The people you meet

I have always loved hearing about interesting jobs that people do. There are some amazing careers out there, many unheard of. For this reason I always read the employment section of The Age on the weekend. What's even better is when I meet someone with a job that sounds interesting, just as I did a few days ago.

On the shuttle bus en route to Sydney airport we sat next to two delightful men from the U.S.A. They were returning from 40 days on board the Queen Mary 2. This one:

  
There would obviously be many a job to fill in keeping this grand ship sailing the seas. So many in fact that there is one in particular I'd never even heard of, until Bob & Jack told me about their role aboard this amazing ship - to be dance partners for the single ladies on board (most ladies are "mature"). That's the length that the company behind the Queen Mary 2 go to. Should you be a single lady, rest assured you'll never have to dance alone. That's just the kind of service I think you deserve when you're spending the odd $25k to have a good time. 

We had a great chat about what it's like to cruise around the world, how it all works and why they do it. For any other nosey parkers out there (like me, that is), here's the deal... 

1). They love it! Though they miss their families at home, they get to see the world and be a part of something very special. 

2). Bob, Jack and the other dance partners are a part of the social life of the cruise. They dine with guests, attend functions and become involved and a part of the ship scene. That way when it comes to dinner dances and balls, the ladies who need a dance partner won't feel they are dancing with a stranger. 

3). In a nutshell, the do it because they love to dance. Both men are passionate ballroom dancers and dancing for 40 odd days isn't a chore. 

Finally, the biggest and most important question of all: Are single dance partners allowed to hook up with single ladies? A BIG NO. If so, they get left at the next port. That said, it's totally ok to contact each other post cruise. 

What an amazing job to have, don't you think?! 

flower girl

We've just returned from a five day holiday to Sydney. What a week we've had attending the most amazing wedding on the harbour. It was spectacular. For Lucie is was probably the highlight of her life. Being a flower girl for this said wedding was an incredibly special experience for our girl.

As a seven year old I experienced the same joy. My aunt & uncle were to be married and asked me to be in their wedding. The fact that I still remember this with such excitement is testament to how lucky Lucie really is. It's the dream of every little girl right? At least it was so for me. 

The only problem is that my Aunty Marg didn't have a train when she got married and I'd had visions of carrying it for her, just as Princess Diana's attendants did in '81. Thankfully for Lucie, this bride did have a train (quite an amazing one actually) and there was plenty of train fluffing, fixing, lifting and straightening to be done.

Photos to follow...

 

This week Patty taught Lucie and I to make Chinese dumplings. Yum!!! 

After moving in with my Mum recently, Patty is the newest member of our family. She is from Taiwan but she's lived in Australia for a while now and as she completes her first year as a nurse she's going to be making the most of Mum's spare room. No complaints from me, it's great having her around (especially when dumplings are involved!). 

This is just one of the many things I love about my Mum - she's always someone to take care of others in need, even when that need is a home. She even cooked a delicious roast for all of us (and three of Patty's friends!) tonight. No, Jeremy, Lucie and I don't live there too but we're not far away. 

Anyway, back to the cooking. Seriously, I had no idea dumplings were so easy. I am thrilled! We'll be making these again for sure. I'm a huge fan of any kind of Asian food but have little exposure when it comes to its authentic cooking techniques. 

First step - prepare the mix. Patty did this for us and made it look oh so easy. Follow the recipe below (just add and mix).  One tip - chop finely! If you have time it's worth doing it ahead of time. Preparing this the night before not only makes things super easy but will also allow the flavours to do their thing!

You can add pretty much anything you have in your fridge. We didn't this time, but I'm told carrot, celery or anything goes. 

Using some pre-made dumpling skins, you now simply have to construct the dumplings. It really is as easy as that. You can buy dumpling skins at any Asian grocery store.

Rather than explain the steps myself, I thought I'd let Lucie do it...

 

To cook the dumplings simply place in salted boiling water for about five minutes. You can also pan fry them or deep fry them of course. 

I realise that I've used the word 'simply' too many times. But really it's because they are truly that simple. More so, they are: 1) cheap to make, 2) quick and 3) healthy (we didn't fry after all). 

Yum. It was a fun lesson and something I am so happy to be able to do. Welcome to the family, Patty. Thanks for teaching us something new.

p.s - I loved hearing of experiences growing up in Taiwan. When Patty's family would go out to eat they would order 120 dumplings - 10 for her mum, 10 for her and 100 for her Dad!! I guess he was pretty hungry. 

(serve with coriander and dumpling dipping sauce)

B-O-R-I-N-G

I have just deleted 1200 photos from i-photo on the mac and I've hardly even made a start. 

