School holidays, A Novel, Tea & Coffee

Today is the last day of the winter school holidays.  I have been playing stay at home mum for the last two weeks, and even though the children have not been at school for six hours a day, I have enjoyed it.  I have also enjoyed getting up that little bit later on these cold winter mornings – cold for us here in Queensland, but warm compared to most of Australia. 

I have had time to make breakfast each morning, either porridge, eggs on toast (boiled or poached) or pancakes.  Sometimes the whole three meals a day plus afternoon and morning tea gets a bit much, but at least the children are old enough to help.  We have been drinking our morning tea on the deck in the sun from our lovely old tea cups – so refined!

I am getting a bit sick of asking the children to tidy their rooms.  They would rather be outside on their scooters or bikes in the sun, or playing board-games or cards when it gets too warm.  The computer has featured a bit – the eldest is home from uni and is often glued to his laptop - but at least he lets the others join in occasionally.  I am planning on taking a day off this week to clean and straighten out the house – it’s hard to keep up housework then they are home all day.

The postal van has just arrived with a package for me.  “Oh, some books I bought off ebay,” I say.  “Are those 1950s books?” asks Miss Six.  “Well…..,” and of course they are.

The first is a 1952 first UK edition of James Jones first novel,”From here to eternity”, written in 1950 and made into a movie in 1953 starring Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster and Debra Kerr (remember the beach scene?) among others ($5.99).  It’s catch cry is ‘The book that swept America’, and hopefully it will sweep me away too!

   

The second is Good Housekeeping's  1950s ‘Practical Picture Cookery’ ($7.99). I cannot wait to get started on some of the recipes, but  here is a snippet on making tea and coffee which I just love!

  

So now I really need to find a tea-cosy to keep my tea warm while it draws – I knew I was doing something wrong!  I did find and old Pyrex percolator at the thrift shop the other day ($2), and although I think it is 70s rather than 50s (it has a plastic insert) it does a good job.  My husband still prefers his Alessi espresso pot (vintage 80s – an engagement present) but I find it too strong unless I add lots of hot water.

Enjoy a cuppa and have a lovely 50s day!