ARHHHH!

Working with eggs.

Cooking for someone with a chicken egg allergy has led me to a wonderful world of duck eggs, quail eggs and other eggs. And if you have ever had any doubt, I am here to assure you that cooking with duck eggs is WONDERFUL! The taste is beautifully rich and contrary to popular belief, I believe they taste better than chicken eggs.

So far, my favourite recipe for treating those in your life who are limited to duck eggs is a duck egg baked custard. This rich and creamy treat is sure to set mouths watering! Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 2 whole duck eggs
• 2 extra duck egg yolks
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1/2 a vanilla bean
• 2 cups of cream

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C (300 degrees F)
2. Place cream in a saucepan over a medium heat. scrape the bean half and place both the seeds and the pod in the cream.
3. While the cream is heating, add the eggs, yolks and sugar to a bowl and whisk until pale and creamy.
4. Add egg and sugar mix slowly to the hot cream, stirring all the time.
5. Continue to stir custard regularly until it begins to thicken - coating the back of your spoon.
6. From here you can either use this custard as a pouring custard by removing from the heat and cooling, or you can create a delicious baked custard, which can be eaten on their own, or turned into crème brulee!
7. To make a baked custard, take 6 half cup ramekins and place them in a deep baking dish. pour the custard into the ramekins, distributing evenly.
8. Pour hot water into the deep baking dish so that the water comes half way up the side of the ramekins, creating a Bain Marie. Place the whole tray in the oven and cook for roughly 35 minutes, or until the tops of the custards start to brown (if this starts to happen before the first 15 minutes are up, cover your dish with tin foil to stop them from burning).
9. Once cooked, remove your custards from the oven and allow to cool in the water bath.
10. To enjoy your custards, they can be eaten warm or cold. you can also add some fine sugar to the top and blast them with a butene torch to make crème brulee!

You can make anything you can normally make with chicken eggs using duck eggs and these delicious baked custards are a perfect example!

The perfect curry.

This curry is the perfect lamb curry, for any occasion. Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 500grams diced lamb leg
• 3 large potatoes - diced
• 2 large onions - diced
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon of your favourite masala (my favourite is kitchen king)
• Extra chilli if your masala is not as hot as you would like your curry.
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 600grams of diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups of strong beef stock
• 1/2 cup of red wine
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil on a medium heat. Once hot, add lamb and potatoes and cook until meat is browned all over.
2. Add onions and cook until onions are soft, then add spices and garlic - heat until the spices' aromas start to become very strong.
3. Add stock, wine and tomatoes, cover and turn hear down low.
4. Cook for roughly 2 hours, until liquids have reduced and potatoes are soft and disintegrating. Season to taste with salt and pepper
5. Serve hot with basmati rice and popodoms

I now drive....on my own.

I have my P's!

Shop is doing great.

Wish I had an extra 12 hours in a day.

Nearly finished Jordis' Oleria Cardigan! woop!

Uni Marks

I got my marks today.

Psychology = HD

Human Biology = HD

Homeostasis = HD

Sociology = D

I was pretty disappointed with Sociology, not because the mark is bad, because a distinction is pretty darn good, but because I was only one mark off a High Distinction. That really shits me. If I had just studied it a bit more...but I was fairly complacent with sociology. I just get it and it makes sense to me. What fucked me up was contemporary theorists. I can never remember who said what... :P

REALLY happy with a HD for Homeostasis. I was worried about that one. Biology can be so fucking hard sometimes! Especially when you involve hormones. I really wish I had paid more attention when I was sorting my enrolment. For those who don't know I found out half way through semester (after I was already starting to struggle) that Homeostasis is a 200 unit....for 3rd year students...but by that point it was too late to change to one more manageable. In many ways i am glad I did it. I can add a bit of endocrinology to my degree, and I am NEVER taking another biology unit again. I don't know what I was thinking...I didn't even do bio in high school...I really screwed myself...but I got HD's so I didn't crash n burn at least. It is kind of funny that the units I thought I'd do badly in Idid well in and the units I thought I'd do well in I did poorly in...

My psych mark was 90...as it should be. If I had gotten any less I would have been very disappointed.

Atheism

For me, atheism is a very simple thing. Once you establish that all religions have an equal claim to the truth, you are left with the option to either pick one, which leaves the dilemma of certainty, or there is the choice to worship a non-specific deity - at which point, the question follows, if this entity wanted to be worshipped, wouldn't it have been so clear about such a thing, that no one would be able to argue and there would only be one religion?...so if this non-specific creator entity doesn't care enough to leave all people with no doubt as to its existence, it either doesn't exist, or doesn't care.

