Books and Embroidery

What do these two things have in common you might ask? The picture above might give you a clue!

I am now the delighted and ecstatic owner of this hefty volume, filled with beautiful recipes interspersed between Maggie's knowledge and wisdom about working with and eating beautiful seasonal produce.

I have long drooled over the beauty of this book. The cover is embroidered fabric, which drew me immediately. The fact that Maggie Beer is my food hero had much to do with my love of this book too. I love that this book is sectioned into seasons and that by cooking my way through each section I'll be able to take full advantage of things that truly are in season and not just from cold storage somewhere.

When the book first came out two years ago I would sit on the floor next to the shelf it came from, in the bookshop, and sigh longingly over the recipes and read snippets of the text about each ingredient she writes about. What stopped you buying it, I hear you ask. The price. I took the plunge this afternoon with a 30%-off voucher from Borders in my hot little hand. Borders is often the most expensive, but even so, I managed to get the book for around the original new-release price, about $40 less than the current higher price. I should've just done it in the first place, shouldn't I?!

Now the question is, which recipe will I cook first?

picture from syrupandtang.com

Busy Little Extroverts

My family is significantly weighted in favour of the extroverts. There are three of them...and last night provided a funny little exchange, thanks to a little extroverted boy who can't fathom the idea of staying home with his dad, if there is an opportunity to go out! Especially when it's just 'the boys'. So desperate is he, that even teachers are fair game because of course, they must want to spend time with him after school!

Mr Busy: Dad, can we go to MrsC's house? I haven't spent much time with her lately.
Dh: No son, MrsC probably doesn't want to see her students after school. We can't go to her house.
Mr Busy: What about MissS? She has heaps of lego, we could go and play with her.
Dh: No mate, MissS probably has lots of things to do besides playing with you tonight.

MissS is the Head of Secondary and not one of Mr Busy's teachers. But she is renowned for her Lego collection and ability to play. She rivals the best of the kids in relation to play! And interestingly, Mr Busy had just spent ALL day with MrsC....she is his Thursday teacher!

I also learned today, that Mr Busy has himself quite a reputation. Our receptionist was telling me this afternoon that her Year 11 son pointed Mr Busy out one afternoon saying "who is that kid?". His Mum said "oh that's Mr Busy, he's cool". "Really?" says Mr Yr11 "he followed me around and talked on and on about my bike".

Mr Yr11's mistake? He made eye contact....must've grunted in the right places and that is enough for any 9yo boy to think that he has a new best mate.

The two of them both play the drums. Of course they'd be best mates!

* * * * * * * * * * *

As it happens, I was the fortunate one to spend a large chunk of today in MissS's office working on VCE textbooks and allocating all the second hand ones that I could to next year's students. We chatted a bit amongst the work and I am again impressed with the depth of this young woman's wisdom and her passion for our school. I feel honoured that she feels comfortable sharing what burdens her with me and I have the privilege of lifting her before the God who overcomes all our weaknesses and carries us through our trials.

Daily Ramblings

You know the school year is coming to an end when class combinations are finalised and specific groupings are being prepared.

I love listening to parents trying to figure out the logistics in regard to numbers, ponder who will teach those classes and then try to figure out who will teach their child. It amuses me for two reasons.....firstly, I suppose, because I rarely have to figure that out. Two years ago I knew exactly which classes my children would be in ~ the girls follow each other one year after another. They are always kept separate. When you only have one Year 3 classroom, guess where your Year 3 child goes?! Next year, for us, is also somewhat pre-determined for the girls. Mr Busy is our only question mark. He'll be fine no matter who ends up teaching him....because our teachers are all amazing in their own individual ways.

The second reason that I am amused is that all the obsessing, wondering and conversation that goes on around this issue really does very little to impact the final result. Apart from a written request parents don't make the decision...the teachers do. At the end of the day the children will be placed in a new class group and hopefully they'll have a great year.

Whatever the outcomes, we'll all find out late next week who will be where so that we can have Orientation Day the following week. That day is always filled with excitement and anticipation.

The Dress

Miss Mischief and I spent a few hours down the hill at one of the big shopping centres searching out the possibilities for her graduation dress. Graduation will happen on the 1st of December, so time was running out fast!

This was her choice. It needs a little altering...but only just a little. The straps need shortening and the bodice needs to come in a tiny bit down the side seams. Easy done.

We then went to Diva and chose some jewellery. She ended up with a silver chain with about 10 pearls with silver sparkly spacers and some dangle-down earrings (her term!).

I walked away with this cute bracelet that tinkles. The fact that it was pink was a huge bonus.

