Asparagus

I love asparagus!

Just snap the ends off, toss in olive oil and sea salt. Bbq and when done squeeze half a lemon over them. Yuuummmyy!!!


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Ken Street Fighter

J came home today with his costume for this years work X-mas party.

Theme; Computer Games

He is going as "Ken Street Fighter"!

Made me giggle and Frida started to bark as she thought he was playing with her whilst he was doing his fighting moves! :)


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Baby Bjorn

Yesterday was the first time we tried the Baby Bjorn me and Oliver. He loved it and quite frankly so did I, have my arms back and he just sleeps in there!
Bliss!


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First trip

First trip (on my own) with Oliver and Frida...

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With a little help from...

....my friends...

Saturday was hot and Oliver was unsettled and basically up from 1 am to 8 pm - i.e all day. This has never happened before...

He is a bit of a textbook baby and I have been so proud of that , oh and spoilt. I get to have dinner with J every night as I KNOW he will sleep from 7 - 10pm....
Not sunday though...

He finished off the day by cascade spewing loads all over the bathroom. That has never happened before either... It freaked me out.

Yesterday and today he is back to normal again , sleeps in 3-4 h slots and is happy again... I feel human and order restored... :)

Thank god for lovely friends who can help and give advise and most of all my beautiful sister who keeps checking we are ok. She remembers clearly how challenging the first weeks are and has offered great support. xx

Now time for a nap before he wakes up...


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Life

Life throws all sorts of things at you.

Been quite ill since birth of the most gorgeous boy on earth. I am so grateful for him, if it was not for him, I'd be really depressed by now...!

This last week I have been in and out of hospital, huge pains in tummy and uncertainty on why this is happening has made me really tired on top of the pain. Not a great week health wise.

This is also very stressful for J who can't help me and is left with Oliver on his own worrying about me and how to feed him.

Hopefully from now on things will improve. Seeing my obstetrician on Monday and I am confident she will sort this out for us.

Now I am concentrating on resting (which I am not good at but need desperately!)

Sorry for doom and gloom. Good news next time, promise...


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Good food

J is currently out doing himself in the kitchen. Each night he makes me something really special and I love it!!

Tonight ;

Cornchips (from Norton Street) and a Salsa made with tomato, onion, coriander, cumin, lime juice, loive oil and salt.

This was followed by oven baked pork chops with stewed capsicums. (Bill Granger)

Giving birth clearly grants being spoilt with good food!! :)

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Kindness

The kindness of people has been incredible. We have received so many flowers and presents it is crazy...

The house is filled with a scent of lilies...
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What's new?

It is amazing how much can hammpen in only one week.

We've had a baby boy and I see life in new light.

There is not one single part of me, my relationship with J or anything in my surrounding that will ever be the same again.

Everything is different and better in ways I never imagined.

Love is a magical thing.




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Nails

Yes, very important to look good before birth :) so today new color!!

There is nothing like a great pedicure to cheer you up!

Have them regularly and you will feel a million bucks!

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Soup and Bread

Dinner tonight ; I made a simple but nice soup and home made bread.

Homemade bread is so easy to make. I guess with me, since I have done it more than 500 times by now, I don't really use a recipe, I just throw in a few things and see what comes out. The base however should be the following;

Water 600 - 700 ml (37 degrees)
Yeast (1 sachet dry yeast or fresh 1 packet)
Honey (or other sweet component) 1 tablespoon
Salt 2 teaspoons
Plain flour

I mix and match with this. Use whole meal flour or other flour, mix them, use some oats, add a bit of olive oil, less salt if less water, add some sunflower seeds, play with what you have in the cupboard....

Get a big bowl out. Pour in water and quickly add yeast. Stir. Quickly add honey and salt. Stir. Add flour until makes dough. Leave to rest....

Note that dough is 'alive' and it should be treated with care. Love. What you do and it will show when gets out of oven...:)
It is utterly important to let the dough rest under a clean teatowel for let's say an hour first. Needs to be in a non drafty area!!!!

Then work with the dough (with some more flour) until workable (not too long) - form 2 loafs and put on tray on baking paper. Tea towel on top. Rest for at least 45 min.

Put oven on 200 degrees so ready when the 45 min are up. Put in oven for 20 - 30 min depending on oven. Lower temp to 150 and keep baking 'until ready' in my case was 30 min at 200 then 10 min on 150). If you are unsure quickly take bread out and 'pat' on back of bread. Should sound 'hollow' when ready. Leave to rest and cool down. Yum!

Soup;
Fry 1 chopped onion and one chopped garlic in olive oil on low heat until transparent. Do not burn, soup will then be destroyed...
Add 2 chopped carrots and potatoes to your liking ( for 2 people). Fry for a few min then add boiled water to cover and a vegetable stock cube. Stir. Season. Add herbs you like - today I added ground chili, smoked paprika and thyme (mostly thyme).
Cook on lowish heat until veg all soft.
I then put it all through the blender for a different texture. Reheat if needed.

Put some Worchestershire sauce on top if you like.

