perfectly provincale

We're plotting our OS trip in earnest now. We've got a shortlist of two provincial homes near the Alps for the Tour de France part of the trip where we're sharing with two other families, and now we just need to find a home in provence to share with our sister- and brother-in-law and their two gals. I'd love to find a blue-shuttered beauty like this one, complete with lavender-bordered path. Utter bliss...

studied elegance

Have I told you lately how much I love my study? Oh, I do. And now it's all-but-complete {just awaiting a blind.} I now have a sparkly new chandelier to brighten up my days, rather than a bare bulb hanging on the end of a stick which makes it much better. Sorry about the quality of the desk photo - there's a large window over my desk with only the top pane covered with an antique white tablecloth, so too much light sneaks in and renders the image dark - particularly when it's just a phone photo - but you can get the idea can't you?

I swear I'm working better now I'm in a pretty room...

easy entertaining

I started off my morning earlier than I have in a long time. I had to drive 20 minutes to my 7am appointment for my MRI on my knee. Yep, SEVEN A. M. Thankfully it's over and done with now, and hopefully tomorrow I'll take the film and report to my physio and find out what's actually wrong with my knee.

We've got guests today. Mum's best friend from way back is popping in for afternoon tea, so I'm going to whip up some madelines as a sweet treat. These little French shell-shaped treats are so simple and delicious, and because they're teeny tiny only take around 3 minutes to bake. I'll make a double batch so my gal can take some to school for the rest of the week. I'll make some regular, some rose petal and a few lemon I think. Mmmmmmm.

PS: my squeal-worth moment today? My email saying "Don Draper is following you on Twitter!" Yeah baby!

hot damn mr hamm

Corinne, you've made my day/life/year... Go here for more...

woo hoo shoe

Now, you know I have to attend a black-tie ball on Friday night, and you know that I was inconsolable about having to wear flat shoes {le sob, le sigh} but look what I've found.

Yesterday we went to Morpeth, my first outing in what seems like months {but was only weeks} and in a store my eyes alighted on the first pair of flats ever to elicit a squee from me. One pair, in my size, in a colour so perfect I could cry {I've photographed them on the skirt I'm wearning, and see how beautifully the grey of the shoes matches the grey trim on the skirt? Same material and everything!!!} They've even got a hint of a heel {1cm maybe} so they don't feel totally flat and frumpalicious.

Happy days!

utterly delicious

Lifestyle Food I think I love you for bringing The Delicious Miss Dahl to my screen from Monday September 20. I plan on drinking in every single bit of the six episodes. Doesn't it look so pretty and perfect even in this single shot?

Prettiness!

nine o two one OH

Today, in the US, the date is officially 9. 02. 10. Weeeeeeeeee. I LOVED Beverly Hills 90210. Brenda! Dylan! and all the craziness that ensued. For an hilarious trip down memory lane head over to gofugyourself - quick sticks!

friday, on my mind

So, spring came in, popped its head around the corner to say "hi" and then quickly nicked off - what's all that about? Today's grey, drizzly and just a bit blerk - not what I'm after in a start to the weekend.

I'm off to see the surgeon this afternoon, where he'll hopefully tell me I can be treated conservatively and without reconstructive surgery on my knee. I really am dead over it. I did make it to French last night, to sit at a table mouth agape while I realised how much I missed in just one lesson. Past participles = eeep! Luckily my friend also missed last week's lesson, so we could pull faces and shrug our shoulders at each other whenever something new and scary and unintelligible was mentioned {um, that'd be every single word out of our teacher's mouth}.

Father's day and my mother's birthday on Sunday - guess how organised I am for it? Ouch. I'm going to go shopping with my mum and daughter to buy a surprise pressie for hubby - and let mum choose her own present for her birthday, that's the best option.

So, tell me all about your plans for the weekend. Let me live vicariously x

early arrivals

My gal and I were up bright and early this morning to collect my mum and step-dad who've flown up for the week for a visit - and to help me out. Woo hoo. Although the poor things won't know what's hit them with the mountains of washing {both to-do and to-put-away...}

The gal's having the day off today to recover from her school camp, which coincides just nicely with her grandparents' visit. Hopefully the day will clear up so they can wander down to the beach and do a few fun things. Me? Work. Lots. Best get on with it...

spring fling

How do I love Spring, let me count the ways...

