When life is hard, you eat potato skins

I was peeling potatoes to put in the pumpkin soup that we are having for dinner.
And I remembered when I was a child my grandparents (my mothers parents) would visit from The Netherlands and stay for a few weeks. My mother hated peeling potatoes and had read somewhere that the most nutrients were just under the potato skin, so she would just give them a good scrub and rinse.
The first night my grandfather looks at his plate and says "What! are we in the war!" So for the rest of their stay we ate peeled potatoes. You see they lived through the second world war and lived in the city, for part of the war my Pake (my mums father) was in a work camp, when he was temporarily released and was told he would be called to go elsewhere, it was without his Id papers. So for the rest of the war he was hiding and couldn't legally work. My Beppe was a wreak by the end of the war, the negative landlady would tell her everyday "Jan is dead, I'm sure of it, you might as well find yourself a new husband" Each meal was uncertain and nothing was wasted.
My dads parents lived in the country on a farm, so they had better access to meat and veggies, but still nothing was wasted. When the farmers in that region were told they had to give their wheat crops to the Germans and not keep it for themselves, they burnt their crops. My grandparents did help people hide, on their way to another safehouse, these people took risks and life was hard.
My dad was born after the war, he remembers his father coming into the kitchen everyday before lunch and peeling enough potatoes for the family, (my father was one of eleven children) any visitors and all the hired hands that would have lunch with them. The war was over, they were blessed and life is not so tough now, that they had to eat potato skins.
Yesterday Zach went to hospital for dental work, I was anxious about the cost, even though I have extras cover. I worried about so many things, other bills, do I have enough milk, must remember to stop off at chemist for child nurofen, must make sure it's strawberry flavoured.
When I was chopping up the pumpkin and cutting off the skin and removing the seeds, I was thinking what a hassle, but I don't like tinned soup. Then I started peeling those potatoes, I stopped to think, I have a job, I have access to dentists, hospitals, medicine, schooling, supermarkets, electricity, entertainment even. We are blessed, life is not so tough, that I need to eat potato skins and I think my Pake would be happy with that.

Now I am going to enjoy my pumpkin soup, my baby put himself to bed at four and is still sleeping, not fully recovered, but all went well. Thank you for your prayers, Goodnight all x♥x♥

Shooting stars

Tomorrow Zach is going to get a lot of dental work done. A few fillings, his adult molars sealed, a tooth pulled and his teeth all cleaned.
A few weeks ago we tried to have the fillings done, we got as far a getting only a little of the local anaesthetic in, hysterics from your baby because the needle hurts is so upsetting.
So it was recommended Zach get all the work done under a general, because even if they could get all the needle in, Zach has to be still and not be bothered by all the dental work going on. I can't stand the sound of the drill and I don't have sensory issues, so it would be a major trial for Zach.
So tomorrow we are going to hospital for all the work to get done. The anaesthetist rang just before and went over a few things, we talked about keeping him calm. She had a nice voice, that so put me at ease.
Only problem is he is booked in for 12:30 so no food after 06:30, he doesn't even wake up until after seven. So I'm setting the alarm and will feed him some breakfast while is he is still probably half asleep.
I'm worried, I'm not sure how Zach will react to it all. He is seven, nearly eight, but he is my baby.
At dinner he asked "shooting stars are for wishes?"
"yes Zach they are"
"if you wish to be a anaconda, what would happen"
"I don't know Zach"
"I think it would work"
He has such faith that wishes on a shooting star would work, so I need to have faith everything will be ok. If I look back at my life, everything has always turned out ok.
Pray it all goes well, xoxo

lets go outside

Yesterday morning when I got home from work I took a few photos of some of my plants in my yard. first the divinely scented flowers by the front tap, I think they are jonquils.  

 

My lemon tree is so cheerful with all its yellowness


 

so are the daffodils

                        

My avocado tree is getting ready for summer salads.
I don't like avocados, but I do pick them and share with all my friends

                                I finished a beanie on the train last night

It was such a beautiful day, I slept until three, but I did spend some time outside with Zach after school. Here he is minecrafting.

 

He mopped a bit of the kitchen floor after dinner and wanted to make warning signs, so people walking through would know the floor is wet and slippery.

