Give Me A Break Please !

Summer break is here and the children are at home .Though I am relieved there’s no morning rush hours, I find the work load forever increasing, I have suddenly become an automaton, catering to the foursomes’ ever demanding needs. All four, have quite a different appetite. There is also a different kind of noise pollution that erupts during mealtimes: the many hassles and the clamour during breakfast time. The smallest of the off springs, would want to eat his favourite brand of cereal, while the eight year would prefer his bread toasted. One would pleadingly suggest “Mom could we eat pancakes today?’ When my oldest would quickly prompt ‘why can’t we eat something spicy’! Although this kind of blaring drives me nuts, I still carry on the day’s chores , with a smile…After all Summer is the time I get to spend both quality and quantity time with my children..By the way I ‘ve got to cut short my writing for the moment, for I hear my hubby call for his morning tea !

My Superman Omar!

Not so long ago ,I preferred to get canned food that could be peeled off from the top, because I constantly had this struggle with the can-opener. But recently in a typical tug-o –war with this domestic device, my opinion changed, when my eight year old stepped in and took over the operation !! In a jiffy, he helped open the can of mixed fruits. Now whenever I am in a dilemma handling this piece of equipment, My Super Man comes to the rescue!

Breakfast

-This is my response to Today's prompt at www oneminutewriter.com . "Describe in detail your favorite breakfast as a child."-


My siblings and I would wait uncomplainingly around the breakfast table for Father ,who would bring the freshly baked bread from the Bakery, which we all took delight in eating ,with the coconut “sambol” Mother made. Even though we had a choice for breakfast, we always tried to eat Mother’s favorite. With stinging eyes and a runny nose, my whole body would be encircled with a burning sensation . I wouldn’t give up!! Hastily gulping water in between each morsel, I would fan myself with the morning newspaper, to cool that sweltering in me and pretend that everything was just fine. I would n’t dislodge from the breakfast table till I finished the last mouthful of that spicy coconut sambol , which was a mixture of scrapped coconut, red chilly ,green chilly and chopped onions sprinkled with lemon juice and salt. This was Mother’s delight!

My Addiction with Digital Scrapping!

I was wondering how I was going to spend my mornings, now that my youngest has started to pursue his learning skills, kindergarten level. Apart from the routine culinary and home keeping and sometimes attending to other overdue chores, I still had an hour or so on my own and I didn’t know how I was going to pass this time doing nothing. Luckily for me, I am still hooked to reading; in all probability I thought I could make use of this skill to while the time. Then one day, when browsing the internet, I happened to stumble upon a website, (www.scrapblog.com) . This is an online scrapbooking site, where one could blog with their scraps uploaded from their computers and cut, copy, paste drag or drop, old, new, colored , black and white, newspaper cuttings ,pictures, photos and also do some journaling. Those of us who loved to cut and paste something ,which was of personal interest, but was often excessively higgledy-piggledy, will find this fascinating, as it doesn't leave things lying around and making a big mess with the cutting and pasting with scissors, glue etc..Digital scrapping leaves me with no clutter and I love that.. I am simply amazed that I actually created a few. And I am enthralled by the results. One has to experience this digital art,the accepted leisure pursuit in the cyber world.And Scrapblog.com,lets me use various embellishments and stickers,free of charge.For those of whom, who want variety,pick up your purses and go on a shopping spree at the different craft stores easily made available for your convenience.From now on I'll make sure I create greeting cards,using my latest digital scrapping skills to wish all my loved ones, on any occasions. Wouldn't that be amazing!. And voila, At last! my recurring thoughts of how I was going to spend the mornings have been solved.

Picture Blog

Funny how life is ..(Click the picture to get a bigger view.)





Digital scrapping is my latest addiction.You can see more of my creations by copying and pasting this link below, in your browser.

htt://www.scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer.asp?sbld=1661081

Metamorphosis

Today, we were prompted on http://www.oneminutewriter.com to write on, "Metamorphosis"...I thought I would response with this piece of writing and share it with everyone on my blog!

