friday, ooooh fabulous!

We started our weekend really, really early this week with a fabulous dinner with friends last night. Champagne, cheese, radishes, baguettes, french butter, duck, crispy-fluffy roasted potatoes, spectacular salads, wine and all finished off with a delish fresh fruit salad made for the perfect evening. It got a bit chilly, so at 8pm the gals donned wetsuits and swam in the pool - having a blast. Sure, not the most sensible option - but it is the silly season.

Our wee lass slept in till nearly 8.30 this morning (after going to bed over an hour past her bedtime - whoopsies) but as school's winding down at the moment I don't think she missed much by being 30 minutes late.

Busy weekend our way. I've got quite a few deadlines, today, monday and next friday so I'll be working away. Husband-of-the-year shall be painting - the doors on the pool equipment room that my step-dad built - and hopefully the wicker furniture in the pavilion. On Sunday we're off to another set of dear friends for lunch. I'm taking sweets - so shall be devising something seasonal - and may well serve them in cocktail glasses {you know, cos it's christmas and all}.

Oooooh, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

grand inspiration

Now that I'm rather busy, I'm limiting myself to one hour's television per evening - and that show's Grand Designs screening every night on Lifestyle {hurrah}. On Tuesday night we saw an inspirational couple rebuild this manor house in Central France - and boy, were they amazing. Nothing fazed them, they just got in and did it. And now - well, look at it - it's beautiful.

What I found most inspirational was how quickly this guy moved. He always did everything with great purpose, never sighed and dragged his feet while heading to a task.

So that's what I'm planning on doing. To get through all I have to do I'm going to dive into everything with enthusiasm and with speed {but not haste!}.

Oh, and guess how much I want to stay in this house next time we go to France? Heaps.

If you're interested, check out their site here ps: the room with the big antique copper bath? That'll be mine...

mmmmm pretty

I love bows at any time, but at Christmastime? Hold me back... Now, if these little numbers from Valentino don't present you as the perfect present - what will?

I'm seriously swooning over these numbers and hoping that my love-smitten state will get me over the hump and allow me to finish all the piles of work calling, nay, screeching my name {harridans}.

I did at least work through half my pile of Christmas cards last night and plan on giving myself a 15 minute break at some stage today to do a few more...

Enjoy your thursday...

love is...

Here's one very happy lass with her new dolly. Not a Kate Finn as previously suggested, but an Aussie-made Alimrose Designs Caitlin doll. Pretty and cuddly and sure to be much-loved.

what a wonder

I've got a lot to get done this week, so I shall be channelling Wonder Woman I think. Lists are made, coffee is consumed, plans are in action - all I need to do is buckle down and get on with it.

I'm taking my mum and step-dad to the airport this afternoon. I'll miss their company a lot, but boy, will I miss what they've done for us. Alan paved the area all around the side of the house, extended the back veranda, made gates for the pool equipment room, fixed the leaky toilet and performed dozens of other teeny jobs.

Mum spent time with my gal, taking her to and from school, and has cleaned my house like it hasn't been cleaned for quite some time. She's done washing, made beds, washed up, packed away the diswasher... Hopefully, if we don't breathe too hard it'll stay clean until Christmas...

Last night we had an early Christmas and birthday and our gal got her pressies from her grandparents. She was utterly delighted with them all, but the one that brought the most bliss was a gorgeous cloth doll. She smiled, hugged her to death and said "I've wanted one of these for years!" I'm so glad that at almost 10 she's still a girl that loves make-believe and to play with her toys. Luckily she has friends that are the same - with parents who also believe in children having a childhood. They grow up so quickly it's nice to let them enjoy being a kid for as long as possible.

we wish you...

Some things on my Christmas to-do list are looking good {shopping} others, not-so-hot {Christmas card - yep, I've written out one and addressed one more. 25 to go...}

But I'm refusing to allow stress to raise its ugly head in my direction. I'm going to do what I can, and what I can't will just have to wait.

Tonight's my last night with my mum and step-dad :( They fly out tomorrow night. So, to celebrate, tonight we'll have a lovely summer bbq dinner on our newly extended back veranda - built with loads of sweat and tears by my step-dad and assisted by hubby.

