Category: Useful Things I did Today

Since becoming in-valid…. I am really excited by every little thing that I can get done. No dishes yet, but I can stack the dishwasher!

I’m not iron deficient

I’m anaemic.

Which accounts for my extremely low energy and lethargy. Doc has given me a referral to see a gastroenterologist and a different (chelated) iron supplement.

I cant get in to see the specialist until January, but if I’m not feeling significantly better in a month, well do some further investigations.

I am also going to do spirometry next week and do a proper asthma plan, and possibly see a specialist for that too. Possibly we’ll be able to manage my asthma without daily steroids. And I think that is worth looking in to.

So thanks everyone for your gp suggestions – I now feel like I am on the right track!

Spiced Chickpea Snacks

4 Cups chickpeas
3 tblsp vegetable oil (I use peanut)
2 tblsp Cumin Powder
2 tblsp Tumeric Powder
2 tblsp Coriander Powder
1 tblsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tblsp Garam Masala
1 tblsp Cardamom Powder
1 teaspoon Chilli Powder – to taste. Mine is really hot!
Salt to taste – I used almost 2 tablespoons.

Boil chickpeas until al dente. Be careful nit to overcook, as the skins will come off and look horrible.

Add oil to a large wok, heat, then add spices and salt. Fry until spices become fragrant and are well mixed.

Add drained chickpeas, and mix thoroughly. Make sure each one has a good coating of the spice mixture.

Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper, and spread the chickpeas on the trays. Its ok if they touch, but make sure they are in a single layer.

Put the trays in a slow oven for a few hours, until chickpeas are crunchy and toothsome. I put mine on about 150 degrees for about 2 hours. Be aware that they get more crunchy after you take them out of the oven, so wait until they are cool to make a determination about crunch factor!

Enjoy with beer or a dry white wine. Or a martini. Or whatever!

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Unboxing the overlocker


It’s obviously been tested in the factory, and it works perfectly. Any problems will be my fault!


Colour coded tension dials. Each thread has a colour assigned, and there is a threading diagram inside the front cover.

includes tweezers for threading

The little box of bits


Sorry about the fuzzy pic – but you can see on the left, my first attempt. On the right, my second attempt. Much better. 11.09am


Attempt number 2 – an almost perfect cuff. 11.12am


Completed hat and pants. 1.19pm

Pfaff Hobbylock 2.0 Review

Since I’d never touched an overlocker before I went to the shop to try threading it. And today was the first time I’ve ever used one. So I’m pretty impressed that I was able complete two items (including unboxing, reading the manual, making a pattern for the pants and cutting all the pieces), in just over two and a half hours.

I’ve been told that overlockers can be fiddly, hard to get the tensions right, impossible to thread, etc. So many people told me that they have an overlocker that they never use because it is so cantankerous, I am thrilled with this one – it couldn’t have been easier. Of course, I am still crap at driving it, but I haven’t broken anything yet, or needed to take myself to hospital, so I’m impressed, and given my limited experience, I would recommend this model to anyone.

A community service

There are some recipes that are too good not to share. I believe this is one of them. Mum put me on to it years ago, and I’ve since done many, many variations on the basic theme. It’s one of my favourite go-to recipes when I can’t be bothered cooking, and want something yummy and warm. It is also really healthy (depending on toppings), and can be mostly made with cupboard and freezer items.

Soup

5 cups water
4 slices ginger
5 teaspoons Massel vegetarian chicken stock

Simmer while noodles are cooking.

Topping Suggestions

Chinese sliced dried mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water
Gai Lan (steamed/microwaved)
Frozen Spinach (microwaved, excess water squeezed out)
Vegetarian Chinese Sausage (from your local large asian grocer)
Field Mushrooms sautéed in butter
Frozen Peas

Basically anything you have in the house, I like to use at least 2 different colours. And I usually use field mushrooms because I am a philistine and don’t really like Chinese Mushrooms in this dish.

Noodles

Drop noodles into a large pot of boiling water. Drain as soon as the water comes back to the boil, or within about 4 minutes, whichever is sooner. They really don’t need much cooking.

Run under cold water.

To Serve

Place noodles in bowl, ladle soup over.

Add toppings, and a splash of sesame oil.

Serve with chilli paste and light soy to taste.

Spotlight Finds

Although my knitting has slowed to about a row every week, I still have the compulsion to check out what’s new… And today, I was rewarded with the worst crime against yarn I’ve ever seen. A conglomeration of abominations. But to balance that, I found this – For $5 a meter! I’m going to make a new baby carrier, the colours are perfect.

Although my knitting has slowed to about a row every week, I still have the compulsion to check out what’s new…

And today, I was rewarded with the worst crime against yarn I’ve ever seen.

Tracey

A conglomeration of abominations.

But to balance that, I found this –

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For $5 a meter!

I’m going to make a new baby carrier, the colours are perfect.

The Mighty Duck River Bush Regeneration Team

Through a friend at playgroup, we found out about the local bush regen project. Mark went along last month with Inigo, this month he talked me into dropping in at the half way mark. I’m really glad I went. I popped Inigo into the new carrier, and he slept for a while, and I wandered around plucking weeds and photographing stuff… Tea break Peter demonstrates the “Peter Tool”, a mattock for enclosed spaces Weeds must die! The gall! Cicada shell Wish the focus was better on this shot! Small weed, HUGE root system. Kill with extreme prejudice Inigo had a close encounter with another cicada shell, I unearthed about half a dozen in a patch of weeds Not sure what this weed is called, but as well as a tuberous root system, it has these little bulbs which fall off if the plant is handled too roughly. Each one can make a new plant if they break off. Not only was the killing of weeds extremely satisfying, it was lovely to spend some time in the great outdoors, fabulous to meet some caring volunteers, and all so close to home!

Through a friend at playgroup, we found out about the local bush regen project. Mark went along last month with Inigo, this month he talked me into dropping in at the half way mark.

I’m really glad I went. I popped Inigo into the new carrier, and he slept for a while, and I wandered around plucking weeds and photographing stuff…

Tea break

Peter demonstrates the “Peter Tool”, a mattock for enclosed spaces

Weeds must die!

The gall!


Cicada shell


Wish the focus was better on this shot!


Small weed, HUGE root system. Kill with extreme prejudice


Inigo had a close encounter with another cicada shell, I unearthed about half a dozen in a patch of weeds


Not sure what this weed is called, but as well as a tuberous root system, it has these little bulbs which fall off if the plant is handled too roughly. Each one can make a new plant if they break off.

Not only was the killing of weeds extremely satisfying, it was lovely to spend some time in the great outdoors, fabulous to meet some caring volunteers, and all so close to home!

Problem

Winter is coming. Kid won’t tolerate blankets when sleeping. Sleepsacks too small, too expensive to replace.

Solution.

1. Fix sewing machine. Check (with caveat – still no working zig zag stitch…)

2. Visit Spotlight. Check

3. Trace existing sleepsack, embiggen.

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Check

4. Copy neckline from groovy new jammies.

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Check

5. Cut out basic pattern for Sleepsack V1.0

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Check

6. Search internets for bias tape destructions Check

7. Confirm status as “Legend in One’s Own Lunchbox”

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Check