Let Us Count the Ways to Say... NO!

1. When mama is changing the TV channels, and goes past the ABC Kids program, shout, "NO!" until she changes back. (Then you might say, quietly in relief, "There you go.")

2. In the middle of the night. Darn it! Why did we wake up? (Oh, there's that dummy.)

3. For about twenty or thirty minutes, over and over, and for no particular reason.

4. When your big sister picks up something that you had your eye on.

5. At sleeptime, after having been read two lovely stories and had "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in a family sing-along, you have to shout, "NO!" and get off the bed as quick as a wink to let everyone know: it surely can't be time to lie down quietly yet.

6. In the bath, when it's time to wash your hair.

7. Any time you feel like it (or don't feel like it). It's a fun sound!

Green Curry

We make Thai curry quite often, but this one turned out especially well, so I thought I'd share the recipe, since it was fairly simple with not too many ingredients:

1. Fry one sliced onion on medium-high heat until starting to brown.
2. Add meat of your choice (I used pork mince; chicken would taste similar), tossing to ensure even cooking, until surfaces look cooked (the meat will continue to saute or simmer in the following steps).
3. Add several slices of belacan (compressed shrimp paste), stirring into the pan juices to dissolve.
4. Add 1 small tin of green curry paste (about 115 g) and a generous handful of curry leaves (optional) and stir through, cooking for about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in 2 cans (400 ml each) of coconut milk and 1 can of bamboo shoots, baby corn, or a combination.
6. Stir in thickly sliced zucchini or eggplant pieces and simmer until cooked (careful not to overcook!) I used 2 zucchinis.
7. Serve over rice, garnished with fresh basil and friend shallot (a condiment available from Asian grocers).

Me = Callum

I noticed this week that when I asked Callum, "Can you say Callum? Who are you?" He says, "Me!" I told David about this, and we have been trying to get him to say his name ever since, with no luck so far.

We tried to illustrate the concept this way, on our drive into town yesterday:

"Who's this?" -- "Daddy!"
-- "Yes! Who's this?" -- "Mama!"
-- "Very good! And who's this?" -- "Ah-wa!" (smiles all around)
-- "OK, so who's this?" -- "Me!" (peals of laughter from everyone)

Nothing Fancy

This was tonight's dinner, and although simple, it all tasted good together and I received more compliments for this than for many other fancy meals.

PORK - SCOTCH CUT: sprinked with salt, freshly ground pepper, and liberally applied olive oil, baked until done through (juices running clear)

APPLES AND ONIONS: slice 2 onions and 4 apples, saute the onions until soft but not brown, place apple slices on top, sprinkle with a little sugar to taste (about 1 tsp) and dot with butter to taste (about 1 tablespoon), wait until onions start to brown, then stir together and cook on medium low heat (stirring occasionally) until soft (if I had been more organised, this probably would have worked well as an oven dish alongside the pork)

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER: steam cauliflower florets, then place in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with cheese of your choice (I used a combination of Romano & mozzarella, but I think a little blue cheese would have tasted great), place under a grill until lightly browned

Anya Turns Four

Yes, our little girl turned four yesterday and I DIDN"T TAKE ANY PICTURES. David is mighty disappointed, but I was too busy being in it! First, the night before, I made THIRTY cupcakes (staying up late, since I had to do it after circus class). Then, in the morning, we brought the cupcakes in, plus chocolate frosting and mini marshmallows. Anya carried the cake holder and was very proud to do it. I was happy that I had decided not to frost the cupcakes beforehand, because then it didn't matter that they got tumbled end over end during their journey in Anya's care. :)

On arrival at Kindercraft, we paused in the lunchroom (which always makes me smile, as it's furnished with miniature tables and chairs) and I applied the frosting while Anya placed a marshmallow on each one. She chastised me when I tried to help and didn't place the marshmallow exactly upright. She also kept Callum pacified by passing a marshmallow to him every few minutes. We had the cupcakes all on a tray, and carefully decorated the central cupcake with four candles, then paraded into Anya's room. Luckily, the various age groups had gone back to their own rooms for the second half of the morning, so we didn't have more kids than cakes.

I lit the candles, then everyone sang Happy Birthday while Anya smiled to herself with pleasure.

A few minutes later, I was sitting to one side with Callum, and I asked, "Would anyone like a ballooon?" and a whole crowd of chocolatey faces looked solemnly at me and nobody answered. Too busy eating...

