From the bean-bag
What’s the point of unpacking boxes if there are no shelves to put things away on? Why didn’t I ask myself this question before I pulled the contents of 12+ boxes out and put it all over the floor?
At least now I can find a few things. I found some needles and some of my threads – but Recycled Monster for this month’s Month of Softies is far, far away from being finished. I still hope she will be done at some point. Please send your entries in by the end of Saturday your time, and stay tuned for May’s theme announcement on Sunday my time.
I have been watching a fair bit of TV lately – evenings are still yet to be reclaimed by crafty pursuits. It’s far easier to lie in an exhausted state in the beanbag. So each night of the week I try to find something that is “my show” for the night.
Monday it’s Desperate Housewives which is entertaining enough but I am sure it will get the boot when my big table and sewing machine make an appearance.
Tuesday it’s Survivor which I have come in to late this season and don’t really care much about, but it’s good to have in the background as I go through all my old home / interior magazines which have been in storage for two years. I am tearing out the stuff worth keeping for the scrap book and throwing the rest in the recycling. There isn’t a whole lot to keep after two years. Some of my interior magazines date back to 2000 or even 1999 and boy are they sad. Even reading some of my old Bust magazines from 2000 can be a little depressing. Everything that was so new and hip in 2000 isn’t really any more.
Anyway, Wednesday it’s Jamie’s School Dinners, which is absolutely my favourite show on television. Food, nutrition and kid’s diets fill my head a lot these days. While I try so hard every day to give Amelia a healthy, balanced diet I really can understand why some of the parents on the show give their kids chips and unidentifiable deep-fried food stuffs which they will immediately scoff down with no complaints. At the end of a long day, when everyone is tired and fractious, a battle over a piece of broccoli or drawn out negotiations over the number of peas which should be consumed before leaving the table is truly demoralising. However, seeing the family with seven kids in Northern England who had a healthy diet for one week under Jamie’s instruction resulting in a loving and peaceful household compared to their previous chaos – only to return to chaos five minutes after consuming a special treat meal of their usual chips, turkey twizzlers and chocolates made me take stock again. I have a child raising book which says “Everyone’s body belongs to them- each person should therefore choose (from a healthy range of food) what and how much they eat.” (Gisela Preuschoff – “Raising Girls”). How can you disagree with this in theory? How really can you disagree with it at all… but sometimes when you spend time making a delicious, toddler-friendly meal which was last week’s hot ticket and is now all over the floor, you get pretty sick of it all pretty quickly.
So I am trying a few of his tricks (which are not all that different from Gisela Preuschoff’s ideas)- getting Amelia involved in shopping and list making, having her help prepare the meals and so on. They are good ideas which seem to work in a kind of limited way as she still is pretty little and having her help cook is not always practical. In the mean time at least she will eat poached eggs – and if she had her choice of “what and how much” she ate, it would be 3-4 poached eggs with avocado three meals a day.
But this was about TV! Thursday — how I love “My Restaurant Rules”. I have not gone so far as to actually vote yet, but I am hoping Adelaide or Sydney (well, at least Bella) wins. What nice people. Brisbane should realise their destiny and just start being straight-out evil. Ooooh – they could be the Dark Empire of the season. And then we watch LOST which is great and nail-biting.
Friday is a bit of TV wasteland for us non-football watchers, although we have been known to turn to American Idol. There really is nothing sadder than watching reality tv except watching reality tv that comes from someone else’s country and you don’t even get a chance to vote!
Anyway it’s plain to see that I had better get the above studio chaos sorted out and get back to the real stuff.
I can see how you’d feel drained and want to run to the T.V. even though you’ve got that gorgeous light-filled studio space! You seem to do everything wonderfully though. You inspire people to no end. So indulge in that TV and do a little at a time I say! I miss Australia already..living back in the States for now where Mr. Bush is depressing me. Watch Aussie TV..even if it sometimes is the non Aussie fluff..do it! It can’t hurt in moderation. Big Hugs from an truly blue American fan…I would’ve liked to have seen your gallery show!Oh well..next time for sure!
Aren’t perceptions funny, I don’t like Evan at all he is a money grabbing dictator especially after last night. I do think much more of his partner and that she may be genuinely nice. Your watching all my currents though my husband has me hooked on the very cringeworthy Nighty Night on ABC on Wednesday night. Its equally compelling and hideous to watch abit like Little Britain was.
