australia

AND spot the issue with this one:


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Update for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Fake (+)(+)
Perfect (o)(o)
Perky (*)(*)
Cold (^)(^)
Grandma's \./\./
Big ( o )( o )
small (.)(.)

Friday, October 15, 2010

Update on Hubby

We went to the local GP today - hubby has been feeling a bit 'off' for a couple of days AND the local GP is the only one who can authorise an application for a disabled parking permit.

We brought the GP up to date on my hubby's situation and then explained that he hasn't been feeling the best - mainly nausea issues. The GP wrote a referral for an 'urgent' (i.e. results today please) blood test.

We also got the necessary paperwork for the disabled parking permit - which we now just need to complete and post off with a cheque for $16.50.

Just after 4pm today my hubby rang the GP to get the results. Apparently the infection markers are up to 7. The Dr at Freo hospital told us they wanted his markers under 5 (which they had been for the previous two tests).

Generally, apparently, GPs don't stress if they're under 10. So we're currently a bit unsure of the next move. I'm guessing we'll end up getting another test on Monday to see what the story is and then see what the Dr at Freo Hospital says.

Would appreciate your thoughts and prayers that the markers come down again over the weekend.

English FAIL



Ummm?

(I bought it anyway!)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Interesting .....

In today's news we read:

Sydney raids find sub-machine guns

A SERIES of police raids in Sydney's west has netted 10 submachine-guns, magazines, silencers, a revolver, ammunition and cash.

Firearms and Organised Crime Squad detectives arrested three people and seized the firearms during an operation targeting the illegal manufacture of prohibited weapons.

They were investigating a syndicate allegedly involved in the making and supply of submachine-guns and other prohibited firearms.

About 8.30pm (AEDT) on Tuesday detectives executing search warrants arrested a 31-year-old Seven Hills man at Seven Hills, a 43-year-old Wentworthville man and a 30-year-old South Penrith woman at South Penrith.

At Wentworthville, police seized two non-commercially manufactured MAC-10 submachine-guns along with magazines, silencers, a revolver, ammunition and $41,850.

"Firearms that fall into the wrong hands are dangerous and police are committed to taking these firearms off our streets to ensure public safety," Firearms and Organised Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis said in a statement.

At South Penrith, police found steroids, prohibited substances and five magazines

At Seven Hills, they discovered a workshop containing metalwork machines and moulds allegedly used in the manufacture of firearms.

The 31-year-old man has been charged with manufacture prohibited firearms and sell firearms. He was refused bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old man was charged with supply firearms and possess firearms. He was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old woman was charged with possessing prohibited weapons and drug-related offences. She was granted bail to appear at Penrith Local Court on November 1.

Anyone with information about firearms-related crime in their area is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I love this site ....

There's a site full of weird and wonderful ideas ... like these:





Not so sure about this one though:



Anyway go ... "waste" time ...

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Cooking - Cheese Balls or Something

Last week I was doing cooking with Miss 9 and she found a recipe for Cheese Twists that she wanted to try.

We made a batch. They were nice. We then decided to try a batch with some Greek yogurt we had left over in the fridge and they were DELICIOUS. I made some more (a double batch) yesterday - for Little Athletics today - and hubby, who doesn't like yogurt, asked me to make them again "but make a double batch this time".

So I thought I should probably write down the approximate recipe that we used (this is the standard, not double, batch):

50gm grated cheese - the stronger the tasting cheese the stronger the flavour
75gm self-raising flour, sifted
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
30gm chilled butter
pinch of salt

Pre-heat oven to 220C (425F).

1. Place cheese, flour, salt and butter into a mixing bowl. Rub together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

2. Add yogurt and kneed to a dough. The texture should be a bit moist and smooth. As we've sort of adapted the original recipe, you might need a bit more flour or butter to get the consistency right.

3. Make small balls of the dough and place grease-proof paper covered baking tray.

4. Bake for 8-12minutes or until the balls start to turn golden brown.

5. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

6. Hide from anyone else! and ENJOY

Next time we make them I'll see if they last long enough for a photo.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thought Provoking

Came across this today here ... and thought I would share it:

The Awakening

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out...ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on.

Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon. You realize that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you... and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself... and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you - or didn't do for you - and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that everything isn't always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself... and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties... and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people... and you learn not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody's punishing you and everything isn't always somebody's fault. It's just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

- - by Sonny Carroll

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wow

Update on Hubby

He finished the course of IV antibiotics yesterday and the IV line came out. So now it's fingers crossed that the infection doesn't return.

We have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on the 22nd and then hopefully we'll get a surgery date for the hip replacement.

Can't wait until he can take out the garbage again!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Spelling and Grammar Explained

Just come across The Oatmeal site. There's lots of fun stuff there, but there is also some handy explanations of spelling and grammar, e.g.:

* Ten words you need to stop misspelling

* How to use a semicolon

* How to use an apostrophe

* When to use i.e. in a sentence


There's also a spelling / grammar test you can take.

The Twitter Spelling Test

Created by Oatmeal



(I've never been good at spelling.)

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Miss 7's Birthday Post

As I mentioned yesterday I have been remiss with posting family news. I did post at that time about Miss 9's birthday, and here are the pictures from Miss 7's:

The birthday girl watching a friend play "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" (it was a games themed birthday party):



And here's her birthday cake:

Going Pink for a Cause

Blogger Epijunky has issued a challenge for bloggers to change their blogs to pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I have, fortunately, neither been affected by breast cancer directly or indirectly, however 1,000s have. So I have decided to take up the challenge, and I challenge my readers to do the same.

According to Epi, "The five year survival rate for those diagnosed in an early stage is 97%"

She further goes on to point out the things you need to do:

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Do a self breast exam every month.

2. Be sure that your doctor is doing an exam once a year.

3. Mammography. Sure, it’s not pleasant, but neither is stage IV cancer.


I suggest heading over to Epi's site and having a read of her post and if you are willing to take up the challenge to to help raise awareness of the need for early detection and prevention of this disease.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

A Day of Cooking

Inspired by "Jamie Oliver does Athens" on TV last night, Miss 9 and I decided to do some cooking today.

We started with this:


and this:


and this:


used these recipes (well more or less anyway):
* Naan bread
* Greek Salad
* Souvalaki and Tzaziki
* Panier cheese

To create this -


Here's a close up:


And the verdict from the family & a stray - YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY ...

(Oh and we did a Pumkin & Potato Curry too, but that wasn't on the menu for tonight).

Family

I have been a bit remiss lately with family news - well, other than that of my hubby. Both girls had birthdays recently, I don't have the photos from Miss 7's party to hand, but here's one of Miss 9:



She had a craft themed birthday party, with a number of different craft activities for her guests to choose from.



It was a great day!

I will post Miss 7's photos of her one when I get them off hubby's phone.

Here's one of both girls anyway.



And here's one of Miss 9 dressed up for her school concert. She played Jane in Mary
Poppins for the "I Love to Laugh" song.