game for a giggle

How could I resist these? C'mon, heels with a mohawk? Priceless! Yves Saint Laurent sure know how to whip up a shoe - and considering I'd just come off watching Glee when I found these, they were a no-brainer to feauture {shoes that remind you of Puck every time you look down? Mmmmm}

So, it's a public holiday in part of the country today, but public holidays don't apply to freelancers - especially freelancers who've just returned from a week's holiday. Nope, I'll be working today. Enjoy your monday - whether you're on holiday or not!

free-ranging kidlets

This here is the sunroom where the adults spent many daylight hours of our holiday. Out that glorious picture window is just part of the 100 acres where two 10-and 11-year-old girls would wander. Those teeny little fluffy things in the background are the cows and alpacas they hung out with. The girls would wander in before midday and we'd head off to a town for lunch, then we'd come back and wouldn't see them again until it was time for them to walk with their dads up the hill to the local pub. The girls would sit around the corner in the 'kid's section' with a raspberry and lemonade and a packet of chips, while the dads sat in the next room with a couple of local beers.

Bliss.

I've just been over at MamaMia catching up on my reading and found the piece about Free Range Parenting. It's a concept I adore, but that just isn't always possible in my inner-city suburb. Where I grew up we lived across the road from the bush - with an old quarry in it. One day we removed the car bonnet from an old wreck lying abandoned and used that bonnet to hoot down the cliffs formed in the old quarry. We'd make cubbies in dry creek beds and abandon them when we found they were inhabited by red belly black snakes on our next visit. We had a service road outside our house that was the access for about seven houses in our street. We just saw it as a great place to set up ramps to ride over on our bikes. When our parents were away we'd climb up on the balcony on the second story of our house and jump the six foot of paving to land in our backyard pool {only six-foot-deep at the deep end}. How nobody died or broke things is beyond me.

I'd hate for my daughter to do some of the daring things I did, but being the only girl in a street-full of boys made for a tomboyish upbringing {and possibly the reaction of being such a girly adult?}. I would like her to experience more. I'd like a life more like the one we shared on holidays. That's why we'd like to go there with the same family again next year. The adults all got along and the two girls adventured magnificently together. Those roses in their cheeks may soon fade, but the memory of such an exhilarating holiday will stay for a lifetime.

And I'll try to think of ways she can experience that exhilaration on a more regular basis too.

what's cookin' this week?

I know it's a Saturday, but after a week of positively indulgent eating {lots of duck confit, plenty of pork belly and all-round deliciousness} it's time to get onto some lighter spring meals. Here's what I'll be serving up this second week of the school holidays:

Tonight: Crispy skinned salmon, salad and steamed broccoli with almonds.

Sunday: Roast lemon chicken and salad.

Monday: Early dinner as hubby and daughter are driving to collect sister-in-law and two nieces from the airport. We'll make it a steak and salad night.

Tuesday: Gal has a pal for a sleepover. Let's try a chicken linguine dish shall we?

Wednesday: Gal is at a birthday party sleepover and I'm off to a dinner with my old netball team. Hubby can cook up a blokey t-bone with some steamed veg.

Thursday: Sister-in-law and the girls down for a visit: squid and prawns on the bbq with plenty of salads on the side.

Friday: Still visiting - I'll make up some 'never-fail' chicken pot pies and serve it with veg.

What's on your menu this week? Do you love a seasonal meal as much as I do?

birthday boy

Yesterday it was our kitty cat's fourth birthday. So we celebrated with a "birthday cake" made from Fancy Feast and tempters. I love this shot I snapped off with my dearly beloved Hipstamatic function on my iPhone {husband is not so enamoured so I have to make sure I take shots with the regular camera as well...}.

Look at our big boofy boy - cuteness incorporated or what?

totally recharged

This Saturday I'm grateful that we've just spent the most relaxing week in the country. Yep, that's the house we stayed in - again. I'd find it hard to ever stay in another holiday house as this one has so much to offer: views of the valley to die for, 100 acres for the girls to wander around, alpalcas {now officially my favourite animal after seeing them run - hilarious}, a massive big fireplace and huge couches to gather around at night, and the most delicious sunroom to while away the daylight hours.

