Art.

At lunchtime I was convinced that today was shaping up as more than averagely monotonously dull. Luckily the stars aligned and our favourite babysitter was free so I coerced Kim to take me to the Nicholas Blowers opening at the Bett Gallery in North Hobart:

Sophisticated Friday evening entertainment, eh what? There was wine and curious thought provoking conversation prompted by the artworks on display:

There is no doubt about it, Nicholas Blowers has a talent for trees. They have been the subject of his work for years:

The layers of paint add and labourious detail make them incredibly realistic and beautiful. You are almost consumed in the stillness and intimacy of the scene.

But wait, there was more than trees:

These curiously realistic yet unidentifiable insect like creatures which were seductive yet repulsive at the same time.

And to cap it all off we brought home....not a painting but an Annapurna curry.

R

Creche.

It's always the way isn't it? Today, when I dropped Milly at creche at 8.30am, wearing bike shorts, birkenstocks and a trackie top - I was en route to yoga - I bumped into a boy I'd been to school with whom I hadn't seen since the day we left. Did I also mention that I hadn't brushed my hair. Oh the horror. I'm trying to comfort myself that it could have been worse......it could have been after yoga, wearing the same ensemble yet saturated in sweat and smell.

I had a lovely day. After yoga class and a turn around Gowan's Auctions - it was Thursday after all - I went home and loaded a pile of magazines I have been trying to read into my handbag and took myself to Pidgeon Hole Cafe (93 Goulburn Street, Hobart).  And this is the ambrosial zucchini and ricotta soup I had for lunch:

As often happens I started pondering how I could make this at home with the glut of zucchinis I am anticipating now that I have planted three zucchini plants in my veggie patch. And then I started worrying because while I actually learned how to make ricotta with Rodney at the Agrarian Kitchen, that was almost two years and a pregnancy ago and unfortunately it has receeded into the mists of time.

Of course the soup was served with Jay's amazing bread. If you are reading this and you live in Hobart and you have never bought a loaf of bread from Pidgon Hole then you must go there tomorrow and buy some. It is without question the BEST bread in Hobart.

So no sooner did I sit down and relax and start flicking pages than it was time to go and pick up Tobes - he finishes school at the ungodly hour of 2.30pm. Truly, you take him there and lo and behold it is time to go and pick him up.

We didn't pick Milly up until 5.30pm which gave me time to cook dinner beforehand. By all accounts she had a wonderful day and was miss smiley when we collected her, see:

And when she got home she wanted to mow the lawn:



Until tomorrow.

R

Unencumbered.

Can you believe that tomorrow for the first time EVER I am going to have all of my children at school/creche? Me neither. At this precise moment it seems like a distant dream yet as of 8.30am tomorrow morning it is going to be my reality for one day a week. It will no doubt be hairy getting them all dressed, fed, out the door and to their respective institutions - just thinking about it makes me break into a cold panic. It will be worth it.

Look at my baby when she was one day old:

It seems like only yesterday. Sigh. And now she is one:

How to spend the day?

R

School.

Back again. All I can say is phew now that three of my children are happily ensconced back at school. Mimi on Monday:

And both boys today:

Don't be fooled into thinking that there has been any relief for me. As if. The last two days have been entirely dedicated  to getting Camelia all set for her one day a week at creche. To set foot through the front door she needs a number from the Family Assistance Office. On Friday I discovered that being born overseas meant that she didn't have one. Oh the sordid mess of paperwork, gruelling online forms and visits to the Family Assistance Office that I have had to endure. Fingers crossed the promised number is in the mail.

Look how amazing 50 lit birthday candles look:

We contributed the stack of birthday brownie to Kim's brother's birthday party although it's hard to see below the flames. Birthday brownie is easier to make than a cake and memorably good. I swear by Nigella's recipe from How to be a Domestic Goddess:

*Put 375g unsalted butter and 375g dark chocolate (for best results use Callebaut dark or anything 75% cocoa solids) in a pyrex bowl and nuke in microwave for 2 minutes or until melted. Mix. Leave momentarily to cool.

*Beat together 6 eggs, teaspoon vanilla extract and 500g caster sugar. Add chocolate mixture and 225g plain flour, pinch salt and 300g chopped walnuts.

*Pour into lined rectangular baking tin and bake for about 25 minutes in 180 degree oven.You don't want them to be neither too googey nor too dry. Leave to cool and then cut into pieces.

