Month: January 2010

Stuff and Nonsense

So Mum is currently on quite high doses of steroids to deal with her diagnosis of collitis. The side-effects of this (as told to her by the gastroenterologist) are sleeplessness, a huge appetite and more energy than you know what to do with.
People, my mother is one of those people who never sits still as it is but DUDES, this is ridiculous. In the last week she has stripped layers of paint of a table and repainted it.
They’re going to scale the drugs back due to the hip replacement surgery, which has been pushed back by a month to the beginning of March so she is all, ‘RIGHTEO we have to capitalise on this energy. The boys really need new beds and I have to get the house repainted. I’ve also found this wallpaper which I want in my bedroom.’
Somehow expending energy equates to spending money, which is kind of ironic considering two weeks ago she was all ‘the sky is falling I have no idea how we’re going to survive’ which did nothing for my already well-established state of FREAK OUT.
So get this. On saying the boys (the bigger boys) needed new beds (because Oscar was going to need a good bed when he has his surgery later in the year) I pointed her in the direction of a company’s website featuring beds I’d been looking at for the last five years.
She sent me and Chef and the little boys off there today with an envelope stashed full of cash to the wilds of the west to purchase said beds.
She’s a good (and outrageously generous) woman that mother of mine. Even if she does do my head in on a more than regular basis.

*****

Chef’s restaurant was reviewed in the Sun-Herald yesterday and scored a 9/10. Granted the review happened before he’d started and listed the owner as the Chef but hey, I reckon it just means if they went now they’d receive a perfect score.

Funny story – the US CEO of a major 5-star hotel chain came in for dinner the other night. They knew this as his PA told them so when making the booking. I think they thought they were booking at another Italian restaurant in the same area which recently opened and is owned by a guy who used to be head chef at the signature restaurant at the chain’s Sydney establishment. Funny.

*****

Going out into the surf:
Felix to me: C’mon Lisa
Me: What?
Felix: Isn’t that the name the parents who ditched you had given you?
Me (laughing): OH FELIX
Felix: Well, isn’t that what happened?
Me: There are some people, Felix, who would not really appreciate using the word ‘ditched’ when talking about the adoption process.

*****
Jasper to me: Mum, I have an itchy bottom.
Me: Have you!?
Jasper: Yeah, there’s mozzies in there

Later:
Jasper to me: Mum, have you got any of that medicine to kills the bugs in my bum

Days later:
I finally remember to buy combantrin.

*****

Chef’s dad is quite a modest man so whenever there is a swim happening at their place he will discreetly get out before everyone else to get dressed in peace. Jasper caught him out the other week as he wanted to get dressed with Grandpa. You can see where this is heading can’t you. “My Dad has a much bigger doodle than you Grandpa”. I’m so grateful that I will have to take his word for this. For life.

*****

The two bigger boys have gone to my Dad & stepmother’s for a few days. Talk about weird. I never get used to having the numbers dramatically reduced in this house – at first I wondered if I could get away with feeding the little fellas tinned spaghetti for the next four nights (seeing as they have recently discovered it and now like it) but instead today they did potatoes.

*****

Onward.

New favourite

On a more positive note

So you see, I had quite a decent sleep last night and all those boys seem pretty chilled today so I’m all, ‘what are you complaining about you thin-skinned wench?’

Things I have done in the last few days/weeks that have been lovely or at least given me a sense of achievement:
– made two batches of particularly tasty granola
– made a green Thai vegetable curry that Felix and I truly enjoyed
– had a vegetarian dinner of veggies, a lemon tahini dressing and millet which was delicious AND discovered Jasper LOVES millet. Go fucking figure that one out (I guess it’s beige and has a similar texture to rice/pasta/couscous)
– helped Oscar make chocolate wheaties biscuits
– been using basil and spinach (silverbeet) from the garden. The silverbeet has been sensational – because you can pick it younger than you can get in the shops it has been the most sensational salad leaf alternative.
– saw Avatar – awesome in its awesomeness
– Rediscovered the restorative power of the ocean – as well as how much fun it can be
– made several batches of jam – am about to make another batch of plum and cinnamon and nectarine and passionfruit today
– made a delightful batch of cranberry muffins which were low fat and high fibre
– managed to pay the car rego and greenslip
– cleared two debts and are up to date on the car loan
– know the health insurance will be back up to date this time next week
– mum and I having lovely chats – today’s one had mum asking if she drove me mad to which I replied in the affirmative and then she told me I drove her mad to which I replied that was the core of the mother daughter relationship. All good really.

Anyway, I’m off to make some jam.

Onward!

Up down turn it around

I wish I had some erudite post for you all but I am as unpredictable as a skittish kitten at the moment. Up one minute, weeping the next. It’s boring even for me. My SIL came over today and the poor thing simply got me blathering about all the woes. I’m constantly apologising to Jasper for my snapping and snaps as this is probably the first real low I’ve had that he has realised/experienced. Poor mite.

