well hello!

Oooh, it's oh-so-quiet. Husband left at 7.45 this morning to play golf, taking the wee lass with him. Last night she told us how much she missed her Nana {yes, this would be the nana we went away with, and that she had a three-night-sleepover with} so she's gone to spend the morning with her. Nana, as you can imagine, is positively tickled pink - as am I as it means I can get sooooo much done.

It's a glorious winter's day again today. Blue skies aplenty. So I'll be doing loads of washing, a bit of tidying and later on, cooking up a storm for school lunches. I've been inspired by Liss at Frills in the Hills and plan on doing a lot more freezing than I've done in the past {usually I'll make three days of quiches and keep them in the fridge}.

Last night I had my first real eBay success. I was hunting for a case for my iPhone because now I've got a black iPhone, daughter has a black iTouch and we have a black iPpod, I thought the chances of my walking out with the wrong iDevice were pretty high. So after some searching I found a Cath Kidston gadget case on eBay - with only a few hours till closing. I made my bid and followed my usual shopping guidelines {how much would I happily pay for this if I saw it in a store, regardless of the label?} and then put in my maximum bid {odd dollar number, odd cents number}. For the last 40 minutes I sat there watching and had the heart-stopping moments of watching the other bidder rise, and rise, and rise - until I won. They stopped $3.75 lower than me. I'm thrilled, particularly as Cath Kidston don't have this case on sale any more {it's white, with lovely pink roses}. Very happy.

Oh, and how much am I already loving my iPhone? How do I count the ways?

Finally - I did actually sneakily cook salmon for dinner last night after managing to skip it once again on its required night. Now, do I brave the crowds at the Farmer's Markets today, or just shrug my shoulders and shop at Coles... We'll see.

words for the weekend

it smells of spring

In my garden the snowbells have frocked up and are ready to lend their ballgown petals to a gaggle of partying fairies. I adore these delicate, nodding blooms and the fact that they're the first of the bulbs to flower in my garden.

Another sign that Spring's around the corner is that my jasmine is covered in red buds. Hundreds of them. Each promising to delight me with their intoxicating scent. Mmmmmm.

wow, weekend...

Heya, how's Saturday treating you so far? Mine's going well. I finally moved into this century yesterday and got myself an iPhone. Hurrah. I'm already in love. I guess some time this weekend will involve looking through apps, and, um, trying to learn how to work it.

My gal's finally home from her grandparents. She had the time of her life and wasn't at all keen to leave {I'm sure she missed us a little bit}. Today husband's gone to Sydney to do some checking out of kitchen stuff - in preparation for our future kitchen reno {at least two years away, mind}. He's keen to consider all the options so we can finalise a budget and work out exactly when we can do it. So the gal and I are hanging at home. I have some work to do - and she's keen to teach me how to use my iPhone.

Tomorrow we're off to the Farmer's Markets. Natch. My gal's keen to go along as Jake from MasterChef's going to be there selling some wares. I'm keen to go and get some fresh produce into the house. Honestly, how GOOD is seasonal food? The other day I had terrible sweet cravings after checking out a tweetpic from Baked Uprising and found myself a lovely mandarin in the crisper. I sat on the front stairs, in the winter sunshine, consuming the sweet citrus goodness and, oh my - does life get any better? {well, possibly if I were eating one of those macarons above, but details people...}

Enjoy your weekend. Hope it sees all your dreams come true.

that's the life

Oh, look at that comfy couch, piles of reading materials and that towering bookshelf {complete with bar on the bottom shelves - squeee!}. And the light - wafting in from those windows. Le sigh... Surrounding yourself with a few creature comforts just has to be the way to live.

friday flowers

Hey, how's your friday panning out? Got anything planned for the weekend? I plan on doing a spot of gardening, a chunk of work, and a little bit of relaxation. Hope you enjoy yours x

ain't life grand

Some of my most precious memories from growing up are those times spent with my grandparents. My dad's mum and dad lived in a waterfront house on the lake, a tiny home, with a big veranda from which we'd feed kookaburras little pieces of mince of a morning. They had an open fire which my grandfather stoked up every day, and many breakfasts were spent cooking the toast with the special fork he'd made up to brown bread over an open flame.

