we got away

In a rather serendipitous series of events

Daniel and I managed to spend a night in Sydney together.

As a couple.

For the first time since Ché was born (exactly two-and-a-half years ago today).

We really needed the time to be just the two of us

Time to talk and read and drink coffee (I had a really good Sydney cap and it was well worth it)

without being interrupted by the need to negotiate

with our beautiful toddler.

Negotiate being the operative word.

A conversation instead of a debate would be lovely.

We shopped and moseyed about the city and ate a beautiful dinner.

We shared our balcony with a tree whose trunk was slowly darkening with the drizzle of rain

and we slept in till 8 and read the paper with breakfast.

Now we're home and listening to the rain pound on the roof;

thankful for the opportunity to snuggle in bed

because Autumn is here.

Hello autumn.

I love you.

I love you too.

golden

Thanks for all your kind well-wishes. Daniel is all better and now I've come down with a sniffle and a sore throat. I'm not the best in stressful situations - I lose my appetite and survive on nervous energy which is so very unhealthy. So now my body is telling me to slow down, eat up and rest. Which is exactly what I'm doing. Lots of fresh juices, lemon & honey tea (Daniel makes it super strong and just right) and vegie soup. Golden sunshine helps too - I've been stepping outside this morning to soak it all in.

I'm also thinking about writing as a profession again. Teaching yoga is my first choice - it always will be but unfortunately it doesn't make much money. Sure I'm rich in the heart but no so in the wallet. Daniel wants to work a little less and spend more time with Ché, a wish that I would really love to see fulfilled. I'll continue teaching and hopefully I'll be able to find work that means I can do both. I'm a little apprehensive and quite scared about it all actually. I'm trying to not let it weigh me down. I just know what the journalism industry is like and I know it's not going to be heartwarming. It's challenging and while I don't really enjoy being in a space like this, I'll do it because I need to for my family. Because that's what Mumas do.

all good again

Only a few hours after I wrote my last post I had to take Daniel back to emergency (it was 2am...it wasn't fun). He had an allergic reaction to the painkillers and was violently sick. We were there till 7am. When we walked out of the hospital I prayed that we wouldn't be returning anytime soon. So far, we haven't. I'm so incredibly thankful to our wonderful parents who managed to drop everything to look after Ché. I can't imagine how much harder it would have been if I had to entertain a toddler. (And just to clarify, a few of you thought it was Ché who was sick, probably because I referred to Daniel as 'baby'. Yes, Daniel and I are in love and call each other 'baby'...thank goodness it wasn't my little Ché baby who was ill).

Apart from exhaustion, piles of washing and a messy house (I can't believe how quickly it turns from tidy to chaos if you don't pay attention to it) we're all good again. The beautiful calm after such nerve racking days. Sigh.

It's quite easy to relax right now actually - our autumn days are pretty spectacular. Gloriously sunny days with crisp mornings and cool nights. Ideal really. Daniel recently purchased a used Nikon SLR from ebay with some amazing lenses. He's been snapping away and these photos (above) are the results. They're not photo-shopped either - that's true vibrant colour.

It still astounds me how quickly little people grow. Over the hospital weekend I didn't really see Ché for three days and now he's home talking in sentences and playing so wonderfully. I love those moments where you get to observe without being seen, and in his own language he's creating a world of play that is only his. I really do love my boys.

PS. For those of you wondering about neti - nasal cleansing - you can read more here

I wouldn't recommend it for children.

hospital

After three days of suffering with a throbbing head I took Daniel into Emergency this morning. Headaches that last for days are so concerning, a million and one things run through your mind. We were treated with such care and our doctor was so incredibly thorough that I think I'm going to ring management and let them know. You only ever hear bad reports about hospitals but I couldn't fault the amount of TLC we were given. It really was praise-worthy. Thankfully we are home - acute sinusitis causing severe headache at the eyebrow centre. After 2 IV drips my baby is all better and now resting.

I suggested to the doctor and nurse that perhaps Daniel should, once he is better, practice a bit of neti (a yogic nasal cleanse with salty water). They looked at me strangely and suggested I don't snort yoghurt. They also asked me why I was knitting considering how young I am. It was better than staring at the fluroescent lighting, that's for sure.

We'll be spending our weekend resting and being grateful for our health. I'm teaching a birth workshop on Sunday....

Which reminds me...

Blessings to new mumas Anna (who did a workshop with me) and Julie - both birthed their babes at home.

chai for your weekend

Last week I decided to give up coffee. I've never been addicted to anything but I think I was becoming addicted to the ritual of a cappuccino each day. I would really look forward to the stirring, the sipping, the chocolate powder sinking into the froth. But then I realised that my iron was low and a friend told me that caffeine doesn't allow your body to absorb iron. At around the same time I noticed that after a coffee I would get a few heart palpitations and generally feel a little off. I came to the conclusion that I wasn't even enjoying the actually coffee anymore - I was addicted to the habit of buying it. Addicted to the ritual.

And so I scrapped one ritual and embraced another.

A cheaper, healthier and much more satisfying ritual - chai.

A sweet, spicy Indian tea that will become, if you let it, the most beautiful comfort drink.

This recipe is from my friend Kellie but keep in mind that the best chai is your chai. Feel free to change the quantities of the ingredients to suit your taste.

Chai

place 2 cups of water in a saucepan and heat

add:

2-3 slice of fresh ginger (don't bother peeling)

12-15 cardomon pods (squash a little in a mortar&pessel)

half a cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon of cloves

small teaspoon of peppercorns (squash a little in a mortar&pessel)

one slice of whole nutmeg

4 teaspoons of tea leaves (I use a caffeine-free blend)

Let this simmer for about 20mins.

add:

one cup of soy milk

one cup of oat milk

or

2 cups of dairy milk

or

2 cups of whatever milk you like

Allow the tea to infuse for about 10-15mins

Strain the tea into another saucepan (to heat for later) or into cups.

Stir honey or raw sugar into your tea.

Enjoy. Om.