It's Christmas Eve here already. How time flies when you're having fun! Everyone who knows me well, knows that I am not filled with the Christmas spirit. Mom considers it my inheritance from Dad because it certainly didn't come from her side! I thought it would get better down here with the heat and sunshine. Something altogether unexpected happened instead -- I want Christmas with my family in the cold, gray Indiana gloom.
How could this happen? For close to 30 years, I've dreaded Christmas and here I am in paradise daydreaming about snow and cheese-salad sandwiches? What the hell? I've got it made this year! Beautiful weather, wonderful people to spend time with and the man of my dreams. The best part is they aren't MY family! No stress! You know I love you all dearly, but let's face it, you're loud and overwhelming.
But no! I have to start missing you guys and your peanut butter fudge, and pink icing sugar cookies, and the kids running wild and the men getting grouchy. The fun you will have at Stori and Jamey's and the peace of knowing each other forever and knowing you always have a home there. So once again, I had to travel all the way across the world to find out how blessed my life has always been.
Every year since I've met Ken, he has sent me a Christmas email and promised to raise a glass in my honor. It's wonderful that this year we can actually toast each other in person, but I will definitely be raising my glass in your honor. To my family and dear friends this holiday season, enjoy each other, love each other, and have a fantastic Christmas and even better 2010.
What a beautiful day for a birthday! Yes it's hot, but so gorgeous as always. Two of my favorite people in the entire world share a birthday and today's the day. Shayla is my oldest niece and it's simply impossible that she's 21 today. I still remember the first time I saw the cute little blonde thing with absolutely the tiniest nose! We weren't too sure about her mommy then, but Shayla stole our hearts from the beginning. Of course, it didn't take us long to fall for Nina either! It's such a blessing to watch a baby become a child and then turn into a beautiful young woman. Thank you Shayla for being such a joy. I love being your aunt.
And of course, it's Ken's birthday too. Obviously not his 21st, but close... We had his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter over this morning for brunch. It's always a pleasure spending time with this new family I'm getting to know and love. Aaron and Julie are a beautiful couple and Aribella is the apple of Ken's eye, as she should be. We had a lovely fruit salad filled with fresh fruits: mango, pawpaw, nectarines, plums, strawberries, peaches, cherries and bananas. YUM! Fruit certainly tastes better close to the source. We followed up brunch with a carrot cake from the local bakery. I know my limits with baking cakes and decorating. The cake was dense and moist and yummy and looked good too. Much better than I could have done!
Now with the house back to normal, the kitchen clean, and golf on TV while Ken is napping in the recliner, it hits me again how happy I am. My life has been pretty darn good from the start - I'm lucky to have a great family and friends. But nothing can compare to spending every day with someone who lights up when he sees you and makes you feel like the only person in the world. Every day I get to spend with Ken is a blessing and a joy. Thank goodness I had the courage to move here and start living my dream life! Thank you, Ken. I hope you have many more wonderful birthdays.
I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving full of good food, family, and all the good things in life. Mine certainly was! Ken and I took the day off from cleaning and painting the boat and just enjoyed being at home together. I cleaned a little and did laundry, he went to the grocery store for me and then we just had a quiet day of Wii, knitting Christmas presents, watching horse races, and cricket on the tube. In the afternoon, I made my first attempt at a pumpkin pudding. I used Mom's classic recipe for persimmon pudding and substituted some cooked pumpkin puree I'd made earlier in the year and frozen.
Since it was going to be just the two of us for dinner, I made a free-range chicken roast with roasted potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, and onion, brussel sprouts and rolls. And yes, Debbie, GRAVY! Which I had to admit was pretty awesome! I'm getting much better at making gravies. Ken had picked up a nice Australian Chardonnay which went beautifully with the meal.
Mom, I'm so glad I brought home all those old aprons from your house! They've been washed and hung to dry and now I wear one everytime I'm in the kitchen. It's silly, but just makes me feel like I'm really ready to get to work. Ken loves them too. He laughs every time I put one on, but it's a nice laugh. In honor of Thanksgiving, I donned the turkey apron over my old skirt and tank top. Have I mentioned it's hotter than hell here? And not even really into the summer yet? YIKES! Thank God for Air Conditioners.
We sat down and had a lovely meal. Ken thought the Thanksgiving tradition came from the Puritans being grateful for landing in a place free from persecution. My belief has always been more that it stems from the first harvest and giving thanks for the success of that. Either way, we both have a lot to be thankful for. Especially each other and the sacrifices we've both made to be together. It hasn't been easy, and I'm sure it won't get any easier, but it has been so worth it. I also gave a silent Thanksgiving prayer for my amazing family that loves me enough to support my decision to leave them.
Dad and Mom, Stephen and Shawn, Trent and Nina and kids, I miss you all so much. But I was with you in spirit yesterday and hope you all had some dressing and sweet potatoes for me! Stori and Jamey, enjoy those new babies and give all four of my kids a big Thanksgiving hug and kiss for me. Grandma Helen, I miss you and love you. Hope you are feeling better!
By the way, the pumpkin pudding was really good! A little dollop of thickened cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon made it as pretty as a picture and yummy too!
It's a very hot and sunny day again here in Brisbane. And I thought it was warm in Indiana in November! Right now it's almost 85F, but feels much hotter than that. We finally broke down and turned the air con back on. What a difference that makes! I hate to rely on it, but this isn't even the summer yet! I'll be melting by Christmas, but I can't wait.
My visit back home to Indiana was a lovely time. It was so nice to see everyone again. I can't believe I've only been away for eight months, but then I realized, that's the longest I've ever been away from the family! We are so lucky to have such wonderful family! Although, I guess luck has less to do with it than the pure love and determination of our grandparents and parents! My only regret is that Stori was in Africa the entire time I was in Indiana. I miss my sister of the heart so much. But we know that we're each living the life we need and love. Those new babies will need all the love and attention she and Jamey can give them, but I know it'll be fabulous. They are such good parents, I marvel at how wonderful Livia and Parker are.
As great as going back to my Indiana home was, nothing can compare with how wonderful it was to be home with Ken. I never imagined how much I could miss someone. The good news is that it was mutual! We've quickly settled back into our routines. It has been a busy few days though. Friday we sailed the boat up to the marina in Manly. We left home before 7 and had 2 hours on a bus down to Coochiemudlo. Then down I went to check the propeller before we took off for the supposed four hour sail. Two hours later we're still just off Coochie because both the tide and the wind were fighting against us. It turned into a beautiful day, but the sun and the wind were both strong. They don't make a sunscreen strong enough to keep that off you completely!
The waves got a bit scary here and there. I knew with Ken I was safe, but it was a bit like being on a roller coaster. The work involved in sailing is incredible! Who knew it would be so hard? I am still sore 2 days later in places I didn't even know existed! There were a few really scary moments when I seriously prayed that I would be the one to fall in, because I knew Ken would be able to get me...the alternative I wasn't so sure about. But we finally made it into the marina and headed home. At 7:30 Friday evening, we were home.
Burned, sore, and exhausted, we showered and made cheeseburgers. Then we ate and fell into bed. I don't even remember going to bed, it just happened! We're still both sore and tired, but going back to the boat every day this week to do the real work. Cleaning and painting and readying it for sale. We'll be tired puppies, but it'll be worth it when we get a good price on it! I hate the idea of selling it, but it is the best option right now.
