beady eyed

Rushing to get out the door on the school run, I had to stop to untangle a set of bead that had been entwined through one of the many that hang on my hall stand. "Why do you always have to wear beads?" my daughter asked, and it made me think. I believe that beads are the punctuation point to my outfit. I no longer have my ears pierced, only wear a rose gold wedding band, and bracelets tend to get in the way of typing and other daily activities. But beads can dress up an outfit no end.

I don't have any expensive beads, I think the most pricey were a couple that my mother bought me for my last birthday, and maybe my nanna's old crystal beads. However, in the old cost-per-wear category, some of my beads are now paying me. I'm wearing a long strand today that's varying shades of green 'glass'. Each bead is a different size, and shade, and looped around my neck twice is the ideal option with any oufit. Today I'm wearing a sky blue tank from French Connection {originally, but bought at the Salvos...) and a white skirt with a blue and green floral print - the beads bring it all home.

On the mum's night out last friday I wore a simple black dress, but jazzed it up Chanel-style with a long strand of faux pearls and layers of black beads. Tres magnifique.

I can go out without lippy {but probably not lip balm}, don't fret if I've forgotten my mascara {that's what tinting eyelashes is for!} but if I leave without beads - well, I feel half naked. What's your outfit punctuation point?

home scents

Yesterday I discussed annoying ads, and ads that always irk me are ones for spray home fresheners. Erk. I reckon that if your home is clean, and preferably cleaned with scrummy essential oils, then it should smell fresh - particularly if you open some windows to let more freshness in. Don't get me wrong, I have my room sprays - lavender in the bathroom, peony on my desk, vanilla in the living room, rose in the bedroom... but these are all gorgeous scents and I don't use them to cover another smell, I just use them to add a punctuation of pretty after I've finished cleaning.

At the moment my home has the best scent of all - my beef and guinness stew bubbling in the slow-cooker. Can you imagine the bliss when we come home after netball training to be welcomed with such a homely aroma? Personally I love a cooking smell, which is lucky because as it's over 100 years old my home tends to retain aromas - and I love reminding of that delicious lamb roast, or the caramelised onions for a frittata, or even the coffee the espresso machine pumps out at regular intervals. 

Oh, and at the moment I have so many lush roses blooming after their summer prune that even one house away their aroma starts to blossom and by the time you walk through my front gate you're enveloped in their heady perfume. Bliss.

life lessons

As I mentioned yesterday, we're in frugal mode. Yep, lock down those purses, put away the credit card and scrimp and save every penny. Luckily for us it's out of want, not need. Having finally renovated the backyard after seven years of living with a useless eyesore the red side of our bank balance is exceeding the black. So we're tightening the budgetary belts to help pay it off.

The best part of it is, that it's a really good opportunity to teach our daughter some financial skills. She's only nine, so the lessons are small, and never preachy, but I think you can never learn financial nous too early. When I was young I always learned to save for what I bought, and with the exception of our house, and renovation, I've stuck with it. If we don't have the money, we put off the purchase - unless it's an emergency like a hot water service {two years ago} which is when we dive into the emergency reserve.

So, about my child... At the moment we're reading Milly Molly Mandy, the most delightful girls stories on the planet. Milly Molly Mandy lives with her mother, father, uncle, aunty, grandma and grandpa in a white thatched cottage, and in last night's bedtime story, finally got a bedroom of her own in the loft. They painted the walls pale primrose, died some old curtains and her coverlet green, grandpa came home with an old dresser {again, which they painted green} and aunty and uncle donated their old mirror. Milly Molly Mandy was delighted! Now, none of this stuff was new or purpose made, it was all adapted, or they made do. In Annabella's room she has a wardrobe, painted white, that's been in my husband's family for decades. Her dresser is an old 60s chest of drawers, painted white with new glass handles and her desk, used to be her aunts when she was a lass. Her sheets and doonas are new, but she knows that these things are all perfectly serviceable - we just needed to tweak them to suit her.

When it comes to shopping she helps me spot the items on sale and we'll often refrain from buying something as it's too expensive, or we can't afford it. Kids need to know that instant gratification isn't sustainable, or even desirable. When I went to Uni I wanted to buy a second hand computer so I borrowed $1000 from my grandfather and paid him back, with interest, in twelve months. Sure, he could have waived that interest, but he was teaching me a lesson - if you borrow money it always costs you more.  

oh my guinness

It's a stew night tonight, and one day late, we're having beef and guinness stew. It's a long, busy day today, so I'm going to bring out the slow cooker - and adapt my recipe to suit. According to my Margaret Fulton Crockpot Cookbook virtually anything can be cooked in a crockpot - you just need to adjust the liquid levels as it won't evaporate while cooking. So my recipe calls for 1 cup of guinness and 2 cups of beef stock... Margaret reckons that one cup is enough liquid... Hmmmm. Do I go half a cup of guinness and half of beef stock? What do I do with the leftover guinness? Freeze it perhaps? Or, do I double my recipe so there's more meat and then freeze the leftovers? That'd be the sensible idea wouldn't it? Oh, and thrifty too!

steady on, soldier

Normally people pay next to naught attention to ads. My husband's one. He'll look like he's staring intently at the TV, and when I comment on the ad he'll say, "Oh, I wasn't watching". Which is an impressive act - I'd love to be able to zone out, especially for the annoying ones, but, wait, where was I? Oh yes, the one ad that so many people seem to have taken to heart is the one about Soldiering on when you're ill. Remember that? All these grim-faced, grey-toned people marching off to work with the flu because they'd taken some fancy-smancy pill. Good for them. Why stay at home recuperating when you can be off spreading your germs around others. Yay for infectiousness.

I have a point. Last night I played netball, and on the opposing team was a distinctly ashen-faced goal shooter. She kept stopping to bend over and take deep breaths, and at one stage the game stopped while she swapped positions with the Wing Attack {not strictly legal I reckon, but anyways...}. Then, a mere few minutes before the whistle blew for the end of the game, she raced off court, pulling off her pinny and dashing off upstairs - presumably for the loo.

At the end of the game, she came back on court to good-naturedly shake hands with the opposing team {that'd be us}. I asked her if she was okay, and she said "Oh, yeah, I've just been throwing up all day..." And yes, she said this after shaking my hand. Hello, germapolooza. Now I'm one for team spirit and not letting down the side etc, but, um, I'm also one for not spreading around any vomity viruses - I'm fussy that way. So now, today, I keep feeling distinctly queasy, and wonder if it's just my suggestible-hypochondria {yes, that's an actual syndrome} or if I've actually caught something.

Damned soldiers, should've stayed in the trenches...

green with envy

It's St Patrick's Day today, so cook up a beef and guinness stew and create a gorgeous green eye like this in honour of the day. Green eyeshadow is the perfect foil for those of us with brown eyes - and can look startling on those with baby blues. Use your brush to paint along the upper lash line and extend to just above your upper eyelid, then sweep a line under your eye. Lashings of black mascara complete the look - and for a real dash of evening flash, use a black liquid eyeliner to slick a catseye from the inner to outer edge. For a change of mood, wet your brush and slick on your eyeshadow for a look similar to this...

money matters

We're back on the frugal track in our household. Which means reigning in the budget and sticking to it. Probably the scariest part of working on a budget is actually tracking how much money you spend... on nothing. For me, my big killer is the supermarket. I tend to shop sporadically, without a plan, and walk out spending a small fortune every time - yet still have no food in the fridge. So now, I'm back to the plan. Which means:

1. Make a plan, Stan: planning a week's meals {and sticking to it!}

2. Supermarket saver: only shopping weekly at the supermarket for the essentials and buying fresh fruit, veg and meats from my local stores every second day.

