Family

August 2nd, 2010

Cherry Ricotta Breakfast Panacotta



Cream-free ricotta and yoghurt panacotta

The brief: to use up an enormous jar of Bonne Maman Cherry Compote that I’d opened, eaten a bit once for breakfast and then it became the weekdays when I eat breakfast at work and therefore I had to use it up before it went off because chances were I wasn’t going to be eating it for breakfast anytime soon.

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June 14th, 2010

Adventures at home





The girls love the little path down the side of the house where they take their brooms and hide on the little porch where there are taps to play with.

It’s a lovely gentle English summer, if not a touch chilly. Life is brilliant fun – mostly. Daddy even bought mummy a new red KitchenAid food processor that Astrid chose. Last night we baked sour cherry and vanilla spelt and almond meal muffins in our new silicone muffin cases.

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May 6th, 2010

No photos please



All of a sudden Astrid won’t let me take her photo.

And the camera lead crapped out. So there haven’t been many photos of late. But there will be soon. Because soon soon we’ll be back in London, back on the Heath, back on our epic walks around villages, around the Heath, up to Hampstead shops, coffee and lunch ingredients from Carluccio’s.

Our Mt Albert house is nearly all done, tarted up – and it will have a big for sale sign out in front of it before the week is out. Then we’re off on a big European adventure!

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May 6th, 2010

I miss

Mr Cat.

Come home Mr Cat.

x

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February 22nd, 2010

History

Tonight I am filing things, to print out. To tick off. And I thought I would just delete EVERYTHING off my desktop. Until I found February 2006. It sort of looked important.

This is our favourite house.





And here’s Kevin all those four years ago the day before we got on the plane for my brother’s wedding. Wish there was a photo of me. I’d have disallowed it due to thinking I looked too awful. Which is such a pile of lies; I’m sure I looked great. But still, no photo.



So, while we’re on history this was a funny thing I found today; notes to a nanny – will be fun to look back on when we are older. Was already fun looking back on it today.

8.30 start – give Astrid breakfast – cornflakes / jam on toast / yoghurt with a tsp of jam stirred in

8.50 leave for Lorraines

Park pram in Lorraine’s courtyard or on the street with strap over gate with brake on. There are a few weirdos who pass so you need to keep a very good eye on the pram at all times! I have had someone put a balloon on Edith one time when I wasn’t looking. Ensure pram brake is on and strap over gate rail and that you have Edith in view. I pretty much reverse up the stairs.

Make sure you put the plastic rear cover on over Edith as this helps to hide her from view and prevent people putting balloons on her.

Astrid needs her hand held on the stairs.

4:45 leave for Lorraine’s for 5:00pm collection – do not be late ever ! Lorraine is very strict on collection time.

Wednesday collect Astrid from Lorraine’s at 11:45am

Edith gets fed when she wants it. Usually either a 120ml or 180 ml bottle. Sometimes she’ll have two 120ml bottles.

Formula in kitchen. Wash bottles in very hot soapy water and rinse with very hot water from tap. Use rubber gloves as our hot water is VERY hot. No need to sterilise as long as you use pure hot water and rinse well.

To make up her bottles: 4 scoops for 120ml bottle; 6 scoops for 180ml bottle. Use approx 1 eighth boiling water and cold from the tap. Test first ! Formula from Mistry’s chemist in South End Green.

Switch for heating on/off is in small upstairs room. Temperature gauge is by stairs downstairs.

Ensure you double lock the door when you go out.

Ensure stair gate and kitchen gate are always shut.

Cats need to be let in during the day – you will see them sitting on the windowsill or you might hear meowing. Also need letting out as and when. If you do go out if you could call cats (rufus and oscar) ten minutes before you go out it would be nice if they are in – but not wildly important. And if it starts to rain / hail also keep an eye out for them.

Astrid’s dinner: when she gets home from Lorraine’s – she’ll eat most things. Favourites include steamed brocolli, pasta with pesto. Use fusilli or penne in cupboard. She doesn’t like lettuce. And isn’t that keen on bread. She eats rice crackers with hummous. Frozen peas in freezer. Tuna in patnry. A whole peeled carrot, jam sandwich or toast. Just water in her drink bottle. Astrid also likes ham and mayo sandwiches from M&S or croissant.

Edith will sleep in the moses basket with various blankets. need to puff up mattress as it tends to slope down one side. Astrid needs to sleep in the pram – sometimes needs in the night garden dvd on. Curtains closed. Sleep time is approx 2 – 4pm although if she looks tired at 1.30 act quickly so you don’t miss the sleep window! A walk around the heath or just up the road usually works to get her to sleep – or pushing the pram back and forth in front of the (quiet) tv also good.