As school is back, here's a handy hint - I usually make this for my children to take to school on their birthdays and because of the draconian nut policies at school I replace the walnuts with 300g chopped dark, milk or white chocolate. The best thing about making this instead of a cake is that you can keep some at home. OK, I've finished channelling Marjorie Bligh for tonight.

R

Dinner.

Last night the cooking gods smiled on me. Which was very lucky as it made dinner delicious - I am still recovering from the amazement. I was pedantic with the use of my camera so without further adieu I give you last night's dinner party:

The guests:

Caramelised Onion Tart:

Rabbit with Agen Prunes and pommes de mon terre:

Chocolate Pots with berries and biscuit:

Of course, in the true spirit of French dining there was a chesse course between main and dessert.

We finally got to bed at 3am. It's not as bad as it sounds as Camelia was kind to us and obligingly slept until 10am, the boys were ecstatic to have a generous dose of morning TV and Mimi was at a sleepover.

So I have just been out and weeded my veggie patch. I am ashamed to show the before photo:

It looks neat now:

Although virtually denuded except for a couple of self seeded tomato plants and kale. I have given it a good dose of sheep manure and blood and bone which is being rained in as I type as the weather has just turned very wet. Bad news for Kim's brother's party he's hosting in the Waterworks Reserve this evening although good news for the garden.

Right now I'm finished weeding and off to pay the hot room a visit.

R

Manic.

Things have been manic in my house and unfortunately I've had the mood to match. Yet, I'm happy to report that this week I have been to Bikram Yoga every day and have finally managed to accomplished all of that tedious back to school palaver. Books...tick. Shoes...tick. Uniforms...tick. Haircuts...tick.

I have also done the hard yards in the boys bedroom going through ALL of their drawers and ALL of their toys - a job not for the feint hearted. In my quest I went here, not once, but twice today:

These boxes inspired  Felix to sort through ALL of his Lego - cheap at any price.

The result of all of this over the top domestic drudgery is that today I feel euphoric and haven't shouted at my children once...except for maybe when Tobes overfilled the handbasin which seriously fessed up the floor. Isn't it truly peverse that tidying up can be so therapeutic?

So tonight I am cooking a French dinner for six. My organisation is such that I have made the gougeres - to have with drinks:

A panicked call to my friend Mary, the ultimate pastry chef, assured my that they can be quickly reheated just before serving.

The Caramelised Onion Tart entree:

And Rabbit with Agen Prunes for main which I am going to dish up with potatoes that I have just been out and picked from the garden - lucky my children don't have a pet rabbit:

For dessert I have made individual chocolate pots which will go on a plate with a chocolate biscuit, fresh raspberries and double cream. You will just have to imagine this dessert spectacular in your mind's eye and hopefully I'll remember to take a photo if I don't get too tiddly and caught up in chat.

The chocolate biscuits are from Nigella's How to Be a Domestic Goddess. Seeing school starts this week I've made the dough which you can then leave in the fridge and bake in the mornings while you are feeding your children breakfast before you have to throw them and their lunchboxes into the car and race them to school. If you are looking for an easy packed lunch addition all you need to do is cream 250g soft butter with 125g caster sugar, mix in 300g self raising flour and 30g dutch press cocoa powder. Roll into walnut sized balls and then bake at 150 degrees for around 12 minutes....et voila recess snack sorted.

Last night I went out to dinner here:

I wouldn't rush back - we were the only people in the entire restaurant and I understand why. The occasion was celebrate Kim's big brother's milestone birthday. He's not letting age get him down - he was sporting a mohawk.

I wore my new jacket that I bought at the net-a-porter sale:

What am I going to wear tonight? I'd better just peel the potatoes before I commit.

R

Shoes.

Today, even though I had an extra child in tow, I bravely led an expedition to town to find four pairs of schoolshoes. It was tough going. With five children my hard earned yoga buzz was well and truly over by this stage.

Can you believe that we had only just arrived at the lift in the carpark when I glanced down and realised that Felix's friend was barefoot. How did that happen? He is eight years old and came with shoes when he arrived at our house first thing this morning.

Anyway, mission complete:

And look at the surprisingly nice espadrilles I stumbled upon at Target for $16 when I momentarily deviated from the game plan to buy thongs for the barefoot boy. Reward.

I am counting down the days until school goes back.