Weekend inadequacy

This weekend flew by so quickly.  I had a list of things I wanted to achieve, but now time has just about run out. Why is it so hard to be productive in our time off? I guess there's always next weekend! The ironing pile can wait, surely?

This morning we helped plant trees with Landcare. It made for a pleasant way to be outdoors and with good company, even if the skies were a little grey. It also served as a good distraction for all the tasks I should have been doing at home. Well at least I can begin a new week feeling as though I accomplished one purposeful thing during these past two days! Am I the only one who has weekends like this?

Vintage Treasure

One thing I miss living on Norfolk is access to Op shops. I read blog posts about other peoples thrifty finds and feel somewhat envious. We have one small church run op shop which I drop into from time to time, but on the whole I've never found anything particularly interesting. Occasionally I visit garage sales too. But this morning the lovely ladies from the hospital fundraising committee hosted a Trash and Treasure market at Rawson Hall. And boy oh boy, I could hardly contain my excitement (much to Ben's amusement). I came home with lots of goodies, but this Vintage Pyrex bowl is my favourite....

A lovely lady named Bev approached me when she saw me carrying it. She told me the bowl had belonged to her mother, who'd brought the bowl with her to Norfolk from New Zealand in 1964. I love that I know something of the history of this beautiful kitchen item and I assured Bev that I'd take great care of it. I've always had a soft spot for blue and white china.  And look at that fabulous pattern. Ah, it made my day!

Tick that box

I just participated in my first ever triathlon! Ben, Suzanne and myself entered as a team; Suzanne swam, I rode and Ben ran. Those who know me well will attest to my un-sporty reputation. Hence this was a REALLY BIG DEAL for moi.  I started training a few months ago. Initially it was tough going...basically I felt like I was going to DIE! But week by week my muscles adjusted and over time my stamina increased enough to be able to survive a 20 kilometer distance without stopping.

On the actual day of the triathlon I thought I was going to melt away with nerves. It's amazing how nerves and sheer terror can leave one feeling so debilitated! I literally curled myself up in a ball (in between running to the loo) under my bedsheets! As for eating....not a chance. If only this had been a morning event, as opposed to a 3pm start.  I'm really going to have to conquer my nerves (which are getting worse with age)....they almost wrecked the day for me.

Ben hurt his ankle quite badly playing paintball last week. He spent the days leading up to the triathlon hobbling around, bandaged and under the influence of inflammatory reducing drugs. I really didn't think he was going to be able to run. But with a super supportive ankle wrap he set his sights on getting through his 5 k run no matter what, despite not having trained once, NOT ONCE FOLKS. Goodness knows how men can do that...I think it has something to do with their caveman days! Admittedly he does play a lot of sport and so is reasonably fit. But still, there's no way I could have jumped on a bike to ride 20 k's without having spent some time building towards it.

Suzanne claimed to have not trained much either...but honestly she is a fish! Truly! She thinks nothing of doing a few laps of Emily Bay FOR FUN! Suzanne gave the best performance in our little team...being one of the first out of the water. Ben ran a good race also with his time only 30 seconds behind the fastest run time of the day. As for myself, well slow and steady might be the best description, but I did beat my training times so was happy with that! Especially considering I'd barely slept, barely eaten....and thought I might faint or vomit after the first two laps (was this supposed to be fun???). 

It feels good to have achieved something completely out of my comfort zone and I hope I've shown Harry and Till that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I'm so grateful to Ben and Suzanne for their encouragement and for never making me feel like I was holding them back! And now there's talk of a mini triathlon just for women later this year. I think I might just have a crack at that.....flying solo! Well nothing can stop me now.

Isn't the Kingston area stunning....what a picture perfect spot for a sporting event!

Less Rubbish :: Homemade Surface Cleaner

Another way we reduce rubbish in our household is to make our own simple cleaning products.  I started doing this years ago, admittedly not out of concern for waste management, but because I wanted to limit chemical exposure in our home.

Vinegar, bi-carb soda, lavender and eucalyptus oil are staples in my cleaning cupboard. I do own some Tri-Nature disinfectant but more often than not I use vinegar and lavender when a bit of germ warfare is called for.

