Author Archives: wewentforawalk

15/03/2013
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emotional, life

RIP Pucci

This is a post I have wrote for an friend who passed away 1 month ago. I’ve been holding this in for a while but now I have to get it out.

Em and I never met in person but her life and death still had a profound impact on my life. We met through an online forum board I joined in 2007 for discussions about pop culture, fashion and makeup

The forum became much more than an Internet bored, it turned into a community. We had regular meet ups and supported each other through break ups, job losses and helped plan weddings and cheered birth announcements. We should share our personal and emotional problems comfortable in the knowledge that this was a hidden area away from our real life friends and family.

Like any friendship circle our disagreements would pop up and people would take breaks from the board. Eventually real life concerns started to take over and people started to drop away from the board. The moderators graduated university and got full time jobs and were unable to keep up with everything and the board was closed. This wasn’t the end of our friendship.

We were still Facebook friends and we got the daily updates of each other’s lives, people in the same states would hang out and real life friendship bonds were born. She happily announced her pregnancy and birth of her first child on Facebook then shortly after a private message popped up to let me know that Em had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The group rallied together and we all gave money to buy her some flowers, soon enough the money pool surpassed a simple bouquet and we were able to put together an awesome gift pack of goodies which shocked and cheered Em up. She got through the cancer with her beautiful baby boy and husband by her side. She well and truly fucked cancer.

After the cancer Em pursued life to the fullest. She developed her photography skills and created a photography blog, posting lovely photos of her family and the things she saw in her day. Then in 2012 a happy announcement on Facebook that she was expecting another baby. During her pregnancy she won a Triple J contest to meet her favourite band Flight of the Concords. She had to answer why she was their biggest fan. She mad a t-shirt with an arrow pointing to her belly saying “Jermaine it’s yours”. I thought she was the coolest chick in the world and her husband was equally as awesome to be cool with her wearing that T-Shirt.

Then we got an update, Em had had emergency surgery and her son was born and she needed more brain surgery. The results came back and the cancer was back. My brain saw the diagnosis but my mind ignored the words. She was positive she knew she would #fuckcancer. I didn’t allow myself to consider the possibility of her death.

Just like the announcement of her pregnancies and cancer announcement her death announcement came via Facebook as well. Her husband updated her status letting us know she had passed away. I was on a train when I found and I started to cry. I got off in the city to go to a bathroom and sort myself out and messaged a mutual friend Rogue days. We met up and talked through her diagnosis and death and it was cathartic to get it all out.

Her funeral was a week later and I had just started university so I was unable to attend. Her husband knew the value of her online friendships and posted the funeral service online for those who were unable to make it.

I tried to control my grief because I had never met her in person so I felt that I had no right to be upset at her passing. Her husband and real life friends and family should feel the grief. It’s been 1 month and 2 days since her passing and I’m a wreck. I’ve been trying to control my grief and it’s all just resulted in 4 weeks of limited sleep and anxiety.

Today I’ve snapped and I’m allowing myself to feel grief at her passing. I’m allowing myself to cry today but from today I’m not wallowing in the grief. Em had a loud and vocal #fuckcancer voice, she lived her life post diagnosis loud and proud she would not want anyone to be mopping at her passing away. She knew that life is worth living and I’m adopting her attitude and living it.

31/01/2013
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Beauty, declutter

update on project declutter makeup

Hey Guys,

Just thought I’d update you all on where I am at my project to declutter my makeup and beauty items. Before we begin an update on the rules:

The Rules.

  1. No buying any “new” products.
  2. Must use up every single type of the item I own before replacing that item
  3. When replacing said item stop and consider if I actually need it?
  4. Must wear a lipstick OR lip gloss every day
  5. Must use a perfume a day.

Rule 1) My attempts to declutter hit a snag this Christmas when once again my Mum gifted me a new perfume and another set of beauty products. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the presents but I just don’t need it. I have not purchased any new products yet so I still consider this rule a success

Rule 2 and 3) I have used 1 type of facial cleanser and 1 brand of shampoo and I’m onto the next product now. I haven’t needed to replace anything yet

Rule 4 and 5) I give myself an 8/10 for this. It’s hard to remember to spray on perfume or put on a lipstick when it’s a lazy weekend day and all you want to do is slob around on the couch.

In other non beauty decluttering news I finally went through the boxes that I had stored in my parents garage. I donated 2 large bags of clothes and a box of books and DVDs to the salvos and repacked the boxes so everything is packed by type. There are only 4 boxes stored now in my parents garage and I’m so happy to be free of the stuff.

