Chocolate Anyone...?

This is what we came home with from kinder today. We won't be coming home every time with something like this.

A whole box of Cadbury's chocolate. 24 bars of pure deliciousness.

This isn't from my go-to mate for chocolates, Sheridan, either. No. This is from Cadbury's themselves. So what's it all about?

Well, I had heard things about "the chocolate drive" but didn't know what it was all about. I got a letter from Miss M's school's music department some weeks ago asking how many boxes I wanted. Huh? Miss M isn't in the music programme this year.

So here's what it's all about. Schools, kinders and the like use this chocolate drive to raise funds. This is the box we got through kinder. It contains 24 x 250g bras of chocs.

The idea - to sell each bar for $2.50

Since I don't buy much chocolate, I wouldn't even be able to tell you how much these normally sell for but certainly not for this price, as a normal chocolate bar is usually around the $2 mark.

So what do I do with $60 worth of chocolate? Since we haven't been here very long and don't know a whole load of people - and the people we do know are also somehow involved in this in their own way - I could purchase it all myself and slowly make my way through them.

I could send them with Mr C to work, but I know it's been around there already.

Anyone out there want to buy some of these bars? I have 6 each of the following; Top Deck, Caramello, Dairy Milk and Crunchie.

Which is your favourite?

On the flip side of the coin, I have also read recently that this popular chocolate drive has been receiving some negative publicity. With the attention on the increase of obesity and trying to teach children healthy eating habits.

I believe this is also the first time Cadbury aren't taking back any that aren't sold. That leaves me buying the lot for future consumption or trying to sell them all to people who have their own boxes to sell.

There goes the diet ;-)

Robyn x

Monty

Look what we came home with today from kinder.

Monty (about number 6) is the kinder pet who goes home every weekend with someone from the 4 year old groups. Master T begged me last term to put his name down, but by the time I knew what it was all about, the list was full.

So as soon as it was up again for this term, I booked a space. Look, he even has a sleepover bag! He stays at the kinder during the week, and sometimes even goes home with one of the cling-ons during the holidays.

We have instructions to please make sure he goes to bed at 7:30pm. However, he has been having little naps since we brought him home so he's obviously had a very busy day at kinder today.

We take him back on Monday morning when it's Master T's next kinder session.
It's going to be an interesting weekend.

Robyn x

Nimue

I was late in starting a proper skin cleansing routine - not to say I always had a dirty face just in case that's what you're thinking. I'm talking about that long and tedious 3-step programme you're supposed to do every night so that you can go to bed with clean glowing skin.

Maybe it had something to do with not finding a product I was happy with. Or perhaps all the products people recommended were just way out of my price range. I don't think I have bad looking skin - especially at my age. I don't smoke, have the odd glass of wine, and try and keep my face out of the sun. I got my face really badly burned when I was about 13 or 14 while on holiday one year at the beach, but despite this I was never really a tanner. Natural or false.

Oh no, I lie. I had a spray tan for my wedding coz I had just come out of a UK winter and was as white as the snow.

While on holiday in South Africa a couple of years ago, my mom booked a facial peel for me at her local beauty spa. It was heaven. It wasn't one of those harsh chemical peels and fortunately didn't look like I was losing the skin off my face! Just a really deep cleansing facial that lasted ages but seemed to be over in 5 mins.

The product the lady used was called Nimue. I loved it. And so in a mad dash before we had to return to the UK, I bought the whole shebang. Cleanser, conditioner (toner), day and night creams, sun block, active lotion and active gel. I even made sure that it was available in the UK so I could buy refills. There was one agent in Leicester. Not easy to come by.

So when we knew we were moving to Australia, I contacted the offices in South Africa to find out where in Melbourne it was available. Then lost the reply email.

Remember when I told you about collecting all the beauty salons brochures? Well, while I was going through them something magical happened. I discovered to my absolute delight that the one around the corner from home is an agent! Since I had run out of everything from what I had in the UK I was there like a shot to refill.

I came out with my eyebrows waxed, empty containers filled and have booked myself in for a full skin analysis in one of those machines that look at the underlying skin to see if it's damaged PLUS a full hour facial. I'll be sure to come back and let you know how it all went. Booked for a week on Friday.

