order in the house

When you work from home the toughest thing is ignoring the state of the house and settling in to do work without distractions. Ordinarily I can achieve that, but today, erk. I can hear next door's cleaner working away getting their house all clean and shiny and even though I'm locked in the study I can feel how messy my own house is. Hubby's working on a project so has piles of paper around the living room, rainy days have meant the washing's in teetering mountain-like structures and too much relaxing on the weekend means that stuff that needed to get done just didn't.

So rather than sitting here letting it bug me, I'm going to get up and put in 55 minutes-worth of serious cleaning and tidying. Then I can sit down and revel in my clean workspace and get stuff done.

lookin' good

This gal's red carpet looks having me going "Sqeeeeeee!" with Glee {and seriously kicking myself for missing that show - which I'd love - because it's on free-to-air which I always forget about - must rectify that NOW}.

Anyhow, I adored Lea Michele in a plunging emerald green frock at the Golden Globes {and was seriously concerned as to whether her hollywood tape would hold out - it did} - but now she's upped it a notch and is wearing FEATHERS. I love me a fluffy frock. I have naught outfits containing feathers in my wardrobe, but in my imagination there are tons.

This, I'm loving. Seriously my fave Grammy frock.

in the swim

It's the school swimming carnival today an even I used to love, but my daughter tends to loathe. The competitive gene seems to have skipped a generation where my gal is concerned - or maybe it was the Montessori pre-schooling combined with being an only child that does it. But anyway, despite years of swimming lessons and the fact that she'll happily swim for hours in our pool she's not quite sure if she wants to enter any races.

So I'm off to do some gentle encouraging so that she at least has a go at backstroke - and maybe her age race. Surely she will - if only to show off her snazzy polka-dotted swimsuit {blue - not that one above that I really, really, really need!}.

PS: TV-wise I'm not sure what I'm thinking of the contestants on this week's Come Dine With Me {aside from James Brown who I luuurve!}. Oh, and we taped My Kitchen Rules last night as I was busy flinging my poor old body around a netball court {feeling very sore and on the verge of death today - but we won!}.

food of angels

Taking a bite of an angel food cupcake is like nibbling on a cloud. These pure-white pretties were flecked with vanilla beans and topped with a wee bit of buttercream icing were rather sublime. I'd love to make little butterfly cakes next time with whipped cream and butterfly wings made from strawberries. Cuteness!

I had a few un-iced cupcakes leftover from the party so they're in the freezer awaiting a reinvention as raspberry and pink champagne jelly trifle. I really shouldn't keep them waiting too long should I?

mmmmmmm marc

Some designers I just adore: crazy Karl, John Galiano, Tom Ford... and Marc Jacobs. Their individual style infuses the pieces they create with a something that just brings out the covetous gene in my body. Like these pretty Marc Jacobs shoes. Look at 'em. How cute is that heel and the two-toned bow? With another designer this could have been heavy-handed or twee - but Mr Jacobs and his magic touch have created a positively drool-worthy shoes that really should be living in my closet.

Now, what are your plans for this week? I'm easing into it after a lovely relaxing, yet productive, weekend. On friday night the boy and I are out to dinner at a restaurant I've been dying to frock up for - Bacchus. Oh, it's lush alright.

I also want to send out love and hugs to Megs who's due to have a wee babe tomorrow. Naughty blogger wouldn't let me comment on her blog - so here's my best wishes here. Good luck for tomorrow and can't wait to hear all about your bundle of joy.

simply sunday

The last two nights we've had torrential downpours while we've slept - which means that today, a mild, sunny 25 degrees, is the perfect gardening day. We're going to top up some soil in the planter boxes out by the pool, mulch and fertilise.

What have you got planned for this summery sunday?

you may kiss the bride

Chanel Neon Baroque collection? Oh I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I DO!

pink of perfection

Have a glorious weekend and make sure you do something today that makes you smile.

bonjour mon petit chou

Guess what? I've just enrolled in my Beginner's French lesson at the Alliance Francais and je suis un peu ecstatic! Even though I studied French for two years at school {read: stared out the window thinking how much I hated my teacher and asking if yoplait really was french for yoghurt...} and am able to speak the basics I decided to go with the beginner's class rather than continuing beginners so that I get it right from the start.