Ken is very sunburned (what a redneck!), and even a bit sick from it. But we've been putting yogurt and cool peppermint tea on it and that has helped dramatically. He says the yogurt was the best. We'll do it again later today. It's off to Bunnings for supplies for the work ahead, and then an easy dinner of delivery pizza.
I love these quiet days at home. Ken is at the boat and as much as I adore going to the water, I'm a homebody at heart. It has just been the nicest day! I got to talk to Mom over coffee in bed this morning and catch up on the latest in Indiana. After doing some vacuuming, mopping, laundry, and cleaning out the fridge, it was into the shower and catching the train into Alderley. My favorite fruit/veg shop is there and there is a nice grocery store too. Two and a half minutes on the train and I'm there!
Yesterday, I sat on the patio with a lovely cappuccino and some cookbooks and planned the next week of dinners. This is something I'm just trying out, so many people say it is just THE best way to organize and budget. I have to admit, it is nice not to have to think about it for the rest of the week! So I figured out what I wanted to fix each night, and what ingredients I need to buy for the week. Usually, Ken and I go to grocery on every other Thursday and get everything at once. Since he's gone, I just picked up the essentials today. I can not carry all the bags by myself! But we do have this handy little trolley that can be stuffed full and makes it very easy for me.
So I picked up a veggies at the shop and a whole chicken for tonight's dinner. I'm attempting a roast chicken complete with herb stuffing and roasted veggies and gravy. It's been years since I've roasted a chicken, but I'm sure it'll be lovely. Ken's eyes lit up when he saw that on the schedule! So it'll be worth it. Plus, I can use the leftover chicken for salads and sandwiches for lunch the next couple of days. It's getting much warmer here now, so every couple of days I've been making a big salad and eating that for my lunches. Best part is that I can use up leftovers without feeling like I'm eating the same thing every day. I do a lot of mixed beans, veggies, apples, couscous, rice, etc. Whatever is in the fridge and pantry can go in!
Our herbs are struggling in the pots outside and we're not sure why. We have to pick up some more soon. Right now there is just a little parsley and basil, but I'd love to get some more and some rosemary to add in there. I have so many plants on my wish list: tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, herbs, the list goes on and on. It would be relatively easy to put them in containers I think, but it's just getting them started right that worries me. I haven't gotten to it yet, but one step at a time. In the meantime, our native flowers are blooming and my succulents from Casino, NSW (thanks Sue!) are starting to thrive. Ken and Aribella worked on the beds a couple of weeks ago and they look incredible!
After a busy time at the shops and dragging an overloaded trolley home (I always try to stuff too much in it!), it was definitely time for a late lunch and a pot of tea. Even as hot as I was the tea was just exactly what I needed. There is something so special about making a pot of tea the way women have been doing it for generations, and just sitting in your home. It makes me feel so connected. Strange that it took moving to the other side of the world for me to feel that way. I hope everyone is having a lovely day and can take the time to connect. To themselves and to each other.
It's 4 in the afternoon and I'm sitting in the air-conditioned living room, watching Ken play Tiger Woods golf. We've been to the shops for groceries, and I've been to the library to get another month's supply of words. You've been waiting for more letters and Ken has been nagging me to write. But it's just so much easier to read and live a life than to find the words to describe one. Don't you think this is so?
We went to the boat on Wednesday. The weather was beautiful and we had enough wind to actually sail for a couple of hours. Definitely didn't break any speed records but it was fast enough for me. Life is about the journey, right? And jeez, what a journey! Three dolphins came right up to our boat and checked us out. We'd seen dolphins in the distance the last time we were on the bay, but this was like nothing I'd ever experienced. One of them came withing 20-25 feet of us and just stuck his little head out to say hello! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to show you as my camera was inside the cabin and I was paralyzed with awe. In fact, I believe all I could do was gape and say, "Holy shit!" over and over. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life - I am so grateful for it.
Ken and I sailed back over to Blaksley's on Stradbroke island. It's such a nice and quiet spot, protected from the winds to make a peaceful night on the boat. We had a lovely dinner of homemade tomato sauce and pasta with garlic toast and a nice Shiraz under the stars. I'm getting very good at picking out the Southern Cross even though it is a little underwhelming. I keep expecting it to be bigger or brighter or something.
Thursday was warmer and completely calm. We messed around on the island, cleaned up the cabin and sorted everything while we waited for a breath of wind. Sadly, it didn't happen so we had to motor back to Coochiemudlo instead of sailing. It was still so beautiful and peaceful. I went for a swim once we got back to the mooring. The water was cold, but it felt so good after the heat of the last few days! And to just immerse myself in water was so lovely. I think I'll be a mermaid whenI grow up.
We were both so exhausted when we got back yesterday evening. A big dinner of Guinness stew, mashed potatoes and veggies fit the bill exactly. I barely stayed awake for Thursday Night Live, my favorite sports show ever! It's weird that I watch sports shows at all, let alone have a favorite, I know. But we were in bed by 9 and I slept almost 12 hours! Then up for laundry, grocery shopping and the library. It's nice to sit down finally. Even though I haven't done much today, work-wise at least, in this heat it feels like everything is an effort. It will be interesting to see how I do this summer when it gets really hot.
Tonight is a simple dinner of pasta, chicken and asparagus baked with cheese. The recipe comes from Ken's sister Lynn and we just love it! Tomorrow I'll bake some cookies and make a beef casserole in the slow-cooker while we enjoy the football games. It's almost finals time and I'm afraid my Brisbane Lions just won't have it in them to last too long in the race for the Premiership. But my backup teams are going pretty well, and have a great chance. We'll have a lovely lunch at Kerry and Brandon's on Sunday as usual. I can't wait to see what we're having! She's such a great cook and they are such wonderful fun.
The goulash recipe worked out really well. It was so delicious, I can't wait until I can have the leftovers. I served it with plain potatoes and butter on the side and some sourdough bread Ken picked up at the shops. The recipe:
Goulash
50 g./ 2 oz butter 675 g/ 1.5 lbs lean, tender beef 2 large onions, sliced into rings salt and pepper 15 ml/1 Tablespoon paprika 1/5 kg/ 1 lb tomatoes, skinned and chopped 50 ml/ 2 fl oz beef stock 150 ml/ 5 fl oz sour cream chopped fresh parsley
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the meat and fry for 5 to 8 minutes, or until it is evenly browned. Stir in the onions, salt and pepper to taste and paprika. Add the tomato and stock, cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. If necessary, add a little liquid during cooking. Top with sour cream and parsley.
Serves 4
I followed the directions except I used our slow cooker after frying the meat and cooking the onions for a little while. I put it on in the early afternoon and by 7 it was definitely ready. The tomatoes I used were just a big can of chopped. It couldn't have been easier! And it was really delicious! (If I do say so myself...) The crusty sourdough bread and potatoes were just the perfect finishing touches to the meal.
Tonight I was not quite so lucky with the meal. I made a meatloaf using a recipe from the cookbook. It called for 1.5 lbs (675 g) of hamburger. I only had about half that much meat. I tried to follow the directions and halve it all, but apparently it didn't work. The "meatloaf" became a tiny little thing floating in liquid in the bottom of the loaf pan. It tasted okay, but didn't look very appetizing. Oh did I mention that I set the kitchen on fire in the process?