3. Walk this way: cutting back on car trips - the less I drive, the more I save on petrol and the fitter I get through walking. Bonuses all round.

4. Make do: We're so used to instant gratification, thinking we have to have something - NOW. But really, most of the time you can make-do with what you have. So before I make up the shopping list I'll look through the fridge, freezer and pantry and see what I've already got there. I know I've got all the ingredients for a tuna risotto just hanging around, so that should be on the menu plan right now.

5. Spend a little to save a lot: I use a lot of fresh herbs in my cooking, and am forever buying bunches and only using half. So this weekend I'm going to get a big pot {while I'm waiting to create my real herb and vegie patch} and plant a few essential herbs: italian parsley, sage, mint, rosemary, thyme...

6. Get creative: Autumn's here, and the days are getting cooler. I'll sort through our wardrobes and think of how we can mix and match to make the most of what we've got. I've already stocked up on a few essentials for my daughter at Target's 20 per cent off sale, hopefully we'll make do for a while with that.

7. Frugal cooking: slow cooking is cheap cooking. Even though retailers have caught onto the slow cooking boom and raised the prices of many cheap meats {wow, have you seen the price of lamb shanks lately? They used to give them away for dog bones a few years back} you can still get cheap cuts at a bargain price. I'm going to hunt down the specials and cook them up with some vegies and a good slosh of cleanskin red wine - and my fresh herbs...

8. Elbow grease: one of the easiest ways to save is to put some muscle behind your cooking. So it's broom over vacuum, damp cloth for dusting and using a squeegie in the shower. No chemicals, no electricity, no fumes - just a clean, satisfying home.

expert advice

I love the work I do. As a journalist, I get to interview experts in the field and get their tips to help make my readers lives {and then, my own} just that little bit better.

In the years I've worked, I've been lucky to find a few experts who are just so good at what they do and enthusiastically like to share the love around. Paul Timms, the CEO of the Australian Institute of Personal Training is one. This man obviously has a love for knowledge, soaks it all up, then is happy to chat away with me about it. He's given me some great fitness, health and lifestyle tips over the years - all in an accessible, enthusiastic manner. 

While we were chatting the other day he reminded me that it takes 21 repetitions to make or break a habit. So if you start on a new fitness plan, by the time you've done whatever you're doing 21 times, you've created a new habit - and busted that old one. Most people think it's 21 days, but if you think about it, most of us only tend to exercise a few days a week, so three weeks in, we've probably only hit the 9 repetitions mark - not even halfway to making a habit.

Maintaining a positive mindset and learning to love what you do is one of the best ways to form new habits. If you sigh and groan when you lace up your trainers, chances are you're not going to get a lot out of a session. But if you get ready with enthusiasm, looking forward to this little chunk of 'me time' there's a good chance the time will fly by. That's why it's also important to keep hunting around to find something you love - particularly in the fitness arena. We all know how good strength exercises are for us {they help maintain muscle mass, increase your resting metabolism and replace fat stores with lean muscle, to name just a couple} but if you don't like lugging weights, you're not going to do it - no matter how good it is for you. 

Personally I like to snatch the odd couple of minutes throughout the day to do a few squats, or push-ups against a bench - and I love doing these exercises in the pool after a few laps. Or when I'm out walking, I'll stop at a bench and do a few tricep dips. However, my weights? They're usually spending quality time as door stops... I have netball tonight which is a life-long love. No matter if we lose or win I know it's doing my body and soul good every time I hit that court with a great group of gals.

Today's positive task is to tidy my desk for 10 minutes before I start work. The nailpolishes, beads, paid bills and skype headphones have no place on my desk during a working day. When the surface is all cleared off, I'll wipe my desk down with some hot water, with a couple of drops of lime essential oil added to it for an invigorating way to start the day. Happy monday!

lazy sundays

Sundays have to be the laziest day of the week - surely it's in the constitution... After a great night with friends last night, today's going to be lazy with a capital L. And an exclamation point. Probably underlined as well. Yep, that lazy.

A bowl of coffee is in order, while reading the papers poolside of course. Then maybe a swim while the weather's still blessing us with warmth. I do believe that the markets are also calling my name, I need some homemade pickles created with love.

Maybe some gentle gardening in the afternoon? I should treat the roses with some manure as they're flowering so beautifully at the moment. I'll dig out a couple of weeds that are also invading their personal space {I know, rude!}. Enjoy your weekend.

in the raw

I'm making beef carpaccio. I know, it seems like I'm blogging, but nope, I'm preparing a culinary masterpiece. See, in the freezer, along with ice cubes, vodka and frozen bananas, is a fillet of beef. Apparently I need to freeze it for one hour to help slice it to extraordinarily slender levels. Then I'll arrange it on a platter - dress with a mixture of olive oil, baby capers and semi dried tomatoes {with salt and pepper and a dash of tabasco} and leave it for an hour to marinate. I think I'm going to put some lemon zest on it as well, cos, you know, that's what I like to do. A salad of baby rocket will sit on the top and this will form our appetizer this evening.

After that I'm planning an encore of last week's main - as I couldn't find any decent veal today - probably because I left my shopping till the last second. But rib eye steak, cooked to perfection and served with a homemade bernaise sauce isn't to be sniffed at. Must say that I'm also looking forward to a crisp, green salad. The mother's night last night was bucketloads of fun, but my body's not too happy with the deep fried platter of food I consumed along with the champagne. Eeek. Last night I did realise that my friends are too much fun - and too hilarious. I feel so extraordinarily lucky to have managed to accumulate some pretty spesh people over the years. You've got to be thankful for every minute you share with someone who enriches your life, non?

weekend wonder

Ah, who doesn't love a good weekend? I'm particularly enamored of them when they start on a Friday night - makes them seem all the more significant. Tonight's a mother's night out at a local pub which is gearing up to be too much fun. It's black friday, so I reckon the attire's going to be pretty heavy on the noir which suits my fashion mood today. I'm just tossing up whether I go totally goth with black fingernails, demi-goth with dark purple or try classic with red nails... Thoughts? I will be drinking champagne, and really, every colour goes with champers {and rouge lips}.

Tomorrow night we have friends to dinner. I've promised beef carpaccio as an appetiser, so I'll need to get googling - and hunt down a butcher with a fresh piece of beef. Mains-wise I'll be on the barbeque again - but I haven't decided on the meat. Perhaps veal cutlets with gremolata? And for dessert, I'll think I'll be running with pear tarte tartin again - or a lemon tart... Wow, so indecisive!

Enjoy your weekend xx

a piece of green

Taking eco-friendly steps is always my preferred option. When I do a load of washing it's always a cold load - and there's nothing I like better than pegging it out to dry in the sunshine and soft breezes. When I find aphids on my roses I'll blast them off with a hose, then feed the plants with more manure to make them healthier and better able to fight off disease. If I need to use a toxic spray to combat a pest, I'll remove the plant and try something hardier in its place {that's what I did with the two standard azalias at the foot of my stairs - they were constantly stricken with red spider mite - ugly little critters}.

