Mum's Lamb Roast!!!!!

I don't know if anyone else can categorically report that they can remember exactly what they ate every week night for their entire schooling experience (less the one term of boarding when our parents deserted us to travel abroad) but all of my closest school friends and my siblings can attest to such a fact. 

Mum had a system and with seven of us in the family and all with various before and after school commitments it meant that the kitchen fare was designed around a roster akin to an army barrack. 

Now don't get me wrong, I am one of the few people I know that had a hot breakfast every morning of my childhood. Great friends like Janet C and Libby J would ask to be included in the Sunday morning waffles and ice-cream or pancakes that would fill happy tummy's and start the Sabbath off "just right".

Each week night we had the same thing - i.e. Monday for 8 years we had steak and mashed potatoes with peas, Thursday night for 8 years we sat to a plate of steak and mashed potatoes with beans, and Tuesday night we were delighted with steak and chips. Now the blessed night of the week was Wednesday when we would sit down as a family to a hearty lamb roast that was so sweet and juicy plated up with vegetables that had been baked so long in the juices of the pan that they had softened, browned and caramelized into something that "Master Chef" gormonds would have yearned for! All this and the jam tart from the bakery near "Siriannis" served hot with an extra creamy ice-cream that was so frozen that it both melted into the pastry and tangy jam tart yet kept cold enough to send shock-waves through our baby teeth.

Tonight was a night that tugged on my heart strings, and at my deeper Limbic memory system eliciting memories of days of yore. My sister, brother, Mum and Dad along with my eldest son Alex sat around the table discussing the pro's and con's of today, my father stopped and asked if "as parents they had been good enough" "was I there enough for you" he asked. At the age of 86 (pushing 87) I expect he is reflectively regarding his own carbon footprint. The way I see it, as parents greatest our greatest asset is our children, and he was measuring up if we were proud of him.

My Mum was explaining to Alex all the wondrous things that they had done through there younger days, some things that she remembered of us kids at a younger age and recounted these vividly to my 26 year old, and a few horrific memories regarding me personally that she needed to share as a way of her own proud parenting.

It was a night that I don't think that I will forget, I night where we were collectively back in "Eltham" our family home, re-living past achievements and challenges. Flip, Bill and I were all absorbing the night in our own way (as family members' are apt to do), all I know is that when asked by my wonderful father if he was strict enough or not strict enough, I looked into his apprehensive gaze with amazement. He and my mother could not have given me a better childhood; were they strict - bloody oath, were they too lenient - well just enough to let us see that they were human. Would I change them for another set - not on "your Nelly". I love them as they are and would not have changed a minute of my life, this is why I am and who I am today!!!

Cross fit life - becomes a way of life or an addiction?

It has been one week since I walked into that warehouse down the road and saw fifty or so fit athletic happy people working out HARD! I decided to try it out and went down Monday night to see what this cross fit is all about. I have looked at some pretty amazing people who have so much strength and power and are tiny pocket rockets. They all have one thing in common, a friendly welcoming disposition that is quite infectious. It took me about 15 minutes to feel at home and to ask for advice if I needed, and by the end of the session I had been invited to the weekend BBQ get together if I was around. Not a common feature in many health clubs I have to say. 

Gotta tell you after that first night and that first hour I walked out again sweaty, exhausted but feeling a sense of inner strength that I didn't think I had. Firstly it is very, VERY professional; I was introduced to one of the owners who was running that nights class and he took me aside and spent 30 minutes instructing me on how to squat, how to swing a kettle bell, how to do modified burpies and then added me to the major cardio component of the class so that I could get a workout; and that I most CERTAINLY did.

