How (not) to clean out the pantry

ANPNF343ZH3E Some people like to Spring Clean. Others (crazy people) clean the house from top to bottom every single week. I'm a Start of Year clean-out kind of girl. Dump a whole lot of stuff, and then spend the rest of the year re-filling the cupboards.

I remember having regular conversations with a Feng Shui expert for several CLEO features (it was the late 90s), who advocated taking the 'seven things for seven days' approach to bettering your life. Her theory was that if you threw out seven things a day for seven days, you would clear enough space in your home to free your chi... or was it your chakras. Something.

As with most things in life, I tend to take the 'binge' approach to this theory. I throw out 49 things in one day and then rest on my laurels for the rest of the year.

Recently, I approached the pantry. With caution. Pantries are a running joke in my family, mostly because my parents have never met a Use By date they couldn't beat. I used to laugh a lot at the contents of their pantry, complete with three-year-old tin of beetroot. I'm not laughing any more.

In cleaning out the pantry recently, I discovered not only the requisite three-year-old tin of beetroot (which I'm thinking my Dad put in there just to befuddle me), but nine bottles of vinegar. Nine. To be sure, there was Cider vinegar, Brown vinegar, Malt vinegar, White vinegar, Rice vinegar, White Wine vinegar (times two), and Red Wine vinegar (times two). But seriously? Should we ever be facing a siege, Fam Fibro will be in an excellent position to pickle...

We are also well-equipped with baked beans (13 - count them - tins), flour (three kilograms), and several tins of Bundaberg Rum fudge. Yep, all the food groups covered there.

A quick survey on Twitter helped me draw the conclusion that I am not alone with my lone, faded beetroot tin (though there was a late charge by the Tinned Bamboo Shoot brigade) - but that nine bottles of vinegar probably qualifies me for some kind of hall of fame. Well, I've always wanted to be an award-winner ("You like me, you like me!").

The truly sad part of this tale, however, I have saved for the end. That tin of beetroot? Still there. I couldn't bear to throw it out. You just never know... and those tinned things never really go off, do they?

Mum and Dad, I understand now.

'Fess up: do you have that tin of beetroot? Or some other random tin that you bought years ago and still resides at the back of the pantry? Or, like me, do you buy strange things - like vinegar - in bulk? Share the Hall of Fame with me - it's lonely in here.

{image: inspcollection.com}

The tide goes out on the school holidays

The last day of the school holidays. A day for polishing school shoes, ironing uniforms, unearthing school hats. A subdued kind of day.

At least, it should have been.

Yes, the school shoes are polished, the uniforms are ironed, the hat is, um, somewhere. But The Builder also decided that the last day of the school holidays was the perfect day to go out and buy an inflatable boat. A rubber duckie, so to speak. Which he duly did. Along with oars, a pump and four life jackets.

We took the SS Fibro out to that place near the beach that I call The Creek and Sister B calls The Lagoon (summing up the differences in our world views in one easy step). Our plans were momentarily thwarted when we realised that the tide was out. So far out as to leave about 20 centimetres of water in which to launch our mighty vessel. And that was in the deep water.

"Guess we won't be needing these," said The Builder, tossing our bright yellow safety vests back into the car.

And so we spent the waning hours of the summer break dragging the boys up and down the creek in a bright blue inflatable boat. Actually, we spent about 20 minutes doing that and then The Builder and I lazed in the shallows as they dragged themselves up and down the creek, recruiting another young swimmer to help with the task when they got tired.

Mr4 showed great talent for throwing himself and his oar off the back of the boat. We may need to work on this before we find deeper water. Mr7 showed great talent for 'supervising' - "I'm the Captain - you push." He is destined for great things.

At one point, The Builder and I found ourselves alone in the boat, lazily drifting downstream a few centimetres, staring up at a wide, blue sky. "This floating thing is very relaxing," I said.

"Yes," he answered. "Just imagine how good it will be when the water is above our knees."

We are already planning our next boating adventure. Mr7 thinks New Zealand would be nice at this time of year. Mr4 just wants to wear his life jacket. The Builder foresees many lazy, after-work outings now that the tourists have all gone home.

I'm happy to be making memories.

{image: Ninja-Ai/deviantart.com}

Weekend Rewind

What a week it's been - Australia Day and a blogoversary all rolled into one. Not only that, but the last week of the school holidays is all but done and February is on the horizon... Not that I'm excited about school going back. No way. Not me. Okay, just a little...

Now, however, the dust is settling and it's time to turn our attention to pressing matters. Like the Weekend Rewind, the linky that gives you the chance to dust off an old post for some new comment love. And don't we love it!

In keeping with recent weeks, I'm going with a prompt and, given that we've had January and February, we are up to March. The only song I can think of with 'march' in the title is 'The Ants Go Marching (one by one, hurrah, hurrah), so now that I've shared that particular ear worm with you, I'll just get on with it.

All you have to do to join the mixed tape that is Weekend Rewind is to link up a vintage post (preferably from March last year (or 2009, or 2008) if you have one, but any other old post of your choice if you don't) and then go comment on some of the other treasures being offered up. Please try to do at least two to share the comment love around.

This week, in honour of my Writing Course Giveaway, I'm submitting a writing post for your delectation. All about how writing is just like doing the laundry. No, really.