If I have a choice, I'll choose organic over chemically-grown products - I prefer to reward farmers who are doing their best for our environment. And turning off a light when I leave the room just seems like common sense. Generally I also find warm water and a cloth cleans most things, if not, I'll add some essential oils and white vinegar and find it cuts through most gunk. Sure, scrubbing at my grout with a brush is more labour-intensive than spraying on bleach and spraying it off with the shower head. But I don't get bowled over by fumes, and I quite like the incidental exercise and arm toning I get {I am going to have the most buff right arm any day now... I find it hard to be ambidextrous}. 

I reckon that if it worked for my grandma - why shouldn't it work for me?

in the bag

Do you know what could get me through dreary winter days? This Valentino purse. I'm not a statement bag gal, but for this, I could be convinced to change my mind...

love is

Look at these. Gorgeous non. They're Oscar de la Renta and the pink of perfection. I'd love to wear them with a little black dress (Herve Leger if I'm really dreaming) bright red lips.

what you love

Hey, you know how yesterday I said I was going to jump on my exercise bike for 20 minutes? Didn't manage it. Six minutes in I was hating it {actually, one minute in I was hating it, but I forced myself on for another 5 minutes}. I'm always writing about doing what you love, and now I have to acknowledge that I loathe the exercise bike. My hubby loves it though, so at least it gets use with him. 

But I love, love, love going for a walk - and sometimes even breaking into a run {just sometimes, not very often...}. Walking's an underrated form of exercise. If you mix it up and walk up and down hills, find some stairs, swing your arms and vary the pace, it's a great workout. It gets your heart pumping and your lungs working and tones your legs and butt. If you maintain good posture and pull in your core it can help tone your tum as well. A daily walk's got to do more for your physical and mental wellbeing than forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy.

It's easy to get caught up in doing what you think you "should" do. Generally, I know that if I "should" do something I won't. I'll rebel, and loathe it, and not manage to complete it. Whereas if I find that 15 to 30 minutes for a walk {I timed my "15 minute" walk last night and realised it takes me 30 minutes - woo hoo} then I feel amazing and that spreads into every little corner of my life.

Oh, and today's my first netball coaching session for my daughter's team. I've got my plan all ready to go - wish me luck!

time quest

Oh, it's a busy time again. You know how just when things calm down a little and you think you've got things under control, something will rear its ugly head... That's my week.

Over the last few days I've finally got back into the regular walking thing, but then last night, just as I was thinking how much I love walking at dusk, enjoying the views of the ocean, two enormous rats scurried across mere centimetres in front of me. I NEARLY STEPPED ON THEM. I kept wanting to do a girly squeal, but nobody was there to hear, so really, what's the point. Instead I settled for a lot of shuddering, and decided to change my route to bypass the festering old surf house, home of a gazillion rats apparently {or just the two...}

Aside from the rat incident I love making sure I get active every day. Reading Chatterbox Sara's blog today reinforced the need for all of us to do something special for ourselves each day, whether that's pampering, exercising, meditating... they all lead to the same place. So even though I have dinner guests arriving at 6pm tonight, I'm going to jump on the exercise bike at 4.30 and pretend I'm in a Spin Class for 20 minutes. That'll do.

clutter busted

We had a bit of a purge yesterday, going through the obscene amount of magazines weighing down the shelves in the study. Now I've got a massive stack of food and pool mags to take to the salvos. The room seems so much lighter already! 

I was also able to get rid of more cardboard in the recycling bin yesterday. It's a shame that our recycling collection is only fortnightly - we could do with a fortnightly rubbish, and weekly recycling collection. Slowly chipping away at the piles of cardboard that encased our bbq.

Speaking of barbeques, oh, I'm in love with mine. On saturday night it cooked the rib-eye steaks to perfection, then I rested them on the warming rack above while I cooked the bernaise sauce on the burner on the side. And oh, home-made bernaise? Delish. Served with a green salad with walnuts and the yummable glazed, simmered radishes it was simply blissful. Of course I forgot to take photos - but you'll have to trust me. The steaks were striped with caramel on the outside, pink and succulent inside and the sauce a lovely golden hue, speckled with green from the tarragon. 

Last night I tried again and cooked up some pork ribs - and yes, again, perfection. I'll be bbqing every night now till the dead of winter when the slowcooker can come out again.

Oh, and yesterday morning we had a family breakfast to say farewell to my in-laws before they jet off the UK. We were to bring breads, so I bought a brioche from the deli and sliced it up, a couple of baguettes, a loaf of sliced and I made Nigella's super-easy pain au chocolate. Oh my.

Take a sheet of butter puff pastry and cut it in four quarters. Place a couple of squares of chocolate a few centimetres from one corner and slowly roll it down. Seal it lightly with your fingers and pull the ends around into a crescent shape. Coat it with egg wash and pop it in a really hot oven for around 10 minutes. Serve immediately and prepare to drown in adoration. {Oh, and don't tell everyone how easy they are to make - just revel in your domestic goddess status - particularly if you've had way too much wine and champagne the evening before...}

pizza grande

We come from a rather sheltered upbringing in Oz, where our pizzas are usually the size of a regular dinner plate - and made to share. Imagine this six-year-old's delight at spying a slice of pizza bigger than her head. We allowed her to try one for the novelty, and amazingly, she polished it off and asked for seconds... and then demolished that too.

Eyes bigger than stomach? Not in this gal's case.

iconic status

I've long been infatuated with religious iconography, which is why Italy left me so enchanted. From roadside alters to the unexpected homage, simple beauty was always on display and allowed me a moment to reflect.

sunday sighs

We were reminiscing today about our trip to Italy, and so I just had to revisit the magical town of Venice. It had long captured my imagination and it's forever stolen my heart.

high steaks

We have friends coming to dinner tonight, the first time we'll be using the backyard for entertaining. Woo hoo. I knew all week what I'd cook for dessert (pear tarte tartin) but couldn't think of a main. Now I have. I'm buying fabulous steaks and making my own bernaise sauce. I'll serve it with a well dressed green salad (with walnut dressing) and I'll be cooking up some pretty pink radishes again (glazed with a slick of butter and sugar - oooooooh).

The kids are getting a mini burger bar and eating on a picnic rug in my grassed courtyard (gotta take advantage of that grass!)

So that means we have to set up the bbq for its first ever cook-off. Wish me luck. Enjoy your weekend. xx

shoe who

I'm going to a Black Friday do next weekend. Imagine these snippets of sexy adorning my feet. Meow.

ode to op-shopping

Regular readers and friends know of my passion for op-shops. I think it's the ultimate way of recycling, saving and finding something different. Today I needed a break so took a bag of stuff to the salvos {I know, still, where is all this stuff coming from?!?} After dropping off my donation I headed to the book room and picked up a fabulous hard cover copy of Little Women for my daughter {which I'll read again, and sob over again, until she's ready - maybe when she's 10? What do you think?} I also find myself a Wilde Bedside companion with four of his fab novels in one!!! For $2 - bargainalicious. Then, oh, and this is priceless. VICTORIA BECKHAM'S LEARNING TO FLY. Yes, I died a little. Hardcover, brand new, $4. Some may say that's $4 too much, but I do love the OTT Posh. And, there's pictures. I haven't looked yet, but c'mon, some of them have to be of her hubby do they not?

