kiss me kate

That Kate Spade sure is a lady of fine style. Look at these pretties! With the slash of fuschia across the toe they're bound to spin eyes in your direction.

I see them with a citron frock with a very full fifties skirt, but then again, I'm seeing everything like that lately - it's my new obsession...

clutter busting trick

When it comes to ditching the clutter, the hardest part is finding the time and the energy - so it makes sense to always be prepared.

What I like to do is hang a carrybag on the back of all the doors in the house - bedrooms, kitchen, study - and then, when I come across something I don't need {such as clothes that don't fit, kitchenware I no longer use, books I don't want to re-read} I can toss them in the donation bag. Then, when the bag's full, it's ready to go to the salvos.

Of course, when I use a pretty bag like these Cath Kidston numbers, I'll switch all the stuff into a plastic bag for the drop off!

what's cookin' wednesday

Life with a menu plan is a much happier life. Last night we had the delicious red wine and crispy pancetta risotto I posted earlier, and oh boy, was it good.

Here's what we're eating the rest of the week:

Wednesday: skirt steak, broccoli and cashew stir-fry with udon noodles

Thursday: Baked salmon with avocado salsa and salad

Friday: dinner at the in-laws so I'm taking quiche Lorraine and they're supplying the salad

Saturday: prawn, chorizo and potato salad {griddled on the bbq with a sherry vinegar dressing. Oh my}

Sunday: bbq dinner for my gal's netball team - all I need to take are a couple of dozen red velvet cupcakes!

Monday: chicken and pistachio meatloaf with roasted vegies

Tuesday: minted lamb cutlets, smashed peas and mash

i wanna be me

I went to the dentist the other week to pay a fortune to have my teeth cleaned in a rather agonising fashion. So, while the hygenist is chatting away about how I don't brush my teeth correctly, blah, blah, she once again mentions the wear on my front teeth and how I could have them bonded.

Now, I've posted earlier about how I'd never even noticed that one of my teeth had a wee chip and had worn. Never. Until it was brought to my attention. Now apparently both my teeth have worn, but they can fix it.

Then she started rattling on about teeth whitening, two sessions apparently, and they could bond a number of my teeth so they become all the same length.

What?

Yep, for around $1500 I could have a "Hollywood Smile".

Or I could fly to New York for a week.

I don't want a Hollywood Smile. I want my smile. Yes, it's cracked and flawed, but I don't understand why you'd want to look like someone else and if I had a line of perfectly white, straight Hollywood teeth I'd look like someone else.

What does Nicole Kidman think when she looks in the mirror? I just saw shots of her at the tennis, with the most astonishingly inflated top lip and a puffy face that's obviously been stabbed with various fillers and plumpers. She doesn't look like herself, not one jot. And that's not what I want.

Off to brush my teeth now. Badly.

Oh, and guess what? This is my 850th post. Yay me. 1000 here I come.

dream dinner

I've had a craving these past few days for a red wine risotto after watching Giada whip one up the other night, and, oh my, was it worth it.

Here's the recipe

big knob of butter

6 - 8 french shallots, sliced

2 big cloves of garlic, sliced

1 cup of risotto rice

1 cup of red wine

4 cups beef stock

few sprigs of thyme

8 slices pancetta

parmesan to serve

Melt butter in pan and saute shallots and garlic till soft. Pour in rice, stir for two minutes. Then pour over 1 cup of red wine. Then add a ladleful of simmering beef stock, stirring till it's almost absorbed. Throw in your thyme with the risotto.

Meanwhile, fry up your pancetta and break into pieces. When you're one ladleful away from finishing {around 20 mins in} throw in half the crispy pancetta and grate in about 1/2 cup of parmesan. Throw in the rest of the stock, stir, and serve. Break remaining pancetta over the top and throw on some parmesan shavings.

Mmmmmmm.

seamstress dreams

This Zac Posen frock is calling my name {and then it's snickering behind its hands saying, "yeah, as if you can afford me... Rude!} All the more reason why I intend on mastering the skill of sewing.

I could create the perfect frock, in the most just-so fabric and would know that nobody else will be waltzing down the street in said number.

Hmmm, perhaps it really is time to bring out the ol' Singer sewing machine...

feeling better now

Phew, it's amazing what a glass of lemonade and a sausage roll can achieve {do doctor's prescribe such things? They should}. I'm now feeling much, much better - but think my day would be eminently improved with peonies such as these on such a lovely benchtop {and those wee tarts too, mmmmm}. When in doubt, take a spoonful of pretty.

nothing to see here...

I'm not feeling too hot today. Just a lurgy, that's making me feel bleurgh-y...

Not what I need at the moment, but maybe it's a sign to slow down and de-stress. I did sleep in this morning till 10am while my husband and daughter got ready this morning - that helped. And I've washed my hair and got dressed - which nearly always makes a difference - except not today.

Sigh.

Oh well, I'll drink lots of water to flush it from my system and go sit out in the spring sunshine for a bit. Surely that'll make me feel better...

wisteria lane

Our wisteria is in flower at the moment and I thought I'd best stop to appreciate it - and grab a couple of shots so you could too.

Isn't it just gorgeous! Pretty soon the vine will be covered and the delicate scent will waft over me as I walk up the stairs. I really have to thank the former owners for planting this, I don't think I would have considered it.

I have a productive week planned. I'm not as frantic as I was the last two weeks so I'm determined to get back into menu planning and spend some time getting the house in order. We have some leftover chicken provencal from last night's family feast, so that will do us for dinner tonight - and from tomorrow I'll be meal planning like I do it for a living.

