Moving Day in 9 days!!!

So currently everything we own that we got from New Zealand is crammed into the basement and my parents in law place. Usually Id be bummed as I was back in June when I had to give away or sell a lot of stuff that I had spent a significant amount of time buying and collecting. The boxes that were shipped from NZ all sit stacked neatly under the bunk bed my father in law WAS working on. But you know what? Im really excited. We've got a house lined up. Its got a working gas fireplace, insulation throughout, a washing machine and dryer, the living room is really decent, the bedroom is tiny but we've got a spare room to use as an office and the kitchen is pretty neat and best of all - no earthquake damage! Even more cooler is that we live next to a forest and bears are apparently as common as squirrels. 

My mother wouldn't be surprised about this but every now and then (usually once or twice a day) I 'sneak' down to the basement and just stand there staring at our stuff with longing. I used to do this from about the age of 10 when I first started collecting homewares and the like. I started off with shoeboxes and would fill them up with particular mementos I knew I would enjoy as an adult and the odd gadget. Those shoe boxes were my first glory box in a way. Then in my teens as I earnt money myself I started to buy serious kitchen items like utensils and teatowels. My shoeboxes were placed in larger boxes and by the time I started polytech I was buying and storing and hunting to no end. It became like a decade long game to find the item that matched perfectly my idea of what I was looking for. The majority of items were meticulously organised in numerous large boxes that I stored my my mothers attic. And every time I added a new item, Id climb into the attic to place it carefully with the rest then sit there with the torch going over in my head the inventory of items, occasionally, looking for a specifically wrapped item, unwrapping it, then holding said item as I visualised (ok ok fantasized) how the item was going to be used in the future, usually involving a more lengthy fantasy about a particular recipe. Then when I was finished Id carefully wrap it up again and put it back exactly the way I found it. Those boxes did take up quite a bit of space which my mother loved to remind me, BUT as Id say to her now, at least I was organised and I kept it out of the way in the roof instead of leaving my room looking like New Orleans post Katrina or chucking it all crazily into the garage. As a result, on the day I moved my stuff into my first house with my husband a week before our wedding, unpacking those boxes with all those items that I had spent years investing my time and money was like at least 5 Christmas mornings all in one.

So now, its kind of happening all over again. After a lot of heated debates with Steven back in June, he finally backed down and allowed me to ship my most beloved kitchen items to Canada - my pots. Individually bought, heavy stainless steel with copper bottoms. My mother has a similar set but nowadays theyre extremely rare to find esp in New Zealand.The other important items are all our books. We were hard pressed to reason giving up the majority since they were individually bought by either myself or Steven and all our books are regularly reread. Im absolutely giddy with excitement with the thought of rearranging our new home with OUR things esp it being a whole new country for me. And I think it would help me a lot seeing my things that remind me of my family, my passions and ideas and taste in decor etc. I can't wait!

The other big reason for my excitement - privacy. Don't get me wrong, not many women are blessed to be ok with, let alone genuinely enjoy living in the same house as her husbands parents as I am. But Steven and I are still technically newlyweds - at least we still act like we are, and the spontaneity required of doing newlywed stuff is extremely limited when theres the chance of his parents hearing or seeing something by accident, so yes I looking forward to that extra bit of freedom and privacy that separate homes allow. Although I will miss their outdoor jacuzzi very much....

*Sigh!!

To do..

A 'to do' list of recipes from a some blogs to make once we're in our new house on Nov 1. I can't wait til I have my own kitchen again!

- Maple syrup and Pumpkin muffins
- Whole wheat and spinach tortilla wraps
- Caramelised onion, goats cheese and spinach strudel
- Ricotta leek herb tart
- Strawberry banana bread
- Holiday Soap

Since arriving in Canada recently I gave myself a bit of homework in figuring out, what exactly is Canadian cooking? What does it look like? What food is used/favoured? A few things Ive noticed so far having lived through my first thanksgiving and heading into my first North American Halloween season, is everyone LOVES their white meat (chicken, turkey); maple syrup is used at any chance possible for savoury and sweet food and the presence of all things pumpkin (again used both for savoury and sweet things).

Even though we're a long way from Mexico, their food culture are well and truly present up here and quite frankly - I love it. You can go to Walmart and buy el de paso products in bulk with spare change. Mindyou, Ive seen more european eateries here in Vancouver, but in the grocery store, Mexican reigns supreme in the 'International' aisle. My mother in law is a vegetarian and specifically buys lots of healthy food and the one thing shes got me hooked onto is whole wheat spinach tortillas. Their my new favorite food since their so versatile with what you can do with them. And with thanksgiving just past, the hubby and me have been more than willing with throwing turkey dinner leftovers onto a tortilla, sprinkling a bit of cheese on top and microwaving it YUM!!