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February 7th, 2010

Astrid’s birthday quilt



She hated it then. She loves it now.

Beautiful beautiful third birthday quilt for beautiful beautiful birthday girl. It’s been a bit of a year for ol’ Astrid what with the arrival of Miss Edith, making such great friends at Lorraine’s in London who she still talks about, then being yanked back to New Zealand where we camped out in not great places for four months while we waited for our house.

Astrid started new Daycare in September. It’s not London and there are a lot more children than the five others at Lorraine’s. Astrid’s the only one with a dummy. She’s the only one who days ‘moomeh’ and not ‘marmy’. Damnit though she now says ‘molk’ instead of ‘milk’ but she still says ‘nauwh’ and ‘yas’. Good girl Astrid.

Astrid is now the chief cake baker. Astrid stands on the IKEA tv stand, which we wheel into the kitchen and prop in place with Mummy’s green Cath Kidston gardening clogs. And Astrid stands on the tv stand and helps bake birthday cakes that Mummy bakes. All cakes are now called birthday cakes because Mummy only makes one kind and that’s almond and spelt tart, with blueberries and dark chocolate. Cakes might vary ever so slightly but that will be to change chocolate between white and dark, and the berries might be blueberries, raspberries or boysenberries.

Sometimes Astrid is like a little limpet and she’ll cling on to one’s leg and won’t let go even though one is walking to a destination. Astrid will cling and cling and cling until she laughs so much the limpet loses its ability to grip. This year Astrid also learnt to talk. After her arrival at daycare her speech flew along in leaps and bounds. And now we have a proper little talking person who says, “take it hoff”, and finishes all sentences in “koo (too)”.

Astrid has funny little eating habits and is sometimes super duper passionate about something for a week and then will hate it forever. Currently Astrid will eat pasta, rice, meat, sausages, mortadella, mayonnaise, tomato sauce (no-nos), honey, apples, blueberries, rice crackers, muesli bars; and lollipops and ice creams in great abundance. This morning Astrid had a raspberry ripple ice cream in a waffle cone for breakfast. Some days she’d go out for coffee with Kevin and return with a fluffy. She’s had L&P for several breakfasts because L&P is her favourite drink. Although she loves water too. Did I mention the lollipop thing? Jeepers at the hardware shop last week they gave her a green one!

Oh, and Astrid is now officially toilet trained. It only took a week over summer. One week and three packs of snakes. And it was super easy peasy because she was ready. Not like the last time when she wasn’t ready. The time she’s shake and scream you’d put her anywhere near a potty. Ok, so that was not going to proceed then. Nope. Best to wait till they’re ready. As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again. Everything all in good Astrid time.

Because Astrid is such a sensitive soul. She’s so sweet and kind and gentle and generous so much of the time. But we’ve also had the terrible twos this past year. Of hysterical screaming and kicking and lying on the floor. Then there’s the lying on the floor and crying when we say, ‘no’. Hence the odd icecream for breakfast. Anything to stop the wailing. And Astrid can be quite a grump right now. But we think that’s hormones. Apparently it’s called “The Fucking Threes”. But Astrid is a very sensitive soul. She’s not a wild crazy daredevil in so many instances. You certainly won’t catch her doing anything dangerous. She’s always there, sweetly waiting to hold your hand. A big smile for Mummy and Daddy. She always wants to be picked up and carried. To be cuddled. And then she’ll leap up out of your arms and jump around screaming and cackling like a banshee while everyone ducks for cover and covers their face and head to avoid injury.

Astrid is also a bit of a control freak. She likes to tell us where we’re sitting. And she’ll make sure everyone is seated correctly before we’re allowed to sit down to dinner. She will also always get the knives and forks out and set the table for dinner. We are only allowed to have the knives and forks she chooses for us. And she can only drink out of the specified cup. The wrong cup will bring on waves of howls and wailing and nothing but the right colour cup will stop it. And beware the person who cuts Astrid’s toast or burger or whatever it is, without her permission. The entire thing will be ruined and rendered non-edible once it’s been cut the wrong way.

Another of Astrid’s hobbies is to demolish the sofas and get one of her parents to lie on the cushions so she can put blankets over us and tuck us into bed. Her Christmas present was a cleaning trolley which she wheels around the house cleaning cupboards and floors. That is, when she’s not cleaning the windows outside.

Good old Astrid. Not without drama. There has been much wailing and flailing this year. We’ve also had a huge pile of adventure, us and the pussy cats. And Edith, who you’ve re-named Mimi. And everything that’s been bought for Mimi you’ve commandeered. But Mimi doesn’t care a jot. Because all she wants is your cleaning trolley and to hang out with her cool big sister.

ps. I write here again now too.

