Today’s Lunch – 12th February 2020

Published February 12, 2020 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

This week, food made my first bread and butter pudding for 2020!

Also made homemade sausage rolls. They do not look as inviting, so here’s a picture Noelle has found. The sausage roll is as Aussie as our pies with sauce.

This was Monday’s lunch at home. The quintessential curried boiled egg with lettuce but on pocket bread. Soooo good.

So, hump day has arrived with a ‘Is this week over yet?’

And lunch! Today’s offering is an Azaffarini Arancini with side salad. (Saffron rice/peas and mint) and medicine.

For those curious? Most fires are out & now we have floods! Not kidding! Sydney is a giant swimming pool!

Cheers,
H

Let’s Be Friends

Published February 10, 2020 by helentastic67

Lets be Friends

So that is to say, when I was diagnosed, I did have a boyfriend. But all the boxes were ticked for it’s not a forever thing.

I’m a Nona, he wouldn’t let me feed him.
He would not sleep over (No, there was no sex) I’m fine with as he was not ‘fit’.

*Fit – The term I picked up from living with two British Geezers for a month, to describe someone as ‘Sexy’. They flicked through a magazine to point out all the pictures; “Fit! Fit! Fit! Not Fit!” Hilarious.

Fit

Not Fit

And we’re back.

And he was working, but had some crazy idea that he was the ‘Hero’ in every scenario. He had moved back home at 37. You get me, right?

Oh, good lord. Guys just have that deer in the headlight look, don’t they?

What are we doing? Is this working?

Fine! I’ll rip the band-aid off.

“Let’s be friends!”

We remained friends for some years, which was more what we had been anyway. But…..

And Next

Published February 7, 2020 by helentastic67

And Next

A few years back I went to my High School reunion (25 years) and one particular guy asked me these questions.

“Married?”
And my reply, short and sweet “No”
“Divorced?”
(in my head WFT) Again “No”
Then “Children?”
“What?” (again, in my head WFT) “No! Why?”

Now, I do not feel I’ve failed at life because I’ve not done any of those things. I have dated, not much dating. More meet a guy, spend time with said guy (No! Not bonk each other’s brains out) maybe a little, but the stuff you do to work at, if you want to be permanently attached to this person forever.

What? I am a hopeless romantic. I just am not willing to throw myself at every man out there to find a decent one.

Sidebar: Where the hell are the decent one’s by the way?

I digress, I’ve had relationships. Sure, they broke my heart. The others, I broke theirs, or they didn’t have a heart to break.

I have the mentality to not go back when a relationship is over. Alas, if it didn’t work the first time and the one’s that got away have never come back.

And NEXT.

Today’s Lunch – 5th February 2020

Published February 5, 2020 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Despite the next month of foodie posts would have you believe I don’t go out for dinner very often. Saturday just gone I went out for dinner with some friends. They are actually closer friends of a friend who couldn’t make it. So, I went out with a really lovely couple.

Anyway, my neighbourhood has an abundance of gourmet pizza places and burger places. Both exe Saturday night we did Italian pizza. A place called I’l Pizziaolo. Translation, the pizza maker. I did get better taking photos after the first course. In photos it went like this: going with other friends in a few weeks and one of those friends is more Wog than I am. He will cope.

Late Saturday night having already eaten what I refer to as my standard, standard Saturday wog lunch followed by more Italian for dinner. An ache in my side made me think for days, days! I had eaten too much food from the same food group. That being Wog.

Monday, I greeted my carer with the question, what’s in here? (Pointing to my side) Then questioning, kidney, liver? Which internal organ is so pissed off with me? Alas, I think I found another reason why I do not do chilli and pepper. It hurts my internal organs. Still going there again, just can’t eat the home made traditional Italian salamis.

Meanwhile, back to the present. Today’s offering is, a bolognaise arancini with side salad and medicine.

Cheers,
H

Single Barren Spinster

Published February 3, 2020 by helentastic67

Single Barren Spinster

Australia has a comedienne called Kitty Flanagan. This is a great way to start this post. I’m going with it.

I read a brilliant article where she explains why she is reclaiming the title Single Barren Spinster. She explains in this article she planned to have children if the circumstances were right.