But wait, that's not all. I got myself a brand new gunmetal grey swimsuit for $5. Crazy. My hubby also needed some new work pants and I found a snazzy pair of pinstriped Saba trousers for $5. They're flapping on the line as we speak {I ignored the strict dry clean only info - they're not a bargain if I have to pay twice that much to dry clean them, so I handwashed.}''

Happy.

lunchbox love

When I went to school I had vegemite sandwiches every single day. Tomorrow my daughter is having chorizo and potato frittata. I must say that I prefer progress...

For these lunchbox delights, I sliced chorizo and cut the chunks in quarters and sauteed them. Then I finely sliced some potatoes, and browned them. Then my gal beat 12 eggs and added a little salt and pepper and we poured them into muffin tins lined with polka-dotted muffin cases. She sprinkled the tops with grated parmesan and we baked them for 15 minutes at around 180 degrees till they were puffed, golden and set.

I reckon they're going to taste a lot better than a vege sarni...

take a seat

Here's the pavilion at the end of the pool which we positively la la love. At the moment we've got our old cane setting in there, until we find the perfect daybed, seating combo. Can you see our chandelier? It casts the perfect subtle light at night. We haven't decided yet whether to let our thick decking weather to grey, or to paint it white... Although I'm dead over painting at the moment.

We're having friends over on the weekend, so the bar fridge, cunningly hidden behind the chair on the left, will be put into service holding champagne! All we need to do now is a little more planting, doors on the pool equipment room {under the stairs! clever non?} and a final coat of paint on the pavilion itself. And enjoy it of course!!

sneaky peak 1

Okay, my backyard's not quite ready for its close up, but I had to share this with you. Here's my pool - from the pavillion's eye view. There's a planter box on the right, running the full 10 metre length of the pool and it's been planted out with Lilly Pillies for hedging. At the end of the pool is another planter box - with the pool butts directly up to {with a pool seat at that end...}. We're thinking of either a lime green New Zealand Flax or gardenias at the moment... And yes, the pool is just as refreshing as it looks.

mini morsels

Everything tastes better in miniature. Last night I made individual apple pies and mmmmm, they were good. I diced up some granny smith apples, placed them in a pan with a broken cinnamon stick, a good sprinkling of brown sugar, a splosh of brandy, a little butter and a splash of water. Then I covered it, brought it to the boil, then let it simmer for around 10 minutes.

Then I put the filling into four ramekins and cut out a round of puff pastry, with two slits cut into it to let the steam escape. I pressed this over around the edges of the ramekin and brushed the top with milk before sprinking over some white sugar. I baked them in a hot oven for around 10 minutes and served them in a bowl with an espresso cup filled with vanilla icecream beside them.

Yum.

go slow

Now it's autumn I'm entitled to bring out the slow cooker again. Hurrah! I used it for the first time on Saturday to do my leg of lamb studded with garlic and anchovies, and oh, it was good. Now, a friend of mine reckons that nearly everything that comes out of a slow cooker tastes the same, which I tend to agree with - so I thought I'd try something different this time. 

I sliced a brown onion finely and made a bed on the bottom of the slow cooker, threw in a few bay leaves on top and then, after studding the meat with the garlic and anchovies, I browned it in a pan. I place the meat in the cooker on its bed of onions and bay then deglazed the pan with a half a cup of white wine (sauv blanc actually). I ground pepper over top of the lamb, poured the wine over top and then let it slowly cook for nine hours. 

It ended up with a whole, new taste. Not slow cooker taste, nor slowly cooked in the french oven taste - a bit of a combo of both. Very tender and tasty. We only ate half the lamb, so I had enough to make lamb and bacon pie for dinner {and caused my child to leap up and down in delight!}. Now, if I were an intelligent person I would have saved the onions and broth from the lamb in the slow cooker as stock for the pie. 

I'm not an intelligent person.

Tonight, I'm having my in-laws for dinner so I'm making beef bourginon in the slow cooker. I've had big chunks of steak marinating overnight in red wine, garlic and bouquet garni and now I'm off to fry up some bacon and throw it in the slow cooker with the meat, marinade, carrots, french shallots and sliced onions. With an hour to go I'll saute some button mushrooms and throw them in. I'll serve it with vegies and a baguette, and for pudding I'll make individual apple pies in ramekins - served with cream. Mmmmmmm. {But I'll cheat and only put pastry on the top layer so it's nice and crispy}

now and zen

I think I need to revisit a book I read a few years ago, Buddhism for Mothers, by Sarah Napthali. I'm not a religious person, and I'm not a buddhist, I am, however, a tad on the spiritual side. I like to take little snippets from organised religions and make them my own, and I think that the buddhist art of zen could be what I quite fancy at the moment. 

I particularly like the whole notion of living in the moment - something I so rarely do. Slowing down, breathing and totally focussing on one aspect of life is desirable, but something I rarely achieve. That's probably why I adore pegging out the washing. The act of taking a freshly washed garment from the basket, shaking it, turning it so I've got the seams straight, then shaking it again, before pegging and smoothing it is all remarkably meditative. I can't do anything else when I'm pegging, I just breathe, take in the blue sky, the feel of the lush green grass underfoot and relax. 

I'd like to work out other ways to make other household tasks so satisfying - particularly putting away the folded washing - I'm still dead crap at that. Unpacking the dishwasher also rarely gives me cause for joy - but I love packing it... I like the art of cleaning, and I enjoy the end result, there's just a weird bit in the middle that prevents my domestic goddess from bursting out.

Oh well, baby steps. Off to peg out my towels, ahhhhhh.

monday musings

It's Monday, it's grey and drizzly-looking, and it's autumn. I'm also still in my jammies at 10.30am {breaching one of my main working-from-home rules}. However, I've got a story due today that I hadn't written at 9am, but finished my first draft by 10.30 - hurrah. I also have to dash to my daughter's school at 11am for an hour's work at the tuck shop. So I'm saving my showering and real clothes till 10.45 {I know, speedy}...

Autumn's funny in coastal NSW. One of our deciduous trees has lost nearly all its leaves, while another's still coated in them. We don't get the pretty colour-changes here, and have to head south for autumnal colours. But I'm feeling autumnal in my cooking. I roasted a 7 hour lamb on saturday so the leftovers are going in a pie tonight. Mmmmm. I have my in-laws coming to dinner tomorrow night, one of the last times we'll see them before they head to the UK to stay with my sister-in-law and family for eight weeks. Jealous much? Of course I am!

Our weekend was relatively relaxed. We pottered around doing a few odd jobs, nothing huge, just pleasantly satisfying. Then on Sunday I attended a Coaching Clinic to get some skills for coaching my daughter's netball team. It started at 9am and finished at 3pm and I was blown away by what I learned. An enthusiastic coach from Netball NSW drove up from Sydney and spent the day passionately infusing us with knowledge that'll help us become better coaches and inspire girls who are talented, polite and respectful {one of her top tips was treat the umpires with respect, and teach your team to do so - very, very important!}. Only 10 of us attended - and there are 4000 girls who play at Newcastle on a Saturday - so that's a lot more coaches than just 10! I also picked up a few attacking and defensive moves I'm going to use in tonight's game - my opposition had better watch out!

