Breathe....

Yet again, another week (and more!) has slipped by and my blog lies neglected. Ive missed yet another This is....but I dont think you really want to see a photo of my forehead, since my brain is my main creative space right now - I dont really have a physical space right now.

My first blogiversary was sometime in April, a date which I duly missed. I voiced my regrets to Bells, and said "that's OK, my 100th post is coming up, I'll celebrate then". I thought she was being a teeny bit unkind when she said "Oh, sometime around June then?". But of course she was right. I just checked - this is post 97.

Maybe July then? Har har.

I finally finished work on Thursday, after scrambling a few last minute items for my manager. Despite all his claims that I didnt need to do any handover notes, and trying to brief him for several weeks, I spent an hour with him on Tuesday morning explaining one small part of the what Id been doing for the last two years - how I'd put it together and where the files were.

At least they gave me morning tea!

Today is really the first day I've felt like I can settle and take a breath and "start" my leave - we went to visit Mum and Dad on Friday for the weekend, then Monday and Tuesday have been full of appointments and errands.

Including one with my OB, who calmly said "So 10 days to go then?". Hmmm. Yup. 10 days. 8 now.

That means 8 days to get through the huge list of things to do that Ive been compiling for the last couple of months: "things to do when Im on leave". Like catch up on our 7 or 8 loads of washing, find and wash all the teeny tiny baby clothes, the cot sheets and the spew cloths, set up the nursery room so I can find said things, clean the pram, clean the grusome alien life-forms out of the fridge, try and get through some more unpacking / re-organising / decluttering (that's wishful thinking!). I'll be a lady of lesuire.

That also means 9 days until the next tranche of Germans for 2008 arrive - Beloved's sister and her 3 girls (aged 10, 11 and 13). In their (and my) defense, they booked in first, a whole year ago. Its just a quirk of timing.

But it does mean 4 extra people (5 when their dad arrives 3 weeks later) at a time when things are already likley to be somewhat busy. However, they're very self-reliant and although it will be crowded and busy and hectic, it wil all be OK.

There has been some knitting, but that will be blogged later when it's gifted. Hopefully soon - it's already overdue.

There has also been significant expansion in the bump department since I last updated you - but that's another post.

Who knows, now that I'm a lady of lesiure, maybe I'll get to post 100 this week!

A call to (culinary) arms

The Germans are coming! To the barricades! Dont mention the war!

Seriously, the Germans are coming - the first tranche of clan Beloved for 2008 invades arrives next Wednesday. Beloved's younger brother Frank, his wife Katja and their 3-year-old, Maya. I'm really excited because it will be great fun to have them visit, but I'm also a little apprehensive.

I am pleading for your help, dear friends. Have mercy on me and my kitchen!

I thought our family were big eaters, until I met the Beloveds. They are seriously big eaters. Actually, theyre quite normal for the Germans in general; if you've never eaten out in Germany (or a German-themed restaurant), then buckle up your appetite and hang on.

Here's a meal Beloved had (just him, its a single serve) in a pub one night. Just a regular pub. Its a sort of mixed grill, and those long things opn the left are crumbed, deep-fried asparagus with hollondaise sauce. Then there's pork, steak, turkey and fried potatoes. And a salad on the side that you cant see.


Thats a frypan folks, a 25cm (10") diameter frypan. Holy hardening arteries, Batman, charge those paddles.

Anyway. Our visitors are big eaters. Last time they visited, with two other friends, between the 4 of them they used an entire 400ml bottle of sweet chilli sauce on one bbq meal.

That in itself doesnt usually frighten me, I just make more, but they are also very conservative eaters.

Frank has a saying: "the farmer eats what the farmer knows". In Bontkirchen, the farmer doesnt know Italian or Thai or Moroccan or Mexican or Indian or Chinese. Or anything that doesnt eat grass.

Bang goes three-quarters of my repetoire.

I hesititate to say he's a "fussy eater", he'll usually give something a try, but he's certainly a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Katja is much more adventurous, and often bemoans that Frank's tastes are pretty pedestrian.

Its also very warm here right now, so my usual fall-backs of stews and casseroles are off the menu.

And there's only so many bbq's we can have a week without endangering the local cow and sheep population (and my sanity).

So, I'm after your suggestions for quick and easy fare that will fit the bill. My requirements are:

• filling
• quick (I work!)
• not too challening to the tastebuds
• not too heavy on the budget
• child-friendly (but non-fussy kids)

So far, my list includes things like spag bol, schnitzels (Ja whol!), meat with sauce (eg. steak with mushroom sauce), pasta bake, roast chicken.

Seriously, I'd love an email or some ideas in the comments. Please!

You dont want to see a grown pregnant woman cry, do you?