raising willow… and dexter!

Willow.

Both of them.

Dexie.

Someone asked me for the recipe for my soup, which was very flattering! I thought I might as well post it here, but I’m sure I’ve posted something similar before.

Chicken Soup

I make no claims to be a great cook – in fact with three fussy eaters in the household, cooking is a source of great frustration to me!

However, I do love making soups like this, partly for the resourcefulness, not wasting the chicken carcass. The smell wafting through the house is another bonus and the end result is just medicine for my soul. You can vary this soup to your own taste, add what you like, and eliminate what you don’t. The following recipe is how I made it most recently.

Step one. Go to the markets and buy a free range chook. Shove a lemon up it’s bum and roast it. Serve with pan gravy and roasted vegetables.

Step two. The next morning, put the remains of the chicken, including the lemon, in a pot of water, along with two small onions and a head of garlic and a star anise. You don’t even need to get too fussy about peeling the onions, just make sure there is no dirt on them and chop them in half. Chop the head of garlic in half without peeling it. There are two adults and two children in my family, which leaves a nice amount of chicken on the bones. Allow to simmer for the morning, while you potter around doing other stuff.

Step three. Put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the fat to solidify, then scoop it off. Strain the stock through a colander into a heavy based saucepan. While you are waiting for the stock to cool, you can start preparing the vegetables. I used carrot slices, diced zucchini and broccoli. I also added a few sprigs of coriander and a packet of two minute noodles. Once you’ve added them to the simmering stock, you can start picking the meat off the bones. I also squeeze the garlic back into the stock, it has a very mellow flavour at this stage.

Step four. Add the meat and allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are just tender.

Notes. I didn’t add any salt or seasonings, it didn’t really need it and I’m trying to reduce my salt intake. Next time I make this; I’d use more noodles and make them udon noodles, I’d put two star anise in and perhaps even add a bit of chilli. You could strain the stock through a sieve or even cheesecloth if you prefer less floaty bits.

Sorry for the stream of consciousness post… I never said I was a good writer!

I saw my surgeon on Monday for a post op appointment. He said that the procedure was straight forward and everything went well – apart from my tooth! There is a 1 in 100 chance that gall stones can form in my bile duct, but I hope I’m not that lucky. On the way out, his receptionist asked of I needed to make another appointment. I said that as lovely as he is, I hope I never have to see him again!

I never thought I’d be taking photos of my stomach for this blog!

Some photos of how my wounds are healing. My surgeon took out the stitch that was left in the drain site, so now all there is left to do is rub it with cream to help them heal better.

Afterwards, since I was already in the city, I headed over to the Central Markets. They are actually officially closed on Mondays, but it really was the perfect day to go – some stalls were open and most of the surrounding shops were open, but it was comparatively quiet and parking was cheaper! I did actually have something in mind to buy – quite a few of our boring, white Maxwell& Williams bowls had chipped or broken over the years, so I wanted to buy some Chinese bowls. We already had bowls like these:

But when I looked at the range in the Chinese grocery, they didn’t have the right size, so I got 4 jade green bowls. I can’t find an exact photo of them, but they are beautiful. A similar green to this, but glazed green on both sides, with a blue and red floral pattern.

I also bought a little soy sauce dish, which I’ll use as a tea bag rest when we have tea after the kids are in bed.

Some Pocky sticks fell into my basket as I got to the checkout, they are so cute, how could I resist? On the way back to the car I stopped at a Kawaii shop where I saw a Totoro almost as big as Dexie – we’d watched My Neighbour Totoro for the millionth time last night.

Once I’d deposited the bowls in my car (I keep checking to make sure that I’m not writing bowels!) I had lunch at a great organic shop – a serving of organic vegetable soup, an organic flat white and an organic chocolate and macadamia brownie. I bought some quinoa and star anise, quinoa is something I’ve heard about from a friend so I’d been wanting to try it for ages.

Today was my day with both the kids, I was really looking forward to it. Last night I asked Willow what she wanted to do. She’d already said that she wanted me to keep Dexie out of FDC. I expected her to say that she wanted to go to the zoo or something like that. Nope, she just wanted to take the dogs for a walk down to our local playground and play chasey with them. Simple. So we had a slack morning, I made chocolate pancakes for breakfast, did some dishes, put some washing on, got ready and left.

