About 6 months ago now I was sent an invitation to a Whats App group titled Long Lunch 2022 and my heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Was I welcomed into the inner circle?! I think I wore then done with my complaints and thought it would be easier to just ask me to join them rather than listen to me anymore, so Rob and I are invited this year. As well as my other original member cousin who invited her brother to join them. The 6 became 9 and the plan was formed to have a long lunch at Berts as well as a TWO NIGHT STAY SANS KIDS at my brother and sister in law’s gorgeous new house in Scotland Island in Sydney’s Pittwater.

This weekend was a beacon of hope every time we went into lockdown, were busy with work, were worn down with kids…there’s nothing better than a good weekend to look forward to is there? The many moving parts that were involved saw little kids dropped off to Grandma (thanks Susie Q), the big kids put on a train to Sydney, the dogs dropped at the kennel in Duffys Forest before arriving with many (many) bottles of wine on a dreary and rainy Friday lunch time in paradise at my brothers place aka actual heaven. NO kids you guys. No one to worry about except ourselves.

I mean can you even imagine how happy we were? My brother went about preparing our dinner for later that night as well as some pork for Saturday night when we got home from lunch (because we are pigs of course). I sat on the couch and read. We lit the fire, we poured the champagne, we listened to great playlists and we had time to talk without being interrupted. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

As the afternoon went on our extra guests arrived and settled into more wine, cheese and the most delicious dinner ever of beef cheeks and cauliflower mash. It was JOY giving.

Saturday morning we awoke to some sunshine (a few sore heads) but the luxury of time to sit around and laugh and chat about everything and nothing, a little kayaking or walking (in my case sitting flicking through magazines) before we all got frocked up for the main event: Lunch at Berts.

I was in gorgeousness OVERLOAD when we arrived at the restaurant and couldn’t quite take in the level of beauty everywhere you looked. And subsequently did not take many photos of the surrounds. The people watching! The hot lamps! The superior sage green interiors! The staff! It was all a lot and lovely and I was here for all of it.

The food was magnificent. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu, washed down with delicious cold wine and great service. As I could have stood up on the table and sung “LOOK AROUND, HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO BE ALIBE RIGHT NOW!” it was these moments that you remember and hold dear to your heart, sitting around a table with family enjoying each other and life and food…it was just the BEST.

From lunch we headed down to the water taxi and headed back into comfy clothes (OMG were we actually in Summer House come to think of it?) to sit by the fire, listen to music and have the funniest night of laughter, chats, delicious pork rolls before rolling into bed sometime around 1am. What a day!

We spent Sunday hanging in the sunshine and noosing our hangovers before jumping on the boat and heading home…it was over before it began but all our hearts were filled with happiness. There was nothing like hanging out with family like we did when we were kids and teenagers…we reverted back to our stupid silly selves talking shit and being dumb and not adults as we had no kids with us. It was just the best! A huge thanks to the original gang for letting us in and for my brother and sister in law for hosting us in such a special way. I will never forget this weekend, not ever.

And I really hope we get invited back next year.

I also had a highlight reel for the weekend on Instagram you can check out here along with links to menus, recipes, playlists and just some dumb stuff too.

There was sunshine! There was just Lucy and her family (we had Rob’s Mum on Easter Sunday) so it was small and relaxed and just the perfect weekend filled with happy kids and parents and lots of amazing food. After so much rain these past few months, just to feel some sunshine on our backs was all we needed.

Good Friday was spent grazing on amazing food and going for long walks finished off by too many wines by the fire pit. There were lots of games and drawings…total relaxation!

Saturday we were lucky enough to escape for lunch (just the adults) to our fave local The Lucky Bee in Hardys bay…we also spent a lot of time getting jobs done around the house. We also discovered the BEST playlist at lunch on Saturday that we had on repeat all weekend.

Sunday was a very relaxed lunch for us all…a grazing platter, some porchetta, potatoes and salads and I whipped up a bread & butter pudding packed with Easter eggs for dessert that we ate very late….more like pudding for dinner. Perfect!

And the best bit? When we decided that instead of leaving on Monday that we would all stay another night and get up super early for work the next day…which meant one last glorious sunset by the water with take away pizzas and home made cocktails. It was just the best send off for a great weekend.

That last moon rise was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. Hope you guys had a good Easter too? What did you get up to?

SOME PAST EASTERS AND HOW WE SPENT THEM

2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014 and this post too
2013
2012
2011 and this post and this post too
2010

We started the month out with a delicious mid week curry night at Lucy and Chris’ place and then incidentally spent the following week camped at their house as we had foods at home with a flooded septic and backyard leaks a plenty and a few days off school for the kids.

The roads around our village were completely smashed by the weather too – sink holes and diversions have seen so many roadworks in the relentless rain. There have been black outs, power cuts, no mobiles…and we are so lucky compared to so many that have lost so much on the Northern Rivers. It’s been stressful and so upsetting to see so many suffering.

