 I am the most fortunate mum in the world! I am the proud parent of a 16 year boy who is just fantastic, funny, kind, gentle, good-looking and smart...I don't sound biased do I? Of course not because it is all true! Well the time has arrived in my life when Mr 16 year old is learning to drive! And...like most 16 year olds, he believes he is already a fantastic driver:) Of course fantastic 16 year old drivers are ready to tackle traffic, teeny weeny roundabouts and deceptive corners perfectly on their second lesson! Fantastic 16 year old drivers are ready to take on the entire trip from Sydney to Bathurst over the Blue Mountains on their third driving lesson! Don't you just love such confidence!? Am I a nervous wreck?...Not yet! As we set off to Bathurst on the weekend, Mr 16 year old proudly put his L Plates on the car, adjusted the mirrors, changed my seating and sat proudly behind the wheel of my little B Class Mercedes (at least it is made with an internal roll bar) I think to myself. Off we go to get some petrol before the trip....driving carefully down the main street of Camden we come across our first roundabout..."Now keep your line and stay in your lane", I say calmly to my son as he promptly attempts to side swipe the white four wheel drive on the outside lane of the roundabout! Keeping inside one's lane really means...move as far over into the other lane as possible so that no one else can be on the roundabout at the same time as you! Thankfully the other driver saw those big yellow L Plates and took evasive action! With my heart still thumping and many an apologetic smile to the afore mentioned driver we pulled into the servo for some fuel. Phew...first leg of the journey went well!  We drove out of Camden with no more hiccups and reached The Northern Road (which is roundabout heaven) ...things were going smoothly as Mr 16 year old cruised along at 80 kph and mostly kept inside his lane (he has a tendency to veer left) until the next roundabout..."remember to keep your line, slow down and think about where the car is going", I say....of course, slow down really means maintain my speed and slow down as I am going around the roundabout! I gingerly look into the mirror in my sun visor to check for cars who needed to pull off the road as our car grandly took another wide roundabout turn! Needless to say...Mr 16 year old did improve, and, as this was only his second roundabout ever...he was doing just fine. At least he was doing better than me! Our next hurdle was exiting The Northern Road and merging onto The Great Western Freeway heading towards the Blue Mountains...Think about this...80kph L Plate merging with 110kph traffic... so I calmly say, (well I think I spoke calmly)..."pull over and I will drive from here"...and surprisingly he did with no complaint! After I navigated the drive over the Blue Mountains, I let my son drive from Lithgow to Bathurst, which went smoothly, until Kelso, which is on the outskirts of Bathurst. Here slow down for the red light was secret code for...maintain speed and brake just as I get to the red light! Life with a 16 year old Learner driver is fun! I am constantly taken back to my teenage years and learning to drive with my Dad. It is lovely to marvel at the sheer enthusiasm my son has just to get behind the wheel and go for a drive. I know that he will grow into a mature and sensible driver...and that by the time he gets his P Plates...he will not be like many other P- Platers on the road who believe that they are invincible...Is that just me living my life in fantasy mode? I hope not... Share your experiences...I would love to read them!
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 Girls' Rights are Human Rights On a cold day in 2004, in a small village of rural Nepal, Plan’s Germany Director Marianne Raven was sitting under a tree discussing the community’s challenges with its inhabitants. As the huddled group made requests for more blankets to cover themselves from the cold, Marianne saw a small girl ambling past, with barely enough clothes to keep her warm. The girl's mother was asked, “Why doesn’t this girl have adequate clothing against the cold?” The mother’s answer would have a profound impact on Marianne, and indeed all of Plan. She replied, “Because she is a girl". This campaign is dedicated to Sharmila. With your support, Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign aims to unleash the incredible potential of girls to create a better world. The benefits are not just for them, but for everyone. http://www.becauseiamagirl.com.au/Learn-More.aspx  Etsy is filled with creative entrepreneurs who pursue their passions, work for themselves and create an environment where you can purchase bespoke, handcrafted items that are often one of a kind. Individually their businesses may be small, but together they offer the promise of a more values-led, people-centred approach to life, business and the broader economy. But it’s not as easy for all women around the world to start their own business. In many developing countries, women are unlikely to secure a bank loan. Girls are unlikely to be given the same access to education as their male counterparts, and they’re often subject to gender based violence, child marriage, sex trade trafficking and are more likely to suffer from poor health and nutrition. Plan International’s Because I Am A Girl_ campaign is aiming to break down these barriers and change the world for girls. They believe that if they can help break down the barriers that prevent millions of girls around the world from gaining the education and skills they need to move from poverty to opportunity, that girls really will be able to transform the world for the better. Etsy’s community of Australian sellers care about girls’ rights and have decided to get together to support Plan’s Because I Am A Girl campaign in their work to change the world for girls.  This is why I am participating in the #makeforgood campaign leading up to Christmas this year.... To help make a difference! My shop, AllSorts of Soap, always donates 10% of my sales to Compassion Australia's Child Survival Programs and now an extra 20% will go to Plan's Because I Am a Girl campaign! Fantastic! Pop into Etsyau and type in #makeforgood and so many wonderful bespoke items are available for you to make your Christmas spending do good this year!   I love Baba Ghanoush, but I am not a gourmet cook or even like being in my kitchen (unless its to make soap!). This Baba Ghanoush recipe is so easy...even a non-cook like myself can whip this up very quickly and make a nutritious lunch. The above pic is my lunch today! Nutritious and absolutely delicious! Baba Ghanoush is very versatile as you can add whatever seasonings or herbs that appeals to your palate. For this recipe I only added salt, but I can add other garnishes such as Coriander, Parsley or even Jeera (cumin seed) later. Nutritional breakdown of eggplant (aubergine)One cup of raw eggplant contains 20 calories, 0.8 grams of protein, 4.82 grams of carbohydrate, 0.15 grams of fat and 2.5 grams of dietary fiber. A one-cup serving meets 10% of daily fiber needs, 5% potassium, 3% vitamin C, 5% vitamin B-6, 1% iron and 2% magnesium. The eggplant, also known as aubergine, garden egg, guinea squash, melongene and brinjal, is usually distinguishable by its signature egg-like shape and vibrant purple color.Eggplants also contain anthocyanins, compounds that belong to a class of naturally occurring phytochemicals known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are present in many plant foods and in addition to providing health benefits - they also contribute to the distinguishable coloration of many fruits and vegetables. In this case, anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that give the eggplant their well-known dark purple complexion.2 Many of the nutritional benefits gained from consuming eggplants are obtained from the skin of the vegetable. Eggplant skin is full of fiber, potassium and magnesium and antioxidants. In fact, its phenolic content makes it such a potent free radical scavenger that the eggplant is ranked among the top 10 vegetables in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279359.php So here is my delicious vegan eggplant Baba Ghanoush! Enjoy. Preparation time- 10 mins cooking time- 5 mins Processing- 30secs Ingredients
 Super Easy Method
If you have any easy and tasty Vegan Recipes then I would love to hear from you! Write them in the comments with your name so that others can enjoy them;) Happy eating everyone!
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At a Child Survival Project in the Dominican Republic.
JanineHi! Welcome to my Soapy Conversations about Soap and AllSorts of other Topics! I live in NSW Australia and I am a mother of five, Grandmother of Five and I sponsor seven children through Compassion Australia. I love making soap, reading, teaching English, and being an Advocate for children and women living in poverty. Archives
April 2016
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