Take a moment...

Take a moment to remember family and friends. Take a moment to tell them that they are in your thoughts, that you love them. Work out how to spend more time with them, if you don't see them as often as you think you should. And take a moment to remember those who you can no longer spend time with.

A very special man passed away this week and because he went out on limb 18 years ago (yes, Dad, I worked it out), my family and I, had the privilege of knowing him. One phone call was all it took. I am very glad for that phone call, and I think my father, mother, brother, and sister are too. Our lives are richer for the actions of this man, and the warmth he and his wife, and their daughters, brought with them on our first meeting. There are many, many fond memories.

Michael and I are thinking of you all, our family back home in Australia. Ursi, Nick, Juliette, Lani, we wish could be with you, and the rest of the family, to help celebrate David.

Mother's Day...

It's Mother's Day, but I've never really done much for it. Ever. It's just something my family doesn't really do. Same goes for Father's Day. My parents aren't overly fussed because both my Dads' and my Mums' parents thought both were "too American", plus Mother's Day always falls close to my brothers' birthday, so that weekend is usually spent celebrating him. (Here are more reasons not to make too much fuss.) We still say "Happy Mother's Day" and "Happy Father's Day", but we rarely do anything more than that.

This isn't to say we don't show our appreciation for our parents, we just did it everyday, while we were all living at home, usually more than once a day. Everyday was ended with "G'night, love you", unless Dad had slipped off to bed while we were watching something he didn't want to watch. Birthdays were, and still are, celebrated, my parents wedding anniversary is always marked in some way or other, and Christmas is always a family day, where presents are thoughtfully chosen to help us show our appreciation. I still tell my parents that I love them at the end of every phone call. If it's done daily, why go to all that fuss and stress because someone in a marketing department decided it was a good idea?

While Michael and I were in Samoa as Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development, way back in 2008, we saw how the Samoans do Mother's Day and Father's Day. Mother's Day was huge. Just huge. There was cake and celebrations and gifts. Father's Day was a little quieter, but it was still bigger there than in Australia. Bigger still was White Sunday, or Children's Day. It was really, really huge. Everyone wore white, the children put on a show for their parents at their churches, the children were given new clothes and shoes, and just generally showered with attention. And Christmas Day? It was a religious celebration, nothing much more than that, because all of the present giving had been done during the year. There's a part of me that likes it that way. Birthdays are still celebrated in Samoa, but Mother's Day, Father's Day, and White Sunday are national celebrations, and the fuss seemed welcome and truly festive.

So, what are we doing? Well, I've been feeling a little run down, I think it's a cold, and Michael is a bit tired, so we're keeping things to a minimum. Friday evening we talked to my brother, sister, Mum, and Dad, because they were all together for my brothers' birthday. Saturday saw Michael looking after Jimmy for 30 minutes here, an hour there, giving me some alone time. And it's been lovely. I'm still a little run down, but I've been able to nap with the whole bed to myself, clean the bathroom without worrying that Jimmy will wake up when I turn on a tap (it happens...), and cook dinner without constant interruptions requests for my attention. Plus Michael made me pancakes both Saturday and Sunday. Me time, plus pancakes? It's the best Mother's Day gift.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend, whatever you're doing.

19/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week of 2014"

Jimmy: discovering dandelions and learning how to blow the seeds away.

Our crawling boy. Our darling, sweet, pink kneed, crawling boy. There is so much world to discover. 

Photo credit goes to Michael, who has been entertaining Jimmy today (Saturday) while I try to not get any sicker than I already am. I've been a little run down, probably has something to do with getting 6 hours sleep a night and the crazy weather here - it can be hot one day and chilly the next. And don't get me started on the north wind... 

Happy Mother's Day! I know it's a bit of a big thing in Australia, it's supposedly a big thing here in the USA, but it's huge in Samoa. Absolutely huge. Lots of love to all my mummy aunties, cousins, and friends, and to my own Mum - come visit, ok? 

Our first month in Manhattan...

 

One month down, 11 to go! (Unless we stay here for a second year.)

We're still finding our feet, working things out, finding our way around town, and getting our heads around the local climate. We have seen trees blossom and watched the blossoms fly away, managed to get phone numbers, seen snow, watched squirrels and rabbits running around, listened to the local thunder and explosive type noises from Fort Riley, acquired internet with the installation taking place on a Sunday during a storm, found bread that doesn't have sugar, found a good local beer or two, and just today we were taken to the local Asian supermarket where they sell fresh curry leaves amongst other things.