I have never cleaned more mould off every. single. surface in our house since the start of the year. Things just cannot seem to dry out in this weather. We have managed a few sunny days at the start of our isolation which meant we could try and mow the grass that continues to grow in the wet conditions.

Everyone I know is desperate for some dry weather. It doesn’t even have to be sunny – just dry – for a few days.

And in between all that we had a lovely visit with Rob’s cousins for a night. Maggie has been drawing every night like a super star and enjoying reading which has been a long time coming for her. I’ve been in the office unpacking lots of gorgeous new season stock which is a joy to behold, and having fun with Lucy at work. I never take for granted just how good we have it together.

We’ve tried to walk in the morning even though we have recently given up – with sunrise at 7.10am it’s just too dark and of course it has been too wet to go. Hopefully with the time change this weekend and the end of daylight savings we might be able to get back out there.

I’ve been baking and thinking about Easter which will be here before we know it. The girls finish school on Friday next week and it’s been a tough one for them – especially Daisy with some school things that have been impacted with Covid. Again. I know we have to live with it but my word is it getting harder to deal with disappointments from it. Its bullshit. Still.

The hockey season has begun so our Saturday mornings will once again be spent in the cold on the sidelines cheering them all on. I’m gearing myself up for the term 2 ahead that brings with it its so many afternoons ahead of training and driving. In the dark. On yes, that’s right, term 2.

But through it all we have each other. We have family to lean on and cry to. We have roofs over our heads, we have jobs to go to. We have (mostly) happy kids and we have a warm fire to sit next to even when it’s miserable outside.

And it might be wet, but it sure is pretty.

Can you believe that it’s April tomorrow?
Me either.
How are you feeling?
Ready to see the end of this month too?

Clocking out of day 17 of iso for us this year…tomorrow we will be free again, until the next time when we are not. Poor Daisy went down this time (Harper, Maggie and I still to fall at some stage) and she missed out on a big trip to Sydney she was really looking forward to. Rob thankfully was under the 8 week mark from when he had it last so was free to come and go which makes a HUGE difference to getting supplies and relying on people to help you.

I’ve said it before but iso hits different to lockdown. It sucks for a start. Its lonely. It’s a rollercoaster of cleaning activity one moment and the depths of sadness the next. It’s being grateful for some time out of a normally busy time especially at this stage of a long term in one hour and the next being so frustrated and angry that we are missing out on stuff, still.

I saw that this week it was 2 years since we started home learning. I remember so clearly that time (this post and this one and this one remind me of that time where it was all so new and novel and exciting and random and SCARY! This week, two years exactly on I have to say I am feeling a little more tired and over it. The constant changes and stresses we have lived with. The compound disappointments of events missed, people missed, being together being taken away from us….the sacrifices, the uncertainties of running a business…it’s been SO MUCH. And the unknowns about the future and how much longer this will go on for…it’s just a lot. Its impossible to not feel a little deflated and over it.

I am grateful to science and for vaccinations that mean that when my loved ones have been sick, they have been able to manage it. I’m grateful that we have a home to be safe in, with a big yard that we can enjoy and a community of friends looking out for us. There’s still so much to be grateful for.

The leaves are changing here again, like they will again next year and there will be new and different frustrations and things to be happy about. There will be more isolations between now and then, with more rollercoasters, but there will still be us. Being together despite it all. And that’s something.

How are you?
Are you feeling as overwhelmed as I am?
In isolation? I hope you are doing ok. Carbs help.

Whilst there are no “exact” recipes to go with these: the concept is the same with all of them, add in as many veggies as you like or that your kids will eat (add in meat too to roast) at this point. Some garlic and onion for flavour and whack into a hot oven for 30-40 mins until all roasted and delicious.

You can also add in some feta if you like for a creamy sauce, or I have even used ricotta. You really can’t mess this up. Here are some that I made before:

This is my usual suspect for a meatless Monday: cherry toms and other tomatoes, red onion, garlic, olive oil & salt & pepper.

This one I tossed through some cooked tortellini…I also like to add in extra herbs (English spinach) or herbs if I have them.

Here’s another version I have done using a good pork & fennel sausage. Just pop the meat out of the casing and add in on top of the tomato/garlic/onion base. I think I added some capsicum to this one too. When this had roasted I added in a dash of cream to the roasting pan and then added in the cooked pasta.

Here’s another version again I think I added in some fresh basil at the end and maybe even some kalamata olives to the tomato mix when it was roasting. See? You can’t stuff it up.

I also sometimes do it with gnocchi…if I am doing this I soak the gnocchi in boiling water for a few minutes and then add into the tomato base when it has had about 20 mins cooking time already. This image was when I tried it for the first time and didn’t know these tricks of adding it already cooked into the mixture when it has cooked for a bit. These were like bullets which wasn’t ideal. Bocconcini is also another great thing to add in when it’s cooking…adds in a whole other level!