My mum's parents lived in a house with the most amazing vegie gardens. My memories of tomatoes are still spoiled by the tasty red beauties my pop would grow. Whether on buttered Saos or between slices of white bread, sprinkled with salt and pepper, these flavours were hard to beat.

My daughter's lucky to have six grandparents: my mum and step-dad, my dad and step-mum and my husband's parents. My parents manage to live on opposite sides of Australia - Melbourne for my mum and Far North Queensland for my dad, but luckily they regularly come to visit and my gal gets to spend an intensive week with them a few times a year. She had activities she likes to do with each. With my mum it's beach visits, she loves helping Grandpa and hanging out with him in the kitchen - or wherever he is. With my step-mum it's craft {hurrah, as I am soooooo not a craft mum} and shopping trips - along with walking their pup Bella. Now they've got the Motor Home and drive south regularly, my gal loves visiting her nan and pop while they're 'parked' near the beach.

My in-laws live a 40 minute trip north. Close enough for regular visits, and for my gal, the perfect place to chill in the holidays. My husband dropped her off on Tuesday night for a two day sleepover, with us due to pick her up tonight. But she called an hour ago and whispered "Can I stay another night?" Of course her delighted grandparents were more than happy to grant her request.

In the past few days she's baked, she's knitted, she's played, and she's just reveled in this opportunity to lap up grandparent time. Even though we'd only been away with her Nana and Pa last weekend, this gal knows when she's on a good thing. Considering she's one of, 13 grandchildren {not counting the great grandchildren!} she's blessed to spend this time with them.

She'll have some pretty special memories of times with her grandparents when she grows up - and hopefully she'll have kids that she'll encourage to have sleepovers with her grandparents - so I can crank up the KitchenAid for a new generation.

is is the weekend yet?

Phew, surely this week is due to come to an end soon. I read this post over at Life In A Pink Fibro and it resonated with me oh-too-clearly. Holidays are always such a busy period for freelancers, I'm not quite sure why. Maybe others turn the work down, regulars go on holidays, or maybe it's just like a big burst of spring cleaning from the publishing industry. Who knows? I don't care how it comes, I'm just happy that it comes.

I'm trying to get as much done as I can today, while my gal's still having fun at her grandparents. They've baked their way through most of NSW's sugar, butter and flour supply by the sounds of things.

Enjoy your day - and plan a little party to celebrate when you've finished your tasks. I know that I will...

what's cooking wednesday

It's a funny old week this week. The gal's at her grandparents tonight - so we're off for a belated anniversary dinner. Friday signified 17 years since my lovely husband and I met. Bless. I still love him to bits and pieces. So tonight, a restaurant shall be serving our meal. Tomorrow night we're picking up our gal - and being fed by my mother-in-law. Woo hoo. Nothing like a roast with all the trimmings cooked up by a fabulous cook. Here's what we'll be eating the rest of the week.

Tonight: Dinner somewhere nearby in The Junction

Thursday: Roast Beef with the in-laws

Friday: Salmon {and I swear that this time I'm going to make it - promise!*}, wilted spinach and lemon baked potatoes.

Saturday: Spanish chicken with rice and a green salad

Sunday: Osso Bucco or some other slow cooked delight from the Farmers Markets along with fresh veg - whatever's appealing.

Monday: No netball, we have a bye. So to celebrate the first day back at school {woo hoo!} I'll cook lamb backstraps, braised french lentils, pumpkin mash and sweet potato chips for my lovely gal.

Tuesday: Ballet resumes so it's a slow cooker dish. Liss's curry chicken will do just nicely I think. With garlic naan, rice and green beans.

