nest

Icecreams

We made strawberry and banana icecreams (iceblocks?) yesterday. It's that time of year again in Brisbane, actually, it's that time of year for MOST of the year in Brisbane, except for a couple of weeks in July or August...

The strawberries are just gorgeous this time of year and cheaper than other times too. I buy up and freeze them in zip locks with their greenery removed to use in smoothies, baking or... iceblocks (icecreams?).

I must confess that I'm not a fan of bananas. Can't stand them, in fact. I'd eat fried lambs brains before I'd even contemplate taking a big SMELL of a banana. I don't know why. But, I got over most of my phobia when Tom was a baby as they are so good for kids to eat. I can actually touch and peel and cut, even MASH, bananas now... in a well ventilated room.

My brand new whizzer, a whizzin'. Gorgeous pink colour.

Rocket ships ready for the freezer. Now we play the waiting game......

5 minutes later.

Tom: 'Are they ready yet?'

Me: 'No'... and I explain, in laymans terms, the scientific process involved in turning a liquid into a solid using temperature.

7 minutes later.

Juliet walks past me with a stool, on her way to the back freezer where the iceblocks are. I explain again.

12 minutes later.

From the freezer I hear Tom: 'Uh oh.'

The contents of one of the rocket ships is now all over the freezer. Now there's three.

This went on, as you can imagine, until I successfully diverted their attention to something else.

The next day (yes, I held them off for that long) they had their iceblocks...

... and were most impressed.

 

 

 

Good News

I don't watch the news nor do I read the serious pages of the news paper from start to finish. I scan the newspaper and read the stories I sift out. The good news stories, void of child abuse, poverty, rape and murder. I don't need to read about these things. The empathy I feel towards the victims can be a bit consuming and I can't get the misery out of my head. I know what's going on in the world, but I focus on the good news.

The brave fireman rescues the kitten, HOORAY! 

I read a story in the paper through the week about a couple in the US who were undergoing IVF for their fourth child. Two months into the pregnancy they received a phone call from the clinic who performed the procedure to tell them that the wrong embryo had been implanted. They were pregnant with another couple's child. The clinic recommended an abortion. This was never an option for the pregnant couple who, OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS, carried the baby to term and gave it to the biological parents. It was the right thing to do.

The whole experience would have been highly emotional for both couples. I'm so glad the story ended the way it did. They sound like good people.

What would you have done if this happened to you? Can you imagine the anger at the incompetent clinic staff, the love for the innocent, unborn child you're carrying, the duty you'd feel to the biological parents to care for the child until birth and then the sadness at separation when the life you've brought into the world leaves your arms.

Awwww. Yes, makes me cry. But a good news story.

Give me more good news.

Baking Season

From now until Christmas I’m slaving over a hot oven... baking. In our family, from September, we have a birthday a month and then Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dreading it, I’m LOVING it. Rod’s birthday has just been where two cakes were made (one to take to work, ‘I’ve told everyone that you make great cakes...so... no pressure.’) and one for our family celebrations. I’ll be logging all cakes made in the Baking Season here on nest. So here are the first two:

1.   Rod’s birthday cake #1

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE, Nigella.

No photo. However, I can explain it. Two round chocolate cakes sandwiched together with a chocolate icing that was made with sour cream, melted (molten? Or is that lava...?) chocolate, butter and icing sugar. This icing was also covering the top and all down the sides... oohhh yeah. APPARENTLY (because I didn’t actually get to taste it), it was very rich and heavy, a small slice was all anyone could eat. BUT, good reviews... apparently. 

2.   Rod’s birthday cake #2

BUTTER CAKE WITH BROWN CHOCOLATE ICING AND WHITE CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS, Donna Hay (cake), Me (icing).

I have mentioned Donna’s butter cake in a previous post, so you know that I don’t follow her Method. I do, however, always use her ingredients and quantities as it makes a lovely high cake with a medium texture consistent throughout. The kids ‘helped’ me with this one, up on their stools, getting flour everywhere, eating the sugar out of the container, making appreciative ooos and ahhhs when the batter covered beater is lifted out of the bowl. It takes longer to cook with kids, music must be playing, dancing must be encouraged, beater and spatula must be licked.

The icing was made minus children as I always get nervous about melting (molting? Or is that birds...?) chocolate. I’ve had too many bowls of expensive chocolate seize before my eyes with no chance of rescue. So, I need peace and quiet when I melt. I need to concentrate. Lady luck was a shinin’ and I successfully melted 100g of 70% chocolate with about 60g of butter and then mixed in icing sugar AND A BIT OF MILK- QUICK STIR IT FAST- A BIT MORE ICING SUGAR- AHHH... phew. It worked. I poured it over the cake and smoothed it around the sides then grated some Milkybar over the top... oohhh yeah.

And candles. Not 41. Actually, 12. It’s been really dry and I didn’t want to start a fire storm. I do have pictures of this one... aflame.

One more, Rod! It’s not a trick candle, I promise.

For he’s a jolly good fellow.

Matched well with a glass of full bodied, buttery chardy.

Happy birthday Rod.

Recent History

Well, what have I been doing over the last couple of weeks? Not posting to nest, thats one thing. Here are some photos that might explain how I've  been otherwise occupied...

It all started with this...

Yeah, that hurt. Physically and emotionally. I have a very hard working guardian angel who saved me from another near miss. Photos of the injuries will not be published.

I was battered and bruised and nursing a heavy head cold...

... and packing for a beach camping trip...

...the tent was put up in the dark by the time we got there. Lovely to wake up and the holiday has started, though.

Beautiful.

Friends dropped by in the shape of some local fauna...

Morning coffee. You didn't think I'd be drinking instant coffee did you?

Some beautiful local flora...

I love Banksia trees and flowers. Those scary Banksia men from Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

We arrived home relaxed and thankful for what we have, the life we lead and that we are all safe and healthy.

Then this...

Dust storm. Photo taken at midday.

And I had to do all of this...

Now this is but the tip of the ice berg...

...and more dust is predicted over the weekend.

Wouldn't you hate it if life was dull?

 

Magpie

Well, that's my exercise regime ended. How am I supposed to walk now that the magpies are swooping?

I've hit the dreaded weight loss 'plateau'. 7kgs lost, but another 5 to go and I've stagnated. I know why. Its no mystery. I'm not being as watchful with what I'm eating and it's magpie swooping season.

They are just so scary. You hear the whoosh of wings and the snap of that sharp beak. I avoid adrenaline, so I don't walk when the magpies are swooping.

When Rod was at school there was a magpie that swooped the kids on their way to the toilets so they were given empty ice cream containers with eyes drawn on to wear on their heads. This apparently makes the magpies think that they're being watched and they won't swoop. What about all those stories you hear about people losing an eye in magpie attacks? I think the teachers were just getting a laugh.

I won't be wearing an ice cream container on my head. The weight watcher points involved in cleaning out the ice cream would make it pointless anyway. No, I'm not sure what I'll do, haven't decided yet. Am I still too fat to be seen in public at the local pool? It's been 20 years since I've swum laps anyway. Yes, really. The thought of joining a gym just flickered into my brain.... and flickered out again....

Magpies are actually lovely, regal birds. There's a poem we had in a book as children that describes magpies as 'gentlemen with hands in their pockets' (not a direct quote, I can't remember it exactly, but will try and find it..). And they build beautiful nests.

And magpie babies and being born.