fabulous friday

Whoops, I got a little bit distracted and forgot to post today. Will it help if I "put a bird on it?" A budgie to be specific?

How CUTE is this wallpaper? I could almost ignore my bird phobia if I had this on my walls...

French word of the day: oiseau (wa - so) bird.

a visitor-ready home

My aim is to have a visitor-ready home. You know, so if someone pops in I can happily invite them in and make them a cuppa.

My home at the moment is far from visitor-ready.

Events are conspiring against me.

Here's a room-by-room tour.

In my hallway is my new vacuum cleaner in a box {YES! I bought a Dyson!}, a box of recyling and my husband's second bike.

In my study is my husband's main bike, my old vacuum cleaner which finally died of {pretty much} natural causes, a filing box with a big stack of 3 years worth of bills to be filed next to it, a box with my daughter's old books in it, a stack of magazines I used to work on that need to be filed and random miscellaneous stuff.

These things are all out as I searched through the closet in the study for a receipt. Didn't find it, found all those things though...

The living room isn't too bad. But there are two phones that I bought to replace our old ones that are the wrong ones and need to be re-wrapped and placed neatly in their boxes to be returned. I've given up so everything's on the living room table. There are also shoes. Many of my daughter's shoes. Sigh.

Kitchen. You cannot see the kitchen island, it's chockers with paper that needs sorting. The sink is filled with freshly washed dishes as my dishwasher is broken!

Wah.

The bedroom has three piles of folded towels at the foot of my bed, a box of netball stuff that was dropped at my house five weeks ago and needs to go to the club, a big bag of badges for player of the match for every team in the club (70) and piles of wrapping paper from hubby's birthday last saturday. Plus more, I'm not game to look.

Let's not discuss my daughter's room. Let's just say that if you're looking for a towel that is not folded in a pile at the end of my bed it'll be in her room.

Gah!

Help!

Now, the reason it's like this is hubby was crashed into on his bike last week and his fingers are all mooshed up so he can't carry boxes. Hence the box in the hallway. The bikes? No idea - perhaps he thinks it's decor? My gal's been busy with school assignments, and apparently changing shoes every 15 seconds... And I've been flat-out with work.

So, power clean? 45 minutes per room between now and when my sister-in-law and her two gals arrive on Saturday afternoon? Can I do it?

Wish me luck.

In the meantime I'm going to close my eyes and imagine that pic above is my house - with perfect vignettes of pretty glassware rather than teetering piles of paper.

sunny {!} sunday

Guys! There's a little blue sky and sun!

What a difference a little sunshine makes. I'm washing up a storm and everything seems brighter again.

I also stumbled upon a movie yesterday that brightened my mood considerably. I hadn't seen it in yonks, and there it was, on my Foxtel. Sometimes serendipity places things in our paths that we need at just the right time.

Our gal went to a party sleepover last night, so hubby and I went to dinner at our local pub where I had a steak the size of my head. It was delicious.

So today, my mood is considerably brightened - and, thanks to my earlier blues, I'm appreciating it so much more.

French word of the day: nuages (new - ahj) clouds.

fabulous friday

And we've come to the end of another week. Goodness gracious. How is time flying? Now, you know how I said that this week I was trying a new recipe? And I had Nigella's greek lamb chops in my meal plan? Well, I was a day late making them but OH MY! So tasty, so simple. Please try them.

Hey, speaking of Nigella, are you watching Nigellisima on ABC on Thursday nights? There's a bunch of us on Twitter who swoon over Nigella who watch and tweet. She's just ridiculously inspirational. And swoonworthy.

French word of the day: attendre - to wait.

ppmj and gal pals go glamping

Only two more sleeps till I drive up to Dungog for a weekend of 'glamping'. Well, I don't really know that it's glamping - but if imagining it is so makes it so then it will be so!

I do get excited about something new to look forward to, and this trip's no exception. It's been many a year since I've attended any kind of music festival - conservatively I'd say it's been 13-odd years (since my gal was born) so this'll be a culture shock. I'm so excited about seeing Sarah Blasko - and Mumford and Sons. Husky too. And I'm sure there'll be loads of others to love.

I have my hubby's battered straw cowboy hat at the ready, and lots of sunscreen and a big water bottle - but aside from that I've no idea what to wear.

Oh well, when the gal's go glamping at Gentlemen of the Road there's bound to be giggles, instagramming and lots of tweeting!

