7 things I CAN’T live without
The Universe has a sick sense of humour.
Over the past 5 years I have come to depend on food. I have always loved eating. (I’m a Taurean – sue me!) But it was my Stepford wife transformation when I moved in with my husband that inspired me to learn how to cook.
Cooking, ah I love to cook. I make fortnightly menu plans. I visit the green grocer, deli and butcher. I cook from scratch at least 6 times a week – not including lunches which can range from honey sandwiches to lemon Parmesan pasta. I even have a menu chalkboard.
Cooking is multi-tasking-goodness; relaxing, fulfilling, nurturing, practical.
Now I enjoy cooking more than eating. I love the process. I love hearing my 2-year-old say ‘Mum this is DELICIOUS!’. I love that when my husband is down he asks for a cake.
So imagine my surprise devastation when my morning sickness not only stole my appetite, but my desire to cook!
Cooking is almost a chore now. The smells of cutting fruit for my son is enough to make my stomach lurch and flip. Ironically (or sadistically) I still love my food blogs, reading recipes and food porn. It is just real produce that makes me ill.
This isn’t the first of my loves that the universe tampered with. Some I fight for – the ones I won’t live without – some I have willingly let go.
- Sleep - Since half way through my first pregnancy a full nights sleep has been allusive. I compensate with naps.
- Alcohol - You know the walk your talk thing? Self destructive behaviour and cocktails till 2am was fun, but not helpful for a natural therapist. Plus I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 3 of the past 4 years. So a vodka to calm the nerves it out of the question. Thankfully I have also let go of hangovers.
- Music – I still love it. This one I’m fighting for. Every now and then we get some real music in around Playschool albums and ABC Classical. I still get to concerts (about 2 a year) but I’m not on the dance floor these days. This is one I can’t let go.
- Tea – I am still a tea-a-holic. In fact I probably should belong to TA (Tea-drinkers Anonymous). I can’t let go of my teacups, high tea, daily cup[s], but these days I am a connoisseur of decaf and herbal teas. Bye-bye caffeine.
- Girlfriends - Never. Ever. Giving. Up! I have one girlfriend close by, one the other side of the city and one interstate. If it weren’t for Facebook, Email and cheap domestic flights I would be screwed.
- Space - Personal space. A space for me in my house. Head space. I’m not prepared to let them go, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at me – if you can see me beyond the toddler crawling all over me.
- Reading - I don’t really have scope to lounge around reading novels (or text books) any more. But I have my [sneaky] ways; I read late at night, I read blogs, I read Ebooks on my iPhone. My reading obsession is still alive and kicking.
