Nel Mezzo del Cammin

Jawbeard

Valentina — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:21:33 +0000

I don’t know why I just suddenly thought about this guy. In 2002, before I became a mother, I was working in downtown Seattle and every day, sometimes more than once, I would go with one or more of my co-workers to the local Starbucks and get a grande non fat no whip mocha. As we were there so often, we got to know the baristas fairly well, and they knew us and would often have our drinks made before we even ordered them. It was great service.

One of the guy baristas, we used to call Jawbeard (but not to his face of course), as he had one of those wispy beard things just on his jaw. We didn’t know his real name. However, we were excited to read in one of the local papers, that he had won “Seattle’s Sexiest Barista” award, and that his name was Matt. My friend and I pinned his full page photo up on a cubicle wall.

There must be some baby girls being born somewhere?

Valentina — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:10:55 +0000

All my NZ friends, including me, are having boys. Where are all the girls?

My friend, S, who is about 19 weeks pregnant, had her ultrasound yesterday and she is having her second boy! So she joins me with two boys, our friend L who gave birth to her second son on November first, our other friend L who has two sons, who are probably about 10 and 8 now. R & S also have two boys and another school friend J, has a two month old baby boy.

We do have one little girl, in our bunch of boys. K’s baby girl was born in October 2005.

And we can’t even get the water tested, as my boys were both conceived in Seattle, as was L’s oldest boy. The rest of the boys were conceived here in New Zealand.

Coincidence?

Valentina — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:39:25 +0000

About two weeks ago, my friends and I decided to read Rupert Everett‘s autobiography “Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins” as the initial book for our book club. We have yet to start it as we are waiting for everyone to obtain copies. However, since deciding on that book, Rupert has popped into my life in a couple of places.

Last week, L and I were watching some episodes on DVD from Boston Legal‘s second season, where Rupert Everett appeared as a guest star, playing a lawyer who was also an ex-boyfriend of Tara Wilson.

And today, Rupert is the guest on the Rachael Ray Show, during an episode that was originally shown in the States on June 5, 2007! New Zealand only starting showing the Rachael Ray show a couple of months back so we are a little behind in the episodes. Anyway, on the show, Rupert is promoting his previously mentioned autobiography!

I just think it funny that I haven’t had cause to actually even think about this guy for the longest time and as soon as we decide to read his book (out of a list of about 16 books), he turns up on my TV twice, and one of those times is to talk about the autobiography that I am just about to start reading!

We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo. You can come too, too too.

Valentina — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 18:47:55 +0000

We had a super weekend weather-wise and Saturday morning we headed off to the Auckland Zoo with our friends, A, S and 2 year old O. The last time I went to that zoo was with J when he was just one, and the time before that was probably before I was married. L doesn’t remember the last time he went. It was N’s very first zoo visit.

They have done a great job improving the zoo and making the environment right for the animals. We had a lot of fun, and J enjoyed recognizing what animals he could. However, he did say that his favourite animal at the zoo was his little friend, O !!!!

The giraffes with baby, Ntombi, who was born in July, 2007.

one of the elephants – I don’t know which is which. This is either Burma or Kashin.

We actually had a yearly pass to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, but unfortunately had to return to New Zealand before the year was up.

Maltexo

Valentina — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:27:45 +0000

When my brother and I were little, my mother used to give us a teaspoon of Maltexo every day. It is a malt extract which has a similar texture to thick honey or molasses. It is full of “natural goodness” and my mother thought it a good supplement to our diet, seeing as we didn’t eat anything.

I recently bought a new container of it mainly for my boys. And I have some down with some sort of cold or flu so tonight I had a teaspoon of it. Gosh, it tasted good and brought back so many nice memories of our childhood. The boys like it too – they only get a little under 1/2 a teaspoon at a time though.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November

Valentina — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:50:34 +0000

It was Guy Fawkes day today and this evening we went to my parents’ place for dinner and to set off some fireworks. The boys had a great time and J loved the sparklers. N thought they were pretty cool too but we didn’t let him hold his own – he can do that next year, that is, if we are still able to buy them.

We took N to see the nurse for the 8th time to get his burns redressed. The good news is, he is healing so well, that we don’t need to go back again! His face is still a little tender and pink and we will have to be extra careful that he doesn’t get burned this coming Summer, but we doubt he will have any scaring. His arm is also doing very well. The burn under his neck is still a bit raw, but that too should hopefully heal without any scarring.

I miss Halloween

Valentina — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:45:23 +0000

Yes, we do have it here in New Zealand, but I kind of miss Halloween in the States, when everyone dresses up – adults and kids – and all the parents bring their kids’ leftover candy to work the following day.

I also miss the chocolate covered marshmellow things sold at drugstores during Halloween, Valentines, Easter and Christmas. One of my favourites would have been the Orange Marshmallow Pumpkin by Russell Stover. It was recently reviewed here. The reviewer did not seem to be that keen on the Orange Marshmallow Pumpkin but at Halloween, I couldn’t get enough of them!

There is also a review of the Russell Stover Vanilla Marshmallow and Caramel & Marshmallow pumpkins which I also liked a lot, but just not as much as the orange one.

limited edition chocolate bar

Valentina — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:31:03 +0000

The Moro bar has been around forever, or at least as far as I can remember, and maybe a year or so ago they issued a variant of it, called Moro Gold. And the other day, I saw another variant at the supermarket. This one is called Moro Black and what caught my eye is that it uses dark chocolate instead of milk. Yum!

The Moro Black is described as a “dark chocolate coated caramel and nougatine whip with raisins and peanuts.”. It was pretty good, but I am not that keen on nuts invading my chocolate bars.

I just checked the Wikipedia entry for Moro, and I forgot to mention about the Peanut Moro, which I have never tried, due to what I imagine will be an overabundance of peanuts.

I passed!

Valentina — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 07:43:46 +0000

I passed my restricted license driving test on my very first attempt. I am very proud of myself – it only took me almost 15 years to reach this stage. LOL

Now I am allowed to drive by myself and I don’t need the L plates any longer. I am able to drive with my dependents (J&N) and with anyone who has held a full license for more than 2 years, but with nobody else. I am also not allowed to drive between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am ( I think) unless I have a licensed driver sitting next to me.

Because of my “advanced” age , I will be able to sit my full license test in 6 months time, whereas usually, you would have to wait 18 months.

Yay me!

Sprinkles and Spinning

Valentina — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:27:00 +0000

Those who know J, know that he is a little speech delayed. His speech is coming along nicely but sometimes he still comes out with funny ways of saying things. We do try and correct him, as we should, but some of the words are words that make him him!

I just had some Vogel’s toast for breakfast and he got all excited, and asked me if he too could have some bread with sprinkles. Sprinkles being the nuts and seeds which are cooked into the loaf.
He also uses sprinkles to explain the sesame seeds that are sometimes used on the Sushi we buy.

When I was making a cake last night for L to take to work today, J asked me “mamma, what are you doing? Spinning?”. Yes, stirring in J’s language is spinning. “Please mamma, can I spin it?”.

N also appears to have a similar speech delay as the only word he really says at 18 months is mamma, although we think he is making a valiant effort at bird, book and ball.