All using Nimue. It's a great product and suits me perfectly. It's not cheap, but for me is well worth it. And I do it religiously every night.

What do you guys use?

Robyn x

p.s. This is not a paid advertisment even though I wish it were. I just love the stuff and I'm telling you.

Aussie Fridays: Learning Aussie English - Lesson #4

I know it's Tuesday today, but I'm adding it to a new label.

English Colloquialisms.

Aussie style.

Lets go;

"Aussie Salute."
Translation: Brushing away flies with the hand.


Note - contradictory to popular belief, the local Aussies don't wear bush hats with corks around them to keep the flies away from their faces. However, they do in the Outback. As far as I know. But don't quote me on that.

"He's got the wobbly boot on."
Translation: He's drunk

"Who opened their lunch?"
Translation: Who farted?

"Figjam" (F**ck I'm Good, Just Ask Me) 
Translation: Nickname of people who have a high opinion of themselves.

"Flat Out Like a Lizard Drinking"
Translation: Working very hard


"Got a few roos loose in the top paddock"
Translation: Not very bright

Here's something that was recently put up on a friends Facebook page, but this is for the advanced class of the Learning Aussie English programme. Something to look forward to in the future.

"You know you're Australian when... you can decipher "yeah nah". Your mates are Shazza, Dazza and Cazza. You're going down to see Acca Dacca, and gettin' maccas in your trackie dackies. You once lived in woop woop, your mate's Commodore died in the arse and you understand that no wukkin furries is a good thing! Re post mate if you're a fair dinkum Aussie!!!!!! :)"

When I learn of any more, I'll be sure to let you know.

Robyn x

Freebies

You may or may not have heard that when you want to get rid of things in Australia, you just chuck it all outside onto your nature strip for anyone driving by to stop and help themselves to the pickings.

So last weekend, our neighbour Sam was doing just that. All day there was a lot of activity round hers with cars coming and going. At first it looked like she was moving out there was so much stuff! But no, it's all her dads stuff. Don't know if she sub-lets from him but we do know that he is actually the renter, but lives with a girlfriend.

So no, this was just them clearing out all his stuff once and for all. The comings and goings were people taking what they fancied and the rest was left out on the nature strip.

See that pink Booked sign stuck on the side of that desk? The correct procedure in this council is that you phone them up to let them know you have stuff to get rid of. They then send via post that Booked  sticker which you attach to something and they come around (eventually) and haul the goods away. There are always two vans - one for mattresses and one for everything else.

It is then that folks stop and help themselves to the pickings. And since we have a lot of traffic down our road because the station isn't too far, things go pretty quickly.

When Sam had cleared everything out and was all done, we walked past that evening on the way to a meal out when I spotted a hall table. I told Mr C that if it was still there when we came back, I was going to pick it up.

It was, so I did.

Apart from a few wobbly legs it's in perfect condition. Seems a bit short to me though but have found an inspiring picture online that has given me an idea on how to heighten it slightly. I'll be looking into that this week. Then it's getting a make-over and some dressing up. I have a new birthday toy that is waiting to be used. As soon as it stops raining coz I have to do it outside.

Though we aren't in our own home yet and I don't want to be getting things for when we do right now, sometimes you just can't pass up an opportunity. If it doesn't fit in our future house, then I'll make another plan.

BTW - not everyone leaves the things like a dump. The cupboard was originally upright so someones knocked that down and there was also a fridge which went pretty quickly!

Robyn x

Linking to;

Play Dates Down Under

As a mom of a 12 year old and a 4 year old, I have had to organise and attend many a play date. So this isn't something new to me. But here in Australia things go a little differently which I have had to get used to.

It's not the majestic mess the kids make, because the invited child has to go through EVERY toy that your little one possesses. Coz it's like Christmas with another kids toys.

It's not because the mother of invited child stays for endless cups of tea (I am British after all) so you can have a good "goss". (Yes the Aussies have a tendency to halve their words)

It's not because the snacks for the week are consumed within 5 minutes of the play date.

Nor is it because the invited child has a whinge and whine when it's time to go home, because he's having too much fun.

It's not because the invited child's mother has repaid the invitation to a play date (and goss) at theirs the next time.

No.

What I haven't experienced at my years of play dates is that the invited child gets "to borrow" one of the invitees toys to take home and play with.

