Broccoli and Cashew Stir Fry with Noodles

Brocco-nut Noodles

Mr Duncan gave notice to our landlord at the end of last week.  It was not as soon as I would have liked. I'd have done it the day he got the visa.  But when you delegate the job of Landlord Relations to someone else you live with, you have to let them do things their own way.

Even if it drives you nuts.

Otherwise you just end up taking all the responsibility for everything - and that is not a recipe for a harmonious home-life.  Or relationship either.

So there has been a sudden flurry of activity this week.  

I've been trying to get international moving companies in to quote for our move and no fewer than seven real estate companies have been in touch wanting to send over photographers for their listings and bring through potential future tenants.   

I hate strangers in my house when I'm not present.

We have two months to get everything organised which would normally be more than enough time.  

As an adult, I've moved countries four times with little more than a couple of suitcases, a wooden chest full of sentimental items and a couple of oriental rugs. 

I've learned how to only spend money on things I really love and to make do with things that I can let go of easily until I move to my forever home, where ever that may be.

Mr Duncan, on the other hand, never gets rid of anything and is resistant to suggestions that some of the half-read newspapers and magazines piled up on his desk could go in the paper recycling.  

It transpires, in addition to all the furniture and belongings in our home, he wants to bring a whole load of stuff I didn't even know he had, from his childhood bedroom and the loft at his parents' house.  Including a filing cabinet-sized obsolete computer from the early 90s. And all his childhood books (which is kind of sweet). 

Oh - and after much too-ing and fro-ing as it makes no financial sense whatsoever, the Land Rover, which is its own little set of organisational headaches to do with shipping and import duties.

For the past couple of months I've been asking Mr Duncan to get all that he wants to bring to Australia to our current house, so I can get moving quotes.  A few weeks ago he took the Land Rover up to his parents place with boxes and the intention of returning with the stuff he wants shipped to Australia.  

He returned empty handed with a headache and sulky attitude.

I gather his mother is less than impressed by the plan to move and is holding his stuff to ransom with a side of emotional blackmail.  I am less than impressed he never told her before.  

Moving to Australia has been the plan of record for over three years now.

He wants me to go ahead and get the quotes on what is already at home, then have them charge us for whatever extra he brings by before they pack it all into the container.  

I dislike this plan as

a) I have no idea of the volume of 'extra' and

b) there is already a considerable cost associated with shipping all his crap belongings currently IN the house.  I am not happy to incur penalty charges for an undefined quantity of 'extra' that may turn up especially since

• I could do the move alone for less than a tenth of what just moving the Land Rover is going to cost   
• we want to be able to buy a house in Australia and the moving costs are coming out of our savings for a deposit
• I'm not currently earning any money
• we agreed it would be okay for me not to immediately get a high paid/high stress job on landing in Australia in the hope I might get pregnant again.  

Gah!

I'm never going to get pregnant again if I let the stress get to me.  Allow me to soothe my feelings with food....

Fertility Focus

Cashew nuts are full of protein, healthy fats, iron, zinc and selenium
Broccoli is a source of calcium and helps balance hormone levels

This Abel and Cole recipe for Brocco-nut Noodles came with our vegbox.  For a change, I mostly followed it as written - I just used pre soaked and dried cashews (without butter), added some onion and tossed the still hot noodles into the wok for a couple of minutes before serving.