the green life

Renovation is moving right along. We have all been up there in that green world over the weekend. While not exactly "homey" at this stage. it is beginning to take shape.
I am writing now with the sound of saw and nail gun punctuation. Imagine it if you will.
Pepper has left for camp today. Five days without her lovely little grouchy face and snuggle on the couch. She already had her nose in a book as the bus pulled away.
D's birthday on the weekend was cause for MUCH eating. Chinese on Friday night late at Supper Inn was splendid. Chilli quail is a must. Brekky out on Sunday morning set us up for the day. I had a beautiful omelette with fetta, capsicum and chorizo wrapped inside. D grossed us all out by having french toast with bananas, maple syrup and BACON. It was so unbelievably sweet. Pepper alarmed me with her complete annihilation of two massive waffles covered in berries and vanilla marscapone. She can sure put it away.
Even though as a child I would have been all over the idea of baking a cake for my Dad's birthday and having the run of the kitchen, my kids disappointed me by waiting for me to NAG them into the task. I offered to give them shopping money to buy all the ingredients they needed for a true masterpiece of their own invention, but they left it til nearly the last minute, argued over method and left the cake undecorated. I feel sad that they care so little for the joy of "doing" for others. It has been suggested that I have made a rod for my own back for doing too much for them. Someone said that this generation are just like that. Someone else announced definitively that it is their AGE, but I worry that my darlings are just uncaring selfish little brats. Sure they can be NICE, they can be FRIENDLY, they are very beautiful to look at (if you ask me), but do they have any feelings? Do they have any empathy? Can they appreciate things if the things do not directly benefit them? How can I pull back and ignite their compassion. I feel sad for them when I think about how much enjoyment I get from doing things for other people. If they never think of anyone except themselves, they won't get that wonderful warm feeling of love and goodness and excitement and anticipation. I don't know what to do. I am sick of paying them pocket money when I have to spend the weekend nagging them to do the few paltry tasks I allocate. I am at the verge of going on strike but I can't stand the mess!!!
On a happy note, the cake was in fact delicious. It was chocolate and cardamom fudge cake from my best and most favourite cookbook ever. It is called IN THE KITCHEN by Michelle Curtis and Allan Campion, published by Hardie Grant and available at Dymocks 234 Collins Street Melbourne. I hate the idea of the home recipe folder though I think for others to have those memories is lovely. I have started writing directly into my recipe books (!@#%naughty I know^%$$@#$#@) especially my frequent variations to the recipes. Maybe a little comment if I think it fits, to place a stamp of love on my favourite dishes to remember.