Another Master Chef.

Husband made these Dutch oiliebollen's tonight. His Opa used to make them and we soon discovered something was missing when we have made them before..the secret missing ingredient...Rum!

Master Chef Australia...

Today I was woken up to two little girls playing in their bedroom at 5:30am! Oh My God! A day off of work and this is what happens. I don't know why they woke up so early, but I think it might have something to do with Bondi the dog..my 5th child! He was bouncing around under Mia's sheets. That made me mad.

I shoved him out the door, poor dog, it was about 6degrees Celsius out there. I told the girls off, made them go back to their own beds and sleep.

Later on in the day I made salad and all sorts of odds and ends from the fridge were placed on the table for lunch. They all took whatever they fancied and et it all. We watched a funny movie on the telly and then I took Sarah to Target to get her an orange T Shirt for her performance this week with school. She will be singing "I can see clearly now..", I love that song.

When we returned from "Tar-Jay" with her $8 T-shirt, yayy for the 20% off the original price.. I began to prepare food.

Sarah peeled the onions, I do not know why but she likes doing that and she does not well up in the eye department when she carries out the task so I let her. The result of hard work and good preparation is what you see in the picture..lovely sausage rolls. Next time I plan to make some fetta and spinach triangles and tuna, corn and asparagus parcels too.

Added to this I also cut up a butternut pumpkin and added some onion and some stock and made soup. Enough for this week to take to work, and freeze some too.

The day threatened to rain but it did not eventuate. I was glad, because I washed all the sheets and covers and they all smell lovely being dried out on the washing line. Gave my poor little clothes horses a deserved rest :)

Busy week..

Tuesday through to yesterday I worked four afternoon shifts. Tuesday I was out at Parkville for the first time in my history of employment with the Health Group.
Tuesday was also the day that Melbourne had extreme weather forecast, and the forecast was unusually correct. My first time in charge of this facility was more than exciting. I was completing my diabetic medication round when strong winds, gushing rains and an electrical storm hit Parkville. I got the staff to move residents away from the windows of the dining room areas as trees threatened to break through. This proved to be a good move as the glass double doors on the lower level of the facility were smashed in and rain was coming through. Not just rain, but the gusting winds were also entering the lower floor aswell. Code Yellow was phoned through to switch. Security and bed manager had to come on over, through the storm, to secure the doors.
"Trust this to go down on my first shift here" is what I exclaimed, haha. Apart from that, the staff were awesome to work with and I just loved the residents. It was very busy, and even with the doors smashing, my time management was not thrown that far out of whack. I will return if needed in the future. It is a different type of nursing, not by any means a slower pace, but much different to the acute settings I have become familiar with these past 10 years or so.
Wednesday I worked in the Emergency Department. It was by far the busiest shift I have ever worked there. What is going on out there? 17 admissions between myself and my awesome male colleague.. we had 7 cubicles between us. My legs ached by the time my shift was complete, despite wearing my $200 Rockport shoes.
For the first time ever I ducked through a Drive Through Bottle Shop and bought myself a Strongbow Sweet Cider. Not the usual practice I can tell you. The attenant told me his "Mrs" was an ambulance officer, he said she had been to my hospital that night. I told him I reckon I probably met her on more than one occasion that evening. They do an amazing job too.
Thursday I worked with another awesome team of nurses on the Renal/Endocrine Unit. Absolutely busy, my time management planner worked well this shift. I felt good when I left work as everyone was settled for the night and their rooms were tidy for the night staff. Essential when and if you have a code and need to rush into a room. You do not need to be tripping over things that are left lying about.
Last night I worked on the Plastics/Trauma Unit. Worked with another awesome crew of girls. Each patient is so varied in their presentations to hospital, and in the operations that the surgeons perform for each of them. Care tailored is to each of their needs and discharge plans by the nurses and allied health teams. Run off our feet, thinking on all levels every time we do something for the patient. It keeps your skills up to date and not a shift goes by that I do not learn something on this ward.
When I got home I sat and watched some of the American version "So you think you can dance". Wow, they are all so amazing on this show, I only WISH I could dance like that!
That caps off my week of work. Today and tomorrow are rest days..if you can call looking after four kids "rest days"..yeah..right :) We may go for a drive up to Dayelsford or something. See my cousin before she has her 6th bambino.