On a lighter note...

My store has stock at the moment! mEdiCATeD mERiNO is officially in business! I WILL be stocking more in the near future. I am currently working on the licencing of several patterns, so look out for knitted stuff soon too.

I finished my first semester of Uni and am now waiting for my results. more on that when they come through.

lots of knitting...so much there is no point in writing about it.

Jordis is enjoying soccer.

I got me some oil paints. Hopefully I will have something to show for it soon.

Ode to a Drop-kick

I just read the most jaw-droppingly STUPID thing I have EVER read in my life...and that is saying something. It was an argument between the below linked girl and someone I know about the difference between 20 weeks and 5 months and the age of this girls baby. Normally I wouldn't say something like this, but some people should NEVER be allowed to have children. I pity this girl and her whole family, her child and everyone connected with her.Such blatantly arrogant, ignorant, mind-numbingly belligerent behaviour and language on her part and her family's is a testament to her inability to provide a proper life for her offspring. Whilst I DON'T think that the difference between 20 weeks and 5 months is important, or even a factor that shows how utterly vacuous this girl is, her reaction to anyone's negative opinion, inability to communicate using coherent language, violent attitude, foul mouth and pride in being a total loser do. This girl is a drop-kick. A deadbeat loser with no prospects and I can tell that JUST from the argument I witnessed (that and the fact she has almost as many pictures of her favourite alcoholic beverages as she does of her child). Sometimes I wonder what these people think of themselves. Whether they realise how stupid and useless they are, or if they really think they are hot shit. It never fails to amaze me how totally vapid some people are...I'd laugh...but it's not funny. This girl has a child... Someone who depends on her. Who is going to support her child? By that i mean who is going to make sure he can become all he can be? I truly hope he grows up to be even a fraction more worth while than his mother appears to be. I can't even say that despite her being stupid and totally without ambition, uneducated, irresponsible, violent and foul, that she is actually a really nice person, because I don't think I would EVER want to meet her. \rant

PS. Cortney, if you read this, there is a reason why people who act and think like you never make anything of themselves. That's just not how the real world works. What works for you in your little microcosm, is considered troglodytic and disgusting by the general public. Your foul language and deliberate butchering of all of the rules of grammar and spelling is NOT cool...it is atrocious and serves to portray you as an ignorant and vulgar simpleton. If you really give a damn about your son, you will clean your act up.

Cortney Micheal Braydon's Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/profil​e.php?id=100001532182804

• • 
    

The Effects of Early Child Care on Childhood Development

So, I have revived my marks and my mark was a 96.5 or a High Distinction. This Essay has been selected as a model essay for use by the University of New England's Department of Cognitive and Social Sciences, Introductory Sociology Essay Unit, and I now feel confident enough to publish my essay here for the general public to read. I hope you find it enlightening and interesting.

The Effects of Early Child Care on Childhood Development

Eryn Barlow

University of New England

Word count: 1,281

Abstract

Childcare has become a fundamental part of our society. Interest in the effect that centre care has on future outcomes for children is increasing, and long term studies on the effects undertaken. Belsky et al’s (2007) report on the long term effects of non relative child care found some correlation between quality child care and high levels of academic achievement and also between long hours of non relative care and behaviour problems. Sims, Guilfoyle and Parry’s (2006) study, which measured cortisol levels of children in centre care found that the higher the quality of the child care, the less likely children were to experience an increase in cortisol levels over the course of the day. Although exactly what levels of cortisol are damaging is not known, the presence of stress markers in lower quality care helps to highlight areas for improvement. Over all, both studies indicate that quality child care is important for promoting positive future outcomes for children.

* * *

The Effects of Early Child Care on Childhood Development

Childcare, is becoming an ever increasing presence in our everyday lives as more families require parents to be unavailable to their young children for some of the time. As a result, a diverse system of care arrangements have been spawned outside of the traditional parental and grandparental care structures, and study into the effects of non-relative care is becoming a subject of interest for parents and professionals alike (Belsky et al. 2007). As of yet, there have been relatively few studies that have considered the issue of early child care over the long term (Belsky et al; Sims, Guilfoyle and Parry. 2006), but those studies that have been and are being carried out show some intriguing results that definitely earn consideration for further research.

