The school holidays are killing me. The Big Sister is dino-stomping on my last nerve. I adore her inquisitive nature and her tenacious approach to life; but as luck would have it, I'm not strong enough to survive life in the cross-hairs of her quest for knowledge.
Not everyone dreads the holidays. Every year when the shops roll out their Back to School sales before the bin man’s done the after Christmas pick up, my Mum says how sorry she feels for kids going back to school. “Some mothers couldn't wait for their kids to go back to school”, she says. “Not me", she says, "I loved having you home.”
I am some mothers. I cannot wait for kindy to resume next week.
I read somewhere else that the average four-year old asks 473 questions per day. I suspect this is an underestimation. The constant interrogation is killing me. Wikipedia includes listening to children screaming is a form of torture. I concur. If I'm subjected to many more days of this and I’ll give up the internet banking password, the keys to the liquor cabinet* and anything else the tag-teaming sisters demand. I'm a mediocre mother and I'm down with that.
Mum, however, is somehow impervious to the endless questioning torture and she cannot hear the dog-whistle pitch of my girls’ screams. Perhaps she received some special training during her stint with the (then) Women’s Royal Australian Navy.
Recently Mum looked after the kids for us while Bearhands and I had a kid-free break. Not only did she manage to keep them all fed and clean; she enriched them too - trips to the park and the library. She even used her smart phone (!) to send us a picture of the three of them at the beach. My mother is a freaking over achiever!
I’d love to tell you that she’s a lousy cook, but she’s across that as well. She makes the best moussaka on earth. Here's the recipe.
Mausie's moussaka
Ingredients:
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 eggplant
600g lamb steaks, diced
1 brown onion, finely diced
400g tin diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste (homemade is awesome)
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Béchamel Sauce
60g butter
⅓ cup plain flour
1L milk (approximately)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g parmesan cheese
Method:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently until translucent. Turn up the heat and add the lamb, cook until browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine and spices. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for twenty to thirty minutes, or until the sauce is reduced.
While the sauce is reducing, slice the eggplant. Brush the slices with oil and grill until lightly browned. Turn and repeat for the other side. Remove from the griller and cool.
Make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour and cook stirring until the mixture bubbles and thickens. It’s important to really cook the roux (butter and flour mixture) or your sauce will have a floury flavour. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking dish (or for individual moussakas, six ramekin dishes). Line the base of the dish with eggplant slices. Then add the lamb mixture, adding any remaining eggplant to the top. Top the dish with béchamel sauce and grated parmesan cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Alternatively if your house is anything like Casa de Cooker at dinner time; bung it in the oven, bath the kids, commence the bedtime negotiations, then turn it off and keep it warm in the oven until sometime in the next few hours!
My Mum is a little bit terrifying, but don’t let her military training discourage you from stealing her awesome recipe. It’s so good that when I ordered moussaka in Lygon Street, I was disappointed.
I think Mum is wasted as a grandmother. I'd love to see her foray into foreign relations. After an hour with Mausie, Kim Jong-un would be begging to phone his mummy, apologise and promise to keep his room clean!
do you enjoy the school holidays?
does your Mum cook well?
should we send my Mum to sort out North Korea?
* as if we keep the grog locked up!
Modern Nomads With Kids says
I'm so giving Mausie's Moussaka a go, would you believe I've never made it? Crazy I know.
Prue xx
P.S - I have a four year old in the house, the 473 questions thing is totally believable!!
cookerandalooker says
I'm sure it's a conservative estimate Prue! Let me know how the moussaka goes. x
Desire Empire says
Maybe it's just that our mothers knew mothering was one of the few options available after they had kids. We were trained differently and that can be frustrating
Carolyn
domesblissity2013 says
I'm one of those mothers too Amanda but at the moment, the kids are having a week long vacation with their Dad in Melbourne and its killing me. This is the first time since they were born that I've had any longer than 2 days away from me. Ask me next Monday how I feel about them going back to school and my answer will be different again. I'll be glad to see the backside of them again! I think of my Mum too and she was a real trooper. Don't even get me started on my Nanna. She would be on the first plane to North Korea and would be giving Kim Jong Un a swift kick. Wish there was no internet. That's my biggest time waster.
homelifesimplified says
School holidays used to kill me too, they still do a little. I finally started taking breaks while they are on break. I had my 8 &9 yr olds all last week. This week we have a mix of us time, me alone (they are off to an all day craft workshop with friends today & to a friend on Friday ) and me, them & other kids (Wednesday I will have 5 kids 4-9yrs old) will keep me semi- sane til the weekend xxx deb
Caitlin says
Oh, I think I could send my mother with yours to North Korea. They wouldn't stand a chance! I do like the school holidays, but having said that, there is a certain point where you know it's just better for them and you to get back to school!
