Something to live for

Anniversary: a sequel

2012-01-30T19:26:00.004+13:00

A little hit of summer, lounging on the deck, paddling at the beach, lounging on another deck.

We are lucky to get holidays. Contrary to Megan's opinion ("if I had a job I'd never take a holiday, what do you need a holiday for? that's just lazy"...) holidays rule.

Genius

2012-01-17T09:41:00.005+13:00

Vegan Croissants Specially Ordered From Our Local Bakery For My Birthday Breakfast By Julian: Genius!

(And so much better than my attempt.)

Trivia

2011-12-28T17:05:00.002+13:00

Things I didn't know I loved and needed before now

Toast tongs

Fridge rover

Baby!

2011-12-08T07:45:00.002+13:00

Welcome James!

("Welames".)

Ideas Woman

2011-12-02T08:44:00.002+13:00

How the HELL have I only ever tagged ONE post with "ideas woman"?!?!

Invent

2011-11-30T09:59:00.002+13:00

Newest invention from the ideas woman: onion-bag-shampoo-kit for at the pool. Fast drying after every shower (hopefully).

Clockwork

2011-11-29T19:43:00.004+13:00

Blood on a nappy, that's not good. And after 4pm.

Luckily, we got a doctors appointment for 4.45. Luckily, she was running on time. Luckily, we were able to go to Rose's nearby. Luckily, we got a urine sample within five minutes. Luckily, there was a lab open until 5.45 nearby. Luckily, we were able to drop off a fresh sample for the lab before the end of the day, which means most luckily of all, Gareth could start antibiotics.

Thanks goodness for healthcare, friends, cars, and luck.

Motto

2011-11-28T15:36:00.001+13:00

"Better a lost ring than a lost husband", that's my motto (as of now).

Too much

2011-11-21T08:32:00.004+13:00

It's the cry of Uncle Jack ("remember, he's not their real uncle") when he loses the use of his legs in a highly publicised weight lifting stunt on his 70th birthday, and it's also the cry of me because my weekend has been so so full I haven't had time to hear myself think: full of great people, great events, and great fun.

I don't know when and how I'm going to write a sermon and finish three assignments, but if there's too much good stuff in your life, AND you have the use of your two legs, you can't complain!

Duck

2011-11-08T10:25:00.002+13:00

"You must study the duck. You must play with the duck. You must talk with the duck. You must know the ways of the duck." - Michael Leunig

Park

2011-11-02T14:35:00.002+13:00

Breakfast picnics at duck-filled parks may well be the way of the future!

When the daily grind has ground a bit much off your soul, it's good to find a topical steroid. So to speak.

Auckland is the best place on earth.

Pie

2011-11-01T19:34:00.005+13:00

For World Vegan Day my theme shall be: pies.

I consulted Veganomicon, made a pie crust, baked a pie crust, made a coconut cream filling, put them together and voila: dessert pie.

Why harm animals if you don't need to?

September

2011-09-24T16:05:00.000+12:00

Ah September, you certainly know how to pull on heartstrings!

Renovate

2011-09-07T08:59:00.004+12:00

September has traditionally been a challenging month for me. However I renovated the mold last year by merely being tired, and I am keeping up the good work this year by dreaming about the reopening of the Tepid Baths. Oh what a glorious day that will be! If it's September 5/6th 2012: I'm a prophet (don't scoff [at] it).

Life

2011-08-31T20:13:00.003+12:00

If you know how lucky you are to have your baby, safe and well, you are lucky lucky lucky.

When I hear parents complaining about lack of sleep, lack of going out, lack of whatever I think

a) did you seriously have a baby thinking you would get MORE sleep, MORE time, MORE energy? and,

b) we are so lucky lucky lucky!

Bloom

2011-08-20T17:39:00.002+12:00

Slip and zip

2011-08-15T09:10:00.005+12:00

On the weekend I sliced a few millimetres of flesh and nail from my left index finger. I also replaced zips on two pairs of pants. One stupid thing, two brilliant things. Pretty good weekend on balance!