The freaking electric stove is a bit confusing as to which button controls which burner. At least after a couple of homemade beer it's a bit confusing... I had the potatoes on a burner, and the carrots and pumpkins on another burner. Unfortunately, I had the power going to the burner in front of the pumpkins and carrots. This did not become apparent until I threw the tea towel on top of that burner. And smelled the smoke. It set off the smoke alarm, threw Kenny into a tizzy and laughing fit.
I finished up the meal, and made mushroom gravy to cover up the mistakes. Jeez I needed a glass of red after that! We're now watching a documentary on poop. Yep, Poop. It's amazing what you can find on television.
Bella/Poppy day was a lot of fun. She's such an imaginative little girl. Spent an hour lecturing us on the meteors and outer space. Then "The Artist" gave us a lesson on puzzle making. She kept referring to herself in the third person as "the artist" so we just followed suit. Poppy and I are both exhausted tonight, but it's a good exhaustion.
Here's the recipe for the meatloaf. Please follow it carefully and use the specified amounts!
Beef Meat Loaf
1 thick slice of bread, crusts removed 50 ml/2 fl oz milk 675 g/ 1.5 lb lean beef, minced 30 ml/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 50 g/2 oz fruit chutney 1 beef stock cube, dissolved in 30 ml/2 Tablespoons boiling water salt and pepper 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
Soak the bread in the milk for 10 minutes. Mix together with the beef and the remaining ingredients. Place the mixture in a greased 1 kg/2lb loaf tin, lined with foil, and smooth the top. Put the tin into the oven preheated to fairly hot (190 C/375 F) and bake for 1 hour. Serve hot or cold. To serve cold, allow the loaf to cool for 1 hour in the tin before turning it out. Serves 4 to 6
Oh and another thing... Ken and I took the fitness age thing on the Wii Sports. My "fitness age" was determined to be (drumroll please) 57! And Ken was just 29. He's so excited and obnoxious about the whole thing. My question is how do they determine this after a bowling, baseball, and tennis exercise? I'm taking the damn thing again tomorrow to try to score better. He made me take a picture of our "ages", but I'm not posting them yet.
Lots of love, Courtney
PS Ken is so distraught that no one has asked for his curried eggs recipe!
These are a few of my favorite things...This song has been going through my head all day! The bad thing is that it started with "brains in black butter". I have decided to go through an old cookbook Ken had in the kitchen drawer and make a lot of the recipes. Kind of a very relaxed version of the Julie and Julia idea: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Julia-Recipes-Apartment-Kitchen/dp/031610969X One of the recipes I was looking at today (which will NOT get made in my kitchen) is for Brains in Black Butter. How disgusting can you get? When I asked Ken if he'd like it, I sang it to the tune of My Favorite Things. Now that song is stuck in my brain!
The recipe I actually did make this weekend out of the 1000 Recipe Cook Book: Recipes for all occasions edited by Isabelle Barrett and Jane Harrop and published in 1976 is the following cookie (or biscuit) recipe.
Butter Coconut Crisps
175 g./6 oz self-raising flour, sifted 225 g/ 8 oz sugar 1 egg, beaten 125 g/ 4 oz butter, melted 150 g/ 5 oz desiccated coconut
Mix the flour and sugar together. Gradually beat in the egg, then the melted butter. Form into small balls, then roll in the coconut. Put on well-greased baking sheets (or use baking paper), well spaced apart, and put into the oven preheated to moderate (180 C / 350 F). Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm to touch.
This is supposed to make about 30 cookies. I made 21 so you can tell mine were a bit too big. But wow, were they yummy! I was craving something sweet before the footy game on Saturday (the first of 2 that day), but didn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. I made these during half-time and sadly they are all gone today. They are chewy when just out of the oven, but crisp up when they cool. Excellent with tea or coffee and I can imagine them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some hot fudge sauce! WOW!
The recipe I'm trying out today is a Goulash. We'll have it for dinner tonight, so I'll let you know if it's good tomorrow. And give you the recipe.
Friday was a wonderful day out for me. My friend Kerry picked me up and we had a girls' day at the DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) and then downtown for sushi and cupcakes. It was a fantastic day, weather and company were just perfect. It has meant so much to me that Ken's friends and family have been so accepting and welcoming.
There were some real bargains to be had at the DFO. I found a black purse for $15, it's exactly what I needed. I've lived all this time with one khaki canvas purse from Walmart! Kerry found a couple of cake stands that she's been looking for at a great bargain. The sushi in South Bank was great, eating at an outdoor table in winter even better! The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing. We went around the block for dessert at a cupcake/sweet shop. I had a lovely espresso mud cupcake and Kerry had a beautiful lemon meringue tart. Our lattes were delicious and it was a fantastic way to end the day with a dear friend.
Well, I'm going to sign off for now. Ken needs help bottling the beer and I have goulash to check on.
Love to you all, Courtney
PS Wait till I tell you about Kenny's Curried Eggs...
It's been a week since we've been home from Queen Mary Falls and Toowoomba. I haven't written my letter about that trip because my head has been full of more serious things. It was a beautiful rainy weekend in the bush. I hope you've had a chance to look at my pictures of the birds and the waterfalls. Lynn and Eddie were fantastic - so much fun to spend time with them. We had lovely little cabins. They were so lovely, Ken and I decided we could just live in one on our own little piece of land! Once we win the lotto...
On Monday we had a really great lunch with Ken's mother in Toowoomba. She fixed some of her famous pea soup and it really hit the spot on that rainy day! It was wonderful to spend some time visiting with her. We looked at family photos and chatted for a couple of hours. I can't wait to spend more time with her in the future.
I can't stop thinking about your babies and how exciting and wonderful this time is for you. There are so many things we're going to miss doing together, but know that you are in my thoughts and in my heart always. Ian and Chad are lucky to be coming into your beautiful family. And you are so blessed to find them!
I'm going to spend most of the day knitting baby blankets! There is so much work to do and so little time! But every stitch will be full of love so that every time they snuggle up in their blankies they will feel my arms around them.
It's been a long week since we've gotten back, but I am so happy to be home again. Homesickness for the family strikes hard sometimes, but I can't imagine being anywhere else. This is truly my home now. And it will only get better as time goes by.
Here are finally some pictures of the surrounding area. Typical suburbs really, isn't it? I took these on Saturday during a quick walk around. There is a park close to us that has great playground equipment, Bella likes to go there some days. I walked down there and had a sandwich and read my book in the sun. How peaceful!
Here is a picture from my park bench. There's a rugby field just to the right of the picture. I hoped there would be a game on, but sadly no one was around.
Preschool just down the block from the apartment. We live in the Enogerra suburb of Brisbane.
And best of all, my record-setting win against Ken at Wii Bowling! Woo and Hoo!! I was (briefly) ahead of him in the tennis scoring too, but sadly he beat me this morning. He has now introduced me to Tiger Woods Golfing and my elbow is in severe pain from playing 18 holes. And my great score was...(insert drumroll)...38 above par! How is that even possible? Is that worth golf elbow?
