Random happenings

Here is a cute video of Michael (maybe his middle name should be "Jackson" as he loves to dance!!) dancing to some music. He loves to dance, especially to the bad music selected by Greg!!!!...............

I can't believe it, only one more week and then I am back at work. Lucky me, I am going 3 days per week. I feel totally blessed that work has allowed me to do this - I think working for Council was the best move that I ever made all those years ago (about 12 or so). I do work hard and give my all to my job, but it is a great place to work - especially the people I work with - they honestly are the best.

We have had a busy and then not busy weekend. Greg has been working on the chook pen all Saturday. He was going to do more today but it has rained all day today, plus Michael is sick (again!!) with a fever so we just cuddled him all afternoon. Next weekend he want to finish it. Posts to cement, door to make and wire to go up (plus a few other things) and then it will be ready.

Some of the chook pen posts up and the sleepers in the ground so the doggies cant get in

On Saturday, we met with our Celebrant who is lovely. This was just to work out where we would stand, how the ceremony would proceed etc. It was great and also Greg hadn't seen the venue!! so he got to see the restaurant at last. Today we went over to my sisters place for lunch. She made a very yummy Chicken Pie for lunch and I made the Lemon Meringue pie, which went down a treat with us all. Sadly, Michael was coming down with his illness and was very unsettled and whingy. By the time we got home his fever was 39.7 degC which was BAD. We got some panadol into him and he slowly started to feel better.

For some reason, Michael love to eat the door stop!!

Well the wedding is all ready to go. Everyone is paid (except for my ring (on layby and the reception venue) so all ready to go. I dropped off the table stuff to my sisters today. 4 weeks to go - WOW I can't believe it. I hope it doesn't rain on the day but if it does - oh well!!!

Jemma is back with me tomorrow. She had been with her Dad all week having fun I guess. She is with me this week and back at school. So at least we will be back into a routine. Michael has been eating really really well lately (except for today and last night as he was feeling bad I guess). He loves chicken and I sneak pureed vegies in in between chicken LOL. He does like it though. Amazingly, he also LOVES banana loaf!! He munches it down. So I give it to him for morning and afternoon tea.

Here is the recipe - I have put a Banana Bread post in before but that made a cafe style type of loaf. This is one of my mums classic recipes and it is very easy and delicious and can be made with mainly "pantry" items. I love it served with a spread of butter on it, but Greg prefers it plain and Alex loves it toasted with butter. Jemma doesn't like it LOL

Mums Banana Loaf

50g (2oz) butter

1/2 Cup sugar

3 mashed bananas (you can use normal banana's and mash them and leave them for 30mins or so to go brown in a bowl - works the same as using black old bananas if you don't have any)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1&1/2 Cups plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1/4 Cup of milk (maybe a little bit more if needed)

• Cream butter & sugar with beaters



• Add mashed banana



• Add soda mixed in the milk



• Lastly add sifted flour and baking powder



• Pour into greased tin (it will be sticky)



• Bake 45mins - 1hr at 160 deg C (fan forced) or 180 deg C (non fan forced)



• Leave in tin for 5-10mins and let cool on rack



• Slice and spread with butter or plain, or toast YUMMMMMMM

Its a week today since Cody died. We miss you mate :-(

Goodbye dear little Cody - RIP

Well today is a very sad day. This morning we realised that Cody hadn't surfaced (we had bacon & eggs for breakfast and usually he would be at our feet wanting to eat some). Yesterday he was normal Cody - sitting outside in the sun, trying for food all the time, whinging, snuggling with Jemma - all his normal stuff.

We found him on our bed and just wasn't right. We brought him out near the fire for warmth as he was cold. He was also really pale too. I got my wheat bag and heated it up and he layed on top of it.

He was lethargic, unsteady on his feet and very very unwell (not eating, drinking, moving). He ended up staggering onto Michael's change table (one of his favourite spots) and we left him there.

I was going out and Greg called me on my mobile about 2 mins after I left. Honey was intently staring at Cody on the change table and Greg checked on him. He had weed himself. He was so sick that he couldn't even attempt to get to the toilet.

Last time Cody got sick it was discovered that his heart was damaged. It couldn't be fixed, but with medication it could be controlled, but only for a short period of time (2 months to 2 years the specialist vet sai).

It is with the greatest sadness that I decided to get Cody put to sleep so he didn't have to suffer anymore. He got the needle and softly went to sleep.

