nest

Crime. Does it Pay?

A crime has been committed under my roof. I haven't written about this incident yet as I've been trying to come to terms with the fact that I know the perpetrator. Well. Very well. I've been told she even looks a little like me. And she should, she's my daughter, the criminal is my 3 year old daughter.

The crime? Irreparably tearing a LIBRARY BOOK to shreds. A school library book, no longer fit for re-borrowing. I'm in shock.

Allow me to present exhibit A....

Shreds I tell you. Very few pages remained in one piece and EVERY page was removed from the cover.

I didn't know the punishment for such a crime. I send her to her room for normal run of the mill household things.... but ripping a library book? Every page! What do I do here?

The time of the crime was 5.30pm. I discovered the scene at 5.32pm. When I came to I removed the small red-head from the room and taped off the area for further investigation (I intended to find EVERY piece of the jigsaw). I put on a stony face and put the girl in the bath, then fed her a sandwich in the kitchen and put her to bed. Saying that I needed a different girl to wake in the morning.

She knew what she had done was wrong. She was tired and wanted to push my buttons. Push them SHE DID.

After she was asleep (which didn't take long) I found the sticky tape... and Operation Jigsaw began... the librarian will never know.....

Hmmmm. I actually think she might notice something's a bit odd.....

So I purchased a new one which now sits in the school library. Its a funny book that we really enjoyed so the sticky taped one now sits on our bookshelf. The taped pages add a little character to the book, make it more precious almost.

A different girl did wake up the next morning who completely understood the GRAVITY of the whole incident. The court has released her on bail but intends to retell the story when an example of how NOT to behave is required.

The moral my children have been taught from this? Tear a library book and you get to keep it.

Well, umm, yes. Good one, Mum.
 
 

New Look

The new look blog design!

What do you think?

2010 will be an exciting year and I'm looking forward to sharing it with all of you.

I have a new camera too. Now I have to learn how to use it and hopefully, over time, get some of those amazing food photos like the ones here (my new favorite blog).

I would also like to explain the quote I use on my banner, '... in all the world this nest is best.'

It's from a favorite childhood book, My Nest is Best by P.D. Eastman. I've added a link to this book on amazon in my side bar. The book we had when we were little has lost it's cover...

...and the first couple of pages. I hadn't looked at this book for... well... for probably 25 years! (what?!) And when I saw the pictures again they were SO FAMILIAR to me. Like this one...

And my child thoughts came back, 'Lucky that piece of wood is broken and they can get in. Lucky.'

'That man would HAVE to know his sock was being pulled. Surely. I would, I think.'

'They still haven't fixed that broken bit. Lucky.'

'Poor Mr Bird.'

'Oh, hooray! It's all ok!'

How cute is that.

I love this book and have ordered a new one for my children to enjoy, it's still in print and I'm not surprised.

'I love my house.

I love my nest.

In all the world

This nest is best.'

Same here, Mrs Bird, same here.

All Over Red Rover

It's going to be 2010 in a few days. What?! Unbelievable. Totally. I thought I was going to be old in 2010. Wrong again. Didn't we only click over to 2000 last year? Y2K and all that? Has 10 years passed that quickly? Does that mean I'm about to turn... the big four oh? Oh.

Christmas came and went so quickly that I hardly picked up my camera. I had planned to show you the wonders of our Christmas table, and now, after the fact, I feel explanations wouldn't do justice to the feast, and/or would just be very boring. I will however, give a dot point run down...

• shortbread with pistachios, with craisins
• 3 types of fruit cake
• rum balls
• cherry slice with choc top (will blog at a later date- FAB)
• an assortment of cheeses and dips and crackers and nibbles

Then on Christmas day...

... I actually won't go into breakfast... or morning tea... this is lunch...

Entree:

• an Asian inspired rice noodle and prawn salad (made by my sister) light, tasty and delicious.

Main: Smorgasbord style...

• roast pork with crackling
• roast chicken x 2
• beautiful herb rolled beef, cooked med-rare and sliced
• creamy potato bake
• crisp green salad
• roast pumpkin and beetroot with marinated feta and pine nuts (oh yeah)
• Unbelievable Bangalow Ham
• assorted condiments

Dessert:

• Mini (well, tennis ball size) date puds with white chocolate drizzle and a jaffa on the top.
• Mum's can't-be-beaten (unless your father's a dairy farmer) custard
• Vanilla bean icecream

Yeah, pretty full after that.

We spent time in the pool, when it wasn't raining, AND when it was, we drank tea, flipped through magazines and had a wonderfully relaxed time. Now back home and HOT and HUMID and RAINING... and, luckily for the environment, my clothes drier isn't working.

So, 2010. My new years resolution is the same as it has been for many years- lose weight and save money. The same, always the same. So then, if eating and spending is what I do, then, perhaps I should embrace it. Maybe, by trying to go against my natural tendencies I'm denying myself of unknown wonders, of a whole new outlook on life. Or maybe I'd just be size 28 and poor. Better the devil you know, as they say, so LOSE WEIGHT AND SAVE MONEY it is. Again. Lets see how I go this year.

Having said that, I'm currently working on a NYE menu for dinner with good friends who are flying back to London on new years day.

I'm thinking of doing something along these lines... from the Gourmet Traveller mag...

 
 
 ... boned and rolled chicken with a rocket, parmesan, pancetta and olive salad. Probably throw in a spud too.

But I've also been looking through George Calombaris' new book (a Chrissy gift)...

... and have found this that looks just fab....

(great photography!) ...you can't go past a celebration lamb rack. Can you. Really. You can't. Except, of course, if it's a garlicy, lemony, chicken dish of the Rick Stein variety... hmmmm, I have some thinking to do.

And of course, Pav for afters. Strawberries, blueberries, mango, oh my!