I had a coffee catch-up this morning with my best friend from primary and high school - who I haven't seen in 20 years!!!! She hadn't changed, and has just become more lovely over time. Sometimes it's worth revisiting the past.

Hope you've got a lovely week planned.

oh what a night

Twas quite the ball last night. As you can see I cracked open the box and my beautiful Manolos came out to play. They had a lovely time...

I'm proud to say they've come home in pretty fine condition - no heels went through any cracks to get scuffed and scrunched.

We sipped on an amazing champage - Rodier pere et fils - which I shall be tracking down as it was utterly delicious... The food was sublime too. Morsels of duck and salad on spoons, teeny demitasse cups filled with seafood chowder and oysters to nibble while sipping champagne. Smoked salmon parcels first, followed by the most delicious pork belly dish ever {and that's saying something!} with a beef and scampi man. All rounded off with a delicate pavalova that was more like snow eggs in texture. Perfection.

We've just had the father's day pressies and breakfast in bed - with husband now going back to sleep for a tad. I'm about to start cooking provencal chicken for 16 for dinner at my in-laws' tonight. I've never catered for that many, particularly when there are two other hot dishes, oh well, best too much than not enough.

Happy father's day to all those blokes out there enjoying the day.

woo hoo it's the weekend

Who doesn't love seeing a weekend stretched out before them? We've got lots of lovely plans this weekend, including a ball tonight which is ever-so-exciting! It's on the harbour so should be pretty darned magnificent.

Sunday's father's day, so I'll be collecting our gal from her cousins' early sunday morning {after her sleepover Saturday night} and we'll make breakfast in bed and lavish daddy with gifts.

Then I'll be cooking up a storm as we have a family dinner on Sunday night. I'm making a huge pot of chicken provencal and taking baguettes to serve with it. Yum.

My husband's turned into quite the home handyman and has managed to paint lots of the pavilion and the outdoor table and chairs on the back veranda, giving them a gorgeous fresh, white look. We're inspired now to get as much of the garden finished by Christmas - including the side!!

Now I need to pull my dress from the closet for the ball tonight to make sure it still fits after a winter of comfort food. Otherwise I'll be buying a couple of pairs of spanx...

Enjoy your weekend.

i feel like dancin'

Nothing, NOTHING makes me happier than dancing, which is why I cannot believe that I have never been informed of THIS

I saw a compilation clip on GoFugYourself the other day and haven't stopped smiling since. Oh, and I've been over to YouTube and checked out about a dozen different versions which have all caused me to break out all cheshire cat-like.

Happy.

fabulous friday

Cor blimey Charlie, it's the start of another weekend. Okay, now seriously, did this week just zoom by at a super-dooper speed, or was that just me?

It's grey and drizzly today, not how I like to start my weekends - but the garden could do with a soak, so shan't complain...

We've set the daybed up in the pavilion now and as soon as the sun comes out and makes it look all photo-shoot ready I'll nip up and start snapping away.

I'm already planning my summer's entertaining. And how cute is this idea for holding water? We've got the champagne fridge in the pavilion, and I must say that water consumption is always secondary when it comes to the choice of champagne bubbles or l'aqua. However, don't you think that a vessel like this would make water seem like the chic-est choice?

bite of bliss

I don't have a lot to thank my maternal grandfather for, he really wasn't that great a person... However, I shall always be thankful for two things.

1. I seem to have inherited his baby skin - I swear his first wrinkle appeared when he was in his 60s, so I shan't be needing botox anytime in the future.

And 2. He grew the best darned tomatoes in the world. Even now I can still taste the most perfect snack ever: slices of fresh, ruby red tomato on buttered Sao biscuits, with lashings of salt and pepper. Only slightly bettered by fresh white bread, buttered, and generously laden with slices of tomatoes, salt and pepper.

My husband and daughter aren't keen on tomatoes, probably because they never tasted my pop's. If they had, they too, like me, would be on the ever elusive hunt for the perfect tomato.

I reckon that when my vegie garden's in full swing I'll have found it. I'm going to hunt through every heirloom seed company's stock till I find the perfect beefstock tomato - and force my family to try a taste of heaven...

frock on

I really, really need this dress.

bright out

It's a strange ol' day out today. Kinda grey, kinda misty... could go either way. So I thought I'd put a zing in everyone's day with these lipstick red beauties. They're by Brian Atwood and I found 'em over at net-a-porter if you're in a shopping frame of mind. They suggest pairing them with a pair of denim skinnies, which would look mighty nice, but I'd love to see them with an emerald green sunfrock. That'd bring out the sunshine - even if only in your immediate vicinity.

bluebells for beth

Because everyone needs a little bit of pretty in their day...

and so to bed

I'm not a great sleeper. Ever since having our gal, I've slept lightly, with the slightest sound waking me - and keeping me awake for yonks. Last night I was just so tired I was tempted to go to bed at 7.30 and thought, darn it, maybe I should!

I'd felt sluggish all day, and even though I forced myself to go for a 30 minute walk at 5pm, I still felt erk.

So I forced myself to stay awake till 8.30, read a chapter of my bedtime book and snoozed until 7.45am. Bliss on a stick.

Now I'm refreshed and ready to take on anything.

spring fling

Oooh, it's the first day of spring - quite possibly my fave season {but I also like autumn, and winter, and now I've got the pool, summer...}

Here's a pic of my gal from a few years ago when we were checking out the gardens in the Southern Highlands. I adore tulips, but here in sunny newcastle it's too warm for them.