To return on the next organised play date, or when they see each other again at kinder.

Note to self: don't have too many children around for a play date at one time.

I have SO much to learn to truly integrate into this Aussie life. But I'm learning. One play date at a time.

Robyn x

p.s Fortunately I was not witness to Mr Potato Head's plight. How the poor man must have suffered.

Karate Chopped & Tenderised

For Mother's Day last weekend I received a voucher for a massage. I was given an amount because we are new here and I haven't yet had the pleasure of discovering all of the beauty parlours in the area.

I went around and helped myself to the free price lists outside the establishments to compare prices and see how much of a massage I could get. I discovered something else on my research about my favourite facial product but I'll cover that another time.

Anyway. So I decided to go to a place at the mall called Sens Massage. I'd seen other people here and seemed a really popular place. Here's why.

Sens Massage is one of the ever-popular "drop in with no appointment" places that seem to be popping up all over the place. I know of "sit and wait" hairdressers - they have them in the UK. But I hadn't seen a massage place. Also, these massage places are everywhere. There are 2 in the local mall and every other mall I have been to has at least one. They're popular.

On the weekend - it's always busy. Got 10 minutes quickly? Get a head massage. An hour? Full body. There are various combinations - head, neck & shoulders, back and shoulders, arms, legs, reflexology, feet, hands. You also don't have to have their combination - you can make up your own. It's all very flexible.

So with a few hours to kill while Master T was at kinder, I went in and had a head, neck and shoulders massage.

The place isn't all that big and there are a few beds at the back, some very comfy looking leather lounge chairs at the front for reflexology and then down the centre is a row of extremely comfortable dining chairs. Apart from the beds at the back, everything else is open plan.

Not just open plan in the place, but in the mall as well. So while you are having your relaxing treatment, there is soft sensual music playing within the place, but you can also hear the chatter of the other shoppers walking past. It doesn't sound right, but it wasn't all that bad. Or was that perhaps because it wasn't really full and I was on one of the dining chairs further in?

Boy did I get the kids moneys worth. I was squeezed, rubbed, dug in with elbows, pushed and pressed. I feel like I have been beaten within an inch of my life and suitably tenderised. I had the head, neck and shoulders massage, and I even got a bit of the classic karate chop along my shouders. Not to mention my head.

However, let me put the record straight. The massuers are well trained. They are professional and friendly. They make sure you are comfortable and ask if the pressure they are using is ok. It was admittedly hard, but that was the only way it was going to get all these knots of mine out.

I came out of there feeling much better and with immediate and noticably better shoulders.

I'll definitely be going back. Maybe every week before I do the grocery shop? It sure will take the pressure off pushing that trolley around!

Yours in unknot shoulders,

Robyn x

Quick Make Library Bag

From the start of the second term after the Easter holidays, kinder are now having a library book loan on Tuesdays. It's also something they need for big school next year when they borrow from the school library.

For this, each of the cling-ons had to have a library bag. While there were some pre-made ones on offer for $5 each at the kinder, there wasn't very much to choose from for boys. Oh there were some lovely fairy's and mermaids along with all sorts of glitter, sparkles and pink for the girls. The choices for boys seemed too young for the 4 and 5 year olds. Most of the boys are into Aussie Football (I'll cover this as soon as I get my head around it), but teddy bears and baby cars was all there was.

So, I decided to knock one up myself. I used some fabric I had bought to make some shorts (which I still haven't done), did some research into more or less how big the bags are, and got started.

The bag I made has a finished size of 42cm long by 32cm wide. It's a great size and has been plenty big enough for the books Master T has brought home so far. I didn't take pictures while making it so I don't currently have a step by step tutorial on how I made it.

But fear not. It's my NBFF's sons birthday in a couple of weeks and she has asked me to make one for him and his younger brother (who is at kinder with Master T). I'm making these two bags out of a pillow slip, so will be sure to a step-by-step then which I'll do next week.

'Til then,

Robyn x

The Dumb Newbie and International Calls

Note: I did publish this last week, but with Blogger having problems it's put back into "edit" so here it is again. Sorry if you've already read it. 

I have lived in 3 countries in my years. South Africa, France, England. I also traveled throughout the USA when I was 12 on a school trip. I would like to think that I have therefore had quite a lot of experience with making international phones calls to mostly South Africa where my mom still lives.
It's really been rather simple up until now. First you dial the international code + area code + phone number.

