meal planning monday

How GOOD are long weekends? (Answer: very).

But now, it's back to reality, and, for my gal, school this week. Eeep! Where did those school holidays go? Here's what we're eating this week.

monday: I'll add it, even though we've eaten it. I cooked a marinated lamb shoulder on the bbq, threw on a few slices of haloumi, and a wrap each (till they were golden, yet also softened). Then I spread the wraps with humous, threw on some baby spinach, sliced up the lamb and added it, along with the haloumi, to the wraps. Yum.

tuesday: my husband's taking my father-in-law to see the Socceroos in the semi final IN NEWCASTLE! I am so jealous, but I am a good wife, and good daughter-in-law and knew they'd have a lovely time together so I'll just watch the game on telly. I'll make spaghetti bolognaise. I also have to cook up a little something for a bake-off competition at work. I have a WINNING recipe planned. Shall share later in the week. (It is SO good!)

wednesday: paella. Man, I feel like paella.

thursday: salmon on the bbq, with a green salad.

friday: takeaway tonight. I'll be exhaustipated after a four day working week!

saturday: I'm off to Sydney with friends to see Neil Gaiman - we'll be grabbing a bite to eat at Angel Place before the show.

sunday: roast pork tonight. With salads. Apple and fennel would be nice.

image: housetohome.co.uk

meal planning monday

I would very much like to dine at this setting. Sure, my dining partner's head *may* be somewhat obscured by that absolutely enormous floral arrangement - but pretty!

So, how's you January going? Super-fast? MINE TOO!

I just had a lovely romantic weekend. Hubby and I went down to Sydney, stayed in a five star hotel, then went to So Frenchy So Chic at St John's College at Sydney Uni. We sat in the shade of the majestic sandstone building and sipped champagne and nibbled on crepes. Oh, it was divine. And all to the accompaniment of French songs. Our fave, Emilie Simon played and she was utterly enchanting. Love a lovely day (and night out).

So, here's this week, my gal's last full week of school holidays before heading into year 10! (Where did that time go, I ask you!)

monday: the gal's off to her grandparents for a sleepover. I'm dropping her, and staying for dinner (hurrah!)

tuesday: hubby will be collecting the gal early, and bringing her home. She'll have had her braces tightened the day before, so I'll treat her to sausages on soft white hotdog buns.

wednesday: I have some lovely steaks. I'm going to grill them lightly then slice them thinly to make a thai beef salad for tonight's dinner. YUM!

thursday: poached chicken and mango salad tonight.

friday: we're off to Sydney again! Taking the gal and one of her pals to see a band called The Vamps. I'm the designated adult so expect bemused tweets throughout the night if you follow me on twitter. We're staying at the Bondi Hotel - might as well make the most of it! Dinner somewhere in Bondi, nice and early before heading off to the Hordern Pavillion.

saturday: bbq. Garlic prawns, chorizo and potato salad yes? Yes.

sunday: dinner at the beach. Either pizza (yes, probably pizza) or pizza :)

And that's my week. Pretty darned busy, but kinda healthy don't you think? (well, aside from the sausage - but everything in moderation...)

image from housestohome.co.uk

meal planning monday

Well, first day back at work after two weeks off. I shall be easing back into it. But there's no rest for the planning wicked! So here's what we'll be eating.

monday: bbq. I shall stretch the holiday feeling by firing up the barbie tonight. We'll have pork cutlets brushed with peach jam (spiked with a little ginger!) and cooked over the grill. It will be served with a green salad.

tuesday: another bbq? Oh why not? Steaks tonight. With a spinach and beetroot salad.

wednesday: I'll be exhaustipated after three days of labour after so many of rest. So we'll have spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.

thursday: I'm going out with friends for dinner. Husband and daughter can grill up some chicken breast kebabs. And have them with a brown rice salad strewn with diced, colourful vegies.

friday: bbq lamb rump. With a spinach, feta and walnut salad.

saturday: prawns on the bbq. Chilli and garlic marinade. Lots of salad.

sunday: another bbq! Caramelised chicken thighs tonight. With a soba noodle salad.

And that'll do.

ps: how lovely and floral is this pic from housetohome.co.uk? (answer: very)

fifteen fab things

So, for the last two years I've done a 52 new things list for the new year. Lofty - and generally unattainable. So, for 2015 I'm going for fifteen fab things. I want to make the year a little more fabulous. And here's how:

1. Find, frame and hang some vintage French advertising posters. This one above would be just fab in my bedroom! Then I can surround them with suitable travel pics.

2. Enrol in French for Travellers class. I can do this!

3. Learn to play my new ukelele! I have three friends to do this one with.

4. Take lunch to work at least three days out of the five. This'll save money and hopefully improve my health.

5. Do more fun stuff with my husband and daughter - we've already got a few things planned, time to do some more. Ooooh, I want to learn how to crochet - I can do THAT with my gal!

6. Renovate our bathroom!

7. Plan our next holiday. Go on more short-trips such as long-weekends!

8. Broaden my musical horizons. Listen to more music, see more live music, dance more.

9. Find a fitness/dance class and stick to it.

10. Ride my bike to work one day!

11. Keep on decluttering the house.

12. Back up all my computer stuff.

13. Blog one to two times per week. And take heaps of photos so I've got images for said blog.

14. Excel at my work.

15. Stop sweating the small stuff. I got through Christmas without really stressing, so that'll be my aim for the rest of the year. Do what I can - and don't worry about what others are (or are not) doing.

And that's it!

How about you?

happy new year

And with that - we have 2015. Another year hey? What are you going to do to make yours better? I've just had the most glorious two weeks off work. Spent most of it just lolling around and relaxing - it's been perfect. I've also done my best to get out there on my bike every day - which has been just brilliant. I saw in the new year the way I intend to continue it - frocked up and somewhere fabulous.

I went to the Hendricks Pop Up Bar at The Landing at Honeysuckle with my friends C and J and we had a blast. We found the perfect table right in the line of the Fireworks, sipped cocktails and sparkling wine and chatted away.

Seriously, there was not a better view of the fireworks. But yes, there are many, many, many better photographs of them.

I've spent a bit of time here, at the revamped Merewether baths. Yesterday we had my in-laws down for new year's lunch, then I had a wee migraine lie down afterwards (totally unrelated!). When I woke I felt super-groggy from the drugs, so went for a walk down to the baths to clear my head.

And oh, did it! The sun was setting and casting the most glorious glow. I kept pinching myself at how lucky I am to live here.

We also had my gal's (fifteenth!!) birthday just before the end of last year. She got this VERY BIG pink flamingo for the pool. Every time I go into the living room or kitchen I can feel its eye on me!

Today two of my dearest friends, from uni and till today, are popping over. They're up from Melbourne and Sydney so we need to catch up. Then, tonight, I'm off to the Regal Cinema where they're screening cult classic The Big Lebowski - complete with bowling in the aisles and dude food!

Too much fun. You've gotta have it don't you?

Happy new year x