Where I go to relax

My place in time #10

This is where I go to relax, to think, to revive. It's here that all my tensions are pulled from my body by the thundering sea. Where the fresh sea air cleanses my thoughts.

It's where I go when something big has happened, and I need some time for my brain to process it.

When I was nearing the end of my pregnancy with Jake, which I was told off for. I didn't tell anyone I was going and I was far too preggers to be walking sandhills alone. I shrugged it off. I think it was the week before I was mowing  the lawn, what could a walk on the beach do? This was the days before mobile phones, ones that would fit in your back pocket anyway.

I came here and walked alone when I found out I was preggers with Izzy, and just the past weekend, on Saturday. Brett took the girls out and I needed to go to my place by the sea, on my own. 

Friday I fronted at the doctors clinic. I have depression. I've known it for a while but let it slide. It wasn't getting better, wasn't going away, so I am now in the process of healing myself. I will be OK. Like the Pantene ad, it won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

These are the photos I took while I was there, I was happy taking photos, being with myself. A good thing, considering I had a blubber on the way because I forgot my jacket. Silly. I didn't need it anyway.

Creamy poached Basa

I use Basa fillet for this recipe. It's a fresh water fish, not too expensive and you'll find it in the seafood freezer section in the supermarket or in the deli at Woolworths. 

It is a thickish, white meat fish, with a mild flavour. It is really good with just a sprinkling of dry tarragon, a few small knobs of butter and baking in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

This is how I cook it mostly. This is how I love to eat it. So tasty.

I cut the cooked fish into four. Makes it easy to serve with a large spoon.

2 Basa fish fillets
Silverbeet, about 6 largish leaves(use kale or spinach instead)
1 small onion, sliced (or a small leek)
1/4 cup cream(I have used just water if you don't want it creamy)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper

Using a small casserole dish, lay silverbeet leaves to cover the bottom of the dish. 

Scatter half the onion over the silverbeet, then layer on the fish. If the fish is too long, fold over the thinnest end to fit.

Scatter on dried tarragon. Scatter rest of onion on top of fish and then lay silverbeet on top. Pour cream over top, sprinkle over salt and pepper.

Cover and bake in oven for 20 minutes. If the fillets are thick and large, maybe closer to 30 minutes.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

A date with Summer

I don't know why I don't, or haven't done this more often before now. I have brought both the girls here, they have an ice cream or chips and I have a cuppa tea or a coke. We usually occupy the two couches, with the coffee table in between. 

Izzy has been at Kindy all year and I think this is the first time, just me and Summer have come. The couches were taken this day, so we sat right up in the window table, watching the world go by. 

My place in time #21 - What I can see from my window

My first job after I left high school was over the summer, at Campbells deli(not in existence anymore) in Southend. By the sea. Perfect.

At the end of summer when that job finished, I worked here. Ackys Deli. It wasn't called that then, Anns Deli I think it was called, owned by the Atkinson family, hence it being called Ackys then, and now.

I worked here up until just before my 20th birthday. I was almost 7 months pregnant with my first child, Jake.

Before this room was added to the deli, I remember it being a record shop. It was the time before CD's existed. 

I remember flipping through the vinyl records and pawing cassette tapes, feeling a little bit closer to the idols that plastered my walls as a teenager. The first cassette tape I could proudly call my own(that wasn't 'taped' by someone else), was Autumnal Park by Pseudo Echo. In know most of you will be saying Who!? What? No CDs! Pseudo Echo! Don't worry, I am shaking my own head in embarrassment!

What was the first album you ever owned? Could you play it on a walkman? Do you know what a walkman is?!
What was your first job out of school?

Things I know at the end of this week -

1. I need to get out more like this, even if it is with my two year old.
2. I hate paying $3 or more for a cup of black tea, no sugar.
3. Memories from my teenage years make me feel old. 
4. The walkman has been replaced by mp3. Hardware for software. You can't sticky tape mp3!

Colour in a winter garden

This crabapple may be confused....a blossom.
Below, the same tree, with some fruit and an autumn leaf hanging on for dear life.