I have been back twice more since then and each time felt secure in the safety of my body and yet got workouts that challenged me all the way to the end. At the beginning of each class there is a strength component that you take on at a sensible pace so that you can really load up the equipment to build strength without the fear of injury. After that you do what they call the WOD (workout of the day) a 3 element cardio section that either goes for a time period of say 12 - 18  minutes or you have to complete specific drills and when you finish you call out STOP! Everyone's efforts are recorded on a white board and at the end of the day a photo is taking of this board and the results and loaded up onto the website. You can track your fitness levels at home and see how you are progressing.  

Remember skipping folks? Yes this was day two and doing 100 at a time between a squat series and modified chin ups was a real heart starter... As for last nights box jumps, free floating abdominal crunches and overhead presses - well what can I say. This girl is going for broke and not stopping till all goals are met and all parties are danced at. Why don't you join me down at Burdett Street Albion in one of the sessions, they are on at 5 and 6 am, midday and 5:15 and 6:15 each weekend day and 7 and 8 am on Saturdays. I'll watch out for you and help you in your journey too.

Like a child in a candy store....

Now that I am doing half as much as I did, I find I am trying to fit in twice as much as I couldn't. Well grammatically that would have sent my English teacher spinning in her grave, but you all get the gist of what I mean.

Instead of being the mother to an eclectic  bunch of students I am now awash with space and time for myself. Needing to make up for the last 6 years of laziness I want to throw myself into whatever opportunity knocks and I hope that I don't use it wisely, instead go on GUT FEELINGS that might be good for my body, mind and soul. 

Did you know that there are an amazing array of fitness opportunities out there for those who do not wish to sleep longer than 6 1/2 hours (God knows why anyone needs more than that anyway!) AND I plan to source out them all.

Currently I have been using the well worn 7 kilometer hill trek invented by the most "bodacious"  Foxy Oxies  on their sojourn to fitness and fund raising for Oxfam. Now this loop takes between 45 - 75 minutes depending on how hard you "go at it" and I am almost certain that the home-owners would prefer that they had never purchased these magnificent homes overlooking the Brisbane river, or that they had set up treacherous mine fields to keep us all out or remove us in some beastly, well thought out violent feat! They wake most mornings to the sound of gaggles of women excited to be alive and well and devouring what the world has to offer for the day. And I am proud to be one of them!! 

I am off and attacking that mountainous circuit twice a week and feeling the benefits of it on my cardiovascular system and on how freaking great I feel when I get home.

Thing is - when I was out there THIS Saturday morning there was a lot of "hooting" "howling" and "go on - you can do its" coming from an industrial shed not 50 meters from home. I stuck my head in to see about 50 fit, active and sweaty people laughing and encouraging some poor souls whilst they were pushing through the pain of "the 100 burpy set". Punishment for showing up late I was told (mental note to self!!!).
Tomorrow night sees me marching down there and seeing what Crossfit lift is all about and diving into it with both feet. Trust me you will be the first to know.....

The new year and the end of a tradition

So in comes 2013 and I sit back now only weeks since selling my family home and moving to a "rental" and it finally has dawned on me that I am on a sea-change towards a totally different lifestyle...

I can only remember waking to a home filled with International students' all vying for the use of the toaster, juggling glasses of juice or heating milk to be mixed with chocolate powder and then dipped with Nutella laidened bread, all using their English skills as best they could.

Now when I wake I go for a walk around the hilly streets of Albion and Hamilton reflecting on what the day will bring, my days client work-load, what I will feed my growing 15 year old for our evening meal. At the end of the day I finish up my clinic, write up my notes for the day and walk down the hall to pour a glass of wine or perhaps a gin and tonic and sit on the porch watching the lights of the city start to twinkle as the evening draws nigh, and why I am NOT stressed! 

Don't get me wrong, I simply loved the interaction with my students' and learning daily about the lifestyles and cultures of the many Nationalities that lived under my roof. It is just that I am trying to understand where my journey is taking me. It is remarkable how I can be sitting here now not having to get up to answer questions about train travel, go downstairs to retrieve another loaf of bread or fresh milk, explain again the use of the washing machine. Sitting at night watching a DVD and chatting to Harry is a foreign to me and the many sons and daughters that have crossed the mantel of my house from so many cities.


