tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27961066994793132752024-02-22T04:46:14.190-08:00Dear SisterDear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-43799435304197475042011-08-16T03:59:00.000-07:002011-08-16T03:59:42.946-07:00Arrrrr it's my swashbucklin partee of all things piratical<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011006-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011006-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You missed the greatest pirate party ever. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Well, in my head it was, though in the confines of 24-hours in a day there were some economies of scale and creation that took place. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But somehow, in the blink of an eye, O is now 4 and Goosey turned 1. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You were sorely missed and I know you wanted to be here too ... but next year (started pinning ideas already!) On a separate note, Jac has told me I am not allowed to send her any ideas next year, no matter how good, in fact she will not even tell me if there is a theme before arriving ... her rainbow party for S was pretty mindblowing and stylish. Far fewer toilet paper rolls and scrunched up bits of foil than ours. We even failed on the balloon front when our ?two-year-old-stash of black ones we bought 4 packs for 25c somehow spontaneously popped (and tasted weirdly salty when inflating) ... oh well!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So here's some decorating / setting the mood ...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020299.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Using gold chocolate coins in along with napkins was a BAD idea ... it was main course of choice on most plates, particularly Mr 4</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020290.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Plundering GUP - a salute to the last-minute Octonauts obsession: an amazing huge cardboard box boat, with umbrella stand, broomstick mast, cot-sheet sail, binoculars, anchor. </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011006-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011006-1.jpg" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.. and operational pulley for trapdoor. All cut and painted with O & G one afternoon. There is still the outline on the floorboards as I optimistically didn't lay dropsheets!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011043.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011043.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We finally hung the beautiful Danish mobile that Nat gave us when Goosey was born ... what do you mean viking boats don't fit with a pirate theme??</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Craft table: felt hats, bandannas, eye patches for any pirates "missing" attire, crepe papered shoebox treasure chests with individual treasure bags, face paint and supplies to make cup & wire hooks, popsicle stick catapults, gold sparkly pasta necklaces ...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011008.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustache straws</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We played a looting game - leaving the ship via the trap door with their own unique treasure bag (in place of a party "favor" bag)... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011030.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> ... under the seaweed forest and onto the plank .... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011031.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">.... leaping past the snappy crocodile (Nanna's hands above left!) and crawling through the tunnel to the pool of treasure....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sorting through the packing fill was fun and hard work. And after it had been trampled and thrown and spread, we still have static-y bits on ceiling and appearing on the floor ... but loads of fun finding red rubies (boiled lollies), buttons (which had pirate-y motifs on them), bits of metal (buckles, chains, medals etc), jolly-rodgers (stickers, bags, buttons), the first letter of their name) and of course, the first of many chocolate gold coins.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011047.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think my parrot had died by this stage. Recognise the MTC costume dept hat??!!</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Getting those 5 children to play was no small feat, as these getting all the kiddos to play in any one area was a bit like herding flies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011074.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Some jumped on the trampoline, others braved the sideway to visit Obie the fearsome seadog who was tied up munching on bones, others played with presents indoors. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011053.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There was even one very good little pirateer who indulged me by playing the magnetic fishing game I had set up (sewn bits of paper together with 4 jelly beans inside, after working <u><b><i>exactly</i></b></u> what our fridge magnets could manage weight-wise with a paperclip as the metal bit holding the tail shut)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There was food naturally enough (though no sausage rolls in honour of your superiority in this field!)<br />
Swashbuckling Sushi, Bags of Treasure (Shanghai Village dumplings courtesy Nick), Chickpea of the Sea sandwiches, Fishy green (avocado) sandwiches, Fish and Chips (all shop bought, I succumbed!), Piratey cheese, and other non-piratey food too. But again, mostly the decorative gold coins were plundered. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020302.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020303.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011020.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Look away, there IS red cordial "shark's blood" on the table ... what was I thinking?</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And of course the cake which was if I do say so, pretty impressive. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/P1020319.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I had to grab the Lego people immediately after the candles were blown as at least one kid picked it up, tried to eat it, then pocketed it! I think all the little pirates had an enormous slab each as they wanted to have a piece of the wood (kit-kat) edging! And Malteser cannon ball! Ooops! The cake & icing was from this months Donna Hay kids magazine and was quite good. Much easier than last year's fire engine .. and better ... there's learning and improvement!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011060.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011066.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Finally the treasure hunt where again, we had about half the interested scoundrels who hunted with a highly professional (*snort*) clip-art map, connected by red crayon marks. It took them around the house in 2 teams to washing machine, under tables & beds, in shoe baskets, for goodies such as gold glittery penne pasta on wool, a package of jellyfruit "rubies", and some piratey stickers. It culminated in digging in a pot of sand to find a collection of foreign and local coins mingled with more chocolate coins. Again all good until one kid tried to bite the copper 2 cent piece. And another kid fell into a stinging nettle which was part of our green manure-crop / weed patch in the front. Fail!And not even any photos of that bit ... so just <i>imagine</i>.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So that was it really ... grandparents and uncles here for dinner ... early to bed for the youngest pirate who has been ill ever since. and much playing with all the new toys this past week. Even if he does have too many (really, is such a thing possible??). So here's some of the crew that were here ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011061.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011027.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011029.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a tired little seadog .. he did so well without his usual nap ...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011028.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this photo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The party, as all those previously, wouldn't have come "off" without family help - thanks guys!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such gorgeous little pirate friends!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011070.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc368/lollylegs11/Blog%20Photos/Owen%20Pirate%20Birthday/owenbday2011070.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And some not so gorgeous!! But realistic and scary!!</td></tr>
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Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-41080177225609359582011-07-10T12:45:00.000-07:002011-07-19T19:31:41.670-07:00Two things from today<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JDDayKi860LPMdxKc2rtOf7Gy4RNio1EwlI8jsVdWZsEpd9Nr8tipIvaQYQKXf1N1mrIZaYyvm8co_GiF_mLpPT4SxLHvfRuVzk8dHT_tZVQniLiQsxJokHd3DsD4xQUf3vZVcFfeyG-/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JDDayKi860LPMdxKc2rtOf7Gy4RNio1EwlI8jsVdWZsEpd9Nr8tipIvaQYQKXf1N1mrIZaYyvm8co_GiF_mLpPT4SxLHvfRuVzk8dHT_tZVQniLiQsxJokHd3DsD4xQUf3vZVcFfeyG-/s400/006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McCarron Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn</td></tr>
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<br />
I'm sitting in McCarron Park in Williamsburg, eating peaches and watching people of my own generation wearing and doing things unimaginable to me. Two things have occured to me as I've watched the parade of Ray-bans, exposed bra straps and impossibly short shorts go by. Thing number 1) the intonation of American enthusiasm sounds frustratingly like Australian sarcasm. So when a girl walked pass and gushed "I l-uh-ve your dress! It looks soo good!" I immediately thought she was being sarcastic and wanted to go home. Even though I know this dress does look good (brilliant 2nd hand find; long, black and white, polka dotted, backless halter style dress with a tie up bow on the lower back. I'll try to get a photograph of myself so you can see it) I immediately took her compliment, turned it into criticism and let that be the dominant opinion of myself. Even if she was being critical of me, why should I care? Who is she to me? Which brings me to Thing 2) I need to be more confident and assertive. Not only when it comes to opinions of myself, but also how I engage with others. Case in point; I went to buy an iced coffee and asked for regular milk. The man made it with soy and then as he was holding out for me said "you asked for regular, but I put soy in it. Is that alright?" It was not of course alright. I don't like the taste of soy milk, but I just meekly nodded and even tipped the guy so he knew there were no hard feelings and then walked down the street gingerly sipping on my watery, mud flavoured drink. <br />
So these are the revelations of today. Until I become more confident I am doomed to drink terrible coffee and doubt my fabulousness.Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-86991426290056188342011-07-09T21:57:00.000-07:002011-07-09T21:57:46.213-07:00I'd like to thank my family and God and...I must agree, we are bad bloggers!<br />
Our loyal followers (pause... the sound of cicadas chirping) don't even know I am living in Brooklyn! That's right, I'm living on the Bushwick/Bed-Stuy border which means I have an organic fruit store AND authentic gang violence located conveniently at my doorstep!<br />
There is also a Chinese take-out place downstairs that serves some very interesting fish;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hDBMj-00qZDRatvyjPTPFXVTi3y3upRW50DmLtvsxH6trGuN81jmApfN7grdizmtIsUuXlmC9mE5nKuvwPG8hMU_tzHKAVI6D_P3yXTC1grr_XKbcnwahJbz3UVqA1OWd-dI_sVw6l5d/s1600/Writing+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hDBMj-00qZDRatvyjPTPFXVTi3y3upRW50DmLtvsxH6trGuN81jmApfN7grdizmtIsUuXlmC9mE5nKuvwPG8hMU_tzHKAVI6D_P3yXTC1grr_XKbcnwahJbz3UVqA1OWd-dI_sVw6l5d/s320/Writing+fish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The apartment is pretty amazing though. See? Look at pictures - they're worth a thousand words, so maybe also make up for slacko blogging;<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17bunNXPSLpJQNywSXcXBZC920wQmLRFajNCTz_dBPBeTAjDBxKZxxjxX3VPphPXJH0wtnSIlIYvlRssgaGUU6OQ9yvchpRuG0OT_DltVcE39koRm-8xfFvBePrI_8-T5vLHBrguoo2Xv/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-36guUj6LVaUL0FpfvCzUYt16Dqs_GwVhyphenhyphenZt6_Nw_JUUkRkZ1zkkkdT_8PfY5HxkoNEIy3tWW8qrU7dv4YIbClm45r5YH2Lvhhe4WwqjPFBjP_5ZPsq1u6Xkih-RMefdW8fDqNzzzzhyphenhyphen/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-36guUj6LVaUL0FpfvCzUYt16Dqs_GwVhyphenhyphenZt6_Nw_JUUkRkZ1zkkkdT_8PfY5HxkoNEIy3tWW8qrU7dv4YIbClm45r5YH2Lvhhe4WwqjPFBjP_5ZPsq1u6Xkih-RMefdW8fDqNzzzzhyphenhyphen/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Messy but very functional kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicifFYmAfiNRfm_wCRS1REM6tPyoremrsJ1khvgQ26ybtOk-_1txziYsjV88GhE8Rt53X1eKrH6VwWgRoWEQC5AhZ9Teq0j7u8nEoz8NLB9DmIx5TmU09T0jgXnUMG2eJgXsRaz8ncXYZg/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicifFYmAfiNRfm_wCRS1REM6tPyoremrsJ1khvgQ26ybtOk-_1txziYsjV88GhE8Rt53X1eKrH6VwWgRoWEQC5AhZ9Teq0j7u8nEoz8NLB9DmIx5TmU09T0jgXnUMG2eJgXsRaz8ncXYZg/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my sleeping pod with desk and bookshelf below; both also messy, but very functional</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17bunNXPSLpJQNywSXcXBZC920wQmLRFajNCTz_dBPBeTAjDBxKZxxjxX3VPphPXJH0wtnSIlIYvlRssgaGUU6OQ9yvchpRuG0OT_DltVcE39koRm-8xfFvBePrI_8-T5vLHBrguoo2Xv/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17bunNXPSLpJQNywSXcXBZC920wQmLRFajNCTz_dBPBeTAjDBxKZxxjxX3VPphPXJH0wtnSIlIYvlRssgaGUU6OQ9yvchpRuG0OT_DltVcE39koRm-8xfFvBePrI_8-T5vLHBrguoo2Xv/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the sleeping pod; sheet, quilt and pyjamas all kicked to the end of the bed because it's been getting so hot at night. Cosy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIqURd9pFPwLndwab3j6pib1KosebQLvDCKWvOxj6T1uOyfwWo0nXNxsSsplI4S2AEITgf8vinRky9wumFuGO_ka3-WuxWoHEZrO0CG3a8Qa5PyKH56__qhyphenhyphenHO9sVrKykmUI27TjkIGYV/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIqURd9pFPwLndwab3j6pib1KosebQLvDCKWvOxj6T1uOyfwWo0nXNxsSsplI4S2AEITgf8vinRky9wumFuGO_ka3-WuxWoHEZrO0CG3a8Qa5PyKH56__qhyphenhyphenHO9sVrKykmUI27TjkIGYV/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little shelves and some books I am reading because I'm <i>soo</i> intellectual</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am working for a company called Broadway.com, which is passing the time and earning me money and also possibly sparking a Dr Pepper habit since they have a fridge full of it for staff to help themselves to. Earning money is probably the highlight because it means I can do things like make plans to travel across the US. This is my proposed trip, although I'm still not sure if I'll fly or catch the train from LA to Dallas;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudgcICg-Jdf3LuRPDvEmz8QN3h19unI1WIjhACuvkZullzas5vxWd5UTJhUmFsgh9Oxr3k5aC0c_7duoQnQBlZMQLZeXt1Gup-cHhNy1RnPgYumocAIotXuwMkQOPFNK8dnIOiUNB-OEu/s1600/Travel+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudgcICg-Jdf3LuRPDvEmz8QN3h19unI1WIjhACuvkZullzas5vxWd5UTJhUmFsgh9Oxr3k5aC0c_7duoQnQBlZMQLZeXt1Gup-cHhNy1RnPgYumocAIotXuwMkQOPFNK8dnIOiUNB-OEu/s640/Travel+map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you believe I made this myself and I'm not even a graphic designer???</td></tr>
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Other exciting things of late; I went on a road trip with my friends Cristina and Andrea;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbLnhfO8TSDpk75McbtblV5PcjssFOD6SppApqPBwDlq5tkQlLT3uocv3nUGal4i8pKrQgFgeLbK0iKZK9z5CN7G3Zeu_BeiitpHX7VdU2oK1wN9oHO-ynGnU0u5NqdH16pIywo-MZ4V2/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbLnhfO8TSDpk75McbtblV5PcjssFOD6SppApqPBwDlq5tkQlLT3uocv3nUGal4i8pKrQgFgeLbK0iKZK9z5CN7G3Zeu_BeiitpHX7VdU2oK1wN9oHO-ynGnU0u5NqdH16pIywo-MZ4V2/s320/IMG_0132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