It’s just very difficult to blog when one of the main aspects of your life is under such huge strain. Now I understand why Joke just went to ground. Sooner shut-up than try and blind everyone with jazz hands that all is fine.

Grover has turned me into the storm chaser of turds. Seriously, I’m just circling the house and watching that kid wherever he goes. The minute he goes out the back door with no obvious agenda I’m all over him like a rash. Yeah I know, forget toilet training I’m just going to give the kid a complete hang-up about taking a dump in the toilet. There have been a handful of successes with getting him to do a wee on the toilet and one poo victory but that was followed with two more deposits on the back verandah that he kindly smooshed inbetween the wooden slats for me. Skewer and baby wipes anyone? Oh, let’s not forget the massive one he took today over the drain grate in the backyard today when I took my eye off turdwatch for about three minutes during my SIL’s visit. Awesome.

I did the grocery shopping (all $60 of it) at Aldi today. I was impressed with how much I managed to get. Kind of. But man, shopping at that place doesn’t make you feel thrifty, just dirty and down-trodden.

The guinea pigs are still alive so I guess that is a bonus.

I mentioned to Mum today that it was 15 days until the boys went back to school. I think I might have punched the air when saying it. She told me I should just enjoy having them at home as the holidays are just lovely. Why is it that mothers are the gold medalists of making you feel like absolute shit when you didn’t actually think you could feel anymore like absolute shit? Don’t get me wrong, we actually had a conversation about it in which I pointed out that I do love spending time with them and hanging out with them but I am – plain and simple – exhausted and Grover’s shitting is truly killing my soul and it’s just been incredibly draining. She gets it totally and she didn’t say it to make me feel bad, but man, I hear her getting short with the boys each and every day too.

I don’t know, I just think six weeks of holidays with four children and absolutely no disposable income (no boys, we can’t get an ice cream today, no boys, we can’t go to the movies today, no boys we can’t go on a train ride this week, no no NO) is pretty darn fucked.

Oh, don’t worry, I watched this doco last week about these men hiking along some partially frozen river in Nepal last week for three months hauling timber for three euros a week so I totally get where I should shove my whinging arse.

I had a nibble of some potential work this week so that’s encouraging. Darn it, exciting even.

Other things that have lifted my spirit this week:

Have you guys heard of Mimi Kirchner’s blog Doll? Exquisite.

Eleanor is gallivanting around in snow buying adorable shoes and physically touching people I dream of hugging. Like that sentiment isn’t creepy at all.But the place she got her adorable shoes had THESE adorable shoes:

Ms CommentBox bought a pair of these so let’s just say she better a) not be my size and b) keep them under lock and key as I may well steal them off.her.feet. Ladybirds are this family’s favourite insect. I’d even go out on a limb and say animal except the Guineeh Pigs might get a bit miffed.

I had to take Mum’s sewing machine in for a service and I’m a bit bereft. I KNOW – here I am, the novice crafter and four months in no sewing machine is making me all tetchy. So desperate was I for something crafty to do I pulled out a cross-stitch I started when on bedrest during Oscar’s pregnancy t.w.e.l.v.e. years ago. I remember I stopped because I’d made a mistake (some whole section was one stitch out or some such) but now have no idea where that mistake was so figure what the hell I might as well keep going.

This of course means the making of the dress for the wedding AND something else I needed by then is going to be pushed into the challenge-against-the-clock category. As opposed to just a challenge. Fun times.

Onward!

The power of the ocean

So three days ago I snuck out of the house and walked down the beach to the flags and went for a swim out beyond the breakers. I have not done this in at least four years and really, maybe only twice since having children. Dudes, that’s twice in 11 years.

I don’t know, for about six months I have had this total compunction to swim in the ocean and well, that is just not my style. But people, I am here to say that three days ago, that swim restored my spirit more than you can possibly imagine.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we are still totally skint but that panic, that fear, that stress about it has subsided.

The water was crystal clear and the most perfect temperature – enough to make you inhale on first touch but that was it, then it was just straight out. And there I floated, duck dived, swam and laughed out loud at my childlike joy of being where I was.

I then hot-footed it home and hussled all the surly complaining lard arses out of the house and dragged them over to the beach to.

And there we have been every day since. Twice today. Felix has discovered the joy that is hanging out beyond the breakers. Jasper has discovered the joy of a boogy board and has absolutely no fear. Grover is in that land of chasing the waves and wanting more but then hating it when he’s in it. And Oscar, well, Chef and I had to drag him in on that first swim and man was he dirty about it. Then yesterday and today? That kid was in.the.surf. It was just stunning to watch.

So nothing has changed and everything has changed. Your kind words and support have done so much to bolster my spirit so between the blogosphere and the ocean I feel like a new woman.