2 Days and Fathers' Day (Late!)

Hi all!  Time is zooming past so fast it is hard to catch a breath!  There are only 2 more days left in the school term and then our 2 week break.  Hooray!  Boo that the weather is forecast for cool and rainy.  40 degree overnight lows take on new meaning when there is NO heat in the house.  None at all.  Tile floors are elevated to a new level of Burrrrr!!! in the morning when it is cold!  I am grateful all over again for the gifts and trips to Pendelton to acquire our wool blankets!  Every bed is dressed with one now, which makes it hard to get out of in the morning!  I saw my breath the other day inside the house!

Today is Annika's sport carnival-track and field events are on the agenda.  Ian had his on Monday.  He got 2 ribbons and Annika has dreams of taking first in every event.  We'll see!  I think the coffee wagon will be a popular hang out for the parents as it is cool, but sunny today with winds of about 10 mph.  High temp of 65, so sweatshirts and a scarf are the dress for the day, with sunblock and a sunhat.  Crazy Aussie winters.

I got hit with a speeding ticket this last week.  Damn cameras.  I do laugh though because they send the tickets to those listed first on the registration, which is Lyle.  You can sign off to another person, but both have to have the signatures witnessed by a justice of the peace (think notary, but more common).  As there is never one open when we are both in town, he will be getting my ticket.  Burns as it was for 10 kph over the limit-which is about 7 mph.  In a transition zone no less.  They do know where to place these buggers to make the most money!

Ian's reading program has been going well.  It is taking about 2-4x longer than the author calls for as he has to learn to a specific level before going onto the next lesson.  I should not be shocked at the disengagement coping skills he has already learned in just 1 1/2 years of formal schooling, but I am.  It just drives home the frustration and acting out behaviors in older students who are struggling and use behavior to escape from difficult or impossible school tasks.  On the other hand, this kid is a master of using pictures in the book to predict the text and picks up on the patterns in the books and appears to know what he is doing.  I think I'd be more fascinated from a clinical point of view if it wasn't my kid!  He earns a hard work sticker each session and has to earn 10 to get a few dollars which he can spend right away or save up for a bigger prize.  I don't like to "bribe" but the kid needs some motivation until he can figure this out and learn that it isn't a painful thing to do.  Painful for me, but necessary to keep his interest and stubbornness focused on learning and not evading!

Happy Belated Fathers' Day to my family of men!  This isn't celebrated until August here, where Mothers' Day was on the same weekend.  Whoops!  To my Dad who taught me to be confident in my choices, and that hard choices when made, are the best choices.  Grandpa Gene for showing hard work and more hard work pays off in the long run.  Grandpa Ralph for a sense of fun and ridiculousness that makes the hard work fun work too.  My uncles on both sides-putting up with our crazy and laughing as we grew up.  For my husband and baby daddy (to put a modern twist on it you know!) for being a "with it parent" who wasn't afraid of diapers, puke (my hero!), does dishes, and even laundry once in awhile!  For encouraging the kids to try new things and cheering them on when they succeed and for letting me try new things and cheering me on too.  For letting me have a good cry once in awhile and dusting me off and getting me back onto it as well.  Loves you!

US taxes are nearly done-extensions filed so we have until October.  I am growing to despise the IRS and their rules and regulations.  Did you know they claim foreign income if you are a citizen or resident visa holder?  Grrrr.  They have more revisions to do, so hope to see the final pain next week.  Or not.  I really can avoid that.  The fiscal year is coming to an end here.  Aussie taxes are a breeze.  How much did you make?  Here's your percent to pay.  Any kids?  Daycare? Medical over a specific percentage?  That's really about it.  The accountant does them in the office and files electronically right then and there.  It took me 30 minutes total last year and I had the refund in the bank within the week.

Counting down!  Planning on making the caramel slice for dessert at the family BBQ.  Also hoping to do an Aussie Sausage Sizzle, so will have to sent Meg or Dad out on a sausage hunt for me.  Tasty and lots of fun!  Love you all!

Caramel Slice

Yes!  Another recipe!  This is one I have been trying to make practically since we moved here and finally found one that works.  They all tasted fine, except for the one the crust was awful.  Scraped the caramel and chocolate off and just ate those layers.  Would you believe I found it on the back of a Nestle chocolate melts bag?  Some of the best recipes in the world come off places like this-look at Nestle toll House choc chip cookies.  Nuff said about those!

Here's the recipe and my substitutions for you statesiders that just HAVE to give this a try.  I'm planning on making it when we come home in less than 2 months for the family BBQ.  Yummy!

Set oven to 350.
Crust:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (this is the dried, ground stuff, not flaked or shredded)
1/2 cup butter melted
Mix all together and press into the bottom of a 8x11 baking pan lined with baking paper
Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool for 1/2 hour or so.

Filling:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk (I use the fat free.  As rich as this is, you need all the help you can get here)
1/4 cup butter
1/3 golden syrup (cane sugar product, similar to dark corn syrup.  Use what you can find)
Place in a medium saucepan and stir on low heat until everything is melted and smooth.  Pour over cooled crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 300.  Directions say to use 350, but the edges burn and get really hard.  Low and slow-until the caramel layer is golden brown.  Cool for an hour.

Topping:
1 cup milk or semi sweet chocolate chips
2 T canola or vegetable oil (Don't use shortening here!)
Melt and mix until smooth, spread on top of the cooled caramel layer.

Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares or so to serve.  Super rich and tastes heavenly with a cup of hot coffee or tea or cold glass of milk.

OK, some tips to keep this going good.  I found that if stored in the fridge the chocolate layer gets too hard to cut and just shatters.  No bueno.  So, cover and store on the counter, or cut into pieces and store in a tightly covered container with baking paper between the layers.

I have to think that a creamy peanut butter layer would be an excellent substitute for the caramel.  Need to work on that one next, don't I!

On another kitchen note, I finally broke down and spent the $8.96 for an electric kettle.  Who knew it would fast become my favorite kitchen appliance?  Practically instant hot water for making coffee, oatmeal, cup o noodles, and pouring down the stinky sink!?  It really is the small stuff, isn't it!

I also received the materials for Ian's reading program.  He sounded out 10 words yesterday.  He also knows the silly songs to remind him of the sounds.  Crazy, but it works.  He seems to like it fine, but would rather be playing with his cars or legos.  Buck up baby, you're going to learn to read!

We all have the day off work and school tomorrow to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's birthday.  Happy Birthday Elizabeth!  Course the forecast is for plenty of rain so we may just have to take in a movie.  Lyle is also home this week-yay!  But travelling the next 3 weeks.  Boo!  2 more weeks until end of term holidays.  The kids are tired and cranky by the end of the week now, so ready for some sleeping in.

The girls and I went to see the Bolshi Ballet yesterday for our adventure.  We had second balcony seats, so the nosebleed of the ballet, but it was absolutely beautiful!  The dancers are so graceful and athletic.  It was 2 hours and felt like it was much shorter.  I could have watched all day!  We will all be going to the Queensland ballet next month and have better seats in a smaller venue.  Can hardly wait!