I spent most of the day there (from arrival to the post-lunch naptime), which pleased Anya and Callum no end. At story time, Anya sat in the front row, and I sat in the back with Callum (who spent the whole day sitting in my lap as much as possible). Every few minutes, Anya would turn around and wave at me, and soon, all her friends were also turning and waving with her. The other kids were somewhat puzzled by my continued presence, and variously said to me, "You're still here?!"

In the evening, Anya had so many presents to open it was like her own private Christmas. Her Grandma was there, as it was the usual routine for her to come over and stay Wednesday night. Her Uncle Rob also came around with a present, and earlier, her Aunt Ann Maree had dropped a present off as well.

All in all, a pretty great birthday.

I Got Dem Blues

Callum plays the blues... the tough way.

Jack in the Box

"What was that about -blblskljdlbhhh- Jack in the Box?" David demanded.

I turned my head and looked at him in complete bewilderment. "What?"

"Never mind, I fell asleep for a minute."

Yes, we are becoming those oldies who drowse in front of the TV and wake up shouting nonsense.

Babycino at Grub St Cafe, Gaythorne

Game No. 2

Until now, our main game (which I might have mentioned before) has been to re-enact scenes from Jack and the Beanstalk. Even David has been roped in, often to proclaim, "Fee fi fo fum!" Today we did the story from start to finish, with Anya changing horses mid-stream to play whichever role she felt was having the best action, even becoming the beanstalk a couple of times. Callum watched the whole play, and joined in by offering me food whenever Anya (as the giant's wife) offered me (Jack) food.

While "Jack" is good fun, since the story is so classic, I was pleased this week that Anya seemed to start a new interest in pirates and treasure hunting. This afternoon we took turns being blindfolded and "hunting" for treasure strewn on the rug (everyday objects we had designated as "treasure"). After finding the treasure a few times, Anya then gathered them up and "buried" them (under my desk) and I helped her make a Pirate Treasure Map. Then we followed the map to find the treasure.

The amusing part is, she didn't quite understand that a dotted line just means a path on a map, so she pretended she was seeing each dot on the floor as we walked around, and pointed them out as landmarks that we were on the right trail.

Mixed Messages

The scene: Callum’s just had a bottle instead of finishing his dinner (pasta, which he normally loves, but this time started flinging around the room) because I thought he needed to get something in his tummy to calm him down. Afterwards, I thought perhaps some proper food would help.

Elaine: Would you like some bread? Or cheese?

Callum: Bed.

Elaine: Okay, I’ll get you some bread. [Starts to get the bag open.]

Callum: Chee.

Elaine: Cheese? You want cheese? [Pauses bread maneuver.]

Callum: Bed.

Elaine: Bread? So you DO want some bread?

Callum: Chee.

Elaine: Here you go, here’s some bread.

Callum: T'ank-oo. [Takes the bread and wanders back to his spot in the lounge room, where he gobbles up the bread like a POW.]

Happy Easter!

We had a great time watching Anya and Callum hunting around the house this morning for hidden Easter eggs. One got the biggest laugh when it was found under "Jingly Bunny" (Anya's current favorite toy). It was really nice to see the kids so excited and cooperating: Anya would hang back when we asked her to let Callum "find" the eggs, and Callum was very good about putting all the ones he found into the carry bag that Anya was collecting them all into. Anya then surprised us by finding more when we thought all the eggs had been discovered.

After breakfast, it was time for the Giant's lunch... Sandwiches! This is one of our favorite games, where the giant's wife (usually me) makes lunch for the giant, and he comes stomping in, "Fee fi fo fum, where's my lunch?" Then the lunch runs away...



The rest of the Rees are up the coast at Peregian Beach, but we don't feel that we're missing out that much, since it has been drizzly all weekend. Tomorrow a lot of friends are coming over for brunch, which will be a lovely way to finish off the four-day weekend.

Ah-wa

Lately Callum has been saying all sorts of words, too many to remember as they come bursting out in the course of the day, but one that I really noticed this week is that he's started saying Anya's name. He can't pronouce it properly yet, instead saying, "Ah-wa" but it is clearly referring to Anya. For example, looking through the box where we keep both their shoes: "Ah-wa shoes... my shoes..."

Gross, Tacky and Just Plain Icky

Seen on a church billboard yesterday evening:

FOR ALL YOU DO
HIS BLOOD'S FOR YOU

(Readers take note: Budweiser is not even sold in Australia!)

