Culinary Delights

Every family needs to start the morning with bright green pancakes! Yum Yum.

On the weekends the boys are with me we have a tradition that we have pancakes for breakfast. At first I was the only cook, but over the past year they've all learned how to mix up the ingredients and wield the spatula. This morning Jordan decided he'd get things started. We'd run out of maple syrup, so while I made some more he made the batter and quietly tipped in the food colouring.

What a twit. Luckily it doesn't affect the taste.

Yesterday didn't end up anything like I had planned. At 9am, while I was happily blogging away, the phone rang. It was the lady from U3A reminding me that I said I'd do the cleaning for their hall that morning. Shit. I grabbed something to eat (no pancakes for anyone yesterday!), showered, dressed and I was out the door. Didn't get home till 12. It's an easy job, and well paid. $200 for a little over 2 hours work. It's just.... you know. Cleaning... I always feel glad I've done it when I'm driving home, but I whinge and complain all the way there. Still, it paid for Molly's eye appointment with the high-powered opthamologist, so that's a good thing.

Molly seems happier today. Her eyes are still looking like they're massively uncomfortable, but at least she's opening them more. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, back to yesterday. When I get home Jordan reminds me that he's arranged to meet a few mates at Southland to see a movie. Daniel's mum drops them off, and I'm down to pick them up when he texts me. I wave him off, then decide I'm up for a Nanna nap. Just then Mum and Dad drop in. Dad's bringing back some woodcarvings that got damaged in transit from Phukhet that he's glued together. He's done a fantastic job.... say what you like, the man is meticulous.
When I see Mum, I realise that although I've come back from Thailand with Christmas presents galore, I forgot to buy her a birthday present. Idiot! (Sorry Mum, if you read this.... I mean I'm the idiot, not you.) We had a big pineapple sitting on the bench, so guess what she got. She loved it. She's either a big pineapple freak or a magnificent actress.

After they left I didn't need to sleep anymore, so the boys hassled me to go to Southland as well. Connor had some birthday money from his Dad and he wanted to buy a Wii game. What is it with small boys and video games??? This child is delighted to spend $85 on yet ANOTHER game.
("But Mum, it's reduced from $99. It's a bargain!"
Maybe I should be proud that my canny shopping habits are rubbing off, instead of being horrified by the wanton waste of money. Still, it's Tony's money, not mine, so it's none of my business. The kids know by now never to ask me to finance their dirty little addiction.)

Naturally, being in a shopping centre means that I see things that I wouldn't otherwise know about, so I bought stuff. Well ok, the 3 fitted sheets were needed. Connor put his foot through two of them in a week, and there were no more spares. He's been sleeping on the other side of my bed for four nights, and I want my space back. Besides, he likes Molly to sleep with him and she snores like a drunken sailor. I thought I moved that out of my life when I got rid of the husband...

We were in Big W when I saw some wool. And patterns. And yes I know I said I had to use up the wool I had here before I began anything new, but the wool was so reasonably priced, and the throw that I'll knit is needed (I'm a reptile and I get cold...... ok I KNOW summer's nearly here, but .... um.... it'll go away again and I need it for next winter.... surely the drought will have broken by then.....), so I bought a book of patterns for throws, and 8 big balls of non-cat-hair-showing-wool that were only $3 each.

We had some time to kill while we waited for Jordan to ring, so we went into a bookshop. I was looking for the book that Jane from Yarnstorm has written, but it's not out in Australia till Dec 1. BUT I saw the new Barefoot Investor book. Those of you who know me know that I got interested in investing last year, after I realised that the $3.50c that I had in superannuation meant that the only travelling I'd be doing when I retired was from the kitchen to the lounge room. Last summer holidays I read 36 books on investing, started my portfolio and also started the kids portfolios. (Gotta love a bull market.... go BHP!!)

The barefoot investor: 5 steps to financial freedom. by Scott Pape (publisher: Pluto Press, Australia 2007.)
I paid $25.95. (Yes, I know. Shut up, oh voice of my frugality kick. This is an investment in my future. And Jack's. Truly!!!)

Apparently this is a revised edition, just out now. I really want Jack to read it. This guy is only young, and he writes in such an accessible way that I hope if Jack reads it he'll have a lightbulb moment. God knows it's a little boring when good old Mum talks to him about it. (Though maybe I'm being a bit harsh. He DID keep asking my advice on the stock market when his Business Studies class was doing the stock market game.) The other three kids have taken to saving and investing like ducks to water, but Jack still spends money as soon as he gets it.

By the time we got home it was 6pm, so dinner didn't get served till 7. How much productive work got done?
Did I go to Aldi? No.
Any housework get done? No.
Did I weed the veggie patches and put compost around the potatoes? No.
Any knitting get started. ..................no.....
The weeks clothes folding that is piled up almost to my waist in the kitchen.... still there? ....yes...

But I did finish the Stephen King book I began when I was away...............






(Jordan sampling his handiwork. Another successful breakfast.)