I’m back into my 4 week menu plan this week. Last week worked well and I am working on building a weeks menu plan of pantry meals that I can keep on hand. If you have any great pantry meals I’d love to hear them! But on to this week:

Monday: Tomato Macaroni Cheese

Tuesay: Creamy Chicken Curry

Wednesday: Bacon and Eggs

Thursday: Sweet & Sour Beef

Friday: Cottage Pie

Saturday: Pad Thai

Sunday: Garlic Prawns

The recipe I’m sharing this week is an old family favourite from when I was a girl. My mother, and then my father, were not the most creative of cooks, but this was a classic in our house. It originally comes from the NMAA (Nursing Mother’s) cookbook, my version is from 1975, but I have made some adjustments as time goes on.

Tomato Macaroni Cheese

250g macaroni
4 rashes bacon, chopped
30g butter
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp flour
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup of milk
250g grated cheese

1. Cook macaroni according to packet directions and drain well
2. Fry bacon until crisp, and remove from pan
3. Add butter and saute onion
4. Add flour, then soup and milk, stirring until the mixture boils and thickens
5. Add 3/4 of the cheese and stir until it melts.
6. Stir through macaroni and pour into an ovenproof dish and back at about 180 for 20mins.

The original recipe calls for salt at almost every stage of cooking, which I ignore, and find the end result still very salty. Hubby is not keen on plain Macaroni Cheese, but the Tomato soup adds a lovely flavour to a fairly cheap, kid friendly recipe.

To read what everyone else is eating this week, head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie.

 This post is about rape and sexual assault cases. If you think it might upset you, please don’t read it.

 Reading this article this morning the phrase that caught my eye was “indecent assault”. In my warped, sleep deprived mind, I had a quiet chuckle at the phrase, and wondered to myself if there was such a thing as “decent assault”.

But then I got thinking further. As you know, I’m studying law, and this semester am completing part one of the two Criminal Law subjects. Living in Queensland and studying in New South Wales is challenging, but fascinating in this case. We’ve been informed through our lectures, that people are no longer charged with “rape” in NSW, but “sexual assault”. I’m not sure, but I’d be willing to bet in Queensland you’d be charged with “indecent assault”

Does it matter?

Does it really matter what we call it? I think it does. Rape is a verb. An accurate description of what is being alleged. Sexual assault covers all manner of things. Everything from say grabbing a breast to rape. And as for indecent assault, despite my flippant remark earlier, does imply that it’s different from “assault”. What does indecent mean anyway? What is indecent to you, might be decent to me. But on the other side of the argument, rape is a deeply emotive word, that evokes all sorts of responses. But do we need to keep it out of the criminal codes?

Why hide behind words?

What is the point of hiding these acts behind words that mean any number of things? Is it to protect the assailant? Or the victim? Or their families? I don’t know the answer to this one, but whoever it’s meant to help, I’m certain it’s benefiting those accused of these crimes the most. Due to the ambiguous nature of “sexual assault” or “indecent assault”, I’d be willing to bet these crimes aren’t taken as seriously as, say, murder.

Why is this important?

In doing a bit of research for my course, I came across this article in the Lawyer’s Weekly. It talks about the conviction rate of “sexual assault” cases in NSW courts - less than 5% of reported cases (the article also claims approximately 20% of women report sexual assault to police). Does the name of the charge have anything to do with it? I don’t know, but I do know that a 5% conviction rate (compared to 60%-70% for other crimes) is abysmal.

What can be done?

The article in the Lawyer’s Weekly talked about other countries that have specialist courts, and changes to NSW courts that proport to make things easier on the victims, but that in reality have little effect. But I think the most important thing is to call a spade a spade. Don’t hide behind fancy terminology. If someone is accused of rape, charge them with rape, not “indecent assault”. If someone is charged with drink driving, they are charged with “driving under the influence”, not “Indecent road usage”.

I’m not suggesting for a second that this would have a massive effect on conviction rates, but what are we really trying to hide? It just might help change people’s perceptions. And with a 5% conviction rate - something needs to change.

Highly disorganised today, so I didn’t have anything prepared. BUT I checked the calendar and worked out we’re out two nights this week. I went back over our last two weeks menu plans to check , and we have the makings of 5 meals already in the house. Awesome!

Tuna Pasta Bake

Lasagne

Sausage Casserole

Fried Rice

Scrambled Eggs

Head over to Laura’s site to see what everyone else is eating this week

If someone has had an exploding hole (either one, take your pick - we had two) never, ever embark on 2 hr drive in each direction, until everyone has been well for at least 5 days (5 people - 5 days).

2 hours is a long time with a 4 year old throwing up . Thankfully all the little people seem ok now. Well, apart from the sugar high, crash, high…

Why is it that in this day and age, a breastfeeding woman has NO option for medication to help with the symptoms of cold and flu?

I get that there’s really a limited market for this, as women generally breastfeed for a short time out of their lives (and if I was a raving feminist I would argue that it was a form of discrimination against women, but I’ll leave that argument for someone else to pursue), but surely there shouldn’t have to be a choice between breastfeeding (if that’s how you choose to feed your baby) and being healthy enough to function and look after your other offspring?

Let me say at this point I’m not a breastfeeding nazi. I breastfed my first child for 3 months, my second for 6 weeks (although exclusively expressed for a further 4 months) and so far have breastfed Miss Moo for nearly 6 weeks (and things are looking good). What I’m saying is, I’ve been there with the whole formula thing, and my focus is to breastfeed as long as I can. And whatever works for you .