It was so cool to get your video message! Are you finally starting to like My Morning Jacket or just missing your little sister that much? It hit me that this is the longest I've ever been away from home. That sounds (and is) so small-town but it's true! Even in college I came back almost every weekend. There is absolutely no way I could have done this in the years before the internet. Getting emails, video messages, and chatting on Facebook makes it seem like I'm just around the corner instead of on the other side of the world.
But I am on the other side of the world and as you guys are gearing up for summer vacations and hot weather, I'm wearing my uggs, jeans and jumpers (sweaters), putting an extra blanket on the bed, and getting the flu! Not the dreaded Swine Flu, of course. What a lot of drama for nothing... The days are clear and brisk and the evenings are downright chilly. It's a beautiful time. (Or would be if I weren't sick!)
The amazing thing about being sick is that Ken is taking such good care of me. He's cooking soup, bringing me tea, entertaining me endlessly with his goofiness. What a treasure! I hate to get mushy, but I am so lucky he waited all these years for me.
I'm spending the day knitting a little, reading a little from my latest batch of library books and listening to the radio. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be completely over this crappy flu and we can have a nice weekend doing something outside.
You need to get on the next flight over. I've found the place in Australia where you'll feel completely at home. Casino (pronounced Casina) is a small town across the border in New South Wales. Ken and I went down Friday on a train from Brisbane. I've decided this is the only way to travel. You can just see so much and there's no worrying about navigating or bad drivers or anything else. The food car is right there if you're hungry or thirsty. It's a great way to travel! We should definitely take the train trip through the Rockies sometime.
Lester (Shep) and Sue met us at the station in Casino and we went into town to have a look around. Casino is a small town and I just kept marveling at how similar it felt to Orange County. If you overlook the trees and the rain-forested hills in the distance, it looks like home. Full of little shops, some empty storefronts, and small-town people. I felt instantly at home. Sue and I went into the craft market and looked at all the knitting, painting, woodworking, etc. She is such a nice lady. Very down to earth and reserved - Mom would really get along well with her.
After lunch, we went to the farm and Dad, you would love it! The cattle grazing in the fields, the orchards, the cattle dogs, the sheds, the puttering you could do! You and Lester would get along so well and have so much in common. He has everything and can make anything work with what he's got. Cannibalizes one truck to keep the other running, his shed is amazing. I think he may be the Australian Mr. Haney to your American version. LOL
Beef Week was very similar to our county fairs, except that it all happens in the center of town. The judging, auction and everything is right there on the street. They have the kids area with carnival rides and the food stalls. But the beef is the main attraction and they sure are proud of it.
The area has been getting a lot of rain this year, so it's very green and lush. And it rained every day so it was soggy and cold too. I was really glad to have my jacket and long sleeve shirts. I spent the entire weekend in them.
We went into town every day, but spent a lot of time just hanging out at the farm too. The farmhouse is old and just classic. It's very homey and comfortable, the way a farmhouse should be. We spent most of the time in the kitchen, sitting around the table enjoying lovely conversation with good friends. And they did make me feel like I've known them both for years. Lester and Ken had us laughing until we cried at stories from their Navy days. And Lester has a million stories about this injury and that injury. He's a walking accident waiting to happen! Kind of reminded me of you, Dad.
On Sunday they invited friends over and had a beautiful dinner with roast lamb and pork. The company was exceptional, the food was amazing and a lot of fun was had by all. I'm not sure I've ever eaten so much as I did those four days in Casino! Shep and Sue asked when you and Mom were coming out and said you could stay with them. Isn't that the nicest?
Rural life is the same whether you're in Indiana or across the world in New South Wales. It's truly the simple things in life that are important. On our way home Monday night on the bus, I thought a lot about the similarities. Two teenagers were on the bus with their kids. The little mother reminded me so much of the girls Mom helps out. She was trying so hard to be a good mommy, the boy was just overwhelmed by his life and was another kid she had to take care of. The exhaustion on her face broke my heart. But how many kids just like that are in Orange County right now? It looked like that little girl that comes by your house sometimes with her two babies. Life is the same no matter where we live. We just have to make the best of it and enjoy every moment. Try to make it a little better for other people along the way.
My life is so amazingly good right now. The changes I've made have been worth the pain and the crap. I could not have done it without the support from you and the rest of the family and friends. Without Ken's love and support either. Dad, I miss everyone in Indiana, but I feel so at home here thanks to Ken and his friends and family. So when are you coming to visit? LOL
This morning we heard a woman's voice say, "Woo-hoo, woo-hoo" and thought it was the neighbor from upstairs. Went into the living room and there was this little guy - a gorgeous little owl at our front door! Ken had never seen one around before, but we went online and it said it was nesting season so they must have some eggs close by. He stayed for quite a while and was just the sweetest thing, didn't have anything else to say unfortunately, but seemed pretty tame.
I know he looks pretty similar to the kookaburras (at least he does to me in these shots) but it is actually an owl. You could tell when he turned his head around and blinked his eyes. Very cool!
Ken and I are getting ready to go to Casino, New South Wales for the weekend. It's Beef Week! His friends, Shep and Sue, have a cattle ranch there and we'll be staying with them. I can't wait to get out into the bush and see the beautiful country. And the cattle dogs! We leave in the morning and stay until Monday evening. It's starting to get cool at night and it's cooler there apparently, so I'm actually taking my Polartec jacket. We'll take the train down and it goes through a range of mountains - should be fantastic! Ken says they're more like big hills, but I'm really looking forward to it.
We've had a pretty quiet week or two. I had a girly shopping day alone while Ken went to the boat yesterday. It was fun to wander around the local shopping center and browse. Even more fun to walk through the park home. There is a rugby field and a bowls club (outdoor bowling) between our apartment and the shopping center. There's a lot of other stuff too, but that's my favorite part of the walk. Yesterday, the older men were playing bowls and the young kids were playing rugby. I wondered how much they could learn from each other if they took the time. Or if the kids ever thought, "That'll be me one day," as the old men said to each other, "Remember when we were that age..."
The birds are going crazy outside right now. Night is falling and the animals are calling to each other. Ken's playing on the Wii waiting for our nightly game. I need to get out there before he gets even more practice and kicks my butt more than the usual! We sound like such a boring, old couple, but it's a beautiful thing - the stability of knowing what you're going to be doing each day and not worrying about the next crises. Because there is none. I am so blessed.
Mom and Dad, it was so good to hear your voices today! So sorry I've slacked off on the posting. The week on Stradbroke Island was just incredible and I'm not going to be able to do it justice. There are just no words that mean enough to describe the beauty and peace I found there.
Every morning we sat down to a beautiful breakfast from Sandra and discussed the plans for the day ahead. We pumped the beach for yabbies (little shrimp-like things) to use as bait for our surf fishing. And yes, I did fish for a little while and actually caught one! It was teeny-tiny, but Ken took a picture for me anyway. We drove on the beach down to the Jumpinpin Bar which is where the ocean cuts across the island and separates North and South Stradbroke. It's about a half hour drive from Flinders Beach where the house was. On the BEACH! How cool is that? We stopped a couple of times to try the fishing here and there and Sandra and I climbed the dunes and looked around. We could see the Gold Coast skyline across the bay and the outline of the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. We had lunch at the Pin with neighbors, Greg and Mary. It was a beautiful day.