I'm grateful for good friends who make a week go by so quickly and so pleasantly. I'm grateful for girls who spent the week with roses in their cheeks and a gleam in their eye. I'm grateful for all the beautiful champagne we consumed and fabulous meals we supped on.

I'm also grateful to come home to a lovely clean house thanks to my in-laws who stayed here and cat-sat/garden-sat and house-sat.

I'm pretty damned grateful I've got so much to be grateful for.

I'm playing along with Maxabella - wanna join in?

stella!

Open those diaries and circle 9am October 31 as Stella McCartney is designing a new range for Target. Yeah baby! Last time around I bought the most exquisite wool and cashmere jumper and swing coat and still love both of them to bits. Run - otherwise you'll be fashion roadkill.

And check out next week's Grazia magazine where selected pieces shall be featured. Squeeee!

i'm back

Well, I've just walked in the door after the world's most relaxing holiday in the world's most beautiful location. Honestly, it's hard to find a more glorious town than Burrawang in the Southern Highlands - bucolic bliss. The trees were in full blossom, the fields were lush and rich green - it was glorious. I must go back again soon.

teatime?

I've blogged before about my inability to make tea. See, I'm impatient and never, ever let it draw long enough to give me the rich hit I need.

However, if I had Karl hanging out on the side of my cup, well, I'd become a rich tea addict in no time at all... {available at Colette http://colette.fr/#/eshop/article/20612461/donkey-products-5-tea-bags-pret-a-portea/61/}

penny pinching for paris

I truly think that the best way to save money is never to see it in the first place. We organise for a chunk of funds to be paid directly off our mortgage, and whenever there's a windfall it goes straight into the home loan. Now I'm setting aside a portion of funds toward our holiday. We've worked out a budget {a realistic once, hence, a scary one} which is so easy to do with the internet.

It's easy to see how much our accommodation is {particularly if you book it in advance} and to check out the exchange rate and work out approximately how much you'll be spending on meals and activities {again, easy to see on-line how much a lunch or dinner is at a chosen restaurant}. Then it's a matter of putting aside a wee bit more for 'chance' and going from there.

We're also not really going to spend much on each other this Christmas. Instead, I want Euros to spend in France. I'm really trying to make it my mantra "Do I need this, or could this money be better spent in Paris?" Every time I choose a meat or product that's on sale I consider the savings as funds toward my trip - it makes saving that much more satisfying.

Do you have any savings hints that you've learned over the years?

magnificently monday

Sure, I'm away, in the country, but that doesn't stop me from posting an exquisitely classic pair of pumps does it? {thanks Maxabella for the tips!} These Ferragamo mary janes are so pretty I nearly burst into a spontaneous round of applause when I spied them.

Don't they give you a Mad Men vibe?

holiday, celebrate

In just a few short hours we'll be hitting the road and driving south for a holiday {sadly, not in a cute-as-a-button Citroen 2cv - my dream car...}.

Can. Not. Wait.

Now, hopefully I've scheduled posts while I'm away {fingers and toes crossed} so keep on popping by. Enjoy your sunday and I'll be back late next Friday.

true mud

I'm more than a bit in love with this Sesame Street take on True Blood.

gratitude is...

I'm playing along with Maxabella today and taking note of all the things I'm grateful for.

♥ I'm grateful that my gal has some beautiful friends who bring out her kind, happy and gentle side. She's had a friend over for a sleepover and they've swum, written letters to fairies, made vanilla hotcakes and been so adorable my heart's swollen to bursting point.

♥ I'm grateful for a garden that encourages visits from fairies who flit between the flowers {the girls have spied quite a few flower fairies in the wisteria this morning}.

♥ That I have an inviting pool to dive into today when the temperature's set to reach 29 degrees.

♥ My holiday that I'm heading off to tomorrow. Ahhhhhhhhh.

