the fifo wife

Husband goes back to work tomorrow…the weekend almost to an end. For us it was a busy one, really busy being the school holidays but today is also the first day back at school and I am relishing the routine that comes with it.

We had the extended family here over Easter a last-minute BBQ it was awesome . The egg hunt as always a success and so much fun. I am however over chocolate and am looking for ways to get rid of some of it.

Easter in my part of the world is for us depsite being Autumn is the last of the summer days. The kids played until dark most nights after playing all day in the sun and so needless to say we are all so very tired and the ANZAC long weekend we have  ahead is one that is appreciated in more ways than one.

So with the quiet returned it’s just me and the puppies whilst husband runs around packing his bag asking me the same old age question of have I forgotten anything? And so these are the these are the things running  through my head.

1. I have heard terrible things about this last episode of Game of Thrones and I am actually thinking of not watching it.. is it that bad can someone tell me?

2. I baby sat a baby baby on Saturday night. He was a great baby but it sealed the deal I don’t want any more babies I am done and I am happy.  My boys on the other hand..

3. A member of my husband s family has found happiness with a good woman it made my weekend to see that their heart had healed and they had found true happiness with another it was an up yours moment to the other toxic woman who had him held for so long.

4. Some people male and female shouldnt drive large cars. Especially if they are unable to park them.

5. Husband goes back to work tomorrow I could be a lot of things but I can’t I’m already planning the next weekend he is home in 28 days time.

6. Your horoscope here.

7. Im thinking of painting the lounge room this swing but here are some quick ways to switch up the house here.

8. Making everything okay here.

9. Kindness here.

10. This flight attendent is funny. Here.

Have a great week everyone and if its the start of your weeknd enjoy that too..

x Deb

As I was carrying an insanely heavy air-conditioned up the stairs the other day it got me thinking mid way of crushing my spine of some of the things I perhaps shouldn’t have tried to do on my own. There are many things like riding out a cat five storm on my own are not by choice but by necessity those things are different. Its the other things like wielding a chainsaw without proper knowledge because I just didn’t want to wait the 23 days left of swing before husband came home. Moving without someones help was not a necessity but perhaps stupidity but still I got the job done and thats the point right?

We are however a tough breed us women especially us FIFO women we do things out of necessity because we are good like that but then there are the occasional times when you should ask for help and shouldn’t do it alone because it may just get you classed as just stupid, hurt or dead. So from some one who finds asking for help as painful as it is to watch Miley Cyrus twerk I will admit there are something’s you just shouldn’t do on your own or alone. They can all be done for sure on your own  with some thought, consideration and planning but all carry some sort of risk that will stay with you for a long time or forever after.

So you be the judge.

• Cut your own hair. Just don’t do it. I did it and let that be a lesson to you.
• Wash a cat. Yes I read somewhere to that cats clean themselves but washed the cat anyway. It’s why when you google how to wash a cat it says to wear protective clothing like a jumper. Dont wear a jumper wear a hazmat suit  or pull out your favourite PVC playsuit that you wear on special occasions or just leave it for your husband and his brother.
• Rock climb. He lost an arm there is nothing left to say.
• Climb on the roof..if your Murphy’s Law is the same as mine the ladder will fall away. And no one will find you until Christmas…when they need to put the Christmas lights on the roof.
• Watch a scary movie..you will never sleep again you may also never look in the mirror, open a cupboard or walk up a darkened hall way. All of those things will only end in disaster or a whole lot of dirty underwear.
• Everything. You cant. I tried I had my children taken out of my care while I learnt how to say my name again. There is nothing wrong with asking for help or a bit of company when your really down.
• ‘Please’ every one. Not only should you not do it alone it shouldn’t be done at all. You are the only one that needs to be pleased.
• Go bush walking, camping, last-minute road trip without telling anyone doing it alone fine but not telling anyone stupid. I know it might ruin the surprise of driving to see your husband 2300 k’s from any where but run the risk of him finding out and tell someone when where and for how long just incase.
• Twister. It’s just not as much fun..with or without your clothes on.
• Use a chainsaw without proper instruction..stupid be your earnt middle name same rules apply with carrying something that’s heavier than yourself..says she crushing her spine up 12 stairs just so her kids can pretend to be at the movies.

x Deb

 {image source from here}

 

I made this the other day whilst we were held up inside waiting for Tropical Cyclone Ita. I was in comfort food mood but required something sweet so this was it. It was quick, easy and best of all I had everything in the fridge or pantry which is what you need when a cyclone is brewing about you. Rushing out to pick up extra ingrediants during a severe storm is never ideal. It kind of looks a little fancy too.

The original recipe can be located here. I just made a few alterations for taste and ease because I cant just leave things alone.

Flat Apple and Vanilla Tart.

What you will need:

• 375g pack puff pastry, preferably all-butter
• 5 large apples
• juice of 1 lemon
• 25g butter melted
• 3 tsp vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 rounded tbsp apricot jam or what ever jam you have on hand we used strawberry.

How to:yling 

1. Heat oven to 220C. Roll out the pastry and trim to a round about 35cm across. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I used a small pizza tray greased.
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and toss in the lemon juice. Spread over the pastry to within 2cm of the edges. Curl up the edges slightly to stop the juices running off.
3. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with vanilla, cinnamon and caster sugar. Bake for 15-20 mins until the apples are tender and the pastry crisp.
4. Heat the jam so its soft and spredable and brush over the apples and pastry edge. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

x Deb

{image source from here– I after all want you to try it. Food photography is not my thing}

It was six hours before husband and I spoke on pick up day. Six. Hours. So let me tell you my side of the story because its my blog and I can.