Two more sleeps!

happy weekend

Hey, how NICE is it that it's the weekend? Super-nice I reckon. We've had a great morning. Woke up, went down and watched the netball finals (where the team that knocked us out last week had a surprise one point victory over the team who were expected to win - yay!) and then it was the netball team's end-of-season lunch at Grill'd. The girls hung out and ate burgers while a few mums and I had lunch at the café next door (prawn and ginger fritters - hello! - Lotus at The Junction does good lunch).

We're soon heading out to the Darby Street Bohemia Festival and then it's off to my in-laws who just came back home from two months in the UK (lucky ducks!). Then, tomorrow it's lunch for our niece's 18th birthday. Phew, busy.

Enjoy your day, and your weekend. I hope some of it involves time spend relaxing (preferably in a lovely swinging chair like this one - how NICE would that be?)

sweet saturday

How's your weekend panning out? Hope there's lots of good stuff interspersed with a wee spot of relaxation. I think I need this daybed - don't you?

sweet, sweet sunday

It may be chilly outside, but the sky's so blue it's just begging me to get out in the garden this morning. There's a few bits and pieces I'd like to do before we head off on holiday on Tuesday for a week!

I'm also a bit excited about this afternoon. Champagne High Tea for a lovely friend's farewell at Bacchus one of my favourite places in Newcastle. This gorgeous restaurant is divine for dinner, lunch and cocktails so I imagine it'll be just as superb for a girly high tea. Can't wait to see what they come up with. Don't worry - I'll be Instagramming it.

Enjoy your sunday x

ah sweet saturday

I have a feeling I've used this pic before, if so, sorry - but I just had to go with this pink and red geranium arrangement. See, I've finally filled the planter boxes on our living room window with planter pots filled with alternating red and pink geraniums. At the moment they're just cuttings from my mother-in-law's garden, but once they fill out they'll be transporting me back to France every single time I look out the window.

Bliss.

We might need to do some gardening today. I wanted to head off on a roadtrip, but we might save that for next weekend. Tomorrow it's my father-in-law's birthday and we're off to Maitland to go out to lunch - that might have to sate my roadtrip urge for the moment.

What's on your agenda this weekend?

happy friday

Happy Good Friday everyone. What have you planned for today? I had a nice sleep-in as I had the house to myself last night {!} Yep, got back from my friend's house after some champagne and giggles, cooked myself up some chicken dumplings and finally watched A Single Man. As you'd expect from something directed by Tom Ford it was insanely beautiful. Colin Firth in a Tom Ford suit is something I'd be quite happy to watch for hours on end.

Today I'll be pottering around until my hubby and gal get back from my in-laws. It's such a glorious day today that I'm going to INSIST on a family bike ride. There might also be some baking don't you think? I need to make those bunny biscuits {I have the cutters} and just need teeny white marshmallows for the tails! Cuteness.

Have a beautiful day - and enjoy this extra long weekend. x

meal planning monday

After last week's crazy socialising and shenanigans, this week's on a bit of a go-slow. I need to chill, do some cooking, and say more than three words to my family. Here's what we're eating:

Monday: we're off to the library after school as my gal has homework that requires an actual paper atlas - how old school! So when we come home I think we'll be needing caramelised pork and my gal's new fave udon noodles. With lots of wilted, garlic-infused greens.

Tuesday: late night at ballet and I *may* be squeezing in some socialising by heading out to the cinema with some of my twitter pals. We're off to see A Dangerous Method which should be fabulous. Easy dinner of spaghetti bolognaise I'm thinking.

Wednesday: netball training for my gal. Her eyes lit up today when I mentioned it's almost lamb shank weather. Perhaps I could sneak some in early don't you think?

Thursday: I *may* be going to the SurfHouse with a friend to debrief about Duran Duran. She got to stroke and sing with Simon, so I'm guessing I'll just be saying "OH MY GOD" a lot. Hubby has a ride in Maitland the next morning so he's off with my gal to his parents house. They'll be eating there, I'll be having bar snacks with my cocktails.

Friday: gotta do fish really, haven't I? Salmon on the bbq with a salad.

Saturday: I'm hoping this gorgeous weather will stick around. We'll be painting this weekend - hopefully getting the new wardrobe in our kitchen from Italian Nonna to Parisian Chic. I'll have bbq items ready to throw on.