to visit Hayley in Burlington, Vermont<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxGPhxHth23pjgAtD3xUneEhpICZT2XMIK2vW8o-ZxSL9WWNBXgMt2-2ObtywNMxYojT7lGHcK6Q0447Hej9XjIh7BNeWXP5hl0nRZWLCPt3M6lxi0F-c84Kxg_42EHJMSoHeRbGgRNlV/s1600/IMG_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxGPhxHth23pjgAtD3xUneEhpICZT2XMIK2vW8o-ZxSL9WWNBXgMt2-2ObtywNMxYojT7lGHcK6Q0447Hej9XjIh7BNeWXP5hl0nRZWLCPt3M6lxi0F-c84Kxg_42EHJMSoHeRbGgRNlV/s320/IMG_0141.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over Lake Champlain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While we were there we went to the drive-in and Hayley and I ate corndogs!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9MtonYnj4qHbZSpdJ1jqIjVK7MbX1noXZp1N95jIVydavuIbjtnCWQzcYPvqTa71VaaFJLd-UBGpN7Bb65YGtbs6H82CGtmReJE3p53SbwmGhq9Agz16aDzMlVZq4WuG969e_8jVmYqI/s1600/IMG_0158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9MtonYnj4qHbZSpdJ1jqIjVK7MbX1noXZp1N95jIVydavuIbjtnCWQzcYPvqTa71VaaFJLd-UBGpN7Bb65YGtbs6H82CGtmReJE3p53SbwmGhq9Agz16aDzMlVZq4WuG969e_8jVmYqI/s320/IMG_0158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I have also had some people from back home visit me. First it was Laura, whom I'm friends with from working at MTC, and her cousin Dan;<br />
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Then Sarah, who I became friends with through working at MTC, and her friend Glenda;<br />
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And then Michael B, who I <i>also</i> worked with at MTC (thanks MTC for providing me with jet-setting friends!);<br />
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And of course there have still been my ongoing adventures in supermarket shopping;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubvIajkU9WK1bWZY1j1i1igfLfiNhgK1F7rJgPKfs3u6SOjbgoeY4nkkYOqxP0-wSAvr62YIr21WlrPBa7hdj_sxD2fsrV2dncTGGBOa0wkmjbm20827k8u_tTG3B_HLwlrOa8lLkwKRo/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubvIajkU9WK1bWZY1j1i1igfLfiNhgK1F7rJgPKfs3u6SOjbgoeY4nkkYOqxP0-wSAvr62YIr21WlrPBa7hdj_sxD2fsrV2dncTGGBOa0wkmjbm20827k8u_tTG3B_HLwlrOa8lLkwKRo/s320/003.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I broke out in a rash just seeing this in the supermarket aisle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnb5QE_5UL_yboywtGJ29LOSd6Wu-E2qmEa4sBE4JPUJ3WlP4-K_CCidX4yggOGSY477geIbugVv8-MnSrMJEcZkV4FFCKToaOc0BH1kNkXSoQoebHMORnEyTyhcVyB1QgqEF8jE-Uyolc/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnb5QE_5UL_yboywtGJ29LOSd6Wu-E2qmEa4sBE4JPUJ3WlP4-K_CCidX4yggOGSY477geIbugVv8-MnSrMJEcZkV4FFCKToaOc0BH1kNkXSoQoebHMORnEyTyhcVyB1QgqEF8jE-Uyolc/s320/002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well at least it's cholesterol free!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The other big thing that has been taking up oodles of my time is trying to work out what you and I could do, dear sister, so that we could work together again, like in the good old days at Eurosite, except hopefully more fun and rewarding and maybe somewhere with natural light.<br />
So far my best idea is an Alice in Wonderland themed cafe for adults that serves fancy tea in fancy teacups (I wonder if we know anyone who owns enough teacups to supply a cafe?), dainty, organic cucumber sandwiches and delicious treats (we could pull all the recipes off Pinterest - looking on the internet will be part of our job description!!!) There would also be an area for children to eat and play which is where Gus and Owen could play all day, so we'd get to see them too, all the time. Mum would be involved in the fit-out (i.e. she would contribute teapots, teacups and all her Alice ephemera, where it could be displayed beautifully) and I'm sure she would love to do something like Alice in Wonderland story readings every week. And because Mum would be involved, Dad could be our financial backer.<br />
I think we would call it Curiouser & Curiouser.<br />
It's just a thought.<br />
Tell me yours.Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-91257905459683236352011-07-04T04:10:00.000-07:002011-07-04T04:10:34.528-07:00Gulp: Worst bloggers anywhere, ever<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A shoe-in for this award I thinks ...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So a short err 4 months has rushed by. Somehow this is my first attempt infront of our clunky old desktop where there are no awake children, the internet is working, and the job I came to do (check family assistance claim) took waaaayyy less time than I thought. So with no content in mind, ignoring all my drafts Ive been busy concocting from my iphone (gee that burns my thumb-pad) I am writing. Just to say hi. And to say we are all so excited to see you in six short months. But mostly to update some pictures. So without further padding on the chance that Owen is going to wake up vomiting again shortly (we have just washed 2 changes of bedding, beanbag, pillow and various stuffed animals) ..... here are our family in a few pics.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And do check out our (well, mine so far) <a href="http://pinterest.com/lozandkate/">Pinterest </a>which has been sustaining my short attention span in bed nursing Gus most nights. If you can get past the awful spelling and the overload of wedding "inspiration" you may find some love. Or not. </div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And Andy wants to know if you'll be at Coney Island to see Kobiachi (?sp) in the hot-dog-eating contest? I think it was the second reason he would consider getting on a plane for 2 days with 2 children < three years</span>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPycvaZfienrL2kpLkclw6Njm4Vrr_CGM5MaDc5hyOXvUEZ4LdYPoJCs94rWggUpo1tI2VJa3iZyGm6RbOv_0VLR3bp6D9yG7SWKNalM42qsVRAcM_If21_4rPLfVAIzWjPbRPwPv1ez_/s1600/P1010657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPycvaZfienrL2kpLkclw6Njm4Vrr_CGM5MaDc5hyOXvUEZ4LdYPoJCs94rWggUpo1tI2VJa3iZyGm6RbOv_0VLR3bp6D9yG7SWKNalM42qsVRAcM_If21_4rPLfVAIzWjPbRPwPv1ez_/s320/P1010657.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen being Elton-esque. He still loves putting on a good concert. He is really into Justine Clarke and often comments on her good singing and guitar playing ability. Dinosaur Roar is on repeat.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yq358CCPRDUWSf9BSBAjrPIMKRRwxAg9yhQ7cmnT6N3w3uvB1V9UXjAHhaoVLXmny1LafRK8MbCkzlkwFZTOdybAmsEvyQNfIDH59YSisUXWtj2BJyGSwQgP_opSCK_WztbsQZW1D4UC/s1600/P1010647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yq358CCPRDUWSf9BSBAjrPIMKRRwxAg9yhQ7cmnT6N3w3uvB1V9UXjAHhaoVLXmny1LafRK8MbCkzlkwFZTOdybAmsEvyQNfIDH59YSisUXWtj2BJyGSwQgP_opSCK_WztbsQZW1D4UC/s320/P1010647.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama is so clever: she made a fancy new dressing gown from that material bought 2-years ago but was forbidden to cut. And I made dragon slippers for both Owen and Gus. Both chuffed.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2IwyHJeRbIQ3JyYFTO-khyphenhyphenc_X1ncfI9iZefEyjtoo9MBMk-zNfznvK3uWPvRYPVZSS6ueFaO4Iw-OX3snNcU-E2rlyxwCRtWLivNsC1USEwrZItbl_ldyutZCV1i01KFSI2TyN3AOALy/s1600/P1020090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2IwyHJeRbIQ3JyYFTO-khyphenhyphenc_X1ncfI9iZefEyjtoo9MBMk-zNfznvK3uWPvRYPVZSS6ueFaO4Iw-OX3snNcU-E2rlyxwCRtWLivNsC1USEwrZItbl_ldyutZCV1i01KFSI2TyN3AOALy/s320/P1020090.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shit. Busted hanging out on the dog's bed, removing the oh-so-gorgeous (but very effective) bubblewrap window insulation</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFvtOBJwTex9kBrCJ9P_a4z5C-7iXz7GURu-5hyQaZz9ZzxepLDOCfr1trugVqWk0VYU5m_6OcIx1nQfPlS3j1WYqRFlONOdrhsq_Ksbcw0GCbvCh4SBko3zONx-yvv-IRUYCFTll_DR7/s1600/P1020053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFvtOBJwTex9kBrCJ9P_a4z5C-7iXz7GURu-5hyQaZz9ZzxepLDOCfr1trugVqWk0VYU5m_6OcIx1nQfPlS3j1WYqRFlONOdrhsq_Ksbcw0GCbvCh4SBko3zONx-yvv-IRUYCFTll_DR7/s320/P1020053.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a self-portrait from Owen. He is thoroughly "in to" borrowing cameras and pointing and shooting. Which I find hilarious seeing he is THE most reluctant subject. Well 2nd most reluctant subject! I will update a whole series of these as they are quite telling!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghdBGF2pBMmwMWajkspNKISyxXF-Lhyt5qjDNvGuzjOCk4xiUSaTCn2Z3MaP6vFLj3Mlb2Tz-aP6KVwcbJnDMyHFmZGUIntN1pO5F4OQ2Coarq6Fbe3RWEdOXFc5mcyTwsKn_jHTNo5By/s1600/P1020006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghdBGF2pBMmwMWajkspNKISyxXF-Lhyt5qjDNvGuzjOCk4xiUSaTCn2Z3MaP6vFLj3Mlb2Tz-aP6KVwcbJnDMyHFmZGUIntN1pO5F4OQ2Coarq6Fbe3RWEdOXFc5mcyTwsKn_jHTNo5By/s320/P1020006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asleep, together, in the big bed. It still sometimes happens. This (I think) was a few weeks ago when Andy was out and they both miraculously fell asleep before 7.30. About ten minutes later one thumped the other and there were tears all around. But the peace and beauty is lovely while it lasts!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhYGphncWstp7qMdK9H_ON_zPpgrAHfFC2YEv3xmDksxS5OMTfsAcTpYNzeY59kU72ko5RXkVw_XDfproyoOrY5OEmAn0OFGMFpqo9Y48TBYUE6zmnBF7YStkm0mxOVvDpTPn75koA3uN/s1600/P1010989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhYGphncWstp7qMdK9H_ON_zPpgrAHfFC2YEv3xmDksxS5OMTfsAcTpYNzeY59kU72ko5RXkVw_XDfproyoOrY5OEmAn0OFGMFpqo9Y48TBYUE6zmnBF7YStkm0mxOVvDpTPn75koA3uN/s320/P1010989.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a highlight of Owen's creativity. Window crayons remain winners. These (with the exception of Andy's dodgy batman) are under-sea creatures. See if you can spot the whale, fish, moray eel, manta ray?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhms8O5Wj3TB5F6ghyphenhyphenSNgPWYP4u81h3tTzDH33_mUF8w1uA_VFISPkAmlJW1wOmdzbPHnSLPS_2kZ1e8MW-VaHgtrFFpWVDGzL52bxsvlKINu5Gj5dTUVyuyTETt4B1fAAYYfUNqV3EgiAT/s1600/P1010972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhms8O5Wj3TB5F6ghyphenhyphenSNgPWYP4u81h3tTzDH33_mUF8w1uA_VFISPkAmlJW1wOmdzbPHnSLPS_2kZ1e8MW-VaHgtrFFpWVDGzL52bxsvlKINu5Gj5dTUVyuyTETt4B1fAAYYfUNqV3EgiAT/s320/P1010972.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gummy Gus playing peek-a-boo with red material at the table. That gum has continued to swell, split and recede for the past 2 weeks. He will have top teeth any day, any day.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44uzy6qq3tDCTm-WdvoGmiG7dtKtIJ8a9UmB80p85xCK4lFTLejMkI1ig7HD-vZZJ_Q5IXW1B1LIK4dFvv_XnCQONJFhv7Jwc4adxUkyxO3zjpELHxOrAWq6jo4do_b8eiAygUAGfV_Sl/s1600/P1010985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44uzy6qq3tDCTm-WdvoGmiG7dtKtIJ8a9UmB80p85xCK4lFTLejMkI1ig7HD-vZZJ_Q5IXW1B1LIK4dFvv_XnCQONJFhv7Jwc4adxUkyxO3zjpELHxOrAWq6jo4do_b8eiAygUAGfV_Sl/s320/P1010985.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilarious classic Gus face. This usually means there is a bad smell (often in his own nappy). Or that something tastes bad. Or I have done something that meets disapproval. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Forgive me my slackness. I won't promise to do better, though perhaps now with a deadline??? I work well under pressure.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Also must discuss - lonely chicken version 2 for gifts this year? I'm thinking yes. Will workshop with you soon xxxxxxx</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Love you to pieces</span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-50149418777734626942011-03-08T17:57:00.000-08:002011-03-08T17:57:48.536-08:00Happy IWD10Happy iwd10<br />
<br />
So 8th march flew past with not so much as a hiccough (or is it hiccup?) here. But it's still going where you are. So Happy International Women's Day. <br />
<br />
What should probably be more of a big deal than say mothers/fathers day, nurses/secretary/teachers day or even days of holiday in honor of a horse race, didn't rate a mention on my facebook wall, or blogroll bar Catherine <a href="http://www.catherinedeveny.com/columns/2011/3/8/international-womens-day-hookers-doormats-and-corporate-bitc.html"></a>. <br />
<br />
On of the kinder assistants was telling me in Russia it's a huge deal. The first public holiday of spring. Flowers are given to all women/girls. She had 8 bunches from her various males, her husband took the day off & vacuumed the house & took her out to dinner. How nice. <br />
<br />
I know we have it pretty good compared to some (?most) - access to education, healthcare, participation in workforce, participation in democratic processes. But I couldn't help but, at the end of a particularly ordinary day ponder some of the inequities. <br />
<br />
"what are you doing with your day off?" ( having dropped Owen at kinder, involving getting 3 people fed cleaned clothed & a load of washing) <br />
Umm agh well the answer would be going home to look after my 7 mo old baby, hopefully fit in a vacuum & mop of floors, several loads of washing, get dinner prepared, sort through 9 boxes of clutter, feed myself & Gus 4 times (roast beetroot, roast kumara, wholewheat bread, avocado & watermelon - def not beige!) <br />
On top of the looking after other needs of a small baby (gazing, playing, chasing) which, until I had another, was considered by most to be a full-time occupation. Some "day off". <br />
Or on the heady occasion of leaving the house without o & g "is Andy going to babysit?" Ah, No its called parenting. <br />
<br />
Yet this stuff often falls to Womens work (though I know I have it better even on this superficial level- A can cook & does so maybe 2x/week, and "helps" with the tidying up/dishes (his words, not mine, usually preceding an argument). <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So anyway, enough venting. Just wanted to say to one of the awesome women in my life- have a happy day (or night) And congratulations on following your talents & dreams & not settling for mediocrity. <br />
<br />