I love Jamie’s school dinners, that episode where the children wanted to eat tomato ketchup sandwiches and couldn’t recognise basic fruit and veg (I think its the same one you were talking about) was just amazing. It made me realise that it is so worth teaching children about healthy eating from an early age.
Ooooo, your new studio looks marvelous!! Oh, the lovely wonderful things you and Ameila will create in there!!
Just to share, I, a former tv addict, (really, no, really) have just given up tv for good!
I’m still adjusting to the change but I’m already convinced of it being better for my life goals and mental health.
It fun to watch what will happen now that I’ve taken away the time in front of the tube as an option. I wasn’t actually able to choose to do things instead of watching like you are able to do.
I like Fran’s singing on MMR. I thought Even was mean it’s his resturant but HIS chef asked her to sing.You have to get in to Amazing Race this season Claire. Rob and Amber of Survivor fame are competeing!
But Saturday night is the next viewing night of all! Gardening Australia, Monarch of the Glen, Iron Chef and then RocKwiz. It’s a good night to stay in.
And I’ll be trying to get a little recycled monster out by tomorrow night…if I can find my sewing machine under all the mess!
Oh, we have different opinions about MRR! The more I see the more I can’t bear Sydney, especially Evan, but Bella is also proving to be a bit of a sook. Adelaide are such fun, good-value, wacky people. Nathan takes himself too seriously, but I’m pleased the Perth muppets have left us – couldn’t bear anymore bickering. I do like Brisbane, though 😉
You just described my viewing week – excepting Tuesdays, its Grumpy old Men.
best thing about tv – you can do all your hand sewing in front.
O boy! I can really identify with the pic of your room! I’ve been there more times than I care to remember! Best of luck with it all – it will all get straightened out eventually!
The windows in that studio – wow! It’s going to be soooo nice when you get some shelfs!
And LOST, nailbiting I agree. What episod are you on there? I’m sooo waiting for more episods over here! It’s such a good serie!
Take care and rest a lot, moving does that.
your new hours looks marvelous … those windows! i’m a new read {about a month in} but enjoying your postings quite a bit. thanks for sharing your life & tales. have a nice weekend…mav
It’s strange and almost scary that it’s the same TV show’s in Australia as in Sweden…
I feel the same way about TV! It’s so much better to create instead of just sitting in front of the tube.
By the way, your studio looks great(even if in a mess!). I need to finish painting mine (I got up to halfway up the hall and stopped. It’s not as impressive as it sounds, having a hall and stairs, as this is a converted attic!). I feel inspired.
🙂
I didn’t like MRR last year but this year it’s absolutely compelling. I’m not at all keen on Adelaide, Justine just seems NASTY to me.
I agree with Lushlife, Nighty Night was compelling and apalling. During the fantastic finale I made Soy stop talking to me so I could catch every last devastatingly awful moment. If it re-runs, watch it and cringe.
BTW poached eggs with avocado isn’t a bad diet. It is a long way from chips and turkey twizzlers. Zac is a habitual vegetable refuser but I had a bit of success during the week with ‘chicken balls’ being small chicken rissoles with carrot and zucchini in them. The stroke of genius was serving them with apple sauce. Tastes good, is healthy. Zac has told me at least 50 times this week that he LOVES apple sauce. All future meals will contain apple sauce.
I’m loving the latest installment of Jamie, too. Our good eater of a baby has grown into a ultra-picky toddler and I’m finding Jamie’s resolve to feed kids healthily is good mid-week encouragement to not give up (even though sometimes I’m REALLY tempted!) Some of the things those kids are fed are truely frightening… Food can be such a loaded subject for girls, too, as they grow older – it seems so important to get it as right as possible from the outset. I struggle between not wanting to turn mealtimes into a stress filled war-zone and a desperate desire for Audrey to have at least one vegetable in her day! Sorry about the rambling! 😀
In an effort to finish knitting my girls jumpers, I have started watching TV and knitting at the same time (hence lots of mistakes) but if I may, from a fellow TV critique: 1. MRR – Please stop that girl from Brisbane singing and thank goodness we don’t have to watch Andre sweat anymore. 2. I love Jamie and even more, I am in a strange intrigue kind of love with the concept of the lunch lady. 3. I have been suckered into Desperate Housewives and find myself relating to Lynette a little too often. 4. Can I also recommend – The Amazing Race – new season starts next Thursday night, great time to get hooked. And my other favourite, The Apprentice – go Tana!!!! And finally, does anybody watch X Factor – the only time I did, I developed cringe factor. How sad that I have just posted this !!!!