Can't wait to see what you've got for me this week!

As always, I'm linking up to Maxabella's Saturday Grateful and, on Sunday, will be hopping over to Blog Gems at The King and Eye, to air some more of my ever-expanding archives.

Win a writing course at the Fibro!

Well, here we are. January 27. The Fibro's blogoversary. Twelve months of fun, frivolity and making new friends. Not to mention some fearsomely hard graft.

To celebrate this milestone, I'm extremely (and I do mean extremely) excited to be having my first ever (and perhaps only) giveaway. And what a giveaway.

You may remember my interview a few months ago with Valerie Khoo from the Sydney Writers Centre (and my former deskmate from CLEO)? (If not, pop over here and refresh your memory - she offers three fabulous tips for would-be freelance writers). She had such a good time in the Fibro, that the Sydney Writers Centre has donated an amazing prize to celebrate the Fibro's blogoversary.

Deep breath.

One lucky winner will receive a 5-week Online Course at the Sydney Writers' Centre. Let me just repeat that. One lucky winner will receive a 5-week Online Course at the Sydney Writers' Centre. He or she will be able to choose from EITHER Magazine Writing Stage One OR Creative Writing Stage One. Each course is valued at $395. The winner may also, if he or she chooses, come back to the Fibro to guest post about their experience once they've done the course.

Features or Fiction? You get to choose. And because they're online, you can do your course from anywhere. The Sydney Writers' Centre takes great care to choose presenters who are well-respected and active in their fields (for example, new features writing presenter is veteran editor/publisher Marina Go).

The excitement!

This is a brilliant opportunity for anyone hoping to join the ranks of freelance writers, or get that headstart on the novel they've always wanted to write. Or even just to hone your writing skills to take your blog to the next level.

All you have to do to enter is to follow the Fibro if we're not already friends, and then leave a comment on this post telling me WHICH course you'd like to do and WHY it should be you who wins. Think of it as a pitch (visit this guest post at The Red Dress Club for some tips on pitching) - keep it short and very sweet, and be sure to visit the links above to get a full idea of each course so that you can give it your best shot. 

The winner will be chosen by Valerie Khoo and the team at the Sydney Writers' Centre from a shortlist chosen by me. I'm looking for angle, originality and voice. Competition closes Friday 4 February, with the winner announced in the Fibro's Monday 7th February post. Be sure to check back to see if it's you!

This contest is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!

The fine print:
*competition closes at 11.59pm, Friday 4 February
*winner announced on Monday 7 February (and contacted by email if you've left me one)
*course must be booked in by June 30, 2011.
*only one entry per person.
*sorry, family members cannot apply. :-)

PS: Feel free to grab the button and spread the word!

Advance Australian Blogs

Every once in a while, Maxabella from Maxabella Loves runs a post she calls Blogalicious. Little blogs that she loves. It's a lovely idea. Which is why I'm going to steal be inspired by it.

In honour of the fact that January 26 is Australia Day, I hereby present my nominations for this year's Australia Day Honours List. Little Aussie blogs that can - and do. Of course, the biggest problem with a list like this is limiting it. I'd put in every Australian blog if I could, but that wouldn't make for a succinct blog post. So I've chosen five old favourites, and five that are new (or newish) to me. All are flying the flag for Aussie blogs. All are blogalicious.

So Now What?
Life and Other Crises
Not Drowning, Mothering
Ah, The Possibilities
Diminishing Lucy

Keep Cate Busy
Big Words Blog
Life On Planet Baby
Life In The Country
The Byron Life

So, tell me, who would you put on your Australia Day Honours List for Blogging? Give me your top five and let's hand out a few OAMB awards.

{image: Caroline's Cake Company}

Growing up

At seven, Mr7 is a boy. No longer can I pretend he is little. Despite the fact that I can look into his face and still see the chubby-cheeked toddler who loved The Wiggles. Now he is all arms, legs and oversized front teeth; Harry Potter, Star Wars, bakugans and Ninjas.

Which is not to say that he does not continue to surprise and enchant me.

Today was not a good day in the Fibro. It was an end-of-school-holidays, irritable, itchy, scratchy kind of day. An icky, sticky, humid kind of day. The kind of day that had us all climbing the walls and shouting at each other.

In an effort to calm things down, we went for a walk. He didn't want to come. He stood on the front verandah, humphing, right up until the point where Mr4 and I turned out of the driveway and went out of sight behind next door's peach tree.

"Waaaaiiiittt!" came the shriek from behind me.

We waited at the corner. He ambled over, then refused to go further, standing on the corner, humphing, watching us walk away, right up until the point where we were about to cross the next street.

"Waaaaaiiiitttt!" came the shriek from behind me.

We waited at the corner. He ambled over... and so on.

Once we actually gathered some momentum, the walk went well and we were all in a much better frame of mind on the way home. We passed a crepe myrtle tree.

"How many kinds of blossoms are there, Mum?" he asked, always one for a difficult question.

Lots.

A gentle breeze blew, lifting the clothes that were stuck to us (along with our spirits), cooling the sweat on our skin, sending crepe myrtle blossoms billowing to the earth.

"Look Mum," said Mr7, dancing with joy as white petals landed on his arms. "A flower shower."

And that's why I will never really put him out with the recycling, despite my darkest, direst threats.


{image: via weheartit.com}