At least, until Ken got bitten on the foot by something. We thought it was just a bee sting, but then his foot swelled horribly and he started having chest pains. Mary and Greg were kind enough to take Ken and I back to the house so he could rest. The chest pains went away quickly, so we weren't concerned enough to need a doctor. We're still not sure what got him, but his foot stayed swollen and sore for several days even after we got back home. He's thinking maybe it was a spider. It was a little scary and put a damper on his good time.
Greg and Mary had a barbeque for us with all the neighbors and it was such a great night! Most of the people knew Ken, Ross and Sandra from when they all lived in the area, so they were glad to catch up with them. They all certainly made me feel like a long-lost relative! Tess, Kit, Gwyneth, and Mary especially were just wonderful and I can't wait to see them again. Tess is a New Zealander who lives next door to Mary and Greg with her husband. They both work from home and are just lovely people! She earned my undying devotion when she asked Ken how he had gotten a "goddess" like me! The rest of the time there she and Mary called me "the goddess". "How's the goddess this morning?" etc... Kit and Gwyneth are an older couple and I just want to be her when I grow up. So lively and interesting, she's in her 80's and he's her "boy toy" at 70-something. They have both lived these incredible lives - I'd love to hear the whole story and write it.
They asked Ken and me over for coffee the next day. Unfortunately, we went to the wrong house and couldn't find them! Sandra and I went over later in the day to apologize and then Ken and I went over Monday before we left. I hate that we missed the opportunity to visit with them alone, but look forward to seeing them again and spending time with them.
As with most great vacations, the days ran together, so I'm having a hard time remembering what happened when. I'll just sum up by saying that it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and the vacation was right up there with my all time favorite, Prince Edward Island. Ken and I are already talking about going back in the winter by ourselves for a couple of weeks. I can't wait and only wish you could all see it in person.
Since we've been back, it's been housework, footie, and spending time with Bella, Aaron and Julie. It's a gorgeous Autumn day and we're enjoying every minute together. As much as I love holidays and paradise islands, I wouldn't trade our quiet routine for all the world. Being with Ken, baking bread, hanging laundry on the line, and knitting is the kind of life I've always wanted.
It is really difficult to write about an entire week of fun in the sun, which is why I haven't posted anything about Stradbroke yet. Ken suggested I break it down into "chapters" to get a handle on it. So here goes with the first chapter:
It was a dark and stormy night...My apologies to Snoopy for plagiarism. Anyway, it WAS a dark and dreary morning when we headed off to take a train, bus and water taxi to Stradbroke Island. The wind was ferocious and it was more than a little chilly. I'd woken up with a sinus infection and sore throat. What a beautiful start to the holiday. Straddie is only about 1.5 to 2 hours from home, so it's a nice ride on the train through the suburbs of Brisbane.
When we got to Cleveland (not the one in Ohio), we had a short wait at the bus stop for the bus to the water taxi. There were a couple of American backpackers there (they looked so young!) and two Aboriginal school girls. I can assure you that teenage girls are just as annoying and obnoxious in Australia as they are in Indiana. We were all cringing! Especially when a Muslim family came over and the wife had her face all covered in beautiful fabric. The girls went over with their cigarettes and cokes and demanded, "Why do you have your face covered up?" The husband handled it perfectly by suggesting they sit down quietly and he would explain it to them. The female backpacker and I exchanged looks of absolute horror and embarassment. "Oh my God," she mouthed to me.
Finally our bus came, and the Muslim family, the backpackers and Ken and I all got on. The men started talking about the water taxis and time tables, etc. The water taxi was right on time and we loaded our stuff and got on. Because of the wind, it was a pretty choppy 25 minutes, but even in the gloom you could tell it's a beautiful place. Ross met us at the other side and off we went to the house. It was a cute little place on Flinders Beach called Lee's Cottage.
As soon as we unloaded the Ute and dumped everything in the bedroom, we were off to the beach. Wow! The dramatic clouds and dark ocean water were just fabulous. We worried about the fishing, but it truly would have been okay with me if it stayed stormy the entire time. It was that beautiful.
Sandra was so wonderful, she cooked the entire time we were there! I think the only thing I cooked was toast for breakfast. Yes, Mom and Dad, I did do the dishes. We had a lovely night catching up with Ross and Sandra and woke the next morning to sunshine! The kookaburras joined us on the veranda for breakfast and then we were off for a day of yabbie pumping and fishing.
There hasn't been much going on except getting ready for our holiday at Stradbroke Island. We're leaving in the morning and will be gone until Monday, so there will be no updates or posts until we get back. Things are wonderful here and I just can't wait to see the island! It's definitely one of Ken's favorite places, so I know it will be a special time for us. I promise to take lots of pictures and get them posted as soon as we get back. Everyone have a great week and weekend. Love to you all!!
It has been such a weird week - a nice combination of busy and quiet. We've had a lot going on and the time has flown by. On Monday we did get back to Coochie and the boat. It was a fantastic time! The bad news is that we didn't get off the mooring...again. But we did spend the night on the boat and it was the most incredible night! The day was just so beautiful, we couldn't have asked for better weather. Ken and his friend Ivan had the idea that maybe the propeller was the problem, just too gunked up from sitting in the bay so long. So I got to go diving! We put the goggles on me and down I went. It was so fun! The propeller was full of barnacles and plants, so I took the wire brush down and spent the afternoon cleaning. Did I mention how much fun it was? The cuts on my hands and arms weren't really fun, but it was nice to be able to finally do something to help! And I love being in the amazing clear green water. I made Ken start calling me Esther (Williams). Of course, everyone who has seen me in the water knows I'm not nearly that graceful!
Sadly, the boat still isn't right. But that's one job down. We gave up for the day and opened up a beer. Sitting on the boat just watching the sun go down was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. I told Ken that it was my favorite moment so far. Then the stars came out. We ate some irish stew that Ken had made and drank a bottle of cabernet under the most amazing starry night. Van Gogh would have been in heaven! I'm actually able to find the Southern Cross on my own now. As the night went on, they just got brighter and more crowded. I had an old sweatshirt of Ken's on and we just sat watching the sky. We went to bed early, but I woke up in the middle of the night just in time to see a falling star. Was this the Universe telling me I'm in the right place, that I've made the right decision? Maybe, but I'm really having no doubts now. They've been wiped away with the dawn. Yes, I woke up early enough to watch the sun rise! It's weird that we don't have the dramatic sunsets and sunrises that Indiana does. They are very quiet and peaceful. Just a little yellow, then silvery purple and finally blue. I do miss the dramatic sunsets over the hills in Indiana. I bet it's beautiful now with the leaves out.
We came back home Tuesday afternoon and were just exhausted! Wednesday we ran errands. Yesterday was my favorite kind of day. I got a lot of housework done, but still took time to read and enjoy myself. Ken had to go to the doctor, so I cleaned the bathroom and did laundry. Made a spinach pie for lunch and waited for him to get home. The pie recipe came from Rhonda at Down to Earth and is so good! I've made it twice now and we just love it.
