ALS members Blogs

Do you have a sun safety programme at your school like there is at others? "Oh we used to have sunscreen but it was too much of a pain to apply sunscreen to all the children 20mins before lunch, so we don't bother with it" was the reply from one of the head teachers at orientation last October. I asked if they had the sun safe legionnaire hats, "Oh.. I think there's one, but the boys will never wear them so nobody buys them. Only the kindy kids wear the wide brim hats."NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I've agreed not to make a fuss of it, just make sure my kids have sunscreen on in the mornings (which won't get them through lunch at the prime sunburning time of day) and to wear sensible hats.To keep my mouth shut. Well you know what .. here's me opening it - quietly! I'll mildly...

Learning German is an old goal from 2002 when I started a distance education course and never finished it. Ten years later I could be fluent if I'd have just stuck with it!  German is just so impractical! Why not learn Japanese (we're close, only makes sense - lots of J. tourists!), Spanish - the most spoken language after English, or French (Fr. Polynesia's close, get an understanding for alot of words in the modern English language). It also sounds as ugly as the flag looks.. yerk!But for some strange reason I'm loving it! It's confusing as heck, learning languages but at least my accent's ok! Original link...

Ok Christmas treats were all dished out with great feedback! Well, for the Rocky Road anyway!So here are the recipes:Suzi Style Rocky Road - you know me, can't do anything without stuffing something healthy in there! All measurements are "-ish" add more or less, whatever you like.2 x 375g packets of Nestle cooking chocolate Melts (I did one batch white and one batch milk)1 cup whole dried cranberries (I got mine from Thomas Dux as they looked nice and plump) 1 cup desiccated coconut1 cup whole raw cashews1/2 cup cacao nibs ("raw cocoa is full of antioxidants that rival super foods like blueberries, and many antioxidant rich teas the cacao nib is also rich in good fat and minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron and potassium.")Marshmallows - this was a bit of a blur.. it may have been 500g packet per batch... so just chuck a load in and see...

Last night we went to the Temple lights about 20mins away. The lights were already on and the boys loved running down the bush lined paths to be in the middle of it all. On the life size Nativity the boys seemed to like Herod and the soldier the best. I think the armour had a bit to do with that! They're doing their mean king faces. They liked the Shepherds too ..  And "ooh"-ed and "aaah"-ed over baby Jesus and ran past the wise men.. they do take ages to get anywhere! DS2 enjoyed the art exhibition and I'm sure would have learned alot if it wasn't for DS1 saying "come oooon!" the whole time. We gave the missionaries there a bag of 'white Christmas' we'd made (the white chocolate version not that skanky copha and milk powder blerugh!) and off to see the lights again.The pics weren't great so you'll...

I'm making Sauerkraut  Here's a quick rundown of what I did. There's so many ways, so this is Suzi style.1. I got 1.5 ORGANIC cabbages, 3 organic carrots and a red onion (any pesticide/fungicide will prevent fermentation) 2. Chopped it up finely, salted it (use Maldon, Himalaya or any salt that hasn't been processed or iodised) and then I left it covered overnight to wilt.3. Then I stuck it in my food grade plastic tub and smooshed and bashed  the heck out of it with my masher and rolling pin end until the natural water content was released. 4. This is when you add flavour if you like (see Polish lady links below), but I didn't have anything interesting on hand.5.After layering with herbs/mixing in dry spice, it needs to be weighed down. I placed a plate over the top to keep the cabbage from rising. I used zip lock...

This year I've been following the  Household Management 101 programm for a stress free Christmas.. when I say following I mean reading and picking out the odd thing to do.I read back on the tasks today and I'm happy to say I've done alot of them already! Well, the silly things like "put up the decorations".. no brainer. I'm always pretty organised for Christmas. I'm a forward planner so start my ideas off in June!  We moved house this year though, so it's slowed me down a little. Happy to say the overseas presents have been posted, cards being written today and an extra special gift of home made decorations made by me and the boys going out too. We did them ages ago and just varnished and re-glittered them yesterday. Here's hoping they make the trip in tact. A couple of years ago I made Mamma Karries which were...

This month we've had alot of firsts.. not all of them good! DH chased a beautiful young goanna that was half way up the private road we live on. He's always been very careful with them and only ever gotten a scratch. This time he got bitten, hard. Actually it was more like a chew! Not one to hold a grudge, he showed him off before letting him go (click to enlarge, you can see the BLOOD from DH's hand dripping down the goanna's leg (lace monitor) We made Halloween lanterns ( a week early). The bright orange imported pumpkins were $4 a kilo!! So we got a rock melon and later a watermelon. DS1 had a great time and I sat on the floor with the melon heads each night with the candle on in their room as they dropped to sleep. No room in the fridge so they...

