Studying is SO HARD.

For real. I know why kids are pushed to go straight to university from high school: who wants to go back to this torture after experiencing the freedom of the real world??? Well, aside from those wishing to further their knowledge, or pursue their dream career, like me. Except, the degree I'm undertaking will not result in accomplishing my dreams! We all know law is my thing. Or aviation. However, due to Spawn's diagnoses last year, I decided to take a cruisier path. Yes, I know teaching is anything BUT cruisy, but it's a lot less demanding than corporate law, most of the time. (I dread report writing already, and I'm only one semester in on a four year degree!!)

Anyway, teaching is hard! You have to cover such a variety of areas, all with their own way of teaching and terminology. Take this semester for example: I have the basic subjects, but then I have ecology *yawn* and children's literature! Such different styles, with so much fuzziness. I think that's one of the things I like most about law: it's so factual. Sure, legislation is open to interpretation, but it's easy. There's a lot less fuzzy business, and a lot more, 'this is how we're doing this!' Wah. What am I doing?!!! WHY AM I DOING TEACHING?!!!

I have three assessments due on Friday. I already submitted one, because it was easy. The other two, however, are a lot more complex, and of course, Spawn had to go and get sick! So now today is a write-off, hence me getting super stressed. I do not like leaving things to the last minute, yet that is what I seem to be doing this semester. Please, let me find the strength to get on top of this business for the rest of the degree! My sanity cannot take it! LOL.

Anyway, I just had to have a quick vent. Now I'm off to prep dinner. Perks of sick child, I guess. More time to make yummy meals, that will hopefully aide in ridding him of this illness (and prevent me from getting it).

Peace out!

L. xx

Roast Pumpkin Soup

SOUP SEASON IS UPON US!

I love soup.

Spawn is sick, and I'm busy with homework, so what's better than making a big pot of pumpkin soup? Extra garlic and ginger for their illness curing abilities.

Behold, my roast pumpkin soup recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
1 butternut pumpkin, halved with seeds removed
1 brown onion, peeled and halved
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled
Olive oil and salt, for seasoning
3-4 cups chicken stock
1cm ginger, finely grated (optional)
1 cup cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 220C and line a baking tray. Place pumpkin on tray and drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with salt. Cook for 30 minutes, then add onion and garlic, and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until pumpkin is lightly golden and slightly soft to touch. Allow to cool.
Scoop pumpkin away from skin and place in large saucepan (if using a barmix) or blender, along with onion, garlic, 1 cup or so of stock, and ginger. Blend until smooth [pour into saucepan if blended] then add 2 cups of chicken stock and 3/4-1 cup cream (to taste/until desired consistency) and heat on medium-low until hot. Serve as is, or with sour cream.

Enjoy!

L. xx

A Letter To Someone Who Will (Probably) Never See This.

Dear ***

I know this is super random, but I am going through a phase at the moment (I'd call it growing up, but I did so much of that last year that if I grew up anymore, I'd need to check-in to a retirement centre). Thanks to timehop and Facebook's 'on this day', I'm seeing posts from around the time I found out I was pregnant with Spawn. With this, I'm realising that I never said thankyou. Thank you for being there when I found out I was pregnant. Thank you for reassuring me that everything will be fine. Thank you for helping me deal with sperm donor fallout, even though his pointless drama ended up being one of the reasons our friendship came to an end. Thank you for being there during those scary times, even though you had your own life to deal with.
I guess I just wanted to say thank you. Looking back, I feel like I may have taken your friendship for granted, but I just wanted to say that I didn't. That even now, seven years later, I still cherish it, along with all the crazy memories. You helped me get through some of the toughest times, and I will never forget that.

Sincerely

L. xx

P.S. all that drama at the end? I don't even know where to start with that. I feel like a certain two-faced person took advantage of what I now know to be pregnancy hormones and manipulated things to her advantage. Who even knows?! In the end, i just wanted all of it to stop. I'm sorry.