 It is time for me to become more reflective and maybe anyone out there who actually reads my blog posts will follow me on this new journey.

The Lord said something about Sunday and rest!!

When I was young I distinctly remember sitting with other children in a small timber room off the side of our local Church. Here we listened to our large, friendly Sunday School teacher telling us  many scriptures from the bible. One that holds some water is that the Sabbath should be a day of rest. Well for me it is more like the day of refresh and routine.
As you know I have many students' from many countries who share my home and each group of "children" seem to take on  their own "energy". This means that I can often be making huge breakfasts of eggs, bacon, toast, mushrooms etc. that would make any Hobbit envious, or other times the house will be silent till late in the day when they emerge from their rooms in various states of sobriety.
Either way I love my Sunday routine as it starts my day off as a re-charge, I get up mostly a little after the sun peeks through my blinds, which is usually around 6.30am. Jump out of bed, feed an urging cat and bolt down to the Nundah farmers' market. Now my particular market is only little maybe a dozen stalls, so there isn't the competitive edge that others have, but it does lend itself to that family type feel. Still the fruit and veg is super fresh and more than enough for me to fill my fridge for the week to come. Each Sunday lends itself to what my meal options will be and this week says vegetable ragout, crispy salty Kale chips, fresh strawberries soaked in Grand Manier dusted with icing sugar, and something with those funky purple carrots.

After I roam through this hallowed ground I sneak up to the local Restaurant called Jam where I sit in the sun, read the morning paper and sip my Soy Flat White. Occasionally I stay there and get a very decadent breakfast of eggs and very, very occasionally I order something that usually widens the small eyes of a child near me. Today was toasted Waffles with caramel banana sauce, strawberries and vanilla ice-cream, you should have seen to 6 year girl and her face when it came to my table. Needless to say that is Exactly what she coaxed her mum into buying for her too.
As I said this is my re-charge day, one where I don't care what my children from around the planet are up to. Today is all about me!!

Survival Strategies 101 #2 Complacency

12 hours a day of aerobics at a
Network convention on a bowl of soup

So one of the other biggest issues of starting out afresh is keeping up the efforts and not falling into that dreaded state of complacency. It is a very easy thing to do and if you don't set good goals then you fall onto that slippery slide of idle self indulgence, or whatever that means to you.
Once I had embarked onto the new me within the fitness industry I had the opportunity to buy a Fitness Centre in the city. This took a great portion of my savings to do and once in I wanted to brand it as my own. 

BODYLINE AEROBICS

This involved pulling down the stage no one is more important than the other so we all grape-vined around the room at the same level. We added walls and whilst it was a "ladies only" gym when I purchased it, I quickly changed all that to include the other "specie" provided them with a selection of free and pin weights and for us gals some exercise bikes and stair climbers.


This was a family gym and had all the warmth of a friendly home including the breakfast muffins that I would bake at 5am and bring in for the early birds who liked to blast away a few calories before work; monthly we would have chicken and champagne for the lunch time attendee's and in the evenings occasionally put on something of a show. That way I knew that both the members' and the casual attendees were keen to get to us and work towards their own personal goals. We facilitated both their direction away from complacency and kept me on tract.  

under the sea

This was also a place where I raised my two eldest children, Alex was in Grade 4 and Lizzie in Grade 2 and would be taxied (literally) by one of a few cabbies from EJ Kids Care into the city. Sometimes via MacDonald's for a junior burger or directly to Bodyline and get beautiful salad plates from the downstairs take-away. The two spent many hours chatting to sweaty fitness participants, doing their individual weights programs or getting ready to school balls. This was always a high light for the staff who adored them and love to help them prepare for the big events. 
The kids would often curl up inside upturned Aussie Step boxed and fall asleep whilst we would train models to do complex aerobic moves for fashion shows. Then be carried up to the car by some burly muscle-bound gym-junkies so that I could take them off to bed.
These were wonderful times looking back at them now, but they were "bloody" tuff back then. Many a night would see me in bed way after 2 and up again at 5am to start it all again. I was very strict on my income only taking the barest amount to keep the business profitable. This meant driving a "death trap" but more on that beast later.
I had a solid plan that I stuck to with my goals and tried NEVER to deviate from them. I think that this worked out as we stayed in profit and had loads of happy patrons and energetic, fabulous staff. 