In Belsky et al’s (2007) report on the long term effects of early child care, their research into child care effects on long term development in regards to quality, quantity and type of care shows that even after controlling for as many contributing factors as possible, including socioeconomic and ethnic differences as well as parenting quality and the nature of the home environment (Belsky et al. 2007) it is very difficult to positively determine the long term effects that early child care may have (Belsky et al.). However, it is possible to see some correlation between individual child outcomes in areas of cognitive development such as language, memory and mathematics and the delivery of quality childcare (Belsky et al.). There is also some correlation between social and interpersonal development and longer hours spent in non-relative care and centre based care systems in particular (Belsky et al.).

There is extreme difficulty involved in studying the effects of child care on children as they grow and are entangled in greater webs of experience. The Belsky et al study (2007) found some evidence to suggest that children who were exposed to centre based care were more likely to have high scores on maths and literacy tests when they enter the school system, but the correlation became less significant as the children became older, becoming practically non existent by the 5^th-grade (Belsky et al.). They also found some evidence to suggest that children who experienced long hours of care were more likely to have behavioural problems (Belsky et al.), particularly in the transition from care into the schooling system. Due to the individual nature of childcare and experiences of each child, it is not possible to draw inferences about its generalisation to all children in centre based care. Belsky et al. (2007) found that overall, parenting quality was a far more reliable predictor of child outcomes than was a child’s involvement in non-relative care (Belsky et al), but ignoring the findings of this study would be unwise. The individual nature of a child’s experience means that being aware of any potential impact of childcare is both useful and important for catering to each child’s needs.

For those children in centre based care, the separation from the comfort and familiarity of parents into a sometimes alien and overwhelming environment can be very stressful. Research into the potential long term impacts of cortisol; a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands in times of stress, on health and personal wellbeing have led to interest in this area regarding children (Sims, Guilfoyle, and Parry, 2006). Sims et al’s (2006) study found correlation between child care quality and the levels of cortisol present over the course of the day in children attending centre based care for three or more days a week, where those attending high quality care showed a decrease in cortisol levels (or sometimes a less rapid increase) and those in lower quality care showed an increase in cortisol (Sims et al.). In particular, they found that those children, who demonstrated elevated cortisol levels over the course of the day, were attending care in which close bonds did not develop between carers and children particularly as a result of a more pronounced absence of respect for the children (Sims et al.) and also centres which did not have clear and well planned direction and delivery for their programmes (Sims et al.).

The use of cortisol as an indicator of the immediate impacts of the environment on the children is useful in two ways. Firstly, it allows a direct comparison between the child’s biological responses and their environment. It is clear from their study (Sims et al. 2006) that the quality of child care delivery does make a measurable difference in the child’s biological functioning, and it gives us an indicator of what areas need improvement by correlation (Sims et al.). Secondly, it gives a point from which predictions of future outcomes for children can potentially be made, following further research (Sims et al.). It is already known that high levels of cortisol can play a role in the formation of memory problems (Abercrombie et al. 2003; Takahashi et al. 2004; as cited in Sims et al. 2006), health problems (Adam 2003; Padgett and Glaser 2003; Kunz-Ebrecht et al. 2004; as cited in Sims et al.), Socio-emotional problems (Adam; Lueken and Lemery 2004; Young and Breslau 2004; Nicholson 2004; as cited in Sims et al.), behaviour problems (Adam; as cited in Sims et al.) and stress (Kristenson et al. 2004; as cited in Sims et al.), so these are the potential future issues for children experiencing elevated levels of cortisol, and further research may yet help determine the level at which cortisol actually causes damage (Sims et al.).

The effects of child care are potentially far reaching, yet difficult to discern. Living and growing within a western society means that our children are exposed daily to a range of experiences which will affect the people they become as adults. There is the possibility that children who spend time in child care centres may develop stronger literacy and numeracy skills, provided their care is of a high quality (Belsky et al. 2007). If it is not, or if they spend too much time in a centre based care environment, there is the chance of a development of behaviour problems (Belsky et al.). Belsky et al (2007) were very careful to point out in their study, that because of the vast number of influences on children as the move through school, it is almost impossible to isolate the effects of child care beyond a certain point, and Sims et al (2006) agrees that only inferences can be made about the future of any given child. However, both the Belsky et al (2007) study and the Sims et al (2006) study reinforce the need for quality child care in order to affect positive outcomes and to offset the negative outcomes.

Reference List

Belsky, J., Vandell, D. L., Burchinal, M., Clarke-Stewart, K. A., McCartney, K., Owen, M. T., et al. (2007). Are there long-term effects of early child care? Child Development, 78, 681–701.