People who so generously share their knowledge are just golden - what's the point in having a skill if you're not prepared to share it with others? 

domestic express

Quick hits that make your home a nicer place to be are always a sterling idea. Today, I quickly flung the vacuum cleaner around {so much so that our provincial sideboard is, well, verging even more on the shabby side of chic...} and then filled a bucket with steaming hot water and sprinkled in the lavender oil. Now all my floors are sparkling and the house is smelling fresh and delicious. Combine this with the sheets flapping on the line in the sunshine - and my super-cosy dinner plan - and I'm feeling all Marthariffic.

hope dinner's a winner

I spied this on the BBC Good Food website today (it's one of those little widget thingies I have on my iGoogle page) and think it might be a mighty fine option for helping me cook more fish. After all it's chrorizo, white beans and cabbage (??) in a spicy, tomato sauce - with the fish poached on top. Surely it's got to be yummy? I will season the fish before cooking it though, as everything's better with a pinch of salt and pepper. If it's a winner, I'll post the recipe. If not, you're better off without it.

sunshine state

We've had a busy week, so the other night, when my daughter and I came home from three hours of netball grading at 8pm, I quickly fed her spaghetti bolognaise and let her eat it on the couch, in front of the telly. Still wearing her netball uniform of white polo shirt... you know where I'm going don't you? Yes, of course, shirt spattered with tomato sauce - buckets of it - and no prewash stain remover. Sigh. So I washed it, and it came out only marginally paler than when it went in. However, I know the secret weapon against tomato stains - sunshine. Sure enough, after a day hanging in the sun the stains have gone. Hurrah. Sunshine, always makes me happy. Oh yes, Sunshine, always makes me smile...

happy holidays

Explain to me how I am meant to go on my next holiday without this luggage from www.steamlineluggage.com

Come on, I need answers.

pretentious or polite?

Here's something I've been struggling about for a few months now. Last year I went to the Opera House and cacked myself stupid at David Sedaris. Except once. See, he had this piece that, sadly, I didn't agree with. His premise was that any foreigner (anglo-born I take it) should not use local pronunciation as it sounds pretentious. 

He spoke of a friend who came to stay with in their home in France, utilising correct French pronunciation as if it were a vice, not a virtue. See, I can't abide how we tend to not only mispronounce words and the names of cities - we'll even give them new names because we think they're easier to enunciate than the local terms {is that why? I haven't googled it, but I still don't understand it}. When I was younger I always wondered as to why people referred to Gay Paree when speaking of Paris, and now I realise that it's the way that Parisians pronounce their home town {although they tend to leave off the gay part, unless they're referring to The Marais}.

I'm a ridiculously polite person and will go to any extreme not to offend, so why should I tell a local that I positively adore Venice, when to them it's Venizia? If somebody came up to me and told me what lovely beaches MerryWay has, when I know for damned sure that I live in Merewether I'd be puzzled, and then annoyed. But, the thing is, other countries don't tend to do that {except for some Americans who call us Oss-ies... but I think they've got it now}. 

I don't care if it sounds pretentious, if I'm serving Coq au Vin, or Lamb Navarin I'll pronounce it correctly {or, at least I'll try}.  

something shocking

Kate Spade is making me smile today with these satin beauties. I'd love them with a midnight blue frock - or a kelly green skirt, oh hell, I reckon they'd go beautifully with almost any colour. A gal can never have too many pink satin shoes...

having a ball

I'm coaching my daughter's netball team this year, something I put off for quite a few years (as I didn't want to be one of those mothers) but now I'm glad I am. We had grading yesterday which was the first time the girls had got together and played as a team, and bless their little socks - they did so well. I'm looking forward to helping them love the sport and grow as players. 

Team sports are fabulous for girls in particular, and they're even more important during adolescence and the early teen years. I wrote an article on this last year and research revealed that girls who are involved in team sports have higher self-esteem and a better body image than girls who don't. Every little bit counts when it comes to raising happy, healthy kids - so if my enthusiasm can help them develop more confidence, I've got to be happy with that.

o wow

After spending half my day yesterday checking out pics and live blogs of the Oscars, I actually watched the telecast and I must say that I was impressed. Hugh did a great job, god love him. I also liked the intimate nature of the seating - with the front row right there in the action {but where was Jack?} Bringing in the past winners to welcome the new was a glorious idea, particularly when a few of my favourites rocked on out. 

Generally speaking I liked how the awards were handed out - but, why does one film always romp it in? I understand that Slumdog must have been a great film, and I'm looking forward to checking out - but how does it kill everyone else in the category? Also, since when did Danny Boyle turn into Morrisey? I kept expecting him to burst into "I'm throwing my arms around Paris..." whenever I spied him.

Some frocks were even better on stage then in the still shots. Marion's for one. And others, well, I must say that I didn't notice the pornstaresque expanse of cleavage that SJP was rocking when she was on the red carpet. However, on stage, those things bounced around and distracted me from the frock - which is very hard to do.

I'm now newly in love with Robert Downey Jr and I'm enraptured with Robert De Niro for bringing up one of my fave Sean Penn roles - Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High {I know, and just after falling in love with Phoebe Cates on the red carpet - who hasn't aged a day since that film...}

I felt for the editors up in the suite, desperately cutting to Angelina and Brad, especially when poor Jen was on stage. They did well though, keeping the faces in check and appearing generally gracious. And I'm still all over Angelina's earrings - and how she grabs his butt at every opportunity.

Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman were hilarious, although apparently he was an ass during rehearsals... Natalie's pink frock was absolute perfection, and proof you should always try something on - cos, seriously, that colour on a hanger would be, oh honey, no. 

I also loved watching the people in the background - wow, you've really got to be on your guard and if you need to yawn, cover your mouth people. Maintaining your face in a happy, yet neutral position, being ready to burst into good humoured laughter at any time must be a tough call. Or leap to your feet for the upteenth standing ovation. But generally, they did well.

I also fell a little bit for Jerry Lewis after seeing the love he expressed for the kids with muscular dystrophy. Tirelessly raising money for decade after decade is admirable and for that I applaud him.

Oh, and Beyonce should have gone with the red sequinned number for the red carpet - much hotter.

perfect pressie

Cute. That's what this girl is. Stunningly pretty sure, but cute as a box of buttons. Love her look, love that she's ebulliently smitten with her on-screen love and am dead chuffed that she can carry off a bow. See, even the man in the dark glasses agrees - the one over her right shoulder? He gets it.

sparkles and fireworks

Well this isn't helping quell my obsession with tulle is it? Marion looks utterly gorgeous, as ever on the carpet rouge. I love...

new york is where i'd rather be

We interrupt this oscar frockfest to dip a toe in New York Fashion week, and I must say, how Barbielicious is this outfit? I'm still obsessing over polka dots at the moment, adore red lips, covet broadbrimmed sunhats and well, check out the shoes! 

royal flush

The Queen smoulders in this midnight blue number and I'm loving it all. From the slick hair and glowing, yet subdued make-up, this is a red carpet-worthy look.

oh honey, no

How can a gal so gorgeous, and with such a rocking bod, cause me to recoil from the screen in anguish? Now, while I'm feeling that silhouette {and the 24 pairs of spanx it took to achieve it - or consuming maple syrup for a fornight - whatev} and I think the neckline is an interesting play on strapless, I'm not fond of that antique gold pattern on black. Too bold. 

