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

Dear Mom,

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.

I'll write again soon.

Love,

Courtney

Goulash and Kitchen Ghouls

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!