Spinach Pie 2 boxes frozen spinach 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped (or more) olive oil 5 eggs 250 g. ricotta 1 c. cheddar and parmesan grated 4 sheets filo pastry
180C Oven Chop spinach w/onion and garlic and fry in pan until soft. Mix eggs and ricotta together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add other cheeses. Add spinach mix and combine well. Brush oil over each pastry sheet. Double it up and place in dish. Cover the base of the dish with all the sheets. Pour egg/spinach mix into dish and bake until golden. I use an 8x10 pan.
With a nice salad, it's a complete meal! And I use whatever cheeses I happen to have. Yesterday, it was gouda and mozzarrella. YUMMY! And this is really good cold too. It's great for a light brunch or lunch. Because Ken hadn't been able to eat much for a couple of days, I made a big supper too. My lasagne recipe was much improved this time. I loaded it up! And made some baguettes and a nice salad to round out the meal. Of course, we'll be eating both of these meals for the next couple of days. So it's a lazy day for me!
Lasagne 2 T finely grated parmesan 250 g packet lasagne sheets Meat Sauce: 1 T olive oil 1 onion finely chopped garlic (I use a TON) dried oregano/Italian herbs 500 g hamburger large can diced tomato carrots, bell pepper, mushroom, chili pepper, etc 1 cup beef stock 3 T tomato paste White Sauce: 30 g. butter 1 T flour 1/2 c or MORE grated cheddar (I added a bit of Mozz.) 1 c milk (or so) salt, pepper, nutmeg
180C Oven Heat olive oil in saucepan add onion, garlic, herbs and meat. Stir over medium heat until meat colors. Stir in remaing meat sauce ingredients, lower heat and simmer slowly for 25 minutes. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk and seasonings. Stir constantly until sauce thickens and comes to slow boil. Add cheese until melted. Take off heat. Spoon thin layer meat sauce into dish. (9x13 works well) Cover with layer of lasagne sheets and repeat layers finishing with meat sauce. Top with the white sauce and the parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or sheets are soft when tested with a knife. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.
We went out to Coochiemudlo Island yesterday early to fix the diesel on the boat and spend a couple of days out on the bay. The winds were supposed to be very mild. When we got there, they were at least 30 knots. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it wasn't mild. Ken rowed out to the boat. Well, he attempted to row to the boat to get the part number and head back to Victoria Point to buy it. He set me up in a protected area off the beach to stay out of the wind. His dinghy started taking on a lot of water before he got out to the boat, so he had to come back. He set up the dinghy in a Robertson Crusoe way to create a shelter for us on the beach. It worked until a huge-ass spider came crawling out of a crevice and made it's way to eat me. So I decided it'd be great to go for a walk!
We left most of the stuff tied up under the boat and took off down the beach with my backpack and a bottle of water. It's truly a beautiful place and simply gorgeous day. We had our lunch in a secluded little mangrove area out of the wind. I forgot the sunblock so my freckles came out in force, but it was worth it!
There are these red rocks that are just incredible. I could put up a hut and stay I think. At least until high tide when it covers up everything. The wind died down enough that Ken did get to the boat and got the information he needed. We decided to come home so he could call his mechanic buddy and try to figure out next step. We're going back Monday morning and do it all over again. Hopefully it'll get fixed and we can really actually go somewhere! Mom would love Coochimudlo Island. It's definitely her kind of place.
Wednesday we went to Ken's old school and he gave a talk for Anzac Day. It's sort of like their Veteran's Day. As we were leaving, a little boy said, "excuse me sir, thank you so much for the show." It was so cute! They all wear uniforms and just look adorable. I really think the US should go to uniforms. Tomorrow is the actual Anzac Day and we will go into the city for the march. Ken will march with his shipmates and I'll find a spot to watch the whole thing. It's supposed to be quite a show. The entire country stops for this day. Shops close and everything. It's really a beautiful thing.
Well, I need to get to work. I'm doing laundry today and cleaning the kitchen. Then I'll go off to the shops for some knitting supplies. I'll talk to you this weekend.
What a beautiful day we're having! It's warm, sunny and breezy with little humidity. I wish you could see the sky - it's incredible. Today has been wonderful here at home. I've gotten all my work finished in a leisurely fashion. My favorite way to move as you know! The clean laundry is on the line and two batches of bread cooling on the racks. And it's still not even two in the afternoon!
We had sandwiches on the rolls for lunch with some leftover potato salad (we'll be eating that for weeks!) and veggies, it was really nice. Yummo! We're both full over an hour later! I'm not sure what I'll do for dinner. I'm trying to decide between a spinach pie and salmon patties. The spinach pie recipe is from my new guru, Rhonda from Down to Earth. I look forward to reading her blog every day and am always inspired and moved by it.
The bread recipe is from her blog also. I tried Nina's bread from Mother Earth News and liked it, but there's just something about kneading bread and watching it rise that is so satisfying. We're going to the boat later this week for an overnight, so I'll freeze some of the bread to make it easier to pack.
Tomorrow is Bella and Poppy Day and they're going to let me tag along. We'll go down to the South Bank Beach in the city for a couple of hours and have a swim and a picnic. It should be a great time. She's such a sweet girl. Very much an almost-4-year-old, bossy and girly! It's amazing how that is a global condition.
Last Saturday's lunch with Ken's friends, Brandon and Kerry went very well. Ken cleared up the patio and set the table up out there while I fried chicken, made potato salad and slaw, and cornbread. Brandon and Kerry arrived at 12:3o and we sat outside talking, eating, and drinking wine until after 6!
Unfortunately, I couldn't find cornmeal like you use, just the yellow kind. But the cornbread recipe I used was really good. They all seemed to really like it - first time they'd ever had it! It was light and sweet and went well with the chicken. I came the closest to your fried chicken as I've ever gotten. So excited even if no one else understood why! And the potato salad didn't look like yours, because I couldn't find white enough potatoes. But it tasted like yours and just made my day! Who knew a person could miss potato salad that much?!
We finished lunch up with an apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. It's one of my favorite desserts as you know. I kind of figured if I was cooking a Southern Indiana meal, I was entitled to have my favorites. I could have talked to Brandon all night. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and we started talking about bands we like/dislike. Even though he doesn't "get" My Morning Jacket, we have enough other bands and singers in common that I'll forgive him. I have a feeling they are going to become two of my favorite people here in Australia, just like they are Ken's. Anyway, it was a wonderful day and we've already made plans to go to a festival in Brisbane later in May.
Earlier in the week, I made a meatloaf that I actually liked! And you know how rare that is. Australians apparently have this thing they call mince, which is a little confusing because that is also what they call ground beef. But this Mince is ground beef with onion, celery, bell peppers and canned tomatoes that you cook on top of the stove. Anyway, the meatloaf recipe I found was based on this mince but you add breadcrumbs and eggs and make it in the oven in a loaf tin. It was pretty good for supper. But it was even better the next day on sandwiches at the boat! I've never had a cold meatloaf sandwich, because I always refused them. But it was really good! Definitely something I'll make again.
Our trip to the boat last week was a bust. We got it off the mooring and floated about 50 yards before Ken realized the diesel was pooped. So he got in the dinghy and towed the boat back to the mooring line. It was a little hysterical! But I was very good and didn't laugh. Out loud... So while he spent the rest of the afternoon cussing and banging around, I slipped out of my pants and bra and went swimming. It was gorgeous! The water was warm and just fantastic. I could have floated around all day. So we're going back this week to fix the problem and even if we don't get to leave the mooring again, I know I can swim and have a beautiful day. Because God knows I'm not dumb enough to try to help a man fix mechanical things!