Memory Lane

This week, my mother's cousin, whom I know as Aunt Jo, came to visit, as part of a longish holiday she and Uncle Chuck were taking around Australia. She first visited her mother's sister, who lives on the far south side of Brisbane (read: as far from us as possible while still being within the Brisbane region). After spending a few days with Aunt Marion, they met us for dinner, drove Aunt Marion back to the convent (Aunt Marion is a retired sister) and came to stay with us for a few days.

Aunt Jo brought a packet of photos and talked to Aunt Marion about family stories (in between excursions to the Gold Coast) and on their last night with us, she in turn shared those photos and some family stories with me. It was a very special experience, as I have never known very much about the family history on my mother's side.

Usually we see all David's family on a regular basis, but hardly any of my family. So it was also special to have some family from my side spending time with the kids.

Melbourne Foodspot

I was in Melbourne last week for a conference and since then have composed this blog entry in my mind about a thousand times. Should it be about being away from home & family? Should it be about the quirks of corporate travel?

I decided it all comes down to food. Melbourne is widely recognised as the food and wine capital of Australia, although now I'm sure I will hear strong protests from Sydney and other capital cities. However, as a self-accredited foodie, I can definitely support Melbourne's claim. Every meal I had in Melbourne was good, even though I was not expecting it -- for example, the catering at the conference was good. So was the dinner at a corner pub, which normally would (by its appearance and location) have led me to expect a stodgy steak and potato menu, unenthusiastically dished out. And I mean good by foodie standards, not just "good enough" for non-foodies. I wonder if Melburnians feel disappointed when they eat in other cities?

On my last evening in Melbourne, I was left to my own devices, so I decided to seek out the Greek precinct. Melbourne once had the second largest Greek population of any city in the world, exceeded only by Athens. Considering Melbourne's food reputation, I thought that I would easily find a restaurant to surpass my favorite Greek restaurant (ever), Sofi's in LA.

Unfortunately, the Greek precinct (one block of Lonsdale Street) is now embedded within the Asian restaurant scene which sprawls like wild ivy creeping out from Chinatown just a block away, taking over streets in all directions. Therefore, during my quest, I passed by many crowded and delicious smelling Asian restaurants -- Korean, Thai, Japanese, Indonesian and Chinese, to name a few. In addition, on my way to Lonsdale Street, I happened across Hardware Lane, with busy Italian cafes on either side of the pedestrian-only laneway. Feeling amazed at how many restaurants there were, and how full they all were, especially for a Tuesday night, I steeled my resolve and continued along Lonsdale Street.

I found a paltry three Greek restaurants in a row and one Greek bakery. The bakery looked scrumptious, but hardly dinner-worthy. I saved the thought for later. Going window to window, I compared the menus of all three restaurants and peered at the empty rooms with only two or three tables taken in each one. Nothing looked terribly inspiring. I thought about the Chinese restaurant that had snagged my attention earlier, with a photo of the chef making handmade noodles. Noodles, especially handmade ones, are one of my favorite foods.

Circling the neighborhood, I considered various Asian offerings, but in the end went back to the place with the handmade noodles: Dumplings Plus. It broke several of my rules around restaurant selection, with decor (too fancy for a lowbrow Asian restaurant), name (sounds like a franchise), and signage (big plastic monstrosity) but I couldn't resist the appeal of handmade noodles. I ordered Northern style noodles (served in a sour spicy broth and garnished with pork mince and pickled vegetables), stir fried mushrooms and seasonal vegetables (a lovely assortment of mushrooms, not just button mushrooms), and steamed man tou.

And, of course, it was good.

Me! Mine!

Having mastered important basic words such as "bye-bye" and "more please" (which at this stage sounds more like "moh pee"), this week Callum has started shouting out "me!" and "mine!" For example when I say, "Who wants some grapes?" it's hard to know whether Callum or Anya is quicker to shout out "Me!" And of course, when playing with just about anything (toys, pens, gadgets, bowls) it is now common to hear Callum insisting "mine!"

On the weekend we set up his new bed in Anya's room and showed it to him. He was not terribly interested -- sat on it briefly then wandered away -- but when I invited Anya to try it out, he knew it was his bed, and immediately cried out, "Mine!" (By the way, he slept in his new bed last night... very exciting for David and me!)

Meanwhile, for the last few weeks, Anya has been writing letters. Or perhaps I should say, she dictates the words to me, then signs her own name and adds artwork. It started with a letter to Grandma because she was missing her. When Anya realised how the postal system works (what?! someone ELSE takes the letter to Grandma after I put the letter in the box? AND we use a special sticker stamp? whee!) and received a letter addressed to her (wow! a letter for ME!) the floodgates opened. So far she has written a letter to her Aunty Wenda, and her cousins Lauren and Jessica. Yesterday she received a letter packed with replies from Lauren, Jessica and a bonus "BOO!" note from her Uncle Don (Lauren and Jessica's dad). I wonder who's next?