It's been a lovely visit and a rather pleasant start to the festive season.

anniversaire de mariage

It's our wedding anniversary today. Eight years married to a lovely, lovely man.

Lucky me!

vegie delights

I didn't end up following the recipe for corn and capsicum burritos yesterday - I made up my own. And, yum, it was good. So I don't forget, here's the recipe-ish:

4 cobs of corn, kernals removed

1/2 large spanish onion, finely diced

one red capsicum, roasted and skin removed, and then diced

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves and stems

jalepenos, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh tomato sauce (or pasta sauce)

1 lime, juice and zest

salt and pepper

Stand the corn cobs on their end and use a sharp knife to take all the kernals off as close to the core as possible. Then toss them in a bowl and combine them with all the other ingredients.

Then, use them to fill a burrito, placing a bit of grated cheese down the centre, and some strips of proscuitto or jamon for non-vegies who need their meat. Roll up and toast in a sandwich press till golden and then serve with guacamole, sour cream and sweet chilli sauce.

Now, I'm not a corn fan, but fresh, raw corn kernals are not only tasty - they're soft enough to chew. Delish. My mum's also not keen on corn, but she loved the taste too. Husband and step-dad {corn lovers} were in raptures.

Go on, try it sometime...

vegging out

Having spent 20 years as a vegetarian you think I'd have a huge stockpile of vegies recipes ready to whip out when my vegetarian mother and step-dad were up. Wrong. I've forgotten almost everything I ever made.

So tonight I'm thinking of making these corn and capsicum burritos I found over at taste.com.au

Hubby's a keen corn lover so this'll make him happy - and I'll make up guacamole versions for my gal - which should make her happy. Served with a glass of rosé? Nice.

numbers game

Okay, deep breaths... only 14 more posts till I reach 1000 posts. I know!!! Monu-freakin'-mental.

The pressure's on.

It'll be a doozy.

Eeek.

Enjoy your weekend.

snackariffic

I just finished nibbling on wasabi peas. Are they the ultimate snack? Crunchy, tasty - and sinus-clearing. Perfect.

What's your favourite nibble?

cruisin'

We've had our car for nearly five years now {no, not an e-type jag, a holden astra...} and I've never really found much of a use for cruise control. On the freeway from Newcastle to Sydney I tend to find that people slow down and cut in front of me so much that cruising at a certain speed just isn't viable.

However, I've found the best use for it - in School Zones. Sticking to the 40km limit in a school zone is never easy. I find that I keep glancing down at the speedo to check I'm not speeding - which negates the purpose of the limit as I probably won't see any children darting out before me.

Now what I do is slow to 40km before the school zone and pop the car in cruise control. It keeps me at an even speed and I can keep my eyes peeled for any children {or parents who jaywalk!} instead of on the speedo!

fabulously friday

T'is Friday, and the weekend's stretching out ahead. Ahhhhh. We're already into the hectic social whirl. My dad and step-mother left after their week's visit on Wednesday morning, and now we're settling into my mum and step-father's visit.

Hubby's had the day off to be apprentice to my step-father as they extend our rear veranda a little to the side to give us a wee bit more space for the bbq and tables. I imagine that's a weekend job!

Mum and I are off to see the film about Valentino at some stage on the weekend and on monday it's our 8th wedding anniversary - shall have to do something to celebrate that non?

Meanwhile enjoy this gorgeous shot of Miss Dita in Dior. Guess how much I want that outfit {especially the shoes!} for our Christmas social engagements?

pasta primavera

We had a rather delish pasta dish last night - all fresh and filled with the season's produce. Firstly, I took some mini roma tomatoes and squooshed them into a bowl - popping and breaking them with my fingers so the juice ran out and they were broken into smaller pieces. I sprinkled this with salt, pepper and dried mint then sliced up some amazing garlic shallots I bought - long green snake-bean like critters with a bitey garlic scent and flavour. Mmmm. On top of this I tore up some amazing cheese - mini buffalo Mozzarella - heavenly mini-morsels of yummyness.