But then I moved to Australia and suddenly I knew nothing.

In Australia there are 2 major phone suppliers, Telstra, which is the bigger and Optus. I won't go into the long rig-ma-roll of what poor Mr C went through to get a Telstra connection when he arrived here - something about a cable being cut in half when the new fence was put up - but fortunately for us, there is also a line from Optus to the house so we have gone with them.

Last Sunday was also Mother's Day in South Africa. While I didn't forget to phone my mom, one always has to remember the (currently) 9 hour time difference. I could have easily called her at 8am on Sunday morning to wish her, but I don't think she would have appreciated a call at 5am.

I did eventually call her. On Monday. Lunch time in SA. Nearly bedtime in Oz. And this is where this story is going.

Here's the thing though.

You have to dial either 0011 or 0018 before the international dialing code etc etc. The 0011 is if you want to be charged for the call by the second. The 0018 is if you want to be charged in 30min blocks.

I want to talk to my mom so I can chat to her for a while because there is always so much to talk about, and be charged the 30min time block, but my (land line) phone won't let me. I get "Optus advices that the number dialed is either incomplete or incorrect. Please check the number and try again". 

I know the number. I have a knack for remembering numbers. My mom's been at the same office number since I was in France in the early 90's. DON'T tell me it's wrong or incomplete.

Eventually I use the 0011 and phone...and get through. Fortunately my mom phones back and we chat for a good half hour. She's a boss at work, so she's allowed.

I'd just like to point out here that this isn't the first time I have phoned my mom since moving here in Sept 2010, but have always had to use the 0011.

So anyways. I then I decided to phone Optus and ask them why I can't use the 0018 number before the rest like the telephone book is telling me. The only time I have spoken to Optus was for the after sales service calls when the line was connected.

I got through to the Indian Call Centre no problem and explained in my most pigeon English that I wanted to be able to use the 0018 30min block charges when I phoned overseas.
After him then hanging on while he phoned on the mobile so I could try again on the land line, he eventually put me through to the technical department to see if they could help.

After explaining again what I wanted and didn't think it was a technical problem at all, he put me back through to Customer Service and told me to tell them to change my package. So I did.

It was then that the light bulb finally went on in this dumb newbie's head. While being shifted from pillar to post and being put on hold, I went onto the Optus mind-numbingly complex website and started looking for the overseas calls packages.

For an extra $5 a month I can call overseas for 3.5c a min. Or for an extra $10 I can call my mom for 3c a minute. The Customer Service guy is telling me the same thing at this stage, but now I already know.

"Okay thank you very much for your help. I'll let you know if I decide on it."

My point? Optus doesn't have the 0018 30min block deal - that's Telstra!

They're probably laughing at me at Optus Customer Service Training Centre right now because "this call may be recorded for training purposes".

Live and learn.

Robyn x

Linking to:

A Blah Day

Wednesday is the only day Master T and I don't have anything on, so it means a lie in for both of us and we spend the day doing whatever we want to.

Except today is a blah day so we are staying in. It's cold and has been raining on and off all day and all last night. Real  duvet day kinda weather. So if it's ok with you I'll just rattle on about what we've achieved today.

So far. It's now 4 o'clock.

1. Sorted out all the paperwork. This had to be done because we need our passports and neither Mr C nor I know what we've done with them.

 

The passports weren't there.

2. Made Macaroni Cheese for supper.

Master T helped crunch the cornflakes and mix in the 3-cheese sauce. Then he decided he wanted a little helping for lunch as well, so he prepared his own dish.

We just gotta work on that smile.

3. Filled in paperwork that needs to be sent back to the UK.

4. Watched a movie. Well, Master T did while I sorted the papers.

5. Unpacked the scarves, hats, gloves and winter tights.

6. Packed away kids summer clothing.

7. Spent time looking for the passports.

8. Decided I want my own DSLR because my P&S doesn't take nice pictures. (I use Mr C's DSLR for most of the pics so far on this blog - except the ones in this post)

9. Picked Miss M up from school, coz it's still raining buckets!

10. Still haven't found the passports.

Maybe tomorrow.