I have a remaining 9620 photos to sort through and it needs to be done yesterday. You see, I can't watch anymore Parenthood until I clear some space on our hard drive. It's a HUGE job, let me tell you. That's why I'm still awake at 12:43am (ruining my first night of 'must get to bed before midnight week').

Jeremy has challenged me to the task after claiming that most of the photos were taken by yours truly. He can't tell which (if any) are of any interest and that is not a good sign! I don't blame him one bit and I know fully well (is it fully well, or full well?) that for every one photo he snaps, I've taken another hundred, or two. 

But, that WILL be changing from here on in. I'll tell you why... because for the 1200 pics now sitting in my trash, I have saved 29. I hate to admit it but they were B-O-R-I-N-G, with a very capital B. I have always loved the saying (that I myself claim to have made up), "you shouldn't spoil the moment to capture it". 1) Obviously I forgot this motto in the last year. 2) Clearly I plan to embrace it once again.

I am pretty sure I'm not alone. Why do we parents take photos of sooooo much? Of course I know why, we want to capture the lives of our super interesting, stimulating, amazing kids. Unfortunately in doing so I have even managed to bore even myself and let's face it, if I'm not enjoying the photos of Lucie's every move nobody else is going to. Though I am surely sounding like a horrible parent I assure you I am not talking about dancing concerts or first days of kindergarten, I'm referring to every day, sitting around, doing nothing kind of photos. Those kind of photos are great too, I know that. Perhaps just in moderation.

Jeremy, this will be music to your ears: I pledge to snap less of the mundane and more of the important. More so, I will delete the crappy pics right away. Love, Jen.


Forgive me for this most blah blog entry. Any interesting brain cells I still had have been drained right out of me tonight. I'd better get to bed. I've got an 8:30am four-year-old ballet call with some serious ballet hair that needs to be done before then (and I'm not even going to take my camera).

 

The Great Australian Dream

...is home ownership, of course.

                (photo from Fitzpatricks Real estate)

If you Google this term that's what comes up. But we all knew it already. Do we feel it though? I used to. There was a time when all I wanted was to own our home but things have changed. For the time being I've adjusted my way of thinking and am telling myself that the Great Australian Dream for this family is a fabulous rental.

So I guess I still do feel it's a dream of mine, just one that's on hold.

While we dabbled in home ownership, we only got as far as an apartment when back in '05 we quickly realised that the money we had was going to buy little more than a one bedroom (and tiny everything else) home. As anyone else who has house hunted will agree, you very quickly learn to compromise. 

In reality we owned the bathroom or perhaps just the laundry of our place and in those few years of mortgage payments we didn't get much further. The bank did pretty well though :) Things changed for us when two became three. We tried sharing an already tight bedroom with a tiny Lucie (and a huge cot!)and naturally it was soon time to move.

We rented it out for a while before making the decision to sell. The rest is a long and boring story that can be summarised in five words: priced out of the market. In Melbourne this is a common story and so I know we're not alone in accepting that the housing dream is sadly becoming totally unobtainable, for some, or is it most?

Oh well, it's not all bad. As a renter I've learned that home really is where the heart is. It sounds corny but it's true as I've loved living where we are now and I'll love our next house just as much. For me, home is wherever Jeremy and Lucie are that's 100% fine for now. Sure, I'd love to own again some day and perhaps we'll even be able to make this happen by the time Lucie is ready to move out of home :)  

So why am I thinking so much about this? Because a journalist interviewed me today about this very topic. She's coming with a camera man *gasp* to do a follow up interview tomorrow and if it goes any further I'll let you know where and when you can check it out! It would have to be a pretty slow news day though if they do anything with the footage of me and my opinions :)

When and how to bribe your brood

Today Lucie had a dose of antibiotics via injection. The orals weren't cutting it and it was time to up the ante, literally. She's had another UTI, or as she calls it "a sick front bottom". 

The dose was split between her right and left arm. The left arm cost me a lolly snake and the right arm a small fries from Mc Donald's.
When you consider the bonus of a lemonade icypole from the nurse, she really got a good deal. Or did she? I don't know, despite the look of horror some parents give you when you reward with food, I'm guessing she'd have chosen not to be jabbed twice. And let's face it, an intramuscular isn't the most pleasant.

Let me set the scene: crying, rather HYSTERICAL and strong four year old, grad nurse trying to give her first IM (she looked nervous), no extra man power to hold down sick and upset child. It broke my heart a little. I also fully realised that holding a child down is soooo much harder when you're the parent. Of course it didn't take too many brain cells to assume as much but the reality was even more confronting. God help me if we're ever dealing with more than this.   

