bbq

It is still winter but the days are delightful. While the mornings are cold and frosty at -2, by early afternoon it is almost a relief to get outside and do something active.

I have been walking around the neighbourhood, getting to know it and checking out the gardens. What grows well? What looks pretty? etc. It is quite a lesson.

What does excite me about this weather is that it will not be long until it is BBQ time again. I love the new style of BBQ where it is more than sausages. I rarely eat snags, they are full of calories and cholesterol, soooo bad for you but tasty. Of course these days there are lots of varieties and not all are bad but then they are not economical.

What I like to cook on the BBQ is a roast. Lamb leg stuffed with fresh rosemary sprigs  and a nice glaze, chicken with herbs or marinated beef and onions.

I love sitting around the bbq on a pleasant spring afternoon, preferably the men doing the cooking. The kids running around the yard, the adults relaxed.  What could be better than that?

Throw in some tasty salads, nothing fancy required but I do know some great recipes. It is something to look forward to isn’t it?

Weather

It has often come to my attention that the weather is a large part of our lives. It is a conversation starter and in some instances the main topic. I have lived in the cold of Scotland and the heat of Darwin but have spent most of my life in more temperate climes. Since returning home I am often asked how I am coping with the cold. When I think about it I realise I love it.

It gets hot here too but I am enjoying Autumn/Winter like never before. To be warm and cosy in bed then get up into the cold to dress. Those few minutes when my skin cools off feel great. Of course it is also great knowing that it is only a few minutes. I am going to be warm again as soon as I get the heater going.

This leads me to thinking about those who do not have the heater for whatever reason. With the rising cost of living today many cannot afford heat or even electricity. Then there are the homeless, those who for many reasons are living on the streets. Winter is very tough when you have no access to heat but when you think about it, access to instant heat is a very recent convenience.

When I am cooling off in the morning I sometimes think about this and how even as a child getting access to heat meant getting to the kitchen fire. Our house was heated with fire much like 200 years ago. I do appreciate all the “luxuries” we have now, many of which are to counter the effects of the weather.

Until I was living solo, having the heat I wanted was a battle. Not having control of the household finances meant limiting spending on heat supply. Once I was in full control I vowed I would never again be cold in my home. I would pay for heat and go without other things if necessary.

So, I appreciate the weather and am grateful to be able to control it in my home. I feel greatly for those who cannot do so for whatever reason and continue to wonder at any authority that prevents it.

Now, I just want some more rain.