81. Meeting Darwin expats (only Darwin expats understand!)
82. Clean sheets
83. Andy volunteering to cook me dinner over playing 'Call of Duty'
84. Seeing 2 black cockatoos on my walk to Sarah's house
85. Being surprised/spoilt by dinner at Windy Point Restaurant by Andy (followed by a movie)
86. Big hugs from Angus and Ollie
87. A stunningly fabulous day with my family
88. Compliments from Angus on my crochet skills "That looks really good Annie!"
89. Lunch at Thea Tea Garden
90. A clear filing tray
91. Long chats with Mum
92. A beautiful sunny drive to Strath
93. Paul Simon and My Friend the Chocolate Cake CD's
94. Meeting friendly people
95. Cuddles with a beautiful 3 month old Golden Retriever puppy
96. Bob and Chris, my awesome parents
97. Cups of tea in bed (Thanks Mum!)
98. Air conditioning on a 42 degree day
99. Finding a promising job in the paper
100. Andy's gardening prowess
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
January wrap up and February Resolutions
Well, January was a partial success!
Create: I managed to make a fabric purse from "Sew, La, Tea, Do" which is very cute. I also finished my kombi cross stitch as well as a smaller cross stitch for a friends birthday!
Move: I started strong on the gym front, then changed my resolution to 'exercise' rather than gym (we had good weather, who wants to be sweating it out in a stuffy gym when one could be out walking!). Unfortunately, I got a bit sick toward the end of the month and the wheels fell off.
Connect: We had Amy and Iliya round for a lovely night of risotto, wine, lemon curd tart and great conversation!
Eat: Hm, didn't really try much in the way of new recipes much, but I ate fairly well and packed lunches for myself a fair bit, which was a good start!
Work: Work has been decidedly slow, so while I managed to cut down on Facebook log-in's initially, I eventually caved through boredom! I did, however, clean out my emails and my inbox is looking much more tidy!
Finance: Again, failed here. I have decided that I am going to draft monthly budgets rather than an annual one. Some months are more expensive than others.
Home: I managed to get my dishes done before bed for, oh, I would say 90% of January. Pretty good effort!
February Resolutions!
Create: Make wrap skirt from "Sew, La, Tea, Do"
Move: -Go bike riding one day - Exercise 2 mornings a week - Exercise 3 evenings a week
Connect: Make contact with an old childhood friend who has recently had a baby.
Eat: - Photo project (take a photo of everything I eat for a week - I'll post the montage up here soon!)
Work: Finish the job application I currently have on the go. - Submit at least one other job application
Finance: Establish and stick to a monthly budget
Home: Clean dishes every night and clean sheets once a week (I know, sometimes we forget, gross huh!?)
Create: I managed to make a fabric purse from "Sew, La, Tea, Do" which is very cute. I also finished my kombi cross stitch as well as a smaller cross stitch for a friends birthday!
Move: I started strong on the gym front, then changed my resolution to 'exercise' rather than gym (we had good weather, who wants to be sweating it out in a stuffy gym when one could be out walking!). Unfortunately, I got a bit sick toward the end of the month and the wheels fell off.
Connect: We had Amy and Iliya round for a lovely night of risotto, wine, lemon curd tart and great conversation!
Eat: Hm, didn't really try much in the way of new recipes much, but I ate fairly well and packed lunches for myself a fair bit, which was a good start!
Work: Work has been decidedly slow, so while I managed to cut down on Facebook log-in's initially, I eventually caved through boredom! I did, however, clean out my emails and my inbox is looking much more tidy!
Finance: Again, failed here. I have decided that I am going to draft monthly budgets rather than an annual one. Some months are more expensive than others.
Home: I managed to get my dishes done before bed for, oh, I would say 90% of January. Pretty good effort!
February Resolutions!
Create: Make wrap skirt from "Sew, La, Tea, Do"
Move: -Go bike riding one day - Exercise 2 mornings a week - Exercise 3 evenings a week
Connect: Make contact with an old childhood friend who has recently had a baby.
Eat: - Photo project (take a photo of everything I eat for a week - I'll post the montage up here soon!)