Robyn x

Sweet Deliciousness

Actually for someone with an already sweet tooth, it's not really that sweet. But it is yum.

I'm talking about Hedgehog Slice. I haven't made any of this before - I know, where have I been? - but after having it at the kinder Mother's Day evening  last week, I had to give it a try.

VERY easy and quick. It's gone down really well with the cling-ons and is a great treat for their lunch boxes. If only everything else in the lunch boxes were so easy. Is it just me who struggles to think of what to pack when someone is so darn fussy about what get's put on their sandwiches and the other one only wants jam or Nutella which isn't even allowed?

Never mind. Back to the slices. Easy peasy lemon squeezie.

Throw a load of ingredients together, chuck it in the fridge for a few hours and voila!

While there are recipes online, this is the one which kinder have kindly put in their latest newsletter. I left out the choc icing because of pack up.

Hedgehog Slice

2 Pkt Marie Biscuits
250g butter, melted
1 small tin sweetened condensed milk
2 tblsp cocoa
chocolate icing (optional)


1.  Crush biscuits using a rolling pin
2.  Add cocoa
3.  Mix condensed milk and butter together, then add to dry ingredients and mix well
4.  Pour into a slice tin, then flatten down
5. Place into refrigerator to set for a couple of hours
6. Ice with chocolate icing or melted chocolate

Enjoy!

Robyn x

Aussie Fridays: Learning Aussie English - Lesson #3

For some reason - perhaps it's because I'm around them and talking all the time - I have already noticed that - mostly in writing rather than in speaking - the odd word coming out of this British English only mouth, is Australian slang.

So, here are some words I may or may not have written down somewhere on this blog, or spoken out loud. I mentioned before that the Australians like to halve their words. I haven't quite figured out why yet.


AUSSIE - Australian

ARVO - afternoon

AVO - avocado (this one isn't actually new to me as we used this in South African English too)

LOLLIES - sweets or candy

RUNNERS - trainers / sneakers (I still refer to them in my native English - takkies. While my cling-ons don't use the term themselves, they know I'm talking about. Having said that, Master T actually said takkies yesterday. He's gonna get some funny looks if he uses them elsewhere.)

SALVO'S - The Salvation Army

In the next lesson I'm hoping to have some words and sayings ready that make absolutely no sense at all in the way in which they are used. This should be interesting.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

Robyn x

An All Night Bender

...is exactly what I feel I've been on today.

Mother's Day Down Under is on Sunday.

For me it will be celebrated 3 times this year. I had tried to aim for 4 since the UK celebrates M's D in March, I thought it was my right as a Mother to celebrate it in March and May. After all, I have one child born in South Africa (who has M's Day on the same day as Aus), and one child born in the UK. Put your hand up for those who agree I should get double takings? Anyone? There's got to be someone surely!

First Monday night, where the kinder hosted a soup and story time for Moms and the kinder kid. We had some play time, story time, raffle time and gift time. Each of the kids had made and decorated a bowl which was filled with some lovely smellies which our cling-on gave to us there.  I'll come back to this story another time.

Then my new best friend Dani decided some weeks ago that the moms from our group deserved a mom's night out. Last night was it. Fifteen of us hit an intimate little Thai restaurant nearby. Now when I say initimate, it's just my polite way of saying small. Our 15 seater took up half the place. But it was so good.

Dani

I'd had a bad head all day, and the 2 or 3 - or was that 4 or 5? - bottles glasses of wine hit me hard. Today I have no energy and my head is still pounding.

Melissa

I have Mt Ironing to tackle but I can't even switch the iron on. I've only just remembered to take something out the freezer to defrost so lets hope my family can eat tonight. Otherwise we'll hit the KFC Family Bucket we keep seeing advertised on tv.

Sheridan (go-to mum for chocolates and wine - I have her number!)

If Master T didn't have kinder this arvo, I wouldn't have bothered getting dressed.

l-r: Lisa, Kristi, Cath, Kate, Amanda #1, Wendy

But you can see from the pictures we all had a good time. We talked about which schools our kids were going to next year, dad's dressing in Elmo costumes, and would you believe, our birthing experiences. Seems I'm not the only one who had Master T with no drugs and who was delivered on the bathroom floor by his dad.

Sheridan, Dani, Amanda #2

But the important thing is that we had a great time and had some time to ourselves to chill-ax without all those mother and wife duties. For a few hours at least.