This is one pretty woman, and I think if she were to step away from her mother's designs and into more couture, she could stun every time.

loathing to loving

Now she's no longer the poor man's Dita, and that she's left Manson behind, I am loving on Rachel's fashion choices. It's verging on a bland out in this pic, but on the red carpet - va voom. Plus she's strawberry blonde which pushes all the yes buttons as far as I'm concerned.

j'adore

Dior Haute Couture. Oh my...

frock treatment

I'm just watching the Red Carpet and am loving on a few looks - but none more than that of a gorgeous couple still kicking on years later. Phoebe Cates looks utterly stunning in this deco-inspired frock, and I'm loving her arm candy {A Fish Called Wanda - Kline is gold, gleaming comedic gold...}

However, Lisa Rinna's lips, serious evidence that plastic surgery causes blindness - I actually recoiled from the screen when all her lips came into view. 

I'm loving on Miley Cyrus's frock - it screams precious princess - and adore the vivid shock of Angelina's earrings against her silhouette hugging black frock.

Need more, must dash back... 

whoopsies

I just realised that this is my 500th post - woo hoo. And then got to wondering when my blog anniversary is, and, whoops, I missed it. It was on February 8. I can't believe it's been a year - it's been like watching your child grow ever-so-quickly. I love how blogging gives me an excuse to comb the internet for inspiration. To seek out other blogs to gasp, giggle or guffaw over. Blogging's also made me more houseproud - when you write about your good habits you tend to want to stick to them. Also, reading decorating blogs impels me to pump up the pretty in my home. If it's not pretty or useful, it's out.

I still get a thrill reading your comments, and I've learned so much from you (especially you Sara!) While I still adore the whole ritual of buying and flicking through a magazine, blogs have offered a whole new insight into life and living - and one I'm pretty chuffed to be a part of. So yay, 500 - here's to going into quadruple figures before the year is out. xx

in the pink

There's nothing better than starting the day with an image to inspire - so check out this pile of peonies. Oh my. It's from a peony farm in the UK - I think I'd die from bliss overload walking through a place filled with such perfection.

I just glanced at my front garden and my roses are doing magnificently after their summer prune. They're covered in abundant red new growth, with some flowers here and there. Hopefully, in a week or two, we'll be rewarded with blossom upon blossom, and then it's time to get the winter flowers in. I'm thinking plenty of pale pansies. Their pretty faces never fail to cheer me up.

sweet mouthfuls

I've turned into a dessert lover. Previously there were only a few sweets on a menu that could get me to turn my head, but now, I'm branching out. Last night we went to our fave restaurant {Bistro Tartine} with some fave friends and had a superb meal - as always. We went without an entree to save space for the delicious meals and their sublime dessert. And oh. Mygod.

I had a roulade with mascapone and bitter orange that felt like a million angels dancing on your tastebuds - exquisite. Those who chose the chocolate fondant were also in raptures, and I convinced my friend to have the snow eggs with caramelised pistachios - and she was more than thrilled with every mouthful of her choice.

When you find a restaurant that manages to get everything right, it's worth going back. From the quality wine list, old favourites done in different ways (this time I had duck confit with garlic and walnut potatoes and a beetroot jus - heaven!) and a killer dessert list, served up by attentive, lovely staff - why not reward them?

put it away

Nothing brings out the tetchy old nana in me more quickly than Pammy these days. I've seen a couple of still shots of her flinging herself down the Runway for Richie Rich and, well, I wish I hadn't.

Her hair looks fab. And bravo for being able to kick your leg up so high, but, um, maybe it's time to move on?

stress and stupidity

Isn't it typical that when you're busy and stressed, you try to do too much and stuff something up? Welcome to my world yesterday. As you know, I've got a lot on - two articles for a new magazine due today, amongst all my usual work. Then I agreed to a few more jobs yesterday, all with tight deadlines. 

Well, I thought I was all on top of it. I've got all my work in my little cupcake iconed folders, I've set up all different folders for my emails - one for each specific category - which I move all emails to at the end of the day, after deleting any non-essentials. So there I was Smugarama, Queen of Smugville when I discover one of my email folders is just missing. MISSING. 

Of course I uncovered this as I was talking to my six-year-old niece on the phone and trying to remain calm in the face of terror is not my forté. 

We searched everywhere, went on Mac forums, delved deep into my library. No luck. Thankfully I haven't been so prudent with my sent box - with over 2500 emails, and because I always reply to emails I had copies of everything I needed.

Then, later on, just before bed, I see a teeny little arrow next to one of my folders. Teeny I tell you. Now, I'd opened this folder, and all the rest, but my missing folder wasn't inside - even though it was. Yep, upon clicking the arrow I found my missing folder, and its hundred-odd emails somewhere inside this folder.

Phew. I really do need to become more technologically competent - or less flustered when I'm in a tizz.

poodle-licious

When I was a wee lass I had the most gorgeous navy frock, with a red and white poodle on a leash. I loved it. My mum would always do my hair in long sausage curls and tie red ribbons here and there. I love these Annie Poodle designs (www.anniepoodleskirts.com) - and she's got poodle outfits for toddlers and girls as well. I reckon my fashion conscious Miss would find this tres fabulous.

it's all happening

Oh goodness. Life's a bit hectic at the moment. I've been blessed with bucketloads of work, so am trying to keep calm and carry on. Just as I decided to take on coaching of my daughter's netball team, and volunteered to help year 6 leaders at my daughter's school write some driving and parking safely at school news letters (seriously, parents who park - on the crossing - so they can let their little darling out and watch them walk through the gate make my blood boil. Park the beemer up the street buddy and get out and WALK your child through the gate. It's not hard) I've been in demand workwise. Which is good, I shan't complain. Nor shall I say no. I'll be like this lady, juggling hearts with ribbons - that's a pretty way to think about it...

magnifique monochrome

sticky situation

Cooking shows are my drug.  I devour them like I used to consume cookbooks. But these days, I'm just seeking inspiration - or good tips. These days I always place a folded tea towel under my bowl when I'm mixing to keep it in place (thanks Bill). I roll my lemons and limes under my hand on the bench to get them all juicy (Bill again?). I also place a layer of baking paper over the top layer of any dish I'm slow cooking before I put the lid on to keep it nice and moist (that English woman, with the long hair, and no bra... what's her name?). Also, because I was vegetarian for 20 years, there's a few basics I've missed, which is why I was delighted to hear the other night that meat only sticks to a cooking surface if it's not ready (pretty sure Gordon told me that). If you leave it, untouched, till it's caramel brown, it won't stick. So true! Even in just my stainless steel frypan, with no non-stick surface, meat, if left to brown, will then come away with ease (leaving just an incy bit on the bottom to deglaze).

karma comedian

I really believe that if you're kind to others it shows. Generally speaking you can have a pretty good life, only nice wrinkles show up on your face (smiley ones, not angry ones) and you can go through life pretty content.

I also believe that karma will eventually strike those who do wrong by others. Whether it's a major act, or a minor blip, surely you're better off doing something that makes others happy rather than sad. I was reading one of my favourite blogs this morning (the house that a-m built) and was saddened to see that she was closing her blog and only making it available to private readers. Reading between her lines I believe that another blogger has felt usurped and has shaken a-m to the point of closing off her blog. This is just awful. I love that blog. Reading it daily while going through my endless backyard renovations gave me hope. She shared her tales, along with the odd pretty pic, and for that deserves kudos - not a kick. She will prevail though, and karma will kick the butt of that other blogger too...

It's the same thing with the whole school uniform saga at my daughter's school. They rushed into it, went with a manufacturer from China (rather than the wonderful Australian-made company I was championing) and guess what happened? Yep, when the samples came through the sizing was all skewiff (either teensy or huge, nothing was just right) and did the orders come through two days before school started as promised? Um, no. It's nearly the end of February and they're still not here. Apparently half the orders are meant to arrive at the end of the month but the rest? Who knows? 

