I met Anita Roddick

When I lived in the UK and worked as a campaign manager at a giant human rights charity, I met Anita Roddick.

I was heading up the women's rights area and the issue of trafficking for sexual exploitation was one of our huge campaign issues. The EU was in the process of delivering their European Convention Against Trafficking. The UK was extremely reluctant to sign it. Most of the signatories were origin countries (where most of the women and girls who were trafficked cam from). Most of the reluctant signatories were destination countries. No real surprise there, I suppose.

Anyhow, I met Anita in the course of this work. She 'shadowed' me for a day in my work. She wanted to know what a day was like in running a campaign like this. She was full of energy and enthusiasm. Of big crazy ideas and a 'bugger-them-let's-just-do-it' attitude.

I think the daily reality of my job was less dramatic than she was hoping for. She wanted to break down the doors of the brothels. She wanted all the men charged and imprisoned. Instead we were lobbying MPs, writing legal briefs and research papers and studying reports. She was a giant force in a diminutive frame.

She had wild crazy hair, colourful scarves, and took up more emotional space than she did physical. Her energy was palpable.

I'm glad I met her. Fortunate. People always say she was an inspiring woman. And she was.

For T

I love you because Every time I see you my face breaks into a smile I still get butterflies in my tummy when I see you again after I’ve been away I can see every piece of your face perfectly when I close my eyes You’re the subject of my dreams I can see how much you love me just by looking into your eyes You make me feel as though I’m worth something You make my heart sing You can read my mind You support me unconditionally You are my strength You love hugs I can’t wait to see you every day When I wake up in the morning I still can’t believe that I’m lucky enough to have you lying there next to me You believe in me You make me laugh I miss you when I don’t see you We fit You’re always warm I know you always think of me first I’d go to the end of the earth for you I can’t express in words how much I adore you It still feels like magic You’re what I’ve waited for my entire life

Ready, Set, Talk - 17 months

Well darlings, you're 17 months old, and are chatterboxes. You don't stop talking. Either of you.

Daddy and I decided we should record a list of your words, so please excuse the list, but here they are:

Lach
Mama
Daddy
Bear
Turtle
Princess
Toast
Milk
num num
Balloon (boon)
Book (booka)
Shoe (Doo)
Num num (food)
Berry (bewwy)
Light (dight)
Fan (woo woo)
Bikkie (gubby)
Cuppatea
Torch
Car
Carkeys
Grass(gass)
Baby/bubba
Crazy
Ziggy
Pa
Nanna
Gamma
Go go go
Ball
Pool
Bath
Tree
Clock
Hat (dat)
Mates
Egg
Block
Straw
Table
Chalk
Bath


Hamish
Mummy
Dad
Toast (t)
Milk (meh-meh)
Balloon (boon)
Book (booka)
Shoe (Soo)
Num num (food)
Nose
Light (La)
Fan (woo woo)
Bear (Beer)
Turtle
Car
Grass(gass)
Baby/bubba
Pa
Nanna
Gamma
Ball
Pool
Bath
Tree
Clock
Mates
Egg
Block
Straw
Bath

That's a lot of words, apparently. You understand a whole lot more than that as well, so you're clever little monkeys. You're noisy too.

Oh, and you climb. Especially you, Hamish. Your arm casts are absolutely no deterrent whatsoever. You scale anything. Absolutely anything. A foothold, and you're up! With the climbing, comes the falling, and the head-knocking, but you're still in one piece.

You love to play 'heads, shoulders, knees and toes' and giggle your little heads off as you point to all the parts. You know head, ears, knees, toes, belly-button, mouth, eyes. And you dance! You both stand there stomping your little feet, swinging your little hips,waving your little arms, and nodding your little heads the instant any music with a good strong beat comes on.

I love you more than I can express, you noisy, funny, vertical little men.

All the love in the universe,
Your mama xxx

No time to cook

I love Donna Hay. I have every cookbook and a subscription to her magazine. Luuuurve her.

However, since the boys arrived, those beautiful glossy books of gastronomic high fashion have been taunting me. Teasing me. And frankly, making me feel both useless and guilty all at once.

As soon as the boys hit the stage of being awake more than they were asleep, dinner ceased being on the table. I just couldn't get it together in time.

I have spent many many months feeling rather pathetic. I mean, how hard it is to cook something simple. It's easy of course, if the ingredients are in the cupboard / fridge. If you remember to get the meat out of the freezer. If you can chop and peel with toddlers hanging off your legs. If you can ignore the flour being tipped all over the floor while you stir something at a crucial stage.

I bought a slow cooker, thinking it was going to solve all my problems. It didn't. Because in order for a slow cooker to cook, you have to have ingredients (that old chestnut) - defrosted (again, not my forte) - to pop in (in the morning - NOT the late afternoon).

I gave up weekends and precious family time cooking meals to freeze, thinking that would solve all my problems. It did - for a while - until I got so sick of bolognaise that I don't think I'll ever be able to eat it again.

When I served baby puree on pasta one night, I knew I had hit a new low. Especially when I decided *not to tell* and *pretend* it was actual pasta sauce.

But then I got my hands on Donna Hay's No Time To Cook. Seriously. The. Best. Cookbook. Ever.

Honestly.

Yes, you have to actually do some grocery shopping, but that's common to all cooking and eating - not just this book. So on the weekend, I sat down for 10 minutes with the book, picked out 7 recipes, wrote a shopping list and sent T off to Woollies.

In the past week, we have cooked:

Chicken and chorizo cous cous with spinach
Spinach bacon and ricotta frittata
Cunnchy parmesan chicken
Baked lemon chicken and feta
Quesadillas
Three-cheese risotto
Prosciutto and mozzarella open sandwiches on ciabatta

I know, right! Amazing. I've even stunned myself. I've come a long way baby.

The best thing is that none of them take more than 5 minutes to prepare. Honestly. Stick a needle in my eye. And T and I do it together when he gets home from work, we get to have a lovely chat and a glass of wine. It's very civilised. Plus I am sure we are saving money. We were in the trap of buying takeaway, or doing a late mercy dash to the supermarket and just buying whatever looked edible. We have also lessened our wastage.

Changed my life. Thanks Donna. You're my hero. xxxx

Lach, you're a beautiful brother

Darling Lach

I just wanted to capture this moment for you; such a beautiful precious moment that shows how much you love and look out for Hamish.

I tried to get a photo and some video, but I didn't manage it, so this is the best I can do.

Last week, while you and Hamish were playing, you noticed that Mishy was trying to read a book. You noticed that he couldn't turn the pages because both of his arms and hands were in casts. You went across to him, sat next to him, and turned the pages for him.

It was so beautiful it made me cry. You are so beautiful my little Rocky.

I adore you, with every breath I have.

All the love in the universe
Your Mama

Back garden playtime