His flight gets in at 935 am and we live 90 minutes from the airport on a good day. I am yet to encounter a good day in terms of the airport run and so I’m always late 15 minutes. Always. Set your watch by it. Dont be surprised 15 minutes. Every. Single. Time. He will always be amused or annoyed I hedged bets in which it will be by those 15 minutes.

I need to leave home at 800am to arrive in time by 935 however I have three boys and the school tells me they can’t attend until 830. I prefer not to tick off my school community to often as I think I do this enough whilst husband is at work by feeding them the occasional inappropriate breakfast so I try to hang back until 830 but on pick up day it’s impossible so at some point my neighbour will take them around 805 or between hearing screams of ‘pick your fricking clothes off the floor or don’t you understand I need this place perfectly clean from her verandah. But of course the kids don’t understand they just know that dad is coming home the one that plays tigers nonstop, is funny and has the patience to cook with them.

The kids don’t see it as I do that I want our home to say I have worked equally as hard as he. I don’t get a pay packet as an endorsement that I have worked 28 days straight I do but I don’t get a payslip with my name on it. All I have is a clean house and children in tact so I need the house to look clean and the children alive. I also need it clean so he can rest if he knows that word for just a minute so I can feel okay about our whole lifestyle ‘choice’. But still my boys continue to drag their feet and spill milk all over the freshly twice washed floor. I know so fifties housewife but that’s the beauty of choice.

So despite getting up at 430 am at 805am I’m yet to get dressed. I think it’s something to do with getting three others ready for school but it could be that my proprieties are shot. So at 805 I’m already late so I wonder do I change from my running gear or hedge bets that I’m going to have a good run down the hill and get dressed because despite running the ‘pick up’ outfit through my head all night I do not look like I remember. I haven’t lost that five kilos and I was 26 when I last looked in a mirror. Always the optimist  I start the process and frustration of choosing an outfit like it was our first date all over again. Because pick up day is always like our first date; complete with the nervous pee.

Another five minutes late but bets hedged again.

And I confidently hedged bets because even being late I will look amazing and he will sweep me up and kiss me and say it’s okay ‘I have only worked 28 days straight and have only been up since 3am the previous day worked 12 hours before boarding the chopper flight then onto that tin rattler before catching the red-eye. He will continue with and even though I should’ve been sleeping on that red eye flight I couldn’t because I really wanted to watch the in-flight entertainment so I’m really tired. And even though waiting another minute is a pain in the arse I have come to accept that you are always 15 minutes late. I understand that you have the kids, a school community to keep happy, nine road works, and 265 corners to drive whilst hopefully not stuck behind an arse that doesn’t seem to know what that over taking lane is. And so even though its my pet hate I don’t mind that your fifteen minutes late because on top of that you look sensational.’. Yes that what he will say.

Bets hedged. I take the chance and try on a third outfit.

810am. I head out the door to my unwashed car…sigh.

Needless to say after all that hedging it isn’t a dream run. Murphy’s Law sticks with me until the very end bless his heart because I get caught at every road work, stuck behind a Morris minor that if they really wanted to could drive those 265 corners like it was on rails..of course in the safest possible fashion.

And so I was 15 minutes late like always.

Waiting tired and annoyed was he. You could tell by the way his mouth puckered . Good flight I asked opening the back of the car for his luggage.  Yeah great he replied in a tone of voice that I could ice skate on. Was that sarcasm I asked.

No he replied.

Of course it wasn’t the look of death told me that.

Ordinarily I would have gone off my tree like a two dollar hooker being short changed but I’m almost all grown up now I understand I was late he was tired there would be no winner and so instead I took a deep breath muttered frick you and got back in the car. There was no kiss. No you look sensational from either of us. Even though he did look sensational there would be nothing because I spent hours planning this pick up and so I wasn’t giving an inch. So it was a waste of hedging bets and a whole lot of other is what I thought.

It was six hours before we spoke again and I don’t remember who spoke first but it ended with a oh god yes because sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all.

xx Deb

{Image with thanks from here}

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Well despite the weather it was an awesome weekend. Saturday was spent awaiting a tropical cyclone Ita and well she was running late and so we spent time as a family because what else is there to do?  Non guilty like I watched a six-hour New Zealand mini series; Top Lake. We baked and we played games. Awesome was an understatement.

Also found out I didn’t get any further in the village voice blogging comp..sigh..and missing out is a funny thing…intially I felt hmm but then I haven’t at all..how can I when I have this? They never gave me this..you did.

And so here are the few things running through my head this third week of April a week out from Easter.

1. Its Easter and my head is still at new year.

2. Refound my little buddy B3..have missed him and I’m glad he is back. School holidays do have their benefits it seems.

3. I had coffee with my neighbour for the first time. She is a first time young mum. I think I helped her feel normal again.

4. I get so disappointed with people some times that my heart aches. Disappointed by their actions, words, inability to see another’s point of view and ignorance. If only they got off their high horses and rode a little lower we would all be a in better place.

5. Thank  goodness we live in Australia right? Here.

6. Your horoscope for the week. Here.

7. Now its seven fruit and veg not five. Sigh. Here.

8. Hilary Clinton’s advice for young women. Here. 

9. This is what we are having for dinner. Here.

10. How is this possible. Here.

xx D