Today I did something I rarely do, and I mean rarely. I bought pre-prepared chicken ‘nibbles’ from the supermarket deli. These were labelled as being in an Indian marinade, ok, let’s try. I have been so under the pump lately I thought I’d give them a shot. I know I’m a bit fussy when it comes to food, but I won’t do it again. I had harvested some of our beautiful, beans, potatoes, lettuce, eggplant, last of the broccoli, garlic and had the last of last year’s pumpkin and sweet potato that needed to be used so I thought a chicken salad with roasted veggies would be nice.
I roasted a red capsicum, last weeks eggplant, potatoes, sweet potato, a zucchini, pumpkin and a head of garlic. I then cooked the chicken, tore up the lettuce zapped the broccoli and beans for a minute in the microwave. I made a dressing by blending the roasted eggplant, roasted garlic and some greek yogurt plus a little of the roast capsicum. The vegetables and chicken were assembled on my favourite turkish bowl and dressed with the sauce before eating.
Loved the veggies but I wasn’t thrilled that I’d taken a shortcut buying this chicken. For so called Indian flavour there was a lot of coconut milk and not much else.
4 weeks in to the exteno.
Well, the exteno has been going great guns. Thrilled with our builder and his team, this makes the whole process so much more enjoyable and less stressful. Unfortunately we are hitting that time of year when everything stops for a while. The frame is pretty much done,
The side verandah brick pier has been bricked and the column that was on the rear verandah has been reused on this new section.
A fairly large portion of the eave lining has been done.
There has been a lot of site clean up, covers put on the lining so it isn’t as exposed to the elements and old flooring from side veranda removed to make way for replacing. We just have to wait patiently now for the New Year so it can hopefully continue in the same positive way.
And speaking of waiting…..
This time 29 years ago we were watching an Elton John Concert following one of the funniest ever Hey Hey it’s Saturday episodes. It was an anxious time awaiting the arrival of our first baby, due to be born on the 15th December 1986. At 2.07am on the 15th December I went into labour and later in the day our beautiful baby girl came into our life and stole our hearts. She has been there since that moment and we now await the birth of her first baby due on 3rd January. I am so proud of her (and the other 2, have to be fair!!!) and if she’d given me permission, I’d stick a photo up but I haven’t had the go ahead so I will put up a picture of the nursery that awaits some little person to fill its spaces and I’m sure my daughters and husband’s hearts as she did ours. Happy birthday Embo, Love you to bits!
Update, here is the beautiful mum to be!
Sniff sniff…beautiful words…sniff
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She’s your daughter too you know! 🙂
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What an exciting time for you — and a time of enforced patience!
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Hi Anne, becoming a master in the art of enforced patience!
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How exciting, exteno progressing well and grandbaby on the way. My mom’s birthday is the 15th! Happy Birthday to your daughter! As for the chicken, you can’t win them all I guess. Your meal looks and sounds delicious nonetheless.
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Hi Gretchen, happy birthday to your mum too. Meal was great overall. Cheers, Maree.
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She looks like you Maree. Two babies- a new house ( sort of) and a little baby all at the same time. You will love your new life- as grandma, nanna, Bodicea or Babushka. The house project is coming along very nicely. Best wishes to Embo for the big day.
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Don’t tell Embo that! Very exciting on all fronts, just can’t understand why the tradies don’t make an exception and keep working for me. 🙂
Mmmmm, Babushka-like the sound of that. Trying to work out which title will be the preferred one. Not keen on Grandma at all but I assume it will fall into place once we need it to.
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Sometimes the choice is not yours.
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Thought as much.
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Congratulations on the pending birth of your grandchild! Remodel is looking good.
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Thanks Liz!
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Yay! Exciting times ahead! I may have squealed a little when I saw the lovely cloth nappy collection too 🙂
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Hi Lisa, that made me giggle. Not sure if you squealed in delight or not but I would imagine that when you mention ‘lovely’ collection it was with delight. They are so much better than when I had babies. 🙂
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Haha oh yes, delight. I love a cute fluffy bum. In summer, both my babies wore singlets and a pretty cloth nappy – they were too nice to put clothes over. Definitely an improvement over terry squares too 🙂
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Your last minute dinner looks delish, Maree, even if the chicken wasn’t up to par. (Somehow I think you’ll be re-making your own chicken version in the future!) Such beautiful colors in that bowl — and what a WOWZA “Mum to be” pic. I remember “maternity clothes” as being more FLUFFY (lol) — neat to see women celebrating the onset of birth with vibrant, form-fitting clothing. She’s a doll and I can see why you’re so proud!
P.S. I can practically “smell” all that new wood in your exteno update…. love that aroma!
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Hi Kim, you know me too well. Yes, I will tweak that chicken to my own liking :). Great isn’t, that pregnant women can be joyous and shine without any big bows stitched on in strategic places to cover any bumps! Yes, I am incredibly proud of her and so lucky to be around to see how she has developed into the woman she is. If I don’t catch you before Christmas, wishing you a joyous and safe time. You have come so far in such a short time and it’s been lovely seeing and sharing the journey. Love, Maree XXX
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A grand mum!! Congratulations. I hope all goes well with the birth.
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Thanks Glenda, fingers crossed here too.
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