A Little Bit of Housekeeping

If you haven't already found your way to my new 'About Me' page I thought I should spend a few minutes explaining some of the changes I've made.


I have been blogging for a few months now, and as expected it has taken a few unexpected turns.  I feel that it has the potential to become too varied in it's post content and in doing so, there would be too many posts that were not of interest to too many of my readers.  This blog is a personal blog, about me, how I feel, what I think and my thoughts on being a stay at home mum.  Separate to this I am also interested in cooking and crafts, and holistic health and wellbeing.  Whilst there will inevitably be crossover between these areas, they are also very separate and not necessarily appealing to the readers of this blog.


So, rather than bore you all I have decided to set up two new blogs, which will cover these two other areas.  I don't expect to be doing regular posts to these, but I will be using it as a place to regularly store online articles that I have found to be interesting/informative/useful on these subjects, and would like to share.


Geriatricmummy.posterous.com is where you will find recipes, craft tutorials, and more detailed posts about my craft endeavours.  However I won't be moving my new menu planning posts at the moment.  They will be staying put.


Panacea.posterous.com is where you will find all things related to holistic health and wellbeing, alternative medicine, complimentary therapies and so on.  I should explain that my views are not too 'far out' but there is alot that we can do to stay well, aside from orthodox medicine, if only people knew.


I will of course tweet the links to new posts, but please do hop over and have a look.  If you like what you see, there is a subscribe button too :-)

A Little Bit of Housekeeping

A snapshot view of the nature v nurture debate

Last night, The Daddy was telling me about a conversation he'd had with a client about the nature/nurture debate, and how said client feels it has impacted his own family.


The Daddy and I are the type of parents that spend alot of time thinking and talking about how we are bringing up our son, and our hopes and dreams for him.  I spend hours researching what we can do to ensure the best outcomes for him, and not a stone is left unturned.  But, having said all of that, I am not a pushy parent, and am not interested in how he compares to other children.  I simply want him to be the best that he can be, in all things.   And when I say in all things, I mean all things.  I want him to be confident, and kind.  I want him to be sociable, and charming.  I want him to be sporty, musical, well mannered, academic...Of course I realise that no one person can excel at everything.  But I see my job as ensuring that he can both witness and experience 'everything', so that he is able to discover what it is he can excel at, and have opportunities open to him.  

Photo Credit

Anyway, back to the client.  This chap has seven children ranging in age from mid teens to early thirties.  All seven passed their 11+ exam without coaching or additional tuition, and went to the local grammar schools.  So far, two have gone to Oxford Uni, and two have gone to medical school.  The two that went to med school both became registrars in their 20's.  The Oxford graduate is heading up a major software development project for one of the biggest players and earning a big six figure salary.  Their father claims that they are also kind, generous, happy human beings.  Now, call me old fashioned, but it seems to me that this family has been doing something very right, so The Daddy asked him what his secret was.


He explained that he believes all his children inherited a good basic level of intelligence, so genetically had the potential.  Other than that he said the main thing he did was to read to all his children, individually, every night before bed, until the age of 15.  He also said that he always looked at their homework, and questioned/challenged them on it.  He said that to get into med school, you need to be able to demonstrate a long standing commitment to things like volunteering, sport and/or music.  


It seems to me that the one thing he didn't identify specifically, but comes across loud and clear, is that he invested time in his children. And lots of it. He took an interest in them and in what they were doing, and he gave them opportunities.  


Although this is just one small case study, it has given me the confidence to believe that my approach is not misguided.  Genetically, Star is very fortunate in the academic department.  I took all my exams between a year and eighteen months early and The Daddy won an academic scholarship to a very academic public school.  It is now our job to ensure that he has the opportunity to make the most of this.  Star will not be 'pushed' but, as I've said before, will be polished and protected to enable him to shine brightly for all his days.

A snapshot view of the nature v nurture debate

How Did I Get This Lucky? Part 2

A short while ago you may recall reading a post about how lucky I was to have such a marvellous husband.  You may also recall that I stated at the outset that I didn't generally consider myself a lucky person.  Today, or the last 24 hours, has been one of 'those days' and I am about to share it with you.  I will apologise in advance for the rather self pitying tone, but I am ill, so it's allowed :P

• Star refused to eat his dinner last night and there were tears.  And they were not his.