Not to worry, just gives me an excuse to buy a bunch in spring. Must say, I'm loving having pretty fleurs on my desk - makes the working day go by much more pleasantly...

time-saving tuesday

I'm not going to bore you with talk of how busy I am - mainly because I'd much prefer busy than chasing work! But even though I've got bucketloads of work to do, I still have find the time to do the essentials. So here's what I'm going to do...

This may sound shocking, but I'm going to cut back my television viewing to the bare essentials. Yep, I'm going to go through the TV guide and choose my must-watch NEW programs and only watch them - no repeat viewings, no mindless watching-the-least-offensive-crapola...

So if I'm not sitting in front of the telly, I'm doing something productive - good huh! I'll also be scheduling in my daily walks which are the only thing keeping me sane lately. I played a hellishly tough game of netball last night, in a very active position so I'm feeling a bit creaky today. Luckily I know that a good, brisk walk will lubricate the ol' joints again.

I'm still sticking to my timeline too - where everything's broken down into pieces. It really helped me get all four articles that were due on Friday in on time. Woo hoo.

Have a happy Tuesday!

busy with a capital B

I was really busy last week - and now, this week, I think I'm going to be even busier. Gotta be happy with that though! Hopefully I've got everything in place to make it a success - but if not, I'm afraid I'm going to be like that ol' deck of cards...

I've already had one stumble. Yesterday our indoors-only cat escaped, and somehow managed to get a grass seed or similar in his eye. Now his right eye's all puffy, weepy and swollen. So that's a 9.15 emergency vet visit on the cards.

I'm also going out for lunch with friends for a birthday and citizenship celebration which I shan't be cancelling - I didn't work through my Sunday to give friendships a miss!

Wish me luck {again} and let's hope I don't wear any dangly bracelets that'll cause my house to fall down {totally a Brady Bunch reference for tragics like myself who saw every episode, oh, about a hundred times...}

sunny sunday

When it's already 18 degrees at 8am you know you're in for a warm ol' day...

We had a most productive shopping day yesterday, tiring, but amazingly successful.

Firstly we went to the hell that is IKEA {seriously, are there people that actually enjoy walking that 10 kilometre trek through thousands of fighting punters? Not this little black duck...}. But we had success and bought this cute little 'butcher's block' that we're going to put in an unmanageable corner in the kitchen {after painting it white} and it's going to be our coffee zone - housing the espresso machine, cups, grinder, canisters... Freeing up a lot of bench and cupboard space and looking cute.

Next, we went waaaaaaaay out Bankstown way, to a place called Yagoona, to look at a white cane daybed for the pavillion. I wasn't holding out much hope for the fabrics. Waterproof, UV-rated stuff is often stiff, and even these days, while it has a range of colours, not much take our fancy {we are serious fusspots. Serious.}

So when the bloke toddled out and we told him what we were after, he said, "Oh, I've had some cushions made up for a photo shoot that look great on the white daybed" and I, being a cynic, thought "Yeah, right."

Now, imagine how I feel when the EXACT fabric I wanted {in my head mind, I didn't even know it existed} comes out in his hand. And instead of it being in the practical three separate cushions {that I knew I should have wanted, but preferred the look of one, long cushion} it's in the one whole cushion. Maintaining a poker face was difficult.

So now, we're getting the daybed delivered on Wednesday, he's even painting it the way we want. Woo hoo. So that means my husband's going to be out with a paintbrush today putting the final coats on the pavillion so the new daybed has a worthy home. Ooooooh, the lazy sundays I'll be spending lying on that little beauty reading the papers on a weekend, while our gal swims in the pool.

Bliss.

tonight's the night

Uber-excited as tonight I'm heading off to see Coco Avant Chanel. Woo hoo. Our gal's off to her bestie's for a sleepover as we're off to Sydney early in the morning for a shopping day, so we thought we'd take advantage of the free babysitting and head off to the movies. We might even be super-sneaky and take advantage of the local cocktail offer our local restaurant Lime has: a cocktail and a tapas plate for $15. A totally balanced meal non?

Enjoy your weekend xx

frugal friday

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of what's good value. My gal loves mangos - eats them almost every day of mango season, and when they're out of season, is aching for when they come back into season. So on Monday, I'm in Coles and I see the first of the real mangos have hit the stands. But they're $4 each so I nearly walk past them. However, I stopped to think about it and realised that I'd be happy to spend $4 on a cupcake - so why shouldn't I spend that on something that's delicious and nutritious?

I picked one up, took a sniff and the heady aroma made me swoon. I bought one, lovingly took it home and for her afternoon snack one very excited gal had fresh mango cheeks to feast on {while her lucky mum got to gnaw on the flesh around the stone - mmmmm}.

Treating yourself and your family with something so glorious is to easiest way to breeze through a frugal lifestyle. You just need to step out of the confines of what it's acceptable to spend on - and what it's not. The $6 bunch of freesia's I bought on Tuesday are sitting on my desk still bringing me joy days later - that's $2 for happiness each day - and I think they'll last till at least next monday - under $1 per day.

Sometimes it's the little things that make you feel spoiled isn't it?

so amazingly yummy

I really should have taken a photo of tonight's dinner - that's how amazing it was. Here's what we did though {a day late, cos last night we had a hospital visit - and bbq chicken and salad for dinner}.

So, tonight, gremolata and panko crumbed pork cutlets. So, so good they bring tears to my eyes, and I find myself constantly patting myself on the back. Yep, that good.

Firstly my gal made the gremolata on her mezzaluna {doesn't every nine-year-old have a mezzaluna? They do when they spy one in a kitchen shop and sigh, "Oh, I've wanted one of these forever..." Yes, she's quite the Nigella fan...} So, 1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley, rind of one lemon, two fat cloves of garlic, all mushed together.