Partner/Husband/Significant other – Tick, tick, tick

Baby – Tick

https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/being-childfree-is-no-reason-to-keep-mum-20150108-12kcan.html

As she got older, the clock started ticking and she states she didn’t want to do it alone. The above seemed important to her.

Tick!
Tick!
Tick!

And I agree, I completely agree. In my teens, I thought by my late 20’s, I would have a husband, two children, my own interior decoration business, a retail outlet, holiday’s overseas, a house, etc.

Oh God! Teenagers are so naive, aren’t they? And now, alas I’m 46 years old (47 by the time this goes live, however) none of the above happened.

I quote Kitty Flanagan and being a Single Barren Spinster to any carer and they look at me for a moment. I tell them in the dictionary under ‘Single Barren Spinster’ is a picture of Kitty Flanagan.

Then there’s a picture of me.

Sleep Clinic – Part 2

Published January 31, 2020 by helentastic67

Sleep Clinic – Part 2

So, today I thought I’d do the FU (follow up) on my sleep clinic experience. Hilarious.

It’s been six months since my last confession. (no, I stand by that comment)

The goal since I was last there, was to improve my sleeping pattern, because I go to bed late (or early, depends how you look at it) and don’t want to wake in the morning.

And today, I reported I’m still struggling to get to bed/sleep by 1am. (I repeat 1am) But alas, it usually takes me that long to get to and from appointments, do chores, do the TV/Current Affairs catch-ups. Because, I still need to know what’s happening out there in the world and what stupid Tweets some ‘world leaders have said.’

WFT people! How has he still got a Twitter account? Why has somebody not taken it off him? (Don’t answer that)

Hey, I’m not saying our Prime Minister is a model citizen, but c’mon.

Anyway, I digress.

My original diagnosis after the sleep clinic was very mild sleep Apnoea. Don’t panic, I’m not worried. I was told to avoid sleeping on my back. No, really. That’s the solution to that.

Besides this I might have secondary Narcolepsy and I kept telling him I knew what that was because, I lived through the 90’s and saw My Own Private Idaho with River Phoenix (RIP) and Keanu Reeves (mmmmm) in it. We don’t even know if I have that until I fix/improve my sleeping pattern.

Today, I tried to Hel-splain (like Man-splain, but Helen does it) why improving my sleeping pattern is so near impossible.

It’s winter right now as I write this, so if I woke early, I’m going to get up/do what I have to do and go back to bed, because it’s warm there and sleep, because I’m still tired.
I’ve got crazy Bitch Hormones. I am sliding into the Pause (Menopause) so two weeks out of every month I am just knackered and the first week, I’ve forgotten why but let myself sleep in the afternoon if I just can’t stay awake and thing’s hurt and I can’t work out why.
Then there’s the Carpel tunnel. WFT is this bullshit. I’m back fast asleep for two hours and the pain in my right hand is excruciating. A cross between pins and needles and numbness. Pick a lane already. I change positions and stretch out my arm and hand. It hurts to touch the blankets and I can’t even make myself stretch my hand above my head to the top of the bedhead, put my fingers under the top of the timber to stretch my arm in all the right places to relieve the symptoms. So, I lie on my back with my arm flung out to the side, wriggling my fingers until the pain subsides.
Migraines for me are often daily occurrences. While not the normal type that send you to bed, or go to bed with the lights off and a bucket nearly, they are still really crappy. And I’d rather go to bed and sleep it off than get “pilled” and be bombed out. I could potentially medicate every day and who wants that?

And Z. I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! Have you met me? My name is Helen. Some years ago, my mum told me I was born just in time for breakfast at 7.13am. Who the fuck has breakfast at 7.13am willingly? (don’t answer that) Mum also suggested, on my birthday to wake at that time and make a list of goals to achieve by the following birthday. Something of setting intentions or other, but seriously.

If I’m having breakfast at 7am in the morning, I’d be ready for dinner at 6pm and bed by 9pm. If I’m going to bed at 9pm, I’m ready for the Nursing Home.

I’m not ready for that yet.

Today’s Lunch – 29th January 2020

Published January 29, 2020 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

This is the time of year Australia stands divided. Do we celebrate Australia Day or Invasion Day? It marks the 232nd anniversary of white man in Australia. The exact date is debated every year, so in simple terms, it’s a day to get together with family and friends, have a BBQ and celebrate our greatest Australian pastime “The long weekend”! In the U.K. it’s referred to as a Bank Holiday.

