Tuesday 16 December 2014

Christmas Concerts, Chemotherapy, Crayons and Cookbooks.

Things are winding up for the year, but it doesn't mean we're any less busy! Infact we're flying around to christmas carols, end of year functions, concerts, and presentations! Phew! We had a busy one when both Kate's ballet concert AND hip hop end of year concert were on on the same weekend!



Which was tonnes of fun and SO SO cute. Ben even came third in the Dad's Dance-off competition! (That was at the hip hop concert. Would've been a very different competition at the ballet concert.)



Thie girls have decorated and helped me wrap presents. Kate made all of her friends presents this year, and we made handmade gifts for the family. Our decorating in the house is fairly minimal, as we'll spend christmas day and boxing day with our families up in NSW. Cookie the dog will come with us for the trip, but Will and the chooks will stay behind to man the fort! They're being fed by a friend while we're gone. Ugh, I HATE not seeing my horse on christmas day. He is very much a part of my family and I hate that I cant give him his bag of carrots and cuddles on the day. Oh well, its only a few days.



At least he finally seems to have acclimatised to Melbourne, and is looking really well! Finally! He had us a bit worried there for a while!

It's been fairly hot and muggy - which the garden loves! - but which sends us inside most afternoons to escape the heat! The girls have taken to drawing and colouring of late. Its cute to see them getting along so well together. And though Tara still doesn't say much, she always lets us know in no uncertain terms what she wants. The girls are so different that way!: Katie was an very sweet, easy going, even tempered baby. Tara is a firey, spirited kid. She wants to do it on her own! She wants THAT one, no not that one, THAT one. She wants her pink hair clip, to wear these shoes, and what you're eating! She makes me laugh - she definitely knows her own mind already!





The chooks have been laying 6 eggs a day, and Lennon seems to have finally recovered his mojo! And his crow!



Mrs Fox seems to have settled down a bit now - I think her babies may have left the den. She's less ravenous for food, and we've not seen her or her young ones for a few weeks. Which makes me really happy as I've been able to let the chooks free range again for a good part of each day.







Tara adores the chooks, and they have absolutely no fear of her. She loves to collect the eggs and feed them bread scraps. Although you have to be sure she doesn't mix the 2 jobs up: Today she collected the eggs in her bucket, then promptly sat down took and egg out and threw it to the chooks. Whoops. I managed to save the other 5 and swap them for actual chook food before she tossed any more!



Its such a privildge to live here and have this life, and I feel lucky everyday with the freedom and space the girls have, and that we can grow this food and these animals. I cant imagine life in an inner-city apartment. It would certinly be very very different.



However we're not that isolated that we're cut-off from city amenities, which is lucky, as Ben recently received the bad news that he has had Testicular Cancer and will need to undergo some chemo therapy in the new year following the surgery he just had. It was certainly a shock, I was so sure he was going to be cleared, it took me a while to get a grip on myself. We have had such a tough and life-changing 12 months: Why was this happening to us?! Now?! When we have 2 young kids, no family around us, and just before christmas!? It wasnt fair! We're good people! ben is young and strong. We've been through so much already!? Why why why?!

I still dont know. All I know is that cancer happens to lots of very good people, and that we are strong, and we will get through this thing too. We have to. we will take it one step at a time, and do what we need to do. And we will ask for help. And we will breathe, and hug the girls, and cry, and be angry, and just keep plodding along. that's all we can do.

Of course I did what I usually do. I went to the library.

Oh the library. Place of safety, and wonder, and information, and the smell of musty, papery, printy booky loveliness. As the only child of a single mum who worked very very long hours when I was groing up, I spent alot of time in my local library. It was my second home. My safe place. I knew all the librarians by name, and they all knew me. I had a favourite spot. I knew the opening hours off by heart. And I still feel an overwhelming sense of 'home' the minute I walk into a library. Im quite claustrophobic by nature, but I love sitting between narrow shelves with books towereing on all sides of me. A Book Igloo.

I've borrowed a few titles in preparation. Food-related, of course. Because that's my other defense mechanism: cooking. Cooking and Reading. Yeah - that's exactly what you want in an alien invasion or a zombie apocalypse. The enemy will be bearing down, and I'll be quoting Jane Austin and whipping up a souffle. Brilliant.

I've borrowed Belle Gibson's The Whole Pantry - she's a woman living with inoperable brain cancer, who is treating herself wholistically and using alternative means. I've borrowed The Cancer Fighting Kitchen - I gotta try this broth! And Pete Evan's Healthy Every Day - which is a bit intimidating, I have to say. Ceviche? Okra? Yuzu? Gremolata? Whut?! Slow down, Pete! Slow down!



But first: Christmas. All that can wait til after christmas.

I've made my Nanny Dorothy's famous christmas pudding - an annual tradition - and it's ready for custard and cream! Here's the recipe, passed down through 4 generations of women in my family, and the pudding making-torch will be passed to Katie when she's older.

Make it. And eat it warm, with custrad, surrounded by your loved ones. And dont forget to tip your face skyward and tell Dorothy how yummy it is. Give her a thumbs up: She'd like that.

Dorothy's Famous Chrissy Pud


500g mixed dried fruit (whatever you like! I like sultanas, blueberries, cherries and currants.)
6 oz plain flour (Yeah it's ounces. it's an old recipe k?! Try finging a converter online. There's an app for that...)
1/2 t mixed spice
1/2 t nutmeg
2 oz breadcrumbs
4 oz butter (do yourself a favour use butter, not marg!)
1 grated carrot (see?! Veggies! Healthy!)
3 oz brown sugar
3 eggs (please choose free range x )
dash vanilla
1 t lemon juice
1 t Parisian Essence (Yes that's a thing. It's in the supermarket. Near the vanilla essences and food colouring and stuff...)
Brandy to flavour. (Or rum essence in a pinch)


Soak fruit in brandy (or essence) overnight in a sealed container, shaking occasionally. In a large bowl, sift flour and spices. Add butter and belend well. Add crumbs, fruit mix, carrot and brown suagr. Mix then add beaten eggs and essences. (If the mix is too thick, you can moisten it with a little milk.)
Place in a well-greased pudding tin, placing alfoil across the top then the lid to ensure a good seal.Place pudding dish into a large boiler pot. Fill pot with boiling water, so water leverl is just under the lid of the pudding dish. (Place a marble or two in the water - if it's beginning to boil dry, the marble will 'ting-ting-ting' on the side of the pot and warn you!) Constantly top up water as needed. place lid on and boil 5 hours.



Well, I hope you have a wonderful chrissy/holiday with your loved ones.
How will you spend it?

Drive safely, be happy, give generously, laugh muchly.
xx