Thirty: the sequel

2011-08-01T09:52:00.001+12:00

It's the best decade to date. And I'd like to warmly welcome Sam to the fold: "welcome".

Huia

2011-07-25T10:07:00.002+12:00

Huia, what a good idea! Someone was thinking with the perfect balance of hills trees sea and airplanes.

In Huia, the beds are always comfy, the accommodation is always warm, the coffee is always good, there is lots of time to read and laugh and trudge in the fresh fresh air.

God bless Huia: stronghold of goodtimesTM.

Sneeze

2011-07-12T12:56:00.001+12:00

Thalia said it's worth a post, so it is.

It lucky that I keep getting colds when Gareth does. It means I know how he's feeling and can respond with true empathy. And i probably wouldn't sleep well anyway. Plus we can still have our dairy free smoothies and dairy free custard.

Watch: another-nother sequel

2011-07-09T18:18:00.002+12:00

My watch died. The shoe repair man fixed it. Blessed be the keeping of time, the salvation of land fill and the (eventual) redemption of body movement and swimming.

Warm

2011-07-08T15:17:00.001+12:00

A slightly warm chocolate chocolate biscuit is a good chocolate chocolate biscuit!

Humblebrag

2011-07-04T07:09:00.002+12:00

These look awesome!

"I say"

2011-07-01T08:52:00.001+12:00

Theme

2011-06-27T10:35:00.003+12:00

Kids, mine or someone else's, rule, especially when they need cupcakes.

I'm very excited about making some "plain" cupcakes for Luke's party. I know they're meant to be plain but I don't think you can send out a lego themed party invite and not let someone follow through with the cupcakes...

Just managing

2011-06-18T19:55:00.006+12:00

"People, what a bunch of..." - Roy

The explanation and the cure for my month of brief posts. It's been a perfect storm of people stuff recently. If you have a people intensive job you are not lucky, because something will always be going wrong, but then again you are lucky, because what is life if not working out who you are in relation to others? Give and take, slap and recoil, embrace and shove: it's all there, for anyone willing to take their part in humanity. Why not? After, what else was I going to be doing with my life?

Miss Polly

2011-06-18T19:53:00.002+12:00

A sick baby is a snuggly baby and let's not forget that if you have a baby to snuggle you are flipping lucky!

Eight

2011-06-14T14:01:00.001+12:00

Eight month masterpiece.

Shout out

2011-06-14T13:23:00.004+12:00

Got my second ever blog link, sweet. I am particularly pleased because it involved me spreading some post punk kitchen vegan lovin', so to speak.

Nadine of Plant Life made chocolate chocolate biscuits and found they are indeed good for the soul! That settles it as far as I'm concerned: chocolate chocolate biscuits cure everything.

Disco

2011-06-09T13:24:00.004+12:00

It was long ago and it was far away but we still have the music!

Keep cup

2011-06-08T15:32:00.003+12:00

It's silly that today I brought a thermos of coffee to work so I could tip it into my cool Melbourne keep cup.

SILLYAWESOME!!

Second hand

2011-04-17T20:51:00.003+12:00

Yes, I'm lucky to have a second hand, to go with my first hand, but that's not what this post is about. Second hand scores, particularly from Savemart and Hospice Shops, make me very happy, and very lucky.

(Cue training montage of living with Miriam.)

Second hand scores in recent times:

My grey-blue pants (Savemart)
My stretchy pilates shorts (Savemart)
My two t shirts (Hospice Shop)
Baby Gareth's cupboard (Hospice Shop)
Baby Gareth's heater (Hospice Shop)
Julian's black pants (Savemart)
NOT buying a portacot (Hospice Shop) (yeah narrowly escaping a bad second deal hand totally counts too)
Tuppaware for mueslie (Hospice Shop)

Rad Whip

2011-04-11T09:56:00.002+12:00

Rad Whip is exactly what its name suggests, apart from the whip. (Next time!) However, it was still delicious, particularly with almond biscuits.

I really am grateful to have a well equipped kitchen. Kudos to the blendtec, magimax and kenwood. They all played their part.