Well this is too good to miss. Might I say, that I FLAT REFUSED to go to the two Norwex parties/demos that a friend invited me to. AFTER I'd researched it to the hilt and realised that this could be bigger than Tupperware (with the SAME Antibac Microfiber being used in hospitals in MY country. I found lab tests, clinical and hospital trials - Proof! Proof! Proof! After getting up off the floor.. and picking up my jaw,  I decided, arms crossed, scowl and skepticism on the inside, to go and see a Norwex demo.It was THE WORST party plan/direct selling moment I'd ever been in. The lady stood at the front and droned on and on and ooooon. I think once she said, "if you want to try one...".I sneaked in the other room with the hostess and one of the cloths (Antibac Enviro) and with my TUT and...

Well since our new rental property has NO available growing space (ok so there might be a smidge but it's kid chaos in the garden), I've decided to take up preserving ("canning" in the US and "bottling" in the UK) to hopefully take some of that itch away. So far it's not really working.. I'm enjoying bottling ALOT but there is no substitute for getting my hands dirty in cool loamy soil and planting out the first seedlings of Spring. Smelling the warm fragrant air, knowing that in a few months time I'll be overrun with zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, beans, shallots, herbs, lettuce, silverbeet, beetroot, potatoes etc etc etc!!! We never got overrun with starwberries but we'd at least get about 250g per day for a month. That was nice. Plus a few experimentals..Here in the new nest.. it's... well... in the bush (trees/wilderness). So even if I did grow...

Ok so here's the most beautiful thing that happened in August (well, this year!). Meili and Sam got married. This little boy was very shy and waited for quite some time watching his Meili being photographed before he had the chance to give her a temple garden picked posy. Sorry... I know! So totally inappropriate to put these two subjects together... (sorry sorry sorry) BUT there's nothing more refreshing than the smell of brining vegetables. HONESTLY! It smells like fresh air. Here's the mix after having the salt washed and washed and washed out. Then cooked up in spice, sugar and vinegar mix. Piccalilli cooling and popping while I get the apple pie filling ready to bottle up. It ended up being apple sauce as I didn't know you had to process them straight away in the Vacola unit so I had to cook them up and re-sterilise all the jars before...

Well after weeks of anticipating moving house, making mum's piccalilli (really more like a relish), strawberry jam and yet more mandarin marmalade.. we're in and settled. The garden makes me anxious. Too many unsafe places, too exposed to the private road and NO ROOM TO GROW! Gosh I miss growing vegies already. This is spring and I have this desperate urge to stick my hands in dirt, dig, sew, water, mulch and plan what I'll do with gluts of giant zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. I was even going to try corn again this year. At least I kept my curry leaf tree...Humf! How dull. Still... I've got my new vacola unit and can start using up some of these age old jars I got on freecycle. I'll just have to make a trip down to the markets before the apples hike in price as the season changes. Make...

No, Dud isn't a new kind of citrus fruit. This was a batch of Hickson mandarin marmalade. The smell and taste of Hickson's are sooo sweet fresh and delish! I used this at the bottom of muffin tins when making cup cakes. It's going to be yum on a lemon drizzle cake.I couldn't help but stick ALL of the peel in. It wasn't bitter. It's the seeds and pith that are in the muslin that make it bitter. They have heaps of pectin which sets the marmalade. I cooked it for HOURS but it didn't set. I think now it was due to my low cooking point and should have upped it alot. BUT even though it didn't set it's the most delish by far! I made some Murcot marmalade the following week and it wasn't as nice. Too much sugar for my liking and didn't have the same taste as...

You never forget that realization of sheer joy the first time you feel it. For me it was standing in my Father in law's allotment. He was far off picking beans.. or something and DH was about two feet to my right. We were elbow deep in raspberry scratches. I remember the delicious tang of the baby soft raspberries in my mouth as I looked up at the biggest cloudless summer sky. I was blissfully relaxed and had DH by my side. It was only then that I realized my joyous passion in life (the first anyway.... :o)I think of my Father in law whenever this topic of allotments pops up.  Thanks Gramps! I'm sure I really didn't want to help you that freezing English spring when you asked me to help plant out all those seed trays. We ate from your allotment EVERY night that summer with Kippers from the Isle...