Suffering for Art

I enrolled in circus classes through Circa a few weeks ago: "Conditioning" on Monday evenings and "Beginner Aerials" on Wednesday evenings. (Thanks, David, for singly shouldering the evening duties!) The Conditioning class has been truly the toughest and most challenging class I have ever done, and I don't just mean in a boot camp sort of way. To impart acrobatic fitness, the class includes a lot of flexibility moves combined with strength -- like Pilates on steroids. I was really worried that I would get injured in the "warm-up" part of the class, which involves first running up and down four flights of stairs, then hopping up them on one leg.

Instead, I got injured in the kind, gentle Wednesday class! Normally they just get us to play a game that will warm us up, such as throwing around a fitness ball. Last week, the instructors swung a long rope while the students skipped in and out of it, initially hopping three times before moving off, then twice, then once, then graduating to other more challenging moves such as crossing over in front of each other, tumbling into the skipping area, cartwheeling out, and so on.

I, however, did none of these things. I couldn't get the hang of simply running in and starting to jump, and the rope would stop dead on me every time. After several rounds, the instructors gave me the advice that I needed to start jumping immediately when I walked into the skipping spot. On my next try, I ran eagerly in, all set to jump on cue, and... rolled my ankle.

I spent the next fifteen minutes watching everyone else get more and more proficient at skipping while icing and elevating my ankle. It didn't feel that bad and looked OK (the ice was doing a great job), so I decided to stay for the actual aerials training. To my horror, the next morning I was in excrutiating pain. Had I made a foolish decision and exercised a broken ankle?

David stayed home and shepherded me to the doctor, the x-ray clinic, and the doctor again (amazingly this took almost all day). Anya tagged along and loved shopping and lunching with David while they waited for me. Callum stayed home with his grandma (it being a "grandma day" anyway). Luckily it turned out that my ankle was not broken, which was a huge relief.

Today I am back to class for more aerials, but I've dropped out of conditioning for the rest of the term - still can't walk at normal speed, much less run and hop up the stairs!

Traffic Signal Box (TSB): finished!

I finished most of this painting before Christmas, except the gravel around the bottom of the aquarium. This weekend, I finally found some time when the weather cooperated (not raining and not too hot) and did the last part . I also went over all the rest of the box checking for touch ups -- for example, by some incredible oversight, I had left out the white stripe next to the tail, on both clownfish. Shocking!

David is still voting for painting a black border around all the fish, but I decided not to do it, as that is a complete change of painting technique. Besides, this whole effort was done "rustically" using Anya's paintbrushes. Next time (assuming I get the chance to do this again) I think I will opt for a non-rustic approach, as I found it frustrating to have all the random feathering of edges. Maybe I will apply my t-shirt screening techniques and use a stencilling approach.

If you click on the photo here, you can go through to flickr and see all the other photos of the TSB including progress photos. You can also see my listing (with this same photo) and rate it (for the annual prize!) on the Artforce website at: http://svc189.bne146v.server-web.com/artforce/rating.asp?id=1034

Jasmine Sends Us to the Dump

Anya told David this week, "When I'm queen, I'll have the power to get rid of you!" (like Princess Jasmine, in Aladdin)

"Oh? How will you do that?"

"I have a special truck that will take you to the dump!" (the way the pigs got rid of the dingrel in The Three Little Bush Pigs)

He got Anya to tell me about this while we were driving in to town, and she added, "You too, mum."

I then boo-hooed and said, "But who will take care of you -- and kiss you -- and hug you?"

She relented, and said, "I changed my mind -- not you, Dad." (So I would still be taken to the dump.)

David gloated later, "I get to stay, and you don't!"

Bye, Bye

Our little boy has started saying, "bye, bye" this week and is very pleased with himself about it. He is also much more clearly repeating other words, but "bye, bye" is his favorite. Tonight he looked so sleepy before bedtime, but once laid down with his satin comforter, rather than settle in, he spent half an hour saying "bye, bye," then perked up when his sister came into the room. I had to take him with me for her bedtime story, then start again and listen to another half hour of "bye, bye" before he fell asleep. I even spent part of this time saying, "sleepy time... close your eyes... bye, bye" which normally prompts him to make a genuine attempt to close his eyes and sleep, but tonight only fueled the "bye, bye" madness.