Almond goodness

2011-03-29T14:06:00.004+13:00

From memory:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil (mix canola and peanut)

1/4 cup golden syrup

1/4 cup soy milk

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp almond essence

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Mix, mix, bake up (180, 10 mins for small biscuits) and eat!

Sharp

2011-02-28T09:38:00.004+13:00

Sometimes you just don't know what to say, so you don't say anything.

I am grateful for so many things. Others' loss sharpens our own gratitude. It's not fair but it's true.

One bag, two bag, old bag, new bag

2011-02-03T11:15:00.004+13:00

Hey, who's calling my mum an old bag?!

Here's her latest and greatest sewing efforts - reusable vege and bulk bin bags! They had their first trial run two days ago, and got their first of (I'm confident) many compliments.

Locker

2011-02-01T09:24:00.002+13:00

An un-updated blog isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's not good either.

I just got an email from the person who holds the power of the tepid bath lockers in the palm of her hand. Even if I don't end up with a locker out of this exchange, I will file it in my celebrity email folder along with my email from RJs.

Visitation

2011-01-15T12:42:00.003+13:00

It's so cool when the KRs visit.

There will be a day (DV) when visits involve just suburb hopping, but until then we'll all take what we can get and enjoy it!

Friendships really ARE the gift that keeps giving and giving and giving.

Mix

2010-12-31T08:01:00.004+13:00

It's been good to sit around the house and listen to music the last little while. (In between trips out to shop and swap shopping at family events). I realised all my recent listening has been sponsored by Lawrence, so this post is a tribute to his mixes:

Get behind me Santa
Sufjan Stevens carols
Cheer me up volume one

I love being spoon fed music by people in the know!

Plastic-fantastic

2010-12-22T10:41:00.003+13:00

Nothing says: "I am a well adjusted person with a good handle on life" like an orderly plastics drawer!

Weather

2010-12-21T09:58:00.002+13:00

We had countless days of golden weather, so we were well due the rain of the last five. Everything is harder in the rain (for a human) except for swimming at Parnell Baths, which is magical.

Model

2010-11-23T09:04:00.005+13:00

It remains to be seen who will be better looking out of me and Gareth, but there's no question between Luke and Sam.

New sights

2010-11-18T10:21:00.003+13:00

I've walked a lot of familiar footpaths over the last month, and a couple of new ones.

Highlight new sights have been the lookout deck over Western Park and out to the Waitemata harbour, and the view from bits of Great North Road over roof tops and out to the Waitemata harbour.

There may or may not be a harbour theme to views I like...

Kitchen

2010-11-15T11:38:00.004+13:00

The renovating of the manse kitchen was a traumatic event that I am not yet 100% recovered from. It is a nice kitchen but the day is yet to come where I acknowledge the end product justifies the means. However, three things that make the kitchen blessed:

When I look at that line up, I know I have the best kitchen ever!

Thrifty

2010-10-16T08:54:00.002+13:00

Baby Gareth scored us free front door parking at hospital.

Baby Gareth saved us $$$ on a private birthcare room.

Baby Gareth helped his cousin Eliza swipe one free nappy.

All this before turning three days old! This is a boy after my own heart.

Ten ten ten

2010-10-10T10:10:00.000+13:00

It's just gone 10.10 on 10.10.10 and Decimus isn't born. It appears s/he has no respect for number patterns. I guess there are worse kids to have than those who have to go to bed on a palindrome... (Though I was a great kid, to be fair.)

In the meantime I'm quite busy and don't really have time to have a baby today.

Leave: the sequel

2010-10-05T07:54:00.000+13:00

Parental leave minus parenting equals WIN!

Leave

2010-10-03T09:17:00.004+13:00

Sun

2010-09-29T09:06:00.001+13:00

It doesn't matter how much you convince yourself that winter is ok, when summer shows a bit o' leg it's ON!

We're so lucky summer rolls round every single year.

Condensed

2010-09-14T18:53:00.004+12:00

There's nothing like "deprivation" to generate post-deprivation happiness. I've been reunited with condensed milk (soy based) and I've had SO MUCH FUN making and eating chocolate peanut butter fudge and russian fudge. Tan square is next on my hit list. People might sneer because it costs so much more than its cow based counterpart. PIFF! I think the cost is about right for something very delicious that should only be eaten about four times a year. Vegan win!