I'm so sorry it's been awhile since I've posted anything of substance. The days have been getting away from me. Can you believe it's been a month since I've been here? Sometimes it seems like just yesterday I was getting on the plane, all nervous and excited. Of course, then there are days like Thursday that just make me feel like this is the way it's always been and this is the way it should always be.
"Oh what a wonderful time we had the day we went to Shorncliffe." Ken sang this over and over on Thursday, the day we did go to Shorncliffe. (Pronounced Shawwwncliffe) It's a quaint little town on the bay, full of old houses being remodeled and an amazing collection of purple rocks on the water. We took a short train ride there. I love going by train everwhere - you get to see so much more! The fish and chips we had for lunch were nice, it was raining so we ate them on the porch of the shop instead of down by the water. But because the universe is a wonderful place, it stopped raining just as we finished eating. The tide was out and it was perfect for looking for shells. But I didn't just get shells, I brought home rocks. The prettiest lavender, white and pink quartz and rocks that have shells attached to them, and beautiful little perfect shells that Ken found in a group all alike! My purse got pretty heavy! Ken brought home a piece of driftwood that made a perfect walking stick for him. He's going to dry it out and shellac it or something to preserve it.
It was so peaceful while we walked along, searching for just the right shells. At one point I looked up and no one else was in sight. Nothing else was in sight. We felt like the only two people in the world and it was just a perfect moment. I think we all need to look out for those moments and treasure them. These are what make life worth all the pain, uncertainty, and angst.
It actually got a little cool on the bay, with the wind and light rain showers - I was glad I wore jeans! I'm looking forward to fall and winter here. You know my favorite weather is in the 60s and 70s - cool and clean. It's been nice being able to keep the air conditioning off and the windows open. Especially nice at night! I've even gotten used to the train roaring past the bedroom window every 1/2 hour.
Ken made stir-fry for our "anniversary" that night. He had all the veggies sliced, the beef ready and went outside to use the wok on the gas stove so it would get really hot. No gas. It was so funny! He griped and grumbled for a half hour while I just laughed and laughed! But he got it going on the stove inside and it was just delicious. Completely worth the wait.
Monday I walked to the shops and found some knitting supplies. I've decided I'm going to start with easy dishcloths. I bought the cheapest yarn I could find, mainly because I wasn't sure if I would follow thru with this. But I started one morning and for two hours tried to cast on 38 stitches. Two freaking hours! I was watching videos online and reading directions and everything, could not get my fingers to work the way they were supposed to. Then I watched one more video before I threw all the crap away. And boom! It hit me - when Nana taught me to knit, we cast on with both our needles just like this woman was doing. After that, it took me 10 minutes to cast on. No problem. Ken showed me what to do after that and it all came back to me. Well, the knitting part at least. So I'm working on a little yellow dishcloth and hopefully will be finished by next week. How long can it possibly take to knit a small square?!
I made my first-ever classic lasagna this week. It was pretty good, Ken really liked it. I think next time I'll go heavier on the seasoning. After dinner, we sat and talked for a long time at the table. He kept getting a little piece of lasagna out of the pan. "I'm just evening it up, it's not symmetrical." I guess all men are like that, Dad and the boys say that kind of stuff all the time. But I'm glad he liked it. We still have some leftover and we'll eat it this afternoon before we head to the football game.
COME ON LIONS!! Yes, I am going to see a live AFL game! Brisbane Lions (LOINS) vs. Sydney Swans. Ken went into town this week and bought us tickets in the 8th row center field. The game is tonight at 7 and I can't wait! I know it's not going to be the same as seeing it on TV because the field is so huge, I won't be able to see as much. But oh my God, it's going to be fun! I'm taking my camera, so everyone can see just how beautiful this game is. Here's a fantastic commercial that's just taking Australia by storm:
Although this one might give a better explanation of my love:
Our afternoon on the bay was the most exciting thing we've done lately. Most of my days are spent quietly at home. Which as you know is my idea of paradise! I've been trying to establish a routine - most would say a BORING routine, but for me it's great. Ken lets me sleep in because I stay up and read half the night (a terrible habit I'm thinking of breaking). But then I open up my laptop while he brings me coffee or tea in bed. When I'm finished catching up on stuff in Indiana, I make the bed and put in a load of laundry. Then I wash up the breakfast dishes and make sure the food for dinner isn't in the freezer. Clean up the kitchen and either work on another room of the house, or get my knitting and work on it for awhile. Hang the laundry on the line and get lunch or more likely afternoon snack ready for Ken and myself. It's so laid back and just absolutely pressure free. Even though I'm doing something so completely different from my past, I still want to maintain me. So I'm reading and knitting and finding recipes and working out and trying to kick Ken's butt at Wii Bowling! Making a home for both of us. And of course, we talk throughout the day. And have the radio on and are singing and dancing, being goofy together. I really love this life I'm starting.
Yes, some would say we are definitely a boring old couple, but I enjoy that. At night after the dishes are washed, we sit and watch "nerd shows" on the Discovery Science channel and things like that. One night we sat mesmerized by a show about people who believe that aliens are coming down to earth just to have sex with them. It was sad and funny and we just could not look away! We also watch a lot of shows about archeology digs and stuff like that. We're such dorks.
Yesterday, we had a really nice lunch with Aaron, Julie and Bella. They took us out to the local Sizzler (just like the ones we used to have) and had a really great time. Bella was in a 4 year old mood, but still so cute and funny. She and Aaron had a great time playing with their Jello dessert. He asked her where chicken came from and she said "chickens". He asked her where fish came from and she said "fishies". He asked her where the Jelly (jello) came from and she said, "jelly fish"? It was so cute! Julie looked over at me and mentioned her two children. Just like every other mother in the world - they reminded me of Stephen and Caleb or Maddie.
Well, it's getting late and I need to get up and do something productive. I'm sorry again that I haven't been as regular with the posts as I should be. I'll start doing better. I miss you, tell Scott Manship I said hi!
I really want to write tonight, but I'm afraid I'm intoxicated by King Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Ken brought them in to me today as a treat! I love the smell of peanut butter and chocolate. He also bought us tickets to Saturday night's Footy game: Brisbane vs Sydney! I CAN'T WAIT!!!
It was such a great day today. Now I'm going to watch Good News Week - a completely irreverent comedy show. Have a great day!!
Today seems to be dragging on. It's been a very peaceful day for me. But I just got the sad news that Ken's friend has passed away. Ken left this morning to go visit. They were supposed to visit the funeral home and lawyer for final arrangements. I don't yet know if Ken was with Twitch when he passed or not. He just called a few minutes ago to say he'd be home as soon as he could. My heart goes out to his sisters and his friends.
When something sad like this happens, I always want to turn to you, big brother. Wonder why that is? I guess you will always be my rock, my pillar of faith and strength. Being this far away from you all has really opened my eyes to how much I depend on you. I may not be able to believe in the church like you, but I believe in you. You're the points on my compass, along with Shawn, Trent, Nina, Mom and Dad. I'm incredibly lucky to have that.