I do none of those things, instead I use the excuse to make a lamb roast. I ask my butcher to butterfly it for quicker cooking, and easier carving one-handed. I also marinate it with tandoori paste. Might sound odd but try it? It’s just a little different, it’s even better lightly fried the next night and wrapped in some small Lebanese wraps with lettuce and mayo. The rest is frozen and during winter I will prepare a shepherd’s pie. So, the tandoori adds another layer of yum!

I actually went to have the roast Monday night, but having separated the roast from the vegetables, in two separate trays. I bungled the oven temperate and turned it off. So, Monday night I had the wraps. Tuesday night, I had the roasted veggies with the roast.

Today, feels like a Monday, Tuesday I had an appointment at home so it felt like a 4-day weekend. With the exception of smashing out some admin.

Back at my favourite cafe in North Fitzroy. Today’s offering is pancetta quiche with side salad and medicine!

In in case I forgot to feature recently? Mika had a great long weekend too! Let’s see if we can get a feature in Tummy Rub Tuesday?

Cheers

H

Love and Drinking

Published January 27, 2020 by helentastic67

Love and Drinking

For someone who barely drinks, I have remembered this quote for a lifetime. I’m not looking for love at all. I’ve imagined love might find me. I’ve never thought to look for love or even just answers to life in a bottle. No judgement to anyone that does. I just don’t get it? I guess due to alcohol thinning one’s blood, drinking never made me feel particularly great. So, I’ve not given it a good hot go. I don’t think I’m missing anything.

STONE COLD SOBER

LOOKING FOR BOTTLES

OF LOVE

That reminds me to write the post about discovering the dark secret! It was the pro line for black opal Nera Sambuca back in the early ‘90’s. I didn’t need to discover it, I happily waited to be informed. Let someone else take the hit on that one!

Sometimes you just want to short and sweet.

To be continued…….

Birkies – Part 3

Published January 24, 2020 by helentastic67

Birkies – Part 3

Yes, I’m finally getting back to it, part three. I’ve given you the context, but the reason you needed the context was for this part. I had a dream the other day, I don’t generally dream about places I’ve lived except the previously mentioned house I lived with my favourite housemate “B”.

For a few years I lived there alone with B and after a year of the house being in some form or other of needing repairs after a horrible storm, where I was home alone trying to prioritise if I rescued my thing’s or B’s (The answer is both, but mine first) and the last few years (we were there four years all up) my then boyfriend moved in, making it cleaner and cheaper.

But I dream about it sometimes, crazy dreams where I’m in my old bedroom, on a bed that isn’t made, the bed is higher off the ground and I’m leaning back against pillows and there are two young children (not mine, I don’t have any) playing on the bed.

My mum is out and girls are on the pillows around me. There are other details I recall from this dream too, but don’t seem relevant and I remember them for weeks without any idea why this seems important to revisit.

I’ve recently increased my very mild anti-depressants to help with my “Crazy Bitch Hormones” and sleeping problems. Although the dreams are getting weirder and my desire to hurt people has not diminished.

I’m debating with whether this as the happiest time in my life and this is why my subconscious returns there? But the dreams are always vivid and immaculately detailed.

Why am I hiding under the round formed dining table in the room that was B’s bedroom? What am I even doing inside? How can they not see me?

Can the manufacturers of anti-depressants get this shit sorted out? I never took drugs in the 90’s, so it’s all new to me and I don’t like it.

Sort this shit out please!

Today’s Lunch – 22nd January 2020

Published January 22, 2020 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Want to keep it simple today. All the effort to have more time for writing, but so far, a week worth mentioning.

Monday, a day of public transport, a tram, a walk, a train and another train then a tram. Went South-Side which I do rarely these days. Tuesday seemed to be bill day, I paid four, including my scooter insurance and I went out on my scooter. You would be surprised how many people jump out of my way as if I intend to mow them down. About as many as those that dawdle all over the footpath taking up every inch of the available space. Those that choose to paste themselves to shopfronts as if that would stop me if I chose to collect some large hood ornaments? I mentioned they had nothing to worry about and my insurance was up to date! It’s the little things in life!

So today, after some extra chores, had to get a box of goodies and a Christmas present to Natalie in Collingwood and trade her my new shoes she mulled for me from Monday.