Then, the cutlets. I flattened them out a little, getting out some aggression with my fists, then salted them. Next, they were dipped in a beaten egg mixture and then popped on a plate where I'd mixed equal quantities of panko bread crumbs {if you've never had these, run to the nearest store and buy them - they're japanese and utterly delish}. I pushed them right into the cutlets and then placed them in about a centimetre of hot olive oil in a frypan and fried each side till golden {one minute each side?}.

Then I finished them off in a 180 degree oven for 10 minutes till they were cooked through.

Tender, crispy, lemony, garlicky... seriously, what could be yummier?

me to a t

Obviously I'm a fan of patent leather. And, yep, I love Mary Janes, however, coming in at a close second are t-bars. They have that certain something non?

Here are a pair by Jean Paul Gaultier that I'm rather fond of...

Oh, and guess what I just did? On my way to the dentist I stopped off at a shoe clearance, foraged through boxes of divine heels in a size 37 and walked out with

nothing.

Nope, I didn't fall madly, deeply in love, so I walked out empty-handed. That's what you've got to do when you're enticed by shoes that were $285 reduced to $40 - stop, step back, ignore what they used to cost and what they're reduced to. Think about whether or not they make your heart sing. If not a note escapes, then walk away.

I wasn't totally empty-handed because, at the front door they had free shoe boxes in a pretty aqua and white stripe so I grabbed a couple to house my box-less shoes. Now I just need to get hold of a polaroid and snap off some shots of my shoes so I know what is where...

oooh venizia

My love for Paris has another rival, Venice. We spent four glorious days there a few years ago, and feel like I'd barely skimmed the surface. This shoot by Karl Lagerfeld has me scheming to return to the grand canal. I'd like to actually visit the Guggenheim, rather than just viewing it from a vaporetto. Next time I'll hunt down more intricate laneways and explore every canal.

Can you see I've got the travel bug? Best start saving, I can feel a European sojourn coming on.

what's cookin' wednesday

This week I'm excited by the arrival of warmer weather {aside from the current crazy wind situation!}. Last night I cooked crispy skin salmon with salad and it was just utter spring perfection {in late winter...}. Here's what else we're having.

Wednesday: Pork cutlets with gremolata and panko crumbs with a pumpkin, almond and spinach salad.

Thursday: St Tropez chicken {which I'm actually going to cook this week - I'm buying the chicken today to marinate tonight in rosé, honey, mixed herbs and lavender flowers and then roasting it for 90 mins. Mmmmm}

Friday: Beef and cashew stirfry with noodles

Saturday: some kind of take-away, we're heading to Sydney for the day to shop for our daybed for the pavillion - roll on summer!

Sunday: Roast butterflied lamb and salad

Monday: home-made pizza

Tuesday: steak and salad

Oh, and that little table vignette above? One night our gal cooked dinner for us and set the table just so. Cute huh!

belle fleurs

There were no ranunculas at the florist today, so I bought these pretty fragrant freesias instead. I love the way the white blooms are blushing with the faintest hint of lilac.

I popped them on my 1920s french cafe table in the baywindow of our bedroom for this shot as I adore how they look against the blue sky and the old lace of my curtains. However, I think I'm going to move them from room to room to be close to me at all stages of the day.

Everything goes better with some pretty and a delicious scent.

le sigh

Airfares are crazy low at the moment. So low I could fly to New York for under $1000. And the Aussie dollar? Pretty damned good compared to the US dollar.

One day...

white out

Okay, I'm tempting fate and am switching from flannelette sheets to cotton - in AUGUST! So I dug my white cotton sheets out of the linen closet - ready to hang them out to get a little sunshine in them, when I realised that the damned things have yellowed over winter*. What the hell?

So now they're in the wash before I hang them out. Luckily it's a hot-ish, windy day - perfect drying weather. If all else fails I'll lay them on the grass in the courtyard to sun - apparently that's a surefire way to keep whites white - who knew? Although with this crazy wind they'd end up blowing into the next suburb!

Now I'm sitting here, listening out for the rinse cycle to start so I can sprinkle some lavender oil in the water. Oh, sweetly-scented dreams you're heading my way.

* Hurrah for sunshine - the yellow's been bleached out and they're looking pristine and snow-like again after only an hour on the line! Seriously, line drying - it's the best!!

time-saving tuesday

Overcommitting is probably the easiest way to lose time. But, if you're like me, you might find the word no almost impossible to utter.

I don't like to turn down work, because in an industry as fickle as mine, it's easy to be forgotten and they'll move onto the next, more accommodating person. So now I make sure that I can always offer a one-week turnaround to any work I accept. Usually I get a longer time-frame, between two and four weeks, but, if needed, I know I can juggle things about to make things work.

Take this week for example. I have four pieces of work due on Friday. One's from a long-standing deadline, another's from a long-ish deadline, and two are short-notice - but do-able. I've already sent the one from the long-standing deadline, I finished it last Friday and sent it in that afternoon. The second is finished and just waiting for a final read-over before sending this afternoon. The third is halfway to completion to be sent on Thursday and the final piece (the really short notice) has everything in place, interviews set up, research done, ready to go on Friday.

However, because I'm doing all this paid work, something's gotta give. I've told my husband that I'm busy and he's doing the school run in the morning so I can start working at 8.30am. He's also taking on some of my regular tasks - or I'll just let them go this week. I've said "bye-bye" to aimless television this week - I'm only watching what I love and will use the time I'm usually goggling at the box to get other stuff done.