Sims, M., Guilfoyle, A., & Parry, T. S. (2006). Children’s cortisol levels and quality of child care provision. Child: Care, Health and Development, 32, 453–466

For the lonesome ones...

Missing you both so much :(

Miss you Sam and Judd!

Quick stop in...

This song is freaking awesome....

I will post more soon. Many new updates to be made...

The Dangers of Pork Eating By Doctor Kellog?

This Article Is written by J.H Kellog, apparently exposing why it is that a plethora of diseases, including leprosy are caused by eating pork... HAHAHA. What bullshit. I suggest everyone go read it. It is beautifully crafted piece of religious propaganda, just OOZING with some of the best emotive and manipulative language I have ever read. Loves it.

My Yarn Wish List for this year.

I have been drooling over the yarnage lately. I am feeling needy, so I thought I'd post pics of all the yarns i want to acquire this year. I probably wont be buying any though, and will be more likely to try dying similar things myself instead. but here they are.

Dream In Colour; Smooshy - Photos courtesy of Eat-Sleep-Knit

^Tea Party^

^Still Spruce^

^Green Lantern^

^Gothic Rose^

^Black Parade^

^Velvet Plum^

The Sanguine Gryphon; Little Traveller - photos courtesy of The Sanguine Gryphon

^Ireland^
^Rojas^

^ Belize ^

The Sanguine Gryphon;Skinny Bugga!- photos courtesy of The Sanguine Gryphon

^Oak Timberworm^

The Sanguine Gryphon; Bugga! -Photos Courtesy of The Sanguine Gryphon

^Cowkiller^
^Dragonfly Tattoo^

The Sanguine Gryphon; Eidos - Photos courtesy of The Sanguine Gryphon

^Tebelis^

^Melesias^

Madeline Tosh; Pashmina - Photos Courtesy of Eat Sleep Knit

^Moorland^

^Duchess^

^Briar^

^Dahlia^

^Lichen^

Madeline Tosh; Tosh Sock - Photos Courtesy of Eat Sleep Knit

^Venetian^

^Fig^

^Brother's Grim^

And all that comes to the grand total of $529...Yeah...like that'll happen!

Sigh...religion strikes again...

I really can't express how much I hate religion. It makes potentially smart people say and do the stupidest things...

Why is it that a religious person is first to credit god with the hard work and ingenuity of doctors and scientists? Someone survives after a horrific accident...ITS A FUCKING MIRACLE!

Why is it that religious politicians can get away with pushing a religious agenda is what is supposed to be a free democratic society like the USA. I really feel for you United States. Your politicians are fucking retarded. Not that ours aren't...but they have never declared 3 days of prayer when we have been in drought....which we were....for years... and i am glad they never did, because It is insulting to the intelligence of all free thinking humans to have a government with a religious agenda...and that goes for ANY country.

feeling damn goooood :)

Despite the miserable weather, I am feeling good. Dinner and a double feature horror flicks at home for my birthday did me wonders. Tonight's dinner is Chicken and Avocado tacos. I am feeling indulgent and having TWO meaty meals in a row! but tomorrow is veggie soup and back to the ol' vego food again. I do crave the taste of earthy vegetable skins....

Upcoming Birthday. :)

So it is my 24th Birthday in 2 days, and I am actually looking forward to it. My daughter is away for the Holidays at her Nana'a house, and Ryan and I are having a souvlaki dinner. It should be wonderful :)

...

You walk on like a woman in suffering

Won't even bother now to tell me why

You come alone, letting all of us savour the moment

Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane

Leave me alone, let me be this time

You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption

I don't want to mention, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

You don't know what your power has done to me

I want to know if I'll heal inside

I can't go on with a holocaust about to happen

Seeing you laughing another time

You'll never know why your face has haunted me

My very soul has to bleed this time

Another hole in the wall of my inner

defences

Leaving me breathless, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

Into the abyss will I run

You walk on like a woman in suffering

Won't even bother now to tell me why

You come alone, letting all of us savour the moment

Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane

Leave me alone, let me be this time

You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption

I don't want to mention, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go

When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know

That I am crippled by all that you've done

Into the abyss will I run

Into the abyss will I run

I can't let you go

Yes I am stricken and can't let you go

Not feeling so great...

that is all....

Very generous gifts.

