A lesson in backing myself and not being a worry wort

Thursday started out OK. It was show entry drop off day. It should have been easy, but a few spanners got chucked in the works, and it turned out a little stressful. Not too bad, we got there in the end.

Summer entered five things in the kindy section, and ended up with three firsts. Her decorated biscuits, her craft work and her vase of flowers. Proud mumma. She ended up with the most points and won a colour-in book pack, and six dollars, which was swiftly spent as Woolies on Shopkins.

Isabel entered a couple of photos, a potted cactus, some flowers, a painting and drawing. She won firsts for her sweet peas, her white flowers and her cactus. The photo of her sister (pictured below) came first! Awesome!

I wasn't expecting to do as well as I did. It came as a bit of a shock. Well, when Mum told me I had won the best bloom of the show with one of my Irises, my immediate reaction was one of those amazed and drawn out "Fuck off"s. It was a nice shock.

I had an attack of the sads on Wednesday, thinking I shouldn't have entered the Iris section, as mine were a bit shit. I almost didn't take them in either.

Anyway it just goes to show, I should have been backing myself, instead of second guessing and thinking I couldn't do it. I did, and I have a pretty green and gold sash too!! It pays to have a go, even though my head was telling me I wasn't good enough. Good things can happen.

I also won a first for purple flowers, and my mixed rose arrangement, which is alright considering I had no idea what I was doing!

I didn't do too badly in the photography section, and was surprised at the photos that did actually get prizes. These are just some.

First place - B&W wildlife or animal study

First prize - Action or motion

First prize - child study

First prize - birds

First prize - B&W people or portrait. Crazy. It's just the photo I have as my laptop screensaver!

Second prize - A touch of blue

I won firsts for everything I entered into the garden produce section, taking out the overall points. Yee hah! Overall, we all had a pretty good darn show! Pumped for next year!

Now that the annual show is out the way. Today is Summer's birthday, and Izzy's on Wednesday. I have a joint birthday party to organise for the weekend!

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Something I hadn't prepare earlier

Just a quick one from me, as I am spending way too much of my little time, going through all my photos in preparation for this weeks show entries.

This Millicent annual show is on over the weekend, and I'm entering some produce and flowers from the garden, and photos. Exciting, but SO much to organise and do. Bit nervous about actually having any decent roses to actually enter.

Thursday is the day I have to drop everything off. I still have to order my prints online, and get Brett to pick them up after work in the Mount before then. It's stressing me out just thinking about it! Hoo, breathe.

The kids are putting a few things each in the show too.

Isabel has been wanting to use my camera, and I've been cautiously letting her. She's getting one for her birthday (not an expensive one like mine), because she is showing interest in photography. Her sister and I have become sitting ducks, along with the next door neighbours dog. So she'll be putting in a few photos.

This is one of Izzys, a close up of her sister. It was a nice surprise to find this on my camera. It is awesome.

I'm off my meds now, and everything seems to be going ok.

There's so much happening between now and Christmas. The show, the kids birthday parties, the Christmas pageant, end of school concert. We'll get there in the end, just have to meet things as they come.

We've just gotten the Gymnastics concert out the way this past weekend, done and dusted. One to cross off the list. Isabel is starting pre competition classes in a couple of weeks. Apparently she 'has it'. I hope she enjoys it. If not, she can go back to normal gym classes. That's OK.

I hope you all have a great week, and remember to meet life as it comes. I am trying not to stress about what's ahead, because really, it will be just fine.

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Broccoli and stilton soup

You can beat finding absolute bargains at the supermarket. While doing my last big shop, I bought two packets of Stilton cheese. At their usual price they were $10.98 each, I could not leave them there for $1.10 each. They were swiftly put in the freezer upon arriving home.

Being an imperfect housewife, I still had a head of broccoli in the bottom of the fridge that was threatening to turn a lovely shade of yellow. The only thing I could think of to use it all at once, was soup.

The weather goes up and down like a yo-yo here in the south at the moment. This particular day, like today, was around 16 degrees. Yesterday it was 28! So soup is still acceptably on the menu, for me anyway. 

Izzy even had a go at the broccoli soup (without the cheese). Shock of all shocks, she enjoyed it. Win, win.

It wasn't until I was about delve into it's warmth, that I remembered the cheese in the freezer. I chopped a bit off and garnished the soup with it. It was heaven.

Stilton cheese isn't for everyone. It one of the 'blue' cheeses, or stinky cheeses and not loved by all!

I must blog my caramelised onion, stilton and rocket flatbread soon. It is delicious, so will be given a spin in the kitchen again in the near future.

Broccoli soup with Stilton cheese

1 head of broccoli, chopped, stalk and all
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
half and onion, or a small onion, chopped
2 bacon rashers, chopped
1 large, or two medium potatoes, chopped
about 5 cups of water

Gently fry onion, garlic and bacon in olive oil, until onion is soft.

Add broccoli and potato, then add water to just barely cover the veggies. You may not need all five cups of water. It is better to add too little, than too much, as you might end up with a watery soup. I like my soup thick. If it is too thick for your liking, you can always add a bit more water or even milk to make it a bit more creamier. The potatoes however give it a creaminess.

Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Blitz with a stick blender, or however you blitz your soup.

Serve in a bowl with a tablespoon of crumbled Stilton cheese scattered on top.

Yummo. I love the way the cheese melts through the hot soup :)

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October blooms

The garden is going great guns right now, with new flowers coming out everyday. It's a task keeping the water up to it though, it's been so dry.  Yesterdays rain was a welcome relief.

This is the first time I took my new camera out for a test run. At the end of my old cameras life, I took photos in manual mode pretty much all of the time. I didn't want to stop with my new camera, and well, I needed to jump in the deep end to make mistakes, to learn how it worked.

It frustrated me at first, but I am getting the hang of things slowly. I do still have to think about what I am doing and which buttons to push and tweak. Sometimes I am just staring at the bloody thing thinking, now how did I just do that?