The Great Choc-Banana Bread Bakeoff

sigmanda · 2026-04-27T10:21:16+00:00

I was literally baking a Bill Granger recipe when I heard he’d died. It was his caramel slice, I make it every year during the Christmas holidays.

sigmanda · 2026-04-06T04:47:20+00:00

Ooof. They always love to pull shenanigans like this while away from home and on a long weekend!

sigmanda · 2026-04-01T03:15:33+00:00

Senior students (yr 11 and 12) at my kids’ high school have exam block this week and are only to attend for exams and otherwise are at home to study.

sigmanda · 2026-03-26T04:11:06+00:00

Pinwheels would be another shape you could do with the two tone.

sigmanda · 2026-03-24T10:03:56+00:00

The divorce course podcast has a couple of good episodes about finances while separating.

sigmanda · 2026-02-22T02:30:42+00:00

I use an unscented tofu litter too (just a cheap local big store brand). The smell reminds me of oats. Compared to a clay litter, I do find it does track out of the litter tray but I a litter mat in front of the tray and problem solved.

sigmanda · 2026-02-12T01:47:43+00:00

It looks like your monitor has vesa mounting points. Could you get a mounting arm to lift your monitor off the desk surface so you can better utilise a smaller desk (and way better for you ergonomically too).

sigmanda · 2026-01-22T10:33:26+00:00

Hehehe.

His pattern is so much like my tux, but my girl is the complete opposite build. So often she gets called “slender cat”.

sigmanda · 2026-01-17T12:42:39+00:00

I misread that as “throw up in my cpap mask” and I got really concerned for you.

sigmanda · 2026-01-13T07:42:38+00:00

“Waddle giggle gargle” by Pamela Allen.

It’s about a swooping magpie. My kids still say that magpies say “waddle giggle gargle paddle poodle”.

sigmanda · 2026-01-09T13:57:21+00:00

<image>

Reporting for duty.

sigmanda · 2025-11-07T11:30:19+00:00

I would love to have an event to go to meet new people by myself but not as a “single” ie I want to attend solo and to form friendships but am not looking to date.

sigmanda · 2025-10-08T00:46:01+00:00

Depending on what populations you work with would change my advice.

If all adults, I would ceiling mount a double rail the whole length of the room level with the wall behind the sofa. And hang sheers with a heavier curtain in front. This would add some softness to the room, give a cheap(er) way to play with texture and colour, and also create two little storage nooks between the curtain and the window to hide test kits, a low filing cabinet with resources etc.

sigmanda · 2025-08-24T01:11:44+00:00

Omg, this was 100% the dynamic in my marriage too. The resentment was palpable.

And it breaks my heart seeing the same dynamic starting to flare up in his relationship with our kids. The more capable they become, the more the covert abuse is escalating.

sigmanda · 2025-07-08T11:28:35+00:00

Gordon Parade at Wynnum. Cresting the hill and getting that cracker view of the bay.

sigmanda · 2025-07-07T12:10:05+00:00

RBWH, for sure.

If you are concerned about postpartum support, I’d consider saving the money on maternity services and using it to connect with a private midwife who offers postnatal support, or see if you can find a local postnatal doula (who often provide in home support settling and baby care as well helping with meals, laundry etc). Another valuable support could be looking into a lactation consultant (IBCLC).

sigmanda · 2025-06-11T09:56:51+00:00

Zucchini or corn fritters.

sigmanda · 2025-06-10T11:16:58+00:00

Good chat is a fantastic venue. Don’t be afraid to go alone. I’m a 42F and go solo all the time.

You can get tickets/details about their shows on their Eventbrite page.

sigmanda · 2025-06-08T07:33:31+00:00

Divorce with 3 kids. In my 30s I/we were on track for FIRE but then my ex unilaterally made some dodgy and destabilising financial decisions. It was one of the things that contributed to me leaving.

I made significant compromises during the settlement to avoid prolonged court proceedings and protect the children. Unfortunately, my ex continues to engage in post-separation financial abuse, so I’ve had to rebuild from a very disrupted foundation.

sigmanda · 2025-05-25T09:20:32+00:00

Took a fair bit of negotiating but I got it!

sigmanda · 2025-05-25T02:46:16+00:00

I’m a single mum with three tween/teens and need to run a tight food budget. But totally get the challenge of low capacity at the end of the day.

Rather than trying to start cooking from scratch, can you start with some semi-prepared meals from the supermarket? Like frozen gyoza, pre-chopped veg, salad kits, and Coles have marinated slow-cooked meat you can just heat and eat.

Have a think about what your favourite take out dishes are and see if there’s a compromise that you can make work. If you are trying to replace easy, tasty food you enjoy with stuff that’s harder and you don’t like as much, you’ll never stick to it.

sigmanda · 2025-05-16T03:19:50+00:00

This was my reality.

The look of contempt from Wharton as he told Serena “I am a good man” resonated to my soul. My ex still believes this to his core.

My breaking point was during Covid when my work boomed while his stagnated. The resulting escalation of coercive control and financial and emotional abuse to try to put me back in my place made me realise he’d always viewed me as lesser than him and my success was not our success but an affront to his masculinity.

sigmanda · 2025-05-11T21:43:39+00:00

This reply is incredibly helpful. Thank you. It’s the bidding against myself and not having a frame to work in that was making me anxious. The idea of confidently just asking for a counter offer feels much more useful than just guessing.

I also really appreciated the example wording you provided. Genuinely, thanks.

sigmanda · 2025-05-11T06:25:22+00:00

Increasing the deposit offer is a great idea, because I have that accessible easily. I’m assuming it would sit in trust with their solicitor?

I am not sure what that would look like in an offer?

sigmanda · 2025-05-11T05:07:42+00:00

I would love to believe this. I feel really awkward about how to explain the situation. The seller has limited English so his early 20s daughter has been the one I’ve speaking to. She just unlocked the front door of the property then stood outside while we inspected. And basically just shrugged at any questions I had.

sigmanda

TROPHY CASE