Well, I just put my first batch of bread in the oven! Nina has convinced me the Mother Earth News bread is just what I need. Hopefully, it'll turn out! It certainly has been the easiest bread I've ever attempted to make.
For lunch yesterday, Ken took me to a Chinese place for Yum Chow or something like that. You get pots of green tea, then they bring around little plates of food and you try whatever looks interesting. Kind of like buffet that they bring to you. Let me just go on the record and say it's nothing like the Chinese food we're used to. I didn't recognize one single thing. The best part of it was the dessert: mango pancakes! It was like a very thin pancake rolled around whipped cream and mango chunks. What's not to love?
For dinner, I made the easiest thing in the world, but it really was quite yummy. (If I do say so myself!) Browned chicken thighs with olive oil and garlic, then poured some red wine over it and let them simmer in that for a long time. I had some frozen leftover marinara that I'd made last week, so I threw that in the pan too and simmered some more. At some point in my life in Bloomington, Amy and I went to a restaurant downtown. Anyway, I remember having polenta with tomato sauce and Parmesan at this restaurant. So for the first time in my life, I made polenta the Italian way. And it was Ken's first time eating it! Just put the polenta on the plate, placed the chicken and sauce over it, some fresh Parm and parsley and basil. Dinner was served! Too easy.
With the leftover polenta, I'm going to attempt fried mush like Mom used to make for us. That'll be breakfast tomorrow with some eggs. Hopefully, it'll work out.
Tonight, I think it's just going to be cheeseburgers and fries. Homemade, but nothing fancy. I better get off of here - Ken will probably be home soon and I know he'll need to talk. Poor guy. Please pray for them, Stevie.
Today has been happy-homemaker day in the apartment. I've cleaned (using all-natural homemade cleaning products) and cooked most of the day. The annoying rash on my hands has been a wake-up call for me to watch the chemicals I'm around. So we bought some white vinegar and that's what I used to mop floors in the kitchen and bathroom. I added a little bit of eucalyptus oil to the vinegar and hot water and the place smells so good!
Adding to the good smells is the bouquet of flowers Ken brought back from the shops for me. I've been a little moody and down this week, and the sweet man brought me purple and gold flowers! He didn't even know that those are Paoli's colors! It instantly raised my spirits and made me feel more at home. Can you believe that I've never had a man bring me flowers for no reason?
For lunch today, I introduced Ken to the joy of pastrami reubens! He made dark rye bread in the bread maker while I was down and out yesterday. So this afternoon, I took our leftover sauerkraut from dinner the other night, pastrami from the shop and some swiss cheese and thousand island dressing and BAM! Reubens! Had a side salad with it and Ken acted impressed. It certainly smelled good, but there was something missing. I don't think I put enough kraut on it. But then that's my favorite part of the sandwich.
While Ken went to visit his sick friend, I finished cleaning and mixed up a cake for tonight. Mom and I both love the webblog: http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com. And she had a recipe for the "best cake ever". I had to try it! It smells really good and was terribly simple to make. After dinner, I'm going to attempt to make a hard sauce with whiskey and dates to pour over the top of the cake. I haven't even searched for a recipe yet, so I'm not sure it's possible but it sounds good!
It's time for my baked pork chops dinner. This is one of my favorite recipes and I've done it so many times. You brown the chops in a skillet. Chop a couple of sweet potatoes in big pieces and core a couple of granny smith apples. Put the potatoes and apples into a casserole dish or baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper, etc. Lay the browned chops on top and cover and bake. How easy is that?! And it's so tender and yummy! The best part is you only have two pans to clean. I'm going to serve that with some more of the rye bread.
I'm really trying to find my place in the grand scheme of things here and make it my own. You know how much I love to cook so I'm hoping to do some nice things in the kitchen. It's so much more fun to cook for two. And the cleaning is important to me. I'd like to make this home as cozy and healthy as possible for us. I've got your example and the other women in the family as my guiding stars.
In other news, we went to Aaron and Julie's house for dinner on Sunday night. Aaron is Ken's son. Julie made a beautiful corned beef, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables dinner and for dessert a chocolate pavlova with raspberries and whipped cream! I've had multiple dreams about that dessert! The pavlova is a meringue - crispy on the outside and light. I'm going to try to get the recipe from her for you guys. We had a great time at dinner, they are very sweet and funny. The night flew by. I look forward to spending more time with them both. And their daughter, Aribella, is beautiful and fun. She'll be four in June and like all 4 year-old girls, believes the world revolves around her. As it should.
Well, I need to get off of here and onto the Wii Fit. I have to work off all the food!
I finally found my game! Australian Rules Football is my new obsession. Ken and I watched the first game of the season tonight, and I'm hooked! This won't be a long letter because I've had a bit too much wine during the game, but it was AWESOME! Ken has promised to take me to see a real game live and I can't wait! It's the strangest combination of American football and basketball and the men are beautiful! So much fun - I don't know why we don't have it in the US. It's exciting and fast-paced, but fairly easy to follow. Well, it would have to be for me, wouldn't it?!
Of course, I cheered for the losing team, and God did they lose big! I was devastated - the other team got twice as many points as my boys. But there's a bloke that looked just like the Greatest American Hero on my team. You know, "believe it or not, I'm walking on air..." He was so awesome, but it was a total blowout. "A routing" whatever that means...
We had a very quiet day at home today. We went to the library this morning and then to the shops for some supplies. Read the day away then I got on the Wii Fit and got in my 30 minutes of exercise. Yay me! Took a shower and started dinner. We had steak and baked potatoes while we watched the last half of the footy. Yes, grown men do call it the footy! How adorable is that?
It's coming up to 9:30 Friday night, and I'm really ready for bed. Since I cooked, Ken did the dishes tonight. I'll talk to you all soon.
It's been so nice getting to chat with you a bit today! I'm sorry Gavin is having such a hard night, but glad for me! It's starting to get cloudy out here now, so I probably won't do the sunbathing. But I'm sitting out on the patio getting ready to have a pot of tea. Am I that Australian already?! Have to admit, that is one really wonderful thing about this place. I love the hot tea! I'm making my first attempt at a full pot of loose leaf tea - no idea if I'm doing it right or not.
Ken went to the doctor this morning for a checkup and came home to take me to lunch and the chemist (pharmacy). Then he left again to visit his friend in hospital. Twitch has cancer and has been given only a few more weeks. Since we've been gone so much, Ken hasn't visited him for over a week now. They were in the Navy together and have been through a lot. It's wonderful that we're close enough to the hospital that Ken can visit as much as he needs.
I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I just can't believe how happy and peaceful I am. Retirement suits me I guess! But really it's the sun and Ken. We have the best time just hanging out and talking. He talks so much! But he listens just as much too. We're so much alike that it gets a little freaky.
There are so many things I've thought of to write about, but they aren't important today. The important thing is that life is good. I knew eight years ago that one day I'd be here living this life. And now here I am living my dream. What can I say to top that?
I do miss you all, but I think we're talking more now than we ever did! Please give everyone my love and hugs and kisses. I'm going to get off of here and relax in the sun and listen to Ray Lamontagne. By the way, the tea isn't half bad! :)
