27.6.08

you know it's cold when...

house builders in canterbury are all in denial.
they think we live in some kind of tropical zone.
still.
i see houses popping up left and right with no heat-pump attachment ( heat pump: only method of central heating here- it's kinda like reverse air-con, in fact it is; in the summer it doubles as air-con) on the outside and wonder what the heck.
you know it's cold when you open the fridge and then close it/open it again to see if the light comes on cos it just doesn't feel that cold in there.
you know it's cold when your water freezes on the inside of the house.
you know it's cold when you've left the heater going all day and it has heated your room to 12 degrees....
two lots of socks to bed.
the pirate is cursing us as we sent her off for the operation and she's been getting round with a great shavenpatch of bald. furless.
but inbetween we're lulled into false securities with balmy noncoatish weather. the bees are out (probably feeling a little ripped off when the sun buggers off really early & they're out trying to get a lift back to the hive).
winter in the temperates.
anyway, we've passed the solstice so as long as we keep chanting thesuniscomingback we'll be right (sorry all you northern-hemisphere folk).

in the real world: c is rapidly expanding his vocablulary to include adjectives such as eeeurghgh (i think means stinky) and his noun of the day is iiieyeeer (nappy).

p is busy translating

while i have been breastfeeding in random carparks while attending a small business course...

life as normal in la famille may-bouffandeau

xxx
mama b

23.6.08

yuletide warmth

happy solstice everyone!
whether it be 24 hour arctic sunshine on your longest day or the long night (with the long-johns) of the south, we hope you were warm and happy.
in the republic we warmed some wine to toast the sun's return: a subtle blend of sliced oranges, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, sugar and cheap red wine (don't feel obliged to use cheap red wine if you're following this recipe). we drank from earthenware cups; candles lighted (red, blue, green and yellow) to guide the faeries and garlic planted to ward of next seasons' colds.
other than the sun's tardy arrival into the day you'd never guess it was mid-winter solstice we were celebrating as once again 'twas unseasonally warm; we sunned ourselves on the terrace.
actually, that is how you knew it was the winter rather than the summer solstice: 'tis too hot to have tea on the terrace in the summer...
we wandered aimlessly for a bit on the saturday arvo in the guise of huntergatherers rather than ramblers, spotting olives rippening here, nude appletrees there and a chestnut inbetween, storing the information much like squirrels, for our next outing with bigger pockets/big bags :)
if it's on the ground...
xxx
mama b

20.6.08

tagged

i've been tagged.
one of my travelling girlfriends, lacey, tagged me.
i'm not quite sure what it means exactly other than i need to introduce ourselves- answer a few questions. which i guess is about time anyway.
so here goes:

citizens of the rara republic: complete the following questionaire:
One thing I don't like
:
  • b: soggy shoes
  • p: people that talk loudly
  • c: wind
  • the pirate: cheap cat biscuits
Three of my favorite foods:

  • b: olives/mushrooms/cheese...
  • p: cheese/good cheese/chocolate
  • c: left boob/right boob/left boob
  • the pirate: good cat biscuits/ butterflies/ bread off the lawn for the birds
My favorite recipe:

  • b: rocket and blue cheese somethingorother
  • p: the next one that b will do
  • c: see above
  • the pirate: good cat biscuits & rainwater, frosted.
My drink:

  • b: wine- i prefer a merlot i've decided
  • p: coffee
  • c: see above
  • the pirate: rainwater & butterfly tissane

The dish I wish I could cook:

  • b: souffle
  • p: something with meat
  • c: boob related, again
  • the pirate: something with bird
My best food memory:

  • b: arriving in beijing and being presented with all that great vegetarian street food.
  • p: cheese/wine/chips and chocolate: overinduldging after 2 weeks in the bush.
  • c: first boob of the morning.
  • the pirate: catching a big juicy rat and the giving it away to my fellow citizens.

We're not very complicated creatures here in the republic, are we?
xxx
b