You don't have to have any, just have some...

When it comes to food, this past long weekend was certainly a challenging one.
I come from a background where excess is good.
My grandparents had nothing growing up, so when it came to food, the more they could get, the better...
And then food become plentiful but that mindset was still there...

Take as much as you want; take as much as you can.

So as a child, portions were always huge but I didn't see it as huge. That was just normal.
My dad used to eat his pasta accompanied by bread so I tried to do the same, sometimes making myself sick but it seemed to make him happy when I ate..

At 18, I hosted my first dinner party with a friend and we served three huge courses followed by coffee and more little cakes and biscuits to about fifteen people.
This was a normal Sunday lunch for us and we couldn't understand why everyone was saying there was so much food. We thought they were just being polite!


So this Easter Sunday we were at my mothers house and she had so much food. I'd asked her if there was anything I could bring and she said "maybe a sweet?" so I made my low fat cheesecake... but even as I was making it I knew she would have more than enough dessert there and my cheesecake would just be superfluous.

The table was set with tasty nibbles.

More than you can imagine... then we had delicious, melt in your mouth ravioli...


followed by fillet Mignon and at least five side dishes of unbelievable quality.


It's very hard to say no!!



Instead of resting our tummies before dessert, my mum started bringing out the chocolates and biscuits and ice-cream. Not wanting my cheesecake to feel left out, I brought that out too and started serving it up.

I was just dishing up the last piece of cheesecake (to which I mother added several scoops of gelati) when she slapped her forehead saying "Oh, I forgot the rice-cake!!! Nadia can you go get the rice-cake from the fridge?"

There was a collective groan as we all held our stomachs and said "no please, we're so full, there's just no room for it!"

And my mother classically replied "No, you don't have to have any, just have some"

And that's the motto..... You don't have to have any, just have some....

Because of course, it doesn't count if you don't mean to have it.
It doesn't count if you just cut off a sliver at a time and eat that.
It doesn't count if the piece doesn't actually make it to a plate.
If you just spoon some out of the dish directly to your mouth, you aren't really having it!

It was pretty cute and we all had a giggle over it....


Deno had cycled and I had run that morning but we felt so bad we went for a 9kms walk after we got home...
But that was Sunday... and Monday was still to come!

Monday we went to my sister in law Kelly's place and she'd created a similar feast! And it was just all so tasty! BBQ'd meats, spicy meatballs and guacamole, scalloped potatoes, ricotta cannelloni, salad... not to mention the tasty dips and bits and pieces that were already on the table. When did she have time to do all this!

For dessert she had a lemon meringue pie AND apple crumble and although I love my desserts, I just couldn't... I just couldn't even look at it I'm so over food!


But at least I won't have to cook this week as I had a fridge full of left overs!!!

And remember, if you don't want it, you don't have to have it, just have some....

Margot's Low Fat Berry Cheesecake

This is my own personal recipe so if you make it, I hope you like it!
It's a low fat but very tasty version of a classic favourite...
And I'm pretty sure I got the measurements right......

BASE
2 x 250gm packed of sweet wholemeal biscuits crushed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
200gms butter (I used low fat margarine) melted
2 x 425gms cans stoneless cherries
Berry jam (I used strawberry)


Filling and Decoration

1kg low fat cottage cheese
1 cup icing sugar
500gms low fat berry yogurt (I used yoplait forme - strawberry)
7 tablespoons lemon
2 tablespoons gelatin
1 450 gms packed frozen berries (I used season choice Three Berry Mix)



1 Mix together the crushed biscuits, cinnamon and butter in a mixing bowl.
Use to line the base and side of a dish. (I used a lasagna dish but don't know how big it is...)
Chill for about 10 minutes

2. Spread a thin layer of berry jam over the the biscuit base
Cut the stoneless cherries in half and spread over the jam.

