Trash or treasure

Am feeling Old today - my beloved nephew El had birthday today - turning 20 which makes me, well Older than 20 anyway.
El has promised to take me dumpster diving sometime, he and friends are waging private war on waste by clambering into supermarket dumpsters and "recycling" - or um, "re appropriating"?? dated but perfectly good food. Boxes of chocolates, loaves of bread, packets of fancy biscuits... is not because they're stingy (although they are poor - students all of them), same boys won't hesitate to offer food to homeless person or clothes or whatever. Dumpster diving is way of hitting back at corporate waste and ridiculous consumerism.

Rich is appalled I wan't to do this. So wont tell him - will wait till there is football on telly.
Also will not get in actual dumpster myself as already mentioned, I am old, and not so able to clamber out in hurry if necessary. Don't want close call like prince William nearly getting run over by rubbish truck when doing homeless experience. will be lookout person, and will run very very fast if approached by security guard as dumpster diving not actually encouraged by supermarkets. Do want to see for myself though, also would like to have free boxes of chocs.

Why is there so much waste when food prices so high? Why are these things not "on special" so we can choose to buy them cheap - is high wastage driving prices up? Do you think El and his friends are wrong or should discarded food be "fair game"? What do you think?

let them eat cake

Went to a seminar last week and learnt that we eat 25% more sugar a day now than we did in the 70's. Yikes!
Seminar was interesting despite being packed with dietitians and such like. I was starving so made a dash for the afternoon tea table as soon as break was announced.
Caterers had provided colourful array of chilly sliced fruit and healthy oaty looking bars. Obviously trying to score points with dietitians.
Miracle of miracles, I spotted one lone triangle of ginger crunch buried among the scroggin slice. Must have slipped in the pile by accident. I snagged it naturally,and was well into daily quota of sugar and fat before fatal mistake of gloating to my friend Claire that I'd got the only bit of slice with icing, next thing I know I'm sharing it. (Is easy to forget Claire is dietitian cos she actually likes food. most seem to treat it as mortal enemy).
One of the speakers at seminar is Head of public relations for McDonalds. Surprising the dietitians didn't stone her there and then. Was quite interesting that McDonald's have tried to sell healthy stuff, but people just don't go to Macca's for salad or cereal. Good that 50% of happy meals are now sold with a healthy option like fruit or water, but I kinda understand. While I personally haven't eaten Macca's in 8 years and don't plan to. When I go out I want the choice, all junk is clearly not good, but all healthy is no fun either and if I do choose the oat bar, then can I have a glass of wine with it?

a sense of perspective

Haven't blogged for a while as have had builders in. Sooo exciting!
We could finally insulate the fridge we refer to fondly as home.
Also retaining walls, so can access veggie garden without crampons, and other general repairs to stop rotten bits are falling off carport onto visitors.
Builder started 3 weeks ago. Half the house is in bits, teenage daughter living in garage in tent, hallway and 3 rooms gutted, dust and dirt everywhere - me trying to work in mess and noise.
Progress slow.
Serious concerns arose last week when Gib went up. Much tension- finally we called assessor in and all work halted.
Assessment says everything has been done wrong - thousands of dollars already spent. Builder incompetent. Retaining has to be removed and re done, all interior work has to be re done - sigh.

Was very upset - depressed, and stressed, as also have dodgy tooth thing going on - never one thing at a time!
Had visit from new - lovely highly recommended builder who came to NZ as refugee from Cambodia. In course of looking at sorry mess that is our house, he told his story.

When 8 years old whole village was force marched to killing fields - told they'd be executed ...mass graves ... only just saved from execution by arrival of Vietnamese Tanks...

Decided then and there not to cry about my broken house. Have never had to march my children to anything worse than dentist appointment!
Is only house and am lucky to have one. We have roof -(OK - not many walls -but that can be fixed). We have freedom and we have food in cupboard. Also now have sense of perspective. While there are some things that even cake cant fix, it could be a lot worse.

The New Book!

Sneak preview of the new book, 100+ tasty $10 meals is due for release on April 1st. If you want to pre order a signed copy for delivery first week of april you can do that via the website www.destitutegourmet.com

bra bra black sheep

Holiday is pretty much distant memory now. Work phone is ringing all the time-so escaped to gym to have some time to myself and do some "damage limitation". Took really good book to read while on cross trainer - love to read, so workout almost enjoyable.

Changed into industrial strength, gravity resistant, workout under garments- Bra is guaranteed to force 10 on Richter scale. Donned leggings, shorts,t.shirt etc. Placed pretty, lacy little bra into gym bag. Dumped clothes, keys etc on top and left bag in locker room.

Workout completed. Descended into stygian darkness of car park, got keys and handbag out of gym bag and headed to shops for ingredients. Eyes not adjusted to gloom so didn't notice that lacy bra had attached itself to hand bag zip.

Proceeded to saunter round shops trailing incriminatingly sexy undergarment off back of hand bag. Was paying for kaffir lime leaves before I noticed!. Had to stuff bra into smallish hand bag. Sooo embarrassed. Like walking through crowded restaurant with dress tucked into knickers. Gaaagh! Cannot tell my family as am already figure of fun.

Oh - Kaffir Lime leaf was part of excellent fragrant chicken curry. Froze the rest of the leaves along with surplus lemongrass stalks- both freeze well. Recipe is for Taste magazine, and is delish. But will not be able to make again once frozen kaffir lime leaves run out as cannot show my face in shops again - will have to move!

The tide is out

Am having lovely holiday with kids and one true love. Went camping, soooo relaxing.
Daughter spent whole time staking out power points to re charge phone, but aside from that was quintesential kiwi camping experience. Had New Years eve bonfire on beach, fireworks, berry picking, long walks, large ice creams and lots of lying about reading.

Home now and life is still bit like being at beach as tide goes in and out each day. Tide in this case though, is number of children present. Low tide is when its just our own. "Tide is out" means no kids here at all, "high tide" means we have lots of extras, mostly in form of 14 yr old boys.

Was nearly washed away by sudden high tide last week as boys with skateboards flooded in from every direction. Tide has since receeded taking my boy with it and leaving behind only wet towels, dirty plates, empty fridge and a broken jandal.

But enough coastal analogy - have a day to myself, a car and a credit card and am thinking about trying on shoes.
Am able to do this as feet are only part of me that has not "retained water" over summer. Have french painted toe nails too, so simply must try on shoes, or nail polishing will have been waste of time!

Is good to do something enjoyable before year hits full speed. If money was no object would obviously go to Paris for day and um, try on shoes. But am not Russian Billionaires squeeze so will settle for number one shoe warehouse, followed by coffee and cake. Will worry about "water retention" problem next week, still have some clothes I can fit.

If you were me today, with car, credit card (within reason) and no kids, how would you spend day?