♥ That I'm part of a blogging community so embracing - love you guys!

friday's flowers

I do love the little mop-headed allium flowers. So fuzzy and sweet. I always plan on planting some around the base of my roses, between my catmint, but have yet to get around to it. This year perhaps?

friday I have sunday on my mind...

It might be friday, but I'm hankering for Sunday. On Sunday we're off for five blissful days down south in my favourite town in Australia {besides my own...}. Yep, we're hitting Burrawang in the Southern Highlands. Last year we had the most incredibly relaxing, yet fun, holiday with another family and we've booked the same holiday house again this year. The girls are beside themselves with plans and we adults are looking forward to days spent lazing, and nights spent sipping champagne in front of the fire {surely it'll still be chilly enough for a fire at night - won't it?}.

We've already got a few traditions: every afternoon the dads and the girls walk up the hill to the pub where the girls play checkers and sip fire-engines while the dads sip beers and chat. While this goes on we mums either sit in the sunroom and read - or possibly have an afternoon nap. I know - it's all too fabulous.

Of course I have work to finalise before I leave. I would also like to work out how to schedule posts so I don't leave you hanging for a week {anyone technological care to fill me in on that?}. Ah, country roads...

perfectly pretty

I'm having a wee bit of a floral crush on ranunculas at the moment. Kind of a cross between peonies and roses, these delicate little blooms come in just the perfect palette of prettiness. I'm itching for a bunch of these to brighten up my bench - particularly as I have a pale blue milk glass vase that'd just make them pop!

harry, harry, harry, harry, HARRY

The new trailer's released today. You just know I'm going to be linking to it don't you {just did - back there - it's on facebook so I presume you have to log in - but you're on facebook aren't you}? If not, try here. Now, I'm a little bit scared that I'm going to spontaneously combust with anticipation about this film - and the fact that it's in two parts? Eep.

Now, today, I have the peskiest job in the world to complete. It's driving me bonkers, but I'm determined to complete it. One more coffee and I'm on it.

love

In the dictionary, right there next to the words Elfin Elegance is a picture of Carey Mulligan.

pretty priorities

As you know, I've been cutting back on spending to save for our OS trip next year. I'm finding there's quite a few areas I'm happy to cut back on {homebrand flour - that'd be you} but others, I still need to splurge on. Washing powder's one. Now I already save as I only use half the recommended amount and I still get the washing clean {with sports clothes I throw in half a cup of homebrand white vinegar to get the sweaty smell out}. But I need my washing to smell pretty when I take it from the machine and after I remove it from the line. So I was very excited to spy a Surf powder with jasmine when I was out shopping. Hurrah - jasmine!

Of course it doesn't smell exactly like all the blooms on my side fence, but boy it smells pretty. This morning I woke to sheets that smelled like flowers and sunshine {hey Kakka} and wow, did they perfume some sweet dreams. It's worth spending a little extra for that.

party time, excellent

I do love a party. I love to attend one, and oh boy, do I love to plan one. I'm planning one now in fact. Every year the Year Five mothers at our school organise a get-together and a farewell to the Year Six mums. Now, apparently, at the last mums get-together a friend and I put up our hands to organise this years {I still have no memory of this, I was probably in the middle of hugging someone and telling them I love them - I get enthusiastic after a few champagnes...}

So, anyway, this year we're not doing the stodgy sit-down dinner at the local pub. Zero atmosphere and worse, zero opportunity for chatting and having fun. This year we're going to a snazzy new bar upstairs in a snazzy newly renovated pub. It'll be dimly lit, there'll be great wine, bubbles and fabulous finger food. There will be music and, as my knee will be recovered by then, there WILL be dancing.

We're now working out what we can do to set the mood - music-wise and decoration-wise. When it comes to organising a great night out the scene has to be set immediately. You need to feel like you're entering an event: that something special is about to happen. You need a drink in your hand within moments of entering the room and the music needs to hint at what's to come. Everything needs to inspire and excite.

Oh yeah, I can feel a party coming on...