Seana - Sydney, Kids, Food + Travel says
Hilarious... but all so very true. I have traditionally found school holidays teeth-achingly terrible. It IS getting better, I think cos my teens sleep in longer. I have one twin who needs to be exercised like a hound, and another who just wants to sit down and do art and craft. Help! We're not on school holidays yet and I'm taking two to see my Mum so it'll be fine this time.
I think your Mum is needed in North Korea and several other hot spots... but most needed here at my place! I am SO envious of people who have handy grandparents - waaahhhhh!!!!
becc03 says
Don't you just love your mum! Mine is also the MOST amazing person. Can do anything!
What happened to us? 🙂
Becc @ Take Charge Now
iSophie says
You should send your mum to my house to cook Moussaka and get the boys whipped into shape! I am cheating and when our School holidays start I am flying the 4 of them back to my home town where I have backup! #teamIBOT
lydia c. lee says
I love the scho0ol hols - I go into the biggest funk if I discover the teacher free day is actually a school day - we go on big all day adventures (off to botanic gardens out of town, or day trips to science museums in different cities) All the fun things you can't do on weekends because who ever has a WHOLE day free? But I'm not all Mary Sunshine (you don't have to punch me in the face) - I struggle big time with term time, I can not deal with the tedious routine and all the homework. KILLS ME!!
Rachel says
I am also "some mothers" and have my own version of your terrifiying mother, who is still a home-economics teacher. anyone who can teach 30 grqd 8's to make scones is capable of ANYTHING! Great recipe though - and the pictures are divine 🙂
Bek Mugridge says
Wait till they hit 7 and can't be fobbed off with dodgey answers haha 😉
My 7 yr old also takes for-e-ver to recount a story, i am talking blow, by blow, by blow even if you were there!
I have to admit though actually I love school holidays, they inspire me to take the kds and get out of the house and chill out and lose track of time. No school pick no drop off, no swimming lessons and dance classes, everything seems to slow down.
Sometimes we three even just flop about the house all day or get filthy in the garden.
EssentiallyJess says
Ha ha! Yes definitely send your mum over. Maybe with some moussaka as well?
Have a laugh on me says
I totally posted a pic of my mum today and she was not happy John - mainly her hair but still! I love school holidays because I don't have to pack up 2 pre-school boys early to drop their big sister off! But I know I will hate them one day - school holidays that is - not the kids - hee hee xx
cookerandalooker says
Hee hee. Thank goodness they're so bloody gorgeous when they sleep right?
robomum says
Clever mum! That's how you do it, I know, I'm Greek!
Yes! Send her over. He needs a mum-smack!
cookerandalooker says
I think so too Robomum. Pleased Mum's version gets the greek tick of approval - she's living in a very greek neighbourhood now. She even volunteered at Paniyiri a few years back!
robomum says
That's so cool!
Keeping Up With The Holsbys says
You rock.....you just made me feel better about grinding my teeth over the dino stomping and questions.
Totes jealous you and B Hands had a night away..... I bet that was beyond divine!
cookerandalooker says
It was fab Mrs Holsby - we even called each other by our first names!
Sabeen says
Okay , I am kind of in a different boat, we go on school holidays next week and I am currently riddled with mother guilt because I have to work... My mum cooks really well and like yours she is an over achiever too! I always feel inadequate when she's around ?!
And yum! That Moussaka looks delicious - will have to try 🙂
cookerandalooker says
Blasted mother guilt! I feel bad that I'm not enjoying their company a little bit more!
Kyla says
oh gosh that sounds divine.
Kindy doesn't stop for us over the school holidays (thankfully) but I think I'm totally going to be one of those "some mothers" once school starts. I think grandparents have it so easy, they can have the kids for a day or a weekend and be the fun, exciting, adventurous people then hand the little people back to the parents who have to deal with all the day to day stuff. My mum is an awesome grandparent and I'm sometimes a little jealous of the time she gets to spend doing crafts or beach visits etc while I'm worried about getting in from work, doing the kindy run and getting dinner on the table.
cookerandalooker says
Kindy that keeps going during school holidays? I'm jealous of you Kyla!