I've been itching to talk about this one! This is why I blog.. not to get a bunch of followers (though that's nice) but to blab about things where most of my friends wouldn't be able to share my enthusiasm on the topic. I love pickled onions but my husband doesn't. But who cares?! I couldn't believe my luck when I found some at the supermarket. Since we're moving I'd much rather pack jars full of homemade goods than empty. Gives a bit of excitement. By the time we move and unpack they should be ready to eat. Though I might leave them until Christmas.I did these the slow way, brining for 12 (or 24) hours before rinsing then stuffing in the jars with pre-spiced vinegar. All cold. I sterilised the jars and left them in the oven to cool before putting everything together. The bucket was clean! I've already packed...

Ok so I bought this loooong cardigan on holiday at the Gold Coast almost 2 years ago. Loved the purple colour but not the figure hugging style. A huge NO NO for pear shapes such as myself. So I finally did something about it. I turned this......(or a similar) To this! I cut the bottom off, hemmed it (WISH I'd have kept the tie belt as that would have made great edging for the bottom) and cut out circles from the off cut. then stretched them out as I sewed the edges in a button hole type stitch so they went all wiggly. Then pinned them on. I wish I had more material to do the whole collar. I haven't decided if I want them all at the front or all down one side so they'll stay pinned for the moment.So well done me for being brave and going for it...

 When my eldest was about 1yr old his Auntie in England sent some lovely summertime all-in-ones. As it turned out he didn't get to wear them with size growth, season change etc etc. Little boy number two wore them a couple of times but we didn't have a warm enough summer last year. So! time to get rid of them.... couldn't do it, so I recycled them. I love the innocence of them and even decided to recycle a pair of unworn undies (DS2 has a big juicy bum and they were too small! haha) stick em on some vliesofix and off you go. Below are a few. Riley's 'pants' firetruck on his back   Elephants on the front and lion on the back Then onto fixing the curtains that had ripped stitching after the boys had slid down them like a fire pole. I love them. They're so colourful and look like...

A couple of weeks ago I was thrilled to find that my great grandmother (I've been doing her family line) had a previous marriage and son. Pictured below with his wife on their wedding day. He died the following year. Talking about this to my Dad and the memories he has of his grandfather and extended family sadens me that I can't see any physical evidence. No pictures, no journal, nothing. Back then they'd burn them all.So I'm very happy to have my great great uncle's pic right here.  When I talk with the boys and tell them how beautiful they are, I tell them who's parts they're made of (generally!). DS1 is tall like my brothers, my hair and face as a child - except the eyes. He most definately has his Dad's eyes. Soft, warm and deep (hopefully not googly but only time will tell!). DS2 has Daddy's...

I do feel rather Australian but when people talk of beauty my heart is most definately not here but in Britain and Europe. The wild flowers, twitch and trill of birds, green green meadows, bluebell woods, postman pat villages that I'd loose myself in and end up in Stratford-Upon-Avon (what the!?). Going for a drive with my family as a child on a Sunday arvo and finding an old farm house complete with work field and pigeon house out the back. Dating 1600 and something. I miss the richness of history, language, food, diversity and feeling of European countries and their ancient, ancient places. Some of them shocking me with feelings of spirituality or history or connection of family.. I'm not sure which. I miss Jersey Royals. I miss Jersey milk. I miss real Haggis. Rugged magnificence of  large rivers meeting and making place names. Rummaging in the wilds and...

Well it's been a long long journey from my first pregnancy 5 years ago my second 3 years ago and then Post Natal Depression for 18months. Urgh! Hormonal imbalances and crazy brain has finally abated and my cooking mojo (and happy fun mojo!) is back! Everyone's happy.  Ok so the pic of the preserved roasted capsicum looks.. erm.. unappetizing but they taste very nice. Sweet pickled. The latest made up recipe is a treat, Apple Almond cake, It's moist like flourless orange cake, except has flour.. and no oranges.The other night I did a beef casserole with Patritti and the next night when we had the love bird's over for dinner I made the BEST pastry in the whole world and stuck the casserole left overs in it. YUUUUM! These pics don't really show anything amazing but it's all I've got for now. I ordered some millet flour, rye flour...

suzinorwex(at)hotmail.com for info on Antibac Cleaning with Hospital grade microfiber. No chemicals, reduce allergies, time and cost.My Norwex Site - order hereFor all Co-op Stop inquiries email me at co-opstop(at)hotmail.com or check the website for your local group.www.co-opstop.blogspot.comOriginal link...