simple suppers

Don't you just love an easy meal? The other night my gal was at a sleepover, my husband wanted a man-sized t-bone and vegies and I didn't know what I was in the mood for. Luckily my fridge, garden and pantry offered up a tin of tuna, linguine, garlic, lemons, parsley, chillies and tomatoes. So I quickly sauteed the chilli and garlic in a touch of oil while the pasta boiled, then I added the tin of tuna {broken up with a fork}, next went the tomatoes, olives and a bit of lemon zest. All were quickly tossed together with a bit of chopped flat leaf parsley and lots of black pepper and washed down with a glass of rosé. Yummikins!

hedging our bets

What a difference a year makes. See that top photo? That was our lilly pillies not long after we'd planted them last February. See the bottom one? That's them now. Check out the growth. They've filled out to form a dense hedge and they're getting close to the top of the fence - all 2.4 metres of it! We're hoping they'll grow to around 4 metres, obscuring the house that's on the hill behind us. It's such lovely, lush growth on these lilly pillies. We have had issues with psyllids, but if you keep the water and the fertiliser up then they seem less affected. When we've been slack with the watering we've had to spray the new growth with Defender - but it seems to have calmed down now.

If you ever need a lush screening then this is a fabulous hedge. Interestingly, neighbours around the corner planted the small leafed form Goodbye Neighbours and they've had very little growth in a longer period. This form is lush, deep green and has the prettiest little pink berries {yes, of course one of the reasons I bought it!}. If you're interested, I'll find out the botanical name and let you know what it is. Just give me a yell. Okay, off to move the hose again after giving these beauties a deep soak!

ma jardin

Here's the results of this weekend's labour - my husband's not mine. Our vegie garden has had a few tonnes of soil and rubbish removed from atop of it and it's been dug through, has had gypsum applied and is ready for the manure and top soil before planting. Through the centre we've got a wee step and we're going to use the large pavers we have left over from the backyard to form a division between the two gardens. They'll go beautifully with all the reclaimed convict sandstone we've used as edging. Now, the photos don't do it justice, but these chunks of sandstone, as well as being over 100-years-old are also huge and damned heavy. My husband's managed to use his brute strength to lug them into place, and built some mighty nice muscles in the meantime!

Now we just need to move a bit more of the soil {by we, I mean he} and bring in some topsoil, paint the fence charcoal to match the rest, build up the fertility of the soil and plant in winter for a Spring garden. Excitement!

playing catch-up

Whew, all my pressing deadlines have passed. I still have work to do, and then I need to start the onerous task of pitching story ideas to editors {eek} but today's catch-up day. There are piles of washing calling my name, shopping to do, meals to plan, watering to do... So the plan is to slowly chip away at all of this, breathe, and stop for a second and look around.

So I'm also taking a break from the computer - just for this morning. I'll be back after lunch. In the meantime, how much cleaning would you get done with a pretty pink spotted laundry basket and all the other gorgeousness on display in the image above? It'd have to make cleaning a pleasure don't you think?

child's play

You may have read the report in yesterday's sunday paper where outraged parents were calling for ratings on concerts. One woman who'd taken her 9-year-old along to see Lady Gaga was 'shocked' at the language and carry on at the concert. I'm shocked that she'd taken a nine-year-old to an adult's concert.

Seriously, where's the perspective? I don't allow my daughter to watch video programs - she sees enough on the Disney Channel to sate her appetite. And as for a concert, well, maybe when she's actually expressed an interest in attending I'll take her along to a concert appropriate for her age - after doing some research first. There's no excuse for ignorance. Googling Lady Gaga would come up with some pretty disturbing stuff in the first page I'd imagine. Have you seen her latest video? I have, and while I thought it was pretty amazing there's no way in hell I'd allow my child to glance in its direction.