Our release was the Friday afternoon relax and Chardy's, then either complete hair colour changes courtesy of Clairol or ridiculously long acrylic nails. Then the inevitable drawing of straws as to who would take the 5pm aerobic class. Are those were the days!!!!

Global warming and my slant on it!

Some may think that we are going to save the planet by saving the polar ice caps, others feel that we should cease all logging and tree culling in the Amazon whilst there are those who believe in the hefty debate around green house gas emissions and the need for carbon tax. I view a way to keep this planet going from a different slant and that is one of cultural awareness. 

To me this doesn't mean social tolerance though it does help in the big picture, it should be all about communication, understanding and open-mindedness. The best way that I have found to achieve this is through living with the many, many students' from other countries that have slept under my roof, dined at my table as members of my family and played with my kids. The same ones that ring me to wish me Happy Mothers Day or Facebook me at Christmas time.



For the last 20 years, off and on, we have opened our doors to students from countries including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, China, Chilli, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, France, Switzerland, Togo (Africa), Germany, Italy and Saudi Arabia. Most of these have been in the last 4 years and occasionally taking as many as 4 students at a time (to help out the English Schools for the odd disaster), which sometimes means that Harry does spend the odd night sharing my bed. 

Now many people ask "how can you possibly have strangers in your house", or "what about doing all that cooking" they say, "when do you get any time to yourself" is also a common question. Well yes there is definitely some negatives in having this kind of lifestyle, currently I have one boy who eats nothing but Chicken or eggs, one who hates vegetables and a new boy who is simply terrified and home-sick (which should ease in a few more days). But let me tell you the benefits far out way the toil in the kitchen, driving to and from trains at all hours and the many, many Lone Pine visits. 

Sitting around the dining table and talking about each others families, how and what they eat, saying 
'grace" in all cultures and more funnily teaching each other how to say the others "grace" is priceless. We have many hours of laughter, great BBQ's, some wonderful meals prepared for me such as Okonumiaki,  Sushi, Kim Chi with the hottest Korean dish I have ever eaten, even traditional Spaghetti Bolognaise from Fede the gorgeous Italian boy and some amazing cheese ball thingo's from my wonderful first Brazilian Luiz. He is now married and is a father to twins, and had sent me invitations to the wedding, and photos of his children (one in Utero and the other photos once born) -  I am the Aussie grandmother and still his Aussie Mum.  


My family has been very tolerant of my need to find ways to make ends meet by taking students but they have got far more value than any financial security that comes with this endeavour. The school system couldn't offer anything so detailed and interesting, when you sit and share Xmas with as many as we have, to barrack with them at a Reds V Waratahs game, or eating pizza and drinking red wine whilst yelling at the State of Origin. The option of teaching my kids how to swear in a dozen languages, whilst we teach them how to "crack" a stock-whip or even discussing the Koran Vs the Old Testament with a Saudi and coming up with both healthy debate and agreement of sorts is something that you just can't put any price on. 

Alex, Lizzie, Harry and I are no longer afraid of what might be out there, we believe in seeing things at face value, call a spade a spade I have always said. If you are an idiot if isn't selective on race, culture or creed, it seems to be determined upon lack of awareness and the inability to sit side by side with anyone on this globe and just simply "chewing the fat".


I also believe that we have touched each one that has spent time with me, my family and the others under this roof.