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November 14th, 2009

The sweet sweet smell of Rarotonga





























Into our fifth day at The Beach Place – fittingly right on the beach – at Tikioki, nestled between Muri and Titikavaka on the south eastern coast of Rarotonga.

We arrived to blistering hot sun, a lovely long afternoon walk along a tropical plant lined road, on a grassy footpath, up to Muri village shops in search of dinner. Car-less we had no way to buy fresh fish the day we arrived so we bought what we found in abundance, fresh green tomatoes, big green lemons and fresh green peppers. In a sparsely stocked shop further along we found red curry paste, a big can of tuna and a tin of coconut milk. Perfection for dinner on our beachfront picnic table.

The next morning we awoke to pelting rain on our corrugated iron rooftop. Immediately we checked the forecast. Pessimistically it predicted seven days of rain. So we picked up the phone to get our rental car a day early, and being sunday, to check we could drive without having first got our Cook Islands drivers licenses. No problems at all – they even came to get us and drove us up to their office to do the paperwork. 

So off we drove, around the island, remembering old spots, good snorkeling, nights out on the tiles with friends, good places for clothes, pina coladas at the Pacific Resort. 

And so our holiday began. 

Fortunately for us, someone must have brought the weather with them because after the day of rain the sun came out but not too much. Not too much is good when you’ve got kids at the beach. And also good because you can’t then long for endless hours of sunbathing and sipping cocktails, snorkelling and afternoon naps. 

That time would be now, but now I’m grown up afternoon nap time is for writing. Or tidying up. 

So, anyway. On Monday, we discovered the fresh fish shop – now known to us as the Mahi Mahi shop. I did bring cous cous from Harvest – not even realising I’d be able to make my famous mythical dish; cous cous, paw paw and mahi mahi. Every morning we all leap in the car and head up to Ocean Fresh for Mahi Mahi, although today sold out. Tonight we’ll have tuna and swordfish instead. With a big salad of fresh local produce. Just down the road from us, on the inland side, is a little outdoor shop down a short driveway – called “Fresh local fruit and vegetables”. Oh Oh! Beans, lemons, lettuce, red and green basil, courgettes, paw paw, watermelon, capsicums in abundance and how good it all tastes – it’s all miles better than the organic shop.

When we first arrived we asked the car rental lady where the best food was and she immediately said Cafe Ariki – which is up in town on the interior road – just by the Perfume Factory. So off we went one warm afternoon and straight into an undercover table, lovely and cool. They had the barbeque going, offering bbq pork, steak, mahi mahi with paw paw chutney, Astrid had a prawn cocktail which was astonishingly huge for $10. Mains averaged at $15. And pretty good they were too.

Usually we’d dine at The Flame Tree – however this time on the ‘now we are parents’ budget we’ve had to flag it although we did splash out $17 each for a Pina Colada at the Pacific Resort. No, this time we’re pushing the boat out on a local handpainted sheet and pillow case set. Never mind it’s a sheet and not a duvet cover – you don’t really need a duvet cover here; and if we need one I”ll just sew another sheet to it and put some buttons in to turn it into a duvet cover. 

We did a big tour of all the shops yesterday for bedspreads. We’d been advised the best places to go were the shop to the right of Island Craft in Town, and the shop called “Shop” that’s written on a stop sign just past the weather station out near the airport.

At the shop called “Shop” written on a stop sign a nice man from Lower Hutt I think it was showed us traditional applique style duvet cover and pillow case sets. These were about $400 for a king set. The shop to the right of Island craft had both the applique style as well as beautiful handpainted tipani bedspreads and pillow cases. They also had padded quilts which were applique handpainted designs – the full monty! These were I think around  the $425 mark. We’d also looked at Pacific by Design on the road into town (going anti-clockwise) but they were at the end of their stock and the shop seemed fairly expensive – although that said, their quality was great and they had some fabulous handmade dolls.

We’d still not found anything in our budget though and so back we headed this morning to the place we’d initially seen the bedspread we liked which was in our budget. A beautiful, purple, handpainted king sheet and pillow case set in two tones of purple. Yes, yes, yes and yes! And $150 from the touristy shop at the front of the Pacific Resort (I love the Pacific Resort – it’s a resort but it’s also got good taste). 

