WYS is not WYG: Fast food ads - the reality

These photos speak for themselves. Who's for a Mac Attack? Blurgh. I'm particularly taken by the Taco Bell number.

Jeepers, I'm sure it was sabotage

You will have read, by now, how superior my Volvo is to a Jeep when it comes to carrying large trestle tables. Well I don't think Jeep owners like to hear this. A funny thing happened to me on the way up to the school on Saturday afternoon and it goes like this...

Friend JD (not to be confused with Friend JA, Jeep owner) and I were transporting HIGHLY fragile silent auction items up to the school to set up prior to our trivia night last Saturday. Lovely clear afternoon, not a cloud in the sky. Prior to setting out I ensured the load was secure then drove off.

Half way to the school, up a steep section of road, we heard a very gentle "thunk" followed by the sound of plastic wheels on bitumen. Silence...looked at each other...looked out the back window. Window wasn't there, tailgate was UP, plastic container on wheels was travelling, at speed, down the hill. Most excellent state of events.

Now we don't like to point the finger, however clearly the Volvo or its owner could not be at fault, which leaves only one vehicle and owner with motive.... Yes, well I think you know who I mean.

Luckily, we recovered the container and found that the highly fragile jewellery and hand-crafted lamps were still okay. We slammed the tailgate shut, checked it again, and continued on our way making beady eyes at every Jeep we passed.

A trivial matter!

Last Saturday night, after 3 months of planning, over 240 parents, staff and friends attended the first trivia night at our school for about 10 years. This event was a huge undertaking involving canvassing over 700 local businesses for sponsorships, prizes and silent auction items plus organising the event itself. We catered, provided beverages and ran the questions in-house (we had two very keen teachers on the job). All on a zero budget. This was not something we did in our spare time, it was a full-time job for four people for three months. As of yesterday I am three weeks behind at uni.

A beer company supplied first prize - five cases of premium beer. Second prize was 10 unreleased CDs courtesy of another parent from Warner Music. I was gunning for second prize. However, it was not to be. Our table: The Flight Centre table had a number of secret weapons (aka us) and blitzed the field. Mind you, I cannot claim credit for our win as I don't think I sat down all night due to organising duties*. I consoled myself by being the highest bidder on this:



It's a one-off pre-production bag from Oroton.

The school made $25,000 towards buying SMARTboards for our classrooms. Now I'm going to find a nice large rock and hide under there for a while...

* we organisers weren't involved in the design of the questions.

Volvo - 1 Jeep - 0

It is with the trepidation of knowing that my in-laws have a Jeep that I report the following adventure today:

I am part of a small organising team for a trivia night being held at Kelpie and Padawan Learner's school this Saturday. As part of this we needed to borrow 10 trestle tables from a neighbouring school deep in LNSM territory.

"I have a Jeep" announced fellow helper JA "It'll fit all those tables in EASILY".

Once we had decided on the right outfit to wear, ponytails at regulation height, JA and I drove off to collect said tables. But, oh dear, the tables didn't fit. Not by at least 2 inches. Not even after JA snapped off a nail trying to get them in.

"Why don't we try the Volvo" I suggested

And, guess what? They DID, with 2 inches to spare. Victory to the Volvo stationwagon!

Trouble is, now I have to take them back on Monday...

It's bean a struggle, but is this the meal to suit all?

With the myriad of dietry requirements in my extended family I have wondered what on earth we could ALL sit down and eat at the same time. It has to contend with Diabetes, Coeliac, and a special kind of Vegan/No Oil/but can have fish diet and even those radicals on the CSIRO diet. Given that I have a preference for no seafood this leaves very few foods that suit us all. Enter the vegetarian chilli dish below.


You will need:

1 large tin of 3 bean mix
1 tin corn kernals
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 green capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, smooshed/chopped
1 tspn chilli
1 tspn oregano
1 tspn cumin

1. Fry onion, capsicum and garlic together (with or without oil according to dietry requirements)
2. Add all the other ingredients
3. Simmer for 30 mins

Serve on rice (unless your diet precludes you from eating carbohydrates after 3pm on a full moon, in which case wrap it in a lettuce leaf or something).

Can be topped with grated tasty cheese and sour cream if your diet allows, or the stars are aligned, or whatever.

This recipe is quick, light, protein rich, has vegies and is even better as leftovers. And thus guaranteed to be hated by the children.

If anyone has similar "all-diet friendly" recipes, email to me and I will post here.