"With the arrival of my 4th child, I felt the world was going to crash on me, I thought someone from outer space was going to snatch away my newborn. I smiled less and cried more, everything was spinning around right in front of me. Mentally I became a different person. And physically too, my facial appearances started changing with more frowns, sulks, and droopy eyes. Everyone acknowledged the change in me; I was not the same person. I told my Husband that the world was coming to an end. Perplexed and concerned, he took me to the doctor, who said I was suffering from post partum depression. He put me on medication for a few months and told me that I would be just fine afterward. Gradually with some therapeutic assistance and the love and support from family and friends, the hallucinations came to a complete standstill. My son is five years now and I’m glad I‘ve got over those childish fears and have grown into a more matured adult after that brief 'metamorphic' experience."

'Parlez-Vous Français?'

This is in response to the article which appeared in todays MSN, ( July 9th) under the title 'Parlez-Vous Français?'

'Parlez-Vous Français?' ,Years ago my father used to pose this question to my siblings and I, which eventually became the reason for my great enthusiasm in learning French. During our younger days, We were quite fascinated by the French language beginner's ,step-by-step course, which appeared weekly in a newspaper supplement ( SatMag) and thereon paved the way for my interest in learning French.'Talking about the French Language', the article which appeared in today's MSN Coffee Break, revitalized those beautiful memories of my childhood.And today,as the people in France celebrate Bastilles day,I celebrate my triumph for having my memory intact and getting those ten phrases all correct, in the fun and friendly quiz, courtesy MSN encarta.'Oui,Je parle Français'.Vive La France!

Crunchy-Brunch Time!

One lazy winter mid-morning, after an early breakfast, my children wanted some snacks to nibble, just to while away the chilly weather. But unfortunately, I had run out of snacks. Under heavy pressure from my foursome, I was compelled to rummage in the kitchen cabinet. I got hold of a packet of instant mushroom cream instead! While preparing this according to the given instructions, my eldest daughter asked me to add something crunchy to it, so I added carrots to the creamy broth! That was just the beginning... they all seemed to enjoy and eat it without any fuss. The next time I made it, my younger daughter suggested it would taste even better if I added something else to it, so I simply added cabbages! Soon I realised they loved it, Mmm..did'n't I encourage..?? Every visit to the supermarket,I tend to purchase extras and pile it in my kitchen cabinet. And thereafter whenever I made this, one of my four, would haphazardly request me to add this and that. Occasionally some boiled chicken too would be stirred into it. Now you can just imagine the composition of such a mixture.. how it ended up as a soup of a different kind!!! In all conscience,I thought this was a clever approach to get them to eat their vegetables...
Isn't this appetizing and wholesome eating!!!


Try this, your children may love it! Enjoy


Basic Recipe -

1 packet of instant cream of mushroom (68 kg)
1 litre of water
1/2 a cup of chicken (previously boiled)
2 cabbage leaves/one stalk of leek-shredded
1 medium carrot cut into cubes
1 medium turnip cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
A pinch of salt
For garnishing
2-3 cubes of butter
A few chopped celery
2-3 boiled, diced mushrooms


For Preparing -

Whisk the instant cream of mushroom in the water and bring in to the boil. Keep stirring, so that no lumps form. Gently stir in the carrots, turnips, shredded leek/cabbage, add pepper and salt (according to taste) and cook for 5 minutes. Lower the flame and add the boiled, shredded chicken into the broth, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish the butter and celery leaves/mushrooms. Serve hot (servings 4).

Getting Permission

Recently my sons aged seven and five came home from school with permission slips given by their respective class teachers, asking for parent’s permission, to let the kids go on a trip to an amusement park, which was being organized by the school. Persuading me with his usual charm , the older one got my permission to go on this trip.

Being the youngest and still unable to do things unaided, my five year old was not fortunate, but he happily accepted the fact, when I told him that I would allow him to go on school trips when he is older. And then ,he quickly marched to his brother, who was sitting on the other end of the room, to tell him what I had related.

I couldn’t help laughing when I heard the conversation between them.

My five year old son, “Mommy says, she’ll let me go on this school trip when I’m older.”

My seven year old replied, “when you are older, she’s dead".

Me, myself and I

This is just an introduction ...I'm a busy housewife with four energetic children, with all the hassles of daily life, I try to find some time to read and write, even if it's a line or two. Besides reading and writing, I love to try out new recipes! If it does not turn out right, I give it a new name and still enjoy. During my adolescent years, I enjoyed reading 'Mills and Boon' paperbacks and I'm still fascinated by them. My endless thoughts-I prefer to put down in writing! My latest addiction is digital scrapbooking, I've come to love this ever since my youngest started to pursue his learning skills-kindergarten level.