Now you know I'm going to go all frocked up in black and white stripes and red-lipsticked to the first night don't you and everyone there will find me tres tragique... Don't care - too excited. Now, pass me the baguettes, the rillettes, the cornichon, the radishes and the champagne - there's celebrating to be done!

happy friday

Well, it's the end of the first week back at school - and normality has returned. This weekend we've got nothing planned - not a thing. We'll just potter about and get stuff done - whatever stuff needs to get done. There will be swimming, there will be walking, sadly there will also be school book covering {inventor of contact: I do not heart you}...

And tonight there will be champagne drinking while the sun goes down. Oh my, yes indeed...

safe-keeping

One of my worst habits is putting things in an odd spot. You know, I'll come in, fling the keys on the {un-made} bed and then, when I attempt to go out will fluff around trying to find them {funnily enough I always look on the key-hanger in the kitchen first - but never put the damned things on there first...}. So, just now, I was searching for my daughter's Smiggle calculator as she needs one to take to school. Didn't find it but I did find around 45 pencil cases, 25 erasers, 15 pencil sharpeners, enough textas to deck out the entire school - and her 2007 Santa photo.

I'm trying to get all her santa photos together so I can arrange them all from her first when she was nearly one, till the modern day. So at Christmas I found all but 2007 and 2003 and displayed them proudly along the sideboard. Then, I gathered them all up and put them in a safe place. Now, I've just gone to put the 2007 photo with all the rest - and am damned if I can find the stupid safe place.

I know it's not behind the jar of nutella in between the lasagne noodles and coriander and lime microwave rice - mainly because I found a packet of AAA batteries there. Perfect spot for them really - not in the drawer a mere few steps away where I keep batteries and rechargers. Nope, that'd be stupid because if robbers came in they'd be able to steal all my batteries because they were in such a damned obvious spot.

So, from today I'm finding a perfect spot for everything and NO MATTER WHAT I'm putting whatever it is wherever it belongs. Pinky swear!

edge of normality

Back to school today and how blissful that is. I've loved the school holidays, but am so thankful to return to reality. I like having my days laid out in an orderly manner.

One very excited child packed her bag for school this morning. I was tres organised and had servings of home-made pikelets ready to go in the freezer {we made Nigella's american breakfast pancakes on Tuesday and with the leftovers I made a week's worth of pikelets - too easy} and last night I made a batch of mini quiches {potato and chorizo - as per my gal's request}. When the requisite first day of hairstyle was done {high plaits were called for "as neat as school photo day" was the request} one shiny shoed and beaming gal trotted off to school.

Bless.

So I've got a story to work on, a desktop on my computer to clean up and coffee to be consumed. Tonight we're having panko/gremolata crumbed pork cutlets for dinner and I'm already salivating. They're dead easy - chop flat-leaf parsley, the zest of one lemon and a garlic clove or two together to make gremolata and then mix that with equal parts of panko breadcrumbs. Dip pork cutlets {smooshed with a meat mallet - or rolling pin in my case - so they're thin enough to cook through evenly} in beaten egg that's been seasoned with salt and pepper then press the panko gremolata mix into them evenly. Shallow fry in olive oil and butter mix until golden brown {finish off in a 180 degree oven for five mins if you're not sure about their doneness}. Serve to a fawning audience with a red cabbage and almond coleslaw {yoghurt, garlic and lemon dressing - yum}.

school daze

My school reunion is coming up in 10 weeks. Eek. It's been 75 years since I left school, and about 74 years since I've seen any old school friends {dates approximate}. Must say that I'm glad there hasn't been a reunion earlier because I probably would have found myself fretting and dieting myself into a frenzy for it. Now I'm happy to acknowledge that I'm not the skinny girl who left high school. I'm also not the insecure girl with the self-esteem issues that went along with that size 10 clothing tag.

Nope, I'll be happy to frock up in something fabulous {do you think I could find some 50s Dior divinity at my local op-shops?} and look forward to catching up with some old {literally} friends.