Work: Finish the job application I currently have on the go. - Submit at least one other job application
Finance: Establish and stick to a monthly budget
Home: Clean dishes every night and clean sheets once a week (I know, sometimes we forget, gross huh!?)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Multitudes on Monday 61-80
61. My Mum-in-Laws home made apricot jam (yep, straight from the jar, who needs toast!)
62. Home grown strawberries
63. New bean shoots in the veggie patch
64. An afternoon of sewing
65. Sick leave
66. The view from our lounge room
67. Alexander McCall Smith novels
68. Satisfying a hankering for a blueberry muffin
69. 10 stamps on my coffee card = free coffee
70. Long lunch with Lisa, John, Josh, Burge and Deb for Johns birthday
71. Finished my kombi cross stitch!
72. Koala in the garden
73. New photography magazine
74. A cuppa and hours of chatting with Emma and little Henry
75. Friday night drinks at the pub with Andy and Sam
76. Saturday solo brekky at the Artisan
77. Long overdue dinner with Amy and Iliya
78. A thought provoking sermon
79. A long lazy arvo with friends at the Duck Inn
80. An awesomely exciting basketball game!
62. Home grown strawberries
63. New bean shoots in the veggie patch
64. An afternoon of sewing
65. Sick leave
66. The view from our lounge room
67. Alexander McCall Smith novels
68. Satisfying a hankering for a blueberry muffin
69. 10 stamps on my coffee card = free coffee
70. Long lunch with Lisa, John, Josh, Burge and Deb for Johns birthday
71. Finished my kombi cross stitch!
72. Koala in the garden
73. New photography magazine
74. A cuppa and hours of chatting with Emma and little Henry
75. Friday night drinks at the pub with Andy and Sam
76. Saturday solo brekky at the Artisan
77. Long overdue dinner with Amy and Iliya
78. A thought provoking sermon
79. A long lazy arvo with friends at the Duck Inn
80. An awesomely exciting basketball game!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Multitudes on Monday 41-60
41. Breakfast smoothie
42. Realising that I am getting quicker at crochet
43. Wake up kisses
44. My church family
45. Hot showers
46. Freshly made sandwiches
47. Homegrown zucchini given to me by a workmate
48. Evening walks
49. Thursday lunches with Thea & Mel
50. A surprise text message from Andy
51. My new summer dress
52. Lunch with Nicola
53. An afternoon walk in Belair National Park
54. Watching the Muppets with Andy on a Friday night
55. Crafternoon
56. Pink lilies from Andy, brought home on the motorbike, just because
57. Lemon curd tart with fresh raspberries
58. A day at Myponga beach with my parents
59. Happy family news
60. Playing with my camera at sunset
42. Realising that I am getting quicker at crochet
43. Wake up kisses
44. My church family
45. Hot showers
46. Freshly made sandwiches
47. Homegrown zucchini given to me by a workmate
48. Evening walks
49. Thursday lunches with Thea & Mel
50. A surprise text message from Andy
51. My new summer dress
52. Lunch with Nicola
53. An afternoon walk in Belair National Park
54. Watching the Muppets with Andy on a Friday night
55. Crafternoon
56. Pink lilies from Andy, brought home on the motorbike, just because
57. Lemon curd tart with fresh raspberries
58. A day at Myponga beach with my parents
59. Happy family news
60. Playing with my camera at sunset
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Queensland
I can’t look at the news without tears blurring my vision right at the moment. Major disasters like Haiti, the tsunami in Indonesia have always moved me, affected me emotionally and made me grateful for how fortunate I am to live in a safe and well established country. But this is so much closer to home. The news reports are coming thick and fast, I am getting updates on Facebook from friends who live in the area and I am hearing place names that are all too familiar.
I almost feel guilty that this (and the Victorian bushfires of 2009) seems to effect me so much more profoundly than situations overseas. I feel like I lack empathy for those situations. I feel it, don’t get me wrong, I really do, but I guess we don’t get the news saturation for overseas events like we do for events that happen at home.
I think the other reason is that, sharing a continent and a culture with Queenslanders, it kind of drives home the fact that these are people just like me. People that go to work in an office every day, that come home, maybe hit the gym, they cook meat and 3 veg for dinner, watch the same programs on TV as me, wear the same types of clothes and shop in the same kinds of shops as I do. In short, it is only by grace that it is not me inundated by water. It’s only by grace that I know where my family are and if I pick up the phone and dial their number, they’ll answer and be able to tell me that they’re safe and well.