Loaded: the sequel

2010-09-09T17:00:00.004+12:00

I have so much.

I have SO much.

I have so MUCH.

Lucky, lucky me.

First: the final

2010-08-31T07:28:00.000+12:00

You had been dead for a little while already, but I didn't know it.

The sonographer said to go back to the waiting room, where the man with a broken leg watched me snivel out of the corner of his eye while he talked on his cell phone.

The midwife said oh, that's such a shame, we'll cancel your checkup, you won't be able to fly until it's resolved.

The woman on the phone said the procedure was nothing to worry about. Just like a termination, she chirped.

The doctor said swallow this tablet and follow this map. Don't be late.

The anesthetist said I was safer under general anesthetic than driving around in his car, statistically. He gave me a paper hand towel to blow my nose on.

The surgeon came along after I was knocked out. That's how mundane it is to whip tiny dead babies out of bodies.

The nurse said I had to eat the cheese scone. It didn't feel like the time to take a stand for veganism, so I did.

You were given back in a square cardboard box, marked with appropriate hazard warnings. We buried you under the olive trees, safe and sound, so we'll always know where to find you.

God had nothing to say, but lingered longest at the grave.

Some things you just never get to have, so you tuck the loss away and keep going. That's what we all do, whatever we have to do it with.

xx

Pitter patter

2010-08-27T13:33:00.006+12:00

I always thought the saying "pitter patter of little feet" applied to children who were out and about, turns out there's a lot of pitter patter prior to birth. It would be foolhardy to complain. I'm glad the baby is alive and well and has feet.

Besides how freaking cute are these?!

Fantasy

2010-08-12T14:45:00.004+12:00

The well documented raining out of church camp has been surpassed by the realisation of my second greatest ministerial fantasy: calling in sick for a Sunday service.

It was wonderful to lie on the floor next to my bucket of vomit on Saturday at 5pm while Julian called Peter L then Penny C and be told "you don't have to worry about church tomorrow". The feeling of relief and gratitude will sustain my faith in humanity and divinity for quite some time.

And there may yet be hope for my greatest ministerial fantasy: a Sunday morning where NO ONE comes to church and I get to go home at 10.15 am.

Cold: another sequel

2010-08-04T17:31:00.003+12:00

I love being well
Have become fresh juice addict
Small price to pay though

Two

2010-07-29T07:00:00.005+12:00

He came along at such a terrible time. Such a wonderful little being. From solemn stillness to wacky exuberance, he collects up pieces of the world every day and carries them round in his own way.

I'll delete this post before he's blog-literate (since letters are currently "numbers" I think I'm safe for a few more months): of course no one should bear responsibility for someone else's life and well being.

But in the meantime: thank God for Reese.

Sandwich

2010-07-28T15:52:00.003+12:00

It's the middle of winter and I had a tomato, avocado and cucumber sandwich for lunch. Two in fact.

Stupidly extravagant and unseasonal eating, but it made me very happy.

Even with self imposed diet restrictions I eat extraordinarily well on a day to day basis.

Forward

2010-07-23T08:15:00.003+12:00

Thalia's sick and having a horrible week.

There's no justice in this world!

A list of things to look forward to, that we can all enjoy and add to:

Summer

Cherry beer a-brewing

Many more years of Dr Who

Homiletic Homies at large in Auckland in August (yes, everyone loves a homie get together, even non-homies)

Outdoor pools reopening

General release of Insatiable Moon

What else?

Rest

2010-07-20T17:11:00.006+12:00

After a couple of horrible weeks I finally got my just desserts: A day in lieu! Two days off in a row! Bliss!

Time to make and eat ginger crunch, kiss Luke, cuddle Reese, have Sam fix my ipod, commission knitting from Mum, swim 2k (slower than ever before!), drink juice, eat chocolate almonds, lie around like a lazy slob.

It's worth having a job just so free time feels freer, better, nicer, restier!*

*Oh and also income.

