Flap!
As previously advertised, CJ and I went to a live music gig at The Front Cafe Gallery in North Lyneham (yes, near Tillies). We took Louisette – it’s not like it’s even her first gig. The cafe gallery is all pretty small, and the main room was (rather close) standing room only – so we mostly hung out in the gallery section. A number of gorgeous and highly breakable artefacts were on display, which added a certain element of risk to proceedings, and it was convenient for Louisette’s future hearing that the gallery room was much quieter.
CJ and I both dressed up for the occasion, and spent a little time waltzing about with Louisette strapped to my chest and giggling.
I confess it was awesome to go to a gig and still be able to sit in a couch.
Flap! was awesome. They’re a jazz group with an almost circus feel – slightly manic, very brassy, and VERY fun. Here‘s a youtube clip of one of their songs (not even in the top three of my favourites). If you go here, you can listen to two of my favourites – “Down Down Down” and “Poor Man” for free.
There was one person at the gig who didn’t seem that impressed – she just grabbed a beer and then passed out. Typical.
In sickness and in health
As expected, breastfeeding is now over (for this child). It’s been about 24 hours. I don’t and won’t have any of the usual weaning hassles, because I never did produce enough milk, and lately it’s been maybe 10mL a day (what an adult would consider a sip). Some people lose weight when they stop breastfeeding (presumably because the body finally realises it doesn’t need to hold onto that pregnancy weight any more). It’d sure be nice if I was one of them. I have actually weighed this much before, but it was differently distributed. Perhaps my giant pregnancy belly will shrink a LITTLE now that the pregnancy is truly, finally over. If I suddenly drop several kilos, I’ll let you know. (Other people gain weight when they stop, because breastfeeding burns calories.)
It occurs to me that a lot of my deep pathological hatred of breastfeeding is probably due to the myriad issues Lousiette has had that have caused me to associate her pain cry with any kind of feeding activity (including, unfortunately, solids – so now I have to man up to face eight feeds a day instead of five). That at least means I MIGHT be able to breastfeed just fine with the next child. Maybe even not hate breastfeeding like I do right now. We’ll see.
A little part of me is sad to have lost that unique connection – but mostly I just dreaded it five to ten times a day for four and a half months. So I’m glad Louisette finally cast her own vote on the matter.
Right now CJ, Louisette and I are all sick – the classic nightmare for any household. CJ is by far the worst – he came home from work yesterday and won’t be going in today. I skipped a couple of minor outings over several days and I seem to be mostly fine by now. He and I have some kind of stomach bug, while Louisette has a cold. She’s only been mildly ill – enough that I certainly notice changes in her behaviour but I don’t feel freaked out or completely destroyed by the experience. She’s past the worst of it, and I’ve had a nice gentle introduction to infant illness. She’s been a little grumpy; a little clingier; has had a few arsenic hours (which she normally doesn’t have); is dopier when awake and sleeps for shorter periods; more mucus and sneezing of course; she’s much hungrier (she had a couple of days’ regression to six feeds a day instead of five – plus the three daily servings of solids). She’s also been sleepily rubbing her face in a completely adorable manner. I subtitle the below picture: “There’s a live aardvark in my fridge again? Hah! I KNEW I’d forgotten something. How EMBARRASSING.”
Potato Salad
I had one of those moments today – you know the kind – where a lightning bolt struck my brain and I thought, “Egad! That food that I love so much – I can make it!”
After a brief sortie into Google Land, I had a potato salad recipe. Between being thrown up on, doing washing, getting covered in pulped zuccini, taking baby photos and videos, and making potato pulp and bean pulp for Louisette’s near future, I made potato salad for the first time. The ingredient list sparked wildly out of control, and I ended up with something only tangentially related to the recipe I’d found. The meal began around 3 in the afternoon, and wasn’t done until 8pm. It was exquisite.
Yes, I know that photo makes it look like it’s already been eaten. It hadn’t at the time, I swear.
I like the way the vegetables are cunningly disguised so there’s barely a hint of green.
So here’s MY recipe (minus interruptions):
Potato Salad (for a meal for four people)
4-5 medium potatoes
8 or more bacon rashers (more bacon is more betterer)
4 eggs
One-third of a cup mayo
One-third of a cup sour cream
One avocado
Fresh green beans
Mushrooms
Spring onions
Sage
Chives
- Boil water – with eggs in it from the beginning of the heating process.
- When the eggs have boiled for four or five minutes, take them out (peel one and cut it in half to check all is well) using tongs (to keep the water).
- Meanwhile wash, peel , and cube potatoes.
- Put potatoes in the hot water. Rinse eggs under cold water a few times (so there’s no dark ring around the yolk).
- When the water boils again, boil potatoes for 15 minutes and then drain them and put them into the serving bowl and in the fridge for one hour (or freezer for ten minutes) or longer. Or shorter. Or don’t use the fridge, because it’s probably bad for it.
- Meanwhile, cut the bacon into squares and fry it.
