blue irises against the red red fence.

This year I put blue irises in the punga raised bed, and now that they are out, I love the look of them against the red fence.

Back in the term time groove, I think I'm doing okay on the extra-curricular front, an aspect of parenting which I try to support, but frequently do so only with poor grace.  Yesterday both kids went to kung fu with FH, and today we started back on swimming lessons.  Ballet is going okay now I can leave Brighid there and not get told off for talking to other parents during the lesson.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a trial run at cubs. 

There were tears at the dinner table tonight.  Fionn's best buddy moves to Auckland at the end of the school year.  I felt for my boy, and didn't say out loud that there might be several more.  Spring Creek indirectly paid a lot of school fees where my children go to school.

I need inspiration for meal planning.  I used to be better than I currently am.  I think this is for two reasons:
1. I used to be home more, so could set up the slow cooker in the morning.
2. We've consciously moved away from red meat, and red meat was easy.  Sausages one day, mince another, then a roast, followed by shepherds pie, all interleaved with fish, chicken and quiche.

Now it's all fish, chicken, quiche and nachos.  When we are particularly short of time and I want to make some kind of semblance of a home made meal, I buy wraps plus pesto plus smoked chicken and cut up carrots and cucumber to go in as well.  As we end up with bread-based lunches and sometimes I have bread based breakfast, I try to keep dinner wheat/gluten free.  Which means I largely avoid pasta for tea as well.  I'll start doing sushi again when the local supermarket re-stocks pickled ginger.  I've fallen out of the groove of using chickpeas and beans for vege dinners, but if it can be done within an hour (walk in to kitchen to eating at the table), or preferably 30-40 minutes, I'm keen to read and try any suggestions.

Comments

Deborah said…
Beautiful irises!

Bean mix on baked potatoes. Bake some potatoes, and while they're cooking, fry some onions and garlic and a bit of chilli in some oil, then add a can of tomaotes, chopped up, then when you have a nice saucy mix, add a can of chilli beans. Cut the baked taties open a bit, spoon the bean mix over, and top with grated cheese and lettuce and avocado and whatever else takes your fancy. Takes about an hour from walking into the kitchen to sitting at the table, but a fair chunk of that is waiting for the potatoes to cook.
Sandra said…
Thanks Deborah. I can also see potential in that recipe to throw the spuds in the oven before swimming lessons or ballet and then do the rest when we get back home.

I used to make dinosaur eggs for the children after school - baked potatoes, scoop out insides and mix with lots of butter, some salt and some flaked/crumbled kelp. The spoon it back into the jackets and serve. The speckled green-ness appeals to the kids and there is heaps of goodness in them (I'm in the pro-butter camp).

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