Wardrobe

2010-07-10T16:38:00.001+12:00

Not only is Luke perfect in every way, his arrival has tripled my pants collection!

Thanks Luke, for joining the family and keeping me dressed.

First: the sequel

2010-07-08T07:41:00.006+12:00

It's been a year since I first found out I was pregnant. Which, if you do the maths, means I've had a strange year.

Some things you just NEVER GET to have and it's not fair. Some things you DO GET to have. And strangely enough, that's not fair either. But it's such a lucky unfair it takes effort to register.

God help me to stay grateful, please.

Nice New Niece

2010-07-08T07:30:00.003+12:00

What a fabulous week for newcomers!

Robocop is a girl! Feminisation sometimes results in controversy (look no further than Battlestar Galatica's Starbuck), but I'm willing to bet this female is a hundred times cooler than the male Robocop, Starbuck or Karate Kid put together.

Nice New Nephew

2010-07-05T08:55:00.005+12:00

It's great when new humans arrive in the family. Laura's a legend, Sam's a star, Luke's a lovely bundle of precious (and Reese is still secretly baby Reese to me).

Food

2010-06-24T18:34:00.003+12:00

Matt's arrived and he's delighted at the prospect of night after night of wholesome vegan cooking (my interpretation of his comment: "I've been looking forward to eating here after weeks of takeaways").

This is great because there's nothing like having new blood in the house to make you think about what you cook and why. Nick tipped the balance to brown rice when he turned up with a positive attitude and large bag of it. Miriam enticed me from cooked and sweetened muesli to the path of raw righteousness. Now pumpkin can feature more regularly on the menu because Matt can peel it when he's on a break from reading the internet.

Thalia said it's ok to have lots of posts about food. Thanks Thalia! I don't know where I'd be without you as 50% of my fanbase!

Snack

2010-06-14T16:47:00.003+12:00

I do love cupcakes but every so often I am inspired to cut out the middle man and go straight for icing and sprinkles. It always works out well and I am reminded how nice it is to be a grown up.

Get OUT

2010-06-08T10:55:00.002+12:00

Outdoor pools are sensational. The colder and wetter the weather the better [for keeping children out].

If Rotorua and Newpie can do it all winter, so can Auckland.

COME ON AUCKLAND!!

Olympic

2010-05-24T09:02:00.002+12:00

Nothing will ever fill the tepid sized hole in my heart, but I must say I am growing increasingly fond of the Newmarket Olympic swimming pool. Even with seven people in a lane a good swim can be had by all*. The diving depth has become a helpful marker of distance rather than an atrocity, and as predicted the slippery sides at the deep end force me to get a move on. The temperature never disappoints. The showers are clean and not thirty second push button operated.

Plus they have some very powerful hairdryers, which it turns out is a lovely luxury on a cold day.

*"All" being me and Miriam.

Double

2010-05-12T14:46:00.006+12:00

It's not only cool to have twins in the family without being the one who'll be washing all the nappies, it's super cool that you read it here first! Okay so I was one pregnancy out, but that's not bad going. Something to Live For has seen this coming all along: read it in blue and grey, paragraph six.

Congratulations Catrien and Nathan on a double baby haul!!

Elastic

2010-05-05T12:13:00.001+12:00

FTW!!!

Branch out

2010-05-03T09:48:00.000+12:00

Gluten free muesli bread IS breakfast. BOOM!

Toast

2010-04-28T22:18:00.003+12:00

A lot is going wrong.

The only thing that got me through the last hour of deacons was the thought of toast.

The toaster is broken.

Life is nothing but how you deal with obsticles. I swim or sleep. It could be much worse!

Ode

2010-04-19T09:17:00.005+12:00

When I was worn out by spidermonkeys
you were there.

When my brain hurt from the drone of my own voice
you were there.

When I first hit 500m! 1k! 2k! 2.5k!
you were there.

When the worst thing happened to me
you were there.

When I came back from my world tour a sorry wreck
you were there.

When I couldn't yoga or run
you were there.

When I had to return to life after August 31
you were there.