Cody was adopted by us when his owner decided she didn't want him anymore. He was a beautiful chocolate brown and white Cornish Rex cat pure breed. He had a brilliant personality - he would sleep with Jemma and/or us at night, loved to drink from the tap in the bathroom, if someone came over would always have a sticky beak at them. He loved catching little garden lizards and leaving them at the front door, he loved sitting in the sun and he had a HUGE purr.

We love you Cody and miss you heaps xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Recipes

Here are the recipes for the Weetibix Slice and the Lemon Meringue Pie. These are both very very yummy AND very very easy to make. The pie is probably a little more 'difficult' than the slice, but they really are both easy.

MORE IMPORTANTLY

these are really budget recipes!!! I am still amazed at how much money people are wasting (including me yesterday as we got 2 KFC snack boxes on the way home from Mum and Dads - naughty!!!) on food or eating out. Up here the Pizza, Chinese and Chicken takeaway shop are always packed out. I don't think many people make snacks anymore either? Oh well, I am just going to keep doing what I do as my family loves it and it saves us money. We are really, REALLY light on with $$$ at the moment due to paying for the Wedding, so every bit helps (the KFC was a treat as it is school holidays for Jemma - WOW KFC & McD's in a week - very spoilt!!).

Chocolate Weetbix Slice

(warning: VERY addictive, hard to stop at one piece, you would NEVER know it had weetibit in it)

1 Cup Self Raising Flour
1 Cup dessicated coconut
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup crushed weetbix (about 4 weetbix)
3 Tablespoons cocoa
120g butter
2 Tablespoons golden syrup

• Preheat oven to 180deg C. Line a slice tin with baking paper (just put a ripped off rectangle of that Glad Bake stuff (I use the elcheapo brand) into a slice tin with edges overlapping, it won't sit in properly at the moment but will once you put the slice stuff in)


• Mix dry ingredients together


• Melt butter and golden syrup together


• Mix wet and dry ingredients together - it will be a bit crumbly. Combine with hands if necessary.


• Press into a slice tin and bake for 15mins or until cooked.


• Make thin chocolate icing and pour over hot slice

Thin Chocolate Icing

Approx 1.5 Cups Icing Sugar/Icing mixture

2 Tablespoons cocoa

Water to make into a thin/pouring consistancy

• Mix together icing and cocoa


• Mix in water a little at a time until you have a pouring icing


• Pour over hot slice and spread out.


• Sprinkle with coconut


• Put into fridge until set


• Remove from tin and cut into squares (will be quite hard to cut through)


• Keep in an airtight container for up to a week

YUMMO

Lemon Meringue Pie

1/2 pack plain biscuits (eg no name arrowroot or scotch finger)

80g melted butter

1 tin sweetened condensed milk (no name or make your own)

3 egg yolks

1/2 Cup lemon juice

3 egg whites

1/4 castor sugar

BASE

Combine crushed biscuits with butter and press into a pie plate. Chill overnight is best but can be put into freezer until you have made the filling.

Filling

Beat the condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice together until well combined. Pour onto pie base. Bake at 180deg C for 10 mins, whilst you make the meringue top.

Top

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until mixture has firm peaks. Spoon mixture onto pie filling ensuring you touch the sides of the pie plate.

Bake at 180deg C (fan forced 150deg C) until lightly browned on the top (watch it).

Chill in fridge overnight (or until cool).

We had this for dessert 3 nights in a row (Greg and I) and it was delish!!!!

Here is a pic of all the food I made for Michael all put into containers for freezing. I think I calculated it at about $8 to make it all up. This would be over a weeks worth of food - so well worth making my own :-) Oh and he LOVED it too!!!!

Trying to be organised before work

Weetbix Slice

Hehehe - emphasis on the word 'trying' there.

This week has been a bit of a mess. Michael is sick (again) - green nose. He was meant to go to daycare on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (today), however I got called to pick him up about 45mins after I dropped him at daycare as he had a high temperature. I didn't send him yesterday but he was ok, just snotty so today I sent him and told them to call me if he became unwell. He is happy within himself so thats why I sent him.

Jemma is off on school holidays and we had a friend over on Tuesday for the day. They went to Smiggle the stationery shop and had McDonalds for lunch. I took her up to Mum and Dads on Wednesday as she wanted to go up and stay with them for the rest of the week. I think they might go and see Ice Age 3 today. She loves staying at mum and dads.

