Stones or Beatles?

Sally has kids' messenger on 'her' ipad. We often have conversations. (6am Saturday "Hi Grany"). She was pretty crook last week and still wasn't 100% over the weekend. Yesterday I got this message. I replied and her answer cracked me up for some reason. She is 6 for heavens sake!!

I baked another fruit cake today. This one had spiced rum in it. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I listened to music through my new headphones while boiling the fruit and then vacuumed the floors. I swear I got things done a lot faster! I couldn't hear the vacuum cleaner either and I'm sure that helped me decide I was just bopping along to good music.

Spotify offers me playlists based on previous selections and they are pretty good as well as introducing me to performers I might not otherwise listen to. As always the Stones was in this playlist and it reminded me of when I was 10/11 and at boarding school in '66/'67 and one had to choose between The Beatles and The Stones as girls of that age are wont to do. Even back then I found the Beatles a bit insipid. (Heresy to many, I know). The Stones, though, had that raw sound and they were a bit naughty. Today I am still a Stones girl. I have never really loved the Beatles although some of their music is OK. It is, of course, the music of a generation and it certainly influenced the world of rock and roll but I think others of the time were far better but perhaps had less effective marketing strategies. Who can forget the outrage when Lennon said they were going to be bigger than Jesus?

Now my music contains such a variety I don't think I could categorise my taste at all. I think the only thing that I really haven't clicked with is rap (can it even be called music). I can't cope with all heavy metal but some is good (just not at the volume that many listen to it!).

I am grateful that music has the ability to reduce me to tears of both sadness and exultation. It triggers memories of places and people I had long thought I had forgotten. It makes the unpleasant tolerable. It distracts from pain, both physical and emotional. It adds extra joy to happy occasions whilst creating new memories.

Life would be such a grey, dull place without music.

Murphy and Max

This is how they play. It looks dangerous but if you look at the last photo you can tell who is the boss! And Max generally instigates it.

J and C had our Christmas lunch today. We went to a lovely little cafe/restaurant called Waves. It is right on the beach and sea was rough and grey today. It was very busy and loud but we had a lovely meal and have vowed to go back when it isn't the silly season. 

I have been there in the past and had great food but the most recent time was less than brilliant. I think they had changed hands and it appears they have changed hands again. Or found their feet. 

I will suggest to Himself that we eat there. It will make a change from a "cheese and salad sandwich with mayo on dark rye with a ginger beer" that is his go to when we go to the local cafe.

Two police officers were killed in Queensland today while doing a welfare check on someone who had been reported as missing. It was a set up. They were ambushed. This is a horrible tragedy but on the positive side - it is a very rare occurrence here. Our gun laws might be ridiculed by other countries but shooting crimes like this are almost unheard of. I am grateful to live in such a safe country.

 

Monday Mayhem

The crumpets (and in the background is the bread box I made with my own fair hands).

Three sent me this photo of the lasagne he made with the giant zucchini.

As I have mentioned before, Max thinks he is a dog and desperately wants to go outside. I bought a cat harness from Amazon and it arrived this morning.

Himself was out and I popped it on the cat and took him onto the balcony. He had a sniff around although was not impressed with this thing around his chest and neck.

This is what I bought. I should have showed him how he was meant to behave.

After a while I put it on him again and took him down into the back garden. He was still not impressed but the smells seemed to take his mind off it. It then started to hail so I had to grab him and bring him back inside.

Himself came home and I went to show him our new trick. I put the harness on, picked up the cat and went to the front door. The dogs decided to follow. The cat went ballistic and turned into a spinning mass of teeth and claws with two excited German Shepherds trying to get in on the act. Himself tried to grab Max which made him worse. I was yelling at the dogs to go away (or words to that affect) whilst trying to grab the spinning devil cat. I managed to get the harness off and he bolted. I sustained scratches to my face and feet and Himself got one on the palm of his hand.

We went shopping (how did ingredients for spag bol turn into a $120 shop?) and came home. 

Max was still in hiding. 

After calling him he eventually surfaced - he had been hiding under the spare bed. We have agreed not to mention the harness for a while and he let me pick him up.

I think what might have happened was his long fur got caught in the clasp and hurt him. 

Through all of this Mini sat on the back of the couch and didn't move at all. She was still there when we got home. She isn't stupid enough to want to go out and no one will see her in a harness. (I know cos I tried!)

This is one of my favourite songs. I share it with you.

Sunday snippets.

I made crumpets today. This is the crumpet batter after sitting for 45 minutes and just before I started cooking them. Himself was busy in the garden so I have popped them away for breakfast over the next couple of days. He can have TWO in one sitting. Not 8.

I pinched this as it made me smile. I haven't done chocolate advent calendars since the boys were little but I do remember finding the doors open way sooner than they should have been!

More snaps from yesterday.

Coriander flowers 

My potatoes are starting to die back. This means I should be able to find out if there are any to harvest soon. And then I shall have to decide what to plant until next October when I can plant spuds again. 

A teeny tiny tomato looking a bit like Alice's chubby bum!

 

If you look very carefully at the blurry plant (just under the white string) you can see a tiny capsicum. I think we might be waiting some time.

 

Three and his lot popped in after having Santa photos taken at the local shopping centre. Not the one where Andrew personally knows Santa but a small one close by and much quieter. 

Three took the ONE KILO zucchini I picked yesterday and will use it to make a lasagne ... or something. He also took rocket, carrots and basil. Alice is now running everywhere and is very cunning. She will do something she knows she shouldn't and when you are distracted she takes off in the direction she wanted to go all along. Towards the stairs. Down the street. Chuckling maniacally the whole time! 

The popcorn makers arrived today. Only a few more small things and I have the littles sorted. 