 

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22/12/2012
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Beauty, declutter, Home

Decluttering my makeup and beauty items.

Next year (2013) I am declaring the year of decluttering and organisation!

The first step in the year of declutter is my make up and beauty collection. I have a little bit of a shopping problem with hair, makeup and beauty products. Whenever I go to the shops I always find myself coming home with another lipstick, moistouriser or hair conditioner I don’t need. My cupboards and drawers are full of half used and unused products I’ve discarded after the latest collection or fad come into Myers.

I think I also have a ridiculous amount of lipstick and perfume for a 25yr old. Next year I will attending university full-time and I won’t have money to keep up with this spending habit. To help me out of my decluttering and to have some fun as a broke student I will be implementing frugal rules to use up my excess products and to prevent the temptation of purchasing anymore!

The Rules.

  1. No buying any “new” products.
  2. Must use up every single type of the item I own before replacing that item
  3. When replacing said item stop and consider if I actually need it?
  4. Must wear a lipstick OR lip gloss every day
  5. Must use a perfume a day

These rules should hopefully help me along on my decluttering journey. Next year I plan to declutter and organise many other areas of my life so look out for more posts to follow.

 

P.s. This post was supposed to have pictures but for some reason my camera is not uploading them right now.

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02/04/2012
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Food, Preserving

Sweet Orange Marmalade

My first marmalade was made in the middle of a hot december summer, not the most ideal time to be making marmalade but I when I saw it in my Women’s Weekly Preserves and Jams recipe book I knew I had to make it.

I had to add pectin to my recipe because I used Navel Oranges and not the Seville as recommended and I found the jam did not set without it. I also added lemons as well because I prefer a tart flavoured jam.

1kg of oranges and lemons

2kg of white sugar

1packet of Jamsetta pectin

It yeilds 4 pints of Jam and I water bath canned them for 15minutes.

The recipe can be found on page 42  of Women’s Weekly Preserves and Jams

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31/03/2012
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garden

My Garden

I’m living with my parent’s right now and I have a little herb and herbal tea garden in some pots at the back.

I never used to have any interest in gardening growing up, my mum even used to own a nursery and I’d howl like a banshee whenever she asked me to help out. I’ve changed it started with a simple basil plant and now it’s well it’s this.

The hibiscus I’m growing from a branch cutting and you can see 2 leaves growing out of the branch now.

I use the herbs fresh in cooking and teas and air dry the surplus for later.

As well as growing the plants I’m experimenting with propagation from cuttings. So far I’ve succesfully grown a mint plant and now I’m trying Lemon Balm, Ginger and more Mint. It’s easy all you need to do is put the cuttings in water and watch it grow.

Check out the mint plant. Looking good!

The herbs have been fun but now I’m itching to try something more so I started these Tomato plants from seed 2 weeks ago and I can’t wait to plant them and see them grow!

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28/03/2012
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Preserving

Cherry Jam

My first foray into Jam making was this Cherry Jam. I followed this recipe from taste.com.au and it was beautiful.

It made 2 woolworths jam jars worth and we’re scraping every bit out of the first jar before using the other one.

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26/03/2012
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Preserving

Peach Preserves

Every Wednesday in Brisbane City an organic farmers market is held between the Casino and the Brisbane council building on George Street. A few weeks ago I purchased the most beautiful peaches there for $3 a kg, unfortunately by the time I got around to using them on Sunday half of them had become mouldy and bruised.

No need to throw them all out however, I cut them into small chunks and discarded the damaged parts and was left with 2.2 kgs of usable peach chunks. I decided to make peach preserves.

Ingredients.

2.2kg of Diced Peaches

1kg of CSR Jam Sugar OR 1kg of white sugar and 1 package of jamsetta

the juice from 2 lemons.

Cook the peaches and sugar over boiling heat for 25minutes until it “jells” at around the halfway mark of the cooking process add the lemon juice.

Pour into sterilised jars and top with sterilised lids and process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Take out of the canner and leave the jars to rest on a tea towel overnight.

This recipe will not form a thick gel like regular jams and it’s softer. It’s perfect to use 1 tablespoon over a  scoop of ice cream, with scones, as a jam on toast or even an accompaniment for an antipasto platter instead of quince jam.

This recipe made 4 pint jars and 2 4 oz jars.