Sunday: Roast night. I'm really into roasting chickens at the moment, the stuffing and accompaniments make it such a varied dish. Tonight might be just a 'shove-a-lemon-and-some-proscuitto-in-the-cavity' kind of night, but that makes for a delish dish.

And that's it - not really as quiet as I'd made out was it? Well, there's a little downtime in there isn't there? What are you eating?

sweet sunday

Hi, how's your weekend treating you? Mine? Great, thank you. Yesterday my gal went off with some pals to the local shopping centre {hello teenager-hood} so hubby and I got stuck into putting stuff into our new cupboards - we're nearly there...

Today it's gloriously sunny so I'm catching up on the washing. While my mum was here I didn't have to wash a thing as it's one of her fave things to do. So I was a little bit shocked at the state of our dirty clothes baskets {I had done towels two days ago - and clean sheet day isn't until tomorrow...} So one load's drying in the breeze and sunshine, and another's cleaning as we speak. Joy.

Tonight we're off to our friends for duck and champagne night. Normally whoever is the guest buys a dessert, but I had some pears I wanted to use so I'm 'cheating' and baking a pear and almond tart. The pastry's chilling in the fridge, and all I have to do is poach the pears and make an almond paste with almond meal and a few other bits and pieces and bake it. Tres Francais non?

Now, do you just love this window seat above? Every now and again I ponder one of these in the bay window in our bedroom. At the moment we have a 1920s french bistro setting there {tres jolie} but it tends to accumulate 'stuff'. I'm going to get in there now and clean it off and see how I go. Might also give the windows a bit of a polish when the sun goes away a little. Oooh, and pop some champagne in the fridge to take tonight. I'm thinking it's a Pommery kind of evening don't you?

flowers for friday

Oh yay, it's friday! It's been a big, busy week. I have my parents up from Melbourne so we've been hang in out, my mum's been washing everything in sight and my stepdad's plumbed in the new fridge {I know have cold, filtered water in the door - and ICE!}, moved in all our new wardrobes and is making a gate in the side veranda to the veggie garden. Yay!

On Wednesday night I had the most fun night. Don't get jealous, but I went on a Newy/Central Coast bloggers meet. It was beyond fab. Honestly, bloggers are the best people. We're already excitedly planning our next catch-up and a Christmas Party! Woo hoo! I'm not going to name names {as I don't have all of them - and I don't want to leave anyone out} but I will say this - they were all just absolutely lovely. Laughing, chatting, eating tapas and drinking - what's better than that?

I love, love, LOVE catching up with people I've met on the internet. I'm never disappointed. From the fabulous bloggers I've met IRL to all the tweeps I've caught up with - they always live up to my expectations {and my expectations are always Sky High}.

I think there needs to be more of it - don't you? Tell me, when are you coming to Newcastle? We'll catch up then. x

meal planning monday

Okay, well, the gal's room is painted! Yep, two coats on the ceiling and cornices, two undercoats to hide the deep pink walls and then two coats of pretty pale blue {not too dissimilar to the chairs in this pic actually...} Now we've just got the tough bit - moving everything back in. Eek. We just moved all the heavy furniture to the middle of the room, and last night we pushed that back, but now we've got the whole bring everything else back in. Eep. At least it's looking pretty. Pics to come when complete.

This week here's the plan:
Monday: Something light. Like a maniac I cooked up beef bourgignon last night for dinner, as you do when you've been painting all weekend. Eedjit. So, tonight it's salmon on the bbq and salad.

Tuesday: There's a year 7 info night at our gal's school, and we both want to attend, so I'm asking my in-laws down to look after the gal while we go. Sure, she's probably old enough to stay on her own, but it'll be dark, let's not ask her to do that. For dinner? It'll be early, so something easy. Perhaps steak and salad.

Wednesday: Netball fitness training for my gal and her team. She'll be a hungry hippo afterwards. Best do her some pasta. Perhaps chicken bolognaise.

Thursday: Ballet - late. Caramelised pork loin, wilted asian greens and ramen noodles. Mmmmm.

Friday: Fish and chips, or thai takeaway, I'm going to be tired. I just know it.