3. Mix the cottage cheese in a blender with the icing sugar until you have a smooth creamy mixture.
Transfer to mixing bowl and add low fat yogurt.
Mix well

4. Put the lemon juice in a non reactive pan. sprinkle the gelatin over.
Dissolve over a very low heat

5. Remove from heat and stir a little of the cheese mixture into the gelatin mixture.
Add this to the remaining cheese mixture and mix well.
Spoon into base.

6. Put the frozen berries over the top to decorate.


7. Chill for 4 hours.

Customer Stories from April 2011

It always baffles me why customers will call on their mobiles, then complain they have no credit and ask if we can we call them back.

It’s simple guys, if you don’t want to use your mobile phone credit, then don’t call on your mobile phone!

Here are a few customer stories from the last week or two…

~~~~~~~~~~

Customer rambling to me: “I have the bill here, do I? Oh! No, I don’t… I thought I had it… oh, here it is. I thought I’d left it on the kitchen table. I was pretty sure. I think I brought it out yesterday because I knew I’d be calling you. Ok. I’ve got the account and it’s got an account no. Do you want the account no?”

I wanted to say “oh no please, it’s such a pleasure to hear you having a conversation with yourself. By all means, continue. I’m even taking notes!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I write this, it’s the 8^th of April. I just had a customer who called up angry because he’d received an overdue notice when he claimed the account had been paid.

I checked his account… No, there hadn’t been a payment come through...

“Well it has been paid” he insisted loudly “and I’ve got the rcpt right here!

“When was it paid?” I asked as it usually takes a day or two to hit the account.

“I’ve got the rcpt and it says right here on the 17^th of April that I paid $400”

I confirmed the date with him again and then said “and do you realise that today is on the 8^th and you’re telling me you paid this in eleven days time?”

And believe it or not, he didn’t acknowledge his error but changed the subject to his next gripe…

~~~~~~~~~~

There’s a time and place for protracted stories.

If you’re watching a movie, then it’s a good thing! If you’re reading a novel, it’s essential! If you’re calling up your energy provider, it absolutely NOT required!

I recently had a guy call to tell me how many burners he uses when he cooks his breakfast, then how many when he cooks his lunch.

This was because he’d discovered a hissing sound coming from his burner, indicating that gas was escaping. He couldn’t smell any gas and promptly turned the burner off… but wanted to call to ask if it was going to be safe to use the burner the following day…. Oh, and he’d opened all the doors and windows as well which was a bit of a sacrifice for him because he has arthritis and the cold air made his condition flare up…

Along the same lines, I had another customer who ummed and ahhhed for about 40 long seconds while he was thinking about whether he called a certain supplier last Monday or Friday. I had to bite my tongue because I really wanted to say “It doesn’t make a fricken bit of difference to this situation that you rang your supplier, let alone what DAY you did it on!!”

Remember, if you want good fast efficient service when calling a utility company, less is more. Let them ask the questions and only answer what you’ve been asked!

Do you know...? How many...? Where is...? What does...? Who was the person...?‏

Are you a googler?

My less technical friends have often scoffed when I whip out my phone or ipod as soon as someone asks a question.

We may be sitting around, contemplating the population of Los Angeles… or wondering if such and such a celebrity is still alive… or who was that actor that played in that movie?

I just don’t get why we all have to sit around and wonder, when the answer is at the tap of a few buttons?

Why argue when you can settle it right there and then!

No longer will the person with the loudest and most obstinate voice win that battle! The ipod can settle it.

There’s certainly no shame in wanting to know the correct, accurate answer!

And speaking of googling, how many have googled themselves? I.E. Egosurfing…

I know I have! And there’s quite a few embarrassing links out there that maybe one day I’ll get around to taking down but I know I’m not alone! Go ahead, google yourself. You may be surprised what’s out there.

I embrace technology and our changing society with caution. I just can’t be one of these people that automatically think change is bad.

Yeah I know kids aren’t playing in the streets anymore but take a look at their parents and you’ll find that they’re not very active either!

