Animal Farm

A few weeks before Christmas our rabbit Cottontail died (we think from heat stroke, despite being free range and having plenty of shelter and water). At the same time, Flopsy (her buddy) was diagnosed with a tooth root abcess - we tried antibiotics but they didn't work, so she had to be put down.

Phoebe was heartbroken. Andrew consoled her with the prospect of chickens. Then he got it into his head that since we're in our own house now, we should have a puppy.

We already have Atticus (old, grumpy, remarkably clever rescue cat); Pepe (gormless, devoted Maltese cross rescue dog); and Harry (young, dumb, happy, pretty rescue kitten).

Today, Andrew and Phoebe went out to buy hardware and dinner ingredients - this is what they came home with.


Scout is another rescue animal. He is a Jack-a-Bee (Jack Russell Beagle cross) - supposedly - and the runt of the litter ... To me, he looks exactly like an anjin kampung from my childhood, which makes him just the right puppy for us.

And just because their uncles care, here are the human pets, ready for a big new year.


I am dealing with the concept of having a child in high school, when many of my friends have toddlers. I am thinking that this is mostly a very good thing.

Dog Day Afternoon

Today was Australia Day. I do love the place in many ways, but I abhor nationalism and jingoism, so I prefer to ignore the day and the celebrations associated with it.

Andrew has a fine tradition with old school and university friends of playing a cricket match every Australia Day, so Phoebe and I dropped the boys off there this morning - five minutes from our place - and then joined my brother for a swim at a nearby pool.

True, I have an Olympic size pool 300 metres down the street, but it's fun to venture two suburbs afield. My brother corrected my stroke (freestyle) and gave me tips and it was remarkably fun (note: I don't DO physical stuff except for yoga and a bit of running from time to time).

After swimming we went and watched the cricket for a couple of hours, then came home and were lazy. I am not used to doing nothing for more than five minutes - I think it could become addictive.

However, tomorrow Holden starts high school, so the lazy days of summer are well and truly over ...

Saturday Night Fever (5)

Since I am attempting to resume normal programming, I have also reinstituted the Saturday night Special Meal. Saturday just gone, it reached over 41 degrees Celcius in Sydney. Not much of a day for eating or cooking, really. More a day for lying on the floor, wishing for snow.

But I cooked anyway. I decided to make vitello tonnato, a classic that I have eaten many times but never cooked myself. I looked at various recipes - and believe me, there are LOTS! - and ended up with a bit of a cheat's version. Instead of braising the veal (for at least a couple of hours), you quickly sear and then roast it. The bit that appealed to me, however, was that the olive oil to make the mayonnaise that forms the basis of the sauce (keeping up?) was first infused with garlic and anchovies. Yum. And I love making mayonnaise - the magic of emulsion charms me every time.

Anyway, it was fantastic. But you know, it doesn't look that appealing in a picture, so I will spare you that.

Fortunately, a southerly buster came through late Saturday afternoon, and the dish is served cold or at room temperature, so by the evening, we were able to enjoy eating.

Sherlock Holmes

Due to popular demand (that's one brother and one mother), I will try to keep blogging, noting the random banal moments that make a life.

The kids go back to school next week - Holden to high school and Phoebe into Year 4. I don't feel old enough to have a kid in high school, although I certainly look it ...

Every year since Holden started school we have taken a photo of the kids on the front steps on the first day of school. Our new house doesn't have front steps (although I do have a white picket fence), so it's going to be quite different. Andrew suggested we move to elsewhere in the house. I said this would be sacrilege.

So Thursday next week, expect photos of Holden and Phoebe in front of the red door, ready for a fresh new school year. The other day a box of textbooks arrived for Holden - he has read The Hound of the Baskervilles and is about to start Of Mice and Men. Today we bought stationery.

I am not going back to school this year, but I'm thinking about it for next year ... Only so I can buy stationery, of course.

New Year

Happy New Year. It has been an extended absence. I have many excuses. First, it was Christmas. Then we moved house. I would just like to mention that moving house between Christmas and New Year is not necessarily conducive to a peaceful move. We were busy Christmas Eve (I roasted a duck in my new kitchen – I WORSHIP my new oven), Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the 27th (our annual Chilli Crab fest, with a record attendance of 26 people); on the 28th we had the day to pack for our move on the 29th.

Most of our lives – and all of our books – are still in boxes, but we finally handed back the keys to the old house on the 9th of January. The new house is still total chaos. So we have run away to Jervis Bay for a few days, with some close friends.

I have been relaxing in my own special way. This has consisted of: 1. Doing a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle in slightly over 24 hours; 2. Working all day today (don’t ask); 3. Cooking. Sometimes. Fortunately my friend Jen also cooks, so we are managing to share in an amicable fashion. 4. Drinking plenty of wine.

2009 was a year of many changes for my family. I think 2010 will see many more changes, but also a lot of settling in. I may develop a proper blog habit; I may give it up altogether. I’m trying to go with the flow a little more. To any who knows me, this no doubt sounds like a joke – I am a hardened control freak. But hey, maybe I can change?