Giving it a good grilling

In September, I acquired a new oven/stove (i.e. what British people would call a cooker). One of the hotplates on my old stove had stopped working, you see.

I used the grill today. This was the second time that I’ve used the grill in my new oven, but the first time that I’ve done so entirely by myself. (Last time, Dad and I cooked some beef parmigiana, of the home-made sort that consists of schnitzel topped with sliced tomato and cheddar cheese.) In fact, although I’ve helped to grill food on several occasions, today was the first time I’ve ever done so without supervision, anywhere. Nobody to ask whether or not I’m doing it right, or what I should do next.

So what did I cook for my first-ever unsupervised grilling? Fish (whiting) topped with canned asparagus and cheese, that’s what. Not an original recipe, but a new departure for me personally. I am pleased to say it was successful. Not perfect (and I’ve made some mental notes for next time) but definitely successful.

To see a photograph, click on this thumbnail.

P.S. Some cauliflower, heated in the microwave for a few minutes and a pinch of salt added, is a good accompianment.

Puppets on the houseboat

In my previous post, I mentioned that we did a puppet play on the boat, and promised to elaborate. As part of our activities to involve the children, we made a couple of puppets from packaged kits. I made a caterpillar, and Rosemary made an ostrich.

Mum suggested that I should write a puppet play including these characters. With some help from Ellis (who contributed a couple of key ideas to the plot, including the ending), I did so. A sock puppet bird and a paper butterfly were constructed as minor characters, and the play was performed on Tuesday evening - the same day that I wrote it.

People who participated in the play were Kate (who acted the part of the tree, the cave and the rock), Kaye, Rebecca, Ellis and myself (as narrator). People in the audience were Mum, Dad, Sue, Robert, Katrina, Rosemary and Leah.

Robert videotaped the play, and I hope to get a copy at some stage. A transcript of my narrative appears below. This play was written on the same day as the final performance, and was rehearsed exactly once.

Houseboat holiday

My sister is currently living in the town of Waikerie, continuing her medical studies. During the week from 28 September to 5 October, I took part in a houseboat holiday along the Murray River, and saw where Rebecca now lives for the first time. The houseboat was Too Irresistible.

Relatives who joined us for this holiday (other than my immediate family) were Auntie Sue, Rosemary, Kaye, Robert, Katrina, Kate, Leah. Ellis (my sister’s fiance) was there too. Kaye joined us on Tuesday 2 October, and Robert and his family left us on Wednesday. Kate and Leah were at first apprehensive, but soon came to enjoy being on the boat.

Originally, I didn’t think that I would stay for the whole week, because I was under the impression that we would be sharing bedrooms. However, I did get a bedroom to myself, and therefore felt able to stay.