My point? When is it ok to use food to reward and/or bribe? I'm not parenting expert but in my book of rules I say it's ok within reason. Especially ok when there is nothing else to get you through. There are times when you do what you have to do and that's ok. Do I believe in rewarding for behaviour? No, of course NOT. But do I do it sometimes, yes of course I do. I am human and I slip. There are times that I'd give her anything (like the time I bought her a barbie in exchange for a urine sample - to be fair she was really sick and I'd have paid good cash for that sample).

So long as your child isn't sick every day, I'm pretty sure the odd aid to get them through a medical situation won't hurt. What matters to me is that Lucie knows that things like lollies and Mc Donald's are huge treats. They are to celebrate or commiserate. It could be worse (... I once heard a story of someone who pureed KFC for baby food).

Oh well, it's done now anyway and I suppose I can use one of the many get out of jail cards that they give you when you give birth to a child. They have sure come in handy.

 

 

Every day is Valentine's Day!

Sorry, but I'm with Pope Paul VI who deleted Valentine's Day from the official calendar of saints in 1969. To me, as it probably was to him, it's a bit of a Hallmark day. A day when the U.S.A alone spends an estimated $14.7 billion to say 'I love you' (no I didn't make that up, I read it today here and given it's an old fact, we can assume it's now more!). 

I'd like to add that I'm not totally unfeeling and CAN see how sweet it is for some. BUT I do have to say that if today is the only day you're feeling loved in your relationship, I'd be a little (or a lot) worried. I love Jeremy's words, that every day should be Valentine's Day (or is that a good way of just getting out of buying flowers???).In all seriousness, I do want flowers.. just not today!
  
Today got me thinking though, where did this all come from? I kind of can't believe that I don't know and wondered if I'd just missed that day in school (every year?), but then again Jeremy didn't know either when I conferred. Maybe it's an Aussie thing, but I don't think we're really taught about it. Thus I've spent some time on Google tonight. I won't bore you with my findings because they'd make a thesis. Needless to say though, it didn't compel me to want to celebrate it next year.

So while I am glad that the world is taking the opportunity to say or show how they feel today, I'd kind of rather see an African country eat for the day. Don't get me wrong, I love LOVE. I love being in love, I love it when people love. Love is great and I love that I have it. BUT, love should be every day. Not just on this one day (and not tacky as it soooo can be today).

p.s I didn't always feel this way. In 1991 my cousin Biddy and I were so jealous of the girls who had boyfriends that we decided to order each other a delivery of flowers to school! I carried them so proudly home that day. We repeated this in 1992. Thankfully by 1993 we'd acquired some common sense, and self esteem!!!!!

Blue lily are coming

Guess what?! 

I am sooooo excited. 

We are booked in for a family photo session with this AMAZING couple!
It is eight weeks away and I am sooooo looking forward to it. Bluelily photography are on a world tour all the way from America and we got a spot.

Usually I am not one to even be in a photo, let alone look forward to it but this time it's different. 

You may wonder why I hate having my photo taken so much but then again, given the name of this blog it may actually be quite obvious :) There is something about asymmetry. It comes up even worse in photos. Trust me, I'm not just saying that. In fact, I take it as a HUGE compliment when people tell me that I look better in real life. There is nothing worse than someone telling you that you look nice in a photo when you actually don't, right? 

It's the same with a mirror. I look worse in those too, or so I'm told. When you think about it, it's really a funny thing. If I look worse in a photo and worse in the mirror then really I don't know exactly what I look like!

So what is going to be different this time? Well technically speaking I don't know yet. But I do know that I LOVED these pics and I'm inspired by the mum in the photos. While she's a little different, she looks great. Most importantly, she (Stephanie, who you can read about here) looks happy.

I can't wait to have a family photo on the wall! 
  

About not being pregnant

It's going to be a long one. If you're not in the mood for a (potentially boring) read, visit soon for a quick post!

__________

This is me, pregnant with my Lucie. I look like a dork taking my photo in the mirror! I remember that I was taking it to send to my parents who lived overseas. 

Lucie's pregnancy was a pretty amazing one and at the time this self snap was taken, I really couldn't believe I was actually pregnant, this pregnant. She was, on all accounts, a "miscarriage" at seven weeks when the doctors were able to tick every box - no heartbeat, no visible sack, bleeding, non-rising hCG levels and loss of pregnancy symptoms. Needless to say, after a week of mourning our loss she appeared as strong as ever on an ultrasound that was intended to determine the need for a D & C. She was, and still is (all these years later!), a VERY determined and strong little girl. It was a tough pregnancy but worth EVERY.SINGLE.SECOND.