These kinds of situations bring out both the best and the worst in humanity. They become religious and political soap-boxes. The number of people I have seen commenting on public forums, blaming the elected government for the devastation that has occurred is phenomenal! I wouldn’t be PM for quids, especially at a time like this. No matter who is in power, they are a mere human being and have no power to stop a river bursting its banks and inundating towns and cities with water. Realistically, could anyone have foreseen this event? And if they could, how much could have been done to prevent the loss of life and the massive loss of property and infrastructure?
And the response of the Christian Fundamentalists, I could have cried with frustration when Catch the Fire Ministries pastor Daniel Nalliah said that the Victoria bushfires was God’s response to Victorias stance on abortion. Nalliah is at it again, saying the floods are all Kevin Rudd’s fault for calling on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as open up their nuclear facilities to the UN inspectors. How dare he suggest that God’s chosen people (sarcasm font) should be accountable for their nuclear arms! As a Christian myself, I get so frustrated at these small minded zealots that make grand, sweeping statements about such things. Hey guys, there is a whole NEW TESTEMENT now! It’s been around for 2000+ years, read it, for Gods sake!!
There is no supernatural, political or religious explanation. It is environmental. It is indiscriminate and it is unfair. Don’t cast aspersions, don’t judge, let’s just do what we can to help, wether that be through donations of dry clothes, food and money, for those that have the means, helping out physically and for those who are spiritually inclined, prayer.
I almost feel guilty that this (and the Victorian bushfires of 2009) seems to effect me so much more profoundly than situations overseas. I feel like I lack empathy for those situations. I feel it, don’t get me wrong, I really do, but I guess we don’t get the news saturation for overseas events like we do for events that happen at home.
I think the other reason is that, sharing a continent and a culture with Queenslanders, it kind of drives home the fact that these are people just like me. People that go to work in an office every day, that come home, maybe hit the gym, they cook meat and 3 veg for dinner, watch the same programs on TV as me, wear the same types of clothes and shop in the same kinds of shops as I do. In short, it is only by grace that it is not me inundated by water. It’s only by grace that I know where my family are and if I pick up the phone and dial their number, they’ll answer and be able to tell me that they’re safe and well.
These kinds of situations bring out both the best and the worst in humanity. They become religious and political soap-boxes. The number of people I have seen commenting on public forums, blaming the elected government for the devastation that has occurred is phenomenal! I wouldn’t be PM for quids, especially at a time like this. No matter who is in power, they are a mere human being and have no power to stop a river bursting its banks and inundating towns and cities with water. Realistically, could anyone have foreseen this event? And if they could, how much could have been done to prevent the loss of life and the massive loss of property and infrastructure?
And the response of the Christian Fundamentalists, I could have cried with frustration when Catch the Fire Ministries pastor Daniel Nalliah said that the Victoria bushfires was God’s response to Victorias stance on abortion. Nalliah is at it again, saying the floods are all Kevin Rudd’s fault for calling on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as open up their nuclear facilities to the UN inspectors. How dare he suggest that God’s chosen people (sarcasm font) should be accountable for their nuclear arms! As a Christian myself, I get so frustrated at these small minded zealots that make grand, sweeping statements about such things. Hey guys, there is a whole NEW TESTEMENT now! It’s been around for 2000+ years, read it, for Gods sake!!
There is no supernatural, political or religious explanation. It is environmental. It is indiscriminate and it is unfair. Don’t cast aspersions, don’t judge, let’s just do what we can to help, wether that be through donations of dry clothes, food and money, for those that have the means, helping out physically and for those who are spiritually inclined, prayer.
Monday, January 10, 2011
1000 Gifts
I've been set this beautiful challenge by a friends blog. 1000 gifts, things I am grateful for, things that make me smile. I am a week and a day late, so I have posted 40 on Tuesday rather than 20 on Monday. Will try and get into a groove next week!
OK, here goes!
1. Coffee made just the way I like it from the Little Leaf & Bean
2. Meeting tiny little Henry for the first time
3. Riding on the back of Andy’s motorbike through the hills
4. Watching our ‘baby’ grow in the garden (a plant Andy put in)
5. Judy and Andrew’s hospitality
6. Playing Rapidough with the Spads
7. Angus & Oliver, my 2 nephews
8. Shopping for yarn at Spotlight with a new friend
9. Crochet on the train
10. Sitting quietly with Andy, listening to ‘Slaughterhouse 5”
11. Long holiday afternoons on the couch watching Charley Boorman with Andy
12. Cross stitch
13. Sushi made by Andy
14. Coffee from Emma’s new coffee machine
15. Subsequent drinking of said coffee on Emma’s patio
16. Craft morning with Sarah
17. Surprise coffee with Mum
18. Watching Sex and The City while I fold and iron
19. Afternoons off work
20. Lying in my bed, knowing that by grace, I am safe and dry
21. Mars bars
22. Steam cleaned carpet
23. Home made pizza
24. My camera
25. Catching up with Poppy (Andy's Grandad) at Church
26. The coffee machine at work
27. Sauvignon blanc
28. Hearing ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls on the radio and remembering the day I met Andy (Oh my, that is cheesy!)