Love me xDear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-48098220298617226062011-03-06T03:13:00.000-08:002011-03-06T03:14:12.418-08:00It's all beige (alternative title: I should've known it could never work)<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Well little sis, I don't think shocking neglect is what I would dub <a href="http://sisterdearest.blogspot.com/2011/02/worth-thousand-words.html">it</a> ... though I was reticent to update again before you, initially, particularly as there is not much going on here, and well compared to you, my life looks rather beige (as has been kindly pointed out by some kind people). And then you go to Lego land and impress with your amazing photos, and potential fella at Rockefellar Centre (which you should totally stalk with your new red hair and fringe).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But seeing in your earlier post you updated on what meals you've been cooking, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I guess the gloves are off.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> I am cooking at least 2 meals each sitting, twice a day, plus breakfast, afternoon tea, elevensies, afternoon tea, and bridging snack/appetizers before dinner ... and yes, one of those meals is baby moosh.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<tr><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d6a4d7a4e6a67794f54413d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to play this Smilebox collage" height="303" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d6a4d7a4e6a67794f54413d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none;" width="386" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=google&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img alt="Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox" height="46" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" style="border: medium none;" width="386" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/collages.html" target="_blank">free photo collage</a> customized with Smilebox</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The kid LOVES it - insane. So far his absolute favorites are pieces of cucumber, lamb cutlets, pureed pear, and whole plums. He grabs the spoons, bowls and attempts to feed himself, and has a love too of flinging everything over the edge of his new ikea highchair. Obie frigging loves it. He also tries to snatch food from others (including fistful of tinned spaghetti from Owen this week, and pizza from my plate. Proves it's not all organic home-cooked food around here! And he's not fussy. Huzzah!)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So what else?</span></div><ul><li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There's been a fair bit of falling out of bed on Gus's part (oops - even with our industrial sized bed-rails. Owen used to wail on waking where I think Gus wakes, mucks around quietly so no-one is the wiser, then thinks he should find us again). and accidentally whacking his head on doorjambs as I walk through the house with him permanently attached to the hip. No serious damage yet (I hope).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We had a Thomas bonanza at Puffing Billy last week with mum, dad, brother, nephew Dircks (<a href="http://littlepeoplelife.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/hello-world/">Gratuitous Cross-Post</a> for pictures)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We've been entertaining insurance people and tradies cashing in on the repairing of flood damage (which was remarkably minor considering, though Andy is pissed off someone has told him officially that gutters do need cleaning - I guess once every 5 years is not so bad, right?). Apparently we will need to manage without a laundry for a few days *minor breakdown and breathing into paperbag*</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We had a kinder welcome picnic and were embroiled in a child-missing affair (I think I told you about that, right?)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">An Ikea trek last week to get Gus's highchair, where O discovered meatballs with little Swedish flags in the top and fruit salad in a cup - he was in heaven.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There's been a zoo visit for our brother's birthday (stop me if I'm repeating myself)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There has been a remodeling of "The Wall" - they now have the old record shop all cafe-i-fied. Will have to pop down there again with camera in hand in the name of research!</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ah Damien and Lisa have announced baby due in September so much excitement among the clan. Owen wants to know if its a sister or brother & has been getting pregnant and birthing babies in bed/bath/everywhere actually. He told me my big tummy is just boobs so there is no baby inside - nice. Do you think it's time for pilates?</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Owen is keener than ever to come visit now he knows that the city is made of Lego (that's right isn't it?!) We had a discussion about winter here (no, it will not snow) and summer there and he is kind-of up for it, though at the current time our bank balance is not. So we are instigating Money March whereby Andy will finally be paid his salary by the month's end (only like ah 15 months later?) and I am working out our family budget in real life where we are not running at a loss before eating. I'll let you know how we go.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And finally I may have gorged this week on a whole pillow-sized block of Cadbury chocolate and the newest TN6 from Jasper. Did you know they have a <a href="http://www.jasperfforde.com/ffiesta.html">Fforde Fiesta</a> in Swindon? Just saying .... So now a painstaking 8 months before Dragonslayer 2 released in UK and then a WHOLE YEAR before Shades of Grey sequel and then ANOTHER 365 days until Nursery Crime # 3 ... and no TN on the horizon, at all. I need a new author of awesomeness. I feel a bit cross with myself for not doling it out in rations, and a bit sick too.....</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">On that note, dear sis, apologies for being the crappest sister this past 2 weeks ... feel like I'm swimming through mud at the moment. Will do better. Promise.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">x L </span></span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-55818996576877496842011-02-20T22:06:00.000-08:002011-02-20T22:06:03.450-08:00When I grow up I want to live in Legoland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8v4sl6YlWLOyce7QtUcZEPtAH5c8GYoKiiM69aSO_vUrhi_RXcjbAFS_5FY-eG2r2jHsq1Y6CKTMl5AblM1WwkuzzTR4ZldPRMel1Yks5ftu4o9_liC-oWqWiH47CKgyhuu5CJyvONKh/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8v4sl6YlWLOyce7QtUcZEPtAH5c8GYoKiiM69aSO_vUrhi_RXcjbAFS_5FY-eG2r2jHsq1Y6CKTMl5AblM1WwkuzzTR4ZldPRMel1Yks5ftu4o9_liC-oWqWiH47CKgyhuu5CJyvONKh/s320/IMG_0649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Yes, sure, it's probably your turn to post now my dear sister, but I just couldn't contain myself!<br />
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Back this evening from a weekend in the city with my friend Keren. She is a photojournalist who has been living in Israel and is travelling through the States on her way back to Melbourne.<br />
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Prior to meeting up with her I was having anxious fits because I haven't seen her in a while and in that time I was scared she had, like so many of my friends, turned into a real, proper, has her life together grown-up.<br />
I don't get the sense that I am a real grown-up.<br />
And that's not just from exclusively sharing classes with people born in the 90's. Actively pursuing my writing now, in the dusk of my twenties, seems a little bit juvenile when I compare myself to my numerous artist/muso friends back home who are now, and seemingly quite happily, office workers and teachers. They're getting on with their lives and buying houses and getting married and I still feel like those things are so far off, if they are on my horizon at all.<br />
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Back to New York and now, I met Keren and I can't even think what it is that had me worried because she is still as much fun as ever. She actually told me she was so glad that I hadn't abandoned my creativity and that I was still pursuing my writing.<br />
And it turns out that she feels no more grown-up than I do! She was lamenting the fact that she's heading home to Melbourne to see her baby sister get married and that for the foreseeable future she will be living with her parents while she works out what she's doing next.<br />
<br />
So in the spirit of childlike wonder and in the wonderous shadow of consumerism, we hit the streets of Manhattan and included in our stops the Disney Store, the giant M&M store and the Lego store at Rockefeller Centre.<br />
We also visited the NBC store at Rockefeller Centre because when I was in there the week before, a very handsome young employee there told me I had pretty eyes. And I wanted to go back and check that I wasn't just imagining that he looked like James Franco with glasses. Which looks like this by the by;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOka1LNKbNDLsMMAj9GaTasijrh7zYY4D4oi_kewoBgcDKo9QfRlBe6BMj1egwNy2piTgHvjePYY5u2fsEpn2yEyxey4OVdS5Kjqb81gwuiY74m4U-kUw7MYJh1iYl9X1TpwPHT8izDTi/s1600/jamesfranco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOka1LNKbNDLsMMAj9GaTasijrh7zYY4D4oi_kewoBgcDKo9QfRlBe6BMj1egwNy2piTgHvjePYY5u2fsEpn2yEyxey4OVdS5Kjqb81gwuiY74m4U-kUw7MYJh1iYl9X1TpwPHT8izDTi/s320/jamesfranco.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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He was not there, but I may just keep going back to the NBC store until he is there again. So perhaps expect NBC themed gifts. Central Perk t-shirt for Andy?<br />
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The other great thing about hanging out in New York with Keren is that because she's a photographer, she stops and takes amazing photographs with her super-whizz-bang camera.<br />
Now I don't have a super-whizz-bang camera to take photos with, but even with my little point and shoot Canon, the things that Keren sees to photograph with her photographers eye, are really quite speccy!<br />
So anyway, these are some pictures of Lego shapes and colours that I took;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNfLR7f38UbUR8e-OBCpRL3FY_CRXkkVja9sFjd3ceFPbe6IvtNqRdMdLNKFBcYTN_8SFAORpnpMVy0cyPf2CPVWwixTwmlOc8jtrd6_RFYuy60KHOgYxOYvVDV8uTxV0-URUMVr5enMu/s1600/IMG_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNfLR7f38UbUR8e-OBCpRL3FY_CRXkkVja9sFjd3ceFPbe6IvtNqRdMdLNKFBcYTN_8SFAORpnpMVy0cyPf2CPVWwixTwmlOc8jtrd6_RFYuy60KHOgYxOYvVDV8uTxV0-URUMVr5enMu/s320/IMG_08.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_v_Y9dqM3L4DVNWlvJEox5DJUw0T787izy_KwX196NUO6n41ZEmmf-VHcKezHSio_3BNTdllN-itQ5CI98VDPCmsF_9Gz5OHuf-1ehHXGj-PJdNcLGLkota_pGF-oH3Aeo11VDWUzlAx/s1600/IMG_10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_v_Y9dqM3L4DVNWlvJEox5DJUw0T787izy_KwX196NUO6n41ZEmmf-VHcKezHSio_3BNTdllN-itQ5CI98VDPCmsF_9Gz5OHuf-1ehHXGj-PJdNcLGLkota_pGF-oH3Aeo11VDWUzlAx/s320/IMG_10.JPG" width="179" /></a></div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-78429078545639608482011-02-17T10:36:00.000-08:002011-02-17T10:37:08.644-08:00Worth a thousand words?So these pictures will perhaps make up for my shocking neglect updating this blog?<br />
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Since we last blogged, I made muffins...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgc7mWvCpUrjK7Bt2YHe8nwXHS31WtGAueoouW-7reyWH3xOxtQo9GUWJ4qUE5qPqJlXK7b-IukvmImYO2Fh5UTKmWQRcjXEeYtA5GMHSB2YyVEszwZwADxQRb5Hm6tWQPbbsaWAma7-A/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgc7mWvCpUrjK7Bt2YHe8nwXHS31WtGAueoouW-7reyWH3xOxtQo9GUWJ4qUE5qPqJlXK7b-IukvmImYO2Fh5UTKmWQRcjXEeYtA5GMHSB2YyVEszwZwADxQRb5Hm6tWQPbbsaWAma7-A/s320/IMG_0482.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superfood Muffins - see recipe below</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Started classes...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEETlmBf9yZK8Kt9Df4T86cF2iNr2NHXhDMo6sM2mbwqkzXNZ-jU7OisajzFDVErlL_GAkZzRhDsceQzOeDEfAg8QED6px3o-wLljKNlFaCKaeJIRTBGo2EFS5ZkpUXDORYKihBn4JJPR/s1600/1st+day.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEETlmBf9yZK8Kt9Df4T86cF2iNr2NHXhDMo6sM2mbwqkzXNZ-jU7OisajzFDVErlL_GAkZzRhDsceQzOeDEfAg8QED6px3o-wLljKNlFaCKaeJIRTBGo2EFS5ZkpUXDORYKihBn4JJPR/s320/1st+day.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self portrait - first day of school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Saw squirrels on campus...<br />
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Made bolognese...<br />
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Made lamingtons.... And forgot to take photos.<br />
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Drank beer while watching the superbowl...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjXeTwqZIWqAmNN2i5irZ6zkWxZZHS81EFhX-RlY7I4Pze67E6s8C2bD3uDwrAvB_YUkvtwLIbNdgED_k-NwtkQeFybZHUzcat8gjABQQjQ9kdrhnvj8axHcxY_iWMs2WXVgCeNDYVPRr/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjXeTwqZIWqAmNN2i5irZ6zkWxZZHS81EFhX-RlY7I4Pze67E6s8C2bD3uDwrAvB_YUkvtwLIbNdgED_k-NwtkQeFybZHUzcat8gjABQQjQ9kdrhnvj8axHcxY_iWMs2WXVgCeNDYVPRr/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Made bread...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b_srjEaoP1X3RiNgVnDIOs93cUT7085JtD8w1mh7aW4IsOxIAaMaJz9IG5e2yvhLRP9-226IoQbYn1uf7XE8Ds_1hCZ27PPSo61ZS16eTtL5ArnbNIXQLX5eOdJghFjRVGTecwGcYgky/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b_srjEaoP1X3RiNgVnDIOs93cUT7085JtD8w1mh7aW4IsOxIAaMaJz9IG5e2yvhLRP9-226IoQbYn1uf7XE8Ds_1hCZ27PPSo61ZS16eTtL5ArnbNIXQLX5eOdJghFjRVGTecwGcYgky/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole wheat sourdough - recipe from EcoMILF</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Thought about dying my hair red...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXYvUVWHM30B4jAbaWEdiUBRc0iy3LuUHUHgGkRQPbtNWBJl8kHPOEFY2LRlZ1vojwojXOrRIa6GNffTtbjAkCHxdc-oORufT6fAWwM9EyWsXxHmird1zVPQeJpqxbX6VaaF1-S7_uYHw/s1600/red+hair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXYvUVWHM30B4jAbaWEdiUBRc0iy3LuUHUHgGkRQPbtNWBJl8kHPOEFY2LRlZ1vojwojXOrRIa6GNffTtbjAkCHxdc-oORufT6fAWwM9EyWsXxHmird1zVPQeJpqxbX6VaaF1-S7_uYHw/s320/red+hair.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thoughts? Feelings?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Got bogged down in work and made a mess...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6uKvIdIXP3eC53W5QjN9oNlsz9mPSMqKKoWm2K_2KnlIoPOoAa12L2OVOZGILfRWPqjYtGsNwR6_JHkF_ol5TINuu1OtHB59jcD8H-_eKGokm6bC9monht4Ti9Wk3D9LmzmvjgUob4DG/s1600/too+much+work.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6uKvIdIXP3eC53W5QjN9oNlsz9mPSMqKKoWm2K_2KnlIoPOoAa12L2OVOZGILfRWPqjYtGsNwR6_JHkF_ol5TINuu1OtHB59jcD8H-_eKGokm6bC9monht4Ti9Wk3D9LmzmvjgUob4DG/s320/too+much+work.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How did this happen? I arrived here less than 2 months ago with NOTHING!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Made homemade pizza...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSp2CvKympWEBNyk4xFysckpQfytZ4SEPC1MxxtkxcJoUGow-q6SLx3_ZyMHauERF2p8OT3zKndGsaunygVjrJGRLQp8JeOi82wIJ1izAShWj_Rgyov_6f5EQwchir07UQtVoJxxXFoiC/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSp2CvKympWEBNyk4xFysckpQfytZ4SEPC1MxxtkxcJoUGow-q6SLx3_ZyMHauERF2p8OT3zKndGsaunygVjrJGRLQp8JeOi82wIJ1izAShWj_Rgyov_6f5EQwchir07UQtVoJxxXFoiC/s320/IMG_0493.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But still craving a really average Capricciosa...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Got homesick...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kG8vLxZC5kwevMxxy9Y0JdUzgHlNAXj6rV9jW9UTi__4JV25tSVgCx3r3WBvszbzYCKO4opjPsQW-SLRmjPehmuo3-9oKKyW7DBmR0Zb7Ta4Hk45dSTL94AbH08QV7OksJTwXA_0Mzpm/s1600/homesick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kG8vLxZC5kwevMxxy9Y0JdUzgHlNAXj6rV9jW9UTi__4JV25tSVgCx3r3WBvszbzYCKO4opjPsQW-SLRmjPehmuo3-9oKKyW7DBmR0Zb7Ta4Hk45dSTL94AbH08QV7OksJTwXA_0Mzpm/s320/homesick.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Found something to take the edge of homesickness...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQU8HvYShPopu5c_OsWWzW8u6dX5eUPJF-sbyLm16oayzbmoEryVNcnCuCMDexHjGZxfuYvZh004CUkwkEk46KjjXISwiq0SDNIqts9wxof_G_JSZ5ipsPac7lBqidkmfTn86Gttc21MQJ/s1600/coopers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQU8HvYShPopu5c_OsWWzW8u6dX5eUPJF-sbyLm16oayzbmoEryVNcnCuCMDexHjGZxfuYvZh004CUkwkEk46KjjXISwiq0SDNIqts9wxof_G_JSZ5ipsPac7lBqidkmfTn86Gttc21MQJ/s320/coopers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coopers Pale Ale - found in a New Zealand restaurant near South Street Seaport, NYC</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<h2><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7842907854563960848" name="_Toc280901225"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></a></h2><h2><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7842907854563960848" name="_Toc280903648"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7842907854563960848" name="_Toc280901225"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Super Food Muffins</span></a><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">Blueberries, yoghurt and oats are all commonly listed as Super foods and in a bid to convince myself that eating treats could lead to better health, I decided to make muffins that combined these 3 ingredients. Sometimes I throw in a bit of LSA mix or put walnuts, which are supposed to lower bad cholesterol, on top. Adapted from a million different yoghurt/berry muffin recipes nabbed from the internet and tried and tested until this very easy recipe was settled on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif028Lh4pAlJ5B1Cw9N0CA8yl6ZJAi-OdccZlg7HquyDyZQf7qbEcNAD05JDGy1K66o4qYePU2ixFKaiL5RGMt4kkMEohoBNqicbCpjNzYw6pUIbZRTwrot07XQ-0lug-mzmEdKp8tkSfh/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif028Lh4pAlJ5B1Cw9N0CA8yl6ZJAi-OdccZlg7HquyDyZQf7qbEcNAD05JDGy1K66o4qYePU2ixFKaiL5RGMt4kkMEohoBNqicbCpjNzYw6pUIbZRTwrot07XQ-0lug-mzmEdKp8tkSfh/s320/IMG_0480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 384;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1 cup oatbran</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1 cup yoghurt</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1 cup blueberries</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">2 tbsp oil</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1 cup flour</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">1 tsp baking powder</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">½ tsp bicarb soda<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">pinch salt<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">½ cup brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">2 eggs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> 1. </span>Coat berries in dry ingredients. </div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> 2. </span>Mix together wet ingredients. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> 3. </span>In muffin tins 180 degrees 12 – 16 minutes.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1If9EYYQkOg9GM9bU9hVyIlfIiDscF3fMMBe5n-skL-3OMeLpTO_n4WAT6ANqjWqCUU0OvJTuGnp-zRJMJYD6zBrJ85J_tJs_VvImiaN_BJyfdhUB2JQ1El33ux-lrXw-gsXMAoWMDKqv/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1If9EYYQkOg9GM9bU9hVyIlfIiDscF3fMMBe5n-skL-3OMeLpTO_n4WAT6ANqjWqCUU0OvJTuGnp-zRJMJYD6zBrJ85J_tJs_VvImiaN_BJyfdhUB2JQ1El33ux-lrXw-gsXMAoWMDKqv/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: -24px;"><br />