My homemade spray-and-wipe is a general all purpose cleaner. I use it in the kitchen mostly; spraying the surface and then wiping it over with a soft flannel rag (over bench-tops, the sink, placemats, tabletops etc). It's so easy to make it almost feels silly to be posting a recipe. But here goes...

600 mls of white vinegar

300 mls water

20 to 30 drops of eucalyptus oil

You really don't need to be very precise. 

To be honest, I don't ever formally measure out the necessary ingredients.

Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle and voila! Home-made multipurpose surface cleaner. It's cheap, it's safe and it smells great. Sometimes I use lavender in place of eucalyptus, another essential oil which kills germs and viruses with gusto!

Harry leaps

Oh gosh. I know those fences aren't that high, but still.....I always worry! 

This boy just keeps going ahead in leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, my heart skips a beat, afflicted with an amalgam of fear and pride. Watching him grow and develop is such a privilege.

But why does he have grow up so fast?

How do you measure happiness?

I picked up one of those women's magazines in a waiting room yesterday (the type I'd never buy because they are filled with plastic people selling plastic non-sustainable ideas! oops, digressing). Flicking halfheartedly through the pages I came across a short article about a study which analysed how height affects a person's success in life. According to this particular American study, taller people are happier than short folk and generally lead more successful lives, supposedly having better paid jobs also. Ha! How about that hey! Are you convinced?

In case you are worried about my well being, I'm here to report that I am a happy, yes very happy almost five-foot-nothing blogger who is indeed quite presently happy! Promise. Oh I have my off days now and then, but sheesh, I'm only human after all. On the whole, I can assuredly state that my height impairment has not had any kind of major negative impact on my achievements or mental state thus far. Maybe it's because I married a tall person hee hee!

Well today I took some photos of the happy stuff in my life....it seemed appropriate given that taking photos makes me so happy!

1. Slow cookers - what a fabulous invention. The smell wafting from ours right now not only makes me happy, but hungry too 2. Hibiscus flowers in our garden - so many different colours and they grow happily without any attention from us!  3. Spider webs - we are lucky enough to have them everywhere in our neglected garden. I think they are wonderous, miraculous things  4. Precious toys - Cubby has made Till Happy since she was a small babe, and you know what they say: happy kids equals happy parents 5. White washing blowing in the breeze - smelling of lavender (ah, there's isn't a smell I like better). And finally 6. A little trampoline action wearing my favouritest skirt ever - cause I'm not too old for a little bouncy time!

Happy? You better believe it!!!!!!!!

{This Moment} :: One thickshake, two straws!

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by SouleMama

In our library bag...

Written by acclaimed French author Anna Gavalda, I found this novel to be a quick light enjoyable read. My friend Deb gifted this book to me thinking it would be the perfect holiday read - and she was right!

Harry just read this for the second time...I remember my brother reading this book long ago....

...and now Harry has his nose in Book 2 of the Three Doors Trilogy...He read Book 1 'The Golden Door' at Christmas and has been eagerly awaiting the release of Book 2

Till is reading this oldie but goodie....I read it to her a year ago when we were visiting Ma and Pumpkin. She LOVED it (so did I) and was ecstatic when Ben came across it in our local library here! Plus now she can read it to herself!!!!!

Oh and Ben...well he has been reading comics! I've never really understood the appeal of comics, but then maybe I've never found the right one for me! Ben LOVES them.

Anson Bay - Picasa Style

Oh dear.....

Perhaps I need some kind of intervention! A power outage maybe?!

I fear my Picasa 3 obsession has reached its limit! Best I refocus my energy on triathlon training....after all, I can't take my big heavy camera bike riding (or can I?). Actually, after two recent bike crashes, I think it best I keep two hands on the handle bars at all times.

But Anson Bay is lovely. And oh so photogenic. Far out, what isn't photogenic here. Whether a professional or a nutty try-hard novice like myself, Norfolk is truly a photographers dream come true.

I do have a soft spot for this cinematic style. Funny how what appeals to one persons eye is completely repelling to an other. No doubt an expert would be horrified by my taste!

Now to take a little Picasa holiday. It's time I hopped back on my bike (only 5 days before the big event).

The Glass Bottom Boat

We took a trip on 'Mauatua' the Christian’s Glaas Bohtam Boet earlier today. It's an excursion we take whenever friends and family come to visit Norfolk. Even though we've experienced it a few times now, the reef always has something new to show us. Our guide Don pointed out various coral formations, fish and other interesting creatures such as sea urchins and anemones. It leaves me contemplating a career change.....life as a marine biologist would be interesting I think!

