In My Home - 9 to 15 July 2017

IN MY HOME RECENTLY 9 TO 15 JULY 2017

Like many people this time of the year, I've had a cold with aches and pains, so not much has been done on the homemaking / housekeeping front.  Guilt is always a major factor when I'm not up and about and - well - just merely 'present' for and with my family.  The Machinist always takes good care of me and despite being busy himself, he settles me on the couch, tucks me in and puts my phone nearby - "Helen, call me if you need anything.  I'm only a phone call away.  Now please, Babe - just ring". He dosed me up on grape seed extract, Doterra *tm throat lozenges and water.  He also arranged with Emma to pick up something "treat-like" from town. It is for these reasons, I'm not sick for long.  "I'm so glad you're feeling well again, Babe", he says.  "I hate it when you're sick.  Things just aren't the same..."

My brother, being a chef of many years, but now retired has been sharing his personal favourite dishes with me.  He loves stews and soups and a variety of wet dishes in winter.  I've been trying each of them out and freezing (in IKEA glass containers) any leftovers.  This has given me the inspiration to change, add to and modify for our own personal tastes.

In one of his recipes, he uses ground beef with ground pork.  I had used all my ground beef, so I made this with the ground pork:

Saute 500g bacon.  Set aside
Brown 2 onions.  Set aside.
Brown 500g ground pork.  Set aside.
(at this stage, the pan has some really tasty flavours).
Add 2t chopped chilli and sauté for a minute
Return everything to pan
Add 2 cans tomatoes (I use the organic canned cherry tomatoes from Aldi)
Add 2 cups or 3 zucchini (spiralled or grated)
Add 1t paprika
Stir.
Cook on high until bubbling, then turn on low and simmer.
I served this over cauliflower 'rice'.


If you want to add "body" or "creaminess" to a dish, add a heaped tablespoon of hummus and stir it in to soups, stews or casseroles.  It is better to add it to the individual serve.  I buy a small bucket of hummus from Costco for around $6.


I've been learning about the benefits of Epsom salts added to bath water.  Epsom salts, when purchased at most grocery stores, costs around $4 - 6 per kg box.  I found an online company - The Salt Box -  that offers free shipping, if the salts are bought in bulk.  I bought two 25kg bags of Natural Epsom Salts (50kg!) for $118 or $2.36 per kg.   (I know this is a lot of Epsom salts, but I will share it with my family). I fill a Mason jar, then add about 5 drops of Citrus Bliss oil by Doterra and shake (distribute) well.

*Noteworthy: - previously, I had been adding essential oils to the bathwater, as the taps were running.  While bathing, I sensed my skin tingling, then slightly burning.  Sarah told me that it was because the oil had formed a 'film' on the surface of the water, and I broken that surface, getting into the bath - hence the oil dispersed directly on my skin.  It is better to use some type of carrier oil with the essential oil.  Or - salts.


Whenever I can - usually during our Christmas break (or when I'm sick and taking 'down' time), I work on a genealogy project.  Case at hand - my father's family.  He will be 92 this year and although I've given him snippets of his father's life  over the years (by researching the census archives), I'm putting together his paternal and maternal ancestry and hope to present it to him as a 'Full Package' on his birthday.  Last week, I took a few days 'sickie', as the Aussies say, and was able to work on this project.  As a result of the time taken on genealogy research,  I also sent off my own Ancestry DNA*tm  (which was a gift from Cam and Sarah to me last Christmas!).  I hope you're reading this, Acorn.  It's gone! 


Something I've trained myself in, from many years of housekeeping in a large, long, one story house, is to save my legs.  Particularly so when feeling tired, achy or out of sorts.  If I have to drop something off in our bedroom, for instance, I 'scan' the room for anything that has to be taken to another room.  It is sort of a challenge for me now - not to go empty handed from one end of the house to the other.


With taking things slower - many things come to mind and I begin to realise a lot about myself.  One of them being that I am an over-achiever.  I don't mean to sound proud by saying this, as really, it can be most burdensome and a stress on those I love.  I always expect 'more' from me.  They don't, but I do.  This can lead to disappointment (me, myself, I) - something a patient doesn't need when they aren't feeling well.  Taking steps to counteract this natural urge to expect more, I've made lists, changed schedules, written things down once so as not to have to 'think' again.   I actually LOVE doing this, as it 'feels' like I'm moving forward (even when I'm not moving!).  I find that this time of re-assessment, if you will - actually helps towards recovery.  It inspires me.  Furthermore, I recognise that it's not something I would take the time to do in our busy, every day lives.  #winning

Enjoy your Homemaking!