When my back was being a dork face
you were there.

When Brian's dreams for swim squad expansion were realised
you were there.

Whenever I needed you
you were there
(except for occasional public holidays, early closings and random maintenance).

My heart's been broken before. You don't get over it but you get used to it. I'll be ok but I'll always love you for who you made me.

Better

2010-04-18T09:18:00.003+12:00

There was a lot of vomit on the Ponsonby Road pavement this morning. None of it mine.

It's the second day in a row where I DON'T feel like I'm constantly being drip fed poison. Feeling well is so much better than feeling sick.

Register

2010-04-15T14:57:00.004+12:00

An oldie but a goodie:

The other week we got a parking ticket for parking in a loading zone and not being official. (How does buying juice off a flatmate not constitute official?! What's the world coming to?! Zealots, that's what.) A few minutes later as the parking warden circled again, he noticed our registration had expired! AND didn't give us a ticket, just a warning!

Rather a $40 ticket than a $200 ticket.
Rather a juice than a kick in the head.

Losing face

2010-04-08T18:09:00.003+12:00

Well I really lost face this lent - it's true I kept off the beer but didn't quite keep up the daily blogs. Never mind, it's good to be humbled on occasion. I have been humbled before but I'm still here, keepin' it real and writin' it up.

Fried salad

2010-03-29T19:13:00.001+13:00

On Sunday I made a nice salad (quinoa, almonds, tomato, capsicum, olives, basil) and tonight it turned into a delicious fry up. That's good double dipping by any standards!

Charmed

2010-03-28T17:29:00.000+13:00

A charmed Sunday to make up for the debacle of last week.

I lied when I said you need some bad Sundays to appreciate the good.

Good is all I need, all I ever need.

Read

2010-03-26T20:37:00.000+13:00

I like:
Elizabeth Berg
Marilynne Robinson
Geraldine Brooks
Mary Doria Russell
and lots more.

You are always lucky when there are still good books left to read!

Rehab

2010-03-25T15:15:00.002+13:00

Walked 2.14 km to town
Swam 900 m
Drank a fresh juice
Walked 2.9 km home
Went to pilates
Ate a pie

If my back isn't cured with all these healthy living opportunities it has nothing to blame but its own bad attitude!

Loaf

2010-03-24T18:27:00.003+13:00

I scored a new recipe yesterday.

I went to Janet's house and she'd adapted a recipe so I could have it. I don't expect people to do that for me, not at all, I chose my restrictive diet, so it makes it all the nicer when they do.

Soak 1 & 1/4 cups of desicated coconut in 1 cup of soy milk for about an hour.
Stir in 1 & 1/2 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 cup of sugar and half a cup of chopped apricots.
Put in a loaf tin (lined with tinfoil) and bake at 180 for 50 mins.
Easy peasy yum!

Grandma

2010-03-23T07:24:00.000+13:00

I dreamed of my Grandma last night. It was perfect to see her again.

500

2010-03-22T18:45:00.000+13:00

Tired and miserable today.

But a 500 m swim is better than no swim, and so Monday is redeemed.

Stress, and its spill over benefits

2010-03-21T19:18:00.000+13:00

Church was an absolute debacle but it did end eventually and Miriam stayed till the bitter end to walk home with me. How lucky.

You need some really stressful Sundays so you appreciate the easy ones all the more. I think I'm set up for a year's appreciation now.

Insatiable Moon

2010-03-20T13:20:00.001+13:00

Laughed a lot and cried a little. I think my inheritance is safe. Whew. (Lucky.)

Gift

2010-03-19T16:35:00.005+13:00

It's too easy to notice all the things that go wrong and aren't up to scratch, while overlooking the things that go right and are above and beyond scratch. (I prang the car twice and curse my bad luck, but I have so many not-prangs that I take for granted.)

Footpaths and roads and motorways get closed all the time. It's just tough bickies for you if you're caught out or inconvenienced. Today a pipeline worker was standing outside the Birdcage offering pedestrians an easter egg and explaining the footpath would be closed while they shift the building.

Nice one.