             

Oh and Jimmy has gone from not crawling to crawling and trying to stand whenever possible. In the last week he has started pointing at things, wanting to know what they are, he's also becoming increasingly talkative, even though he mostly says "boohk" (book), "gooh" (good/yes), "poo" (poo), "yeh" (yes), along with lots of "mumumum" (Mum) and "dadadadad" (Dad) and "yayayayayaya" (anything he doesn't have words for). But he still likes to play "Where's Jimmy?".

 

Cheap thrills...

In a bid to save money and to stave off boredom, Michael suggested that each weekend we cook something we haven't cooked before from one of the cook books I brought with us. Genius! We both like cooking and all three of us enjoy eating, and with two adults around for the whole weekend it's easier to take the time to cook something unfamiliar. As an added bonus we might even get some leftovers for lunches or the freezer for emergencies...

So we started last Saturday night, looking at recipes in River Cottage Everyday Cook Book. With our selection made and shopping list written, we made an evening run to our local supermarket. Yes. You read that correctly. And it's open 24/7, probably with a few exceptions, but still. Saturday night food shopping, with a baby! I digress...

It was a good thing we went when we did because we wouldn't have been able to walk to the shops until Sunday afternoon because it rained, and rained, and rained. There was thunder and lightning too and a National Weather Service warning for flash flooding in the area. So, it was good weather for soup...

A thrifty fish soup! Follow the link - it's worth it!

Now, I had to change it a little... We don't live near a proper fish monger, so instead of whole fish, I used about 1.5 kg catfish fillets, with one fillet going into the stock along with two chicken drumstick bones. Dry thyme was used instead of fresh thyme (about 3 pinches). There was also no wine in the stock. I also retained the carrot from the stock and put it in the soup, along with the well cooked fillet of fish. The leeks were kinda huge, so I needed to add water to cover everything. Instead of cleaned squid I used 200 g of frozen mixed seafood. And because I'm a mum, I added a bit of chilli and garlic to store bought whole egg mayonnaise.

The apartment smelled delicious, making stock was fun and a little therapeutic, having lunch simmering away during the rain was a little romantic, and Jimmy's enthusiasm for it was just wonderful. Ok, so I drained his so that he could eat it with his hands, that way it was a baby friendly meal too! And the store bought mayo? With the chilli and garlic, it made the meal, although home-made mayo might be better.

I'm looking forward to eating the last of the thrifty fish soup that's in the freezer and when I remember to take photos, I'll share the results of my variation on oxtail stew (also from River Cottage Everyday Cookbook). In the meantime, here's our resident food critics' response to the thrifty fish soup:

(The bowl of drained soup was eaten by the handful and there was hardly any mess.)

18/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week in 2014"

Jimmy: with a belly full of food, Mumma and Dada giving him their full attention, and enjoying the afternoon sun after a morning of thunder, lightning, rain and being told "no" a lot while the internet was installed.

This was Sunday last week, here in Manhattan. We didn't know it at the time but the tornado that was predicted to be in the west of Kansas took place in Arkansas, which is to the south-east of us. It would have been nicer if it hadn't developed at all. Meanwhile we were unaware of the situation as we enjoyed the sun light, while getting a little damp out on the grass.

My favourite time of day...

Back when Jimmy was very new, I loved those first few minutes of the morning: waking up to his little face on one side and Michael on the other; we were all cozy and warm and still a little sleepy (ok, Michael was usually still asleep). It was just lovely.

I still like mornings, but I'm usually squished up against the wall and Michael has probably spent half the trying to avoid being kicked off the other side of the bed... Jimmy has slept soundly... kicking Michael and headbutting me. Yeah, not so lovely.

Just this week I have really started to notice afternoons, particularly the moment Jimmy realises his Dada is home: Michael stomps up the stairs to our apartment, but Jimmy still has no idea what's coming, then Michael puts his key in the lock and Jimmy looks a little worried, Michael unlocks the front door and Jimmy stops what he is doing and whips his head around in the direction of the front door and then he looks at me, almost in disbelief, asking "is it really Dada? Can I get excited?", and then he's off! Jimmy crawls from where ever he is in the house to the entrance hall and all he wants is to be in Michael's arms. It's so incredibly sweet.

But it gets better. On Wednesday we had lunch with Michael at uni, because that's what we've started doing, and when Michael came home that afternoon Jimmy was super excited, why? I really don't know, but it was lovely. Jimmy and I were sitting near the entrance hall when Michael turned the lock, Jimmy looked in the direction of the door, turned back to me, flapped his hands to say "pick me up so you can pass me to Dada", but there was a little "I'm so excited, I think I did a little wee".

A close second is bath time. Jimmy's bath time to be precise, although I like bath time too. But that's a story for another time.