- While it’s frying, cut up all your veggies and peel and cut up the boiled eggs.
- Put eggs, bacon, and veggies in with the potatoes.
- Mix mayo, sour cream, sage, and chives together, then add to potato bowl and mix it all up. Add more ingredients if necessary, and check taste.
- Wipe the rim of the bowl if you’re that kind of person.
This takes about an hour altogether, and is fairly labour intensive. It looks better if you save the bacon and avocado (especially the avocado, which tends to vanish) and put them in a separate layer on top.
The Avengers movie
If you’re any kind of self-respecting geek, you’ve probably already seen this more than once (or, alternatively, if you’re a lady fond of her eye candy). To the delighted relief of the geekmunity (who have been burned before), this is a great film. For those who know the name of Joss Whedon (writer and director), that was no surprise, but it was nonetheless a delight.
The Avengers are QUITE a disparate group, ranging from non-altered human to demigod in powers, and from billionaire philanthropist to time-refugee soldier by profession. In a not very surprising twist, they don’t get on.
They REALLY don’t get on.
Whedon very cleverly uses the manly bickering to give us action, comedy, and backstory all at once. You really can watch this film without having seen any of the rest, and it actually works – a tremendous achievement. The writers had to balance several films’ worth of backstory and character with a veritable smorgasboard of main character types: they did it. Choosing Iron Man as the main hero was a crucial move, and solved many problems. I liked the villain, too (mostly because he looks human and his issues are very human, so I easily understood his thoughts and his motivation).
There are literally dozens of brilliant moments – extremely funny lines (some that I missed due to laughing at previous lines), good solid action sequences with enough originality and character to keep even me interested, and a few moments of blazing heroism (my personal favourite was a moment at Loki’s first public appearance – and it wasn’t by one of the Avengers).
Thematically it wasn’t all that strong – the main theme is developed through all the manly bickering, and it warms the heart to see the Avengers briefly get over themselves in order to save the planet (….we hope…..), but it’s not something that really hits the heart. There’s another, minor theme in the way the villain is convinced that what the human race really wants is to be ruled. Again, it doesn’t pack an emotional or thoughtful punch – but let’s be honest: this is a comic book movie, designed for awesome action sequences and, hopefully, a lot of laughs. It delivers both in bucketloads.
I already want to see it again.
“Hulk. . . smash!”
Spice Rack
I wanted one so bad.
I got one.
Glass canisters, stickers and all cost $15. I love you, Target.
Eurovision
Oh, Eurovision! How I love you.
Eurovison is a Europe-wide* contest for unsigned musical artists. It is astonishingly, spectacularly bad. In some ways it is amazingly predictable. In other ways it is. . . not.
Some of my favourites included the terrifying snake woman apparently giving birth on stage, the snow ninjas, the easybake babushkas (who did extremely well despite/because of their tremulous dance moves), the sailor girl (not funny or weird – just the best song; it did very badly), the vampire sailors (why sailors? Wait for it. . .), and “Oh dear I really have drunk too much and I’m seeing a gay space knight jiggling about and backflipping – plus I’m seeing double.” Moldova was trippy once again, too.
I won’t tell you who won (unless someone asks; then I’ll put it in the comments), but it was one of the above.
Louisette was enthralled:
We playing the Eurovision drinking game – mostly with lollies. This is what we ate in a matter of hours:
And this is how. . .
Drink/Eat for any of the following:
- Any casual racism/country stereotypes
- Any on-stage costume changes
- Anyone pretending to play an instrument
- Three or more nonsense syllables/intelligible English (eg lalala, I wuv oo)
- Use of wind machine
- Anyone dressed all in white
- Key change
- Not quite getting that big note
- Someone winking at the camera
- Obvious technical problems
- Cartwheels and Back-flips. And wire work.
- Awkward jokes
- Presenters /Performers hitting on each other
- Performers/presenters getting drunk before the end
- Michal Jackson inspired moves
- Space/futuristic type costumes
- Silly hats
- Countries voting for their neighbours or obvious political votes
Until next year Eurovision. . . don’t ever change.
*Some North African countries are also involved. And Israel. Why? Because.
Poor Man’s Zoo
Yesterday I took Louisette to a pet shop to be fascinated by fish. Shiny, shiny colours and moving parts. What more could she want*?
*other than the ability to put them in her mouth, of course. . .
COMING SOON (and if you live in Canberra you can come too):
Eurovision party this Sunday (you can’t come to mine, but you can host your own). I’ll be playing Eurovision drinking games with lollies.
Free performance of circus band (not actually a circus band, but if that description sounds good to you you’ll probably like them) FLAP! at The Front Cafe Gallery in North Lyneham (yes, near Tillies) Wednesday 30th at 8:30pm.
“The Avengers” showing at the ANU film club Thursday 31st. It’ll cost you $15, but that’s a weekly membership so you get to watch other movies too.
Walkies
A friend and I and our daughters took a walk by Lake Burley Griffin on a perfect autumn day.
Felicity Banks 