Then I sauteed some yellow zucchini slices and asparagus, left them to cool then tossed all of this through some mini farfalle pasta and lavished plenty of grated grana pandano over the top. Served with olive sourdough and a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc it was a rather scrumptuous mid-week meal.

christmas decorations

If ever there's an excuse for some major frocking up it's Christmas. In my imagination I've been invited to a very swooshy ball - hence the Oscar de la Renta frock and the Roberto Cavalli shoes featured above. Nice, non?

Actually, we've yet to plan anything for Christmas - aside from lots of family stuff when our British relos arrive in Aus.

We've had our gal's ballet concert - glorious as always. We really lucked out stumbling on the best ballet school in town - Miss Heidi puts on a show like no other, without the many hundreds of dollars costume fees that other school's charge. It was a beautiful start to the season. Yesterday our daughter's school had a Christmas concert with each class performing an Aussie Christmas song - and wow, it was fantastic. Every single child threw themselves into their performance and there were many a tear of joy, laughter and emotion around the audience. Bless them all.

This weekend will be big. The tree will go up, Santa photos will be taken and we'll start on our first weekend of Christmas light viewing. I love visiting all the suburbs that are hotspots for Christmas lights. The dedication these people show just makes me all terribly teary.

But now I'm throwing myself into work. My mum and step-dad are here at the moment, so mum's going to do some housework that I haven't been able to do with my crippled back and my step-dad's working on some jobs outside the house. Woo hoo - I love me some getting-stuff-done-action {particularly when it's done by someone else...}

plastic surgery's bad, okay

Guess who this is?

No, it's okay, I'll wait...

Still haven't got it?

Look again.

He's an actor.

A British actor.

Used to be devastatingly handsome.

And looked nothing like this.

Give in?

You sure?

Okay, I'll spill...

It's Rupert Everett.

I kid you not.

take me away...

As a wee lass I was utterly besotted with Nancy Drew. I'm quite sure that I read absolutely every single one of her adventures - and some more than once.

She was a rather dashing heroine - with a lively bunch of buddies and always had the coolest adventures. Oh, and she had titian locks - I'm a HUGE lover of titian locks {let me tell you, should I actually have titian locks I'd find a way to weave that into every conversation...}

I'm feeling the urge to revisit - but the new paperback versions don't have the same appeal at these vintage hardcover numbers. Oh, if only I'd held onto my old book collections. Guess I'll now have to start collecting these for my gal - her 10th birthday could be the ideal age of introduction to Miss Nancy...

monday motivation

After yesterday's dust-whatever it's nice to see blue sky and feel mild spring weather. Today I'm going to start on a month-long state of chill. I went shopping on Saturday and couldn't believe that the Christmas Crankies have already hit so many people.

So I'm going to stop, reflect on my blessings and the true meaning of the season, and get on with stuff.

Also, I'll be sending lots of love to friends and readers who are going through tough times. Thinking of you xxx

faded beauty

I don't think we appreciate beauty in all its stages. You know how every year some scientists or somesuch come up with an identikit of The Ideal Man or Woman. And it's this face that's been put together with Johnny Depp's lips, Brad Pitt's eyes, Zac Ephron's hair, Hugh Jackman's forehead... and, well, they just look weird. Not attractive, just odd. Too perfect is odd.

Quirky, and yes, I'm banging on about this again, is gorgeous. But apparently, so few people believe this. Reese Witherspoon is button-cute and one of the reasons why is because of her chin - her heart-shaped face is what makes her so gorgeous. Which is why I'm always so sad when I see it photo-shopped smaller - or, as in her current Avon perfume ads, hidden behind a damned bottle!

Last month's Australian Women's Weekly had one of the first genuinely happy smiles I've seen on a cover because Sarah Murdoch didn't have her smile lines photoshopped off her face. This month's Women's Weekly is photoshopped - but it's a really curvalicious woman that's featured - Julie from MasterChef who is well above the standard size 6 - 8 covermodel. Brava.