Now in the meantime the kids had to have uniforms, so all the parents of kinders or those who needed to replace uniforms had to buy the Aussie made ones and guess what? They're discovering they're cheaper, with superior material, and look a helluva lot better than the sweatshop creations. Ah karma, I love you so...

Oh, over in that corner? That's me, doing the 'I told you so' dance.

beribboned bliss

My handiwork sewing ribbons on my daughter's ballet slippers resembles naught these nifty pretties from Jean Paul Gaultier. But oh my. The vertiginous heels are ever-so evocative of a ballerina en-pointe. Such an exquisite homage.

reasons to be cheerful: part 1

I needed to get away from my desk for a bit, so I went to the Salvos to drop off a couple of bags of stuff gleaned from our daughter cleaning her room on the weekend. Then I shopped.

As you know, we bought a new BBQ. It's all shiny and new and ready to go, but I'm not really au fait with the art of barbequing. So hello happiness when I found The Barbeque Cookbook on a shelf with a $1.50 price tag: bargain-a-licious! Skipping on over to the glassware shelves I find a set of six cocktail glasses, lead crystal ones mind, in their original pink and white box - for $4! Next I discover that all the clothing is now colour-coordinated, so I check out pink, black and then, hello green. The prettiest green wrap dress with white polka dots is just hanging there in my size, begging to be taken home.

I obliged.

sew sew

I had to sew ribbon onto my daughter's leather ballet slippers yesterday - how's that for a challenge. So I lugged the sewing machine out of the linen closet (not a pretty pink one like this - a dull beige number - sigh) and set to work. I did it and my work looked pretty neat and serviceable. Inspired I delved into the bottom of my wardrobe and fished out my 'mending' bag. In it was a formerly favourite dress in need of a little TLC. Well, a few runs of the zig zag, one of straight stitch and it's good as new. It's now washed and hanging on the indoor line, waiting for a real summer's day to come out again and play.

Don't you love it when you pull something out from the closet that you haven't worn in ages? It's almost like having something new again.

job well done

When I say I'll have something done by a certain date, I do it. All of it. Everything that's expected of me will be completed to the best of my ability. I don't question it - I just do it. Therefore I expect the same of others. Hmmmmm. There are guys in my backyard installing the glass in my pool fence. Finally. Three weeks after installing the posts, they've got the glass {after promising the glass in five to seven working days...}. Now, guess whether they've got all the glass, or whether a certain aspect, say, a gate, is not the correct size. Oh, you guessed that they've cut the gate too big? Hmmmm. Now, they reckon they'll be back tomorrow with a correctly cut gate. Do you think they'll be back tomorrow, in five to seven working days, or longer? Looks like I'll have to live with the yellow temporary fencing for a little longer.

rainy days and mondays

It's been raining for nearly a week now and I've been biting my tongue about it for a few days {you know, aside from saying "I can't complain about the rain" which really means, "Man, I'd love to complain about the rain"}. This morning there was an incy blue patch of sky which excited me enough to rip the sheets from my bed, but it's gone now, replaced with deep charcoal clouds pregnant with more rain. 

Now, I'm not complaining, but I'd really, really, really like to wash my sheets. My lovely new white egyptian cotton sheets, which, of course, can't go in the dryer. I think I'll have to tempt fate and wash them - I can always fling a line up down the hall - or across the living room. Sigh. Visions of summer sheets flapping in the breeze, casting delicate shadows across my increasingly verdant lawn {is there such a shade as Shocking Green? Cos I think my grass has invented it} are dissipating fast. 

note to SATC screenwriters

Apparently everyone's on board for a second Sex and the City film, which I'm a bit chuffed about. But here's what I think should happen... 

Sadly, Aiden's wife has tragically passed away {peacefully mind} leaving him to raise Pete and their children alone. And then one day, by happenstance, Carrie chances upon Aiden and they realise they were destined to be together. Carrie dumps Big {dramatically, leaving him in tears}, romances Aiden and then they live happily ever after. 

Seriously WHY did she ever let him go? Once was careless, but twice?? That's just criminal.

follow your bliss

Before serving up dessert today I made my hubby run and get the camera - cos, c'mon, surely this plate of yum is ready for its close-up...

And oh, it was just as delish third time around. Unfortunately there was a little leftover so we'll have to polish it off tonight. I'll soldier on though...

pretty in pink

Today was super-chilly, grey and rainy - so I had to nix the bbq lunch I'd planned. Instead, I cooked up Beef Bourginon, cubes of potatoes cooked in duck fat, baguettes - and caramelised radish. YUM.

I was watching French Food at Home yesterday when this bowl of deliciousness hit the screen and their pretty pink glazed glow dazzled me. Here's what you do:

Trim most of the green top, leaving around 1cm, and a little off the bottom root. Slice into quarters lengthwise and place in a frypan. Just cover with water, pop in the equivalent of two cubes of sugar and a tablespoon of butter and bring to the boil. Simmer for around 10 - 15 minutes, or until the sauce reduces to a pink caramelised glaze and the radishes take on a glossy pink hue. Serve to your gobsmacked guests...

happy valentines day xx

bella rosa

I need to find space in my garden for this little pretty next spring. It's a David Austin rose with the name Skylark - and hello, prettiness! It's sweetly scented, as all his roses are, with a lingering aroma of 'apple pie' - oh-so-sold...

The fleurs are reminiscent of my favourite Duchess de Brabant - just a deeper shade of pink. I do need me one of these, particularly as it grows to a teensy 3 foot high and 2 foot wide - surely there's space.

bbq christening

I'm trying out the new bbq tonight, before we have friends for lunch tomorrow - how exciting! I'm dead keen to try out the rotisserie, which I've never used before - but how hard can it be? I think I'll throw on a few chickens, stuffed with lemons and pancetta, and basted with butter, tarragon and white wine. I'll also do a layered potato dish with thin slices alternated with chicken stock and a crispy cheese crust. And a salad - of course. For a starter I think I'll do some caramelised ribs - we're all close friends, we can deal with that. And dessert is, of course, my chocolate sponge pudding stuffed with raspberry and dark chocolate studded icecream - it always brings on smiles.

The bar fridge is connected in the pavilion, so I'll pop in some champers, juice, beer and water. But it's a bit cold and rainy today, and probably tomorrow too, so no swimming for the kiddies. Typical, the first friends to see our backyard almost complete will see it in the rain... However, the lilly pillies in the planter boxes are adoring every drop of the rain though, and the grass in the courtyard is now almost fluorescent in its richness. So shan't complain.

Next week the garden should be complete and as soon as there's a day of sunshine I'll snap away and share some pics!

bella bella

I did a huge shop at Coles yesterday as all profits raised would be sent to aid bushfire victims. I bought plenty of stuff, and discovered my new favourite thing - sparkling, organic fruit juices. O.M.G.

I bought blood orange, pomegranite and pink grapefruit - but there was also lemon on offer.  

Last night we whipped the vodka from the freezer, poured a shot or two into a glass and topped it with fizzy blood orange juice. A wedge of lime on the side completed the picture. Wow. The perfect cocktail - and the juice was only 99 cents a bottle. They also make a pretty good mocktail as our gal discovered, her glass filled only with juice and decorated with a lime wedge too.