Let 'em be kids. It's not for long. Sure they'll want to grow up and push boundaries, but that's where we as parents step in and judge what's appropriate. I'm fussy, before my daughter sees a film I google some reviews, preferably ones that'll let me know exactly what type of inuendo or language will be featured so I know what I'm prepared to explain - and what I think needs to wait till later.

Some stuff may go right over their head - or could sit in there bothering them quietly. I'd prefer to stick with age-appropriate music, films and activities and let my gal grow up at her own pace - not thanks to what I think is cool. We're her parents, not her best friends.

level headed

Check it - a shoe with a heel so low and so well-balanced it's virtually a pair of flats! This rather yummy pair of Sigerson Morrison shoes made it to the shoe of the week position predominantly because of my need to be sensible this week. Hence, sensible attitude - sensible shoe. Of course they still have a hint of danger thanks to the patent leather - and those buckles are eminently stylish don't you think?

It's a pupil-free day today - one of two this week. Yes, the school's messing with our heads by book-ending our week with pupil-free days {actually, the Friday is the Show Holiday - bless}. So I need to get plenty of work done despite also trying to entertain a gal who'd much rather be at school. Eek!

sunday's child

If there's one thing I aspire to be it's neat and organised so these Stella McCartney Day-Of-The-Week undies may well take me where I need to go. Seriously, day-of-the-week undies, with their own cute lil boxes. Seriously, have I died and gone to cute-heaven? Or am I just hysterical? Either way there's some serious coveting going on in this part of Merewether...

just right

Last night I finished reading a rather good book {A Much Married Man by Nicholas Colleridge - $3 from the Salvos} then snuggled into bed for a good night sleep before waking and having a yummy bowl of porridge with brown sugar and a double latte. Mmmmmmm. Does life get any better?

My husband had a productive day yesterday. He moved the vast majority of the rubbish to the skip bins. He's probably 3/4 of the way through it all. He's out there now getting started while it's still cool. I'm going to get stuck into a little work before setting to clean some windows - v overdue. I gave the garden a big drink yesterday, so today everything that's in the ground will be fine, I just need to water the pots.

I can now see the bones of my vegie garden - I just need some manure and top soil and it'll be on the road to planting. Can. Not. Wait!

garden daze

We're finally getting some work done on our side garden. This weekend we've hired a skip bin and my husband's barrowing all the clay he's excavated and we're having it recycled through a rubbish removal company. Then we're ready to start the vegie garden, lay the gravel paths and plant the hedging. Sadly, it won't look like this picture above, but our garden was designed by the same designer - Peter Fudge. He's created some amazing gardens and came up with some brilliant ideas for ours.

We had our dinner last night at the in-laws and while driving home my husband's eagle eye spied a pile of weathered sandstone at a landscaping supplies yard - just what we need to complete a drystone wall in our side garden. We're using our salvaged convict sandstone but there wasn't quite enough left over after my husband formed the vegie garden with the large pieces. So now we're looking to hire a ute during the week and go buy a few metres and a pretty drystone wall will be ours.

Now, just to google 'how to build a drystone wall..."

happy friday

Here we are at the end of another week, and the start of another weekend. Yay. I'm just thrilled that this weekend won't involve doctors, hospitals and x-rays - so anything has to be an improvement on that doesn't it?

My husband's ploughing on with work on the side yard. We've rented a skip and it's sitting out the front ready to take away all the clay and excess dirt he's excavated. Poor poppet has a weekend of shovelling and barrowing ahead of him - better than any gym workout!

Tonight we're off to my in-laws for dinner. A lovely home-cooked roast dinner is just what we need to start the weekend off nicely. I'll be spending time with my gal, doing some work and getting the house in order after a week of activity. I'll also try to not be sad about Sandra Bullock and that cheating husband of hers. I've always wanted to be her best friend, but now even more so as I'll bet she needs a good hug and a pair of ears to cry to. So. Damned. Sad.