Serve with fresh bread....

Good luck!!!

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Happy days!!!

Thankfully Obama got reelected and we don't have to lose faith!

So happy right now!

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Chilling out

Frida and I are chilling out in front of the house...


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Delicious

The front cover of Delicious this month...

Just looks fabulous, might have to attempt to do these at some point...


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Man and faithful hound!

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Instead of champers

J came home early with juice and bullets for me...

We had fake champers and celebrated my win of Melbourne cup.

(No did not win much , but has to be celebrated!!)


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I won!!

Jonathan put 3 dollars on Green Moon for me.

Only because I liked the name - I have NO idea about horses.

Guess who won the Melbourne Cup 2012??? Yeeessss Green Moon!! Haha so funny.

We are not punters but tradition is tradition. Once a year I bet 3 dollars on a horse. This year I got it right woohoo!
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Melbourne Cup

I think I am the only person that right now is not dressed up in dress and heels with a fascinator in hair, drinking champagne and punting on horses.

I am on the couch with a glass of cold water watching a documentary about the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace.

Life is different a week before becoming a parent... :)
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Playtime

Frida knows something is up.... Maybe she knows she won't be the centre of attention in this family soon..?

Very needy tonight and we played a lot with her.

She is our first fur baby after all... :)

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Quick and easy dinner...

Is it hard to make a quick dinner even if you don't have all the ingredients? No it's not...

Just improvise, be creative and unless you're having a dinner party and like to go all the way, you don't have to spend hours...

The below was done in a very short space of time and was very appreciated by my man (who by the way thought I'd been cooking forever.... Hehe...

Found in fridge; mince , potatoes and salad...

What I did ; herb meatballs and potato 'kind of' dauphinoise with a salad of spinach and rocket.

Put oven on 180-200 degrees.
Get the food processor out, use the slicer.
Throw in 1 smallish peeled red onion and one garlic clove. Add a few potatoes depending on size (I had 7 as they were small) (enough for 2 people.)
Chuck all the content in a teflon dish. Add some nutmeg and a bay leaf. season! Toss around. Make flat. Add some cream or milk and boiled water. Throw in oven.
After about 20-30 min take out and put grated parmesan on top. Back in oven until cooked (stab a knife through to check). If gets too brown/burnt then put alfoil on top to cover.

Meatballs you already know how to make them. Don't faff around, just mix it all and fry them. Smaller ones fry quicker..

Make a quick dressing and pour over salad.

Done in less than 30 minutes. (Not counting oven time!)

Sooo easy....

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Brownies

Nanapants came over today to help me measure some stuff and lend me a drill. (Yes she is a chick but has lots of DIY machines).

I made brownies. For 2 reasons... A. Wanted something to do as I am going stir crazy just sitting on my bum. And B. That's what I often do when people come to visit.
Oh and just reminded me, there is a C. too; it takes no time to make them so there is really no excuse.... :)

Easy peasy brownies...

150 gr butter.
1 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 teasp vanilla essence
3/4 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon  baking powder
(Walnuts - optional)

160 degrees until ready. 30 - 45/50 min depending on oven. Don't leave in too long and should be slightly crunchy, not dry. 

What to do;

Line baking tray 27cm x 18cm with baking paper. Pour in some walnuts to taste. Leave as is.

Prepare all ingredients so ready to just pour into food processor.

 Ie. Crack all eggs into glass or cup and put besides food processor.

Mix all dry (apart from cocoa) ingredients in bowl and set aside.

Have a cup of cocoa prepared by side and vanilla essence ready.

Melt butter and pour into food processor. Add cocoa. Keep food processor on and pour in eggs. Beat for 10 seconds or until mixed, quickly open lid and pour in dry ingredients. Quickly put on processor and mix. Keep it on and add vanilla essence. Mix.

Open lid and pour sticky mix over walnuts. Put in oven and should be ready to eat within the hour! yum!

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Pleeease take me for a walk!

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Morning !

Morning cuppa in bed as we do every weekend.


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Quiche

Dinner tonight; quiche, salad and asparagus + fab salad dressing. Worked hard for this dinner..

Ehhh. Ok I admit. I have been slack -I did not make the quiche. The Deli did.

And Claire was so kind to bring it over. Thank you!!

Very easy to make dinner tonight! :)

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Bliss

House & Garden arrived by mail today. Total happiness of course. I love it!!

This one kicks off Christmas, too early as every year, however this one is filled with great ideas, fabulous decorations, not to mention the gifts...

The icing on the cake is a mini mag from Nordic Fusion with all sorts of magnificent presents from everything from Marimekko to Design House Stockholm. Bliss!!

Style, design, inspiration. It is as always uplifting reading this mag!

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Magazines

I read a number of magazines per month.

One of my favorites is 'Delicious' as you all probably know or House & Garden.

Now it is all of a sudden competing with 'Pregnancy' mags.

Life certainly has changed....

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The Sulker

J left to fill up the car and F is sulking by the door, waiting for him to come back...

What am I? Chopped liver? :)


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