Wednesday: Slow cooker again - netball training. I'm going to go for a soup. Lots of veg, ham hocks and pulses - served with Sourdough from the new bakery in Hunter Street.

*Okay, I swear to god this is not my fault - but it's Friday and once again, I'm not making salmon. Honestly, I have no umbrage with salmon, but every single time I go to cook the damned stuff something happens. And, once again, has happened. Maybe I need to do a sneak sabotage salmon supper. That might work...

p is for...

I believe there are two types of people: those who plan, and those who prefer to be more free-spirited, spontaneous, and... stressed.

I used to be in the latter category. I scoffed at those who wrote an essay plan, guffawed at the very idea of writing down weekly meals, stifled hystrionics at the idea of a budget. Now, I'm firmly in the former camp.

I could kiss my meal plans. On the weeks when I don't plan my meals I become crotchety, nervy, stressed and spend, oh, at least twice what I should. Rather than meals being planned for ease, nutrition, taste and variety - they're hastily assembled from whatever pops first in my brain and then, as I'm cooking, I realise I'm making a meal with beef, and we'd eaten beef last night, and the night before...

When we went away last weekend, even though I'd been working late, late nights, we were still prepared. I went into my "general folder" {pink, sparkly cupcake icon on my desktop} and printed out "Long Weekend Away Check-list". Oh yes, I have checklists for our holidays: from overnight stays, two days, long weekend and week-long. This way we don't worry that we've forgotten the phone charger or curl cream - they're on the list and are ticked off. I know, sounds anally retentive, but it takes one minute to print out - less - how much time would you spend rewriting a list everytime you go away - or just mentally going through it all?

My working days are divided up in the same way. I prioritise and allocate chunks of time to tasks in order of urgency. Some things {such as vacuuming the crunchy kitchen floor - sprinkled with more cupcake toppings than the cupcakes} fall by the wayside under more pressing tasks {finding interview subjects for an article due in just over a week}.

While I used to be a free-spirit in love with spontaneity, I've realised that I much prefer not stressing. I'd like to know what needs to be done and tick it off a list. I think you need to work out what's important to you - and live it. I used to make grand meal plans back in the day. I thought that because I was organised I'd create gourmet masterpieces, try something different, and make everything impressive. But you've got to make space for spaghetti bolognaise. Meal planning's not meant to add another dimension to your life, it's meant to make your life simpler.

Planning makes my life simpler. It's weird at first, and can seem like too much effort. But now, it takes me three minutes to come up with a weekly meal plan. Then I just need to do a big shop, and take note of what I need to buy fresh. Less waste, less spending and less stress. Who wouldn't want that?

something sweet

Do you look for the prettiness in your day? The things that stand out and make you smile? I had to do that this morning after being shuffled around to 6 different Telstra departments {all with that odd mechanical voice thing that's so difficult to understand...}. Nobody could help me, everyone knew they had to pass me to someone else, I swear I went back to the same department at least once or twice... But I had to chill. I found myself getting angrier and angrier, until I stopped and realised that it was okay. I was sitting here, in front of my computer, and I had the opportunity just to cruise around the internet with nothing else pressing. I did have work to do, but I can't focus on research while I'm waiting {and cranky}.

So I cruised, checked out some blogs {barely commented though - sorry - I'll get back into that soon...} and found a few places to dream.

Then, after I hung up, my lovely gal called. She's having two night's sleepover at her grandparents and is having a ball. So far they've made cupcakes and hazelnut slice - and she was due to decorate them next. Bless. Just hearing the happiness in her voice made everything seem better. So I'll buckle down now and get to work. Real work. I'm happy knowing that I'm getting my work done and my gal's spending some serious quality time with her grandparents - you couldn't pay for that could you?

ooh la la

It's Bastille Day today - a day to consider all things French {hold on, how's that different to any day for moi?} Currently I'm celebrating by waiting on hold for Telstra. Le sigh. Me and a new sim card, that was never going to be pretty. Of course I've waited till the last minute to activate my new account, have inserted the sim card without bothering to find my phone's manual. Oh yeah, the height of organisation...