And the other brilliant fabric story is earlier on this week I’d bought a fabulous little bag for $28 in a shop called “1 skirt, 100 ways” that had loads of scooter bags out the front in beautiful bright hibiscus patterns and driving past I saw the perfect one in red and pink so over we pulled, out jumped Astrid and off we set to buy the bag. Astrid duly adopted the bag and we decided we really ought to find the fabric for a duvet cover for her. And this morning, at the bottom of a heap we jubilantly found the fabric – only five metres left – but only $2.20 a metre!!!!! And now it’s washed and festooning our gorgeous sunny porch.

Other culinary highlights were the discovery of a french bakery in town – heavens! And the best most wonderful lemon ricotta croissants – just out of this world – and the best coffee in town was at the Saltwater café, down in Titikaveka by the good snorkelling spot. Probably the best coffee I’ve had since The Market Coffee House in Spitalfields in London. The French bakery people also have a place called the Deli Something, in Muri – it’s in a metal prefab kind of building and they sell fabulous wines, proper feta, amazing baguette (ideal for freshy made tuna pate and locally grown cucumber canapes). 

The ice cream place next to the “1 skirt, 100 ways” shop has some pretty good local coconut ice cream also. Who needs tip top when you’ve got the local stuff we said – but apparently quite a few people are after Tip Top too.  

Last night a local told us there was a night market – mostly food – so off we duly headed to discover the Saturday market area filled with the smell of barbequeing food – sausages, chicken, pork – we headed to the chicken skewers that come with fried rice and mushroom (cream and a little bit of mushroom) sauce. Between us we shared a $9 portion – a delicious entree before we headed back home for our staple of fish and salad.

We’d been searching high and low for the wonderful pineapple duvet set we have where we’re staying and we decided we’d act upon a rumour we’d heard – and that was to visit The Treasure Chest up in town. Oh! And there they had stack upon stack of beautiful handpainted sheet sets and duvet covers. I wasn’t leaving until I’d found my treasure – and there it was, amongst two big piles of single sets – and in amongst three or more serious contenders. Astrid’s pineapple sheet set! And a lot of other brilliant ones – lovely hand painted and dyed tipani designs; breadfruit; hibiscus – all just how I like them – very little contrast, pink and red, purple and lilac and even a charcoal and white one, lovely.

They’ve all been washed and are hanging out in the sun, ready to go straight onto our beds when we get home tomorrow. 

Ah, the sweet sweet smell of Rarotonga.

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July 20th, 2009

Missing: Marge the jack rabbit



Our very loved family rabbit Marge has gone missing. Marge is no ordinary rabbit, she’s a Love Creature Jack Rabbit and is an avid quilter with a large collection of fabric. She spends her time scouring vintage shops and garage sales and also has a large scissor collection. We’ve not had her long but she’s already left a gaping hole in the family.

Marge was lost today between Foodtown Quay Street and Balfour Road in parnell and we are desperately hoping someone might have found her.

If you have seen Marge or if you know of anyone who might have news please get in touch.

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July 14th, 2009

Leaving



I’m going to feel sad, leaving Waiheke. I’ll miss the ferry trips into town. The moon setting. The calm bay at dawn. Weekends on a cold winter beach, deserted. Cold. But home. The corrugated iron boat sheds on the return of the bay at Oneroa. Scores of dolphins in the freezing evening dusk sitting out the back of ferry being buffetted just like we were when we were kids, sailing. Feeling like New Zealanders. Gannets flying alongside the ferry. Slightly nutty people. Slightly nutty in a New Zealand way that I’m very much not really quite used to. Another thing I’m not used to is just how long it takes the lights to change here. Sometimes you can wait five minutes to cross the road, or for a green light.

The best thing about here is the passionfruit yoghurt. And the moon-sets, the still dawns over the bay. Meeting old craft friends at random. Bumping into people. The organic shop at Oneroa is a gem. One day I’d like to taste the $15 a bottle ginger beer. One evening we treated ourselves to a bottle of Waiheke Pinot. We weren’t entirely convinced. But then again, pinot always tastes best at the Gypsy Tea Rooms.

And because we’re leaving, and we’ll be sad, we’ll also be arriving, and we’ll be happy.
Arriving in town. A whole new adventure… A whole new arrival!

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July 5th, 2009

Busy doing not very much at all







Although I have taken a few photos. And walked in the rain. And on the beach. And up and down our hill a lot. Up to Oneroa. And back. A lot. We’ve been into town once on the ferry. Much of the time we’ve been damp but warm – and the pantry’s now fully stocked.

We acquired a second hand baby backpack thing to carry Edith around in but Astrid’s commandeered it so Edith is currently being transported up and down to the beach in a securely knotted pashmina while Astrid gracefully bobs up and down on her carriage like a burmese Princess.

We also discovered this shop via daddytypes. God bless them.

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