The garden - two weeks on

I know you are all dying to hear how my little container garden is going, so here are some pictures I just took. Today is two weeks from planting my babies and they are doing great! I have three bell peppers coming up good. A new one popped out overnight! And the tomato has pretty little blossoms coming on. I tried to get a picture of the flowers but it didn't turn out. The bad news is that I found a caterpillar in with the tomato! I knew something was munching on them, but couldn't see anything. Today I caught it red-handed! So I carefully took it out and smashed it with a leaf. Tonight I'll spray my new homemade garlic spray on all the plants and see if that works to kill everything eating away and keep new ones from munching. Unfortunately, the apartment smells a bit rank with the 3 bulbs of garlic I chopped and put in water last night. It was in a closed container, but when I opened it to strain - WHEW! We had to open the doors and windows, light matches and spray room deodorizer. Good thing tonight is pizza night - the garlic will fit right in!

We're still a little worried about our lettuce, it doesn't look like it's spreading out, just growing tall. But I'm trying to be patient and let nature take it's course. If you have any better suggestions, please leave a comment.

Ken and I are having a quiet weekend, just enjoying each other's company and reading, watching silly alien movies, and playing Wii. The new Wii Resort that Aaron and Julie got us for Christmas is just the most fun! We have become very competitive at the Frisbee Golf and Sword Showdown. Sometimes we worry that we've become a couple of teenagers playing video games, but then our backs or elbows act up and remind us of our real age. Nothing worse than bursitis caused by flinging a pretend frisbee!

I went to the library on Wednesday and picked up a great bunch of books. Cookbooks, knitting, embroidery lessons, David Sedaris, and a Cottage Tales book by Susan Wittig Albert. If you enjoy Jane Austen, small English villages, and talking animals this series is for you. It's just so relaxing and innocent. I've read the first in the series, but couldn't find the others in order. Finally I couldn't wait any longer, and decided to just skip to whichever was in the library. I think this one is the 4th or 5th, but still just so enjoyable.

Well, I need to get my pizza dough started for tonight. We've been doing homemade pizza because it's so much better than delivery and not hard at all. I'll make enough dough for two pizzas and then just pop half in the freezer for an easy dinner later on. Ken does the shaping, assembly, and baking in our pizza oven. I make the dough and the sauce. What a team!

I've also included a picture from our picnic last weekend with Kerry and Brandon. We went to the Botanical Gardens and got a great table in the shade and by the river. What a perfect afternoon!

Love to all,

Courtney

Where has January gone?

I know everyone says time goes by faster the older you get, but come on, this is a little ridiculous! It's been a month since my Christmas post already? Where do the days go? Since I promised Mom there would be a post when she woke up in the morning, here goes.

It's really been a pretty quiet January, my favorite kind! The days bleed into each other - one just a bit hotter and more beautiful than the last. The weather still takes some getting used to, but I don't think I'd trade it in for Ohio River Valley weather anytime soon. The more my family talks about the snow, ice, rain, and fog, the more I love the heat, blue sky, and sun. It might get a bit boring with the perfect weather, but that's not a bad problem to have!

My worst fear did come true the other day. I went down to Brookside Shopping Center for groceries and got on the wrong bus! It's always been this huge fear and Ken even made me a list of time tables for trains/buses to and from all the places I go most often. Even with all that, I got on the wrong bus. How stupid can a person be? It started out okay, but then quickly went into neighborhoods I'd never seen. So I started to panic, just a little. But I thought, "No, it'll be okay. It'll come around eventually." And it did, sort of. I finally started seeing familiar streets and landmarks but still didn't know if it would turn down our street. And it didn't. But the bus turned into a train station one down from ours. I asked the driver it if continued on Pickering Street to the left (past our apartment) or to the right. He grunted (which I took as a no) and left the bus! Since I was the only person on the bus, I decided to be smart and just take the train. Ten minutes later my train arrived and home I went. I've never been so glad to see Ken! Tears jumped down my cheeks when I walked in the door. It seriously crossed my mind to never leave the apartment again without him. But after a nice bottle of cider, I had my courage back. Besides I wanted to go to a great yarn shop I've heard about...

American Yarns is just three train stops from our house. It is a really great little yarn shop that has just become my favorite ever. I went on Wednesday morning and spent more time there than I had planned. It's a small place, but a fantastic assortment of yarns at good prices. I picked up some pretty cotton yarn for a couple of projects I have planned. While I was out, I stopped in next door at the quilt store just for Mom. It's just her kind of place, and I can't wait to go shopping there with her someday. (Hint, Hint) Also ran down the street to a Vinnie's (St. Vincent de Paul's) and picked up a couple of gardening books for a buck!

Ken and I have started our little garden finally. Aaron and Bella were kind enough to take us to Bunning's (kind of like Home Depot) the other day and we picked out our containers, plants, and critter-proof fence. The way our unit faces, we've decided it'll be better to do container gardens instead of the traditional beds. This way Ken can pull them out into the sun every morning before I wake up, and they get beautiful sun all day long. Right now we've just got one tomato plant, one bell pepper, and some herbs. But we're already planning another container with beans and radishes. I've also got some lettuce growing in the front garden where it's shadier. Ken's been calling me "Farmer Courtney" because I'm a little particular about it all. He did a great job building the critter-proof cages around each container. We do have possums in the back yard, but I think these will keep even the smartest little guy out.

Ken and I took Bella to the New Market Swimming Pools this week. We had the best time! They have several pools for kids that are varying depths and have sprinklers, slides and all sorts of things. Bella and I had a great time swimming around and she went down all the slides while 'Poppy' watched. It was a beautiful day (of course) and we simply wore ourselves out. By the time we got home and had a huge lunch, we were all knackered. Bella slept all afternoon on the bed and I slept for a couple of hours on the couch. Ken even dozed off a time or two. I'd forgotten how exhausting swimming can be.

All of that is just fine and dandy. But the big news is: I have new shelves in the kitchen! It's amazing how two little shelves can make such a difference and mean so much to me. We were talking the other day about the kitchen and I mentioned that shelves would be nice. In less than a week they were built, painted and up! Is that a good man, or what? I couldn't believe it and literally jumped up and down when I saw them. I wanted simple and they are exactly what I wanted. I think they are just gorgeous. And the space it opens up on my benches! I can roll out dough without moving anything else! It's just perfect. He is the best guy ever.

Tomorrow we're having a picnic with our dear friends, Brandon and Kerry. We're going down to the Botanical Gardens by the Brisbane River and sit in the shade drinking, talking and eating the afternoon away. Oh what a life!

All my love,

Courtney

Merry Christmas

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.

Love and Christmas Blessings to you all,

Courtney

Happy Birthday Ken and Shayla!

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.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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!

Home again

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.

Menu planning and nesting

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.

Peace,

Courtney