♥ The flowers

♥ The delicate warmth

♥ The promise

♥ The subtle change in the light

♥ The longer days

♥ The chance to change the menu

♥ Flirty frocks

You? ♥

this'll be interesting

Found over at Dlisted.com is this ad that Modern Family took out in Variety. Why yes, that would be the Modern Family who won an Emmy for Best Comedy...

Apparently the local court's already signed off stating that any cast member of Modern Family will not be charged with public nudity. Bets on who'll actually birthday-suit-up?

get OUT

I have no coffee beans and as such am finding it difficult to concentrate on my work at hand and instead find myself re-watching the Emmy's opening {obsessive? moi?} and YouTubing Jon Hamm {obsessive! moi!}

Then I thought I'd best check out net-a-porter for some shoes I can't wear - and found these. Because, really, if you're going to look at shoes you can't wear why look at shoes with a measly 4 inch heel? No, why not go all the way and get sweaty and messy with six-inch Louboutin's that are so gobsmackingly gorgeous there's no need to say "I die" because, obviously, you're already dead.

Delirious? Um, yep, think so...

direct delivery

I'm very excited. Not only have I started off my morning in the best possible way {re-watching the opening Emmy scene - damn, that's happy-inducing} but yesterday I ordered groceries on-line. Bliss. Why didn't I think of this before as I'm house-bound? Who knows...

So today there will be fresh fruit and veg, meats {including free-range pork belly for my gal's welcome home dinner!} and yoghurt. Can. Not. Wait.

I think the worst part of being house-bound is the sheer boredom. Boredom of seeing nobody, but boredom of eating the same damned foods. Dinners have been simple so there's no leftovers for lunch, and my shopping lists for my husband have also been simple so he can quickly dash into Coles on his way home from work. I can't possibly eat another ham sandwich - toasted, pan fried or any way.

Husband has a work lunch so today I'm going back on the crutches in search of Sushi. Hopefully I'll find a nice, close park near the sushi store. My damned knee keeps swelling when I walk on it, so I'm still trying to keep my weigh off it. I'm seeing a surgeon on Friday re: reconstruction of the ligament I tore. I have fingers and toes crossed that I can just do rehabilitation as the recovery from the operation is six to 10 weeks which just seems unbearably long.

In good news it's warming up and my pool's starting to look mighty inviting. I'm looking forward to the swimming to build up the muscles to strengthen my knee - and for the cold water to help reduce the swelling. Bring it on.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's an Emmy's opening I need to watch again...

be still my heart...

Love Jon Hamm? Love Glee? Love Tina Fey? Prepare to fall deeper and harder after watching the opening of the Emmys.

PS: You may not have noticed {ha!} but I thought the Emmy's this year were a damned fine spectacle. The red carpet rocked and Jimmy Fallon presented perfectly. What more can a gal ask for?

feeling a little skittish?

Love Modern Family? Check out this Emmy's skit. Gold.

oh MAN

Generally I don't care for men's looks on the red carpet - unless they're wearing Tom Ford. Or happen to be Jon Hamm.

Thumbs up indeed.

funny and fabulous

I think Tina Fey is just gorgeous and hilarious and, until today, has never found a dress sufficiently fabulous. Oscar de la Renta for the win. This - is fabulous.

sleuthing success

Whew, finally. Now, I've found three* shots - woo hoo. Christina Hendricks is just so... sigh... In my eyes she can do no wrong. Adore this shade of mauve with her glorious hair and skin. And just a touch of feathers - damn, I do love feathers...

*{yes, I've finished with the postings of more shots. But I just ad to include that last shot as it showed the stupendous detail on the bodice of this dress. Zac Posen, allow me to kiss your feet...}

red hot on the red carpet

Lea Michelle in Oscar de la Renta is one of my favourite Emmy red carpet looks so far. I also do adore Christina Hendricks {surprise!} but do you think I can find a photo of her fabulously lilac frock? It has feathers people - feathers! I will try, oh don't you worry, I will try.

archiles heel

I'm trying to shop on-line for a pair of sparkly, red ballet flats but my eyes just glaze over unless a shoe has a heel. I did find an amazing pair of 'blood orange' flats at Witchery - but look at the shoe that caused my heart to skip a beat. PRETTY!

We were up early to wave our child off at the school gate as she went off on her School Camp at 7.30am this morning. She was happy as she and her friend bagsed the front seat as she'd hoped so she was all smiles and blowing kisses as she drove off. I managed to avoid tears - barely. Here's hoping she has the time of her life.