Willow walked Russ, and I helped Dexie walk Bear. The old playground near us had been knocked down, and a shiny new fenced off one had been erected in it’s place – it was cool – some playgrounds are so safe they don’t give the child a chance to play properly, but this one wasn’t like that. We met another little boy and his mother there. I don’t know many mothers who live near me, so it was nice to see someone else at the playground. It was threatening to rain, so we said our good byes and headed home.

I wanted to do a bi-carb soda and vinegar experiment with the kids, so they played outside while I organised it. They loved it, as much as they love anything that is messy! Willow was fascinated – I made two of them, one I coloured red in a tomato sauce bottle and one in a vegemite jar I coloured green. It sort of looked like this:

Of course, they put their hands in it and got the mixture every where. While we were outside, we saw the mum from the playground. On the spur of the moment I gave her my email address and blog address. If you are reading this, M, hello!

I managed to make an amazing (even if I do say so myself) chicken soup, with the carcass of the roast from the night before, noodles, zucchini, carrot, broccoli, coriander, star anise, onion and a whole head of garlic.

We had lunch, slothed around for a bit watching tv, then got ready to go out to our local indoor playground. It’s very rare that we’d take the children there, apart from birthdays or school functions, so I thought it would be a nice treat. It’s not cheap though. The whole exercise, including admission for the children, a coffee for me, a drink and funny face biscuit for the kids cost $30.30.

Willow is such a good big sister. She brought Dexie to me once, he’d hurt himself and was crying. When I asked him where he hurt himself, he said “On the balls” meaning, in the ball pit. Not quite what I wanted to know!

Here are my cheeky monkeys.

I was exhausted by the end of the day, made dinner, served it up, ate then went to bed. Today was a day where I felt like I did a really good job as a mum. They were really well behaved, even at the shops after the indoor playground! Not that I think I’m a terrible mother by any stretch of the imagination, but I really enjoyed and connected with my children today. I do have two funny, smart, gorgeous kids and I’m very lucky. They’ve put up with me being sick for quite long enough and I’m glad to be feeling better.

So, as much as I enjoy my job, tomorrow it’s back to the grind. Uni starts again soon and life is just going to get busier.

After I’d been to the doctor, I got the scripts for all of the medications I’ll be taking and had them filled. For one months worth of two medications and three months worth of the third medication, it cost me nearly $90. I know that they are subsidised by the PBS, so I’m grateful for that at least.

and

I did push myself a bit today, probably more than I should have. Willow had a birthday party to go to – the daughter of the friend who helped me get to the dentist last week, invited her on the spur of the moment. I figured that I’d probably be feeling a bit stircrazy by then – and I was – so I agreed that she could go. She lives near a large shopping centre, so the plan was for me to drop Dexie and A off so they could get some shopping done. As usual, we were running late, so I stopped at the party first, thinking I’d drop Dexie and A off later. Of course, once we got there and Dexie saw that there was a party going on, it seemed a bit cruel to take him away.

So the kids enjoyed the party – I have to say that I’m impressed with Willow for wanting to go to a party where she would only know the host family. Many adults would have an issue with that!

After we went to the shopping centre – while Willow and I had coffee/hot chocolate with foccacia then cake. We went for a wander around the shops, tried on perfume together and sat in the David Jones book section and read books together. Before settling in there, I had a play with one of the iPads on display. I know that they are a luxury item (for us, in that we have two laptops, a media centre and an iTouch already) and they have what some people would percieve as flaws – no Flash – but I loved it.

I explained to Willow that it was like a big version of my iTouch, which she understood. The iPad felt so nice in my hands, so ergonomic and responsive. Later in the day we were in Officeworks and looking at the e-book readers – they were so chunky in comparison. Like all technology though, it will filter down – I can’t justify buying one at the moment. I’d love to have a go at Angry Birds on it though!

Once we’d met up – A walked straight past Willow and I in the book section to check out the iPads – we headed for the car. On the way, we saw two elegantly dressed women wearing purple, with red hats and gloves. A had no idea what they were, but I knew. They were members of the Red Hat Society. How cute!

I know that I pushed it today – it was really the first time I’d felt internal pain at the site of the operation. Before, I’d either had a nice dose of digesic, or I had been resting solidly. Tomorrow I will be taking it easy, aside from a bit of sewing, perhaps.

I went to my GP yesterday as he wanted to see me after my operation, about my blood pressure. It hadn’t really improved with the new medication, so he prescribed a third medication. I now take a dose of nifedipine, indipamide and perindopril every day.

