Wednesday 30 November 2011

Family Therapy

I am not going to discuss opinions in favour or against the Public Sector walkout today, other than to say that the girls' school was closed and they had a day at home with me. In my mind it is sort of like a snow day - nothing has to be done, and lots of fun to be had. It is a gift of time to be enjoyed.

With me staying off the computer as much as possible, and away from the sewing machine, there was certainly lots of time to do things in. The three of us went off to town this morning and stocked up on some necessary food items for tonight, and new slippers. How nice that you can make your children grin and be happy with new slippers!

Home again and it was straight to the kitchen for us. Lunch was first on the agenda. Emily and I whipped up a no kneading, no rising 'bread'. It is full of cheese, ham and spring onion so really like lunch in one big dough ball.


 If we tried this recipe again I would make it a much flatter ball to aid the cooking in the middle, but it was tasty and very, very filling!



Then I set the girls to work on dinner. They were willing participants and also well rehearsed in the art of making Japanese gyoza dumplings so I let them get on with it. An hour later we had four dozen dumplings for cooking later (No, we will never manage to eat that many!) and I had been able to get on with something else.


Dumpling factory.
First tray produced.
My job while they did dumplings was to turn Emily into an angel - no mean feat! We were lucky enough for her to be given a gorgeous white, frilly Monsoon dress recently and this was the basis for her school play angel costume. All I needed to do was add some wings and a halo. Some netting, feather trim and elastic plus a little hand stitching and the job was done.

Stripy socks optional!

I am hoping they deem her enough of an angel, rather than fairy princess, and this is acceptable. Because I really don't want to go out and buy a costume that will disappear in a heap at the bottom of the wardrobe for ever and ever the day after the play has been performed. If they prefer a silver halo I can get some tinsel, and she does have white tights and sparkly shoes. Fingers crossed that they are happy with this.

And that is all I am doing today. Other than cook dumplings and a few small bits to go with them for our dinner. I have stayed away from the computer as much as I am capable of over the past few days. I do appreciate the wonderfully kind comments you have sent me. I am very thankful for the friends I have made through this blog. You lot make me smile. Thanks!

Susan

21 comments:

  1. Glad you had a nice day!

    Pomona x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like a lovely day! I too am making an angel costume tonight. Thanks to inspiration from Mrs. Gordon, I am converting a pillowcase with some sparkly fabric and some ribbons. It will not be as sophisticated as yours but hopefully it will do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The striped socks make the costume perfect! I love little girl angels.

    ReplyDelete
  4. And I have to make a pirate costume! Where did I go wrong?

    Looking very angellic!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good to hear you're taking it easy! You can send your kids over to me any time to make my tea! I knew Emily was an angel really! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gorgeous looking angel you have there. And sounds like you have a lovely day

    ReplyDelete
  7. :) What a lovely day you've had! They are both little angels, they made lunch and tea! Bonus! The stripe socks rock! No more costumes for me :) the most challenging was a drummer boy!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your yummy lunch looks like Aussie damper, to me! And your angel looks...angelic! Happy days!

    ReplyDelete
  9. my dinner was a disaster. So if you've any spare dumplings can you send the girls round with them? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dinner looks lovely and I love the intense concentration as the girls make tea! Emily is a beautiful angel and I can't imagine that school won't be thrilled with that costume!

    ReplyDelete
  11. She totally looks like an angel.

    You know all the other mothers are going to hate your guts for that beautiful costume don't you? (For pity's sake dont confess you made it because if you do you're going to get stuck making costumes for everyone for the rest of your school life)

    Send the excess dumplings my way - they look fab !

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sounds like a fab day, and any leftover dumplings after Shay's had them, send on up here please! Can't believe you're going to replace the stripy socks with white tights for the costume though... ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sounds like you had a lovely day :)
    I think you should send your girls up to me and they can teach my kids a thing or two in he kitchen x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your day was perfect! Your daughter is going to be a sensation in her angel costume, she's a sweetie. Lunch looks yummy too!

    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  15. sounds like a perfectly blissful day - and emily makes a gorgeous angel.

    that lunch time bread looks yummo and my all time favourites are those japanese dumplings - when i was in tokyo, my friend and i used to run downstairs at lunch break to buy 6 each - after 4 days the vendor knew we were coming a put an extra in for a treat

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a lovely day you have had and so refreshing that you enjoyed the bonus day with your kids, unlike many of those interviewed on tv!

    ReplyDelete
  17. So either you are feeling more yourself or you are simply doing what we do and plunging forward as though everything is fine...regardless, sounds like you had a great day with the girls. Glad to hear it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sounds like a wonderful day Susan - love the girl power in your house and so great the girls had the day with you. You don't need to be stuck in a classroom to be learning stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sounds like a lovely day and a beautiful angel!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a beautiful angel :) I can't wait until my kids can help make the dinner!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment. I read them all and I love them all. I do my utmost to reply to comments as often as possible. If you comment and never receive a reply from me there is the possibility that you are a no-reply commenter.