"No reading at the breakfast table"

This morning's paper greeted me with a story about how families are going back to basics.  This looks good, I think - embracing the simple life.  Apparently it's not just anecdotal - actual research is showing that we're more interested in home cooked meals and riding bikes and learning to sew. So to illustrate this news, the article opens with two little girls learning to make their own ravioli. "Families are embracing life's simpler pleasures, writes Paul Bibby. IT IS Thursday night at the Lewis household in Hunters Hill and the family are eating in. Clustered around the table, Ruby, 7, and Holly, 5, are learning how to make spinach and ricotta ravioli from professional cooking instructor Patricia Phillips - painstakingly forming the parcels as parents Kim and Christopher look on." So this is apparently us embracing the simpler things in life.  TRULY????  Instead of eating out, we're getting a 'professional cooking instructor' to show our k

Listen, I know this is not news, but since when did we all agree that it was cool to make fun of men? I'm at the gym with my friend Alison yesterday morning, not quite awake, and we have the 'slightly strange lady' running our spin class.  Thankfully she is only filling in for a few weeks, but I had to leave the Monday class because I couldn't cope with her endless talking throughout the class.  She has a few 'issues' (nice way of putting it). Anyway (back to my story), in the middle of the class she starts going on (and on) about how the next track described the "men, husbands, boyfriends, brothers in our lives who all make promises and then don't keep them".  The song was a love song by a guy singing that his girlfriend didn't have anything to worry about because he would look after her. I think she assumed that we would all go, "Yeah, that's right - all men are bastards - you are such a funny lady".  No-one did (thankfull

Colm Toibin's book 'Brooklyn' is apparently much loved and has got great reviews.  I wasn't that enthralled by it. I liked it for about 3/4's of the way through it and then the ending was terribly disappointing.  Just wimpy. Set in 1950's Ireland, it tells the story of a young girl Eilis, who moves to Brooklyn for a job.  It's the story of her adjustment to a new life in Brooklyn and how she copes with the separation from her mother and sister.  It's an understated story - nothing too dramatic.  Just meanders along - pleasant enough.  But the main character's inability to stand up to anyone and her compliance with whatever situations come her way (whether she likes them or not) gets quite irritating by the end. Sadly, my least favourite book of the holidays.

Wow - yet another cutting edge topic for you my dear readers! I've been going grey since I was 22 (first year of teaching - I blame that bottom Year 9 class) so this is a topic I've been thinking about for a while. I like watching the TV book review show on the ABC called 'The First Tuesday Book Club' and I've noticed recently that one of the panelists, Marieke Hardy, is going grey and doesn't appear to be doing anything about it.  She's the 'young' panelist (she's 34) in comparison to the other contributors. I feel so heartened every time I see her grey hair that I think, 'oh maybe, I can let my hair just go'.  But then I look around and watch the world passing me by and so few women have grey hair.  The only ones that seem to have noticeably grey hair are those with a beautiful full head of white hair.  Not many patchy, in between people like me wandering around. My personal theory is that if suddenly all the hair colour ran out

This just made me laugh!

Our family have totally got hooked on the TV show 'Masterchef'.  In the show they have a variety of different competitions to test the skills of the contestants. One of the tests is a 'pressure test' where the contestants have to cook a dish in a short amount of time.  The problem with this pressure test is that I don't think it's much of a pressure test.  It looks pretty good to me. Here's why it isn't a real pressure test: 1. They can do it without a child crying. 2. They can do it without holding a baby at the same time. 3. They don't get interrupted to wipe a child's bottom. 4. They don't have to restart the crashed computer (where the homework due tomorrow is being worked on). 5. They don't have to spell 'meteorological' in the middle of it. 6. They don't have to cut out a tiny (very precious) shape with scissors that don't work properly. 7. They don't have to break up multiple sibling fights. 8. They

So, back from holidays.  Very refreshing.  Thankful for lovely time with my family.  Loads of washing on the line.  Time for a deep breath before the onslaught of another crazy semester of ... well ... I'm trying to not think about it too hard! I did have a great time reading (surprise, surprise, I hear you cry!) while we were away. Favourite book.  'So much for that' by Lionel Shriver.  (I reviewed her earlier  book a few weeks ago).  This is a totally different story to Kevin but I still really enjoyed it.  It's the story of a couple in their early 50's.  The husband has been saving up all his working life for an early retirement.  His wife is diagnosed with a fatal cancer and the aggressive treatment required to prolong her life uses up all his savings.  It is a complex relational story, but gives a depressing insight into the way the American health system works.   Shriver writes with a very black humour but writes in a way that reflects the reality of life.

Here's all the things that reading is better than (in our family): 1.  Gardening 2.  Interior decoration 3.  Shopping 4.  Having a shower 5.  Making a bed (my children) 6.  Getting dressed/putting shoes on/packing a school bag/brushing teeth/eating breakfast (most children) 7.  Sport (watching or playing it) 8.  Sewing 9.  Scrapbooking 10.  Sleeping But did you know that in our house you can read while you: 1.  Practice the piano (no joke!) 2.  Go to the toilet (especially tricky if you are a boy) 3.  Get dressed (very slowly) 4. Walk to school 5.  Walk home from school (usually a different book to No 4) 6.  Set the table 7.  Cook toast 8.  Watch TV 9.  Jump on the trampoline 10.  Fill up a drink bottle This is a snapshot of the desperate state of affairs in our house regarding books.  However, it can be quiet! Rowan and I knew we were meant for each other when our happiest 'dates' involved reading the Saturday paper together.  

Winter beach side holidays require some creativity from the parents.  So here's my 'big' effort for this year!  I bought this book from the school book club and went shopping for some supplies to accompany it. I like this book because for most of the craft ideas you only need paper, textas, glue and scissors.  However, I'm going all out and buying some felt, tissue paper and might (if I'm feeling brave) take a few paints.  Looking forward to it. My sister-in-law gave all the kids an Usbourne activity book for Christmas last year and they are fantastic.  Totally 'doable'.  And for me to say that they must be easy.  I am a lazy craft mother.  They usually work it out for themselves.  Often by fighting over what is in the recycling bin - oh dear!

If you are a MK and you haven't read this book - you should.  It will speak your language.  This book was fabulous because I saw what had been in my head down on a piece of paper.  That's always such a powerful experience. If you have a friend who is a MK you should read it.  My husband works with university students and found it really helpful in better understanding the MKs that he has met through his ministry. Does anyone have any other recommendations of books/websites that are helpful for MKs?

OK - so I'm now in my late 30's.  What is with the acne???  Very over it.  Have been expecting it to disappear for about 15 years. Still waiting.