So when I was wandering around my garden taking photos of my roses, this caught my eye. These two Tess of the D'Urberville beauties are well-past their namesake's prime - but aren't they glorious? Sure, some of the petals have fallen, the rich red hue has faded - but they're beautiful nonetheless.

Let's look around and appreciate the quirks, the flaws and the differences and rejoice in what they have to offer. What do you see?

fleurs de friday

mmmmm marni

A sensuous line in a shoe will always tickle my fancy. Check out these heels - and that amazingly blunt square toe! A hidden platform's always a must-have for extra length too.

Personally I'm aching for an electric blue evening gown to wear with these numbers. Oh my yes!

hip, hip, hooray

Sigh.

There's debate raging on the internet about this covershot of Demi Moore. An unnaturally beautiful woman, obviously. However, the call is out that part of her hip's been chopped off - to which, Demi, on twitter responded: "Here is the original image people, my hips were not touched don't let those people bulls**t you".

And I agree - her hips haven't been touched... as for the model whose body was photoshopped to include Demi's head...

Wow. It's one thing to deny that you've had surgery when you had half rockmelon's strapped to your chest in Striptease, but c'mon - why participate in a charade that doesn't allow that your body is enough for a cover?

I don't begrudge Demi the surgery, I begrudge her the participation in the charade.

I know that people such as Demi don't sign up to be role models, but as soon as they're in the spotlight that's what they become. In fact, one of the reasons I quit reading Perez Hilton earlier this year was because of the utterly appalling things he wrote about two of Demi's daughters. I don't want to participate in that.

The amount of surgery that women in Hollywood feel compelled to undergo to stay relevant saddens me - but, must say, if I was seeing pap shots of myself every day chances are I'd be first in line at the surgeon's office. And they're still getting hired - check out Meg Ryan - she's in a new role despite what she's done to her face {ps, that film, looks kinda hilarious...}

My issue isn't with the surgery, although personally I feel that beauty needs a little quirk to really work. My problem is that frozen faces detract from an actor being able to perform a role - with acting it's all about the face.

Undoubtedly the saddest thing about controversies such as these is how they bring out the worst in so many women. Over at the forums on MamaMia vitriol and attacks have spewed forth and it's just so disheartening. It's like the endless working mum vs stay-at-home mum vs non-parents attacks. We're all different, let's just build a bridge and get over it.

Vive la difference...

r&r

Sorry for the lack of posts yesterday. I've managed to cause myself some serious damage to my back and have been ordered to rest. So here's a self-portrait I snapped off during my lolling about... {tee hee}.

I don't know what it is with me and the near-arrival of December. Last year it was the broken ankle, now, my back. Sigh. Obviously my body just wants me to hibernate...

So I'll take advantage of the fact that I've bought the Christmas cards and make a start on them. I had ever-such a difficult decision yesterday when buying them. Luckily 90 per cent of the cards on offer at David Jones were charity cards - but then I had to find just the right charity {I chose two} and then, the perfectly pretty card that matched the charity. It's all done now and I've got two different red and white lovelies all ready to write on and send out.

Enforced rest has to have some benefits non?

playing your cards right

I love a row of Christmas cards all strung up. The garlands filled with seasons greetings just make me happy. So I have a few secrets to share for an organised send out.

Make your list: I have a word document with everyone's full name, including kids {updated whenever there's a new addition - or, gulp, subtraction} with the full address and postcode. Each year, I also sneakily mark whether or not I receive a card {this way I hope to ditch a few of the cards I send, even though I never see these people during the year}.

This year I'm getting in early and sitting down on Thursday night and addressing all the envelopes. This will leave me free to write on five cards per night over the next week or so, happy to be able to write a personal greeting to everyone - without getting writer's cramp.

Finger's crossed that I'll have all my cards out in the first week of December - with a few spares just in case I receive any last-minute additions!

better off red

Does it get any more gorgeous?

harmonious adaptation

I'm never happy after seeing a film adapted from a book. I'm a reader who 'sees' the script play out in my head, so inevitably when I see the characters on the screen I'm disappointed as they look nothing like the cast I'd envisaged. {Tom Cruise in Interview With The Vampire - I'm looking at you}.