But struck down with the flu I head in to my local pharmacist to be told the same thing I was told the last two times “I’m sorry, take some panadol, and put some vics in hot water and breathe that in.” Without trying to be melodromatic, the flu can kill. And you can do nothing for me beyond panadol and vics? (for starters vics makes me want to vomit - more, and I’m already taking panadol)

I guess maybe I’d hoped in the 4 years since I heard it the first time, there would be some advance in medications? Apparently not.

I read an article online recently (unfortunately I can’t find it now - typical) that discussed the reasons for the low (ie none) levels of research into a) whether current medications were safe, and b) developing new medications that are safe for breastfeeding women and their babies. Of course cost was a factor. And the limited market. And the fact they’re reasearching cures for HIV and Cancer and stuff.

But surely research into drugs that could increase the number of breastfed babies, and prevent women from making the choice to breastfeed or be healthy, is just as valid?

If none of the above makes any sense, I apologise. I’m not on drugs, but fuzzy headed from the distinct lack of drugs

I was planning on hibernating in the study for some, well, study.

Although now it appears I’ll be hibernating in bed. I’ve got the flu. I feel completely rotton. Headache, runny nose, sore throat, aching joints, cough, and a few other choice syptoms I’ll spare you, cause if you’re like me you’re probably eating right now.

But before I get to do that I have to get through today. The Easter Bonet Parade at daycare. I would take photos of the crap spectacular hats I made, but on dial up it’s just not worth uploading pictures. Maybe next week.

After that I’m off for some pampering (cause that’s what I feel like  while suffering from the flu) before picking up the last bits and pieces for Easter. You know, like eggs, milk, hot cross buns etc.

The worst part about this flu is that because I’m breastfeeding? Drugs are non-existant. The only potential up side is that I probably won’t get sick again this winter. The downside is that I won’t get any study done this weekend either.

Hope you all have a special time with your family this weekend.

Further to my post yesterday about Bad New Idea paying Wayne Carey and his girlfriend $180,000 to admit to cocaine and alcohol abuse (did anyone really doubt it?), it appears he’s now appearing on Enough Rope on Monday night. To what? Share more? Break down and say how sorry he is? One would think too little, too late.

Perhaps we can all just live in hope that he spends his $180,000 on drug rehab, and not on more drugs.

Reports yesterday that New Idea had paid $180,000 to Wayne Carey and his girlfriend, Kate Neilson to tell their side of the story relating to their drug use and his assault charge in the US have left me all but speechless (I have enough to say to write a post after all ).

What a way to reward bad behaviour. Here’s $180,000 if you share your drug and alcohol abuse and how you assaulted your girlfriend. Shag your best mate’s wife (or more specifically get caught), leave your wife with a newborn baby two years after she took you back, succumb to a drug addiction and assault your girlfriend and police. That’s just what I want to read to “relax”.

Why does bad behaviour have to be rewarded with MORE money (which is probably half the cause of the problem anyway)? Now he’s just got more money to buy more drugs with.

What are your thoughts?

It started one Monday
With a phone call to Telstra
“We’ll be there next Monday,
And to the phone we’ll  connect ya”

Come Monday I waited,
and waited some more
For  the nice man from Telstra,
To knock at the door.

When the day was over
There’d been no one knocking
(Cept for the neighbours red Rover)
Which wasn’t so shocking

For Telstra’s reputation
For keeping their word
Causing endless frustration
And for being absurd

Is well documented
I am not needed
To write all the demented
Excuses they pleaded.

“We’ll come on Friday“
Was the worthless reply
To my utter dismay
“I’ll still be waiting in July”

On Friday we called
And we called and we called
“we’ll be there before five”
“He will definitely arrive”

But when five came and went
We tried to call again
To a machine we were sent
“call on Monday to complain”

So another weekend passes
Without phone or Internet
At least I don’t need my glasses
Though I’ve emptied the drinks cabinet

On Monday we’ll call again
And share with them our pain
Maybe one day we’ll be connected
To the world once again.

Welcome back to Menu Plan Monday. I’ve been on hiatus due to my wonderful Mother-in-law who’s been cooking for us.

The plan for this week is:

Monday - Lasagne

Tuesday - Grilled Fish & salad

Wednesday - Apricot Chicken with mashed potato and steamed vegetables

Thursday  - Sausage Casserole

Friday - Mini Hot Dogs

Saturday - Fried Rice

Sunday  - Scrambled Eggs

For lunches this week we have: leftover lasagne, apricot chicken, sausage casserole and fried rice. Also potato & kumera salad, cold meat and salad sandwiches and tuna and sweetcorn sandwiches.

This week I’ll share my lasagne recipe. It’s really quite simple - mostly because I use the same base as for my Spaghetti Bolognaise. So as we had spaghetti bolognaise for dinner last week, I made a double batch of sauce so the hard part of the lasagne is already in the freezer.

As for the “white sauce”:

Mix together 500g Cottage Cheese (or 250g Cottage Cheese and 250g Ricotta Cheese), 1/2 cup gratecd parmesan cheese and a cup of grated mozarella cheese (or half/have mozarella and tasty) and one egg.

Layer spaghetti bolognaise sauce, white sauce and pre-made lasagne sheets in a lasagne tray. Top with extra cheese and bake at approx 180 for 30mins.

 To check out what everyone else is eating, head on over to Laura’s site for more Menu Plan Monday participants.