Soup

2010-03-18T21:29:00.002+13:00

Miriam and I got given a meal of soup to put in our deep freezer! We're not old, sick or poor. What a lovely treat!

Due

2010-03-17T20:40:00.004+13:00

Some things you just NEVER GET to have and it's not fair.

Every good thing in life has its (studiously ignored / wishfully under-acknowledged) shadow side. It's good to have a God who doesn't mind being with you in the light side or the dark side.

May all lost hopes and dreams and relationships rest in peace somewhere.

Up

2010-03-16T16:13:00.003+13:00

I've been a bit down about my back injury, though you'd never know it from my blog (yay me). My new plan as of today is to swim every single day for rehab. We'll see.

But it's good to have a plan.

I thirst

2010-03-15T11:16:00.001+13:00

My new favourite beverage is on special today. Baby Jesus, 8 pounds with your golden fleece diapers, learning words but still omnipotent, sometimes you are just so insistent...

Still many monkeys with internet access

2010-03-14T21:18:00.000+13:00

Another brilliant Sunday afternoon where I sit on my ass and good times and sunshine flock to me. I love that.

Also bit the bullet and bought a new microwave. The thought of coming home and finding Miriam dead on the kitchen floor and a burned out wheaty bag in the evil old mircowave was too much for me. It's good to have external motivation when you are faced with an unpleasant task ie the purchase of a new appliance.

A review I read of one microwave proclaimed "useless for toasting". Um, that's a helpful review comment... if you're a monkey.

All things in moderation

2010-03-13T18:00:00.002+13:00

A little bit of baking, a little bit of housework, a little bit of shopping, a little bit of juice, a little bit of socialising, a little bit of bit of sewing, a little bit of high tea, a little bit of sermon, quite a bit of chocolate.

A good day.

Preach it: the sequel

2010-03-12T14:53:00.004+13:00

I love the thought, at 2.51 on a Friday afternoon, that I might produce a complete sermon draft before home time.

The thought is a least 80% as good as the reality, which is a damn good deal if you think about it!

Hot

2010-03-11T20:31:00.000+13:00

Hot chips for dinner! (With a peanut butter sandwich chaser.)
Why not?!

Move

2010-03-10T21:16:00.000+13:00

It's good when the council puts on free movies in parks (though as Nicola would say "nothing is free, it's funded by ratepayers"). It's good when you get off your ass and make it along!

Quintessential: the sequel

2010-03-10T19:06:00.001+13:00

There is chocolate raspberry licorice in my life again! It tastes so good!

This time I am practicing moderation so I don't have to scurry off the to the dietitian the minute it hits my digestive system. I'm lucky to have learnt this trick.

Light

2010-03-09T17:21:00.004+13:00

Today I learned why you don't see as many buggy pushers coming up Franklin Hill as you see on Ponsonby Road: it's quite steep. Or as Reese told his dad while walking up a hill the other day "heavy".

In a pit of '07 Christmas despair I learned that the heaviest heart can lighten a notch when you have a gorgeous neicphew, even unborn, to love. Subsequent additions have confirmed this.

Porridge

2010-03-08T10:17:00.001+13:00

Porridge is back on the menu and better than ever. Strange but true.

Best of all you can't even taste the flaxseed oil when it gets stirred in and drowned in maple syrup.

Fads eh.

Idyll

2010-03-07T21:15:00.001+13:00

It was awesome to sit on the back deck in the sun and eat a pie with Miriam and Julian, sit on the back in the sun and eat hot chips with Julian, Miriam, Gareth and Nicola, then sit on the back deck in the sun some more and drink ginger beer with Gareth and Nicola while Miriam and Julian rustled up dinner for us all.

When Sunday afternoon goes right, it goes so right!

ABC

2010-03-06T18:57:00.001+13:00

Reese called and sung me the alphabet, with a fair bit of help from his dad. Ccccccc!! and Yyyyyyyy!! have never sounded so good.

Nosh

2010-03-05T16:59:00.000+13:00

Nosh is overpriced and full of dairy and meat but today they sold me the best two peaches I've eaten in my life and that has made me very happy.