Oh, on the good news front I think I'm finally hitting my strides with my French. Last night we had to string a sentence together with adjectives and vowels and nouns and use the correct gender and tense throughout and I did it! I've followed Sara Rose's advice and just tried to immerse myself in the language - if I see something, I translate it to French. I also sat down and wrote out all the bits and pieces I've been having trouble with, learned it, and then wrote little sentences including the info to help it sink it. Only two more weeks and then term 1 is finished - then a three week break and I'll be back into term 2. I'm feeling more and more positive that I'll be confidently speaking the language when we hit French soil in July next year.

What are you plans for the weekend? Fun?

autumn tones

There's a decided chill in the air this morning. It was only 15 degrees at 8am, after a still-steamy night. But the turn in the weather's got me itching for cool-weather clothing. Opaque stockings, leather jacket, a foofy skirt and these Alexander Wang boots would make the perfect street-smart winter look. I'm pretty sure that whatever needed doing would be done so much better in these fabulous booties.

I woke without a voice this morning. The sore throat that's been threatening has finally decided to come and hang out. Lots of coughing and throat clearing later means I now have a bit of a croak - handy as I have to do two phone interviews today...

It's also open day at my daughter's school - so I need to duck over there at lunchtime. And also find some time for my French homework which I have not progressed past gazing dumbly at.

wacky wednesday

I'm pretty sure that my head is now completely bamboozled thanks to Saturday's dedicated to all things broken {my daughter's arm} and yesterday's Big Day Out in Sydney {without the bands, fresh lemonade or cheese on a stick - damn!}.

So now I'm trying to get myself settled back into life. My gal's had her fibreglass plaster installed - in white so we can paint it pale pink and gold {must buy paint and brushes} and I'm getting into work before preparing for my first-ever netball training session this afternoon. Of course, my gal isn't going to get terribly involved, but luckily I'd already worked out a little 'getting to know you' session where I'll team up pairs of girls who've never met to ask each other a few questions and then share what they've learned about the team.

I also have to prepare a meal tonight for a school mum who's broken her leg and her child as part of the school's care group. Various families have been asked to drop off a meal which is such a lovely idea. I'm going to make spanish chicken and a salad - how's that sound?

getting plastered

Sorry for the lack of posts yesterday. A day in the big smoke saw me leave home at 5.45am and return at 9.30pm!

This morning I'm off to take my gal to the physio to have a cast fixed to her broken arm. Hopefully they're got an array of colours to please her.

Speak to you later on xx

two to tango in

Well, after that weekend I need to start the week off well. So here are two shoes of the week for you. TWO. The black beauties are Fendi - and aren't they utterly fabulous? Normally I'm not a fan of lucite, but this platform is just utterly exquisite. The delicate little pretties below are Valentino and they're making my heart ache. I have an itching to visit a haberdashers to find organza flowers to create my own vision...

Thank you all so much for your lovely, lovely wishes after my darling daughter broke her arm. She walked into school like a rock star this morning, the centre of attention and ever-so-proud of herself. I spoke to her poor teacher who now has THREE girls in her class with broken arms and we've worked out how she'll get through everything. Hopefully when her arm's in the correct plaster she'll be able to grip a pencil well enough to write legibly.

Phew, I'm off to have a coffee and a hot cross bun - I've decided it's close enough to easter to justify buying one. So, tell me about your week - what's happening?

a bad break

I've been quiet this weekend haven't I? That's because my wee lass fell off a ripstik on Friday afternoon and broke her arm. Poor little poppet. She's currently encased in a half cast with a full plaster cast set to be installed on Wednesday once the swelling goes down.

She's been very brave the poor little thing - don't you just wish you could take their pain for them? Luckily {if there is such a thing} it's occurred right at the end of summer after she'd got in a full swimming season, and, hopefully she'll only need a cast for around four weeks and will be able to start the netball season virtually on time.

Somehow it doesn't seem like a childhood without a broken bone does it?

bring out your manolos

Here's one of the first stills released from Sex and the City 2. I've been invited to a screening on June 4 so it looks like the release will be around then. Hello girly night out!