Story of Inspiration..

Melody Gardot is a truly talented young woman. She is an American girl who had been hit by a car at the tender age of 19. She was riding her bicycle and took a hard hit to her head when a driver ran a red light in his Jeep Cherokee. Her pelvis was shattered in two places and spinal injuries meant she was in hospital on her back for a year.

Melody had to re-learn how to do simple things such as brushing her teeth and walking and to this day she needs a cane to walk. When performing, Melody sits on a special chair. Besides that, she also became sensitive to both light and sound and has to wear dark glasses.

Prior to the accident, Melody had been known to play piano a little. Yet, resulting from the accident, Melody could not sit, stand or walk right away. So, she lay in her bed and took up the guitar as a way to continue on the musical path. Now she writes, composes and plays so many lovely tunes.

We all know music is the Universal language right? But, it is also wonderful for the soul..and well, Melody sure does sing lovely! What a wonderful way to turn such a negative event into a positive one.

A very short advertising clip of Melody can be seen HERE. She is just sublime!

Seaspray, Gippsland, Victoria.

Over the weekend we went for a long drive to a gorgeous place in Victoria. The place is Seaspray, along the 90 Mile Beach. Yesterday was such gorgoeous weather too. Unlike days prior and indeed, unlike today's gale force winds and hail storms.
We went to visit an Auntie and her children, our kids got to meet their second cousins who were visiting from Darwin. This time we were researching hubbie's Dutch family Heritage.
His Heritage begins in Holland pre second World War. Opa was in the Dutch Underground and he was a real life Indiana Jones with the people he saved in any which way he could. The family came to Australia and were in quarantine in Gippsland the year before Melbourne held the Olympics.
Work was mainly labor, on farms and in factories. Life was difficult at first but everyone seemed to blend in after a few years residing in Australia.
The good thing about researching Dutch heritage is that there are log books from boat immigration and that in Holland, they have a register for every single person buried over there. The hard thing is translating it all into English, here is where we welcome the translator page on the world wide web.
Next thing to do is to go to the Immigration Museum in town to get pics of the boat hubbie's family came over on. Exciting huh?
The whole family had a great day beach fishing. We did not catch any fish, but it was just so relaxing and fun on a warm Winter's day :)

Exciting stuff...

FRIDAY'S HISTORY POST!!! Drum roll please....

A lovely day..

Today started off pretty good. I dropped the kids off at school. Went into the school office, they had lost the immunisation documents for two of my children. So I took the originals in for all four of my children and gave them over to the office ladies to copy. If there is some outbreak of some bug at the school then they send home all the kids that have no immunisation details on file. I am not that silly!
Then I went to my dental appointment. The new dentist is a lovely girl, she has just moved here recently from Brisbane.."Why ARE you in chilly Melbourne?" I asked her. She laughed.
The verdict after some Xrays is that I need to have my wisdom teeth out. Damnation, yukko! Will I loose my wisdom? That is the question.
I then went to my friend's house. We went for our bike ride to the Post Office so she could pay her car registration. I made a joke about us riding our bicycles to pay her car rego, LOL. We do ride all over the place. Last week, she had to start up her engine to "give it a run" because she rides everywhere now. People often ask us what is wrong with our cars. We have even had people ask us if we want a lift when we are clearly walking for exercise, HA!
The only crappy thing was the fact that people let their dogs poo all over the footpath in areas. And well, that "Sh%ts"me! Then there was broken glass, right on the footpath. Stupid people do it deliberately I reckon.
We had soup for lunch and had a good old yakk over a cup of coffee. Soon enough it was time to get the kids from school again. They have all had a great day today. The Sun was shining nice and hot. Perhaps I ought to pack the kids' hats in their school bags to keep the Sun off their pale faces at lunch time? Next term is the term they have to wear hats every day.
As Andrew said in his blog somewhere, the Sun has a bite to it at the moment. I will wear some sunscreen when I bike ride next.
Off to help the children with their homework now, maths month at their school means lots of fun activities at home for homework..a team effort is needed :)

Some nurse-ey advice...