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25/03/2012
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Preserving

Preserving Part 2

The next thing you need is a recipe! If you use recipes from the internet or books it’s important to follow the ratio of sugar to fruit or vinegar to the pickle recipe as they are what actually preserve the recipe and stop the food from spoiling. Now the first time you make jam you’re probably going to freak out and swear off eating the jam forever but personally I’d rather eat my 3 ingredient cherry jam instead of the 6 ingredient preservative riddled jam you can buy at the shops.

Homemade jam tastes better and it makes you feel accomplished knowing where your food came from and what you put into it.

For my recipes I’ve used the Australian Woman’s Weekly Preserves and Jams cookbook which you can find at any store that sells the Woman’s Weekly cookbooks. I’ve also used taste.com.au, and just googled recipes when I found a whole lot of fruit for cheap and wanted to use it up.

For preserving I followed the recipe as directed and poured them into sterilised jars and placed the hot lids and rings on the jar and place them in the water bath.

The time for processing time in the water bath varies recipe to recipe and I suggest you follow the guide that will be on your recipe, or turn to google! Make sure you only count the time from when the water bath is at a rolling boil because that’s what will kill any bacteria.

Lastly make sure to label and date your jars and keep in a dark cupboard and refrigerate after opening!

This is all the Jam’s, Pickles, Preserves and Sauces I’ve made since December.

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24/03/2012
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Preserving

Preserving part 1

This summer I went  a bit crazy with making Jam’s, Preserves and Pickles. I purchased a Ball Mason Water bath preserving kit from Ozfarmer.com and a variety of Ball Mason jars to go with it. They are a bit expensive but they’re imported from America and they will last a lifetime, except for the silver lids which you can’t reuse but I have now found some BPA free reusable preserving lids from Redback Trading. I’ve purchased them but I’m yet to use them though so I can’t vouch for them just now.

I personally follow the American version of preserving or “canning” as they call it and I process all my jams and pickles in a water bath to kill any botulism bacteria and keep them shelf stable. Before you start water bath canning I suggest you have a read through this guide from the USDA and you’ll learn everything you need to know.

I have only made Jam’s, pickles and tomato sauces which are the only things that can be preserved in the water bath method. If you want to preserve anything like vegetables, meat and low acid foods you will need to use a pressure Canner but I haven’t ventured into that part of preserving yet.

You don’t need to buy an expensive preserving kit to water bath your own products though, a big stock pot and a tea towel at the bottom of the pot to rest the glass jars on will work fine.

I sterilise my jars in the dishwasher and the lids and bands I have boiling on the stove top in a pan covered with water. The I pour the liquid into the hot jars and add the lids and bands then process in the hot water bath for the recommended time. You then take the jars out of the water bath canner using jar tongs and let it rest on a tea towel for 12 hours and the jars are sealed when you can’t push the middle of the lid down.

Australians also have the fowlers vacola kits which you can find cheap used units on ebay or buy them new from Ozfarmer.com but I’ve never used it so I suggest you do some googling if you want to know how to use it.

Another Australia/English way of preserving your own jam is the oven method. The keep the jar and lids in a hot oven and then pour the hot jam/liquids into the jar and placing the lids on the jar. I personally don’t use this because according to the USDA  to kill the botulism virus you need to process your preserves at boiling point.

Rather then wasting bandwidth with another online tutorial, these people have all assisted me in learning how to water bath my own preserves. Chickens in the road, youtube and check out this post from Green Living Australia on why you should water bath can your preserves.

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22/03/2012
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garden

Lemon Balm

I have a herbal tea garden in my parents backyard. Right now I’m growing Mint, Stevia, Lemon Verbena and Lemon Balm. I either use the leaves fresh or air dry them and save them for later.

Today I’m talking about Lemon Balm. OMG this plant is awesome, it’s from the same family as mint and there is pretty much nothing you can do to kill it. Lemon Balm grows best over summer and will die back over winter the come back in spring. You can prune the plant back when the plant is big like above make sure to leave 5cm of the plant so it can grow back, like below. The tall leaves at the back are Sage plants. I  grow Sage in the same pot as the lemon balm because Sage doesn’t grow well in my subtropic climate but I find the Lemon Balm takes all the humidity for the sage and the plant thrives!

I then tie the cuttings into little bunches and hang in a warm dry place to air dry for 3 weeks or until dry.

I swear that’s not what it looks like!

For tea I use 2 fresh leaves scrunched up and ripped or 2 teaspoons of the dried leaves. Lemon balm can also be used in cooking but I haven’t tried it yet.

And according to google-fu Lemon Balm has calming properties and can be used to treat insomnia, migraines and it has antiseptic properties.

Personally I just love the lemony taste!

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