Meals are simple too - and with this unseasonable weather that's an easy thing to do. Hubby and my gal will throw together a salad and tonight I'll pan fry us all a piece of crispy salmon. Tomorrow night my gal can chop the parsley, garlic and lemon rind for the gremolata and panko crumbed pork cutlets {she can crumb them too - I'll just cook them up} and dadda and daughter can prepare the side dishes too.

With a bit of delegation, a lot of organisation and a little luck we'll get through this week - setting up some habits that'll see us all through.

spring fling

To celebrate this utterly amazing weather I'm thinking of bringing out the cotton sheets and bringing in some pretty blooms. Ranunculus are just a stunning flower. They've got the tightly held blooms of Peony, with an astonishing array of colours.

While digging out in the side yard this morning, my hubby found a gorgeous old glass jar. I'm thinking I might need to clean it up and pop in a petite bunch of pretties...

busy, busy, busy

This week is going to be one of my busiest this year, so to ensure I don't have a breakdown - I've broken down my week.

Last night I sat down, worked out everything I had to do, what I needed to do to complete each task, and exactly how long I expected each aspect should take {allowing the usual time for people not getting back to me, stuff popping up, etc}.

So now I've got a time-line for each day this week, broken down into hours or part thereof for each task. I've just written it up in a word document on my computer - in a pretty handwriting font and gorgeous colours. On the computer it's flexible. If something crops up, I can shuffle things around. I know how long everything should take, and have allowed enough time, so now I'm not stressed.

I know I've got plenty to do - but I know it's achievable. I can't wait to write the first - done - next to one of my tasks.

So now I'm going to grab a coffee and get started. Wish me luck!

the big blue

We had our first swim of the season today - and it's not even officially spring. Sure, my 'swim' involved diving in, coming up gasping due to the cold and then zooming up the other end of the pool - quite possibly atop the water... but still, it was a swim.

My gal took a while longer to get in, but actually did a few laps atop her boogie board - and a lap without. While the crazy females in the house got wet, hubby sat in the pavillion reading the papers - giving us a fine indication of the long, hot summer ahead. It might have cost a gazillion dollars, but gee, this backyard renovation was worth every single cent!

mah boys

Back in my lives, tellevisually speaking.

Life is good.

colour crush

I need to find some space in my home for my new colour crush - raspberry and creme. Last night we were watching my fave decorating boys, Colin and Justin from Home Heist, and they did the most incredible things to a dull little house, in varying shades of these tones.

Ordinarily I'd never let a designer near one of my rooms. I'd prefer to slowly build up over the years. However, I'd totally trust Colin and Justin - and it's not just that I love them so. Seriously, how could I not have a gay-crush on these boys? They're funny, they're Scottish {with the most glorious accents}, they tend to call people bebe {scottish-wise, not French} and they're rather splendid sartorially.

Thank you so much Lifestyle Channel for bringing them back into my life. It's made our Friday night's so much happier!

my new obsession

You may have noticed from previous posts that I'm a wee bit addicted to television. Chances are you've also noted that I have a tad of a telly crush on John Corbett. Allow me to introduce my new love - something that marries the two.

My new tv crush is The United States of Tara. I'd meant to watch the first ep, seeings as it stars Toni Collette {who I think is a freakin' acting genius} and is about multiple personality disorder {something I've been fascinated about ever since Sybil - not sure if I've got the spelling right there - but you know the film don't you?}. So anyway, I meant to, but I missed it, until I was flashing through the channels the other week and found it on ABC2.

I was instantly entranced and then John Corbett walked on-screen. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE MENTION HE WAS IN THIS????? All the press poor Toni Collette's done {including Rove, which I suffered through, for her} and all she had to do was mention his name and, poof, I'd be there.

He's the ultimate boyfriend. Seriously, I can't think of another actor that I could so easily imagine slotting into this role. He's believable, he'd do it. I know he would. Oh, and last night's episode? With his "Gentleman's Time"? I'm still giggling.

Chris in the morning. Aiden, and now, oh, damn, don't know his name... I'm too smitten everytime he enters my screen to pay attention. Let's just call him mon petite chou shall we...

coulda, shoulda, woulda

The word "should" is now officially banned from my vocabulary. Realistically it's only used when referring to something you don't really want to do. Therefore there are two choices: do it straight away {or set a time to do it} or decide not to do it at all.

I'm going to work out why I think I 'should' do it, and then decided whether or not I'm going to do it.

I'd hate to end up on my deathbed {presuming I have one to ponder in, that is} bemoaning all the things I'd like to have done, but didn't do because I was doing all the things I 'should' have done.

Nah, either I'm going to do them because I want to do them, or I'm not going to do them at all.

I'm going to spend my time catching up with friends I want to be with. I'm going to do tasks I enjoy doing - or that just need to be done. I'm going to be organised enough to enjoy the work I do. If I see something that needs to be done, I'm just going to do it.

Same goes with, "Oh, I shouldn't". Either it's "Yes please, that cake looks delicious, I'd love a slice." Or it's "No, thank you, I couldn't possibly eat another thing." Should and shouldn't are just cowardly words that place conditions on what we do and don't do - they're apologising for us having an opinion and doing what we really want to do. So that's it, they're dropped.

Instead of saying, "I should", I'm going to say "I will".

So today, I will go for a walk before picking up my daughter from school. I will finish and send off that article before 2pm. And I will have an utterly fabulous weekend!

music is my life

Everything goes better with music. If ever a job seems to dull or deathly I'll sling out the iPod and get it pumping. Today I've got a story due, and I want it finished off my lunchtime. However, I was feeling a bit sluggish - so some tunes were in order.

