Lisette in the Doubles

Lisette reached double figures on the 23rd of February. Mark and I got up just before 6am to prepare for the mornings events; everything is moved forward here as we all have to be at School or our respective work places by 8am which doesn’t allow for a very leisurely Birthday Morning. Still we managed to fit everything in.

Lisette was delighted with her birthday gifts especially the jewellery box and I though hate to admit it the Nintendo DS game her brothers chose for her! The other big hit was the quilting materials her Aunty Beth her; the buttons had a particular tick of approval. Pop and Ann also sent quilting materials a theme is beginning to emerge.

Lisette had put in an order for crêpes and maple syrup for the Birthday Breakfast, and was not disappointed as you can see.

Mark and Lisette cooked Yvonne’s no fail chocolate cake on Sunday afternoon for her to take to school and share with her class, this afternoon she reported that the cake was a terrific hit with everyone even her teacher who was caught by the class have a secret nibble. Darcy and Lewis were most disappointed that there was none left for them.

In the Evening Mark and I took Lisette out at Dinner at Macasins we ate Oysters Kilpatrick with an ocean breeze in our hair, and a view of the Arafura Sea. We were also joined by a black cat that appeared to live at the restaurant.

Lisette thought that the cat was gorgeous and thought the idea of a cat living in a restaurant was a perfect idea for a kid’s book, which I guess it is except that it probably breaks every by-law ever enforced by a Health Inspector ooh listen to me don’t I sound PC.

Lisette had a lovely day Thank you to everyone for your lovely gifts.

Lisette celebrated her 10th Birthday with 5 new friends from school at the Nhulunbuy Public Pool, the day was spent escaping from the heat beneath a large tree with shiny dark green leaves and an incredibly dense canopy and in the cool of the pool.

A blanket full of all Lisette's favourite treats kept the kids fuelled in between swims. Lisette had a lovely afternoon.

At the end of the party when we were packing up to go home Lisette uncovered this awesome tropical bug and believe me it was as big as it looks…..like fill the palm of your hand big.

The Flying Kangaroo and a Book Thief

Last Wednesday 11 February the Kids and I boarded a plane at 8.10pm destination Darwin. The flight usually takes 50 minutes; this should have seen us disembarking at around 9.00pm.

Fortunately for me I had a great new book to pop my nose into and it came as quite a surprise to me when the Pilot informed us we had been circling for 30 minutes, further he added that the in-flight computer was not functioning and we would have a high speed manual landing, we would need to use the full length of the runway to pull the plane up!

Yes its sounds exciting doesn’t it…it gets better the landing was pretty rough I’d describe it as a “smack down” …… we were going really fast and I mean really fast I was looking out the window as we passed the first runway intersection 2 fire engines lights flashing were waiting and started to follow us at the second intersection 2 more fire trucks were standing by they also followed by the time we pulled up we had a procession of emergency vehicles all around us. They were not required thank goodness.

As we prepared to disembark the Fight Attendants dulcet tones treacled into the PA "Thank you for choosing to fly QANTAS your safety is our highest priority" and nothing more was offered.

Do you want to know what I was reading? “The Book Thief” for those who know the novel the sky was the colour of Chocolate.

We had been told of the legendary “Sweet Heart” an estuary crocodile that stands frozen in attack mode in the Darwin Museum thanks to an impressive bout of taxidermy. He is certainly an imposing specimen. The picture I took of Lisette and the Beast was taken before I saw the no photographs allowed sign oops!
We also visited the Maritime Museum which was full of incredible traditional crafts that sailed to the North of Australia from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea check out the boys posing with, as Darcy called them “Noahs Arks”! (not be best technical effort of my behalf behind the Camera with Darcy’s shot)
The rest of the time in Darwin was spent pool side at the resort we were staying in, having a splash, reading books or just watching the clouds float bye.

The flight home was a peaceful affair we were in the air by 6.30am here are some shots of the spectacular scenery visible from 33 thousand feet we are certainly camped right on the edge of Australia.

A box of Bananas, a box of Cassava and big leaf!

Last week I asked Mark to bring home a box of bananas from the plantation as he would be out that way for work. I had a particular picture in my head about what the size of the box would be, much like the size of one of those mango boxes you get about 12 to 16 mangos in.

The actual box was substantially larger than this and contained around 100 bananas, not a quantity that even the most avid banana eating family could consume before going off.

Yes you are right half the bananas are green, I too was much comforted by this fact given the sheer numbers, but alas it took three day for the green ones to turn to yellow, I keep asking “who wants a banana” ............in the first few days we were all taking up the offer eating three or four a day but by day four the enthusiasm had dried up and not even half the box is gone! Lucky for deep freezers and banana cake, though it’s hard to imagine how any of us will feel about consuming any product containing banana for at least a month!

The other box contains cassava you may know it as Tapioca or Sago. I think we used to call it Taro in PNG but I’m not sure. Apparently you treat it much like a potato when it comes in this root form, although I don’t think you can bake it. It doesn’t keep long out of the ground but can be stored in the freezer in the same way that ginger can. I’ve yet to cook with it but is safely stored in the deep freeze it’s recommended for curries as it takes up the flavour of the sauce very well, we shall see. Check out the giant leaf Lisette found on her way home from school she said it was the biggest gum leaf she had ever seen. It came from a flowering gum of some description. The flowers were a spray of soft pink fronds cascading out of large seed pods, Lisette and I both agreed that it was the a perfect house for a Arnhem Faerie.

Hooray Spinach came on the barge today. I have been here a month have not been able to get spinach anywhere, I was beginning to despair that I would have to give up my passion for spinach and transfer it to some other vegetable, but all is well, spinach was at the supermarket.