The cool change has arrived and it is now raining. Snow is forecast this week in the high country. 

Saturday snaps

This is a chameleon rose. It was the last rose my mother bought and she took it with her to the aged care facility where it struggled in a pot half full of soil and little to no water. When she died Dr Teacher took it, planted it and nursed it back to life. He then struck a cutting and this is the result. This has also lived in a pot with little to no soil or water and struggled on gamely until I took pity on it and potted in the white pot. I feel there should be some deep and meaningful comment on my mother there but none spring to mind!

These next two snaps show the size of my zucchini plant. 

One of the sunflowers I grew from seed for Sally. Four made it. They are now on the way out. I have planted some more but only one seems to have germinated. I'll need to find something to replace them with.

Who can resist the perfect petunia\?

This is a zucchini monster plucked from the monster zucchini plant this morning. A chook egg for size comparison. I have no idea what we will do with it (the zucchini, not the egg).

The three older Melbourne granddaughters are getting one of these each for Christmas. It is a microwave popcorn maker. I was really tempted to get one for us and then I realised I was drawn to the colour (teal in my case) as we don't eat popcorn much at all.

I wish you could smell the roses. They are amazing, if a bit weather beaten at the moment.

I saw my psychologist today. As always, a fruitful visit. 

Yesterday I commented to Himself that I could probably do with some bluetooth headphones like his so we can sit in the same room and listen/watch different things without disturbing the other. It was just a comment. He came home with a set of Sennheiser headphones for me. I freaked when I saw the price on the box but they were half price. Now we are trying to get the television box thingy to talk to the headphones. Remember the days of proper instructions? These days you get a quick set up in dot point in many different languages. 

Dinner is fish, spuds and asparagus.

Last night I went to bed with a hot water bottle. Tonight I might need the air conditioner. Got to love living in Melbourne!

Breathe

I don't about you but I find I tend to rush at things.

When I am knitting or crocheting I have a tendency to strangle the needles/hook in my haste to get things started. This causes my tension to go haywire and my hands to ache and leads to the inevitable frogging or tinking at least a couple of times before I can get the project properly underway.

Today I baked another fruit cake to take to The Mermaid's place on Christmas Day (sherry instead of liqueur this time). I was rushing to get the ingredients into the pan. Rushing to cut the paper to line the tin. Rushing to line the tin.

This morning I baked a loaf of bread - again, rushing to get the flour weighed and the bowls oiled.

I raced around the supermarket getting the things I needed for the fruit cake.

When I prune my roses I am in such a hurry to get it done that I end up scratched to blazes and my back aches.

I rush through books (unless I quietly read at bedtime like I am with Beans and John as a gentle wind down).

I am often told to slow down when I am doing the housework (although a fast pace means sooner finished I believe!).

I guess I am just rushing through my life and it must stop. I don't enjoy the moment. I fumble and flail and spill things and tear paper and muck up my crafts.

I am trying to teach myself to stop, breathe and take in the moment. Whether it is mixing a cake, knitting a sock or scrubbing a toilet. Everything we do deserves to be done mindfully. I will stop and smell the roses, taste the cakemix (not too much ... hic ...) and not spill the flour all over the floor in my haste.

What is the old saying? More haste less speed? Or is it more speed and less haste? I can never remember. 

******

OK ... according to google it is the former and dates back to the 16th Century.

Whatever. 

Just remember to breathe, take your time and enjoy the moment.

The Cast

I was asked to explain who the mermaid is. I have been keeping a blog/journal on and off since about 2000. I have tried to keep it as anonymous as possible to protect the guilty. Obviously it wouldn't be too hard to work out who I am but if that happened I would have to kill you and close the blog down. (Not you, Andrea!)

I shall try to list the main cast members and remember what moniker I have given to whom!

Sparklingmerlot. On a previous platform I was Sparklingshiraz but blogger already had that name taken.

Himself. Long suffering husband of over 45 years.

One. Our first born (1984). Married to Ebs and father of Lily (5) and Ivy (3)

Two. Our second born (1986) . Married to Mads and father of Audrey (5), Billie (3) and our first grandson Henry (3 weeks old today)

Three. Lucky last (1988). Married to Amy and father to Sally (6) and Alice (15 months)

Stepson. Turns 50 next year. Married to Pat and father (although not biological) to Jill and Jack who are now grown up.

Other Brother. He is next to me in birth order. Married to Fave Sis in Law (sometimes Mrs Other). Can be a right royal pain in the arse as there is his opinion and his opinion.

Dr Teacher. Was Dr Brother (hence Other Brother) when he was a vet but changed career paths nearly 20 years ago. He was married to the mother of my nephews (M and G) but met his current wife when teaching and is now married to Mrs Teacher. Mrs Teacher can also be a right royal pain in the arse if you don't agree with her science and her politics.

The Mermaid. Himself has known her longer than he has known me. They met through work and she has been a constant in my life. When I started blogging she was a swimming teacher hence the name. I might refer to her as B sometimes. J and E are her kids. E is like a niece to me. She is engaged to D and they will marry next year.

R and T. R is Himself's step cousin and she has also been a long time friend like The Mermaid. I may have given her a nick name but for the life of me I can't remember. She turns up here every so often. T is her second husband. She has three kids about the same ages as mine.

J and C were initially craft friends but I now count them as good friends. I see them quite a bit and should probably give them a name. 

Aged Aunt. My mother's younger sister who lives in Far North Queensland. She considers me the last of her family which means the last female of her family - I do have brothers and she has 4 step children only one of whom stays in touch.

Both my parents and both my parents in law have died. They may crop up in conversation.

Murphy and Jinx are our two german shepherds and Max and Mini are our two moggies.

I think that about covers it.

If you are anywhere as confused as I am now, I apologise. 

After all that I need a gin.