• On Thursday I was due to have someone come over and look after Star.  This is a paid arrangement so it's not someone 'doing me a favour'.  I had a text last night to say that she wouldn't be able to make it as she has a cold.  SO DO I.

• I had a miserably poor nights sleep, and woke this morning feeling, well, rough.  Bad cold, sore throat, sore tonsils, weak and feeble. Getting the picture ?  I don't usually get ill, and can only remember one other similar occasion in the last 12 mths, but more of that later.

• On the rare occasion that I do succumb to these types of bugs my usual strategy is to dose myself up to the max with cold care capsules so that I don't actually realise that I'm feeling under the weather, whilst taking mega doses of vitamin C to get myself better.  It works a treat.  However, this time I don't want to take said cold care capsules, just in case I may be pregnant.  I know that technically they are safe to take but I don't believe in taking anything when pregnant unless the ailment itself is likely to seriously damage me or the baby.  So I don't.  I have to rely on the vitmain c (yes it is safe in pregnancy), Manuka honey lozenges, and manuka and lemon in hot water.  Thank goodness for shrove tuesday.  I'm sure all this is doing a fantastic job of ensuring I get better quicker, but in the meantime I'm still feeling rank.

• Star decides that he is going to make breakfast difficult.  I hate difficult mealtimes and find it the most difficult thing to deal with.  This is usually the only meal of the day that goes without a hitch.  We get through it successfully, eventually, but today of all days!

• I go back to bed, having passed the parenting baton to The Daddy (note-first bit of good luck of the day) to sleep for as long as I am able. The Daddy will give Star his lunch and put him to bed if I'm still sleeping.  I am enjoying a lovely sleep, when stepson decides to slam his bedroom door.  Not in a 'I'm not very happy' kind of way, but a 'I can't be arsed to use the handle' kind of way.  The result is the same though as I am awake.  I make a concerted effort to go back to sleep, and am just getting to that lovely floaty, half conscious stage when stepson drops the toilet seat or lid down in the bathroom.  BANG.  Awake again.  This time I gave up, and got up.

• Star's lunch is well under way, the bread machine has been put on and the kitchen tidied.  All good things, thanks to...you got it.  I suggested that some KFC comfort food would be perfect for lunch and The Daddy went off to collect, whilst I put Star to bed.  KFC arrived and...oh, everything is in the bag...except mine.  I make do with a chicken leg and a hot wing. 

• Meanwhile, our power goes off.  Thankfully it is only off for 15mins, but long enough to ruin the bread. 

• I decide to do a blog post about my miserable day.  I go into Blogger, and start typing.  Blogger decides to apply the 'strike though' text to everything I type.  I try to remove it, but it won't let me.  I shut it down and go in again.  The same.  I open it in a different browser.  The same.  So, out of desperation I am doing this post in my posterous blog and hoping I can post it through to blogger from there.  We will see, but the way today is going I have a feeling this could be fraught with danger.

I think I'm feeling particularly miserable as the last time I felt ill like this I was pregnant and about to miscarry.  Can't help wondering if it's a sign that the same is about to happen ?


Oh, and I just read a blog post, which I'm sure you've all read, that says if you want to be a top blogger you shouldn't write posts that whinge and are miserable.  Well, I guess that means I'm out of the running for that particular mantle.  Still, my good luck charm will be home soon and things will be looking up.

Posted via web from geriatricmummy's posterous

How Did I Get This Lucky? Part 2

Menu Planning Monday

Week two here we come.  No change in my or Star's breakfast and lunch arrangements as outlined in last weeks post, but this week The Daddy and my step son (11) will also be here.  They usually have eggs of some desciption for breakfast, and join me in sarnies or leftovers for lunch.  So here is the dinner Menu Plan for Geriatric Towers...