SO just thought I would share these ideas as they came to mind…have been trying to do this for months now and only just gotten around to it. Apologies! I also have recipes/reels on Instagram when I remember to cook them you can check out my hashtag #babymaccooks 

Have you tried cooking pasta sauces this way?
Got any combos we need to think about?
Got any questions about this kind of cooking?

February has flown by in a blur of back to school and life routine. It’s seen many covid restictions fall away and many cases grow through the girls schools. Lucy and I have had some normal time back in the office at last after juggling kids and holidays. It’s been good to get back into it all as well as start a new season before us. There have been many many days of rain here in the Highlands (everywhere on the east coast it seems). But let’s take a look at what we have been up to.

I hosted a Valentines day lunch for some friends in the village just before Daisy turned 15. What better way to celebrate love than to have a long lunch to celebrate that with people that you love? We ate and drank, we played our favourite love songs and enjoyed being together around a table…my favourite thing to do on a late summer’s Sunday afternoon.

Then of course on Valentine’s Day, Daisy turned 15. Can you even believe that? Because this blog wouldn’t even exist without her it, I still can’t believe that it’s been 15 of Daisy, and writing about her. Crazy. Because she is 15, I was not allowed a photo but we did get one with Mum and my step dad as they headed out the door after a quick family dinner. It’s the best we could do. I’ll take it.

We have been trying to walk most mornings if we can manage it with the weather and I can’t believe how dark the mornings are now in mid March. Head torches are required these days but the mornings are beautiful when you can celebrate them. We desperately need a break in the very wet weather we have had….hoping for warmer and clearer days ahead for us this month.

I discovered a new gin and a new tonic this month….always worth mentioning as this one is local to the Highlands. Love this new tonic too as it is quite light and doesn’t distract from the taste of the gin too much. I think you can get this tonic water in Dans or online – have heard great things about some of the other flavours too.

I also bought this new gin from Four Pillars online…I had been recommended this by many people and looking forward to trying to in a latest new love…a martini!

I have also rediscovered a love for a martini after many years of not being able to drink them. I make mine with the following recipe:

70 mls gin
50 mls vermouth
Shake over ice and serve with olives

It tastes like delicious, crisp and so refreshing. Always only have one though…I will never make that mistake again!

Lucy and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in our office in February too which was exciting. We have been able to really grow and take things to the next level in this space…we love it so much and so grateful that we found it.

We also had a visit to Sydney for work things: we had a few viewings with clients for new season stock as well as finally had a chance to enjoy a Christmas lunch celebration which we enjoyed at Totti’s in Bondi. My goodness the food was everything that we hoped it would be…SO good. And the people watching! 10/10 all round. We also had a lovely swim at Bondi as well as a delicious dinner with some friends and brands that we love at Balmoral Bathers Pavillion…sensational all round to step away from the office and kids and life and get some planning into action. We feel really pumped about what the year ahead will bring us. How lucky we are to work together.

The month was busy and crazy and wet and settling back into school life and filled with lots of wonderful times with people that we love. We are very lucky.

But that’s enough about me and us and life…how about YOU?
What’s been happening?
Tell me everything!

Roast Chicken
Lamb shoulder with salsa verde
Slow cooked pork belly
Roasted pumpkin with fennel & chilli

Hope that you all have a great week ahead. It’s been great to be back in the office and into a routine again. It’s exciting thinking about plans and getting stuck into it again. Hope that you have a great week ahead, stay sane and safe and out of iso if you can x

Then we were home and back into the swing of work. I juggled Mags with the office while the big two are constantly happy to completely flake out and binge watch TV for days at a time. There was little cleaning, trying to get organised and catch ups with Archie & Dots.

It was on the Thursday of this second last week that poor Lucy discovered that their house was all positive to cob and given that we had the kids over for a sleepover, we were all close contacts so we went into isolation. From there Rob tested positive (I think he got it from jujitsu the week before, rather than the kids) as no one actually ended up tested positive from them.

We had 8 days of isolation at home where I tackled the anxiety and stress by deep cleaning the house. No corner was too big (and there are many that are still left behind as I ran out of steam and desire after some massive days).

It’s such a stressful time being in isolation –  I found it very lonely and filled with anxiety. Rob was able to head out to his office studio (that has a bathroom) so we were lucky he could do that but you can imagine how at times, cough, I was less than bubbly at times about preparing every meal and snack for him and dropping it out with clean washing in between dealing with tantrums from the kids about missing this and that and being bored etc etc.  I was worried and upset that Harper missed her first day of school. I was stressed that we were going to all get it one by one and our isolation would continue to roll on. I was worried about everyone being sick – Rob was actually not too bad but Lucy has been very sick (she tested positive on day 6 so her isolationist. began again). Her kids barely any symptoms at all – and Chris sick with a normal type cold but both he and Rob have had a lot of fatigue. It’s tough not being able to leave for anything, including a walk…relying on people to help get food and use online shopping when you can for windows that can be a long time apart and as you would know, lacking lots of things with supply chain issues. I struggled big time. So I cleaned and cleaned and tried to organise away the stress. Which didn’t really work BUT did tackle some jobs that we needed to do. So that’s a bonus.

