My Kitchen Rules

Happily, my judges always give me two thumbs up.

We've really enjoyed an Aussie show over the past few weeks,  My Kitchen Rules http://au.tv.yahoo.com/my-kitchen-rules/.  Not only is it entertaining, but it's inspired me to try lots of new ideas in the kitchen.  Since I have the time, and Australia is full of beautiful produce, I've been experimenting with new dishes and baked goods - all gluten free of course.

So, for example, this weeks dinners have included sushi with smoked Tasmanian salmon and fresh prawns, tacos with fresh salsa and guacamole, beef kofta with a Mediterranean quinoa salad, baked chicken drumsticks with a parmesan crust and garlic mashed potatoes and, in honour of Saint Patrick's Day, Guiness, crab, asparagus and cheddar soup (my version soup I've had at he the Saint James Gate Pub in Banff), Irish Boxties (potato pancakes) with fresh basil, gluten-free  cheddar biscuits and bacon.
I don't have the pressure that the teams on the show do, but I do like to throw in the words "caramelize" and "reduce" as much as they do.  Check out the show and you'll know what I mean.

Of course that's a Guiness to go with the meal!

In other news, Oliver fell on a snake this week.  Really!  It was a little tree snake that had somehow gotten itself into the skateboard ramp where the kids like to play.  Oli jumped into off the ledge and landed on the poor thing.  It couldn't get up the lip and was basically trapped.  I watched it try to get out for a while, and then I, the girl who is petrified of snakes, got a branch that was lying nearby and helped it out.  Once it had the the branch to use it slithered its way up quickly - so quickly that I pretty well threw the branch into the grass before it got to the top.  Then we got the heck out of there, all the while thinking that I would never even notice if that snake were in the grass because it was so small and green.  Hmmm....

http://www.snakecatcher.com/greentreesnake.htm

Today, at the Koala Sanctuary, we all got to touch a 3 metre long Olive Python (it's about 1/2 grown).  It was really soft.  Adam said it felt like a nice pair of boots.  Is that the kind of thing you should say at a wildlife conservation place? After, Evan and Oli were stroking my skin and said that I was as soft as the python.  Is that a compliment:  Your skin is a silky as a snake?? Try that one out on your loved one and let us know what kind of reaction you get.

http://herpindiego.com/OlivePython.html

A Day at the Races

We went to the Brisbane Racing Club's "Dollar Day" on Saturday with some Aussie and Canadian friends.  It was very kid oriented, with games, ponies and classic rides.
Though it was a very hot day (we all huddled under an umbrella for shade), we had a great time and it was a very cool experience.  We put a few bets in, but no winners this time.

 I took my video camera. Hope you enjoy!

Sunday we had dinner with the Stroms, and they brought us an amazing treat: homemade ice cream.  Everyone got in on the churning, and then, of course, the eating. It was a delicious raspberry sorbet.  Thanks so much!

Ice, salt and lots of muscle!

The inner workings and raspberry magic

Ryan, Victoria, Oli and Evan - ready to scoop

Happiness!

The Gold, the Rad and the Ugly

I've been a little preoccupied lately, so the blog has been neglected.  Sorry about that.
Anyway, it's with good reason.  Let me break down the past couple of weeks according to classification.

The Gold

Evan and Oli at the Gold Coast

We finally made it to the Gold Coast a couple of weekends ago and while we were there I got some shots of Oli on the surfboard. Both boys are having a blast surfing and Adam and I love spending days at the beach, playing in the water.  We were talking about how in Canada, every summer we so look forward to our two week trek out to the coast and the fun we have playing in the Pacific.  Well, here it's the one hour "trek" every weekend...yes, every weekend to play in 24 degree water. I'm writing this more for me than for you, so when I look back I'll remember not to take for granted this amazing gift the ocean brings us.

Anyway, we saw Surfer's Paradise with it's skyscrapers and crowds, and then went a little further to a gorgeous spot called Currumbin.  There, the water was perfect for the kids to surf, and we could walk out to a giant rock where the really good (and I mean really good) surfers were.  I could watch them for hours.  They take a board and the waves and make absolute poetry.

Just behind the boys is where the advanced surfers drop in

On the way home we stopped at Mount Tamborine and had supper there.  It's a beautiful spot with views to the east of the Gold Coast, and to the west of more mountains and rain forest. We'll definitely return for more hiking.

Oli in his surfer stance

Riding the wave all the way in

Boogie board boy

The Rad

Oliver was the student of the week this week.  He got an award for his excellent listening habits and cooperative skills.  I know that every kid in the class will get this, but Adam and I are pretty proud of our little man anyway.  (At the school, each student of the week stands up at the front of the weekly assembly and gets a round of applause).

Another rad event is that I finished the kids' novel I've been working on for a while.  It was such a rush when I wrote the last word!  Now the rush is on to edit it - all 200 pages.  I'm going slowly but surely and should be finished soon.
I can check that "to do" off my list.  If it ever gets published, I'll let you know.

The Ugly

You can just see the top of Adam's cast behind Evan

If you haven't yet heard, Adam was hit by a car while biking home two weeks ago.  He's OK.   His bike was totalled, though and his wrist was still hurting after a week.  He went for X-Rays and, sure enough, it's broken.  He'll be in a cast for a couple of months.
On the up side?

1. The cast is water proof.   
2. The woman who hit him didn't flee the scene - rather she made sure he was alright and paid for a new bike and helmet.  
3. Adam was wearing a helmet and it could be an ad for why to wear one: it is done for. His head, on the other hand, is fine.

Finally, last Sunday we went hiking at a spot in D'Aigular National Park, just outside of Brisbane.  Because of all the rain we've been having (Google SE Queensland floods), the conditions were prime for leaches. Never, and I mean never, have we seen so many leaches, nor have the kids ever walked 8 kms that quickly.  It was an awesome rainforest walk...if only we hadn't had to pay so much attention to our shoes and the little buggers crawling up them and going in for the SUCK.  Was it worth it?  Ya - it was (see Oli's smile below).

Rainforest Trek