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!