My New Job

I realise that I have been a horrible tease telling you that I have a new job and then not saying any more about it. It's just that life has been incredibly busy with having a new job, as well as having my Mum visiting from Sydney this week, and I have barely had time to breathe, let alone blog.
Now, about the job. I have a three month contract working in the business development office of a university. I will be working from 9 'til 3, Monday to Thursday, each week. My work is only 10-15 minutes from home so I can manage school runs fairly easily. As for the work itself, it's quite detailed and I am on a very steep learning curve. Once I have full computer access (it's taken a few days to organise), I'll have much more to learn. Even the discipline of getting all the chores done and everyone out of the house by 8.25 in the morning is a challenge.
However, I like working outside the house. I like that when I am at work all I have to think about is work. When I worked at home I could feel my incomplete household tasks nagging away in the background as I worked. And when I did housework I often felt I should be doing my other work. I hope these sentences aren't too tangled; I'm very tired.

Once the three months is up, hopefully I'll be able get another position within the university. Or perhaps I'll be ready to collapse in a heap.

I'll keep you posted.

Do you have any tips for returning to work after a long period at home? Please share them!

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Virginia Creeper

Although summer lasts a long time here, autumn has now truly arrived.

The nights are crisp and cool, and we have even had some rain.


And the leaves on the Virginia Creeper that climbs on our side fence are changing colour.

How I love the pinks and reds, greens, browns and golds of autumn!

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Off to Work

How quickly life changes! Yesterday I had a job interview at a local university and today I started work.

I am too tired to write more tonight, but I'll give you more details in the next day or two.

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"The Correct Appearance for Various Pies"

"Apple pie should be covered with puff or rough puff pastry, and should not be
ornamented. Brushed with white of egg or water, sprinkled with sugar before
baking. A little castor sugar dusted over it as it goes to the table.

All fruit except apple should be covered with short crust (either plain or
good), not ornamented, brushed with egg white or water; sprinkled with
sugar.

Rabbit or Mutton Pies should be covered with short crust. They are decorated
with roses and leaves brushed over with egg.

Meat Pies should have a hole made at each end, and in the centre, and if not
to be used till next day, a serving of the crust should be removed and placed on
top to allow the air to get into the contents."

from Everylady's Cook-Book, Edited and Compiled by Miss Drake, 1925.

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Moist and Yummy Banana Bread

Whenever we have bananas that have ripened beyond the point where even our six year old will eat them, I make a loaf of banana bread or Gran's banana cake.

The recipe for banana bread comes from Gran's old copy of the American Ladies' Home Journal Cookbook (1960). I know she went on a cruise to America in the 1960s; I wonder if she bought the cookbook while she was over there?

This banana bread keeps beautifully for days in a sealed container -- if it lasts that long, and is a popular lunchbox treat here at our red house.

Anyhow, here's the recipe. I have added my own variations at the end.

Banana Bread

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 C light brown sugar

1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 bananas)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream the shortening with the sugar. Add the mashed bananas and eggs. Sift the flour with the salt and baking soda and add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Stir in the nuts. Bake in a greased loaf pan, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, for an hour. Turn out and cool on rack; wrap in aluminium foil. this bread slices better the second day. Yield: 1 loaf

My Tips

• This recipe is much better if the bananas are very over-ripe
• I usually omit the salt
• I use butter instead of shortening.
• I usually substitute self raising flour for the flour and soda
• I don't usually include the nuts
• Cooking time will be about 10 minutes less if you are using a modern fan-forced oven

For more kitchen tips visit Kitchen Tip Tuesday at www.tammysrecipes.com.

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Lots of Links for Creating Beautiful Blogs (and They're All Free!)

As you can tell from the number of times that I have changed the look of my blog, I have yet to find the 'perfect' blog design.

However, there are so many websites now providing free blog backgrounds and free digital scrapbooking that we need never get bored with one design.

Today I thought I'd share some of the best sites I've found for free blogging materials. If you know of others, leave a comment and I'll add them to the list. Please note that these designs are all for Blogger blogs.

Beautiful Backgrounds

These sites all have free backgrounds, mostly for 2-column blogs. All you have to do is add some html to your sidebar; you don't have to fiddle with your template at all. Most of these designers also offer paid services for a more integrated blog design.

The Cutest Blog on the Block: The largest number of free backgrounds in one spot, mostly in bright, cheerful designs

The Background Fairy: I have only just discovered this site and I love it. These designs are perfect for the blogger who wants a subtle, pretty backgrounds that doesn't overwhelm her blog.

Cute and Cool Blog Stuff: Funky and whimsical, an absolute delight.

Aqua Poppy Designs: More bright and beautiful designs, although at present they are all for 2-column blogs

LeeLou Blogs: Lots of free layouts for Blogger blogs

Simply Chic Blog Backgrounds: More pleasing designs. Some of the earlier ones will not cover a widescreen monitor fully, so please check when you install them.

Free Digital Scrapbooking Materials

The easiest way to create a custom blog header is by downloading free scrapbooking materials and using them with a photo-editing program.

Two sites I love are:

Digiscrap Depot

Scrapping with Ikea Goddess

Helpful How-Tos

For those who are a little more ambitious, here are some links to making changes to your blog that may involve fiddling with your template. Please save your existing template before trying them.

• How to change your blog from two columns to three

I did this over the weekend and it's easier than you might think.

• How to make your own background using Photobucket

In 2007, Jess from Making Home wrote a series on "Redesigning Your Blog" that you may also find helpful.

Here are the links:


Redesign Your Blog #1: DREAM

Redesign Your Blog #2: Design the Photos/Graphics

Redesign Your Blog #3: Dealing with Pesky HTML

Last but not least, here is a link to a fantastic series with 31 Ways to Build a Better Blog. Highly recommended!

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Wildred Owen on War, Anzac Day, 2009

On Anzac Day 2009, 95 years since the outbreak of World War One, it seems fitting to share the most famous poem of that war, "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen.

This poem still has the power to shock and horrify.

Dulce Et Decorum Est

by Wilfred Owen (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918)

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots

But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.

GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And floundering like a man in fire or lime.

--Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,

--My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.

"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is a Latin quote from Horace meaning "it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country."

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