Blogs, Sauce and Stuff

Aah blogs, they're funny things.  Sometimes updated and sometimes neglected.

Some people pop everything on them and share their lives and families (and there are a few of these that I regularly follow and enjoy).  Others prefer to keep families and personal details well protected and separate.

Even though I don't really know what this blog is, I think I fall into the second category.  The Mr prefers it to be that way too and I respect that.

There have been times when I've felt like posting about some of the things happening in our world, perhaps almost as a form of therapy, but I haven't.  And in retrospect, that is probably a good thing.

Hmmm, it probably would also have been as boring as bat poop.

Anyway, today I'm taking a little side step and sharing my Mum with you.

Yesterday I left at the crack of dawn, drove half way across Victoria and made sauce with my Mum.

My 4 siblings and myself don't enjoy bought sauce, as the only sauce we ever had was Mum's delicious homemade tomato sauce - not surprising considering Dad grew paddocks and paddocks of tomatoes for a living! 

Mum's sauce is a valuable commodity in our family.  It is bartered, hoarded, sometimes pinched and requires serious negotiations with siblings if you're to run out before February and the next batch.

And to be honest, I think we have taken for granted the fact that Mum makes it every year.

So how are we cooking tomato sauce in July?

Mum has cancer and has been fighting it now for 3 years.  It's a crappy disease.  The process of making mum's sauce is too much for her on her own.

We made a batch together in February which was great fun but tough with her chemo.  She was exhausted from just sitting and giving instructions.  Did I say it is an ugly little disease?

She decided to freeze (the mountains) of tomatoes that she had grown for another day.  This also allows other siblings to share the fun and make a batch too.

Yesterday we made some room in her freezer, pumped out 2 batches of sauce and went out to a lovely restaurant for a delicious lunch. 

Thanks Mum for a lovely day, for talking, for listening, for guiding and sharing.
You are an amazing woman.
We love you.
Jen x

S.M.I.T.S.

It is going to be a long day.

We are not friends - that purple fabric, my sewing machine and me.

I have self-diagnosed a serious case of S.M.I.T.S.

SEWING MACHINE INDUCED 

TOURETTE'S SYNDROME

Luckily the kids are at school.

A bit of bling!

I would so like to be showing off a big, sparkly diamond - the last one was in 1998 - but alas ....
Here at Ohjoh Manor it's school concert costume bling.

8 purple blingy dresses to be made today to match the 9 pink ones made on Saturday.

The blue and green are some waistcoats which need kid's names appliquéd on the back.
I'm throwing together (very roughly) the basic costumes and together with a group of mum's we'll decorate them with names, balloon shapes and ribbons.  Our preppies will look so cute.


SO today our house is sparkling (I could let you assume that my house was sparkling clean but that would be a lie - the only thing sparkling is the fabric on the table, on the floor, in the little dustballs that are blowing up the hallway ...)
the needle is getting blunt on the sewing machine and
the iron is getting sticky from the fabric
and all is quiet for me and the dog as the kids are back at school.

Hope you're enjoying things at your place
Jenny

On the ropes

As we go through life we come across all different types of people.  Some just click.
Lou is one of those people.
Our kids went to kinder together and Lou always looked so organised and fabulous as she dropped off her daughter and sped off to work.  I was usually pushing one through the door whilst wrangling a small, ferocious toddler and waddling like an elephant being pregnant with baby number 3, admiring her calm.
And as you get to know people over the years you get to know some of their story.  Which made me admire Lou even more.  She's wise, honest, funny and very entertaining (especially when watching her footy team play).
And then you find out something that you didn't know.
She's written a book and published it!  She's amazing that funny friend of mine!
I attended the book launch (best pastries ever tasted!) and wanted to share Lou's book with you guys.
It is a book about love, loss and the strength that gets you through.
I enjoyed it - smiled, laughed, and cried.
If you would like a copy you can get it here at Amazon or here at the Palmer-Higgs (the publisher)

Well done Lou - You're ACE!!

Jen x

Some clicking and clacking

It was an urge, a need.  An itch that hasn't been scratched for a really long time.

And luckily on a lunch trip to Kyneton we found a lovely wool shop (complete with couch for the not so interested Mr) where the kids and I hunted and foraged, admired and shared (sorry to the lovely patient shop ladies as there was a lot of wool loving from me and my kids) and all came home with something wooly to play with.

After a couple of weeks mine has turned into a long piece of green for the wintery mornings. 

It is a little on the skinny side but using 8ply instead of 12ply will do that I suppose.  

Hmmm, must keep that in mind for next time.... and maybe have the project first and the wool second...