I quickly read through all my must-see blogs {no comments today, sorry, too busy!} and now have an old fave blasting out - Black Francis fronting the Pixies... Ah, Wave of Mutilation, This Monkey's Gone To Heaven, Debaser... This was the soundtrack to my years at Uni and has so many fantastic connotations that it never fails to boost me to a level way higher than I ever thought I could reach.

So at 9.45am I'm starting on this piece, and with the help of those cute lil Pixies I'll be finished in no time.

frugal friday - just do it

I've mentioned before that to be frugal requires just a tad of organisation. But the best thing about organisation is that once you've been doing it for a bit, it becomes second nature. Seriously, it takes me about 3 minutes to come up with a weekly menu plan these days.

My big frugal goal is to completely eradicate food waste. I loathe waste in any of its guises and plan on living like my grandparents did and using absolutely everything I can - food wise.

So last night we had a roast chicken dinner {it was a Lillydale Free Range ready-seasoned chicken, with onion and sage - and a jasmine rice stuffing and was the most moist, tender and delicious chicken we've ever eaten!}. Now, ordinarily when I cook a chook, I'll wrap the leftovers and pop them in the fridge, to pick off the next day for sandwiches. Fine, no food waste there... But see, then I have plans of using the bones for stock - and I never, ever do. Nope, I think about it, know that I SHOULD do it. And don't. Before I know it it's too late and the body goes in the bin.

However, the new and organised me picked off all the flesh last night, popped it in a container, shredded and ready to go for lunch {salad I think - I have baby cos in the crisper, mmmmm} and then I threw the carcass in a stock pot, chucked a halved onion that was in a container in the fridge in, threw a few cloves of garlic around it, covered it with water and left it to boil.

So now, in the fridge I have two litres of chicken stock. Granted, it's a very mild chicken stock, but it's still homemade and I'm feeling very virtuous and frugal that it's there.

From now on the word SHOULD is totally banned from my vocabulary. Like the multi-national corporation says, Just Do It.

solid gold

The sky's all grey again today, so I needed something shiny to give me a lift. These'll do.

We're going to a ball next month. On the harbour, very swishy. These shoes would look magnificent there. Although it's in one of the old dockyard buildings where they may be gaps between the floorboards - a skinny heel's worst enemy. Best wear a pair of old faves and save my cash for filling my vegie garden. My dress is floorlength so I could wear havaianas and nobody would notice {except me, cause I'd be uber-short...}. But c'mon, you need heels to dance in - and quaff champagne in. Don't you?

face v butt

That old quote {to paraphrase}: "Once a woman reaches 40 she has to choose: her face or her butt," has been attributed to many celebs - including Catherine Deneuve. Regardless of who said it, I think it's a mighty potent thought.

I've chosen my face.

Accidently mind. See, I like to eat, and I like to drink, therefore I shan't be seeing a size 10 again. And, you know what? I don't miss it. For years I fought a tough battle to stay a size 10 and now I've realised that if I'm reasonably fit, relatively healthy and happy enough then that's okay.

However, one aspect of old age does scare me - getting a flat pancake bum.

Now, if you start off with a pancake bum, then fine, but I haven't - so I don't wish to end with one. Luckily, a few years ago I wrote a story on exercise for seniors: Grey Power. I spoke to plenty of experts in the field who told me that our ability to build muscle continues - into our NINETIES. You can be buff at 90! Then, one exercise physiologist told me something that made my heart sing, just because you're old doesn't mean you lose your butt - it's a muscle and so long as you exercise it you can keep it.

Woo hooo.

Remember that episode of Sex and the City where Samantha's getting it on with a wealthy geriatric? And what was the one thing that put her off? When he walked out the room, his butt was gently lapping at the back of his knees...

Well, the soggy butt is not inevitable, which is damned heartening. So now I'm kinda choosing my butt and my face - just with a little more padding. I'll just take my rump with a little plump.

girl stuff

I think I'm getting more Parisian as I'm starting to feel rather erky if I'm not groomed. Now, I don't mean all neat and tidy, rather I need my hair to be washed, with the curls formed just-so. Without a pretty colour on my toes I feel nude, and I'm becoming quite the handcream lover.

I'm still pretty low-maintenance, but my new must-do indulgence is an eyelash tint. See, I have stubby little eyelashes thanks to years of abuse, and because I dye my hair black, my lashes don't quite match.

So this morning I toddled off to the beautician where for $20 I've given myself a good month-worth of blue-black lashes. That's only $5 per week people! You can't even buy two cups of coffee for that. Now all I need to do to feel presentable is slick on a coat on tinted lipgloss, sling some beads around my neck and that's it. Done.

That said, I could do with those gorgeous vintage shoes in the shot here.

Ahhh, 1920s Paris. J'adore...

time-saving tuesday

Normally I'm not a fan of multi-tasking. I believe it dilutes your effectiveness and stops you from concentrating on what matters. Checking emails while you're on the phone? Rudeness.

However, the BEST time to multi-task is while you're boiling the kettle and then waiting for your tea to draw. See, I've always been far too impatient to allow myself to wait the few precious minutes it takes for my tea to infuse properly - so I force myself to DO SOMETHING ELSE while it's drawing. But it's gotta be something in the kitchen, otherwise I'll forget and come back to a soggy cup of tepid tea stew.

Euwww.

I'm usually a coffee from my espresso machine gal, so I only have one cup of tea per day, but boy, do I get a lot done while making it. I set the timer for three minutes and then I'll wipe down the front of the kitchen cupboards with a warm cloth. Perhaps I'll clean out a shelf in the fridge and wipe it down. Maybe I'll sweep the kitchen floor. Or there's a chance I'll dust the skirting boards.

