Shine A Little Light

The mere mention of French onion soup used to conjure up images of Maggi instant soup packets, philly cheese and the horror of the spac-like filler of my mother’s French onion dip between two pieces of wholemeal bread for lunch. This was her version of a ‘gourmet sandwich’ of which I never had the heart to tell her, a peanut butter one would do just fine.

And then there’s the images of Stephen Giacometti, my partner in crime, squishing a non descript summer creepy crawlie and poking it into the same French onion dip at a New Years Eve party at our house when we were 11. I remember us, my sister included, standing around the corner giggling as adult after adult dug into the dip.

So that last thing I ever associated French Onion soup with, was comfort food. That all changed a few years ago when I decided to breastfeed beyond the first six months of Mr D’s life and I had to get creative with ways to treat myself when I was ill. I had not idea of the wonderful health benefits of onions – much less the magic that could be woven with French onion soup.

Suffering a head cold last week and worried that everyone else in the household was going to come down with it, I whipped up a pot of my French Onion soup – an adaption of one that appears in a wonderful Kate West book.

Ingredients

• 1kg brown onions – peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic – peeled and grated
• 30-50g butter
• 1 – 1.5l vegetable or beef stock
• 1 tbs vegemite (yeast extract) if using vegetable stock
• Cracked pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper (optional)

How to

1. Spend 10 – 20 minutes sautéing the onions in the butter over a low heat - until they are golden.
2. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring to stop the garlic from sticking.
3. Stir in the stock, vegemite and cracked pepper. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Take off the heat and cool for at least an hour – this helps to blend the flavours and yes, you can taste the difference.
5. Re-heat the soup and serve with your favourite crusty bread.

Using a good quality organic vegetable stock or home made beef broth will enhance both the flavour and the restorative qualities of the soup (the Chinese feed their new mums broth made from ox bones because they believe it is imbued strengthening properties!) Unlike most French onion soups (commercial and restaurant ones) this soup is not salty if you get the stock right. And will help you feeling better sooner rather than later.

Monday we were at kindy gym.

At the end of the class we get out the parachute, the parents hold onto it and the kiddies get to jump the air out of it, then giggle and squeal under it as it balloons out over the top of them.

As I grabbed my section of the parachute I looked across. The lady opposite me had a SuperGirl t-shirt on and I was smiling thinking it was so apt. I realised then that she was looking at me and that my silly grin was being reflected back.

I was wearing a Wonder Woman t-shirt.

I've just been reading my post from approximately the same time last year. This year it's a slightly sadder and more difficult affair to see the dawn of a new year (which has been tradition for most of this millenium, which I was able to reintergrate back into my life last year!) There is no Rage this year and certainly no Chaser programming it. Instead there was Moulin Rouge - which would have been great had I not watched it as my birthday movie two weeks ago and Can't Stop the Music (The Village People movie). Now having moved into the third hour of the new year there is only the those terrible adds that run for half an hour to sell you miracle skin care, cosmetics, kitchen appliances etc. So it's just me, the glass of frangelico with the rapidly melting ice, the clatter of the fan and the quiet chorus of cicadas floating through my window.

On the way to Annie and Adrian's tonight, Dave and I were discussing how New Years changes as you get older. I guess what we were angling at was that the meaning put on New Years changes as we get older. Personally I was never a great fan of New Years Eve. It always just seemed to be full of pissed wankers making my life difficult or just a really dismal evening. Too much expectation and not enough in return. Dave had different ideas based on his own experiences.

Reflecting back I remembered the New Years Eve (when I was 20 I'm reckoning) where I decided it would be a great idea to ask the guy from the bank out for New Years drinks. As it turned out he was deathly boring and I spent all night stuck next to him trying to strike up a conversation, trying to get someone else to strike up a conversation with him and/or wishing that I was , dancing like a wild chick and not giving a damn about babysitting someone with the personality of a rock! Sadly after this encounter I had to go to a different branch to avoid him.

Then there was the New Years Eve the year before that when I was released from hospital after having micro surgery on my eye, having had my best friend bunk off with one boyfriend and the one that came after that bunking off with his best mates sister - so I was all alone, with an eye that had been carved up, unable to drink alcohol, nursing a broken heart and post surgery woes. From memory, through my one good eye I watched one of the Alien movies and something with Sean Connery in it (Medicine Man?)

We wont mention my first new years eve legally allowed to drink(it's like the war in Fawlty Towers but you dont get away with it just the once!) ... if my Mum or my sister are reading this - they'll remember it and I'm sure put their 2 cents worth in through the comment box. Let's just say it had lots to do with Mississipi Moonshine and Brian's Adams, and not a lot to do with anything else.

Fast forward a few more years, to 1999 and I made the new years resolution that I would not be with my partner of the time the following new years eve (and I wasn't - just so you know that I do keep my resolutions when I make them - just like giving up beer and MacDonalds at various other times through out my checkered life) We were in Port Fairy which had pretty strict public alcohol rules. Through the drunken reverie I heard my name called out, turned to see a copper. I immediately hid the bourbon and coke behind my back, thinking I was about to be done for having alcohol in the mainstreet. On closer inspection the copper turned out to be an old friend I hadn't seen in years. The strangest places you meet people!