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</div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-24182189146482724782011-02-02T03:58:00.000-08:002011-02-02T03:59:27.227-08:00A brand new beginning - hi ho, off to kinder we go ....baking Egg-/Nut-free all the way (Oat Crunch Biscuits, Lemon Chia Biscuits, and Apple/Banana Muffins)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHLhLQfC7mJBNocj4-SqtcD924MfutHqGgFiMhrogGz4qz5rLX6yg1c15QAyMANjkm5I5aDkYylf4qy69XrKwEk2BNRXHXXzwweX_ImoBrjcyr8YqvQqUFsjNTdhl7DJ5DifRrLSBWYpl/s1600/P1000555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1Um5sdBAcR6BKMUpxABb6qL3zL0ZLuE4ckcpsDBLtq3Znlr7K3lC2opuQtZNBkoRRAbqEQwlCDWkpcaF2sPtN90v7hqVmgAoL4TuH0EwkJLMU7MYVxLK-VXxXpWaHL8O7NP-FEzL_79Q/s1600/P1000595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1Um5sdBAcR6BKMUpxABb6qL3zL0ZLuE4ckcpsDBLtq3Znlr7K3lC2opuQtZNBkoRRAbqEQwlCDWkpcaF2sPtN90v7hqVmgAoL4TuH0EwkJLMU7MYVxLK-VXxXpWaHL8O7NP-FEzL_79Q/s1600/P1000595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1Um5sdBAcR6BKMUpxABb6qL3zL0ZLuE4ckcpsDBLtq3Znlr7K3lC2opuQtZNBkoRRAbqEQwlCDWkpcaF2sPtN90v7hqVmgAoL4TuH0EwkJLMU7MYVxLK-VXxXpWaHL8O7NP-FEzL_79Q/s1600/P1000595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This week is little Owen's first at kinder. We had orientation last week, but this morning, packed up with his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=sr_kk_3&keywords=bento%20lunch%20box&qid=1283394357&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abento%20lunch%20box">bento lunchbox</a> in hand, hat & sunscreen to guard against the 39 degree (that's 102 for you up north) heatwave and a lump in my throat. The kinder seems just lovely - the staff are friendly and respectful in their interactions with the children and families, the space is light-filled and set-up with wonderful natural play areas. And there is a sandpit bigger than our backyard - that's the winner for Owen. His eyes haven't stopped sparkling as he proudly will tell anyone who listens about his kinder.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So the past week has been working towards today - not that it's a super big deal, but I'll admit the organised gene rears up from time to time...</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sheltering from the heat I re-purposed Daddy's torn messenger bag to become Owen's for kinder ...<br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Pic to be inserted once charge the stuffing camera battery.</span></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj772t6cpJ74LuP6lvV7nWz-JWt9eRSqtrmoM2zvMdYFP4FQ1JgUbNZl1d4ECk_qbKKIEm_ZUzUU9KW3bhZiqzaXYigcfUemYiVWm5aCJseeEqdgXSL10ZtoI478ZLD8uso0M1ZwOKmsVzy/s1600/P1000498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj772t6cpJ74LuP6lvV7nWz-JWt9eRSqtrmoM2zvMdYFP4FQ1JgUbNZl1d4ECk_qbKKIEm_ZUzUU9KW3bhZiqzaXYigcfUemYiVWm5aCJseeEqdgXSL10ZtoI478ZLD8uso0M1ZwOKmsVzy/s320/P1000498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I found the cot sheets that we never got to use with our co-sleeping kiddos. Just the thing for use on a nap mat.<br />
I labeled lunchboxes & food containers that have been slowly collected over the past year - we are plastic-free thanks to some good online stores out there (<a href="http://www.biome.com.au/">Biome</a> & <a href="http://www.ashnjuls.com.au/">AshnJuls</a> particulalry).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;">I labeled clothes. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhZS5ScQfzrC0XRZWl-rHCCNLL36moy7GmKdw2xR99DCcWxrCtLLegZIpU11bq6Uk0lxl9OwPFxed9iEmYhxb42zQE2znU58zv6gbVtTa0DQ88wUXd8CoVR5MVJSLz6_i89JaFEFlh2ni/s1600/Copy+of+P1000495.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhZS5ScQfzrC0XRZWl-rHCCNLL36moy7GmKdw2xR99DCcWxrCtLLegZIpU11bq6Uk0lxl9OwPFxed9iEmYhxb42zQE2znU58zv6gbVtTa0DQ88wUXd8CoVR5MVJSLz6_i89JaFEFlh2ni/s320/Copy+of+P1000495.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">And then somehow found myself ironing his sleep sheet.</span><span style="font-size: small;">I kid you not. And then I freaked out. I've become our mother (well no, that's not true she had a mountain of ironing that never got done til outsourcing long after I'd left home). Maybe channeling my MIL whom I'm reliably informed ironed underwear. Whereas our iron is currently exclusively used for interfacing & pressing seams, only if & when I'm being thorough. Andy & I bonded over the shared understanding of ironing just the collar & sleeves if wearing a vest or collar only if wearing a jumper that wouldn't be removed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There has also been some serious baking (yes, in the heat, and yes in our tiny grill oven which does not fit a biscuit tray). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Most of the efforts are egg and nut free (kinder policy) and the result of some serious web surfing of allergen-free and vegan cooking sites. Which there are some kick-arse ones around (more later)</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu_mSFLiVH0Ajnq8THEwejbeLi3reYllcmNSw4MIVGjsmct0MuxtSaR3vFoCXh1xZ5eq3VjIs8e3vpvxTV8Nnf7MXTc9InykoCOWYtrNuS3C6f9Cup6UiZs6takJHYE1M5wqXRTV4KRvG/s1600/P1000543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu_mSFLiVH0Ajnq8THEwejbeLi3reYllcmNSw4MIVGjsmct0MuxtSaR3vFoCXh1xZ5eq3VjIs8e3vpvxTV8Nnf7MXTc9InykoCOWYtrNuS3C6f9Cup6UiZs6takJHYE1M5wqXRTV4KRvG/s320/P1000543.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Ingredients and helping hands at the ready</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The first out of the oven (Oat Crunch Biscuits) sung Anzac to me, however they are softer than my usual chewy Anzac biscuit forays, and there is none of that satisfying fizz when you add the bicarb to the butter/syrup mix. That said they taste pretty amazing and were lucky to last the 5 days from cooking to lunchbox, even hidden on the top shelf. Andy reckons they are better without the chocolate (??? I know - WTF?!)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"><b>Channelling Kingston - Oat Crunch Biscuits</b></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">:</span> originally from <a href="http://melangerbaking.com/2010/08/17/dairy-free-egg-free-nut-free-oat-crunch-biscuits/">Melanger to mix</a></span> </div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; width: 616px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-color: rgb(192, 80, 77) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">180 g butter (or if you want dairy-free, then substitute with oil spread/marg)</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="border-color: rgb(192, 80, 77) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">60g rolled oats</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">90 g golden syrup</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">120g Demerara sugar (though I substituted brown sugar)</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">1 tsp bicarb soda</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">150g plain flour</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">60g dessicated coconut</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">150 g chocolate to melt (we used a sad wilted Santa “bunny” egg with some Lindt nubs left from last Easter– both were nut free, but could go dark dairy-free chocolate if that way inclined)</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><ol style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup in mixer (or by hand) until pale and fluffy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Add dry ingredients and combine (I did this by hand)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Drop teaspoon (and I mean teaspoon - keep them small) mixture onto lined tray.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Bake in pre-heated oven, 160C degrees for 12-15 minutes, until golden (they tend to keep cooking, and are too bendy to move off the tray immediately, so adjust cooking time accordingly).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Remove to cooling rack using spatula (I actually used the Barbie-Mate to prevent dark brown bottoms). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Once cooled, sandwich two biscuits together using the melted chocolate.</span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I can't make the picture work - I'm giving up tonight and will return tomorrow. I bastardized the recipe this time, adding extra oat-bran, chia seeds and more oats ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The second cab of the rank was cracking open a pack of Chia Seeds - brand new addition to my kitchen, and this recipe from a lovely blogger, with just about the best name going ... Darling Lemon Thyme ... go have a browse for the recipe for her delicious <span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"><a href="http://mydarlinglemonthyme.blogspot.com/2010/11/gluten-free-lemon-chia-cookie-recipe.html">Lemon Chia Biscuits</a> </span>(which having both nuts and eggs are destined for my mouth only ... mwahahahaha). I did manage to take a couple of happy snaps of them and will warn you to err on the side of caution with heat, as the bottoms got burnt (admittedly in a toaster oven, sitting atop an upside down roasting pan) and they are quite firm by the end anyway.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvsT16IFKrctjkvVHltHbJLEDu2L0e14z5532Tdu8R1OcZO-lPOWmmp-hGYE9lSjujQ34WqcTLV4FYslcdWPi4iTbSI2Pf-cBFT9Ml26aU4JDz_x_to2OdL0Uh7jrUZBq7O3P97WCR_a4/s1600/P1000584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvsT16IFKrctjkvVHltHbJLEDu2L0e14z5532Tdu8R1OcZO-lPOWmmp-hGYE9lSjujQ34WqcTLV4FYslcdWPi4iTbSI2Pf-cBFT9Ml26aU4JDz_x_to2OdL0Uh7jrUZBq7O3P97WCR_a4/s320/P1000584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lemon Chia Biscuit</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfu_mSFLiVH0Ajnq8THEwejbeLi3reYllcmNSw4MIVGjsmct0MuxtSaR3vFoCXh1xZ5eq3VjIs8e3vpvxTV8Nnf7MXTc9InykoCOWYtrNuS3C6f9Cup6UiZs6takJHYE1M5wqXRTV4KRvG/s1600/P1000543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Egg-free, Nut-free Banana & Apple Muffins</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And finally, this recipe, again I must attribute <a href="http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/748/low-fat-apple--banana-and-cinnamon-muffins.aspx">origins</a>, and then admit to not following the recipe very closely - I made this second batch with half measures (resulting in perfect 6+1 large muffins into silicon trays, sans paper, thus meeting the waste-free lunch principle. I substituted half wholemeal flour, used less sugar (about 100g or so), kept the same quantity of bananas, but halved the apples. </span></div><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHLhLQfC7mJBNocj4-SqtcD924MfutHqGgFiMhrogGz4qz5rLX6yg1c15QAyMANjkm5I5aDkYylf4qy69XrKwEk2BNRXHXXzwweX_ImoBrjcyr8YqvQqUFsjNTdhl7DJ5DifRrLSBWYpl/s320/P1000555.JPG" width="240" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was the only dish to escape chia seed additions today. Though we did decorate with dried fruit faces (which then burnt to buggery, but live and learn heh?)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDj_BGcbl2BCVH1mQCWyJ96-uFQ224ryfRiuVnVtcn4iW310qIeDpeXEIeFSZddYlTvPLC5zg6snDS9n1gctLD9-iamXfDGnf8tFqvUyWWNbROvarOTesvPoMfjp_o1iUdlbNExCxuOEz/s1600/P1000582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; width: 616px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-color: rgb(192, 80, 77) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">280g self-raising flour</span></b></div></td> <td style="border-color: rgb(192, 80, 77) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">125g caster sugar</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">½ tspn salt</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">1 tsp ground cinnamon</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">1 ½ cups milk</span></b></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">2 large ripe mashed bananas</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">2 apples, peeled, cored and grated (though apple puree would probably be fine too)</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">1 tbsp orange rind zest</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #943634;">1 tsp vanilla essence</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(239, 211, 210); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><ol style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease muffin tin, or line with muffin paper cups</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Stir together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Separately combine milk, banana, apples, orange rind and vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Mix lightly and spoon mixture into tin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Bake 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and cooked through when skewer test</span></li>
</ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDj_BGcbl2BCVH1mQCWyJ96-uFQ224ryfRiuVnVtcn4iW310qIeDpeXEIeFSZddYlTvPLC5zg6snDS9n1gctLD9-iamXfDGnf8tFqvUyWWNbROvarOTesvPoMfjp_o1iUdlbNExCxuOEz/s1600/P1000582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDj_BGcbl2BCVH1mQCWyJ96-uFQ224ryfRiuVnVtcn4iW310qIeDpeXEIeFSZddYlTvPLC5zg6snDS9n1gctLD9-iamXfDGnf8tFqvUyWWNbROvarOTesvPoMfjp_o1iUdlbNExCxuOEz/s320/P1000582.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Apple & Banana Muffin</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And that is more than enough baking for anyone. I think the next week's lunch-fillers will be <a href="http://queenbeeallergyfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/choc-chip-banana-coconut-muffins.html">these</a>, using chia seed gel, rather than traditional egg-replacer</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aside from that, we have been staying indoors because of the heat. A visit here and there for swims. A first movie in err 7 months for Andy and I (True Grit) leaving Augustus for the first time at home with grandparents for 2 hours. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And of course we've loved learning to skype my dear sister, who has made her nephew's day by taking her laptop into subzero outdoors to show off the snow. And even writing his name in it ...He has a few times this week answered the phone, and mistaken friends for you, and told them (you) that we are saving our money to visit (he gave me a 50 cent piece the other day for the trip, rather than stashing it in his moneybox!)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWRltThYoes2xrkMSN-wK0w_pJpqcVc9A8rZoWc3Rd7d5jpFxkYWqBxf-LeShj5ODyxSScIfMbZj3nmX3cC9CvrDcOB6LvfN6bzOWSdaxxEBRKkTYF1jYqgiFp18hdKy5-QWWF5_GOLx8/s1600/P1000578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWRltThYoes2xrkMSN-wK0w_pJpqcVc9A8rZoWc3Rd7d5jpFxkYWqBxf-LeShj5ODyxSScIfMbZj3nmX3cC9CvrDcOB6LvfN6bzOWSdaxxEBRKkTYF1jYqgiFp18hdKy5-QWWF5_GOLx8/s320/P1000578.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The disaster zone after cooking</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-77738704187312165822011-01-23T07:34:00.000-08:002011-02-20T21:17:43.838-08:00Baby, It's Cold Outside<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In the last few days I have been registered and oriented at my university.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I would have taken some pictures of the grounds, because for the most part it's a beautiful campus full of old worldly charm, but firstly, I didn't really think of it and secondly, I would have had to have taken my hands out of my coat pocket and that would have been unpleasant.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm resolved not to be one of those people who perpetually states the obvious and moans "It's cold!" so I've been putting on my best stoic face and responding to anybody who complains in my vicinity that the weather is fine provided you dress appropriately.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This dressing appropriately has seen me wearing 2 thermal tops and a t-shirt underneath a woolen jumper with a thick woolen coat over the top, thermal leggings and thick knee high socks under my jeans (which don't fit so well with the thermal leggings underneath - or possibly my thighs and stomach since eating ribs and discovering my love for American candy - gym opens this week, I'll be there), beanie and ear muffs (which don't fit well with my glasses meaning I have to sacrifice my vision for the sake of warm ears) and then my leather gloves.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In all that garb, it is still possible to be cold.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It's -19<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">°C outside right now.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I get the feeling that in the warmer months this is going to be a great little town to get around.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I'd like to get a bicycle and just scoot about the place. At the moment however, this is one town where you need a car and being neither the owner of a car or a person legally entitled to be in control of a car, I'm a bit screwed.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I ran out of dinner type food yesterday and knew that would mean I had to walk to the supermarket or order in something greasy and the size of a steering wheel to be delivered.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">You will be pleased to know that I chose the former.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Donning an additional thermal layer for safety, I headed out into the brisk air and as I was walking the 1.2 miles to the supermarket, it was crystalising in my head that I wanted something warm and stew like and quick to cook.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Once in the warmth of the supermarket, I saw these </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivtQ8jGszIMAZyh7p0VKgCscM5exP1hRKQHkQcgDPwrfyUVtrvv3IvkCY7e7699vb4ws4oMmKbjl7KAUjtGGE4qFK6GDzISYaPEHZNTMdli7naMKtlEXv6MgGc1HJjzUAJiOzl6fDhz89/s1600/IMG_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivtQ8jGszIMAZyh7p0VKgCscM5exP1hRKQHkQcgDPwrfyUVtrvv3IvkCY7e7699vb4ws4oMmKbjl7KAUjtGGE4qFK6GDzISYaPEHZNTMdli7naMKtlEXv6MgGc1HJjzUAJiOzl6fDhz89/s320/IMG_0459.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Mmm... Sausages.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Being Australia Day this week I have been thinking about sausages and the people I usually share them with on that day and it has been making me feel a bit sad.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">So with my handy handheld scan as you go scanner I scanned them and popped them in my shopping bag.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">A few aisles later and I came across legumes and I decided to make Sausages and Lentils.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL93nGRqidUxa0ZUGYFTe5no0lM1su0q3ODO-u7ygPuzbcMzBzeCUMaxwqRt-tRNGYoeCYmIXG_50BGn5EjxUYT6Yd_2NuW6r0IhwphOBg8peBHspZpt9zIt9_jpkpw8ZKNGREG2cakbl/s1600/IMG_0451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL93nGRqidUxa0ZUGYFTe5no0lM1su0q3ODO-u7ygPuzbcMzBzeCUMaxwqRt-tRNGYoeCYmIXG_50BGn5EjxUYT6Yd_2NuW6r0IhwphOBg8peBHspZpt9zIt9_jpkpw8ZKNGREG2cakbl/s320/IMG_0451.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">One thing I have to show you, is how I bought my carrots.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I fear that these carrots might incur the wrath of my dear sister, who would disapprove of something so natural being so processed.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I'm sticking to them though because you cannot buy loose carrots in the supermarket so my options are these or a bag containing enough carrots for a family of 12.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">And I like carrots (as you might be able to tell by the bag already being opened before getting home) but not enough to devote myself to an entirely carrot diet. Plus, whenever I go to the fridge, I tend to shove a few of these in my mouth which is healthy and fills me up and stops me eating more Reece's peanut butter cups. For at least 5 seconds.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Now that we've cleared that up, back to the Sausages and Lentils.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">Sausages and Lentils is a dish we thought was dreamed up by our brother Nick until it appeared all fancified in the recipe book <a href="http://www.dymocks.com.au/ProductDetails/ProductDetail.aspx?R=9781740457484">Apples for Jam</a> but this could also just be a case of universal consciousness.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">We were in disbelief that a recipe so simple could be so totally delicious.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">The recipe is so simple in fact, that when your brain is partially frozen and you blank on some of the key ingredients and then you're distracted by taking photos of your cooking and miss a few steps, it still tastes delicious!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7773870418731216582" name="_Toc280903643"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7773870418731216582" name="_Toc280903539"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7773870418731216582" name="_Toc280901220"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Lentils and Sausages</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7773870418731216582" name="_Toc280901220"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></a></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1024;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Good sausages<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Tin of brown lentils (or cook 1-1 ½ cups green / brown lentils)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1 garlic clove</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">½ onion finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Tin chopped tomatoes</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">(optional) chopped carrot, celery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">herbs of choice – parsley & oregano are favourites</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=7773870418731216582" name="_Toc280901220"><br />
</a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That's the official ingredients list.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here's what I ended up with in my addled state;</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1024;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Good sausages<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">Olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">1-1 ½ cups of the only lentils in the supermarket. Look like puy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">0 garlic cloves (forgot to buy them)</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">3 spring onions - forgot to buy brown onions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">What I thought was a tin of chopped tomatoes but was actually stewed tomatoes so contained sugar and bell peppers and other stuff</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">chopped carrot and celery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><span style="color: black;">herbs of choice – parsley & coriander were what was in the fridge</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2lulYQp7AfVwKiXCiBv56e2hb5gHe3dIupZ9Rex-1WHCPSIxRI8ZQUSvU2SAL9RZ9bwR3TAQv14dK2ElelM7geLHfszndvQ4ygyGp6zTUYZx7Veb_l2Lstzdu-TWRlZF5orsDg6Ul2mq/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2lulYQp7AfVwKiXCiBv56e2hb5gHe3dIupZ9Rex-1WHCPSIxRI8ZQUSvU2SAL9RZ9bwR3TAQv14dK2ElelM7geLHfszndvQ4ygyGp6zTUYZx7Veb_l2Lstzdu-TWRlZF5orsDg6Ul2mq/s320/IMG_0454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Step -1. Drain and rinse lentils, put in a pot with enough water to cover, bring to the boil then simmer 10-15 minutes until tender</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKwp7qrKTpyUAJeS5LBVWty8aSXjPNVwPekjbw_Lx3FvAWydBZA2PsVluI7SV_NxtEU-gKS4_D1qx6LHHkXPFxzyhzjuJWElKu4RzuBSe55qUYeqVqfjhCidk5DhbnwE_WujZ6EnEcfDP/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKwp7qrKTpyUAJeS5LBVWty8aSXjPNVwPekjbw_Lx3FvAWydBZA2PsVluI7SV_NxtEU-gKS4_D1qx6LHHkXPFxzyhzjuJWElKu4RzuBSe55qUYeqVqfjhCidk5DhbnwE_WujZ6EnEcfDP/s320/IMG_0452.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring onion, not brown onion</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 24px;"></span></span><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Fry off vegetables.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></ol><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd3AZWhH5wb4IJm4jcx88LMo8VnDFr3TD7EiB4HrQBM1ps9v0npxL4GEk96cJ6oJNagMRCiYG4e5qSy4epL4g0c0gO3fDqE7zZS-5H7wKp1xMx8GQxGjOAMMQn32bliNlLwJHG1RPTifJ/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd3AZWhH5wb4IJm4jcx88LMo8VnDFr3TD7EiB4HrQBM1ps9v0npxL4GEk96cJ6oJNagMRCiYG4e5qSy4epL4g0c0gO3fDqE7zZS-5H7wKp1xMx8GQxGjOAMMQn32bliNlLwJHG1RPTifJ/s320/IMG_0455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Separately cook sausages in a fry pan.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzs-zHO8QnfxIW7gpz1Ui5BYcox_axH5TCWn2B_NVjC65LPsvWikGNp_ZjmqU-2CPgUYN0gNNKeWD34COaSPQT0HDTmc-41BOZL95o7NqYVfKCU-piRuJolPg1zLLTuVgYkKXRw_zKdfw7/s1600/IMG_0463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzs-zHO8QnfxIW7gpz1Ui5BYcox_axH5TCWn2B_NVjC65LPsvWikGNp_ZjmqU-2CPgUYN0gNNKeWD34COaSPQT0HDTmc-41BOZL95o7NqYVfKCU-piRuJolPg1zLLTuVgYkKXRw_zKdfw7/s320/IMG_0463.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Chop up all your herbs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ03ecUbEgSwb1OQxaNcv9OjIl-f3eP23fqkc-JXRs2LRltK7iRMlkF21WZG3lSOmZYIR7YJgDBnLbYToMTYXTK-Bi8t3siHORJzmSgHD_JldCA5klaJjgNEq87IYmnFPfsjZAUzW7WpBZ/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ03ecUbEgSwb1OQxaNcv9OjIl-f3eP23fqkc-JXRs2LRltK7iRMlkF21WZG3lSOmZYIR7YJgDBnLbYToMTYXTK-Bi8t3siHORJzmSgHD_JldCA5klaJjgNEq87IYmnFPfsjZAUzW7WpBZ/s320/IMG_0456.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Throw them in the pan with the vegetables</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OKTBux47gnJD0qY29iaQ-YJwOUr-KKw6ujid3E77iwT4pcukIjOp2cT7NtbWFkjfnrtRft1c8sn1NpmH-pFBIAPoPp6dXut-BGcQiZUC7_HE4By8twkKXNURcjHZDEDZY6_pIB7EWd2n/s1600/IMG_0458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OKTBux47gnJD0qY29iaQ-YJwOUr-KKw6ujid3E77iwT4pcukIjOp2cT7NtbWFkjfnrtRft1c8sn1NpmH-pFBIAPoPp6dXut-BGcQiZUC7_HE4By8twkKXNURcjHZDEDZY6_pIB7EWd2n/s320/IMG_0458.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. Throw the lentils in too</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcUbKmrN35952e3frs3JfyYaCCAb2LZ6klSqexbsHWMJ5B_Q7UEM8LHOqAyFXEfLPPFEeJAbNtdtY4OXZWoUQsRGXHCmm_U8-3SCOEw83-mlP-6-hetQklf12UolEtO-u1EyFbXxZPLx3/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcUbKmrN35952e3frs3JfyYaCCAb2LZ6klSqexbsHWMJ5B_Q7UEM8LHOqAyFXEfLPPFEeJAbNtdtY4OXZWoUQsRGXHCmm_U8-3SCOEw83-mlP-6-hetQklf12UolEtO-u1EyFbXxZPLx3/s320/IMG_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6. And the tomatoes with a bit of stock or water</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuAdr0p92naEi1tLPnraT4Z6wKWrR0qP9kTxfoTZ37OL9UyexBiqHKK-OCwwvjZxlAFJvdkuk3JRPnka-SFTEQtj9aBtjylz64w4QCIyOL_O0hOg7xQz4TRrZOSg_4ssIHa9lJca3kLkz/s1600/IMG_0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuAdr0p92naEi1tLPnraT4Z6wKWrR0qP9kTxfoTZ37OL9UyexBiqHKK-OCwwvjZxlAFJvdkuk3JRPnka-SFTEQtj9aBtjylz64w4QCIyOL_O0hOg7xQz4TRrZOSg_4ssIHa9lJca3kLkz/s320/IMG_0462.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">7. Once the sausages are cooked, slice them up</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1ovBxuW2Nm9KZDGE-KqheTaGl49gWTkomewyjN3NADnLpL44e_ZMUPdLUhoOqIgQbXu0zllU6vqCuQ32867JdiZEFetdzBQWzxoRAAy-HSHlCZpE6ReEY719ns3Yr6fkiFwy21dDsqJ1/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1ovBxuW2Nm9KZDGE-KqheTaGl49gWTkomewyjN3NADnLpL44e_ZMUPdLUhoOqIgQbXu0zllU6vqCuQ32867JdiZEFetdzBQWzxoRAAy-HSHlCZpE6ReEY719ns3Yr6fkiFwy21dDsqJ1/s320/IMG_0464.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was important for me to check the flavours at this stage (gobbling up pieces of sausage)<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">8. And chuck them in with the veggies</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMcoHHMvcjVAdfkzY8L0raPRZ6RPSpNJMmHeXfXV6WRdd3pg3YenJjl3qWPIJzMNcEOii-4xSXcifWuMDOK7KgQ8hGMen_P6V9i8Z4dSwxNiZ6JH8fvjZs_Kfg0qK5UhmUr9hH-zZM_Ou/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMcoHHMvcjVAdfkzY8L0raPRZ6RPSpNJMmHeXfXV6WRdd3pg3YenJjl3qWPIJzMNcEOii-4xSXcifWuMDOK7KgQ8hGMen_P6V9i8Z4dSwxNiZ6JH8fvjZs_Kfg0qK5UhmUr9hH-zZM_Ou/s320/IMG_0467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">9. And then you eat it</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4BZCnDqsIVJ0RMxrMX-_5OdUAML9X_OHFZEd6RLcrdGh064ze8IVVRWbLe31R9AytvQrFnvKOUYqrJ5wtd5YE-rBxOFiU_7gcFirGnCg7PuDvzsjLNQTuZQPXpjVOseD15DZWYJQqHms/s1600/IMG_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4BZCnDqsIVJ0RMxrMX-_5OdUAML9X_OHFZEd6RLcrdGh064ze8IVVRWbLe31R9AytvQrFnvKOUYqrJ5wtd5YE-rBxOFiU_7gcFirGnCg7PuDvzsjLNQTuZQPXpjVOseD15DZWYJQqHms/s320/IMG_0468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't know why I'm wasting my time studying writing when clearly my talents lie in food photography!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-66261564709163683882011-01-13T20:28:00.000-08:002011-02-17T10:42:12.683-08:00An Australian making Italian food with Canadian bacon in an American kitchen while listening to Britpop<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As all my roommates have been absent until today, I've had 3 lovely, lazy, relaxing days in New Paltz which are welcome after the hustle bustle madness of NYC.</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the things I was hankering to do but knew I needed to do on a solo mission was seriously check out the supermarket. Despite having delicious pizza from a place around the corner called <a href="http://www.grimaldis.com/">Grimaldi's</a> I am determined not to start eating take out for every other meal as seems to be so commonplace in this country. For this to be I needed to know what resources I have at my disposal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I hiked down to the local Stop&Shop, which despite sounding like a convenience store you might just <i>Stop</i> in <i>& Shop</i> for something you'd forgotten, like milk, it is actually a gigantic mega emporium of groceries with a complete pharmacy and florist inside. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had nothing to do with the rest of the day and a shopping list of 3 items; sage, Lady Grey tea and chicken stock so I double knotted my laces and set off into the fray.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was mental! I had to stop every few minutes and stare at the lining of my handbag to stop myself from hyperventilating. There was just <i>so much food!!!</i> Food we just don't know about in Australia! Food like <a href="http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/productdetail.aspx?catid=761">Texas Toast</a> and cheese in a can and albacore and chocolate coated pretzels! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3P5k3Amb1YruCndL17NbarTnLpO8dta-GoyNpfwBPrVssX72KjvqFb7ewhak3GlVY8scmtgbea3KE9_zBfY45a-Y-acR6O8eveTG02yseP8ePq9SGrij5S5D1d4JLeStVE4Aqhdl313t/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3P5k3Amb1YruCndL17NbarTnLpO8dta-GoyNpfwBPrVssX72KjvqFb7ewhak3GlVY8scmtgbea3KE9_zBfY45a-Y-acR6O8eveTG02yseP8ePq9SGrij5S5D1d4JLeStVE4Aqhdl313t/s320/011.JPG" width="288" /></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And not only is there so much more food, there is also so much more choice of food. If you want to get soup, you have a good 12 shelves to scan. I decided it would be quicker to make my own!