Scene Setting by Greg, Then an Extract From Trenna’s Gardening Diary
This post is just a bit of whimsy
This post is just a bit of whimsy I have decided to do on the spur of the moment. Today (16th December 2023) is one week before the third anniversary of Trenna passing away. And of course Christmas is approaching and a few days after that will be my birthday.
It is a time of mixed emotions. Don’t get me … Read the rest ... “24 Years Ago in our Garden”
by Greg
The holiday season is upon us, so I thought I’d do an entertaining friends post.
Trenna absolutely loved mixing with people, and she loved good food. And lunch time was the ideal socialising time for her.
First thing in the morning she was often stiff and/or sore from the night, and her morning drugs had not had time to take effect. In the evening she was often exhausted from the activities of the day. Lunch time though, … Read the rest ... “How to Stage a Trenna Lunch – with recipes”
By Greg
This post has a connection to the Menu Diaries series. If you aren’t familiar with the series, a good place to start would be HERE.
Some of the items and practices I discuss here are mentioned in the series of posts in which I explain some of the mechanisms Trenna used to cope with her Marfan’s Syndrome. That series starts here.
As I have explained a few times, meals and their preparation were central to Trenna’s … Read the rest ... “Tales From Trenna’s Kitchen”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Wednesday 1 September. We started the month with one of Trenna’s Indian (mini) banquets. Lamb Kheema, Brinjal Bartha, Mango Chutney, Basmati Rice, Papadums. An excellent meal that Trenna describes as “Really fab! [I] put extra spices in [the] Kheema.” We had it again on the … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 19”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Wednesday 4 August. We had our friend Ken (Eggs) over for dinner and had satays, which we would have made from scratch along with the Sambal Badjak – a chilli sambal.
Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 August. “Bellissimo!” was the Neapolitana Sauce Trenna made to … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 18”
By Greg
I think Trenna’s Darwin letters to my parents convey a lot of the colour and light of our two year stay at the top of Australia. If you haven’t caught up with them I suggest you start them HERE.
There were a few stories from that period that weren’t covered by Trenna’s letters, so I thought I’d cobble together a bunch of them in this post.
We moved to Darwin so that I could … Read the rest ... “The Green Salad Sandwich Maker, and Other Darwin Stories”
If you’ve missed it, this series starts here.
A note before Tren starts: There is about a 4 and a half month break between the following letter and the previous one. I suspect that there wasn’t one written in that time. That period includes a lot of “The Dry” when we were way more active, but during this period my parents visited and Trenna’s sister Barb visited. Our friends Lorraine and Neil also arrived to live in Darwin, Lorraine … Read the rest ... “The Darwin Letters No.8”
If you’ve missed it, this series starts here.
Tuesday 21 March 1995
20/288 Casuarina Drive
Nightcliff 0810
G’day (hopefully) Mum and Dad,
We hope you are both well. We’re pretty good, and we’re looking forward to your visit.
Well this letter has taken considerably more effort to write than any previous one to date, that’s for sure. Mind you, it’s not for want of trying on my part.
Our computer is trying my patience just a tad. I think … Read the rest ... “The Darwin Letters No. 7”
By Greg
If this post interests you there have been three others on this topic. All with things that Trenna tried to help her or my life as we coped with her multiple medical conditions.
I don’t think for a moment that every tip or anecdote will be useful, but I certainly am hoping that people living with chronic illness or … Read the rest ... “Marfan and Other Chronic Conditions – Things That Worked for Trenna – Part 4”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Wednesday 30 June. The previous two days we had old standards but on this Wednesday Trenna has prepared Ox Tail Stew! I feel a little guilty that I don’t remember … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 17”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
In the last entry of The Menu Diaries No.15, here, Trenna speculates about what meal we were having the most often. Well as it … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 16 – Special Edition!”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 June. “Drama!” I remember this. Trenna was making the cannelloni tubes as well as the filling. The “Drama” was getting the tubes to stay together. Her poor … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No.15”
By Greg
This post relates to the Menu Diaries series. If you aren’t familiar with the series, a good place to start would be here.
The other day I was talking to a friend who likes the TrennaMahney.com website. I asked for some feedback, and this is what she said.
“I love all the stories about what Tren got up to – there’s lots of stuff I didn’t know. I don’t read those Menu things though… I’m not … Read the rest ... “Why You Should Read The Menu Diaries”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 May. I would have made this one. Pork in Black Bean Sauce was one of the recipes from the Chinese Cooking class I had taken some years before.… Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No.14”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Tuesday, 30 and Wednesday 31 March. We had Veal Parmesan which was a great success. Trenna only ever put this on the menu if she was sure she could get genuine veal, not just any beef. Then one … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 13”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Monday, 1 March. Spaghetti Jaffles (closed toasted sandwiches) with lettuce. Hmmm! – that doesn’t sound very typical. I’ve looked in my 1993 work diary and seen that I had the day off from work. I … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 12”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Monday, 1 February. This was obviously the Australia Day long weekend, Monday holiday. As I mentioned before, these days the Australia Day (as it’s officially called) holiday is always on 26 January, but in those days it was … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 11”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
It looks like we ate a few home grown vegies in January 1993. That was probably the peek of our vegetable growing as a short time later we built a swimming pool that took up most of the sunny space in the back yard.… Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 10”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Monday 2 November. Cardboard sausages. These were left overs from Colin and Julie’s barbecue the day before.
Tuesday 3 November. Once again Tren’s Original Curry, as discussed in previous Menu Diaries.
Saturday 7 November. Muresk is an Agricultural … Read the rest ... “Menu Diary No. 9”
For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click HERE. And for the reasons why you really should read this series, please click HERE.
Monday 28 September. Roast Pork. I would have made this one. Mainly because Trenna would have real trouble lifting a hot pork roast safely, and secondly because in those days I always got the crackling perfectly crispy.
Wednesday 30 September – Sunday 4 … Read the rest ... “Menu Diary No. 8”