With thanksgiving gone and Halloween coming up, theres one food item that doesn't go away - pumpkins!
In New Zealand we of course have pumpkin season as well in Autumn (Fall), and like here in autumn it is cheap to buy pumpkins. But thats where the similarities end. In NZ our food culture largely stems from our British ancestors. Many of us still have relatives particularly Grandparents who are still staunchly British by birth and culture. And while Canada reacts to being a part of the Commonwealth like a cat thrown in water, I believe New Zealand still largely embraces it whether they know it or not particularly in regards to the food culture back home. Back to pumpkins, in NZ we treat pumpkins as a savoury food not a sweet food. Here in Canada its the opposite. Every time I check out the food magazines here theyre all about the turkey (of course) and turning every dessert into a pumpkin themed hip hip hooray. When I mentioned pumpkin soup I got a couple of quizzical looks from people as if turning pumpkin into soup is a complete waste. Oh well..

Dream home

The essentials:

A rangehood. I didn't realise how much of a wonderful invention this is til I moved into a flat with my husband where the oven was place under our raised cupboards. We have zero ventilation, which makes the kitchen very steamy unless I open the window which works but sucks if you have to do it in winter..

Log burner. A log burner is awesome in and of itself. It doesn't
require gas nor electricity, and having lived through a 2 week
power cut they're bloody useful things. But, this is my honest opinion, before there were tv, I rechon this is what people used to watch in the evenings. And the only 'people' who maintain this ancient trend are pets. And I confirm this as a witness having watched my family pets contentedly star at what we called 'fire tv'. Plus theres nothing so therapeutic as having a wicked stacked firewood pile and being allowed to be a pyromaniac when building a fire.

Bath with clawed feet.
Steven probably wants a more modern jacuzzi type bath with jets, but thats his desire and this is mine. Old fashioned but classy - totally me. I like how the back tilts so you're in a sitting up position in a deep bath, plus I know if I were in that bath Id feel like a pampered Austen princess. A bathtub Mrs Darcy would approve of!




Bookshelves!!

I want books to be the main visual focus and form of entertainment in my home not a TV. A plain shelf is not good enough, it has to be the floor to ceiling one with the movable ladder like this one and more space to put books. And the cherry on top would be a special comfy reading chair. Or even better would be a book youpull that rotates the shelf and reveals a secret little hideaway room (that resembles the Griffindor common room in Harry Potter).




Vege & Fruit Garden
That lady in the hat, happily focused at working in her garden - thats me in the future..








Chickens

Dunno whose kids this is, but it depicted something I like - The idea of raising kids who are brave and intelligent enough to hold a chicken (something I have yet to do!) Plus their such cool useful animals. If you keep them in a 2m x 2m contained area area they will dig and compost a ready made garden for you! Then you can move their coop to another spot for them to dig and poop on. And of course you can fatten them up, kill em and eat em, or if they become too much of a beloved pet you can just use their eggs. One thing I also feel very strongly about is educating children on where their food comes from. And if my children regularly witnessed and partook in the respectful killing of an animal that had a fantastic life outside, they would respect the animal and their food more. People think thats old fashioned, but really modern Italian children witness that sort of thing everyday and they have a fantastic food culture.

Treehouse
I don't EVER want to see my kids playing war games on a stupid gaming console or computer inside. I want them playing war games outside. As a little girl, I was never interested in feminised play houses. My grandfather built my brother and I a treehouse at our family bach and my brother and I also frequented a local reserve and built several treehouses and 'huts' and we spent hours playing around and hanging out and exploring. Even if we never live in luxury or have a big house, a tree house affords more room for kids (who make the most mess) and would help a little house be tidier and bigger.

Homemade Ketchup

Im gonna try and make homemade ketchup using the recipe from Jamie Oliver which can be read here:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/homemade-tomato-ketchup

OR can be viewed here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTA0L5dN2g



I'll write back to see if its actually a decent recipe or if I changed anything about it

Vegetarian Enchiladas

nb: This recipe was taken and amended from
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Black-Bean-Veggie-Enchiladas

1 onion
1/2 green capsicum
2 tsp oil
1 garlic clove, diced
large handful of spinach, chopped finely
1 cup of corn
1 can of mixed beans, drained
1 packet of taco seasoning (35g)
grated cheese for sprinkling

1 can of chopped tomatoes
1Tbsp of cornflour
salt and pepper (seasoning)
1 tsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp parsley (dried)

4 tortilla wraps, warmed
(1 cup of flour,1/3 cup of milk, 2 Tbsp of oil & flour for rolling).

• (Sauce)In a small saucepan, poor in can of tomatoes and using a stick blender, mulch the tomatoes so it resembles a thick sauce.
  
• With a whisk, mix in the corn flour, seasoning, parsley and garlic powder. Set aside.
  
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
  

• (Tortillas) In a medium bowl mix flour, milk and oil together with a bread knife, then using hands knead into a ball and cut into quarters.
  
• Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough portion on a floured surface getting the tortillas as thin and as circular as possible without ripping it.
  
• On a medium heat, place each tortilla on a large frying pan (no greasing required), and flip over once bubbles appear. You want them very lightly toasted and still whitish in colour.

• (Bean mix) In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, saute onions with oil, then add rest of bean mix ingredients and heat through.
  
• Heat up the tomato sauce at a medium heat, til it begins to lightly bubble, stirring occasionally, then turn off heat.
  
