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Posted on January 12, 2015

On Saturday we were going to be out for the whole day so I decided to pack a picnic lunch. We knew that we were going out for dinner so it seemed ridiculous to consider ‘eating out’ twice in one day.

This is where we had our lunch. It is not out in the country but a suburban park about 4km from the Brisbane CBD. There is a bus depot across the road and a major freeway and interchange a few hundred metres in another direction, yet it was a quiet and peaceful oasis where we stopped for our picnic.

We unpacked our picnic set and cloth, added the food and drink and we were ready to tuck into our feast.

I had made a mixed salad of lettuce, capsicum (red peppers), cherry tomatoes, cucumber and cheese as well as a couple of hard-boiled eggs. There were rice crackers and some mango chutney as well. I packed some walnuts and dried figs to finish and the whole lot was washed down with lemon cordial and soda water.

A pleasing note is that the lemon cordial, mango chutney and soda water were made at home, the chickens provided the eggs and the cucumber and tomatoes were picked from the garden.

Just a few minutes spent planning meant that we saved at least $30 and were able to enjoy some of our favourite foods in a pleasant setting rather than doing battle with holiday crowds at a cafe or food court.

6 Days Later

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Posted on April 18, 2014

It is hard to believe that it is 6 days since I last wrote a blog post. I am still here but have been busy.

The day after my last post we went on a picnic with a group of my extended family. I had intended to take some photos but that did not happen. We had planned this outing a few weeks earlier but unfortunately a late-season cyclone put a bit of a dampener on the event. We went ahead as planned at Suttons Beach on the Redcliffe Peninsula, north of Brisbane.

It didn’t quite look like this last weekend but I would highly recommend it as a venue, especially if you have young children as there is plenty of grassed areas, fabulous playgrounds and a sheltered beach within easy reach.

Regardless of the weather, I am blessed to be able to share events like this with my extended family and see everyone enjoying each other’s company. I have been reading a series of posts today on a popular forum about family relationships and particularly between children and their grandparents. I am saddened to read of the bitterness and resentment that various family members hold against their parents and children. The reasons are many and I am sure some are entirely valid, however, it reminds me to be thankful for my exceptional family who are very dear to me.

This weekend we finally have some glorious autumn weather and The Duke and I are making the most of it by getting some jobs done in the garden. I hope to take some photos and wil share them with you tomorrow.

Super Sunday

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Posted on July 8, 2012

Whatever I write tonight will not do justice to all that we have done today. Miss O and Izz did not wake until almost 8am but it was non-stop until they went to bed at 8pm. Who knew that 12 hours could be so exhausting?

We started the day with pancakes for breakfast then I did a couple of loads of washing and some sewing alterations. First up I re-did the elastic in both pairs of pyjama bottoms. Next was letting down the hem on Miss O’s dressing gown.

I also added ribbed cuffs and neckband to Izz’s pyjama top.

We left home at about 11.30 and went to a strawberry farm at Beerwah were you can pick your own fruit. 2 buckets and we were underway.

The girls very quickly figured out that the best ones were red right up to the top of the fruit. Izz still needed reminding that it is best to pluck the fruit rather than clutching them in your hand!

I had packed a picnic lunch so the next stop was Glasshouse Mountains township and the park. We had ham and avocado sandwiches, home-made sausage rolls with our own tomato sauce, home-grown mandarins and freshly picked strawberries. The playground, complete with flying fox provided heaps of fun and games.

Then it was next door to the visitor information centre where the girls discovered a wall puzzle of different dinosaurs as well as an interactive history of the mountains on a touchscreen. This centre is well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Finally, we headed home via a local fruit stall and chose a few things including a pineapple to use on our pizzas for dinner.

Later this afternoon, I made 3 batches of muffins and of course had lots of help. 2 batches were made with added berry yoghurt and coconut which I cooked in small patty papers and they will be frozen and used for snacks for daycare.

Dinner was pizza followed by strawberries, ice-cream and a pancake then it was showers and bed for 2 little people. After a very busy day we had absolutely no arguments about bed and sleep.

They are not the only ones who will sleep well tonight.

I hope you have had a great Sunday, too.