29. The Leunig card at my desk from my new friend
30. Andy
31. Waifs tickets
32. Impromptu emails from a dear friend suggesting after work coffee
33. No dishes on the sink
34. Folded and pressed washing
35. Photo’s at my desk to remind me that I am loved
36. A new year, a fresh slate
37. Emails from Kate
38. Brighton sunsets
39. Frangelico
40. The double headed agapanthus that popped up in the garden
Wow, that was so fantastic to do! I encourage anyone to sit down and do this! It is so uplifting! It is amazing, we spend so much energy sweating the small stuff, but struggle to celebrate the equally small, but beautiful stuff! Trust me, it is energy well spent!
OK, here goes!
1. Coffee made just the way I like it from the Little Leaf & Bean
2. Meeting tiny little Henry for the first time
3. Riding on the back of Andy’s motorbike through the hills
4. Watching our ‘baby’ grow in the garden (a plant Andy put in)
5. Judy and Andrew’s hospitality
6. Playing Rapidough with the Spads
7. Angus & Oliver, my 2 nephews
8. Shopping for yarn at Spotlight with a new friend
9. Crochet on the train
10. Sitting quietly with Andy, listening to ‘Slaughterhouse 5”
11. Long holiday afternoons on the couch watching Charley Boorman with Andy
12. Cross stitch
13. Sushi made by Andy
14. Coffee from Emma’s new coffee machine
15. Subsequent drinking of said coffee on Emma’s patio
16. Craft morning with Sarah
17. Surprise coffee with Mum
18. Watching Sex and The City while I fold and iron
19. Afternoons off work
20. Lying in my bed, knowing that by grace, I am safe and dry
21. Mars bars
22. Steam cleaned carpet
23. Home made pizza
24. My camera
25. Catching up with Poppy (Andy's Grandad) at Church
26. The coffee machine at work
27. Sauvignon blanc
28. Hearing ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls on the radio and remembering the day I met Andy (Oh my, that is cheesy!)
29. The Leunig card at my desk from my new friend
30. Andy
31. Waifs tickets
32. Impromptu emails from a dear friend suggesting after work coffee
33. No dishes on the sink
34. Folded and pressed washing
35. Photo’s at my desk to remind me that I am loved
36. A new year, a fresh slate
37. Emails from Kate
38. Brighton sunsets
39. Frangelico
40. The double headed agapanthus that popped up in the garden
Wow, that was so fantastic to do! I encourage anyone to sit down and do this! It is so uplifting! It is amazing, we spend so much energy sweating the small stuff, but struggle to celebrate the equally small, but beautiful stuff! Trust me, it is energy well spent!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday Science Experiment!
To Reboil or Not to Reboil?
Just recently, my Mum was flicking though my 'Modern Household Manual' and snorted when she came across something about not boiling water which had already been boiled (eg. You fill the kettle, make a cuppa and then when you fancy another cuppa an hour later, you just flick the switch and reboil the water that is already in there). Apparently my Grandmother was a stickler for not reboiling and seldom drank tea at my Mum's house because Mum is a 'reboiler'.
So I did some research and found that there is actually a fair bit of stuff written about how reboiling takes oxygen from the water, making the tea 'flat' in flavour. Hm, fascinating! I am a tea drinker from way back, call it my British heritage, call it my Nanna alter-ego, I just love a cuppa....I am also a reboiler. Perhaps I am selling myself short on my tea drinking experience! Time to hit the lab!
I'm going to make 2 cups of tea. One using water from the kettle which has been boiled previously and the other with water that will be drawn cold from the tap and boiled only once. For both cups I will be using tap water.
Both will be made in cups identical in material, capacity, and colour - white bone china (a wedding present from Aunty May - Thanks Aunty May!).
Both cups of tea will be made using Dilmah tea bags.
Both cups will be filled to the same level and will be tasted black.
