Category Archives: Uncategorized

Loss, family unity, the waiting and drawing with cats

Loss

I didn’t work this week. I saw some texts, but this week was about holding our family and myself together. This week has been hard. Hard for my beautiful aunty and uncle,  hard as a sister, sister-in-law, as a mother, as a partner, as a friend.

My aunty and uncle said goodbye to their son this week. My uncle was the step father. You know what, labels are rubbish because he loved him like a son. Correction. Loves him.

My cousin was a soldier who died at work. Three days after he saw his mother. I just don’t know what to say. Stuart was an achiever and a great friend to his mates. He cared about people. He made a difference. Even if you ignored his personal and professional achievements, he put others in the shade with his impsct on people.

I have an uncle that would drop everything to help. My aunty is a self-made woman full of practical conversation and humour. She is a joy.

They lost him. He was young, strong, full of talent and purpose, beloved. There’s no way to make it better 😦

Family unity

At Stuart’s funeral and his wake I saw my family gravitate together to support each other.  My amazing sister-in-law is such a beautiful soil. Honestly, my brother is lucky to have her.  She has been through so much, and manages to maintain her empathy. My other beautiful sister-in-law,  always reliable to be there, was supportive and kind to her family.

My aunty went through the room, speaking of her son with an everlasting line of well – wishers. She comforted them. She held them, patted their backs. Thanked them for coming. It was remarkable. If i was in her place I just can’t imagine doing that. She was he image of strength and beauty.  Wow. 

The waiting

The very next day our youngest has another surgery and general anaesthetic. The waiting is the worst. Next to that is encouraging my baby to lie on the operating table and breathe the strawberry gas so she can fall asleep. 

The waiting. The silent worry. I sit in the waiting room and repeatedly check that my phone call volume is turned up. Pace the floor. Check the phone.

She comes through. We are home. Ready for recovery. The post-operative treatment is extremely painfull. It will continue for ten days at least. 

Drawing with cats

I had booked this art class prior to knowing my daughter’s surgery date. Dad was home in time so I actually went. What a night. After a huge week, I learnt the technical aspects of drawing cats at the Cat Café in Red Hill. It was really lovely. 

Tomorrow is s brand new day. Wish me luck.  Hope you are well and joyful and enjoying your wonderful life, whatever it looks like. Xx

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The cherubs got their first car today

  
We decided to build a car to take us around Aistralia so we could see our beautiful country. This car turned into s 4WD, a caravan and a camper van. The children were very engaged for hours, in the design, decoration and travelling. They surrounded their vehicle in a blue blanket and exclaimed “we live next to the ocean now!” 

  
Seats were installed and removed, as well as cushions and a small mattress. 

Tomorrow we’ve decided to drive to the Blue Mountains 🙂

Hope you have a lovely week xx

Berry yummy cream for pancakes

  
This pancake cream is protein rich, thanks to the tofu and packed with antioxidants from the blueberries. It is so yummy. The breakfast plates are left empty after this offering. 

I’ve adapted this blueberry cream recipe from a book called “Squirrels cooking for children and babies”. My version changes the ingredients and proportions around and adds new elements, but it’s s great book if you manage to find it. 

In a mini food processor, blend the following until smooth:

  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 100 grams tofu
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Juice and pulp of half an orange

So easy and delicious. Hope you like it too 🙂

Christmas biscuits (cookies)

Easiest vegan biscuits and they make great gifts!

Ingredients
150 g vegan margarine
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 cups whole meal plain flour
50 ml water
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Mix all together. Roll out. Stamp out shapes using cookie cutters. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 20 mins. Cool. If dough is too soft for stamping, let it firm up in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Icing
Pure icing sugar
Orgran no egg (egg replacer powder)
Sprinkle of water
Colouring and decorations

Mix icing ingredients excluding decorations. Ice biscuits. Decorate immediately.

Enjoy!
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