Last week’s menu plan was such a hit I’m back with another one this week.  Only this time The Thinker is doing some of the work for me. Because … I’m off to Adelaide for a girly weekend!  I can hardly believe it. Two whole days of gossiping, eating and drinking with my buddies.  “Woo hoo!” is all I can say.

I’ve got a couple of new things in here and a couple of old favourites I’m pretty certain will get a run while I’m away.

This week we’re eating

• Wednesday
  • Butter chicken (didn’t get to do this earlier in the week as planned)
• Thursday
  • Veggie burritos
• Friday
  • Takeaway
• Saturday
  • Spaghetti bolognaise
• Sunday
  • Roast chicken and vegies
• Monday
  • Slow cooker beef stew
• Tuesday
  • Tuesday’s meal
• Baking
• Lemon slice and fruit cake

They say a change is as good as a holiday.  It’s been a good three months since we had a trip which might explain why we’ve changed our bedroom around.

I’ve been thinking about for a while.  Planning it all out in my head.  In there, it looked great.  And in fact, it does look great.  I like it better than the way it was before.  It flows better and the space is more useable.

The problem, what’s made me lose my bearings and possibly my marbles, is that everything is opposite.  I’ve swapped sides of the bed.  After close to 15 years of sleeping on the same side, I’m trying not to fall off the edge as I snuggle up to where hubby used to be.  He’s still there, just on the other side.  And it’s just weird trying to fall asleep on the other side.  There’s a disturbance in The Force.

I know we could just swap back to our rightful positions, but I have this thing about being closest to the door.  I understand I’m not alone.  I read once that women, on the whole, prefer to sleep closest to the door.  I think it’s maternal.  If you’re closest to the door, you’re the first one the kids climb on when they pitter patter downstairs at 3am.  It could be paternal too, for the very same reason.

My troubles don’t end there.  The dresser is now on the opposite side of the room.  When I make a dash from the ensuite to get dressed, I’m faced with a blank wall where my underwear should be.  It’s disconcerting to say the least.  My habit has become to turn in a circle three times to gather myself. I then remember which direction I should be headed, only to be faced with my next challenge.  In my confusion I don’t seem to be able to tell left from right.  My things are still on the same side of the dresser, but I inevitably open my husband’s drawer.

I haven’t yet become so at sea that I put on his underwear, but I’m worried it’s just a matter of time.

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve fallen off the menu plan wagon lately. I’ve become boring and predictable with our meals. It’s easy because I know what we’re going to eat without thinking about it. But it’s, well, boring and predictable. I’m over boring and predictable.

More than that, swimming training has started. Swimming, combined with dancing lessons (though not at the same time), means that three nights a week we’re out galavanting. No time to leave dinner to the last moment. The last moment is 3pm. I have other things to do then.

So I’m turning to my old friend the menu plan to add some excitement and sanity to my weeknights.  I know menu planning isn’t generally thought of as exciting.  However after eating the same things for nigh on 6 months (can it possibly be that long?) the prospect of digging through recipe books to find something new is exciting.  My tastebuds are in a tizz.

This week we’re eating

• Wednesday
  • Corned beef (in slow cooker) and scalloped potatoes (in microwave)
• Thursday
  • Chow Mein (double batch)
• Friday
  • Homemade pizza
• Saturday
  • Sweet potato and sausage soup
• Sunday
  • Roast chicken and veg
• Monday
  • Butter chicken (changed up a little for the slow cooker)
• Tuesday
  • Veal schnitzels and veg
• Baking
  • Muffins and baby quiches

Image via Wikipedia

After seeing Julia Gillard on the TV every day recently my baby, all of 5 years old, has declared she will be Prime Minister when she grows up.  No ifs or buts, it will just be so.  I love that confidence in kids that they can be and do whatever they choose, barriers be damned.

She’s obviously put a bit of thought into it and has a few policy ideas already.  So here’s your scoop.  Remember, you heard it here first.

Me: Why have you decided to be the Prime Minister of Australia?

Future PM: Because you get to be the boss of Australia and make all the rules

Me: What sort of things will you do when you’re Prime Minister?

FPM: I’ll make more hospitals so sick people can get better and I’ll put more carriages on the trains.  What else does the Prime Minister do? (she seems to have the right idea)

Me: Well, they try to make the whole country run better.  They make decisions about schools and roads and laws and how to spend the government’s money.

FPM: How do they make all the buildings?

Me: They don’t make the buildings themselves.  They talk about how they want it to be and then get some builders to make them.

FPM: Oh, so the government doesn’t do anything.  They have lots of meetings and talk about stuff and then someone else does all the work.

Me: Ummm, yes…

FPM: I’ll be good at that! (yes, she definitely understands what it’s all about. I’m so proud)

A strange thing happened to me on the weekend. I felt a sense of calm and clarity that has been missing for a long time. I opened my computer and did a search for some decorating blogs.  Can you believe it?  I can’t!

I haven’t had an inkling of decorating urge for the longest time.  At least 5 years, and that’s a generous estimate.  I’ve had 74 lime lane in my reader for a little while, but have been just glancing over the posts.  Well on the weekend, I did a dig deep into the archives there.  Oh, the cuteness and inspiration.  I spent far too long immersed in etsy.  I even subscribed to Martha Stewart’s blog for goodness sake!

Then I went to the library and borrowed some decorating magazines.

It’s all very weird.  But nice.  I feel like I’m ready to tackle the mundaneness of the house and finally put a stamp on it.  Finally, after years of just cleaning up and making it look presentable, I’m inspired.

rsinner via flickr

Even more remarkable is I took action.  Yes, I finally found a use for the cute white frames that have been sitting in the corner of the study for 2 years.  I’ve printed out the images from this post and arranged them (very artistically, if you don’t mind) in the girls’ room.  I hung a mirror in there for them, too for a bit extra pizzaz.  Who would have known that all it took to get them out of my bathroom was a mirror on their bedroom wall?  I should’ve done that one a looooong time ago.

So here’s to my new decorating urge.  I don’t know how long it’ll last, but I’m going to enjoy it while it’s here.