Miss Mischief just needs some suitable shoes. I need something to wear....I don't mind alternating, but I don't want to wear the same dress as I wore to last year's Year 6 graduation. Something about photos and handing out Toastmaster's Certificates....you just shouldn't wear the same thing!!!! At least, I don't think I should. Something pink to go with that tinkley bracelet might be nice.....

Kreativ Blogger...from Rel

My very dear friend Rel has bestowed upon me a beautiful award ~ the Kreativ Blogger Award. Unfortunately Blogspot isn't allowing me to post the pretty award that goes along with it. Seems to be the way of things with computes! You'll be able to see Rel's post about it by clicking here.

I'm to list seven favourite things and then pass this on to seven favourite bloggers.

Let's start with my favourite things:

1. My family ~ a magnificent husband and three beautiful children.
2. My home in a beautiful little corner of outer Melbourne.
3. Books...I have piles of them on my TBR shelf! That's what summer holidays are all about for me!
4. Time with my favourite 3 girlfriends. They are priceless treasures in my life.
   
5. Time at my piano.
6. My job.
7. Tinkley bracelets. Silly, cheap...but there ya have it!

Course there are lots of other things I love but the thingy said I could only list seven!

As for my favourite Bloggers?

1. Frances, from Lefthanded Housewife
2. Kate, from Our Red House
3. Joy, from Joy's Quilts
4. Jenny, from Little Jenny Wren
5. Natalie, from Cinderberry Stitches
6. Jodie, from Life in the Hills
7. Anna, from Pleasant View Schoolhouse

As soon as I'm able to I'll have another go at placing that Kreativ Blogger picture here too.

This Week's Menu

I'm looking outside and seeing very clear blue skies ~ another warm day ahead. I just checked the long range rain forecast too....nothing to be seen in the next 28 days :( Looks like we might need to start watering a little bit. Just the herb garden. Everything else is on its own.

I've not planted any vegies this year. I feel very sad about that, but I want to move the vegie garden closer to the house where I'll remember to get out to it and away from the jumping jacks. We'd like to plant fruit trees where it has been. Perhaps I'll try planting some vegies into self-water pots instead. That way they can stay inside and watered over the worst of the heat in summer. The idea of not having real tomatoes is too tragic to contemplate!

My rhubarb plant, however, is going amazingly! I need to get out and pick some. It dies down each year and then pops up bigger and stronger than last year! Muffins, crumbles and stewed rhubarb will have to be in our future!

I sat down last night and planned out the rest of November's meals. I wanted to put a roast on the plan, but it's getting a bit too warm to do that now.

Friday: Lasagna
Saturday: Out at a dear friend's for dinner
Sunday: Chicken in 'fig bath' (minus the figs I think!)
Monday: Ricotta fritters, salad, jacket potatoes
Tuesday: Chicken wings or drumsticks, rice, stir fried vegies
Wednesday: Gnocchi with roasted tomato sauce
Thursday: Leftover lasagna, salad

I didn't actually get to making lasagna last night. I couldn't shop on Thursday or yesterday and we got home late from school...I was all done in! So I'll make it sometime today and then I'll have two meals in the freezer...after I buy some gluten free lasagna sheets.

Feeling Neglected?

I'm not, but I wondered whether you might think I'm being a little neglectful in my posting. I've been flat-out busy...and the next few Friday's will continue in the same vein, I think, with Toastmaster's on the go. So today's post might just be a lot of little tidbits and catching up on stuff that has been racing through my mind.

• Miss Mischief won a 'Burnt Toast' award for best speech of the day during Toastmaster's this morning. She did a fine job, if I do say so myself...despite the tears and tantrums over the writing of the speech. I'm so cruel you know, making her change shortened forms like b4, ur and gr8 to the real word. After all, it is a Language activity!!!! It was worth it though ~ her teacher has asked for a copy for next year's educational segments.
  
• Last night we had our school association EGM and dinner meeting. That meeting precipitated some healthy and positive discussion around morning cuppa this morning. Too bad I missed huge chunks of it! But I love hearing other parents fired up about their commitment to the school.
  
• I had lunch with two beautiful friends from school today. One had a birthday to celebrate and I was celebrating the end and successful completion of my course. We had a lovely time together and then headed back to school ~ me to the stack of VCE textbooks, one to her housework and one to supervise a VCE exam.
• As I was working for the Head of Secondary this afternoon, we both had a giggle about the fact that I landed in so many of the photos the Principal used in his powerpoint at the EGM. The pictures were just turning over behind him as he spoke....I must've been in about 6 of them. I wondered aloud to the HOS about whether there are photos of other parents doing stuff. Surely there must be!!!!! If not, someone needs to seriously get into finding some photo opportunities with other people as the subject!