So Bastille Day - you doing anything French? Chic?

dear dior

These would look pretty damned magnificent on my feet...

afternoon delight

I do so love an afternoon nap - and boy, could I use one today. A few days of working till midnight are really starting to take their toll. I'm nearly at the end of my 'impossible' job {when it's done it shall no longer be impossible...} and because the end's in sight, my adrenaline is slowing to a halt. Of course, once I finish this task I'll need to move straight onto the next one - but maybe I could squeeze in a lazy hour's lay-down in-between... {ps: this bedroom looks like the ultimate spot for an afternoon snooze - a little sun streaming in, cool breeze, books at hand to initiate slumber...}

flower power

While I spent the day yesterday working, my husband spent it in the garden. All the roses are now pruned and ready to burst into spring colour. All they'll need is a bucket of manure and a wee spot of sunshine to see new lush new growth sprouting out everywhere. It's funny, I don't even mind the bare, twiggy look. I guess it's because the catmint is so lush in between the roses, and we've got the odd Duchess de Brabant rose which doesn't need pruning and which are still covered in delicate pale pink blooms. But you can't just appreciate something for the end result, sometimes you've got to see the beauty in the journey...

tea time

Rosepetal and violette cupcakes are about to go into the oven - which means afternoon tea time in about 20 minutes! The girls were beside themselves when I told them they could pick a rose each and decorate the cupcakes with petals {our roses are organic, hence, edible}.

Now, how's this for an idea for a tea tray? From Martha natch. It's a series of little planters which look ever-so-lovely filled with the necessities for afternoon tea. Bless.

a gift

Hope your Monday's serving you up something special. There are some times when you realise that life's a gift and you should just sweep it up in loving arms and give it a great big hug.

How are these Valentinos? I do love a bow, it makes everything seem more special. So a pair of black shoes with satin bows are bound to set my heart a-fluttering.

Enjoy your Monday, and I hope that every day you see some special gift in what's being offered to you.

home again, home again

Wow, that went quickly! After a mammoth drive we're home again. Our weekend away was just lovely. Cute little doll's house cottage on the hill was the perfect accommodation and Sutton Forest seemed miles from everywhere, yet was only a three minute drive to Moss Vale. Last night we had a magnificent dinner at the Sutton Forest pub. If you're ever in the Southern Highlands I strongly suggest a meal stop-over. Fabulous pub food in a lovely pub - complete with tartan carpet in the bistro. I had a beautiful steak that was so tender and tasty I cut it with a normal dinner knife - no need for a steak knife. Served with horseradish cream and thick chips and salad it was hearty pub fare served with a deft hand - that chef knows what he's doing.

Today we had lunch at The Black Swan at Berrima - and we'll be revisiting. Our repast today was light, just a pie, but what a pie. Lamb and rosemary encased in light, buttery pastry. Mmmm. They do fine dining downstairs in a series of rooms so exquisite I had to stop and fan myself. The holiday also reinforced my belief that there's no better town for shopping than Bowral - particularly if you love food and cooking {um, that'd be me}. The day was brought to a magnificent climax with macarons from The Strawberry Thief - a patisserie to rival my other love - the Bowral Patisserie. Thank goodness we're headed down again in September...

loooooooong weekend

Today we're packing up the car and heading south. We're off to the Southern Highlands, our favourite place in Australia {aside from home!} We'll have a weekend of pottering, of pub meals, of coffee and shopping. Bliss.

I also plan to take a few days away from work - but will get straight back into in when I return. I think my eyes will enjoy looking at the odd magazine or reading pages from a book.

Enjoy your weekend.

perfectly pretty

How enchanting is this image? I'm taking a wee break from work and needed something pretty to rest my eyes on so Martha Stewart came up with the goods. Can you imagine anything prettier than flowergirls with floral wands? Love.