Sunshine and Kittens

It rained solidly for two days and nights and I mean solidly, it just kept coming down.  I think that having lived through ten years of drought, that impacted on our lives personally, even now a lot of rain is kind of weird.

The little kitten who was named Jack by the kids but now has to be Jackie is the cutest kitten we've ever had, she is really pretty.  They are all eating solids and using the litter tray so I'm thinking that they can probably go in another 7 to 10 days.  They are really well socialised with us and are happy to be cuddling with the kids on their own.  They're going to make lovely pets for someone.

It was so cold yesterday, we had the heating on for a while.  I made a lovely hot beef curry in the slow cooker and we had it with lemon, cardamom saffron rice and cucumber raita with mint from the garden and it was perfect for a cool rainy night.

We're going to bbq tonight, I found a nice sounding Thai marinade for some pork loin chops, and will use some leftover chicken tenderloins to do the satay marinade again, will put it on sticks this time and maybe make a light peanut sauce.

I feel like making dessert too so it will be either a low fat pumpkin pie (been reading about bloggers and their Thanksgivings) or a low fat cheesecake depending on how early I get to the shops.  Tonight will be an end of school celebration.  I want to again impress on both kids how important next year will be in their schooling, Em will begin her HSC studies and Josh will go into year nine and I want to make them promise me they will knuckle down and just get their education.  Emily will be home and safe with me and Josh can handle school and the bullies.  I am feeling a lot better about the commitment I have to make for Emily and her schooling.  It's only two years and what a gift that is to her and probably to me and I'm happy to do it as long as she keeps her end of the bargain.  I know she is up to the task, but we still need to get her emotions and hormonal stuff sorted.  If nothing has happened by March when she turns 16 we will need to have it investigated.  I'm sure hormones are playing a big part in her behaviour which still gets out of hand but way, way less often than before.

The Christmas cards are done, they aren't how I wanted them but they're okay.  All addressed and stamped and ready to go.

I need to get this house cleaned up, not an easy task with two teenagers underfoot all the time but I'll recruit them.  Then we will begin to decorate for Christmas and the countdown will begin. 

I won't be sorry to see the end of 2011 but as in years past I won't just "hope" that next year will be better.  I am going to MAKE it better.