Weeeeeeeee!

I did say we have been spending a lot of time in the trees lately! This beautiful specimen can be found behind St Barnabas Chapel. I think it's a Moreton Bay fig tree (I'm afraid my knowledge of all things botanical is rather limited). If ever a tree was begging to be climbed, this is it! Oh and that rope swing was FUN - and I should know because I had a go myself! Gee I was scared!

Why should kids have all the fun?

PS I'm a little bit addicted to Picasa 3 photo collages these days. You've probably noticed!!!!! I know, I know----they are a BIT much. The novelty will wear off soon I promise xx

From sea to tree

Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I can't believe what's on offer here...and all in "our backyard", everything just a stones throw from our house. I truly never grow tired of this place, there are just too many special spots to explore over and over again. 

We have had visitors staying with us this week. They flew in last Monday and sadly head home to Oz tomorrow. We have had a blast! The weather has been a bit up and down, but that hasn't prevented us from enjoying all that Norfolk has to offer. I love when we unveil Norfolk for first-timers, how we see it through their eyes all fresh and new again. When you work full time and become engrossed with daily routines, it's easy to take this unique environment for granted.

It's April and we are STILL swimming. Admittedly the air temp has cooled a little but the water is lovely once you take the plunge. OK, in these photos Ben and I are wearing wetsuits, but a few days ago I swam comfortably without one, honestly. Check out our underwater wonderland. It's beautiful don't you think? And yes, the p'oew fish is that colourful - I didn't fiddle with the photo using Photoshop I promise!

When we haven't been at the beach, a great deal of time has been spent in, under and up trees! This particular Banyan tree is MAGNIFICENT! I cannot put into words how unbelievable this tree is. I attempted to take a photo capturing the tree in it's entirety, but the image just doesn't fairly depict it's enormity! Banyan trees have aerial roots - running from branches to the ground - which enable them to become very large - up to 200 metres in diameter. There are a few scattered around Norfolk, varying in size, most of them are located on private land. The kids can spend hours playing in a Banyan tree. Who needs a purpose built man-made playground when you have these trees nearby!

Riding in Autum

On Thursday Harry and Till went for a lovely quiet ride in the warmth of the afternoon sun. They were accompanied by their dear friends Samantha and Sophie who are visiting this week from Australia; it was their first ever official riding lesson! The girls were so smitten with their time spent on the ponies, they had a second lesson yesterday. The ponies at Pegasus Equestrian School are gentle and obedient and the riding instructors are patient and fastidious. What's not to love!

Harry and Till have been riding for almost two and a half years now. Watching my children confidently handle such distinguished creatures fills me with pride. There is something glorious about the relationship between horse and child. I was in awe when Till lead her pony back into the stable unassisted.  I watched Harry loosen stirrups and unsaddle his horse, a skill which I have no experience of personally. I wouldn't know where to start! They are so lucky to have access to a riding school, certainly an opportunity that wouldn't have come along if it weren't for the fact that we moved to Norfolk Island!

Happy Easter from our family to yours!

Just flew in!

Here are the newest members of our family. They arrived on the plane this Tuesday night from Queensland. For now they are living comfortably in a cardboard box in the lounge-room until they are old enough to join the big girls in the chook house up the back!

WHAT is THAT SMELL???

We woke one morning this week to a VERY BAD smell. A truly foul, toe-curling, put-you-off-your-food, stomach turning odour! With our hounds-tooth hats and magnifying glasses we set off in search. Something had to be done, and quickly. Heading along the hallway, it became apparent the aroma was oozing from the spare bedroom where Harry and Till sleep most of the time (their own bedrooms reserved purely for ornamental purposes!). On investigation of the room, and relieved it wasn't our children rotting overnight, our noses led us to the en-suite bathroom...where the smell was unbearable!!!!! After sniffing profusely over every inch of this tiny room, we couldn't pin the smell down. We wondered if it was in the wall cavity....or perhaps it was floating up through the drain? I wondered if the toilet was leaking? Frustrated and appalled we shut the door tight and went off to work,  praying the smell wouldn't permeate the entire house.