Technology is not to blame. These kids didn’t buy the game systems they use and set themselves uncontrolled usage.

So go ahead and use technology. Let it better and enrich your life. Just remember that you’re its master…don’t let it master you.

Now, what’s the population of Los Angeles???

Our own little hiding spots...

I was a young girl in the seventies, and a teenager in the eighties. As a result, the bra burning movement was pretty much over by the time I was wearing them!

Now I'll applaud a woman's choice to wear or not wear them but frankly, I can't understand why a woman wouldn't want to wear a bra! It's such a wonderful invention!
I keep a myriad of things in mine (apart from the obvious!)


Need to store an ipod but have no pockets? Tuck it in your bra!
Need to bring feminine hygiene products into the bathroom discreetly? Tuck it in your bra!
Need to store your car key while you go for your run? Tuck it into your bra!
Need to have spare change handy? A tissue handy? Just use your imagination and simplify your life.

Recently I was searching Acapella groups on you tube and came across this female quartet. One of the singers sounded the pitch pipe to get them started, then promptly stored that thing in her bra!!! And that was in front of a live audience!!
You've gotta love that..

Not to mention the older you get, the nicer they make your boobies look... There's no countering gravity if you go the natural way...

So while I admit I'm happy to take it off as soon as I can when I'm done for the day, I love the versatility of wearing and storing things in a bra.

How Do You Spell That???

Once upon a time it was simple.
People married, had a baby who was given a commonly spelt first name, and took their fathers surname.
These days, anything goes!

And I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but having been one that's had to spell my name my whole life, I don't envy the kids growing up in this era.
Leaving surname's aside, is it, Steven or Stephen?
Allan or Alan?
Darrel or Darrell or Daryl?
Robin or Robyn?
Dianne or Diane?
Rachel or Rachael?
I'm sure you can think of plenty more.
They're the simple ones....
But what about the non traditional names?

Emersyn, Jayde, Laekin, Braylei,Trey, Brayson, Landon, Kaiden, Grayson, Jaiden, Payton, Kyler, Braylen, Kayleb, Ryder, Paxton, Delaney, Jazelle, Jesamae, Jerrica, Jessa, Jasmine, Peyton, Quinna, Raeyna.
These are just a few names I saw, just by going through recent birth notices.

My name is simple enough but I'm forever having to say "with a t". It's not pronounced.
I work in the service industry and it can be frustrating when a customer really wants to know what my name is. I can't tell you how many times I spell it out once, then twice then just end up leaving off the t... or just pretend that my name is Margaret, Margray, Marjay, Barbara or whatever it was the customer thinks they heard me say... It's just easier!

So too will the kids of this era be spelling their first names for the rest of their lives.


But wait, it's not a given that mum and dad are married so what name will the kid take? Will it be just mum's? Just dad's? A hyphenated combination?

And what if one hyphenated combination grows up and meets another hyphenated combination and they have a child out of wedlock?
Will the baby that's produced of this union have a hyphenated hyphenation?

My brain's hurting..

So parents, please take all this into consideration when naming your baby.

Let their talents and gifts be their originality, not the spelling of their names...

There's a time and a place...

So I was just going about my business, doing my weekly shopping when I heard a couple discussing a rather private subject behind me.

The trouble is, they weren't using their quite voices!

The guy was telling his girlfriend how she needed a sex toy and then went into the specifics of why (which I won't be doing in this blog).

In their defense, they were standing in front of the "family planning" section so it's not like they were bringing up a subject out of the blue.

Did they not see me right behind me? Did they not care that I now know all about their intimate life? Were they so engrossed in this particular part of their life that they weren't aware of anything that was going on around them?

The girlfriend was actually a little more timid and I felt a little sorry for her. The guy was loud and not shy about what he was saying or what words he was using.

It was kinda funny but I'm glad I didn't have any little children with me at the time!
Might have had to answer a few difficult questions!