The Power Of Music

"For Better Or Worse" "......these were not our vows.....part of Dave's went something like ........My first, my last, my everything, from a Barry White song, I can't remember what mine were off the top of my head but I know they were from a song.  I know that they were very romantic and meant a great deal to us. It's funny how you can relate to song lyrics, some make you all mushy and gooey inside, some make you happy, others sad and some even angry and frustrated. While music on its own makes me motivated, want to dance, run, be loved, make love, or relaxes me.
Music is weird but amazing and powerful.
Steph

Romance Does Exist Somewhere

Slow cooker lamb roast and veggies for the carnivore's dinner tonight. I am scaring myself at how organized I am at getting it on in the morning. And by this I mean the food prep and not of the romantic type. Unfortunately my husband doesn't have much romance in his vocab or in his brain. Today I am going to be grateful for romance even though I haven't had much or any lately. I am grateful that it actually still exists, well, I know it does anyway!
Steph

Slow Cooker

Today I am grateful for my slow cooker. This morning before going to work I cut up some veggies, opened cans of beans, chickpeas and tomatoes, placed them all in the slow cooker, then added barley, stock and water, put the lid on, turned it on low and when I got home dinner was cooked. It was delicious too and everyone ate it, even Dave. The photos below show the soup of the day, and the pasta I cooked the other day, which had mushrooms, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, fresh sage, parsley and oregano, butter and olive oil. It was delicious. The kitchen photo is of my new kitchen, not quite finished and a little modern to how I would really like my kitchen (French Provincial), but money is not coming out of our ears at the moment and we couldn't afford the extra $20,000 for the one I really wanted, so I will have to suffice with this nice, new modern style kitchen that comes with the package at G J Gardner, until I can afford to change it to my true preference. 

Steph

Barley and Veggie Soup

Pasta with mushrooms, herbs and pine nuts

My new kitchen- almost finished

Stronger And More Positive

I don't know if I am just tired (as I don't think I am sad) or just plain old stressed because I am finding it really hard to be grateful for truly good and worthy things. I didn't want to go to work this morning, it was cold and I was still tired from interrupted sleep, but I got up and went and the day went ok except for some annoying things which I can't mention in this blog. After work, I went to do the grocery shopping which was not the highlight of my day, so I didn't get home till late and by the time I prepared dinner and ate it, it's late....and I am tired already. I think I am a little stressed about the next four weeks, where we have to move everything out of this house and into storage, so we can move into the camper and caravan (as this house we are renting is sold and settlement is in four weeks). I am sort of looking forward to moving out because it means that we are closer to going into our new house, but I am not looking forward to moving all the stuff every weekend for the next four weeks and moving into a cold camper with minimal space. I am a little worried about my mum, who has been having tests done for fluid on her lungs and around her heart. She is having more tests tomorrow and Wednesday and I can't be there for her. And lastly, I am worried that I won't get my certificate of citizenship in time to get a passport to go to New Zealand in seven weeks time. I suppose I have to try and look at the brighter side of things as my life could turn around negatively and go rapidly down hill like it did last year, if I let it, but I won't let it, and so I suppose that is what I should be grateful for. That I am a lot stronger and much more positive then I was last year.
Steph

Unexpected Good Times

I have been truly slack for not blogging in the last couple of days so I thought I should blog now before I get too busy.  This morning I am grateful for good unexpected times with friends. Last night we went over to our friends place for dinner, we had seen them earlier in the day and they invited us around, the meal was put together beautifully as usual, it was casual but nice. I probably drank a little too much wine, the food was delicious and the conversation interesting. Sometimes the time just flies by when you're enjoying yourself.
Steph

Our Daily Bread

Yummy crusty fresh bread. That's what I am grateful for today cause it's yummy!
Steph

Rain

So I'm laying in bed thinking about everything and anything that comes to my head and figure it's probably time to get up and get ready for work, but it's 6am and its raining and it's cold, so I sit up and decide to blog. I can hear the rain, lots of it by the sounds. Without the rain what would we have? Or should I say what would'nt we have?  I don't particularly like the rain especially if I've just washed my hair and spent some time drying it. And I don't like it when it's cold and I get wet and you get that damp feeling all over. I don't like it when the ground turns to mud or when you walk inside and leave wet footprints. I don't like wet dog smells. And I don't like it when it rains way too much and causes floods. I do however like listening to the rain especially on a tin roof. I like the glisten on the leaves and trees when the sun comes out after the rain. I like the wet look of the ferns in a rainforest. I like that I don't have to water the garden because the rain has done it for me. I like that the rain fills up the tanks and reservoirs for the water we drink. So today even though I am going to get wet at some stage,  I am going to be grateful for the rain.
Steph