 

 

Spring! : )

I get worried, I get tired, I get anxious, I get busy, I let life overwhelm me sometimes, I don't write and then suddenly it is SPRING!
I am so excited, flowers are springing up everywhere and I so need to see flowers. The other day on a walk , Zach and I looked at all the flowers that were blooming. I showed him jasmine, I love that scent, daffodils are everywhere, rhododendrons are starting to show, we smelled daphne, I love that one too. My lemon tree is full of bright cheery yellow lemons that I keep giving away, I am so glad spring is here.
The last few weeks have been worrying , dentist and other appointments for Zach, but more on that another day. I am so glad spring is here, last night at work I was practically counting down to spring. Did I mention my birthday is in spring, I don't really like getting older but I do like having a day all about me! Lunch somewhere with friends will be nice.
I am on the train to work again, I like people watching, while I am knitting. There is a girl wearing a singlet, flexing her arms showing off to her boyfriend how big her muscles are. There is a guy wearing headphones, reading, occasionally he looks out the window and smiles, there is an older woman looking very studious, reading too, soon this train will get fuller as we get closer to Melbourne. So interesting , people are.
Hope you all enjoyed your first day of spring today! xoxo

Working bee

Zach and I went to the school working bee today, I worked my but off, raking mulch and other odd jobs. It was fun, Zach had fun too, he had a few other kids to play with.
I started chatting with one of the mums later in the day, her two oldest go the high school and she homeschools the younger four children, I think she is amazing to do that. I'm assuming she must be so organised. 
Her second youngest was playing with Zach and they so clicked even with a two year age gap. She was even making plans for Zach to visit. I'm like 'Whoa, let your mum work out when is best' I talked to her mum, she says 'that's the problem with homeschooling, they don't get enough social interaction' So we worked out, when I think Zach is due for a mental health day off school, we will visit. I love that Zach has made a new friend! and me too!
I was going through my photos the other day and discovered Zach took photos at Irish dancing. Cheeky Boy! 

The other week I bought some new mugs from kmart, they have combi-vans on them, cute hey! 

  

Four huge garbage bags full!

Today I went to a Irish dance class, I was invited by my cryptic crossword friend, She is very good! It was fun and on Mondays that I'm not working, I think I will be dancing. Zach can sit and watch or play on his ipad. Before the class started, he wanted me to turn down the ipad volume so the dance teacher wouldn't get upset by the noise. He dosen't realise the hard dancing shoes drown out everything.
Very excited, today I also got the program for next years concerts for the MSO (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) starting to choose which ones I'll go to.
Also looking online at whats on in darwin, I told my mum "just go and book tickets if you want" I've decided to book four weeks leave in the middle of next year for my Nullarbour trip and book tickets for the train on the way back. more time to save and also allow more time and go up to Alice as well and go see the red center too! plans and dreams
I am so nice and tolerant, Dim had left my spare room full of his crap since he moved out. I had asked him occasionally to pick up stuff. Now telling him. Sunday he picked up four huge garbage bags full of clothes and two boxes of stuff. He is a horder and was a bit overwhelmed by how much stuff he had left behind. The room still is chockers but he has started! What will I do with that room? more plans and dreams
Good night all xoxo

guilt f@#$*n guilt!

my parents have travelled to Darwin, they are visiting my oldest brother there. I have never visited Darwin and I haven't planned to in the near future either. I just got a text from the parents telling me to pick up my nieces from Brisbane next school holidays in September and take them to Darwin for the holidays and accompany them on the plane back to Brisbane when the holidays are over. the way it is worded is asking, but I know they telling.
I know my brother would like to see his daughters and Zach does like his cousins and I do have annual leave those school holidays and my brother hasn't seen his daughters since Christmas, Guilt F@#$%*n Guilt!
You see I had plans to go camping across the Nullarbour with Zach, just him and me and maybe a friend from work, on the open road, no constraints, no plans, freedom. Wildflower season, Whale watching, Treetop walk (maybe, heights freak me out!) Wave rock, Open road, No constraints!
But now, I am being guilted into spending my holidays with my brother and my nieces, I can't spend every day with them, they are very high maintenance girls. I want to be a tourist not a babysitter!