Your plans for the weekend?

to do, do, do, do, do

I seem to be having some timing issues at the moment. I've got a lot of work on which is absolutely fantastic. Because I'm one of those rare individuals who loves their work I refuse to complain no matter how bogged down I become. I also refuse to turn down work {unless I'm asked to write something I'm actually opposed to - which hasn't happened yet}. So aside from my 9.30 to 10.30pm viewing of MasterChef: The Professionals {which I love, love, love and will die when it finishes tonight} I'm pretty much just working and mothering, with the odd spot of wifing thrown in {not a word - but you know what I mean - being a wife...}

So of course, there are things that fall to the wayside. My walking for one. Sure, it's been raining, but that's no excuse for not getting out - they have invented umbrellas. And yes, I have had a bad back lately - but that's probably because I'm sitting all day and most of the night at my desk and I'm not walking! And last night at French lessons my teacher told me I need to study more {my irregular and regular verbs, and the old - I have, you have, they have, we have...} Now, this I am studying, but boy, does it not want to stick in my head. I've never been one who excels or even is adequate at rote learning or memorising. The subjects I've always aced are creative subjects - not ones that require me to memorise facts. So while I was able to tranlate a whole batch of text about buying a train ticket to Brussels - I can't remember how to say the masculine version of they have...

Now I'm going to make myself up a new to-do list. It's going to include some creative study time for french - where I'm going to make myself write little french sentences using all those phrases I can't understand. Then I'm going to block in 30 minutes for a walk along the beach. Oh, and it'll also include time to do all this work - but will also involve me getting off my seat every hour so my butt doesn't fuse to the chair. That can't be attractive!

hello dolly

I can totally understand why people become crazy doll collectors. Check out these Mad Men dolls that've just been released. For a start, they've got the original 50s Barbie eyes {sideways glance, cool cats-eye-liner} and would you have a look at Betty's dress! Loving it!

slowly does it

You know what I love most about this whole cold weather scenario? Bringing out the slow cooker. This morning I chopped a few onions, a couple of potatoes and an orange capsicum, browned up a few chicken drumsticks and cut six thighs into bite-sized chunks and threw it all into the slow cooker with some coconut milk and a mild chicken curry slow cooker mix. Then I popped a layer of baking paper over the top {my slow cooker's huge, so I need the paper to keep in moisture and to let it bake more evenly} and seven hours later it smells divine.

So for dinner tonight all I'll need to do is throw a package of microwave basmati rice on and two minutes later a delicious and nutritious meal will be served.

Yesterday, after a rapturous phone call from my friend G, I hunted down the new Woman's Weekly slow cooker book. No, it's okay, I'll wait her while you go by it because it's a seriously damned good recipe book. Now you know me, I like to wing it and make things up but a slow cooker is a contrary soul - it's likes very, very specific recipes and if you don't follow recipes and ratios you end up with very bad things at the end of the day.

I want to try almost every single recipe in my new book - starting at the soups and finishing with chocolate puddings - eating everything in between. For $12 it's a rather lovely investment in my winter nourishment...

blast and damnation

You know how horrid and frustrating it is when you suddenly lose a follower? {As I did today - gained one "Hi Ben" and lost one "Bye-bye errant friend..."} Well, I reckon I've discovered something worse - being dropped off someone's blog-love-roll. However, I think I know how this happens.

See, the person {let's say their name's PinkPatentMaryJanes} decides to add some new blogs to her roll, ones she's been following and loves. So, it takes her heaps of time to track them down, add the urls, you know the drill. Anyway, so she does so and is very happy and trots off only to come back later and find many of her faves had dropped off.

Ahem.

So I've just spent yonks trying to reinstate everyone but if you were here - and now you're not - it's not because I don't love you. I've just lost you temporarily. Let me know and I'll put you back on.