Tasting will be done by myself and will be blind tested by Andy.
Outcome
Well, I made my two cups of tea and took them both to Andy to have him taste test them. The only difference he picked was that he thought the 'fresh boiled' tea had a very slight metallic taste to it. I couldn't really taste much difference at all, if I did, it was so subtle, that I am not going to bother with emptying the kettle and refilling it with fresh water every time I want a cup of tea.
After all that, I put a slug of chai syrup in each of the cups and we enjoyed a lovely cup of chai each!
Just recently, my Mum was flicking though my 'Modern Household Manual' and snorted when she came across something about not boiling water which had already been boiled (eg. You fill the kettle, make a cuppa and then when you fancy another cuppa an hour later, you just flick the switch and reboil the water that is already in there). Apparently my Grandmother was a stickler for not reboiling and seldom drank tea at my Mum's house because Mum is a 'reboiler'.
So I did some research and found that there is actually a fair bit of stuff written about how reboiling takes oxygen from the water, making the tea 'flat' in flavour. Hm, fascinating! I am a tea drinker from way back, call it my British heritage, call it my Nanna alter-ego, I just love a cuppa....I am also a reboiler. Perhaps I am selling myself short on my tea drinking experience! Time to hit the lab!
I'm going to make 2 cups of tea. One using water from the kettle which has been boiled previously and the other with water that will be drawn cold from the tap and boiled only once. For both cups I will be using tap water.
Both will be made in cups identical in material, capacity, and colour - white bone china (a wedding present from Aunty May - Thanks Aunty May!).
Both cups of tea will be made using Dilmah tea bags.
Both cups will be filled to the same level and will be tasted black.
Tasting will be done by myself and will be blind tested by Andy.
Outcome
Well, I made my two cups of tea and took them both to Andy to have him taste test them. The only difference he picked was that he thought the 'fresh boiled' tea had a very slight metallic taste to it. I couldn't really taste much difference at all, if I did, it was so subtle, that I am not going to bother with emptying the kettle and refilling it with fresh water every time I want a cup of tea.
After all that, I put a slug of chai syrup in each of the cups and we enjoyed a lovely cup of chai each!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
January
Well, as promised, I sat down on the last Thursday of December last year and wrote out a bunch of resolutions for January.
Here they are!
Create Make something from one of the craft books I got for Christmas
Move Hit the gym 3 times a week - class, cardio, whatever, as long as I go there and sweat for at least 40 minutes!
Connect We've been promising to have dinner with our friends Amy and Iliya. I am going to invite them round for tea this month.
Eat Pack lunches for work, allowing for one day of the week where I spoil myself with a bought lunch - this harks back to school days when Thursday was 'lunch order day'. Pie with sauce and a small iced coffee! (Not really my speed these days, more likely to opt for noodle soup or a yummy foccacia!)
Work Here's a challenge - cut back on Facebook at work! No more than 3 times a day (and I have to make them no more than a couple of minutes! My other work resolution for January is to clear out and re-organise my emails.
Finance Establish a budget/savings plan for 2011 and work out how much I will have saved for my trip by the end of the year.
Home Get back into the clean habits that I learned from www.flylady.com
Wish me luck! I will post an update on here at the end of the month and let you know how I go! In the meantime, I am thinking about rewards I can give myself at the end of each month if I achieve all my goals!
Here they are!
Create Make something from one of the craft books I got for Christmas
Move Hit the gym 3 times a week - class, cardio, whatever, as long as I go there and sweat for at least 40 minutes!
Connect We've been promising to have dinner with our friends Amy and Iliya. I am going to invite them round for tea this month.
Eat Pack lunches for work, allowing for one day of the week where I spoil myself with a bought lunch - this harks back to school days when Thursday was 'lunch order day'. Pie with sauce and a small iced coffee! (Not really my speed these days, more likely to opt for noodle soup or a yummy foccacia!)
Work Here's a challenge - cut back on Facebook at work! No more than 3 times a day (and I have to make them no more than a couple of minutes! My other work resolution for January is to clear out and re-organise my emails.
Finance Establish a budget/savings plan for 2011 and work out how much I will have saved for my trip by the end of the year.
Home Get back into the clean habits that I learned from www.flylady.com
Wish me luck! I will post an update on here at the end of the month and let you know how I go! In the meantime, I am thinking about rewards I can give myself at the end of each month if I achieve all my goals!
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