Natasha, Alison, Natalie

Except right now I really need my bed, yet I'm too afraid I'll be getting a call later to say Master T has been waiting hours for me to come and pick him up.

Dani, Melissa, Natasha, Amanda #2 and Jodie

But at least I had a great time last night.

Robyn x

Maddie

Four years ago today, Madeleine McCann was abducted from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while on holiday with her parents. The news made worldwide headlines and put the village of Rothley, with a population of 3000 odd, on the international map.

www.leicestershirevillages.com

While there are many children missing throughout the world, Maddie's story is a little closer to home for me. While we don't know the family on a personal level, we come from the same village.

I remember the day the news broke, it was the only thing everyone was talking about. It was the only topic at school amongst the mum's waiting to pick up their offspring in the school grounds. Tt wasn't the fact that Maddie has disappeared, terrible though it was, but the circumstances in which it happened. As mums ourselves, we were all dumbstruck that the children were left unsupervised while the adults went out to eat. It was unbelievable, shocking and there was a lot of anger.

http://www.yourlocalweb.co.uk/leicestershire/rothley/pictures

Public perception was very unsympathetic  towards Gerry and Kate at the beginning. The millions of questions on everyone's lips. How could they leave them alone? Why didn't they use the babysitting services the hotel offered? Why didn't they take the children with them to supper? Would YOU leave your babies alone? 

But the longer Maddie had been missing, and the constant media attention to make sure her disappearance was all fresh in our minds soon changed that. We all got over the terrible circumstances in which it happened, and all the angst against the McCanns did a 180* turn.

Daily Mail

I think part of what changed that was the way in which the Portugese Police were handling the case. There didn't seem to be anything happening, and when it did it seemed to be a half hearted affair. The apartment was re-rented only a few short weeks after the incident, and all leads led nowhere.

Virtually overnight, the village turned yellow. There was a basket in front of the memorial which was filled with yellow ribbon that people could use to tie on what became any and everything that had a spare spot. The trees surrounding, the fencing, the benches, the bushes, the advertising boards outside shops. Door handles, pushchairs, car review mirrors, handbags, clothing. People came from all over to pay tribute and to read some of the hundreds of letters and cards that had been left. It was very heartbreaking and emotional - there were many tears shed from total strangers who tried to comprehend what it must be like to loose a child.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebatty/524190632/

Eventually all the ribbons and soft toys were removed from everywhere and volunteers washed the toys - it had rained a number of times while all these were up - before they were all donated to a worthy cause.

Daily Mail

Of course, as soon as the news broke the media descended on our little village like a swarm of locusts. While not in the best circumstances, it was such a novelty to be seeing our little village in the middle of England on all the national and international TV stations. The village is only small and has limited village parking at the best of times, but the main car park was soon taken over by the media - both local and international.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebatty/524243323/in/photostream

People were happy to be interviewed and being asked a quick question or 2 by one of the journalists. My friend Becky and I were "accosted" by a French journalist who asked us our opinion on what happened, and would we leave our children unsupervised? We were both pushing pushchairs at the time ourselves so we were quite happy to put in our 2 pence worth.

As time went on though, they became a nuisance. While I respect they have a job to do, they soon became irritable and the villagers made more of a point to avoid them or decline comments. They'd wait outside the shop entrances and try and get a word or two as you came out.

Add captihttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ebatty/524243467/in/photostream

All of the news coverage was from the village green, which is a memorial next to the main car park and also a communial area with benches where many a mum and child/ren can be seen eating ice creams after school on a (rarely) hot summers day.

The media also dwindled when there was no longer anything big to report, but were back periodically whenever news broke about the case. By the time we left in September last year, there would still be the odd tv van come into the village, usually on the anniversary, or when special services were being held in the village churches, not only for Maddie, but for all the missing children worldwide.

The Sun

When all the ribbons and soft toys were cleared and the benches and plants cleared of ribbons, a candle lantern was placed in front of the memorial gate which to this day burns 24/7. No one can fathom what today must be like for the McCann's, but I know the village of Rothley is praying for her safe return to where she belongs.

Thoughts and prayers also go out to all those people affected by the devastating tornado's that have recently hit the USA.

Robyn x