Cut to last night's screening of The Time Traveler's Wife. Oh my.

My friend and I both adored the book - and we both adored the film. Such a difficult story to screen and yet they did it so well.

Eric Bana was perfect in his role and I fell in love with him again {can't remember why I'd forgotten about him, but he's quite the brilliant actor and has been with his wife for eight million years - bless}. Rachel McAdams was perfection - she has the most adorably smiley eyes! Now, of course, my friend and I both did a double take and simultaneous "Eeuwww" when "Berger" from SATC came on-screen - but we got over him. Just.

Oh, and the girl who plays young Claire - utterly gorgeous and so insightful for a six-year-old.

Of course I cried, but I did adore this film. Its explorations of love, destiny, friendship and loss had me enthralled.

simple tastes

Sometimes there's nothing better than the tastes of the season, freshly served.

I've just totally revived my body and soul by munching on some fresh cherries - prettily presented in a pale pink ramekin.

Can you think of a more gorgeous snack?

feeling hot, hot, hot

It's hard to believe it's only spring and at 9.30 the temperature was already into the mid-thirties. I've got the blinds down, air-con on and am hunkering down to work on this steamy spring day. Phew, I'm feeling like a total nana today "well, we're in for a hot one..."

Let's just hope that the pyromaniacs - intentional and the just plain stupid {I actually blasted a guy in a car the other day for throwing a lit cigarette out the car window - how can people STILL do that?} are held at bay.

lavender love

Apparently lavender is the colour-de-season which I'm happy to go along with. Such a pretty hue always brings a smile to my face.

These Kate Spade pretties have managed to include all my faves: bows! satin! purple! in the one pair of shoes.

Lovely.

quick flicks

Question time: I'm planning on checking out a film this week with my bud who's up from Sydney for a week. We'd hoped to see The September Issue, but it's season was too, too short. So instead we're tossing up between The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and The Time Traveller's Wife - any thoughts on the matter? We've both read and loved TTW, but will the film spoil the literary experience? Or will I sob uncontrollably every time Heath Ledger appears on screen? Decisions, decisions... Your input is much appreciated!

psssst, santa

This'd look really pretty adorning my wrist...

hello, excitement...

Can.

Not.

WAIT!

pink perfection

My peonies are just starting to open. I've got them on my desk and they're to be my oasis of calm today. I've been up since 6.30am - unusual for me. But we've been waiting on a delivery of pavers since Friday and he called last night to tell me he'd be here at 6.30/7am. A shocker of a time but as I have to have the pavers delivered down on the road and then carry them all, one-by-one up seven stairs to the footpath, then up two more stairs into my front gate I thought this was a sensible option.

Except he's still not here at 8.12am.

Grrrrr.

My husband's in Sydney on a training course for a few days so he can't help me and my smoothly organised day, which requires precision timing isn't looking so hot.

I've got my bestie coming up for a few days so we can have a working bee - she in the living room on her laptop and me in the study on my computer. She's got a book to finish off, I just have my usual run of work.

Tonight she's babysitting my gal as I'm off to a friend's school to listen to a presentation by The Butterfly Foundation about raising girls. I love the work these people do and hope I can come away with some more insight.

I'm diligent about raising a daughter with self confidence - and body confidence. One who'll make sensible food choices to nourish her body and soul and one who won't start on the destructive diet path {like I did at 11}. I'm proud to say that I've never made a negative comment about my body in her presence - I think it's important for a girl to see her mother as happy and confident in her skin. Last night she came and watched me play netball and get all red and sweaty {it must have been 40 degrees in that indoor sport shed!} and laugh along with all the girls in my team. We encourage her to play sport, to dance and to nurture her love of reading and art.

She's my peony that girl, and I'm going to continue to love watching her grow.

rose tinted attitude

It's hard not to be overcome with delicious perfume in any corner of my front yard today. Those delicious scarlet blooms are Mr Lincoln - a red rose with a heady scent. Just underneath are the delicate pale pink petals of Duchess de Brabant with her subtle scent and nodding blooms. So pretty.

And as you walk down the front stairs the heady aroma of gardenia offers a knock-out blow.