  

Watsonia.

Cyclamen

Snowdrops

Jonquils

Visitors to the Marigolds

Happy Wanderer(Hardenbergia)

It's the wet season

It's been a very wet month. So much rain. 

I took these while out driving with the girls. Sometimes I just have to chuck them in the car and drive. I am not sure how that works when we get cabin fevered in a house and then I go stick us in an even smaller space and everything is cool.

I think the change of scenery works wonders.

It's taken on Mayurra Road(a back road out of town), at the intersection of Bakers Road. 

The colours of the paddocks and the amount of water laying about really caught it my attention. It took my breath away. 

There are so many times I see a sight like this and just keep driving. I have been making a point of stopping, not letting that feeling go, and capturing what I see.

An InLinkz Link-up

Tandoori Chicken

Yesterday was one of those days. I was particularly dreading an appointment late in the day, and I was sure I was going to need wine after it. Surprisingly and thankfully, it went well. It was a huge relief, I think for all involved. Hopefully it continues to be a positive step forward.

I didn't feel like the wine at all, but right now, I'm drinking it anyway!

As the girls went to sleep, all I felt like doing was slouching on the lounge and letting the world fall around me. Watch a bit of Masterchef, relax.

I then remembered the things I wanted to blog about. Some things that I know no one probably wants to know about. But things I wanted to blog about anyway. 

As I filled my wine glass I thought how clean my floor looked. I remember how dirty it looked WAS in the natural light of day, and realistically, still was. I should really sweep it. It will take me half a day to vacuum and hopefully mop it. I will deal with it tomorrow( or today, as you are reading this).

So here I sit, on this wet, windy night. Reclined, cloaked in a warm blankie, wine next to me, watching Masterchef, and blogging. 

This is the recipe for the Tandoori chicken I took along to an Indian night at my sister in laws. It was a great night. Everyone brought along an Indian dish, most of them dressed up, which was highly entertaining. 


As usual I went all out, and loved making the veggie curry and the condiments to go along with it. 

Tandoori Chicken
4 chicken Marylands, or a 1 kg, whole chicken
-Make three slashes in the thighs and breast pieces(if using a whole chook).

1/4 teaspoon hot chilli powder(I wimped out on the heat and used paprika)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons melted butter
-Mix these ingredients together and rub all over chicken and in the slashes. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Marinade
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 
slight pinch of powdered saffron(I just used a 1/4 teaspoon turmeric or a drop of yellow food colour)
1 small dried red chilli, chopped finely(or use chilli powder, or if you don't want heat, paprika)
1/2 cup greek yogurt
-Mix all together and spread mixture all over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Place chicken on a rack over a roasting pan and place enough water in to cover the bottom of the pan.

Spoon any left over marinade over chicken and drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter. 

Bake at 190C for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked. 

Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes.

Cut into serving pieces and enjoy the crap out of that finger licking flavour! 

And after all that, I have just realised that a Heath Ledger movie is on! Yum!(on a different level ha ha) I really should get an early night!

Three things I know at the end of this day. 

1. Tandoori chicken is bloody yummy.
2.  Bad decisions as a parent will, eventually come back and bite you on the arse.
3. Good decisions as a parent will keep rewarding you for the rest of your life. And that is the truth. 

Do your friends have themed dinner nights?
What cuisine night would you host? 

Down the beach on a wintery day

I took the girls for a drive down to Southend to get out of the house. It was cold, and it rained on us in the end. But we had a good afternoon. 

I have been mucking around with photo editing on my laptop. When I saw these on my PC the colours and settings looked odd. So excuse if they look a bit funny. 

The angle of the laptop screen changes the way I see the pictures, so I might just stick to doing on the PC :)

My place in time #7 - Destruction
The seas have been high. It happens every year, but it seems more and more of the beach gets eaten away by the wrath of mother nature.

This is by the sailing club, which in years to come may well be in the ocean too! 

Looking back over to the sailing club