I have been gifted twice now in the last month with some very generous gifts. The first one was a $50 note that someone left in my front door. They left it anonymously, but I think I know who it was. I can't be 100% sure though, so i will not name names. The generosity has stuck in my mind, as the donation has helped me to pay for my Uni text books, which overall, ended up costing me nearly $550 - actually less than they were going to originally, due to me getting one of them second hand. I want the gifter to know, that I truly love and appreciate them. THANK YOU!

The second gift, I have been asked not to give details about, but I did not feel I could let the extremely generous gesture go unmentioned. So, without (again) Naming Names, Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Your generosity is very keenly felt and I promise, I will make it up to you as soon as I am able to. If you read this, thank you.

I feel like i have been on the receiving end of more than my fair share of kindness and generosity. I am so humbled by the very kind actions of two very special people. I promise, I will make it up to everyone. Thank you!

ERYN.

Mission possible?

scrap it. it aint gonna happen

Curry and Knitts

So, it's been a while since I blogged....

Lots has happened, and I have been quite busy. Firstly, I was accepted and have now enrolled in Uni, and am currently selling everything of mine that has value to pay for my texts. I need $689. So if you see something of mine for sale, PLEASE BUY IT! I admit, I'm a little desperate.

I am really excited about uni. I can't wait to get my texts and start reading :) I feel my life moving forward now. I WILL make something of myself. I will make my family proud of me. I have been such a disappointment to myself and my family. I want them to have a reason to think of me in a positive way, and I want to set a good example for Jordis.

I donated some of my wool to the flood relief Auction at Kiss my serendipity, trying to do what I can to help. Me being poor, there is not much else I can do, so it is nice to know that other people will be donating on my behalf.

I was diagnosed with gall stones a few weeks ago, and have changed my diet to a vegan one in an attempt to avoid surgery and reverse some of the damage. I have been trying hard to find vegan dishes that i and my family like, and it has been fun. It is lucky that neither Jordis or Ryan are particularly fussy when it comes to veggies, so it gives me a lot of room to experiment. tonight was a wonderful red lentil curry, the recipe for which is thus...

1 cup red lentils (I soak mine overnight to make them softer... I like them that way, but if you like a firmer lentil, then just rinse them before hand)

1 400g can of red kidney beans, rinsed

4 cups of sweet potato cut into inch cubes

1 cup of sweet corn kernels.

1 sachet of Thai red curry paste

1 litre of vegetable stock

1 small can of coconut cream

half a red capsicum, diced

half a yellow capsicum, diced

1/2 tsp of masala spice.

The method is very simple. add the lentils, potato, corn, stock, curry paste and masala to a large pot and cook on medium/low heat for about 40 minutes, then increase the heat to medium/high for about 15 minutes, allowing much of the water to boil off. then, add the diced capsicum and coconut cream and simmer for a further 15 minutes, or until it is the consistency you want. It is quite a thin curry, but you could make it thicker by adding a cup less stock in the beginning. We had ours served in bowls with biryani rice. It was amazingly good.

lastly, I have been looking for Jean Greenhowe knitting patterns for ages, and i finally found some. they arrived today :)

I am particularly excited about the clowns. :) My grandmother knits them, and they are full of memories for me. My eldest sister owned one, and now, so does my daughter. I desperately want to make one, and i will be starting with this one.

A new Year

So, it is 2011....

My ATAR was 87.95. Not too bad really. Makes me wonder how well I could have done if I hand't spent all that time spinning and on book face playing poker :)

I applied for UNI, and am just waiting to have my application approved. My ATAR is high enough to get me into Psychology with Honours so hoorah!

My new years resolution is:

(a) to get all distinctions and higher for every assignment.

and

(b) to be a size 12 by the end of the year.

if I can achieve these two things, I will be a very happy me.

My Christmas was amazing, and remarkably, chocolate free. I have been looking for Natural alternatives to sugar as well, in the hopes that I can still enjoy sweetness, without the risk of harming myself or my goal to lose weight. I feel unenthusiastic about the idea of artificial sweeteners, as they taste horrible and are bad for you, so natural it is. Agave Nectar seems to be a good alternative. There is also Stevia, which isn't too bad. they are both plant based and low GI, so I am hoping they will help me. I particularly have high hopes for the Agave Nectar. I hear it is lovely. so here is wishing me luck on my journey into a sugar free diet.

I am reluctant to make the jump to skim milk... I don't like it. Perhaps it would be best to just cut milk out all together. I am open to suggestions though, if anyone knows how I can have low fat, but still creamy coffee...