There’s no great overarching theme of this blog – or this post.
This weekend, we went to an engagement party at the surf club at Maroubra Beach. It was (likely) a ‘friends’ celebration of their January nuptials, and we thought it was a good cost saving measure. A nice relaxed afternoon do with drinks and Mexican food (and delicious cupcakes). And the upside of some gifts 😉 Speaking of gifts, I was stumped. First I thought a tray, but the BF found out they already had three. Then I thought a cake slice… but they are all silver plated now, and while the costs vary, it hardly seems ‘worth it’. Maybe I should look harder for old fashioned silver ones? In the end, we I bought something that I thought would last, and stands to my values:
I’d have wrapped it in cello if I’d had some ‘leftover’ from something else, but I didn’t. So I took it naked…
We also bickered about cooking. Since ending the 12 week body transformation program (I lost 8kg overall), we’ve lapsed into lazy DINKs. It doesn’t help that my new role, which started a month ago and runs until the end of financial year (perhaps, likely longer) and some big pitches for the BF, and there was a lot of pizza and McDonald’s. It’s weird that McDonald’s is SO successful and so polarising. Anyhow, on Sunday morning I escorted school children for the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. As a reward, the certificates come with a card for a free Big Mac or Wrap. Alas, we’ve agreed to one cheat meal a week, so they’ll have to wait. Although… seems home cooked baking is still slipping through. Last week it was pear and pecan muffins, this week I made date loaf, and a caramel cheesecake for the bf. He did get a Cheesecake Shop one for his actual birthday (time crunch again), but I promised a ‘real’ one. I do much prefer the aftertaste of a homemade one… and there’s no pesky coconut in the base.
My new role is part of the interim structure until this last layer of management is finalised. I’m in a role that doesn’t really exist yet, but will, in a slightly unknown but different form. In any case, it’s an opportunity to learn more about another part of the company, and make some in roads in ways I’m becoming known for. Basically, my first ‘new job’ in the last calendar year saw me reduce outstanding works from ~700 “urgents” to ~150. Now my new portfolio has suffered a simple spike, thanks to a better website, but needs to move from 800 to a more reasonable number. Naturally, that’s not my only focus, I’m also getting involved in investigations, which often lead to disciplinary interviews. Taxing, to say the least. The role also requires more hours, and has less earnt days off. I suppose it’s all a concession for more money in the bank (which I didn’t need, nor really want… time is far more precious).
My half marathon preparation isn’t incredible – but I’m still trying to get in 2-3 runs a week. This weekend, I ran around the beautiful botanic gardens and the harbour with a school friend. The powers of social media – we both went to school in another city, and she lives in a third city now! She’s a gun runner too – so she pushed me hard. Glad it was only a short run though!!
So there you have it – just a chatty update about life… Seeing I’m diligently reading and commenting on your blogs, I thought I should come out of the silence…
How do you handle meals and planning when things get busy? Any wisdom?
I thought you'd been 'quiet' lately, Sarah. It makes sense now that you've explained the new role more. Gosh…two big job changes in such a short time. You must be feeling it. However, you seem to be more than handling it, as always.
I have no answer on the 'busy food' issue. We've been doing exactly the same recently, since J has upped after-school activities to 3 evenings a week. So hard to get real meals on the table with work then sport.
Maroubra!! That surf club and the nearby skate park were our backyard when we lived in Sydney. We t there every week…J learned to skate there. So homesick for Sydney thinking about it! Used to laugh at the 'Bra Boys' though…sipping lattes and pushing prams at the playground there. Even rebel kids have kids of their own eventually!
Thinking of you and hoping the new job is manageable!
Yep – I've even got to the stage with work that I'm busy enough to not needing to pad the day out with blog reading! Who'd have thought!!
We just bulk cooked some fried rice, and some lasagna and we have fixings for one other bulk meal. Makes it nice to just reheat and eat tonight. I just worry I'll get over the same tastes…
Oh wow, I didn't realise you lived around Maroubra. It was a great location – free parking, warm but not too hot (or cold), and chilled out for an event. You know how weddings can be a bit stiff, yep, none of that!