We got out Saturday and the kids have started school this week: big two on Monday and Maggie and her cousins yesterday. Can you believe that Dots has started school? HOW?! I can FINALLY get back into the office and into things which feels great. Running your own business in holidays can be such a struggle with kids – especially little ones. I cannot wait for Lucy and I to be back in the office together…working on the business. Bring it ON. I have been trying to walk again in the mornings – get up early and get back into not drinking mid week…quite the thud back to reality. But for someone that loves routine (until she doesn’t) it feels good….if not exhausting.

I have mentioned to a few friends this week how much I am feeling the age gap between the girls at the moment. Harper now seems all of a sudden so grown up and much more connected to Daisy than Maggie. Thank goodness for her cousins is all I have to say. I have been feeling exhausted by the small things that I have been constantly doing for 15 years now…the “check on me Mum” before she sleeps at night 56 times, the going to the park, the need to be out and about and entertained that comes with little kids. I feel every one of my 44 years as I head into the new year of parenting. And at the other end I can see the future and letting go of the others closer than it ever has been before…I know summers like the one we have had are not endless. There will be work and friends and other adventures for them soon. While the small kid days seem so very long and endless, the big kids days seem to be going too fast.

There’s definitely a fatigue and fog as we head into the new year over many of our heads. The worry, the uncertainty about kids and school and business…it’s as crazy as it was two years ago when all of this began. I can’t imagine the worry that essential workers have: our poor healthcare workers who are flogged, the teachers who are worried about the year ahead…the business owners in many industries trying to get up and dust themselves off AGAIN. And we have to listen to politicians ramp up their bullshit as we head into an election. It’s a lot. If you are feeling tired and unmotivated is it any wonder? Be kind to yourselves and others as there are so many people (rightly so) struggling right now. I can’t tell you how much we need to be patient and kind with each other right now.

But that’s enough about me, and us, I want to know everything!
What have you been up to?
How are you feeling mentally and physically?

I hope you guys are all doing ok. 2022, let’s just get on with it. Let’s not do it! Smash it! Let’s go! Let’s just take one step at a time, while we can and admire the small victories we have right now…like clean walls!

In amongst the showers we had some sunshine though, the odd late night and I churned through a few books. It was as perfect as it ever is, albeit these past few years tinged with sadness remembering Rob’s Dad death on new Years eve 2019.

These are always my favourite days as a family.

Have you had a break over the new year? Or have you been stuck in Covid hell like so many? I hope you are doing ok, I feel the pressure to start work again and get on with things and I must say opening my laptop and emails this morning gave me heart palpitations and a tummy ache rather than feeling ready to take on a whole new year. Lucky I can keep things slow, for now.

Stay well and be kind to yourself ok? That was to me mostly.

We started last weekend at our place with my brother and his family, Lucy and hers and Mum and mu step dad for a lovely lunch and sleepover. I think it had been a full year since we had all been together – how I wish my sister had been there with her kids…maybe next year! Bev went all out with such a pretty table – my friend Annie came through with the goods with her amazing hydrangeas. We ate seafood, ham and salads and drank many a good glass of wine. Followed by a hot summery storm, it was a great day.

Then we had a mid week Christmas up in Sydney with Rob’s family which was lovely to spend time with his brother, kids and Mum.

Then of course we hosted another soirée with our friends on Wednesday night…

And then Christmas Eve…

Before a gorgeous Christmas Day at Lucy and Chris’ place. What should have been a casual lunch turned into a feast with endless excellent wine, beautiful food and a gorgeous table to sit and watch the kids enjoy their toys as the afternoon storms rolled by.

It’s been such a great week but boy am I ever ready for some downtime. We are headed to the farm and then the beach and I plan on reading and chilling out as much as I can – even though the weather looks like it’s going to be terrible. I hope that in these tricky Covid times that you were able to see some loved ones face to face, and if you were unlucky enough to be unwell or in isolation, I hope that you are doing ok. It’s been such a tough year and this ending is less than ideal. I know how lucky we are and have been this week.

Stay safe and well and sane in the next little while friends x

You can check out some of our past family Christmas’ in these posts:

Christmas 2020
Christmas 2019
Christmas 2018
Christmas 2017
Christmas 2016
Christmas 2015
Christmas 2014
Christmas 2012
Christmas 2011
Christmas 2010