</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So homeward bound with a few more things than planned in my bag</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Eb4gHfdcHnIJExiGCswJBOarJ4INodOCCPdiQJ19v1fZShuKtX0QSkuM9yrfXitdJrTPMkJDl2jRcTJw-1e53jPgoiZT3bQI2P0zB447LDjyikbD8XaQyBZuL8rcJquRiQ5P-ibn5pOa/s1600/IMG_0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Eb4gHfdcHnIJExiGCswJBOarJ4INodOCCPdiQJ19v1fZShuKtX0QSkuM9yrfXitdJrTPMkJDl2jRcTJw-1e53jPgoiZT3bQI2P0zB447LDjyikbD8XaQyBZuL8rcJquRiQ5P-ibn5pOa/s320/IMG_0410.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">How did they get in my basket? And then my bag? And then my mouth?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and I set about making my first ever pot of minestrone in the US.</span></div><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two things the supermarket did not have; 1) Convincing Tim Tams</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXsx1Jj8B2qtSH4MZLT0DDLRY_TTeaDgdUtkT785d1WX7-jPwmJM_4qjq-WYQnkpBI3lsar_CyJHreX8K5aXLer77H5Hb3XGs1gh-REaWxW4IIHcuczGpmbVZNzH3dxZ1IuQYvP1n8_55/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXsx1Jj8B2qtSH4MZLT0DDLRY_TTeaDgdUtkT785d1WX7-jPwmJM_4qjq-WYQnkpBI3lsar_CyJHreX8K5aXLer77H5Hb3XGs1gh-REaWxW4IIHcuczGpmbVZNzH3dxZ1IuQYvP1n8_55/s320/009.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Not even close! Everyone know Tim Tams come in brown packages.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and 2) bacon hocks. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had learnt from my first cooking adventure in the US; fettucine carbonara in Queens (story and recipe maybe to follow, we'll see, we'll see) that American bacon is a bit flimsy for cooking purposes so I used Canadian bacon which is thicker.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I make this minestrone when I’m feeling happy or when I’m feeling sad or when I’m feeling sick or if I have a big assignment due or when someone has had a baby or because it’s a day ending in ‘y’. Any excuse really.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can make whatever adjustments to this that you like. Use peas instead of beans, leave out the barley, use normal bacon or pancetta instead of bacon hocks if you're in the US and that's all that's available. </span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This however is my deluxe edition best ever minestrone recipe which I love, love, love for the rest of my life. </span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=6626156470916368388" name="_Toc280903600"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2796106699479313275&postID=6626156470916368388" name="_Toc280903494"></a><span style="line-height: 115%;">Minestrone</span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 384;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>1 tbsp butter<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>1 onion<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>3 cloves garlic<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>Sage<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>2 bacon hocks<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>2 celery stalks<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>2 carrots<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>1 potato<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>1 tbsp tomato paste<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>400g tin chopped tomato<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>400g tin borlotti beans<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>3/4 cup pearled barley<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>Basil<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>3 litres of stock<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>green beans<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>1 zucchini<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b>½ cup small pasta<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Melt butter over a low heat, add a dash of olive oil and then add onion, garlic and sage<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Fry until soft. Add bacon hocks, celery, carrot and potatoes. Cook 5 minutes</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjierfRdBgWSRa_tArN-Ofw4ibfUBJMhpuCiKqlyjKiJ5BU0CtVflwVB0Q0U2kkzsruB5998USyxIMOqy7dyy-wdy4nBO7zcZA_Y6lxChtm1snMXJTHpj7rd6lZ-CMWzw00DpWVZsRBx0dF/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjierfRdBgWSRa_tArN-Ofw4ibfUBJMhpuCiKqlyjKiJ5BU0CtVflwVB0Q0U2kkzsruB5998USyxIMOqy7dyy-wdy4nBO7zcZA_Y6lxChtm1snMXJTHpj7rd6lZ-CMWzw00DpWVZsRBx0dF/s320/IMG_0401.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Add tomato paste and tomatoes, </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1E03pW_kaZSzU82h3CtRN5MewuMuuI6q3tcamlofYqAdBYNHCtbTn574_liPXgOsdW1g1nLGo-xZ8dYFaB2eiKGsSpkEAtX922-oncExwzrv37h9SEZPt_JAYt3cFkSuzGKy8lomNFvI/s1600/IMG_0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1E03pW_kaZSzU82h3CtRN5MewuMuuI6q3tcamlofYqAdBYNHCtbTn574_liPXgOsdW1g1nLGo-xZ8dYFaB2eiKGsSpkEAtX922-oncExwzrv37h9SEZPt_JAYt3cFkSuzGKy8lomNFvI/s320/IMG_0402.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">basil, </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtMNierbgm2Yi4sJbaO0dLdaxSS7pu4K-GeybYsElr_aYD7WVTN9teQbLy7W2mUbDfbpMANzYFN96bFsktC4QhcoY_3QqbkXpx1walWbGHy1LuRVpAHhnsgTxzVQSIofXo3uvcBW8g6AG/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtMNierbgm2Yi4sJbaO0dLdaxSS7pu4K-GeybYsElr_aYD7WVTN9teQbLy7W2mUbDfbpMANzYFN96bFsktC4QhcoY_3QqbkXpx1walWbGHy1LuRVpAHhnsgTxzVQSIofXo3uvcBW8g6AG/s320/IMG_0404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dried basil. OK by me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">borlotti beans and barley. Season</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_QRdUIwRdDDqVBAc0dNsomn3Kyi-ZEgSFYqoA3JgM0Ww_YaCiYqws2-cjs32q5DG9I4p_YAnDMW2yjWwFMx9XJDu0C_866FWUpaF-xSsOen5ldXrKHqYV7uUceO8e8_VnHY3WVeynmBZ/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_QRdUIwRdDDqVBAc0dNsomn3Kyi-ZEgSFYqoA3JgM0Ww_YaCiYqws2-cjs32q5DG9I4p_YAnDMW2yjWwFMx9XJDu0C_866FWUpaF-xSsOen5ldXrKHqYV7uUceO8e8_VnHY3WVeynmBZ/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hazarded a guess that Roman beans were the same as borlotti beans. I was correct.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Add stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer 1-2 hours</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp77Qm0k4PGhVuxFrYjGIb21Luy5qB_XIMJ8Tz3M3-ra8Xl1S02nFiejVBIX6v6Lz-xrwg4sch8eZhm_c5A6IqyAdz2YHjNs1hfk4yZqHm3JXMklgOKrQ1WemfaG6g0qSL0SOz3hm7nog/s1600/IMG_0411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp77Qm0k4PGhVuxFrYjGIb21Luy5qB_XIMJ8Tz3M3-ra8Xl1S02nFiejVBIX6v6Lz-xrwg4sch8eZhm_c5A6IqyAdz2YHjNs1hfk4yZqHm3JXMklgOKrQ1WemfaG6g0qSL0SOz3hm7nog/s320/IMG_0411.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">5.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Add zucchini, green beans and pasta<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvFvue2aVVs7sGs2oSCg5ReXQLoE6UlmRFRFgvwrw6Av5M1t9BvpuCJSKYhCpPcSRsnj0xL-NjmRY6YFxqVmvF722fKx7uS7B9GWWgKmf3r41wE-GA_AVqdWm7P4hyQjbaramtRBtdxpI/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvFvue2aVVs7sGs2oSCg5ReXQLoE6UlmRFRFgvwrw6Av5M1t9BvpuCJSKYhCpPcSRsnj0xL-NjmRY6YFxqVmvF722fKx7uS7B9GWWgKmf3r41wE-GA_AVqdWm7P4hyQjbaramtRBtdxpI/s320/IMG_0413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">6.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Cook until pasta is al dente<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">7.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>Remove bacon hock from pot and remove any meat that falls away from the bone. Chop finely and stir through soup.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And no, sorry, there are no more pictures because by the time it was almost ready I was hopping from foot to foot and <i>starving</i> hungry so I gobbled it up.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Sj3lLNvsMxvNpUHUPPLuRsmsT-KyZ7g1U2XqyQN53Gv7F5ts6DfwhaHhKFtWVNiODLHJAUfFjDOkcF-RQ6VD3chD27gq5ProUL1hmRZhyphenhyphenmLJdz3V-7kQgHla9EKd2p9-Mg5GT_Xk8bgU/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Sj3lLNvsMxvNpUHUPPLuRsmsT-KyZ7g1U2XqyQN53Gv7F5ts6DfwhaHhKFtWVNiODLHJAUfFjDOkcF-RQ6VD3chD27gq5ProUL1hmRZhyphenhyphenmLJdz3V-7kQgHla9EKd2p9-Mg5GT_Xk8bgU/s320/001.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All that remains!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><br />
</div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-41168430771352608162011-01-10T07:50:00.000-08:002011-01-13T19:34:48.103-08:00In search of... what?First blog from the Big Apple.<br />
A morning of feeling frustrated by the cold and deprived of coffee and I decided to head in from Queens where I've been staying these past few days (another story - perhaps not fit to publish on the internet) and find Culture Espresso which is apparently a Melbourne-style espresso coffee joint. <br />
<br />
Upon entering, I was overjoyed to see the words 'flat' and 'white' strung together on the blackboard menu.<br />
The joy turned to disappointment upon delivery of said flat white. Watery and with scalded milk; the resemblance it bore in appearance to a flat white made it all the more distasteful.<br />
<br />
Consulting my trusty iPhone I searched the New York city map for something in the surrounding streets that might interest me and get me out of the cold and that is how I find myself here, right now in the New York Public Library.<br />
Like everything else I've encountered in New York, it seems overgrown and confusing to navigate.<br />
And of course the hardest thing is, I don't even know what I'm looking for. If I knew that there was a reading room or a particular book here that I wanted to find, then I would be able to concentrate my efforts on finding that particular thing. But until classes start on the 24th, I'm really just a lost soul, wandering the streets of New York or the halls of this library. <br />
<br />
In a bar I went to on New Years Eve, I met a guy who asked me what it was I had come to New York to find. I was stumped by this one. I think that the focus of my studies had led me to consider 'going to New York' to be an activity to undertake, like a project.<br />
<br />
But perhaps deep down I held a belief that this really was a magical city where I might find something I've always wanted, but couldn't dream of finding in the mundane environment of home; true love, outrageous success, the key to my eternal happiness.<br />
I remember as my plane flew in over Long Beach to JFK airport, I was looking down at the streetlights which are orangey-yellow here, not the white I'm used to back home. The weaving path of jewelled streetlights sparkled and I thought to myself that maybe the streets here really are paved in gold.<br />
<br />
Perhaps what I'm searching for is an answer to what I want to find in my life.<br />
In an environment such as I'm in now, where everything is unfamiliar - every street corner, every logo and package in the supermarket, I will be forced to examine what's around me more carefully. I will have to think about what I really want and try to seek that out.<br />
So wish me luck on this extraordinary game of seek.<br />
<br />
And of course, I miss you too dear sister. <br />
So much so that sometimes my chest feels like it will burst.Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-54015559977409076852011-01-06T02:25:00.000-08:002011-01-06T18:09:41.335-08:00Welcome summer<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yesterday was a day I missed my sister. And even though in good company throughout the day, there was a gap. We flew kites and took the balance bike for it's first ride, and picnicked on the grass in Central Park (Malvern). It made me think of the "real" Central Park and what you might be looking at (snow mostly). Later in the day while dancing our sillies out the Rainbow Connection came onto the iPod and I was taken back to a car sing-along in Margaret River, WA while on holiday 18 months ago and we were driving towards a rainbow (Owen's first). There may've been a welling. Mum told me you got a cell-phone number. I felt jealous she knew. Was then frozen by choice when I wanted to contact you - would a text work? Should I facebook? Email? Call?</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But today has been a good day. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sunshine, 30 degrees, slight breeze. People were smiling. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A tram ride into the city with running commentary from Owen, Gus happily making eyes at the other passengers and lulled to sleep by the rickety rocking. The tram driver even left his seat to help lift up the pram! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A dumplings lunch at Camy. A game of making the alphabet with the chopsticks while we waited. $7 for 3 people, thanks for coming.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8yIs5yA8tS2OsDsOw1sz3JNRh4-Tr0-eUaU21-fkki-Rs9789Oz5d17CTetcMBZdY7UQVE4LVLz7zky2NQq-aZw_qmPE-PYVIdGdiKYkfQFaMs1taivetlAhEqoExuCctOUk2GjW4TS3/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8yIs5yA8tS2OsDsOw1sz3JNRh4-Tr0-eUaU21-fkki-Rs9789Oz5d17CTetcMBZdY7UQVE4LVLz7zky2NQq-aZw_qmPE-PYVIdGdiKYkfQFaMs1taivetlAhEqoExuCctOUk2GjW4TS3/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A 10-minute shopping expedition for bathers as my 6-year old faded saggy workhorse pair didn't survive their last wash. I ended up with a black & white spotted tankini in deference to my saggy tummy which didn't survive last pregnancy.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Onwards for an afternoon swim in the sunshine with our brother & nephew. We saw Owen get over his (shared with me) tendency not to try anything unless sure he'll be successful. He swam with a noodle. He went under water. He splashed. He leapt. He clung to Andy's neck and stayed in until his lips were blue and teeth chattering. He looked more like Monty Burns than humanly possible. Gus had his first swim and as expected this waterbaby loved it. ALOT.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMCL9Zz8EwtCcsk6ccB9H1EiRK7ur3mcKo2-yX_KVB1RsP-HHObt4hSEhed3eYxRs555igk7Ag1fF5eM3W-vgeeZ69ZEuzqc4Vd_gwD-JD3vCYntJcogH-GWfWOVhUedblgkjY-qbfHMs/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMCL9Zz8EwtCcsk6ccB9H1EiRK7ur3mcKo2-yX_KVB1RsP-HHObt4hSEhed3eYxRs555igk7Ag1fF5eM3W-vgeeZ69ZEuzqc4Vd_gwD-JD3vCYntJcogH-GWfWOVhUedblgkjY-qbfHMs/s320/photo%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Omlette and sandwiches for dinner at 5pm infront of Shrek 3 to keep someone awake (yep, still not returned, must be a gazillion $ in fines). Ice-cream and black fruit salad (of blackberries, cherries, black grapes, currants, raspberries and blueberries) and a slab of the most delicious muesli bar in the world with a cup of Roobios tea while blogging. (And I just found a facebook album full of your photos- hurrah!)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This muesli bar would be awesome for kinder next week, were it not for the peanut butter ... thinking of trying tahini as a substitute ... will report back. But do try this recipe ....</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(and still no photos, no camera, universe are you listening?!)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><h1 style="color: orange; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Chewy Seedy Oat and Apricot Bars</h1><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">300 g (3 ½ cups) rolled oats</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">100 g pumpkin or sunflower seeds (or a mix)</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">50 g desiccated coconut</span></b></div></td> <td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">50g (1/3 cup) plain flour</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">200g butter, chopped</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">200g golden syrup</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">150g (1 cup) brown sugar</span></b></div></td> <td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">150g dried apricots, chopped</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">125g (1/2 cup) crunchy peanut butter</span></b></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 102); padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 213.05pt;" valign="top" width="284"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-family: "Californian FB";">1 tsp vanilla extract</span></b></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 18pt;"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="color: orange; margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Line a slice pan with baking paper (recipe calls for 18cm x 28 cm, but does anyone really measure / check theirs? I used a roasting tray).