Now that I've got a vase-ful of peonies on my desk I'm pretty sure that life's complete...

shiny shiny

Generally speaking I tend toward clothing that's on the un-embellished side. I'm pretty sure that you'd be hard-pressed to find a sequin or shiny bit on any item of clothing that I own.

However, lately I've been edging ever-so-close to the shiny side.

Sequins are catching my eye and holding them in a covetous manner.

I suppose my biggest fear about shiny things is that someone will mis-label it as "bling" a word that's top of my loathe-list.

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be one of those old ladies head to toe in Alexis Carrington-esque evening wear. But I'll be rocking it...

pink of perfection

Guess what? Yep, it's peony season. My love for these flowers is as grandiose as their blooms so this year I'm going to take advantage of it and buy a bunch of them at least three times during the season.

Sure, they're expensive, but I've spent the same amount of a bottle of wine which gives only fleeting pleasure. So instead, I'm going to break the cost down into days of pleasure and will probably only spend the equivalent of a decent cup of coffee per day. You can't put a price on pleasure...

life's a journey

garden grubs

We've got a working-bee weekend planned. I'll be out the front weeding and mulching the cottage garden, while Matt's out the back staking, pruning and fertilising the lilly pilly hedge by the pool.

Firstly though, I've got to get some order happening inside the house.

Husband and child off to Borders so child can spent her winnings from our family sweep from Melbourne Cup {she came in first, second and third so has won a ton of Borders Dollars - me? Jealous much?!?}. So I'm getting stuck in for 60 minutes of serious, no-interruptions cleaning. Shall put on some motivational music {hmmm, I'm thinking Foo Fighters or Pixies turned up to 11} and get to it.

Have a gorgeous weekend. x

frugal friday

After a very, very long absence, here's the return of Frugal Friday. Yep, I haven't really had that much to write about lately, but now I have a secret to share.

True frugalistas will know of what I'm about to speak, but to me, I've uncovered a revelation.

The discount chemist.

You seen them? Heard of 'em? Been into one? They're pretty damned amazing let me tell you.

I accidentally wandered into one earlier this week while in a different suburb and off searching for my bank's ATM {saving myself $2 in fees - double frugal}.

Obviously one of the main savings with discount chemists is with scripts and vitamins, but let me tell you people, the toiletries! I stocked up on toothbrushes, toothpaste, sunscreen and hairdye at prices I couldn't believe. Even on sale at the supermarket I'd never paid such a low price for these items.

I'll be going back again next time I need to stock up. They even had weird stuff like washing up liquid for sale at ridiculously low prices.

Bargain city.

fine lines

Tickets go on sale for my daughter's ballet concert today at 3pm - and let me tell you, the competition for Big Day Out tickets isn't so fierce.

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm turning up at 2pm, magazines in hand, folding chair at the ready, to hopefully secure us prime seating.

Yep, all this for a child's concert - but look - she's wearing a red tutu - so worth it!

Actually it's such a beautiful show that I'll probably still be lining up for tickets even after my gal hangs up her dancing shoes {which, hopefully will be on the 12th of never!}. Judging by the gorgeous costumes on display at the dress rehearsal Tuesday this year's going to be another fantastic show.

late adopter

I am not one of those people who line up to be the first to buy the latest and greatest. I like others to test things out and time to mull it over before I give in.

I waited for yonks to get onto facebook. Twitter? Well, I signed up kicking and screaming and have barely uttered a tweet.

I think it's a throwback to my dad who was, and is, an early adopter. We were the first in the neighbourhood to have a colour telly {yes, I really am this old...} and VHS {not Beta - he was a lucky early adopter}.

So anyway, my old Cath Kidston nokia phone is slowly dying. The screen's fading and really, it can't offer me what I really need. So the next obvious choice for a mac-lover such as myself is to throw myself at the feet of an iPhone.

Santa?

out the front

Here's a peek at our 1920s metal setting that my dear husband sanded, rust-proofed and painted, before we popped down the pretty cushions my mother made for us on her last trip.

It's the perfect spot to sit and watch the sunset...

in my garden today