Yes, I'll be heading back to Coles today to buy a case! {I am obsessed with blood orange at the moment - and I think this would be the base for a pretty amazing sorbet}.

bright spark

There's an electrician in my backyard today setting up electricity for my bar fridge and, more importantly, chandelier, in the pavilion. Only one minor task left till the backyard's complete (glass in the pool fencing!)

We'll still have another weekend of painting to give the pavilion three coats of white gloss - and now we'll have to work out how to furnish the - but it's as near to finished as possible. However, the weather, with it's 16 degrees and raining, isn't the best way to show off a summer backyard at its best. But I don't believe I'll ever complain about the rain again. Now I just need to work out how to transport it down south.

Oh, speaking of furnishing the pool pavilion, you know the white daybed I showed you a few weeks ago? Apparently it's only suitable for real, proper indoor use (insert sad face here). They did send us an image of the outdoor daybed and, oh, it was seriously unattractive. Ugly actually if I'm to be frank. Weird driftwood-esque timber, oddly shaped... oh well, we can keep searching. For the moment we've got a wicker lounge setting in white that'll serve the purpose. I've never been a fan of instantly furnishing a room. I prefer to make do till something comes along that I'm completely smitten with. It'll happen.

pie eye

Hey, you know how delish the seven hour leg of lamb is? You know, the one studded with anchovies and garlic? Well I upped the yum factor tonight by baking it into a pie.

I finely diced an onion and a couple of huge cloves of garlic and sauteed them in olive oil till they were soft. The I diced the remaining leg of lamb into decent-sized chunks and threw that in on top of the onion. Because there wasn't enough lamb to fill a pie dish, I then chopped up 250g of bacon and browned it in there as well. After this I poured in half a cup of red wine (a spicy shiraz) and let it soak into the meat, before adding another 1/2 cup. After this I added about one and a half cups of chicken stock (I didn't have any beef - or lamb) and some dried, mixed herbs (no fresh rosemary in my garden at the moment). Adjusting to taste I then slooshed in a good splash of worstershire (sp?) sauce and salt and pepper. To thicken, I added a tablespoon of gravy powder and simmered for 15 minutes.

I then lined a pie dish with puff pastry and stabbed it all over before baking it at 200 degrees for five minutes. Of course, despite my stabbing, it rose dramatically, so I stabbed it again and pushed it down flat with a spoon. The filling went on top of this, and I placed more puff pastry roughly over the top. I brushed the top with beaten egg (plenty of it) and stabbed a few breathing holes in the top.

This went in the oven for around 15 minutes, till it was deliciously golden, and I served it with Paris Mash and peas cooked in chicken stock with a dob of butter.

Oh.

My.

God.

For winter dinner parties I'll be serving individual pies in ramekins - with pastry just on the top for ease. And, for the record, hubby and daughter both ate their peas (obviously everything's better with chicken stock and butter...)

feeling crafty

On my way to buy coffee beans at a far-flung suburb this morning, I wandered past an op-shop. Now, as you know, I believe it's a sin to actually walk past an op-shop, so in I sauntered. First thing I spied was a pale, dusky pink handbag that I coveted last winter, but when I went back to buy it, alas, they were sold out. Today, however, that little beauty was sitting on a shelf - for $4, rather than the $80-odd retail. Hello, did somebody say bargain?

It's a cute little thing, with a pretty pale pink leather flower on one side, but the little button in the middle of the rose has fallen off - which is why I guess the previous owner abandoned it so. However, I'm looking at this as an opportunity to get crafty. I'm going to Spotlight to buy some raspberry felt and I'm going to make a little button to place in the middle. But that's not all. I thought I'd make two more flowers, to take the floral layer count to four, which shall bring the whole look together. 

I'll take some before and after shots so you can marvel at my Martha-esque craft skills (or not, as may be the case...) C'mon, how hard can it be?

little lamb

Gwen sure knows how to design a fab pair of shoes. These L.A.M.B. pretties would be able to wash away any winter blues. With a pencil skirt and bright red lips a gal could sashay into any room with a smile.

cold comfort

Wow, in a week we've gone from 37 degree scorchers, to today's low of 17 degrees and raining. Can't complain about the rain as hopefully it's helping to put out some bushfires and is drenching some pretty dry gardens. It's also brought our carpenter back to finish the pavilion by nailing the slats around three edges - woo. And hoo!

Last night's lamb was utterly divine. Perfection. Best of all, I only used half of it - so do you know what that means? Lamb pie for dinner! I've never baked a savoury pie before, so I'll need to google a recipe. I'm thinking of a pastry base, a rich, red wine sauce and maybe a mashed potato topping - served with mushy peas (which I'll have to give a new name as husband and child both have an aversion to green peas - odd!)

comfort food

It's called that for a reason, which is why I'm slow cooking this Tuesday. A friend's status update on Facebook called me to slowly cook a leg of lamb, which I'm doing.

After studding deep cuts with chunks of fresh garlic and pieces of anchovy, I browed the leg in a pan. Then it's gone into the dutch oven with plenty of onions, more garlic, more anchovies, carrot and french lentils. A tin of diced tomatoes, some chicken stock, white wine, salt and pepper and a bouquet garni complete the combo. I should have simmered it, but didn't - I've just covered it with the lid and popped it in the oven on a low heat (120 degrees). It's going to slowly cook for at least five hours (should have started earlier for a seven hour cooking time, but oh well, we'll see) and then I'm serving it with potatoes and zucchini - possibly cooked together as a gratin, again, we'll see...

Hastily thrown together comfort food still serves a purpose, so long as it's got all the necessary ingredients and is still shown love. After all, sometimes a quick snog is just as good as a long, slow pash... 

thoughtful tuesday

I'm in a strange place at the moment. I'm around 1000 kilometres from my mum, step-dad and brother who live on 6.5 acres of bushland, right near the bushfires in Victoria. Houses have been lost at the end of their street (admittedly a very long street of about 7.5 kilometres, but still, that's too close). I'm trying to concentrate and work but am thinking about their safety, wishing that their "tree-change" were actually a "sea-change" so they could live somewhere safer, without the imminent threat to their lives and their home. I've been doing lots of calling to check their safety, and fielding calls from friends and family who've tried to get through, but found the phone lines busy. Normally an engaged signal is a minor annoyance, but when you know that catastrophic bushfires are nearby it sets the adrenaline pumping in the most horrid way.

At least they're safe. Close friends of theirs, the dearest, sweetest people you could ever meet, are waiting to hear the bad news about their daughter, her partner and other family members who lived in Kinglake - one of the worst affected areas. The death count's still rising and it could take weeks for positive identification. My heart and prayers are with them, and everyone who's experienced loss in these fires.

The worst part is that some fires were deliberately lit, while others were the result of a flaming cigarette being flung from a window. Obviously I have no concept of what goes on in the deranged mind of a pyromaniac - nor do I want to - but who throws a lit cigarette out a window any time, let alone in 46 degree heat? That's not ignorance, that's willful stupidity. They will be found, and they will be charged, but the lives, human and animal, the loss of homes and priceless memories, along with the nightmares so many will continue to experience, cannot be salved with a gaol-term. 

The only positive is lift it's giving the human spirit. Cash donations are pouring in, people are desperate to help, and the town's will be rebuilt with vigour. The Aussie battling spirit is at its best in times of crisis - let's hope it continues even when times are good.