</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Mix oats, seeds, coconut and flour in large bowl.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Melt butter and golden syrup together in saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, and then mix in sugar, apricots, peanut butter and vanilla.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Pour into the dry ingredients and mix.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Press into pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden and slightly firm.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Cool in tin, remove still on paper and slice into bars / squares.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Californian FB";">Store in airtight container for up to a week, or freeze (apparently they freeze well, but uh we ate ours).</span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-52410095091863080292010-12-25T02:13:00.000-08:002011-02-17T10:45:09.853-08:00Just Blog Already - Happy Christmas<div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So where my sister is a can-do, do-do kinda girl, I so far have 4 draft posts sitting in blogger, from introductions, to happy birthdays to sister dearest (2nd December), a craft round-up and finally musings on the festive season .... but here it is, Christmas Day already and I've been leaving it all up to baby sis to actually publish - which is possibly a good idea, her being the creative genius writer, but also unfair as it is she who is frantically in her final 5 days, yes, just on 120 hours until Air Korea spirits her to the US of A. (I mean did you just see how LOOOONG that sentence was? and how many brackets (parenthesis) I have used below??!!)</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Luckily I work well with deadlines (well kinda), and we (Katie & I) put together a lovely little collection of our favorite recipes to share with our family and dearest friends (and selfishly to make sure we had each others most delicious offerings when we can no longer just make and bring to one another). The title page to this self-published book, "Lolly Legs and Lonely Chicken" also advertised that we had created this blog - so I really needed to get my act together if this is to be a dual effort.</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Our Christmas Eve tradition of sitting about wrapping presents, drinking cups of tea in jarmies and watching <a href="http://musingsofapalindrome.blogspot.com/2010/12/love-actuallyis-all-around-us.html">Love Actually</a> continued last night .... I think this is now 6 years running and while the story has holes big enough to drive a truck through it also has Rodrigo Santoro's <a href="http://www.google.com.au/images?q=Rodrigo+Santoro&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=6b4VTaO0EZCKvQOJyLnZDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=800">Abs</a>, some pretty good movie dancing from Hugh and a sweet sappy Christmassy kind of spirit. It is interesting having a young family and being in the position to start shaping the traditions our children will grow up with - while I plan to expand in future posts I decided last night to put aside the car-mat I was hoping to finish "in time" for Owen and just enjoy the last cooking and company. The thrum of sewing machines has been also been part of too-many late Christmas Eves as I follow through on my intention to always create something for Owen and Gus by hand, and I don't want it to be too much of the fabric of memories for our family. </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anyway today started with the glee and wonder of 3-year-old's surprise at Santa having filled his stocking at the end of the bed with presents. First they were lovingly stacked and carried through the house, sorted by size and finally opened and individually played with before moving to the next. </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Baby Gus relished the crackling paper and gnawed on Aunt Kate's, Dad's and my knuckles, or any object in mouth range.</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Kate may be able to provide some pictures, but as our camera is among the long list of broken household items (washing machine, oven, printer ...), I am image poor. </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For a third year running Kate and I managed to buy each other the same gift - this year Jasper Fforde's newest book - The Last Dragonslayer. Luckily we couldn't have swapped this anyway, and seeing she first introduced me to this <a href="http://www.jasperfforde.com/whatsnew.html">great author</a>, perhaps fitting. Last year is was <a href="http://www.catherinedeveny.com/">Catherine Deveny's</a> book, and before that matching yellow bird brooches from <a href="http://www.lulustore.com.au/">LuLu</a></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We spent lunch with our lovely aunts/uncles/cousins in Williamstown, and fortuitously it was themed "Love" - meaning we all brought a plate to share - something you love, or make for those you love ....</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In addition to (mini) Chicken Pyjamas (Parmigiana), we brought Corn Fritters, Oh-So-Good-Top-Secret-Brownie and Vanilla Cupcakes (recipes below). Other food highlights that I hope to have shared in the how-to-make included amazingly deliciously spicy oyster shooters with wasabi from Sharon, some seriously good vegan curry from our brother Nick, a good chunky satay from family friend Renata and the signature dishes of pork belly with crackling, Mum's ice-cream pudding and much more besides. I know, a little bit fabulous for Christmas isn't it? </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Christmas is also typically a bit stressful and sad for some, or a time of reflection on life, love and (often) getting together with family that you otherwise don't see. I know my dear sister has found this particular Christmas a bit harder in the final impatient wait to the next chapter in her story, trying desperately to shed material possessions to make space for adventure, only to have them refilled by well-meaning family (I am guilty). Our little guys are also wired, with the normal rhythms of the day all tangled, blood sugars plummeting and sky-rocketing and at the end of a week of change for my toddler for whom change is hard - missing his good friends who have moved to Perth, finishing up daycare with the wilds of kindy waiting next year and lots of extra attention from houseguests this past month.</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So happy Christmas to you all (?!), well really just you dear sister, but in case of rogue readers.... may the coming year bring much love, laughter, happiness and creative experience ...</span></div><div style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And here are the recipes that "go" with today ...</span>.</div><br />
<div class="Section1" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><h2 style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Corn fritters </span></h2></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"><br clear="all" /> </span></i></b></span> <br />
<div class="Section2" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are a hybrid from Bill Granger's Open Kitchen, and the excellent, funny blogging of <a href="http://www.allconsuming.com.au/">All Consuming</a>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">They are delicious for breakfast, lunch, dinner and win as a snack food when out and about. They can be plumped up with any or all of the following: fresh salad greens, tomato, sour cream, bacon, guacamole, sweet chilli sauce, more bacon ... but we like ours with avocado salsa – 2 ripe avocados diced, ½ cup chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbspn lemon/lime juice, 2 tbsp sliced spring onions (if to hand), dash Tabasco, salt and pepper</span></div></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" /> </span></span> <br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3 cups corn kernels (fresh from ~ 3 cobs or frozen)</b></span></div></td> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1/2 to 3/4 red capsicum, finely diced</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2-4 shallots, finely sliced (or about small Spanish onion finely diced)</b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1/2 bunch coriander and few sprigs of flat leaf parsley , chopped</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2 eggs</b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 cup plain flour</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 tsp baking powder</b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>(optional) 1 tsp smokey paprika</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>pinch salt & pepper</b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>vegetable oil or spray oil</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 462.1pt;" valign="top" width="616"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><ol start="1" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Place 2 cups of corn kernels, onion, eggs, coriander, flour, baking powder and seasoning in a food processor and process until combined.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Place in large bowl and add the remaining corn kernels.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heat some oil in a fry pan and drop in large spoonfuls of batter</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cook for about 2 minutes or until golden, flip and cook the other side </span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #3366ff;">Brownies</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">This recipe, which comes from my sister’s friend Natalie, is supposed to be kept top secret. I think it’s because the power of the deliciousness of these brownies could destroy the world. So if you’re looking at this and it’s been censored, ask me to make you some.</span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">200g dark chocolate</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">200g butter</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">3 eggs</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">1 tsp vanilla essence</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">¾ cup plain flour</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">¼ cup cocoa</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">1 cup caster sugar</span></b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #365f91;">250g white chocolate/ Top Deck</span></b></span></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Preheat oven to 170°C</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Line a brownie/slice tin with baking paper</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Melt dark chocolate and butter together</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Whisk in egg and vanilla</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">5.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Sift together dry ingredients</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">6.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Add chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4AjRNYz-uR17XXaS9vREPvEyESfEdAz93Snuyd2TyMyjRG6liMqI2IZQMPvAliefnV9zvBy-dYpUiNZRd3FV7p8WpvaJxrGAnAp5os7ByINPILXN_-Mwmaj0dC1kKLbDraESyN60Lknj/s1600/brownie1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4AjRNYz-uR17XXaS9vREPvEyESfEdAz93Snuyd2TyMyjRG6liMqI2IZQMPvAliefnV9zvBy-dYpUiNZRd3FV7p8WpvaJxrGAnAp5os7ByINPILXN_-Mwmaj0dC1kKLbDraESyN60Lknj/s320/brownie1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely, shiny, melted buttery chocolate</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">7.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Stir through chunks of white chocolate</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZ9Q_4yF9Mxe93ALOKbCsudKOwRPwndxSKq3LgSvMz59cDw5Ugvhq9wdK7ZXtoGBsbyTa3BdAiUmQRlRZ_vwqFuBBiOA8eD2A0UTeBEIIX-pLtIKQSD2h29TzWhGjFpeAEgdhLRb7R2pq/s1600/brownie2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZ9Q_4yF9Mxe93ALOKbCsudKOwRPwndxSKq3LgSvMz59cDw5Ugvhq9wdK7ZXtoGBsbyTa3BdAiUmQRlRZ_vwqFuBBiOA8eD2A0UTeBEIIX-pLtIKQSD2h29TzWhGjFpeAEgdhLRb7R2pq/s320/brownie2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big chunks are good. As are small chunks. <br />
Let's face it, all chunks of white chocolate are magical.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="ListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoVIpqv9H7ByWwZxDzrxl1yNSwQsg4mcTu1NO0R7o4Z7HmN3kXioUQECkGQvyioKkMnYnF40P_YirnkVJSaoA_1G0oOURmDwHGktYPT6zWDf1-E73qKuFSvg96xqsbUgpk_XWd_u2EBco/s1600/brownie3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoVIpqv9H7ByWwZxDzrxl1yNSwQsg4mcTu1NO0R7o4Z7HmN3kXioUQECkGQvyioKkMnYnF40P_YirnkVJSaoA_1G0oOURmDwHGktYPT6zWDf1-E73qKuFSvg96xqsbUgpk_XWd_u2EBco/s320/brownie3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost at maximum deliciousness capacity</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">8.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Bake for 45 minutes</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAiXCbiyn3mikQUJlYTT73eUIMc_tBBQ2K2_nmWBUJF5zw35Hgk6VwqVvtnkkuQSkXaUpEp5YFsKrYeLSHoCMb4MN6JIH3vGthp1D-rog0kDW03uHzC5hTMvIn31u9EVwTi1mT42z97XM/s1600/brownie4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAiXCbiyn3mikQUJlYTT73eUIMc_tBBQ2K2_nmWBUJF5zw35Hgk6VwqVvtnkkuQSkXaUpEp5YFsKrYeLSHoCMb4MN6JIH3vGthp1D-rog0kDW03uHzC5hTMvIn31u9EVwTi1mT42z97XM/s320/brownie4.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