But what to cook? Answer Spinach Eggah a recipe from my middle eastern cook book, it used to be a very useful recycled book and lived its life on the shelves of the Wagga Wagga City Library at 641.5956 BEN but now thanks to a discard policy it lives in my kitchen receiving well loved thumbing from buttery hands and the odd sprinkling of bread crumbs and flour.

Recipe Spinach Eggah
A pared down version from Middle Eastern Cooking by Suzy Benghiat

500g frozen spinach (thawed)
Salt
60g butter
Heaped tbsp flour
120ml milk
60-80g tasty cheese
Bread crumbs (for coating the baking dish)
5 eggs
Pepper ground nutmeg and allspice to taste

1. Place spinach in frying pan with the butter and cook on a moderate heat until all the liquid has evaporated.
2. Sprinkle in the flour and mix until combined add milk and blend
3. Add in the grated cheese a (good sharp one is recommended) mix until combined
4. Add pepper allspice and nutmeg to taste
5. Set aside and allow to cool
6. Prepare a shallow baking dish (needs to be of capacity to be ½ filled with the mixture) rub with butter and thoroughly coat with dry bread crumbs shake of excess
7. When the spinach mixture is cool mix in 5 whisked eggs pour into prepared dish
8. Cook in a preheated oven 180 degrees for about 35 mins.

This dish is great and even Darcy who is not a fan of spinach freely gave his approval. Lewis said it would have been good with Fattoush or Tabbouleh.

No picture today as the dish was consumed without a trace and I’m not too good with this blogging thing yet! The next time I cook it I’ll be sure to add the pictorial evidence.

A little less conversation a little more action

This morning Lewis decided to feed his inner Elvis…By making "Fool's Gold " apparently Elvis Presley’s favourite sandwich

Recipe
4 slices of toast
6 rashes of bacon
Peanut butter
Jam

Spread the toast with the peanut butter and jam, wack on bacon between 2 slices of toast ...enjoy or have a heart attack what ever comes first!

Sounds terrifying.... but both Lewis and Darcy love them. They first started to make them after Adam Hills show cased one on “Spicks and Specks” Below the chef at work.




It should be noted that Elvis made his out of a hollowed Vienna loaf and filled it with a jar of jam, a jar of peanut butter and 1kg of bacon we do not go to these extremes here!

Darcy has become quite the bike mechanic since we got here, he is so clever. He has changed tyres, replaced brake pads and fitted new peddles. Mark and Darcy went out for a ride yesterday... check out Darcy’s smile; I warned him it would be going up on the World Wide Web ……. But as you can see he’s a fan of the cheesy grin!

The ride was a substantial one..... this is what Mark looked like 15 minutes after they got back!

Look at the state I’ve got myself into, this house work business is enough to drive you up the wall. Lisette recently captured me in a state of high anxiety…..and yes the iron is on!

I was in the process of trying to hem some IKEA curtains with you guessed it no sew heat fix, it took me almost as long as it did to construct one of their…. "for dummies just like you" , click clack you’ll get the knack easy to assemble flat pack beds!

Despite the initial hurdles the curtains got finished but only after I ditched the easy option and got my sewing machine out. Good old "Singer" she whistles while you work or at least hums.

December In Melbourne and Newstead

The kids and I spent December in Melbourne and Newstead.



We were at Mum and Dads for Christmas (the house pictured is not my parents but Lisette thought is was great she called it the "Blue Disco House"!) and then a visit with Kerry and Ann.

Lewis and Darcy learnt the art of washing and drying from their Pop a skill they have yet to put into regular practice here in Nhulunbuy which is a shame as we have no dishwasher.

Lisette and Ann went for a splash at the local pool; I ate ice blocks because I forgot to pack my swimmers.

On the 29th of December Mum, Dad, Bonnie and Beth drove us to Melbourne Airport for the flight to Cairns and then onto Nhulunbuy. The Airport was an everything occasion with happy, sad, excited, apprehensive, love and best wishes all turning up for the event.

We had a 6 hour stopover in Cairns before we caught the connecting flight, we took a trip into the city centre and walked along the ocean front.

Darcy brought himself a pair of “CHIPS” sunnies what a classic, who would have though the seventies, would be back!

Lewis found a Rip Curl singlet, Lisette ate Gelato and we all melted!

A Place to Start

The Oceans here are endless you certainly know you are living right on Australia’s North edge the sky hangs suspended above and the land empties itself the Arufua Sea and ultimately the Gulf of Carpentaria it’s a truly awesome sight. Above Darcy, Lisette and Mark having a WOW moment.

Shady Beach (pictured) is about a half hour drive from Nhulunbuy near a Banana Plantation the bananas and paw paws we buy from there are exceptional they also sell sweet potatoes, but I have yet to sample them.

There are little islands dotted all along the coast. Sometimes it feels like if you had giant pogo stick you could island hop and hop and hop.

The wild life is abundant Red Crested Cockatoo, lizards, ants of every colour and size. Lisette and I have spotted a dolphin and 2 stingray as well as tiny tetras and larger black and white striped fish, it’s everywhere crawling under your feet, swimming in the sea, living in your house.

Sadly there appears to be unstoppable population of Cane Toads. Mark and the kids have a new found hobby Cane Toad Eradication and even I have joined in squashing the small toads on the walking track on the way to the shops. They are horrid and so toxic.


Lisette loves “her Jungle” the garden is lush filled with coconut, Mango and frangipani trees there is a fan palm which I particularly like and many other plants that I have no knowledge of and so can’t name them…. needless to say its all green.