Work's mostly good – I'm closely shadowed by a colleague, which is a blessing (to have help and he's always smiling, which is uncommon in the tense environment of the restructure) but a curse too (always interrupting my train of thought, and the BF thinks he's the competition!!)
Beautiful gift! And loved how you slipped in the 8kg weight loss, rather than shouting it as I would have. Well done!
As to food when busy, we menu plan, and buy to cook. Then we make double so we have a heat-in-the-microwave night, generally twice a week. We both hate Maccas so that was not an option for us, though we did "treat" (if that's the right word) our kids sometimes. We have some dinners we can whip up quickly. More often you do them, quicker you get. Slow cooker is a good friend. As is cooking up two dinners in a weekend night so you have one ready for the busy weekday. Taking turns is crucial when both partners work.
Thanks and thanks…
We try to menu plan, but we do sometimes go 'can't be bothered/don't want to eat that', when we should just get started on it! Whatever we make, we try to double so it then make a free lunch for us. I think we might need to look into a slow cooker, especially in winter! There's a few things I can imagine us making in it (and liking)… Perhaps I should start by borrowing my parents for a month, to see how much we'd use it.
Well done on the weight loss, Sarah!
When I was busy finishing school, my husband and I ate a lot of spaghetti dinners, eggs with vegetables (and sausage for him), and pizza. I also try to make an easy meal (like big pot of soup or a casserole) every Sunday that will give us each a few days of leftovers for lunch. In the winter, I’ll roast a batch of vegetables too so I don’t have to turn the oven on every night.
The new position sounds like a challenge (but in a good way!). Hopefully your work load will settle down!
Spaghetti is a pretty fast solution for dinner – sometimes it's the sauce that catches us out. We went the Sunday route this week with a huge lasagna and a batch of fried rice for the week worth of lunches and dinners. I also roasted some vegies on Friday night, so I need to look at including them in things (eggplant, capsicum and sweet potato).
Works more settled than when I started – I would have been a whingey pants then! I have at least found my feet now.
It sounds like work is busy, but going well! I don't have any suggestions on the food/busy front – I totally failed to get it right. I remember lots of late night supermarket visits and take out. Rubbish!
I like the gift – lovely idea.
I think that's the thing I find with the varied ages of readers – we all, at times, struggle to eat healthily without breaking the bank (or our tempers!)
Thanks – I thought the gift was a great idea in the end.
I was hoping you were OK, Sarah, but since you were commenting on blogs, I thought you must just be busy. It sounds like you are doing well with a challenging job and you have the respect you need to get it done. I had an intern shadow me for three weeks last month and I felt just the same as you (and I think Rom also felt he was competing with Mr. Young Librarian in Training, LOL!)
Your gift was very well-considered! Our menu plan went all to hell this week because I unexpectedly had to work two evenings, we had plans to eat out two evenings (for two different special occasions) and my nephew stayed with us for the weekend. We cooked properly for Mr. 13 (although I forgot how hard it is at that age to wait for a home cooked meal) but during the week we had frozen pizza, canned baked beans, and cheese toast!
You signed in as 'new' so it didn't auto approve the first comment you made.
All is well, just busy! I always thankful for a day without my shadow, feels like I get a lot more done.
Better dash – meetings!
I'm sorry work has had you so busy! I completely agree that money isn't always everything. I value time a bit more, especially when I'm doing okay financially. Nice work on the weight loss! I've been going back and forth on exercising and eating healthy. There are some days we don't feel like cooking, or aren't in the mood for whatever I was planning on making. I hate giving in to eating out, but sometimes it's worth it. Then there's days like today, where we wanted to go walking, but a thunderstorm got in the way.
Ah Busy is great, keeps me out of trouble, as well as keeping me from the blog! Money ISN'T everything, and I'm glad I know that this young in life.
I'm sorry to hear it's storming, but at least it's not snowing anymore, right? We've had some lovely sunsets in the evenings here, and quite mild too – hardly know that winter is coming!