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</span></div></div>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-43809650002392951022010-12-13T22:30:00.000-08:002010-12-14T22:04:35.312-08:00Busy work<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dear sister assures me she too will be posting something soon. She's been busy wrangling her inquisitive 3 year old and the baby Gus, who is already on the go; strong legs giving him the push off he needs to scoot on his back to exciting places like underneath tables.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Meanwhile I too have been busy, preparing to push off to New York.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is a lot to be done before moving overseas however through the efforts of one jam-packed Thursday, I've actually done all of these things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now this is not the worst thing that could happen by far. The worst thing would be if it were the day before I was to leave and I still didn't have my visa and my bank balance was 8 cents. Some people might even think that it is a good thing, to be so organised. That I could just relax now that I've got it all under control. The problem lies in the fact that I'm a born worrier so when I had a list of things to focus on, I had a list of things I could actively work upon to feel proactive and keep my anxiety at bay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I relate strongly with Misha's character in Dr Zhivago of whom it is said, "<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A feeling of care remained his ultimate mainspring and was not relieved and ennobled by a sense of security."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now with there nothing to do before I go but wait. I have opened myself up, like a Pandora's box, to the worst kind of niggling worries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I actually convinced myself the other day that I would not in fact be able to go to New York as I didn't know how to tip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When thinking on it in a spare moment of rationality I concluded that as an intelligent adult I would perhaps be able to figure out tipping, or perhaps if measures were really desperate, ask someone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To distract myself from all of the pointless worry, I went out and bought a very cool item which I believe my dear sister had been eyeing off as a potential Christmas present for me (sorry!); the Moleskin New York guide.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've had Moleskin diaries before and while they're incredibly cool, I find that at $30 a pop, they're a little too expensive for my pointless and long winded scribblings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But the New York guide is worth every penny, even when it will be filled with all of my pointless scribblings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has a large overview map of New York City, a subway map, 26 pages of maps plus a street directory and then lots of blank pages for your own notes. So in every spare moment of worry I've been diving into the internet and looking up things I might need to know, like where to get the best coffee near my hotel (Culture Espresso Bar) and the exact location of the street that the opening credits of 'Flight of The Conchords' was shot on (Henry St in Chinatown).</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg52XpXYftfJkM12yTRfBASMYgcSrBkjC1zCYW2fYM3FtOifIlm4oT-RriZfAIRgORlxCXki-1WlzKr5iYM57Y5iEiBczc9zSQLv_lEIHCHiTRMECSn-lc-n9sqFFvv0wO6O19Cz90HfIO/s1600/Henry+St.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg52XpXYftfJkM12yTRfBASMYgcSrBkjC1zCYW2fYM3FtOifIlm4oT-RriZfAIRgORlxCXki-1WlzKr5iYM57Y5iEiBczc9zSQLv_lEIHCHiTRMECSn-lc-n9sqFFvv0wO6O19Cz90HfIO/s320/Henry+St.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So now when I get to New York I will have my own little customised guidebook and I have the added bonus of the feeling of busy-ness to distract me from all the dread! Perfect!</span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-7196719958584597982010-12-03T23:04:00.001-08:002010-12-25T02:54:22.487-08:00My little sister from then to now<div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A happy celebration of my dear sister's birthday on Thursday (post-dated entry). In true generous form, after working all week, she hosted our whole family (minus Nick, our brother, living in large in Asia after finishing uni) and supplied more Asian greens in oyster sauce and pork ("chicken" for the benefit of Owen, the sometimes pedantic 3 year old) than you could poke a chopstick at. It has been HOT in Melbourne and steamy courtesy of all the rain (I have had to drain our pots of tomatoes of several liters of excess water each day), so this was no small feat. We had vanilla cupcakes which I seem to use for pretty much all birthdays, weddings, blessingways, picnics etc (recipe below).<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was 6 when my sister was born. I don't really remember it clearly. I do recall her beauty being admired by everyone who met her (all golden curls and smiles - the only babe in our family to have professional studio photos displayed in the family home, early 80's - lots of baskets of jip and dusky pink). I also remember being rather pleased at having a sister and taking her to show & tell while mum was on canteen duty, and the devastation at having my teacher turn us away (wrong day? time? details some 19 years later are sketchy).</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fast forward through years of shared bedrooms with her and our two brothers, playing nicely (sometimes) and at others being told by our mother to take it out to the yard and finish it for good. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> From teaching her to push mashed veggies through gaps left by her lost baby teeth through to continued</span><span style="font-size: small;"> annoyance as a moody teen at her attentions, not having privacy & space. </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Somewhere along the way we became friends, long after I fled the family home aged 18 to live in sin (seems far too young now on reflection). I think it might've been around the time I spent a year working and traveling through the United Kingdom and Europe in 2001, as all health professionals seem to. We connected with email and talking long distance - who knew I had such a great women for a sister? And who knew how fabulous a sisterly relationship could be? In many ways more honest and resilient than friendships, and at the same time amazing to still be learning more about each other in spite of our shared history.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had a beautiful role model for sister relationships in our maternal grandmother, Mama, and Auntie Maureen who lived in LA. Our Mama died earlier this year and I know for me some of that grieving was imagining being in the same situation. These photos were used for the memorials and I think captures some of the warmth and mischief that sister-hood encompasses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeekceZw4HFiivzFKNYc73kdEeK0Rx4JxwAbATCYnCA8MOTFOCVlONQf3SfhFyBHvP-L0C2IlwS9auEniHIjEAOYP-abm9-6nrgTTVKkBhp_LZEUUpm8uIOdElAaoDMj2AgkJ_3rhmH2wA/s1600/mama+maureen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeekceZw4HFiivzFKNYc73kdEeK0Rx4JxwAbATCYnCA8MOTFOCVlONQf3SfhFyBHvP-L0C2IlwS9auEniHIjEAOYP-abm9-6nrgTTVKkBhp_LZEUUpm8uIOdElAaoDMj2AgkJ_3rhmH2wA/s320/mama+maureen.jpg" /></a></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsLOTKMGGv-jbVzi8G6jpSI_4pAPVA7VWkNvWqsXK4VHFMp4fAAVwDYIPtHr-4gO4Xeo8OX-Vxrk-6DY_rIdHTAA3TSrgq7al2AFb6fZ2hJSNKsVb5a7yFMW76tznul1oefAz-9oW3rBP/s1600/Mama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsLOTKMGGv-jbVzi8G6jpSI_4pAPVA7VWkNvWqsXK4VHFMp4fAAVwDYIPtHr-4gO4Xeo8OX-Vxrk-6DY_rIdHTAA3TSrgq7al2AFb6fZ2hJSNKsVb5a7yFMW76tznul1oefAz-9oW3rBP/s320/Mama.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">So now my successful little sister is going to live abroad. I can't quite imagine life without her right here. She has been there through thick and thin of mundane and exciting life events with me. She was the only person I could imagine having with me as I recently birthed our second babe, Augustus, at home - she looked after Owen (our eldest), keeping the space calm and loving, holding me up through contractions on the edge of the pool.</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was at her recent garage sale I sounded out the idea of blogging (where yes, I indeed pillaged her life and argued over many items of contention - who really actually owns that doctors bag? And no you don't need to take that awesome shirt dress, leave it with me..). I think the idea of blogging has grown on me, much like the idea of a non-tradie having a mobile phone back in the mid 90s, or the ubiquitous iPhone along with all the apps in more recent years. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I was thinking of how a blog could be a modern family journal of sorts. Was it too narcissistic? Or is it a practical way of reflecting on life given how plugged in the world is becoming and the fact I haven't albumised (totally a word) any photos from that Europe trip, and stopped printing or looking at digital photos when Owen turned 1 (more than 2 years ago). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I am glad Katie jumped in and just did it ... I would still be trying to mull over how do I want this to be ....trying to find some framework ... thinking I love the snort-out-loud funny blogs out there, but couldn't keep the energy or material coming. I love the generosity and depth of thought that occur in some and hope that others might find some of my (our) stories helpful, inspiring, or of interest. I was keen that while chronicling my days and the stuff I do that it doesn't become show-offy or intimidating (how some of my favourite bloggers manage to do the stuff they do, let alone write about what they do is beyond me).</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So with a big breathe, and a merciful 20 minutes of Gus sleeping in bed (by himself!!) I have put fingers to keyboard, introduced me and my sister and will take the space to say how proud I am of my sister, the talented writer, an amazing auntie to her 3 nephews, a sounding board for everything for her sister, a beacon of style, vessel of inspiration, an ally in our (at times) crazy family, an EXCELLENT cooker of all things minestrone, sausage roll and peanut butter choc-chip cookie maker. Now off on scholarly pursuits in </span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&q=New+Paltz&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=New+Paltz,+Ulster,+New+York&ei=OxX6TKqOKoe2vwO7hf3QCw&oi=geocode_result&ved=0CB8Q8gEwAA&ll=41.747622,-74.086819&spn=0.043545,0.077162&z=14">New Paltz</a><span style="font-size: small;">, New York State, and with the most fabulous gift registry to set-up her new digs (Liberty sheets anyone?) - I will miss you, but am so happy to share this blog to keep in touch with thoughts, pictures and writing.</span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">x L </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Vanilla Cupcakes</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;">hese are my go-to cakes. They are super simple, coming as they do from a kid’s recipe book from the king of simple, Bill Granger. I make them for weddings, birthdays, blessingways, afternoon teas, baby showers, farewells, welcome homes … basically any time I have to make a cake – they have even been used in large format for recent fire engine, sea creature and lion cakes. They are equally good in tiny weeny cases, or big muffin type cases, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. The icing is pretty magical (play guess the ingredients with unsuspecting recipients) but you could substitute <s>boring</s> normal icing. You can pretty them up with a large freckle, some silver cachous, smarties, sprinkles etc (but do this close to time of serving or the colour leaks into the soft icing)</span></span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none; color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 ½ cups flour</b></span></div></td> <td style="border-color: rgb(79, 129, 189) -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid none; border-width: 1pt medium; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 tsp baking powder</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>½ tsp salt</b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>125g butter, softened</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 ½ tsp vanilla essence</b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3 eggs</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>¾ cup milk</b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1 cup caster sugar</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Icing:</u></b></span></div></td> <td style="border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>250g white chocolate</b></span></div></td> <td style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(211, 223, 238); border: medium none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>300g sour cream</b></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Lollies/smarties to decorate</b></span></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 231.05pt;" valign="top" width="308"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Preheat oven to 180°C</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Line muffin tray with paper cases</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Sift flour, baking powder and salt</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Add vanilla and then eggs, one at a time. Mix</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk until a soft dropping consistency</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b>Divide between paper cases and bake 20-25 minutes. Should be a mild gold tinge on top.</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>For icing</u></span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Melt chocolate and allow to cool slightly</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Mix in the sour cream</span></div><div class="ListParagraph" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Cupcakes must be cool before icing</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2796106699479313275.post-1923201887133752582010-11-20T00:27:00.000-08:002010-12-04T01:49:48.817-08:00The remains of the day...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">After a dreary Spring, the sting of sunburn is a stranger.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">The accompanying drowsiness is proving problematic this evening as I try to motivate myself to clear up the remains of todays garage sale. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gqiRGP9OAvfvDWKDvNiiYHM9av2d60DSHKs_Wz-XirFxt-ZoehZUnuICL1xaLMNNAbhMxv6-9-76YUSPuJeP4EDZt26QbD8TYGUVvPAeiXx3EdKfm61Xp-XD4suyNrbhb9FFejaHMtO-/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gqiRGP9OAvfvDWKDvNiiYHM9av2d60DSHKs_Wz-XirFxt-ZoehZUnuICL1xaLMNNAbhMxv6-9-76YUSPuJeP4EDZt26QbD8TYGUVvPAeiXx3EdKfm61Xp-XD4suyNrbhb9FFejaHMtO-/s320/002.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20zzE24zNFmyt3j_AEsdeEQhSq7m1F0T-4prflLqNZCEKthLgoNpBL6nOb1o0cevJideM1GkxADfuneE6c5a8PqUk8-tdEbnJbb-8rsIA7AuuMTD7gmxCOlI0-X1qYEpL5Pfgn7TYb0tA/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20zzE24zNFmyt3j_AEsdeEQhSq7m1F0T-4prflLqNZCEKthLgoNpBL6nOb1o0cevJideM1GkxADfuneE6c5a8PqUk8-tdEbnJbb-8rsIA7AuuMTD7gmxCOlI0-X1qYEpL5Pfgn7TYb0tA/s320/003.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">I've so far counted my takings twice, eaten 3 rows of Cadbury Dairy Milk and downloaded the new Girl Talk album. Bored of that procrastination I decided to embark on some brand new non-cleaning activities so I started this blog that my sister and I discussed starting today.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">She doesn't know that I'm doing this yet but when I tell her I've just forged ahead and done it without her, I'm sure she'll be fine with it. Rash decision making is my forte, so I'm sure she's used to it by now.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">I like the idea of having a place, if you can count a blog as a place, to share all sorts of things about our lives. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Only weeks away from leaving Melbourne behind for the bright lights of New York, New York (and shortly afterward the dimmer lights of New Paltz, New York) I'm worried about how I will be without my sister. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">For some time now I've suspected that my sister is in fact the love of my life and if films like Love Actually have taught me anything, it's that you are supposed to stay by your true love's side irrespective of pragmatism or geography.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">But in very un-filmic fashion I'm rushing off overseas for the year.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">I will miss her and the million myriad things she does in ways that nobody else can; whipping up haute cuisine that appeals to three year olds, saving the world one Bokashi bucket load at a time and raising her beautiful family in the most beautiful fashion.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Now I've gone and gotten all soppy so I'm obliged to put up a picture of baby Gus that I took today to counter any cynicism that might have been created.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ExnE0VQt6r6PoHygIvmu1DmCI3CIpHLUUT1gyLPvD5Gke2aCTMW1pb1TX3zuojllOx8gPicZmeLwq4rUttAN3Hi2N2P9OIdBRag_gOnNauMfn6yNZNnpQxWXafJHDSpD2Re2eNhv_a8W/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ExnE0VQt6r6PoHygIvmu1DmCI3CIpHLUUT1gyLPvD5Gke2aCTMW1pb1TX3zuojllOx8gPicZmeLwq4rUttAN3Hi2N2P9OIdBRag_gOnNauMfn6yNZNnpQxWXafJHDSpD2Re2eNhv_a8W/s320/001.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">It's alright, I also just said "Aww!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">I should get back to the cleaning, sorting and packing ahead of me. The sooner this is done, the sooner I can move all my remaining worldly goods (all 3 bags full!) to my brother's apartment and flop on his couch for the night with the remains of my Dairy Milk.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Lovely blogging to you!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">x K</span>Dear Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106405851911076857noreply@blogger.com1