Then, I'll wash my hands and wander off with my perfectly drawn cup of tea. With one job ticked off the kitchen list. Just the one, the others can wait till tomorrow.

Or the next day...

good at/crap at

Some things I'm just fab at. For example, eye make-up? I'm the queen. I can do mine, yours, hers, no problems. Classic styles, fashion styles, contrast with your outfit styles... That I can do.

I'm also a mine of usually useless information. Who was that obscure character in that 80s film? Ask me, I'll know. I swear I'm wasting my life not going out and earning big bucks at trivia nights.

I can put together a meal no problems, I enjoy it, and my plates usually bring out the mmmmmms.

However, I am just crap at a few things. I loathe initiating phone calls - which, as a freelance journalist, I am required to do if I'd like the odd quote in my story. Today's Tuesday, and I still need two more expert quotes for a story I'm working on and due Friday. Eek! I summoned up the strength to call one {who I've interviewed twice before over the years mind} and left a reasonable message on her answering machine. But the other, well, I'm getting there.

I'm not quite sure why I have this phone phobia {but hey, I'm happy to blame Telstra for it!}. I've never been abused, denied, spoken to rudely... every person I've ever approached for an interview has happily said "Hell, yeah!".

Okay, so I'm going to do it. It's 10.14am and at 10.20am I'm making the call. Deep breaths...

monday must-do

The next few weeks look to be busy, busy, busy so I'll be getting ahead of myself and ensuring I have plenty of work finished well ahead of deadline - just so I never have to say no to any work!

The house is in pretty good shape, tidyness-wise, I don't have any pressing laundry I need to do, so tonight, I'm going to tidy my study and prepare to sit in front of this lil computer of mine and type and type and type. Yes, I do think I'd write better on this pink pretty here on this post, but, realistically, my silver iMac is far more practical - and still uber-stylish.

rock solid

Here's a work-in-progress shot of my vegie garden. Now, those thumping great pieces of rock are convict sandstone, way over 100-years-old, that had formed rough 'retaining walls' out the back, before we had the pool. I was a major pain in the butt and made the guys clearing the yard carefully extract these and put them aside for us to use later.

Now it's later.

We've had heaps of people in to quote on shifting them into place, and got a lot of head-shaking, mini-tipper and even the odd, need-a-couple-of-blokes in response. Oh, and the odd, "nah, they're too heavy, you'll never shift 'em". Well they're shifted - by my hubby who managed to summon some kind of superpower. And wow, don't they look amazing!!!!

Once they're dusted off {they'll still be the gorgeous weathered-grey, just not dusty} and spilling over with thyme, chives, shallots, mint, verbena and dozens of other herbs and vegies it'll look mighty spectacular. Yay hubby, you're the best!

purple reign

Oh, the weather's utterly glorious at the moment. We had an amazing weekend, and got loads done. The side garden's taking shape, the backyards looking good and our front yard's a profusion of purples. Check out my lavender - isn't it beautiful? Behind it is a Graham Thomas rose which has the most incredible golden blooms - covered in buds at the moment. I'm also loving on my delicate irises. There are also billions of tiny buds on the wisteria that frames my front veranda - oh, I can't wait till they break out in bloom.

Hubby's taken a long weekend today to get out and move more of the hulking great chunks of convict sandstone to make my vegie gardens, and it's really starting to come together.

I spent some time in the house on the weekend and am rather chuffed to say that two weeks in my kitchen's looking even cleaner than the pics I posted a few weeks back.

Today's going to be very productive on my part. I've got lots of work due in the next few weeks, so I'm just going to put my fingers to the keyboard and type away.

frugal friday

Happy end of the week/beginning of the weekend! We've got a lovely weekend planned. Tomorrow it's my daughter's final game of netball {:(} where I'll be coaching my gorgeous team for the very last time. Fingers, toes, eyes and hairs crossed that I'll get the same team next year - they were a delight. I'm going to be baking some red velvet cupcakes with white buttercream icing for them this afternoon, as their team colours are red and white, and I've bought them all a card {gorgeous $1 cards from the chemist} to write a special individual note to each player. They've taught me so much, I've been very blessed to have such a gorgeous team!

Now, onto Frugal Friday. This week I finally bought some credit and took my headphones out of the packet and used Skype - woo hoo. I'm also trying to get as many friends to join up as possible {particularly my sis-in-law in the UK} so I can make free calls. I downgraded my Telstra account as low as I could sensibly go, and we're trying to keep Telstra calls to a minimum.

Next week I'll be hunting down options on-line to reduce other utility bills - we've already got green power, but perhaps there's a way of running the dishwasher and washing machine at night to take advantage of off-peak rates - if I have them!

While at the chemist I stocked up on $1 cards for birthdays - it's what you write on the inside that counts and they had plenty of pretty options there. Otherwise my gal makes her own cards for friends which satisfies her crafty urges and saves mucho cash.

We're off to a Christening tomorrow, and on the way home we'll call in at Dan Murphy's for a case of my fave cheapo french bubbles. We're coming up to social season so I'd much prefer to pull a delish $11 bottle of Veuve Amiot or Grandin from my wine rack than spend $18+ on an inferior bottle at the local bottle shop. Being frugal's all about being prepared!

red hot

Some weeks it's really tough to find my shoe-of-the-week, others a pair will leap out and grab you by the heart. Scrolling through my second page of net-a-porter I spied these Valentino Couture pieces of perfection and uttered a strangled giggle/sigh/moan/scream.

Oh my.