Do not... swerve to miss a kangaroo on the road when driving a car or motorbike.. you may find yourself in hospital..oh and that roo? It just hops off..

Do, try to help yourself a little. I know that being a patient can be difficult, I have been there too, but it all begins with you trying and trusting your nurse.. ok :)

I have enjoyed my three mornings at work. I am very tired right now. I have given my all to every patient I have nursed. Learning mny new things along the way. You know what? I loved being praised by people..is that wrong? I got asked if I ever won a prize for being a nurse "ever" the other day. It made me think. I am quite happy with positive praise once in a while:)

Have a great sleep everyone..wherever you may be :)

Some jokes...

Little Johnny attended a horse auction with his father.
He watched his father run his hands up and down the rump and legs of each horse.
Little Johnny asked his father why he did this to each horse.. his father's reply was simple, "Because when I buy horses I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy them son".
"Well then, you have got to be worried then, coz it looks like the postie wants to buy Mum!"

If swimming is good or your figure then explain whales to me!

Two young boys walk into a pharmacy one day, picked out a packed of tampons and walked on up to the counter.
The man at the counter ask the older boy, "Son, how old are you?"
"I am eight", he said.
The man proceeded, "Do you know what these are used for?"
"Not exactly, these aren't for me, they are for him, my little brother. He is four years old. We saw on a TV ad that if you use these you can ride a bike and swim. Right now, he can't do either".


Hope everyone had great weekend, I worked two morning shifts..nuff said :)

Friday's History Lesson..a Brief One...

This, according to my Grandfather in our conversation last night, is where his Grandma was born and raised. It is the lighthouse at Portland here in Victoria, Australia. Otherwise known as The Cape Nelson Lighthouse.

My Grandad also said he has pictures, thanks to the museum up there in Portland, of his grandmother at age 4yrs. It is a picture taken out front of this lighthouse. There is also a picture of the whole damily that lived in that house, next to the lighthouse. Her father was known as Captain Eastland.

Next week I will be going up to my Pop's to scan the images and also receive information on our family history.

This lighthouse and the house next to it were moved along a few kilometres..Pop said they must have done it brick by brick because it is exactly as it is in the pictures he has.

I endeavour to find out more about this lighthouse and the dates and times that things occured...very exciting.

Tom's J rock Eisteddfod..

The performance the children did at the big arena in the city last week sure did pay off..they made the finals! Yep, for the first time they will perform alongside other schools on the big stage and also against High Schools too.
Apparently there were private schools there too on the day of the heats. They had awesome outfits and stage props..worth alot of money. But, our school got through. With parent's support (sewing machines and building props..and fund raisers) and teacher's free time... what wonderful news!
The school erupted when we heard the news.
Can't wait for the finals :)

A lovely day..

We were invited to our friend's place for a cuppa (cup of tea in Aussie slang). When we got there it was a renewal of vow ceremony. You see, Helen lost her wedding ring a few months ago and so she went and got herself a new wedding ring. She planned the day today by getting a Civil Marriage Celebrant to come to their home at 11am. On bended knee in their animal hospital, Helen greeted her husband and asked him to take their vows again.

Of course Dave said yes! A special group of friends and volunteers who help Helen and Dave at their animal rescue hospital were there to join in the celebration. But that was not all... Helen had also planned a two night stay away, a honeymoon if you like, and they took a flight to Sydney. No time to mill around.... But wait, there is always time to feed the babies! This is Mia, a joey (baby Kangaroo) and she has to be bottle fed every two hour. She takes 15mls or so of milk every two hours.

The only other time Dave and Helen have had together and as a rest from the animals is late last year when the show Random Acts Of Kindness came to make over their house and donate an animal hospital in their yard. Lovely people deserve a nice time together!

Tea at Grandma's..