It wasn't until I met my soul sister Karen that New Years looked up. We spent the first NYE of our friend at a Rave that basically consisted of the two of us, the DJs and some security hosted at the Table Tennis Association! It poured rain and in between the dancing I was on the phone to America to a guy I'd been chatting to on the internet. At dawn we went down to the esplanade to see the sun come up - which was a little pointless. It was so heavily overcast we had to guess when the sun was up. It was the first of three years in a row when I fell asleep in the bath, with the shower running overhead at Karen's place.

The following year it was Karen, Lisa and I - and my Audrey Hepburn retro Rave dress. I'd returned out of the blue two weeks earlier from NSW and the three of us were set to party! We danced for five hours (in my high heel boots - it took days for my feet to recover) fueled by bottles of V, nectarines from Rusty's market and chocolate. Just before dawn he headed down to the Esplanade to see the sun come up - blessed by clearish skies and I watched my (then) pilot boyfriend fly out over the inlet for PNG. We had lots of photos taken in our sunnies and rave clothes and then it was back to Karen's to fall asleep in the shower.

The last NYE Karen and I had together it was with our men in tow - Lisa had gone overseas to England. We caught the fire works and then headed into Orchid Valley to a rainforest rave. There was a moment where a guy was sitting in the middle of the rainforest stream, legs crossed mediatating - looking as though he was levitating on the water. Karen came up with the brilliant idea that we should go to Bramston Beach to watch the sun come up (the kookaburras have just started up here - it's currently 3:47am) So into the car we piled - none of having drunk anything other than some V and water .. and off for a 45 minute drive. It was amazing watching the sun come up over the water - the beach all to ourselves. The photos taken that morning are some of my most treasured photos. I wont bother to put in the bit about bumping wallabies on the way into Bramston Beach.

Since then NYE hasn't been the same. It never seems like a party without Karen.

At Annie's tonight we sat around the table contemplating what 2009 held for us and what we wanted to snatch from it - the books we wanted to read, the things we wanted to learn, the things we wanted to give back .... but more of that tomorrow.

As always I feel like I'm now in limbo land between the 'Western' new year and the 'Eastern' new year. For the next 25 days until the Chinese New Year begins I'm going to do some cleaning up and laying down of some groundwork for (at least) one writing project that's been long over due. Time to contemplate the year of authenticity that is passing and the year of action that is coming into the fore. But there will be some biting of the bullet occuring when I wake up and as far as my body and my mind are concerned the new year begins. But until then -

To pass the time until the sun comes up and I can take my celebratory swin ... I think I'll go and lay out my tarot cards and see what awaits me in 2009?

PS: I'm bringing the Audrey Hepburn retro rave dress out of moth balls for NYE 2009/10 and you can hold me to that one!

Original Image (c) Karen van Harskamp 2002, additional graphics Jodi Cleghorn 2008

Three Things is an project of Oxfam's centred on sharing thoughts and ideas on what makes our world tick and how we can make it better. Three Things has listed the following questions on their Facebook Page under the company overview:

Three Things that make you smile...
1. my son – especially when he’s smiling or singing silly songs.
2. watching Adam Hills or David Tennant
3. talking about Captain Juan and his future adventures

Three things you do each day...
1. wake up
2. wish I had more time
3. read

Three Things that frustrate you...
1. Writers block or not having the time to write when beset with the writers urge
2. Being interrupted when I’m trying to work
3. Ants

Three Things you can do to help a stranger...
1. smile
2. if they’re a Mum with a difficult child reassure them that we all have days like this and they’re doing the toughest job on the planet (someone once did this for me on a particularly bad trip to the supermarket)
3. offer directions if they ask for help

Three Things you'd like to change...
1. The general population’s attitude towards birthing
2. The general population’s attitude towards mothering
3. The Government’s commitment to reducing green house emissions

Now I ask three friends to share their free things ... so Annie, Paul and Dan - what are your three things?

Today was my birthday. I'm not shy - I turned 35 this year. Unlike other years I hankered after a low key event. It seemed to be more in keeping with what my year has been like. A chrysalis year. I wanted to keep it simple but all my friends were asking what I intended to do for my birthday - so I felt somewhat compelled to have my big birthday bash with the yearly bad movie (this year it was the 'good' Moulin Rouge')

This is where I love how the Universe steps in to create what I wanted in the first place. Mr D broke out with Chicken Pox on Sunday, so it was down to just Annie and I, and a tribe of kids. So beware what you secretly desire because the Universe is always listening.

Today, somehow we got onto the topic of Hector the Cat. He was the big road safety icon in Victoria in the '70s (but possibly across at least all of Australia and the UK). I couldn't help myself and went searching for a clip on the internet. And in my travels I came across this - which seemed to be a perfect way to celebrate my 35 years on this planet ... with a bit of humour. The ones with the smiley face after them are ones that I remember.