I became quite ill when Lucie was a baby and after a lot of thought, consideration, consultation, deliberation and reflection (prayer on my part), we decided that Lucie would be our only baby. It was a huge loss to both of us and something that, though accepted, was deeply sad. There were so many times that I felt guilty for feeling so upset. Here I was with a gorgeous, healthy living child and I was mourning the loss of one I never knew. In any case, knowing it wasn't an option made it easier. I went about my life thinking it would never be and over time I was at peace with that.

We were upfront about it from the beginning and everyone knew. The last thing I needed was friends looking hopeful when I said no to wine. In doing that we avoided the inevitable questions about #2, at least from those we knew. There was no shortage of curiosity from total strangers however, be it women in the line at the supermarket, postmen, waitresses, you name it. Seriously :) Everyone has an opinion, and don't I know it.

Fast forward a few years and things changed. Namely the realisation after seeing a neurologist, that "you can't break what's already broken" (those are my words, not those of the doctor... it's ok!). Basically, the short version of this is that I was already managing my illness well and coping. Another baby would not make it worse as such. Our fear all along had been that a pregnancy could send me into a relapse but you can't relapse something that's active, if that makes sense. I was on board from the beginning but not Jeremy. It took him months, and months, and months. And that's ok. I love that he is so careful. On November 2, 2009, Jeremy announced he was in. I, naturally, cried. 

More than 15 months have now passed and things haven't gone as planned. Though luck (not sure what else to call it) was on our side the first time round, we haven't had the same journey this time. Despite my crazed (some might say possessed) ways, I have nothing to show, unless you count an extra ten kilos that I really didn't need. I have lost a lot though - namely my right fallopian tube and at times, my sanity. It's not all bad though, lessons have been learned, my marriage has been strengthened even more and I've developed a deeper understanding of what it means to want to be pregnant. And all this after only what in the infertility circles is a teeny, tiny amount of time. That I know. But still, it's been hard. I guess it's all relevant, right? Sure, 15 months sounds a pretty short time in the scheme of things but to me it's felt an eternity.

Lately I've been feeling pretty sad. Not about wanting to fall pregnant, but about the fact that I was and still should be. My sadness is due to missing what was to be. I should have been either five or six months along, depending on which most recent loss you go by. The last one has left me feeling pretty devastated, truth be told. I had an ectopic pregnancy in November that turned into a bit of a drama. I was going to say that it's a long story, but really it's not. Girl got pregnant, very excited, happy it's finally working out, hoping it sticks this time, finds out baby in wrong place, given drugs, drugs don't work, fallopian tube ruptures, has surgery, loses tube. The end. But yes, of course, there is so much more in between.

But, that's all I've got the energy for right now. Not just that but it's late. Night for now. Thanks for reading this far along. x

Kindergarten

This week Lucie started kindergarten. I can hardly believe it. 

How do you go from this?

To this?

I know everyone says it, but it happened in the blink of an eye. She looked so cute!

There are probably more interesting things to talk about, but I am too tired to type them. I'm also suffering too much. I reused Jeremy's spoon earlier thinking he'd had some green jelly (that should have been warning enough... green jelly?!?!?). Turns out it was washing detergent. The taste is hideous. 

Sanity

Mine was on the edge tonight. 

Lucie wouldn't go to sleep. At nearly 10pm I gave up. I am tired and I need space. Yelling was imminent. So I walked away from trying any harder than I already was to get her to pppplllleeeeeeaaaassssseeee GO TO SLEEP, plugged my earphones into the mac and started watching Grey's. I was over it. That was all I could think to do.

In ten short minutes, the start of the latest episode has restored my fading sanity and I am smiling. And wouldn't you know it, she is asleep. Or maybe I just can't hear her :)

p.s - sleep school anyone?

Ode to Jeremy

Short version:

Today I made cupcakes. I forgot to add enough icing sugar. What you see if pretty much all butter. Gross! Oops. What a waste of time. You'd think I would have wondered why the frosting was so yellow! The end.

Long version, if you're bored:

At 1:30pm today I was standing in my kitchen with 12 cupcakes. They were frosted and ready for the baby shower I was attending at 2:30pm. That's why I'd popped them back in the pan - to travel (note to self - must one day buy cupcake carrier). 

Now all I had to do was clean the kitchen, shower, get dressed, wrap the present, get Lucie packed for her play at my Mum's and then of course, arrive on time. I hate being late, so that final one was up there as a priority.

All of this was very much possible because I was in fact running on time. Now that the cupcakes were done I was set to keep moving. Jeremy then popped his head in, shocked that I hadn't passed them through "quality control". "But I only had enough flour for a batch of 12" I explained. 