After a very busy day, I tested again and got a reading of 126/92. Numbers that both my doctor and I will be much happier with. It makes the side effects of a flushed face and headache all worth it. My doctor was talking about referring me to a cardiologist, for further investigation, but I’ve been poked and prodded enough lately. He also said that given the investigations that I’ve already had done, it’s unlikely that any specific cause would be found and I probably do have essential hypertension.

To my chagrin, he suggested that if I lost some weight it might help too. Apparently for every kg lost, the systolic (higher) number is supposed to drop two and the diastolic (lower) number is supposed to drop by one. Can’t hurt to try. I felt like protesting to him “I’m hardly obese!” but then I realised that all the obese people I know have health issues that I’m not envious of anyway.

It’s not often that I’ll wear track/yoga pants outside the house unless I’m actually going to the gym, but I didn’t think jeans were a good option today. A lovely friend was picking me up to go to the dentist to have my tooth fixed. As it turned out, it was a tooth that had a veneer on it, so it wasn’t the strongest tooth in the first place. At the moment, the dentist has just put a rod in and a form so that a proper crown can be put on next month. Yes, she is that busy that I have to wait a month. She is a fantastic dentist though – totally worth it – and the form is basically a tooth anyway, so it’s not obvious. After the dentist, we went to Lincraft and the nearby supermarket. I picked up the latest copy of Notebook: to read when I got home.

On coming home I realised just how draining it is to be up and about. I was exhausted. My friend commented that it takes awhile for the effects of a general anaesthetic to wear off. After a rest, Willow and I sat in bed and made some cards. Then Dexie came home, it was time for dinner, bath and bed. Well, that is to say that the kids are cuddled up in bed with me at the moment.

My blood pressure is currently sitting at 152/113. Not good, can’t wait to see the GP. My friend asked me if having my gallstones removed was supposed to help there. I think my GP thought that it might be nice if it did, but neither he nor I were counting on it.

I forgot to mention – my new laptop has a webcam. Can’t see myself using it very often, but it’s nice to have a photo of me every now and then.

I apologise if this posts squicks you out, but I wanted to keep a record of what’s happening with my body.

This is them. You can clearly see the two larger ones at the top.

A less blurry picture. Gall stones are one of those things that when you mention you have them – everyone has had them, or knows someone who has had them. One of the nurses I had looked at the sample jar and exclaimed that she had only had two small ones and they were causing her a lot of pain!

This is the top incision, the dressing came off in the shower yesterday. It’s just below my bra line, between my breasts – apparently one of the inscisions had to be enlarged to get the gallbladder (gallstones ?) out. It is still very sore and tender to touch. I have three more incisions, one through my belly button and two on my right hand side. Makes side sleeping difficult.

I can’t drive for a week and I can’t go to the gym for a month. My stomach hurts too much to do anything. My blood pressure is still high – 155/105 again.

Couldn’t get into my dentist until Wednesday at 11.30am. *sigh* Lucky I’m not in pain. A thinks that is too soon, but I just want it sorted out. Have made GP appointment for 3.15pm to sort out blood pressure medication.

Now that I have some time on my hands, I can update more often. I’ll try to keep it to no more than twice a day.

I am very pleased to report that I got a Distinction on my exam, so that equals a Distinction for the subject overall. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to repeat such a performance next semester, but I’ll give it a go!

I made a chicken and leek pie a couple of weeks ago. Look what happened when I left the kitchen for a second! Dexie sized finger prints! That is his arm on the rolling pin, wearing his sister’s old pink sleepsuit.

Last Tuesday I took the children to the Big Rocking Horse at Gumeracha. They loved it! Willow insisted on climbing up the horse, which was an adventure with a two year old who thinks he can do whatever his big sister can. Only he can’t.

I stole that photo from Wikipedia, but it gives you an idea of how high it is.

I took this photo of the kids right at the top. On either end there was a ladder going down. Willow was a bit scared, but she made it down in the end, and I climbed down with Dexie on my hip.

This is a smaller rocking horse near the base of the big one. Both the kids were too excited to sit on it, they wanted to climb the real thing!

Far more sedate, patting kangaroos, goats, alpacas and wallabies.

Willow was frustrated at times because Dexie insisted on jumping like a kangaroo and scaring the poor animals off!

Some of the animals were remarkably tame though!