Oh I love Jamie Oliver! I don’t think we get that channel anymore. ;(
I feel compelled to add my 2 cents worth re: MRR. I just don’t have anytime for Sydney I’m afraid – Evan is the epitomy of a greedy goose. Go Brisbane, ‘though Francesca should put a sock in it with respect to her singing. But MRR is only the entree to great TV on a Thursday, with Lost and then the Amazing Race. Thanks for your interesting blog and hope you are now settled into the new house.
I just finished moving myself, and that photo up top is giving me horrid flashbacks. I still have one box whose contents are supposed to live in my sewing room, and I can’t bring myself to even look into it.
Good luck finding a place for everything! 🙂
May I submit my cats for Recycled Mania Monsters? Because that’s what they are! Is the photo of your studio? It looks so cheery and airy. Congratulations on your new house. :o)
yes, i get sucked into the soft lounge chair at the end of a grueling day and can’t get out again. re:restaurant rules, I can’t believe how bitchy all those women were last week – all except pink salt. I want her to win now.
Oooh, I live 30 seconds away from the MRR Brisbane restaurant on Park Road! I watch the show sometimes…obviously not enough to see the singing (and don’t live close enough to hear the singing ;))
Oh your own little haven! i’m so jealous!
ok i confess, i too have a reality tv addiction. monday: the bachelor (loving this season charlie o’connell is a cutie). tuesdays: american idol ::sigh:: i must admit i am addicted to that show. tuesdays nights are simply not the same without it.wednesdays: american idol results show. thursdays: the apprentice and ER.
fridays: TLC what not to wear. Saturdays: actually nothing can you believe that!
sundays: again nothing really unless there is a good movie on.
I am so glad american idol broadcasts in australia. moving back home in august and i want to continue my addiction with future seasons. hey i hear aussie idol is auditioning right now? can’t wait to watch that!!
am i just pathetic or what heh.
{r}
Well I watch just about all of those shows too. I watch the supernanny before Desperate housewives…it makes me realise I have small problems with my toddlers when I see all those nutters with their kids. I agree with getting Francesca to STOP singing…I think Bella and Evan are doing well considering they are only 23.I would NEVER run a restaurant..all those long late hours!! YUCK…OH and Jamie Oliver’s ahow is awesome.You can tell he is so passionate about getting kids to eat right.A pommie friend of my husbands said its hard to get all of the great fresh fruit and veges over there,that we have here.Not sure how true that is and I guess the weather would make them want those hot fatty foods over a salad…I think we are lucky to have all that sunny, tasty goodness here in Australia.Now I am the one rambling….great room Claire!!! your doing a good job..
I’m completely gobsmacked by your list of TV shows … they’re al American. Australia doesn’t make her own programming? (I don’t watch TV, but this makes me really sad)
In our kithen we have a great old chair with wooden arms. My little Lily stands on the chair, at the bench “helping” me prepare food.She loves it. 🙂
oh I can so relate to your photo of a box filled loungeroom! We’ve just shifted house too! But have discovered we have no TV reception as previous people only had cable. So I haven’t been able to veg in front of the TV – and we couldn’t get the phone line working for 5 days so I had no internet either. It was like living on a deserted island.
What about Super Nanny? I’m almost as obsessed by it as I am by Jamie’s School Dinners. My sister and I love the way she says “That is not asseptible.”
We moved a little over 6 months ago and we still have boxes around, in part because we don’t know where to put things (we need furniture/storage solution) and in part – well just because (I guess we really don’t have a big excuse – except perhaps a baby in the way which should not be an excuse but rather the motivation we need to finish things, and the fact that the house needed more work than what we anticipated).But It does get better I promise, I can now count the boxes in each room with one hand (and luckily our bedroom, the kitchen and one of the bathrooms are free of boxes).
Congratulations on the new space, those windows are marvelous!
BBB