Sure enough, he managed to find out there were going to be 11 guests at the shower. THANK GOD he did. "While they look great" he announced, "I think I just ate whipped butter". That was when I realised I'd tripled the mixture but forgotten that part when it came time to add my icing sugar. So yes, they were essentially butter frosted cakes. 

Two choices - 1) cry and admit defeat or 2) start over. We of course took the second option. I did consider option one for about 30 seconds but that was all I had time for. 

I didn't have time for more baking and nor did I have anymore butter so I had to re-use the same frosting. Jeremy did the took it off each cupcake as I made it over again by adding MUCH more icing sugar. It tasted way better - I'd not tasted it earlier as I'm trying not to eat anything bad for me but this time wasn't risking it (just a teeny-tiny bit). While I piped them again, Jeremy quickly dropped Lucie over to Mum's. He's working tonight so she couldn't stay home. I then had time to wrap the gift and dress. The shower had to wait, but I was clean already anyway! The kitchen wasn't, but that was hardly life or death.

Me and ten (due to another round of quality control "to double check") cupcakes made it safely to the baby shower at 2:45pm, not too bad really. 

My point - Jeremy was amazing. When I fall over he's always there to lift me up. I'm ok when things are hectic and crazy, but he's even better. He is the most relaxed and stress free person you'll ever meet. Can you believe he even cleaned the kitchen after I left? I came home to total organisation - the true way to my heart (and he knows it). 

If you're wondering, the new cupcakes looked exactly as above. There simply wasn't time to photograph them. 

Baby showers can be hard when you were meant to be pregnant too, but it was still REALLY, REALLY lovely. I only got 7/40 on a game about baby animals though, I am so bad at anything animal. I also wrote Foal, as foul. I don't know why. I like horses, so it wasn't intended. I hope nobody found my answer sheet.  

Those who know me will know that I LOVE to bake cookies. I've been baking them since I was 12 and am always trying to find the perfect cookie recipe. Eating some of them has no doubt contributed to why I HAD to spent 45 minutes at the gym today, as I did yesterday, and will do tomorrow (and then some). 

So while it's a fun hobby it's not the best one for you. My strategy over the last couple of years is to only ever bake when they're to leave this house, be it for a play date or to give away. In other words, best to be sure there is recipient for the cookies before I end up eating them myself (or Jeremy too, he's not one to say no to a cookie, or three).

Today's version I'll call the 'Cinnamon, maple, milk chocolate chip cookie'.

Here goes... 

Ok, it might seem a bit dorky to lay all of the ingredients out and while it might seem I did so for the purpose of this blog, it's actually quite authentic! It's a habit I got into a months back when I was halfway through a batch only to find that I didn't have any flour. I was home alone with a sleeping Lucie and it was too late to call on our neighbours (I am a late night baker). Needless to say the recipe failed after I'd left a half made cookie mix to sit for so long. 

Thankfully I do now have a neighbour who I can (and have) called for a baking emergency. The amazing Kylie next door has in fact met me at the letterbox armed with cocoa one late night. That said, I still like to avoid such emergencies (and yes, I do know that baking is not life or death stuff). 


As you can see from the above, you'll need

• 180g butter (yes, this seems a random number but it's what I had left today in my fridge so what I used and therefore what the other quantities are based upon).
• 2/3 cup caster sugar (for the Americans, this is very fine) 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup very firmly packed brown sugar 
• 2 eggs  *
• 2 cups of plain flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup coconut 
• 1/2 cup oats 
• 250g milk chocolate chips, or whichever take your fancy. 

* for so many reasons I use free range eggs. 

It's a pretty standard format and if you're familiar with cookie baking you'll know exactly what to do with the above. Firstly, cream the butter and sugars. Do this for AT LEAST five whole minutes. This is something I've come to learn is essential. A super fluffy, creamy start is the key to a good cookie. 


Now add the eggs and beat for another minute. Add the maple syrup at this point and leave mixing for a further two minutes (on high). By the way, you'll need an electric mixer or a whole lot of hand power if you don't have one. The former would be much easier. I use a kitchen aid, which along with the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook is the BEST gift I have ever received. 


It's now time for the flour, cinnamon, coconut, oats, baking powder and soda. At this point do not overly mix, just add and beat until combined. Finally, my favourite part of any cookie baking - add the choc chips.

Roll into balls and bake at 170 degrees for ten minutes. Slightly less for a very soft cookie. 


What you get should look as follows:

The pics below...
1) A serving suggestion. Ok, I did try this.. but only two bites. 
2) A cooking suggestion. Cooking with girls in princess dresses is very much a part of life in our household.