Is there a more delicious shade than Valentino red...

what's cookin' wednesday

Hmmmmm, let's see what's on the menu this week. Must say that last night's dinner of duck confit will be damned difficult to top - but I'll see if I can still come up with some tasty options.

Wednesday: Nigella's meatballs and rice from her Feast cookbook - a mightly fine b'day pressie

Thursday: Rosé chicken with walnut and greens salad

Friday: dinner at a friend's house. Woo hoo.

Saturday: We've got a christening and a lunch during the day, so something simple. Curry in the slow cooker me-thinks.

Sunday: Seven-hour roast lamb and baked vegies

Monday: pork cutlets, sweet potato bake and cavalo nero {black cabbage - with speck!}

Tuesday: baked marinated salmon with home-made salt and rosemary chips and salad

it's my birthday woo and a hooo

I la la love birthdays. Just got this cute as a button email this morning from my mum and step-dad with birthday pics of me from, gulp, forty years ago. Must say though, I still experience the same excitement and joy as I did in that bottom pic!

We started off the days with lovely, lovely pressies {a dovecote! my fave lipstick! old-fashioned cake cookbook! french monogramed tea towel and a whopping great rose picture bursting with red and pink roses - vintage - and looking spectacular on my bedroom wall!} A bowl of coffee, toast with blood orange jam and lots of cuddles made the morning even more special.

So today, I'll take it easy. I'm catching up with a friend for coffee mid-morning, and tonight we're hitting our favourite French bistro for dinner. I do believe I'll just spend the day doing my nails, popping on a facemask and kicking back and reading some of my birthday cookbooks. Bliss!

it's almost summer...

Spring's not even here yet and I'm already wishing it away, but only cos I can't wait to go swimming this summer. How welcoming does my pool look? I just couldn't resist snapping a shot.

Now, all I need is a daybed in that pavillion and I'm set!

going potty

Hubby potted up the magnolias on the weekend - don't they look gorgeous between our antique french bench and with the charcoal fence as a backdrop? That was the final backyard task done, {why yes I am ignoring the fact that the pavillion requires another coat of paint. Shhhh}

oh the places we'll go...

Reading the local Saturday paper late Saturday night I stumbled upon the uber-exciting news that there was a four day exhibition in Newcastle - The Art of Dr Seuss.

Now, I've already written on my love for this genius of a man, and this adoration has been passed onto my daughter - who uses the great man for inspiration in her writing and drawing.

So, after clearing next weekend's calendar I read the fine print and found that the exhibition opened on Thursday, and was closing 5pm Sunday - as in yesterday. A quick re-arrangement of plans was in order.

So at 9.45am, after a fortifying bowl of coffee each {not for the nine-year-old...} we all strolled into the Town Hall and were dazzled and amazed by the exhibition. Great big works of easily-identifiable art adorned every surface, along with his early advertising work, mis-understood works for grown-ups and a work-in-progress for The Cat in the Hat that showed how Dr Seuss worked on every stage of the process - words, illustrations, colours, layout and typography.

Genius.

It was utterly fascinating and we were all thrilled that we attended.

I still think his final book is his most inspiring. I bumped into a friend at the exhibition who told me that she gives her graduating Year 12 students a copy of The Places You'll Go - which is the best graduation present ever. No story can more effectively teach us about striving for what we want, acknowledging that there are bumps, upsets and backtracks along the way, but that ulitimately YOU have the power to just be YOU.

Maybe we should all start every week with a dose of the Dr.

the best steak sandwich. EVER.

We had friends around for drinks yesterday afternoon, and, as those things often do, drinks turned into dinner. Luckily I was half-expecting that to happen, so I was prepared. Because I wanted it simple we had the best steak sandwiches, ever, for dinner.

Earlier in the afternoon I prepared some caramelised onions with brown sugar, red wine and thyme, ready to reheat later on. Then, around 4pm I took a 2 kilo rump roast from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. At 5ish I massaged the rump with olive oil and liberally seasoned it with salt and pepper. Then I seared all the sides till caramelised in a frypan and threw it in a pre-heated 160 degree oven.

I cooked it rare, for around an hour and a bit, then left it to rest for 15 minutes. While it was resting I chopped up an enormous clove of garlic for my cheat's aoili... Simply add chopped garlic to a good quality mayonaise and stir. That's it.

I sliced up big hunks of sourdough, sliced steaks off the rump, heated the onions and put them in a bowl, and offered up the aoili and salt and pepper - for a make-it-yourself steak sarni.

The girls had a big bowl of homemade chips coooked in the oven in duck fat - served french-style with mayo - or a bowl of ketchup and for 'dessert' we adults had apricot Bellinis (chilled apricot nectar and prosecco)

A rather fine way to end a weekend I believe. Particularly when shared with impeccable company!

i'm making a list...

Today hubby and I had a sneaky long-weekend and decided to get in early and get some long-neglected jobs done around the house.

I sat down and wrote out a wish-list of tasks - depending on our mood and the weather and we got totally stuck in.

Excitingly, not only was I able to cross off SIX ITEMS, I was also able to retrospectively add another three items, and then cross them off {ah, nothing like retrospectively adding items to a to-do list to feel accomplished...

So now the magnolia trees in the courtyard are potted in their massive french urns. The roses are fertilised. The lilly pillies are trimmed and water crystals have been added to the soil. The side of the house which was flecked with concrete and crap after the backyard reno {ah, yes, the one that was completed in February. Shhh} has been scrubbed and chipped away with a paint scraper. Hubby's cleared even more of the side yard and a spot of weeding's been achieved. Oh, and I vacuumed the whole house and have managed to keep the kitchen in its pristine state for four whole days!

I reckon a cocktail's in order don't you?