• Spoon mixture onto tortillas, wrap & place in a greased rectangular oven dish. Pour over tomato sauce and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
  

We're moving...

First things first...

Steven and I are moving back to Vancouver, Canada. This is not a decision we chose on a whim in the moment. This issue of where to live and in particular our expectations of how we wanted to live came to our attention on the day of the double earthquake we and everyone in Chch experienced last June.
On one hand we didnt want to run away so to speak when as able bodied persons without children or elderly living with us, helping to rebuild Christchurch felt like a given. For me in particular it has been my home for 22 years, even including the times I lived in Dunedin as a student, Christchurch was always where my heart was. My mother and family live here, my church is here, my mentors and close friends are here. Why on earth would I consent to leave?

A couple of reasons, two practical and one selfish.

The selfish reason, for me personally I am naturally adventurous and I love to travel. Canada is the second largest country in the world and is a part of a continent. I think of CA (geographically) as like a blown up version of NZ really. I want to have a crack at living there long term. I want to explore the place.

The practical reasons, are money and housing. Here in New Zealand, Steven's Canadian qualification as a specialised teaching assistant isnt recognised, therefore all he can he can do is the minimum as well as the pay. With the recent earthquakes and govt cuts to spending in schools, its likely that when push comes to shove he would probably be first in the firing line. In Canada he has strong networks and strong work and character references. Not to mention hes paid more in a dollar with a higher value than NZ. I suspect he also very much misses the personal satisfaction that came with his last job and previous church through mentoring young people.

Secondly, finding a job as an OT in NZ is awful. Out of the 2009 graduating group from the OT school in Otago, 2/3 had to move to Australia to find work, despite the fact that there is a huge need for OTs the govt just can't afford us. The govt here made cuts to ACC a while back and those who got made redundant were OTS and physios. So when a group graduates theyre not only competing with their fellow classmates for the few jobs but their also competing with very experienced OTs. Its an unfair advantage that causes the new grads to do a runner over the ditch after being turned down for a position for the 20th time. Quite frankly, Ive had enough disappointment in just completing this degree. We hope to have children in the future and though I know money doesn't buy happiness I dont want an unhappy husband who is working in a area that doesnt meet and accommodate his potential. I dont want to raise children while struggling to pay back my $20,000 debt while unable to find decent work. In Canada, occupational therapy is huge and definitely valued. The minimum pay alone made me gasp when I first saw it. In Canada we can get house and contents insurance. I have no idea what it takes to save for a house, but to save for a house in Christchurch where the majority are broken and cold and the minimally decent ones become so inflated in price you have to be a millionaire to buy. On our pitiful income? With children in the picture? I dont think so. Vancouver is incrediably expensive, but I don't ask for much, but I feel more confident over there than in Chch.

I don't feel that wanting to be in a wealthier country to NZ is selfish and materialistic. Im not expecting Canada to be some kind of free ride to get away from liquefaction and pooping in the backyard. I want to pay off my huge debt, I want to see my husband happy and fufiled in his work and our church and I want to raise our children myself instead of giving them to others while I work full time with a dinky income while they develop asthma and chest infections because we can't afford a healthy home.

This hurts more than I think anyone can understand at the moment. Its very bitter and sweet at the same time. I start sobbing at the top of a hat if I think about those I love who I will be leaving, but I am also excited and happy and hopeful in my heart for this next adventure that awaits us.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

nb: Recipe taken from New Zealand Womens Weekly



4 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup of milk
Juice of one lemon
200g of butter - softened
Rind of one lemon - finely grated
1 cup of caster sugar
3 Eggs
2 1/4 cups of flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream or milk

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a 25 cm cake tin (or loaf tin). Soak poppyseeds in lemon juice and milk for 10 minutes.
• Beat butter, lemon rind and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, mixing well after each one is added.
• Sift flour and baking powder into a larger bowl. Add half the butter mixture, mix then add the other half. Add the poppy seeds with its milk and the sour cream/or additional milk.
• Spoon cake mixture into prepared tin and cook for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

There are also lemon flavoured icings and syrups that can go with this cake, but given that I added double the required lemon juice and rind, I hardly thought it needed more lemon flavour, and it still tastes fantastic.
This is one of those recipes that reminds me of food served during tea parties in the Regency and Victorian period that make me reminisce of my 50/50 English and Scottish heritage. For something thats essentially cake, it tastes really refreshing as weird as that sounds, which I suppose comes from the lemons, and while eating a slice I hardly felt as if I was eating something with butter and sugar in it as it was so light and moist.
So my husband came home after a hard days work of overseeing spoilt and annoying prep boys to find the kitchen a mess, our bedroom and living room a mess, but oh hang on a minute! I made a cake to make up for it! I gave him a slice which I saw him sniff appreciatively and I never saw him chew it but I did see him licking his lips. I take that meaning it disappeared into his stomach and I have better wrap up the rest for other occasions (I always hope to share my baking with visitors, but they typically get rationed when we've run out of ice cream).

Its a cheap and easy recipe and of course another excuse to happily rummage through my mother's lemon tree.