School Nightmare

I guess the kids aren't the only ones dreading the start of the school year.  I had an awful dream last night about having a huge fight with Emily to get her to go to school.  I know they're not happy, but I also know I've done everything I can, and so has the school pretty much, to make their lives better.  As I've said before, conistency is the key here and I will be providing that to the best of my ability.  Next week I will get the new bits of uniform that they need, and other things and will present a positive, solid approach to them going back.  I truly believe this year will be easier for them.  They will hopefully go up in a few classes, which will get them away from the deadbeat kids they seem to befriend.  Josh definitely will as he was just slotted in anywhere at the beginning of last year having only gone to the primary school here for one term.  Emily will be in year ten and I know from experience with Katy, the bitchiness and silliness tended to dissipate a bit as she went through year ten.  And Josh will be in year eight so no longer among the youngest kids in the school.  Josh has a better approach and a more determined attitude than Emily does.  He knows he has to get an education, the best one he can to set him up for the future and also knows the idiots who make his school life miserable, are just that.  Idiots.  My kids are basically both good, bright and caring kids and they'll be fine. 
Gosh is it the 17th of January already?  I need to start thinking about Emily's 15th birthday on March 1st.  The car rego is due next month and I'm not sure if we can swing a trip to Melbourne but I'll try.  Finding somewhere nice to stay is proving more difficult than one would imagine. 
Couldn't get in to the doctor today but tomorrow should be okay.  The joys of country living.  Only one medical centre and you  have to ring first thing in the morning to get an appointment for that day.  I don't know why they do that but I guess they have their reasons.
Phill got a call to go away on temporary transfer which was welcome news.  Bit too much togetherness of late for my liking.  All of us together in the house, too hot to really go out and do anything and no routine as it's impossible to get into one during school holidays when he's home as well.  But we're all looking forward to our trip away.  I warned my mother in law that I would be staying put at the resort rather than visiting, and that no one really wants to see me anyway, it's the chance for Phill to spend some time with his family, especially his ill sister.  They are all welcome to visit us in the cabin, and I hope they do, they're all really good company, but dragging the kids everywhere and making them sit while we talk is not going to happen this time. 

Lucky is getting bigger every day, and cuter.  He jumped out at me from behind the lounge this morning, little bugger.  Only a week or two till we can start looking for a new home for him.  He will eat solids (as long as it's fish! ) and can lap but I've yet to see him use the litter tray, Harley is still toiletting him but he's not eating that much cat food, is still feeding off her mostly.  It's going to be hard for the kids to say goodbye but they knew it was coming.  Two cats are one too many. 

Phill came home with some beautiful roses the other day.  Lovely, but he only ever brings me flowers when he's been horrible to me.  I'd rather he just wasn't horrible, I have a garden full of roses.

I did Vietnamese Pork Balls last night, and also made some fresh Spring rolls with rice paper filled with marinated cooked prawns, and lots of salad with mint and coriander, and a great dipping sauce that I made up as I went with lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, a bit of rice wine vinegar and some chilli and garlic.  Something was missing though and in the end I added a splash of soy sauce and it was perfect.  The rolls were so delicious and healthy, I must make them more often.  I used the rest of the dipping sauce to dress the Asian coleslaw and topped it with deep fried shallots, crunchy noodles and chopped unsalted peanuts.  Did fried rice for the others, it was so hot last night though and Josh didn't eat anything.  I had noodles instead.

Got a big package of lean beef mince thawing to make up a batch of the spicy meat filling the kids love for their tacos and burritos.  Will add a sachet of my puree broccoli to it.  I will make myself a tomato based pasta sauce I think.  Bit of a matriciana, with bacon and chilli and anchovies.

Our capsicums are growing and it looks like we'll have a glut of chillies from the several new bushes.  Frost got the last one.  I think I will make chilli jam this time, the jalapenos I pickled are still sitting in the fridge, must check them to see if they're still okay, I never used them.

So hot here, I slept on the couch for most of last night under the air conditioner but crawled into bed around 4 when it got too uncomfortable.  Hope the weather stays nice for when we go to the dam later this week.  Emmy got a new bikini, she's lost weight, mostly the puppy fat she was carrying.  It's an Aussie flag design and she got matching board shorts so she'll look spiffy around the pool.