Today I am busy busy busy. The good news is that Michael is eating my food again. I refuse to buy that Rafferty's food. It is way too expensive and I can make a pot of my food to last a week for the cost of two packets of their stuff. Today, in the BIG pot, is

• Pumpkin
• Carrots (some from M&D garden too)
• Potato
• Sweet Potato
• Sweet Corn
• Broccoli
• Teaspoon of vegemite
• 500g of mince

This is simmering away as I type. Looks a bit disgusting but once pureed up is YUMMO and very good for my little munchkin. This will last a week or more and probably cost all up about $8 (ok so 4 Rafferty's food packets hehe).

The bad news is that Michael is being a big fat pain in the arse sleeper - or should I say NON SLEEPER ahhgggrrrrhhhh - this kid is doing my head in!!!! Up twice last night - 2.30am and 4.30am and DIDN'T GO TO BED UNTIL 10.15PM. He only had 3 hours sleep since 6.30am.

Mummy is going to do some tough love soon my darling little boy.........................

The baby chook pen is going well. After a very slow start due to rain rain and more rain, Greg was off and running!! It is a combination of an old crappy A frame pen we had which wasn't really much good and Greg's design. He will get most of it done this weekend and then finishing touches next weekend. YAY.

The babies are in it as they were getting way too big for the brooder box. Here they are in it. They cant go outside yet but will be able to in about 2 weeks when the run is finished. Mum and Dad also want to get rid of their chooks as they are going to travel next year. Guess who is adopting them - so lucky we have the new pen, they will all fit between the two (hopefully with not too many dramas).

I have been baking a bit too. Yesterday I made Chocolate Weetbix Slice and last night Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert. I also made sausage rolls too and took them to mothers group on Monday. These are very easy and very cheap meals to make, I will list the recipes tonight.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Well better go as I am busy, busy, busy....................

Money money money :-(

Ahh, got my car serviced today. It was a minor service and should have cost no more than about $300 or so. NOT SO...... Greg drove the car on Monday as I had to go into hospital and have a little operation (day surgery) - he had to drive me home. On the way he said that my car was making a funny noise. I couldn't hear it though.

Anyway, to cut a long story short - the water pump was going. It is behind the timing belt (which needs replacing again in about 10K km), so better to do both at the same time COST $850.00. Plus normal service - TOTAL COST around $1100.00 AGRRRRRHHHHH

Just what we need eh!! But hey at least my car is reliable and is a great car i guess.

Oh not to mention the op cost - yet to receive the anethisest (sp?) bill (why did he have an assistant??, will I have to pay for this???) - but $250 excess for hospital, my Dr is health fund (no cost to me) plus consults (out of pocket expenses there grrr). Will probably cost me at least a few hundred more *sigh*

Wedding costs - want to pay for everything to get it all out of the way. Will do this next week - Cost - thousands!!!!!!!! deep breath Rach :-)

Mum and Dad want to give me $$ for the wedding and I have said no (but they are persistant hmmm). Their tenant (can think of a better word for him - f-wit is more suited) has done the runner. He owes them at least $2K. He is $1500 behind in his rent and they lent him $1000 to buy a car (he only paid back $500).

This dim witted dickhead chucked in his job (probably got the sack as he cant lay straight in bed) then eventually (has taken months and months but I think it is a lie anyway) got work up somewhere 2 hrs away (crap - he got some desperate to bonk more like it) and said yeah mate Ive got heaps of money now - sending some down - did they EVER receive any money NO. Promised he would be back and didn't turn up (for the 4th time). They then told him to vacate & give them the $$ he owes them via text (he doesn't answer the phone to them) and they have heard zero from him.

They are taking it to the tribunal as a friend of theirs had a similar situation and got into trouble for going into her house after it was abandoned!!!! So even though he is due to be out by Sunday, if he doesn't show up they still can't move his stuff out.

To rub salt into the wound, the real estate called and said they had a single lady from Neutral Bay who had just sold her place and was looking for somewhere to rent for a few months. Mum and Dads would be perfect BUT THEY HAVE ALL F-WITS CRAP IN THERE AND CAN'T MOVE IT OUT LEGALLY!!!! even though he owes them thousands and it will cost them to remove all his crap and change the locks. How is that fair???

So as if I want money off my parents when they are owed so much from this bloke and will never see it. I'm really pissed off about it (as you can probably tell) because my parents are nice people who haven't done wrong by anyone (my goodness they even lent the sponger money which they will never see again).

KARMA Brett you dickhead - its coming for you BIG TIME............so watch out 'cause its not the good stuff........................