From the BBC's H2G2 site -
You're almost certainly a child of the 1970s if any of these make sense to you:

* You remember the theme tune from The Muppets :o) and I can still sing it

* Summers were long and hot. :o) and you could play on the slip and slide

* Basketball was only played by Americans my Dad said he broke fingers playing it at high school so not so sure about this one.

* Doctor Who scared you silly :o) and still does - though everyone knows my position on David Tennant

* You remember the first space invaders :o) rock on Atari

* You remember real water restrictions - there's something worse than Level 6 water restrictions???

* You queued up to see The Village People movie - too young!

* You went to a drive-in with your parents... in your pyjamas :o) I remember seeing King Kong

* You didn't want the hairdresser to cut above your ears until late high school.

* Fags were called fags and nobody batted an eyelid when eight year olds walked down the street with a lolly cigarette hanging out their mouth :o) I still remember the taste of these things and how cool we thought we looked with them hanging out our gobs.

* You got tough summer feet every summer without trying :o)

* You remember when electric typewriters came in :o)

* You remember when calculators were introduced at school :o)

* You remember the fuss made about gays in San Fransisco.

* You drank flavoured milk - I didn't but everyone else did

* You collected plastic toys out of cornflakes packets :o) Elephants if I remember correctly were my favourite and were always inappropriately coloured.

* You desperately, desperately wanted one of those cool six wheeled buggies that the Banana Splits drove :o) and I still love the song from the Banana Splits

* Stubbing your toe whilst running across the road in summer barefoot, trying not to burn your feet raw was an annual experience :o)

* Matchbox cars or Barbies were essential to your development :o) I had both - well rounded .. and I also had Charlie's Angels dolls until my sister pulled the head off them all.

* You had cardboard dolls (or your sisters did) that came with books of paper clothes that you tore out and stuck on the doll :o)

* Kids read children's magazines that had cartoons without fighting and guns in them :o)

* The kid with the pool was your best friend :o) has anything changed?

* The only place you could get a pizza was Pizza Hut - and it was expensive :o) It was still a BIG THING in high school to go to Pizza Hut - remember Rachael Hussy's birthday party there in Year 8? Though in the 70's we DID have an awesome Italian pizza shop in Warrandyte.

* You played dress-ups in your parents' funky clothes that you would kill to get your hands on now :o) we were literally just talking about this yesterday.

* You had a terry towelling hat that had yellow plastic sunglasses built into the brim that came down over your face - this sounds like something Elton John is to blame for??

* You, or a female relative, had a see through umbrella that came down over the shoulders so you had to look through the plastic. They were totally useless in windy conditions, though very hard to turn inside out.

*
You weren't wearing flannelette because it was cool :o) I still love flannelette PJs and sheets

And here are just a few items that might be specific to Australia...:

* You remember Hector the Road Safety Cat sing :

Look to the right, look to the left, and look to the right again, then if the road is clear of traffic. Walk straight across the road - don't run - walk straight across the road.


* 20c worth of mixed lollies could last you hours... and 50c, well only older kids could afford that much :o) 50c worth came in brown paper bags as opposed to the little white ones that 20c came in

* Icypoles were 5c and paddle pops were 20c :o)

* Sunnyboys and poppers (boxed drinks with straws attached) were your stable school diet :o)

* Fanta tasted like Fanta should. There was Tang and Tab. Tab, so right for beautiful people, and Leed lemonade :o) The Tab add had a negro lady which would be sooooo politically incorrect now!

* You wondered how the Coke girls and boys got inside that big clear beach ball.

* You wore a leather band around your wrist and believed that you had to sleep with any boy/girl that broke it - definitely too young for that one!

* Dunlop Volleys trainers were a viable option and Puma Romes were fashionable :o)

* You remember those plastic 'Peters' ice cream signs glowing at the top of the milkbar. And you collected the plastic popsticks that had holes in them so you could make things with them, and they came in lots of bright colours :o) Back in the days when everyone lived near a 'corner store' or 'milkbar'

* You watched Hey, Hey It's Saturday... before breakfast :o) again we were talking about this yesterday

* Leopard footprints on the soles of your school shoes were ace.

* You put chip packets in the oven to make shrinkies :o) and made our mother VERY mad trying to shrink twistie packets

* An essential part of your packed lunch in highschool was a Prima, unless you bought a frozen Sunny Boy :o) Razz the red ones were my favourite.

* You actually went through at least one pair of thongs a year because you wore them so much.

* There were swap cards in with the bread that was wrapped in wax paper.

* Ice cream came in tins made of metal, not plastic pots.

If you were a child of the 70's what do you remember?

And to end ... who do I share my birthday with. I thought I'd turn to Wiki to explore beyond the known ... and came up with some interesting ones:

Catherine of Aragon (First wife of Henry 8th)
Ludwig Beethoven
Jane Austen
Margaret Mead
Sir Arthur C Clarke (perhaps there's hope for my sci-fi writing after all!)
Phillip K Dick (perhaps there really is!)
Benny Andersson
Joel Garner
Georgie Parker (I still hate her singing on Play School even if we do share a birthday!)
Miranda Otto