Tea time with my Paternal Grandmother took on an old custom. Always sip tea out of a China cup and saucer set. I used to think I was very lucky when I had tea with my nanna. We also used to cook alot of "creative" cookies and eat those with our cuppa. I loved putting on an apron and getting up on a stool to help "create" something. One time, to get my big brother into cooking, my nanna said we were going to make "Star Wars biscuits". They were made of flour, egg, raisins, milk and some oats. They took on the look of a meteorite, and were as heavy as them too, LOL.

World's longest service...

So, my Pathfinder goes in for the 10,000 kilometre check up. When do I get the car back? Yeah, well, try 6 days later! Lots to do to get it right, including the scratch somone put into it while it was in the service centre!

Got her back, slick and nice... she drove like a dream to work tonight. Oh, and what did I drive this week instead??? A crappy little Nissan Tiida..or however you spell it!

CPR, and NO LIFT Updates at work...

I can officially suck face with a dummy! Joking! We use the valve mask and bag technique to resus the poor old dummy. We were also brushing up on the use of the defibrillator. Which is good, because some people did not know how to use it, and well, that is not a good thing. If you have the machine there you need to know how to use it and that is it.

We also brushed up on our No Lift techinnuques, keeping our backs and knees safe. Use of hoists and slide sheets too. I was the pretend patient, I laughed heaps!

What the?

Driving home from my night shift in the ED (ER) this morning I heard about "The worst terror plot on Aussie soil foiled" . All I could think of was thank the Gummy Mary for the Federal Police, Vic and NSW Police, and ASIO their diligence in monitoring.
AFP boss Tony Negus said: "Nineteen search warrants across Victoria have been issued leading to the arrest of four men, a series of other men have also been spoken to in relation to this investigation."
"A core investigation team of 150 people have been working on this job since January 2009. The search warrants are the result of a seven-month joint investigation after law enforcement and intelligence agencies identified a potential threat to Australia's national security.""Police will allege that the men were planning to carry out suicide terror attacks on a defence establishment within Australia involving an armed assault with automatic weapons. Details of the planning indicate the alleged offenders were prepared to inflict a sustained attack on military personnel until they themselves were killed."
"The investigation has also identified travel of Australian citizens to Somalia to participate in hostilities in that country." (3AW radio interview).

JUST IN on the ABC News site... THIS

Piss off to all terrorists, we don't want you here!

Now this is progress....

Until I sighted this image I actually did think I looked good on this day. This was at my friend's place February last year. We had a BBQ, it was a great day. The kids played with other kids, I joked laughed and sang with friends. At the end of the day I looked at that image, I could not believe it.

I have always had a healthy dietary intake. So what I had needed to do was to start a regime of slow steady exercise. The Activities I chose were walking and bike riding. I enjoy both of those activities and so it began. Just after this image was taken, I made sure I was going to stick with what was decided. If not for my children, for myself. "Self" being the operative word.

This image above was taken a few months on in my journey. I have to tell you I do not weight myself, I go by my clothes sizes..and how things get too big to wear. I now have compliments from people who I do not know, but who see me every day out on my course. It is refreshing and makes me feel proud. Best of all, when hubby and the kids tell me I am looking good.. I know I am on the right path.

This picture of me (yes, my profile pic) is six months ,and two dress sizes down, into my journey..a journey to beat Diabetes and Heart Disease which is inherent in my family, on both sides. A journey that has been a hard one at times, especially when I am tired from working night shift, from being mum's taxi to four children and sometimes, from the pain I get in my side due to an infection I had 3 years ago that almost claimed my life. The road is not smooth, I know when to rest and take stock. Learning to listen to my body and mind has been a journey in itself.

I am lucky that on the day of this image, which Tomas took, I had a pampering from a friend. She dyed my hair and straightened it, I love it straightened!

Now, as Andrew requested, I will be getting hubby to take a new image of me as. He is not home at the moment, and I shall post it as my new profile pic as soon as possible...I promise :)

I am grateful I am alive, enjoying this wonderful experience and being able to share it with everyone too. Alright, enough about myself, I am not used to speaking about myself like this people :)