eMpTy pantry

I like making preserves. For Christmas I made gifts of homemade lemon curd, lemon cordial, worcestershire sauce and whole nut and fig cakes.

This week I discovered that our plum tree, which hasn't fruited since it was pruned 3 years ago, was covered with plums. So I found a recipe for Plum Sauce. Today I used up all the leftover peaches I bought in Napier and made Peach and Pepper Relish and Chutney. And more Worcestershire sauce since previous recipients have asked for more.

My biggest problem used to be finding containers to bottle the stuff in. I am really conscious of food hygiene (have a Certificate in that!). I was delighted to discover Arthur Holmes Ltd - a local company (with an online website) that sells bottles and jars of every imaginable kind. My order placed at 8pm last night was on my doorstep at lunchtime today. How good is that? Check them out.

I should have a pantry full of preserves but everytime someone visits I give it away.

I truly am, like my electoral roll occupation states, a domestic goddess!

ERIC CLAPTON AT THE MISSION

Eric Clapton.
Last night.
The Mission.
Napier.
Outstanding.



Thanks to the amazing Lynda Manning who gave us her to-die-for home for the weekend. Thanks, Lynda. It was awesome.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

I've been tagged by the lovely Karen. I have to look through my blog archives and see if I can find examples of

Something Serious:
What about this "Random act of kindness" a story about an amazing thank you letter. Or (bore you to tears) "The Epoc Theory"

Something Totally Romantic:
This was hard. I don't do romantic. At least not on my blog. My blog is not the place where I pour out my thoughts on the love of my life (you all know who he is). But I did find this - my favourite poem. One fine day - reprinted here to save you the 'click'.

Recipe for Happiness (Khaborovsk or anywhere)...
"One grand boulevard with trees
with one grand cafe in sun
with strong black coffee in very small cups.
One not necessarily very beautiful
man or woman who loves you.
One fine day."

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Something Funny:
Click on any page. Most of it's funny. usually about the kids, usually about Elliot. He's Mr Funny.

If you haven't done this challenge yet then I tag YOU!

CONFESSION

I have a confession to make.

Well it's not a big one but some of my fellow scrappers have been doing some classes with Shimelle and they're working on confessions.

Here's mine.

I am crap at lawnmowing.

I thought about it today as I was mowing the lawns. We have quite a big back yard. When D does the lawns (which is most of the time) our lawns look like a cricket pitch - straight lines, stripes, tidy.

When I do the lawns I get bored with going up and down - I go in curves and swirls and circles. And the lawns do look a bit messy when I'm done.

D once told me (kindly)I did such a crap job that I should just leave them to him. So I do. Mostly. But occassionally I think I'll help out.

It's strange because when I scrap I prefer straight lines. But... I always end up doodling.

Doodled lawns. I like them that way.

RETIRED

You know you're a big boy when your mother digs out your SpongeBob schoolbag to get it ready for the new school year and you decide it's time to 'retire' the half dozen or so Winnie-the-Pooh toys you've had dangling off your bag ever since you started school 7 terms ago.

"I don't think Middles (year 3&4) would have Winnie-the-Pooh on their schoolbags.

But can I keep them in my wardrobe?"

HOW LONG?

I haven't scrapped for weeks. OK, maybe months. Not that I haven't been doing creative stuff - I made those Christmas boots and baked (that's creative isn't it?) 10 batches of biscotti (do you know how many pieces that is? Hundreds.) homemade lemon curd, lemonade, worchestershire sauce, mini whole nut and fig cakes. I made labels for the baking (with scrap stuff). I made cards. So you get the picture - I've been creative but not scrapbooking. Until this afternoon.

One 12x12 layout using Elliot's class photo from 2006 - whatever do you do with those photos? Since it's been so long I thought my style might have changed. But no - clear lines at first, mixing and matching patterned paper, chipboard and then doodling. Like I usually do. But that's OK. (Actually you can't really see the doodling in the photo - lots of dots, hearts, words.)

And then, I made the kids portfolios that I've done for the last 3 years (thanks for the idea,Wendy). Just three manila folders clipped together ready for school stuff (reports, certificates, photos of art work and a few bits of writing). very simple. 30 mins to make 2. But they are done and I haved started scrapping again.

BACK

We got back late last night from Nelson. Here are some of the highlights:



Best beaches: Kaiteriteri and Rabbit Island (can't believe I'd never had never been to either, despite years of visiting Nelson)

Best mosquitoes: Murchison



Best fishing: Mapua Wharf



Best exercise: Walking up the hill to the Centre of New Zealand (in Nelson)


Worst experience: Elliot falling off the wharf at Mapua (into water over his head, hmmm)

Best playground: The waterfront, Picton (and the tractor at Grape Escape, Nelson)

Best shop: The Bead Gallery, Richmond Mall (they also have a branch in Nelson). Wonderful staff showed me how to knot Stretch Magic properly. Now I know.


Best educational experience: Elliot finally learning where milk comes from (at his cousin's dairy farm in Murchison)

Best music: Anything that isn't 'My Chemical Romanc'e which was played by the kids goodness knows how many times on the car stereo.

Best overall: Family time. Priceless.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Early tomorrow morning we're off to one of the loveliest parts of New Zealand - Nelson. Mapua to be precise. For a week. Can't wait.

Here is another photo from our camping trip last week. D and I and the adult friends we went with at the top of the Pinnacles lookout.(photo by Caitlin!).

WE'RE BACK!

Back from a couple of days camping. We not only survived. We really enjoyed it.

Putangirua Pinnacles is on the wild west coast of the Wairarapa. 58kms towards the coast from Featherton for those who know the area.

The DOC camping ground had only a (clean) toilet and a tap to wash your hands but no drinking water. We had to take everything. We camped with three other families. Froze at night. 26 degrees C during the day. Gorgeous.

One day we did a 3 hour walk to the Pinnacles lookout (6 adults and 7 kids aged 4 - 12). It was a huge walk for the kids (especially the little ones). Lots of hill work and river crossings. (And I was the only one who lost her footing and fell in during the river crossings. Figures. My friend, G, says, Do you want me to carry your camera across? I tell him "F*** the camera. Get me across!))

After lunch the same day we visited the seal colony at Cape Palliser and then the Cape Palliser Lighthouse.

Hmmm. The lighthouse. 251 steps to reach the lighthouse. No problem. I am fit. That was fine. 251 steps straight up like a never ending staircase. We all charged up. Up, up, up. That was OK. But upon reaching the top I looked down. Big mistake. Remember my dislike of swing bridges? My fear of heights? For a moment I wondered what people would do to save me if I had a meltdown and couldn't get down the stairs. Was there room to land a helicopter at the top of this cliff?

And then E needed to go to the toilet. At the summit. Our kind friend, G, took him behind the safety fence (ONTO THE CLIFF!) where E had to do number 2s. That evening E told me "I was so scared I thought I was going to vomit so I poohed instead!"

I got down by

• my lovely friend, L, walking in front of me (and helping her 4 year old)
• putting one foot in front of the other (as you do) and
• deciding to help my new friend D who was behind me (who was also scared witless).

By the third step down I was actually OK.

Don't tell my kids I was petrified.

NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE

The New Year, New Challenge starts today. Us. Camping. DOC camping ground. Cape Palliser. No showers. Hmmm. Stay posted!