Sorry no new posts for a while

Arrgggrrrhhhh I have not posted lately. I have been very busy doing I don't know what but just busy busy busy.

Anyway, I will attempt to keep posting every week because I don't want to be so slack.

So, the latest news -

I decided to ask work if I could go back 3 days per week instead of 5 days (initially I asked for 4 days but this wouldn't work so we decided 3 days would be better). The reason for this is a variety of reasons. Mainly, how was I going to cope - I'm still up at least 2x per night with Michael due to him being sick, not eating etc. We are going "ok" financially and I have worked FT since Alex was about 8 months old (now 20yo). I went back FT with Jemma when she was 11 months and I don't want to do it again. I had every intention, but my thoughts have changed regarding slogging my guts out and I honestly think it will be better for everyone - INCLUDING work I should say. The last thing i would ever want to do is let my work down.

I absolutely LOVE my work and even more the people I work with. Our team is the BEST and my friend (firstly) and boss is FANTASTIC. Although I think she probably was a bit cheezed off with me asking, I really think that if we get the right person for the other 2 days , it will be great for her too. She will have a bum on a chair for 5 days a week (versus 9 days a fortnight) and I know it will work out great. If it doesn't well at least I've tried and I will go back FT. The situation will be reviewed after 12 months. I'll be doing Wed, Thurs, Fri - fingers and toes crossed it will work out great!!!

I have got Michael in daycare 3 days per week (the days I work) so that is great too. I thought I was going to have to put him in 2 centres but the centre at Berowra came up with the days so YAY. It is a lovely centre and I love the staff. Michael really loves going so I am very very happy.

We are really going to have to tighten our belts since I am not going back to work Full time. It has been a great trial over the past 12 months because I have been on 1/2 pay the whole time. This is equivalent to 2.5 days pay per week. So I will be on a little bit more for the 3 days per week, but not much. I am really going to have to start meal planning and cooking more (like cakes and snacks mainly). Lucky I love doing that so it shouldn't be a problem. We pretty much have a set menu that we like, so I am going to do a list and plan around that.

Greg is building the baby chick pen at the moment. They are getting too big for the little brooder box. They are about 6 weeks now. Sadly we "dispatched" 3 of the very obvious roosters last night. I actually feel quite ill even thinking about it now. We did the chop (after Greg tried to break their necks but it didn't work - ugh - feeling sick now). I have chopped heads before when we have had a sick chook - no problem at all with that, but these were healthy lovely chooks (roosters) and it made us both feel sick to our stomachs. We did Greg's favourite one too (the cute brown baby chook) and I wish we hadn't. I feel bad, cause it was his favourite - I maybe should have tried to get it a home first *sigh*. Of course no one wants roosters - they eat all your food and give you nothing!!! He asked all the people at work who have property (about 3 people) and they all said no thanks.

Next time (as there are about another 3 roosters - my fav one is for sure that I couldn't do after the others -maybe more not 100% sure yet) I am getting some of the euthenasia stuff from my sister and will put them down, so they go to sleep. I accept that we can't keep them but chopping the head was a bloodbath and so awful. I have no problem doing it when they are sick - no bad feelings from that but this was just so totally different - I'm STILL feeling bad about it - I thought I would be fine but not so.

On a brighter note, Michael is crawling everywhere now, he is very cute. I have been having a really really terrrible time with his eating though. Basically he doesn't eat. Oh he does eat Rafferty's bought food (at over $2 for a little small pack!!!). I bought some of this for when we were out one time (wish I hadn't) and after he got his first cold and throat infection, he wouldn't eat my home made food anymore - only that.

To cut a long story short, we have to cut out a lot of his bottles and keep trying the food - tough love. Good news, after about 2 months of this carry on, he is eating my food again. Has to be fully pureed, mix in some of the bought stuff but he eventually goes for it. I made a casserole on Friday night. Put rice and casserole in the blender and blended it up. He ate it all for lunch Saturday but then decided he didn't want it for dinner. So, to start we did one Rafferty's, one mums and eventually he ate all mine!!! He does like it, but the texture is a little bit different, so he turns his nose up - Grrrrrrrr fussy man!!!!!

Well I do have more to say, but this is enough for now. Will update later in the week - very sorry for not updating earlier :-(

Rach

xxxx

I decided I would upload a video/movie of Michael. Its taking a loooong time to upload but hopefully it will work!!!! (so cute) Hmm, still going - nearly 35mins on, next time i will upload and then write my post I think LOL