Monday
Star - Chilli Con Carne with brown basmati rice, Bangbang Chicken goujons, bread, broccoli, parsnips, sweet potato, piece of fruit, carob raisins

The Seniors - Chilli Con Carne with brown basmati rice

Tuesday
Star - Spaghetti bolognese with wholemeal spagetti, sweet potato, broccoli, parsnip, fish bites, bread, piece of fruit, carob raisins

The Seniors - Slow cooked Spicy Pork and Pepper Goulash with brown basmati rice

Wednesday
Star - Roast chicken, fish fingers, sweet potato, parsnip, runner neans, bread, piece of fruit, carob raisins
The Seniors - Roast chicken and vegetables

Thursday
Star - Roast chicken dinner, parsnip, broccoli, sweet potato, bread, fish bites, piece of fruit, carob raisins
The Seniors - Minted lamb chops and vegetables

Friday
Star - Thai green chicken curry, brown basmati rice, wholemeal noodles, fish bites, carrot, broccoli, green beans, bread, piece of fruit, carob raisins

The Seniors - Thai green chicken curry, brown basmati rice, wholemeal noodles

Saturday
Star - Chicken risotto, fish fingers, carrot, broccoli, parsnips, bread, piece of fruit, carob raisins
The Seniors- Chicken risotto

Sunday
Star - Chicken risotto, fish fingers, carrot, broccoli, parsnips, bread, piece of fruit, carob raisins

The Seniors - Sticky Chicken traybake.

As before the MckLinky is below for you to add your menu plan or a favourite recipe if you prefer.

Menu Planning Monday

My Special Valentines Memory

Valentines day 2008 is one valentines day that I'll never forget.


In 2008 business was booming and The Daddy and I found ourselves in the very privileged position of being able to indulge ourselves.  In fact 2007/8 was a period full of what dreams are made of.  But, as you will know from previous blog posts, life is not all about what you have and where you go.


In October 2007 we started down the assisted conception road, and it was agreed that we would have three attempts at IUI, before the clinic felt we should consider IVF.  Not being desperate to have children I was thinking that IVF was a step too far for me so in all likelihood our three IUI's would be our only chance .  Our first cycle went to plan, with a single dominant follicle maturing nicely, but was unsuccessful.  Ditto the second.  On our third and final attempt, things did not go quite so smoothly.  At the first scan, I had one dominant follicle, at the second scan it appeared to be maturing, but at the third scan it had receded and another follicle had stated to grow.  This follicle reached maturity and on 3rd Feb 2008 we had the IUI, only one day later than previously. I was convinced that it couldn't possibly work.  The follice that matured was a 'last gasp' because the first one failed, and it didn't mature over the usual timescales.  I put babies, and pregnancies out of my mind and decided that we would have to seriously consider our options at some later date.


On Valentines day we were in for a special treat.  We had booked ourselves into Le Manoir Aux Qaut'saisons for the night, and would be enjoying the ten course tasting menu in the two Michelin starred restaurant.  It's an amazing place, with fantastic grounds, and an extensive kitchen garden in which they grow much of the produce they use.  It is all so beautiful that I cannot do it justice with the blunt tool that is my descriptive writing, but below are photos of both the hotel and our room (which even had a log burner in it!)

Needless to say the food is exquisite.   As I clearly wasn't pregnant, I decided to make the most of the meal, and drink the wines which the sommelier selects to go with each course.  That's alot of wine.  I had also had a G&T on arrival at the hotel, and a glass of champagne before dinner.  On returning to our fabulous room, I felt, rather 'squify' shall we say, but it had been a truly memorable evening.  The food, wine, service, setting and company had all been first class. 


The next day, we were collected and taken to Heathrow to catch our Virgin Upper Class flight to Dubai, where I spent five glorious days.  Again I had a glass or two of wine with dinner each night, as my self imposed 'teetotaldom' that had lasted the preceeding 20 months was now over.   


We arrived home, which was day 31 of my cycle, when I was under orders from the clinic to do the obligatory test. I knew it was a waste of a test, but I did it anyway, and as I'm sure is obvious to you, got the shock of my life.  The first thing I thought was...OMG all that alcohol!  The rest, as they say, is history.

My Special Valentines Memory