Saturday: My mum and step-dad fly in from Melbourne for 10 days - yay! I'll make some roasted pumpkin and goat cheese quesadillas. {and chicken and cheese ones for my pumpkin-loathing child}

Sunday: Big bbq, with lots of roasted veggies for my vegetarian parents. And haloumi. Mmmmmm.

pantry essentials

We had flash flooding here yesterday afternoon. It was incredible. My daughter and her friend were on their way home from school on the bus and the sky looked a threatening shade of grey/green. I texted my gal to ask if she wanted me to pick her up from the bus stop and she said 'only if it's raining'. Two minutes later there was a crack of thunder, so I grabbed my keys and ran to the door.

By the time I reached the bus stop in the car two blocks later it started bucketing, and bucketing, and hailing! I couldn't see 30cm in front of me. Luckily the girls were waiting in the newsagent, nice and dry. By the time I picked them up and drove home I couldn't park the car - the roads had flooded knee deep with water and I couldn't park and open the doors, so we went to Coles and luckily the rains stopped.

But it got me worried as it rained heavily again in the night. I'm not ready for another flood {as if you're ever ready, but hear me out}. My pantry is bare. When we had the last flood I easily had enough food to last us for a week. This time, I'd be lucky to scrape up a meal. I need to do a real shop as I'm out of all the essentials: no cereal, no sugar, no flour, no pasta. I'm staple-free.

My gal loves baking, and I love that she can look up a recipe and whip up pretty much anything from the pantry. I always have a good array of baking ingredients. But now I'm out of caster sugar, out of vanilla paste and have no flour.

I need to get to the shops. Oh, and I also need a pretty piece of vintage lace to put up in my pantry window - prettiness!

meal planning monday

Okay, last week of the school holidays - can you believe it? Eep! Okay, to take my mind off it - here's what we're eating this week:

Monday: We didn't manage to have steaks on the bbq on the weekend, so that's what we'll be having tonight. With salad greens.

Tuesday: Jamie's Salmon and Prawn bake was also a no-go last Friday night {we had takeaway fish&chips instead} so that's on the menu tonight.

Wednesday: We're off to our in-laws for the night.

Thursday: I spent a bit of time browsing through my many cookbooks on the weekend. Shall make Nigella's poached chicken with puy lentils tonight. My gal loves poached chicken and puy lentils so win-win there.

Friday: I think we need a duck night. Tonight shall be duck night.

Saturday: Out to dinner to celebrate our gal starting high school in a few short days!

Sunday: Seven hour leg of lamb with roasted veg.

You? What's on your mealplan?

ooh, saturday? really?

I'm finding it very difficult to believe that it's Saturday night already. Seriously?

So to help give me some breathing space, thought I'd best jazz up my blog with some crimson fleurs. Couldn't you just imagine squealing with delight every time you entered such a fabulous conservatory?

{and ps: check out the pompoms on the cushions - cuteness incorporated!}

sweet sunday

How pretty is this? Old galvanised buckets, trailing flowers and little glass lanterns on old grey shutters. Love, love, LOVE this look.

I feel the need to get out into the garden today. Sadly it'll mean ruining my nails which are prettily clad in Chanel's Lilac Sky {my Christmas nail polish}. But at least my nails had an outing to lunch yesterday at the new Merewether Surfhouse {fabbo venue}...

Yes, let's go for the long-term gain of great garden - I can re-do my nails later.

Enjoy your weekend x

phew

Well, it's been quite the week here.  We already knew we were having a big week as it was our gal's last week of primary school, but on Wednesday morning I received a call from a Dr saying that my husband had an accident riding his bike. Thankfully it wasn't on the road, but he was taken to hospital in an ambulance where we had three pretty harrowing days. He was wearing his helmet {thank goodness} but still sustained quite a blow to the head, along with the broken collarbone, numerous severe grazing and general pain that comes from being thrown off a bike.

He's home now, and still in a lot of pain, but he's okay.

That's all I wanted for Christmas.

Makes you stop and think doesn't it? This time of year when we're racing around, striving for perfection. Really, good heath kind of covers it.

I managed to spend time with him in hospital while he slept and also got to all the beautiful events my daughter's school had organised for her final week. I'll miss that school. She was blessed with some incredible teachers, many friends and a staff who genuinely care for the students. That's rare. Let's hope her transition into high school is as successful.

My gal's at a birthday party today. Hubby's dozing and availing himself of all the sport channels on foxtel, and I'm going to try to get as much Christmas stuff organised as possible. Thank goodness I had most of my shopping done.

Merry Christmas everyone. I wish you, and your loved ones good health. x