I wonder who'll have invented post-its...

love is all you need

On such a grey old day my thoughts are turning to my blessings: lovely husband, sweet daughter, great family, gorgeous friends - and all of my new bloggy friends. I adore how the blogging world has filled a part of my life with so many amazing people. Thanks x

food flight

Every now and then, when I have a spare moment, I start adding a little research to my holiday files. Interestingly, around 95 per cent of the experiences I'm aiming for while in Paris are food-related - but that's okay non?

totally tuesday

It's a quiet old Australia Day in this household. My husband's taken our daughter and her bestie down to Westfield Bondi Junction for some shopping and I'm home getting some work done. I've realised lately that I'm quite shopping phobic. While my sister-in-law was out here she and our niece went shopping. They left at 8.30am and got home at 6pm after spending the day at our local Westfield. I was horrified - what could they do? Shopped apparently. Window-shopped, actual-shopped, lunched in David Jones...

When it comes to shopping centres I like to get in, get what I need then quickly leave. There's no browsing. The only way I know about something new is if I've seen it on-line or in a magazine. Window shopping is a form of personal hell {unless I'm checking out the windows of high end stores in Paris - that I can do...}

But op-shops... Now that's different. See, in an op-shop I can uncover treasure. I never know what to expect and am often surprised. A new op-shop's opening in my neighborhood on Feb 3. My gal cracked that I'd probably set up a mattress and camp out on the doorstep over night. Which got me to thinking...

meal planning monday

The start of the school week means starting fresh with menu planning. I'm over fretting at the last minute what to cook and spending a fortune on groceries. So here goes:

tonight: mini pizza and salad

tuesday: beef, spinach and brocolini stir fry

wednesday: gremolata and panko-crumbed pork cutlets with red cabbage coleslaw

thursday: thai marinated chicken thighs grilled on the bbq with a green salad

friday: crispy skin salmon, lemon potato slices and green salad

saturday: steak and salad bbq night

sunday: husband and child's night to cook: mexican or home-made pizza!

Wednesday night I'll also be whipping up some mini frittata or mini quiche for the gal's lunch. Surprisingly simple and fills her up till home time.

mmmmm mustard

If you'd have told me that my fave look from the SAG awards would have asymetrical shoulders and would be in a fetching shade of mustard I would have laughed till I burst something.

But here's Diane Kruger in my fave frock of the night {sans my fave accessory of hers - Pacey!} The look's reminiscent of Michelle Williams and her fabulous yellow oscar frock with scarlet lips - but I'm thinking Kruger has upped it a notch.

Now, here's the thing I don't get about award shows. Why is it that films and television are all about suspension of belief. We're meant to believe that this actor is a totally different person, maybe that they can fly, that they'll totally survive an explosion that propels them 40 feet in the air via flames and toxic gasses... And yet, there's barely an actor who believes that when they go up to present or acknowledge their success the microphone is capable of picking up speech if the mouth is not directly in front of it.

Stop slouching people!

Why, oh why do so many people bend down to the microphone? It's just maddening.

rose gold beauties

Monday should start off nicely don't you think? So here's a rose gold Valentino with a peep toe to start off your day. I have olive skin so rose gold tones don't manage to bring out the yellow like traditional gold can. Wouldn't these look divine with a navy skirt?

So, what are your plans for the week? School's back on thursday so we'll be getting the uniforms ready, planning meals and working out the ideal 'back-to-school' hairstyle. Busy, busy.

a little shhhhhhh

Today I'm on go-slow. I woke slowly, had a big bowl of coffee, slowly swept the debris from the pavilion after yesterday's windstorm and now I'm slowly browsing through a few blogs and am just going to chill.

Hubby and I will go for a walk with our gal later on, down to the beach, and she can check out the playground equipment while we breathe in the salty air - and maybe jump on a swing ourselves.

There were big hugs and tears at the departure gates yesterday as we saw off my sister-in-law and our two nieces. It's bittersweet having adored relatives who live so far away. It does mean we've got a base to go visit them when we hit the UK, and that we get an intense few weeks when they come out here, but there's no casual drop-in - and phone calls have to be timed precisely {something I completely suck at}.

It's been a busy few months, and I've enjoyed every second of them, but today, I think a bit of relaxation's in order. I need to recharge and gear up for school starting this week {hurrah! although there's a larger hurrah from a certain young lass who's made herself an I heart school badge and is displaying it on her jammies as we speak!}.