A day later with the smell growing stronger we tried every trick in the book to deal with it; bleach down the drain, candles burning, vinegar and bi-carb splashed liberally. Even with two doors closed between us and the smell, it still drifted down the hallway torturing us. At what point was this going to end???? Were we going to have to move out?

Finally today, with time on our side, Ben decided to explore under the house. His theory being that Mr Rat (or Mr DEAD Rat should I say) was wholly responsible for stinking out our normally fresh smelling abode. Ben suited up in old clothes, including "hair protection" and a "breathing apparatus" and courageously headed for the door/gate that leads to the foundations of our house; a filthy spider infested place where you'd never find me in a million years.  Thank goodness for brave husbands I say! After crawling under the house armed with torch and plastic bag, he bravely shuffled into the tiny space between the ground below and the floor above. With groans of disgust and grunts of contortion, Ben did come upon that feral rotting smell as expected, half decaying and maggot infested of course. All the while I stood in the safe distance of the door throwing words of encouragement and asking for updates on the situation! That was helpful of me don't you think?

Armed and ready....Ben goes under the house!

Ha - FOUND YOU, Mr Rat!

Can you guess what's in the bag?

So now the smell has been "dealt with" and the aroma restored to rights. And just in the nick of time as we have some friends from Oz arriving on Monday to stay with us a week. We were starting to despair as to where we were going to sleep them!!!!!!

Iron Chef :: Red Lentils

Well Ben and I just participated in yet another fabulous Iron Chef cook-off! Though this time around our regular chef-going group was a little altered. The Mayo family left Norfolk back in January (after 5 fabulous years on The Rock). At their finale Iron Chef competition, which was held just weeks before they moved to Oz, Tam and Dave were deservedly presented with the winners trophy, one last time.

With the Mayo's now off island, and our group of four couples shrunk to three, a new couple had to be chosen and inducted. And so we welcomed Gill and Dave (yes, out with the old Dave, and in with the new) as part of this highly creative, culinary club. It was a very democratic process with nominations put forward, votes cast and carefully counted. It was all done so securely and privately you'd have thought we were electing a new government! We do take our Iron Chefing reasonably serious you know! Initially Gill and Dave did wonder at what crazy caper they'd got themselves into. For some strange reason they'd got the impression we are all trained master chefs. Let me assure you that some of our dishes turn out...um....ghastly! Master Chefs we most certainly are not.  But how we try....and what a LOT of laughs we have along the way.

Now as I've explained before, the winning couple not only hosts the next round, but also chooses and reveals the secret ingredient one day prior to the actual cook-off. Tam and Dave are now over 1600 km's away, but that didn't get them off the hook (what a disappointment we couldn't all fly to Bellingen so they could have been our gracious hosts once again). Thanks to the wonders of modern technology however (ie email), the reigning champions were able to send through the details of their chosen ingredient: LENTILS! Wonderful, wonderful gas fueling economical lentils! Actually, we all sighed a HUGE sigh of relief, having convinced ourselves that Tam would most certainly have chosen Pepsi Max (Tam's Norfolk addiction) as the secret ingredient!

Adding up the numbers at the end of the night, it looked as though our fabulous new couple Gill and Dave were on the home stretch to scoring the trophy first go with their three tasty dishes; lentil soup, vegetable and lentil lasagne and a Scottish inspired oats and lentil dessert, which Gill affectionately calls Flapjacks! But after a controversial recount of the scores (the trophy having already been awarded), it was Ben and myself declared the winners for the night. Our winning combination included a spicy Indian lentil soup, Hungarian lentil stew with jasmine rice and a rich chocolatey lentil infused brownie served with chocolate sauce and fresh cream. All throughout the evening, we were treated to dishes inspired from a variety of countries, with Italian and Morrocan just some of the flavours enhancing the taste and texture of otherwise ordinary dull red lentils! One participant on the night stood out as being particularly creative, presenting three original dishes that portrayed "The story of Norfolk" (in a most imaginative way*). Included in "the story" was a dessert, quite unusual in all forms. Think lolly dinosaurs submersed in jelly. Think floating lentils. Think whipped cream from a can. Hmmm...you probably can't conjure up an image at all. Let's just say this dessert was definitely unforgettable!

Stay tuned for the next Iron Chef!

* Involving (amongst other things) prawns! Ah....a tribute to the Mayo's?