Square Bear

Im going a little square in the eyes. Ive almost completed two scenes of Alice. Where they tell the tale of the walrus and oysters. I still haven't got the dvd yet. That will open a whole new pandoras box... i;ll be putting in more scenes i imagine... cause im only using a golden book at the moment for the basic "bones" of it all.

It was so blustery I came home and have been working. Its a nice day to be indoors though, so damn cold outside. It is snowing for certain on the mountains which is good we need more snow. It was so bleeding wind that it dried the sheets on the line in less than an hour!

I am looking forward to the weekend. Just gonna watch movies i think. Not sure. I must get something for dad for fathers day. Anyhow I know this is short and sweet. I must get back to it all.. on with the show.

Long Day

Its been a long day for me as I was up at 3am til 5am this morning i couldnt sleep for two hours. I am ok at the moment though. Just a short insert today. I did alot of alice lots of colouring in. All fun but taking alot of time out of the day. Im only up to scene six at the moment. Where she meets tweedle dee and tweedle dumb . Anyhow y'all take care out there!

Shoeless.

I went to the shoe store came back shoeless. So im wearing my burkies with stockings it looks a bit silly really. Last night saw the luna eclipse. It was really great it turned out looking like a pimple on the camera so i'm getting the herald sun with photos of it, it happens once every five years. On tv it looked amazing.

it has a few photos there. To me the darkness came and dad stood on the lawn proclaiming how beautiful it was. I agree. When I get the clippings from the paper.. i will file it away. I got this lovely letter yesterday from a new penpal. Which is great. He lives in Holland. I shall write to him this afternoon.

The dog is just sunning herself. The cat is on patrol in some distant land of sleep. Im just about asleep. Dad just go home.. from the antique store, he slookin at his seeds. Many of them. I must ring and see if there are any tickets spare for the Alexander McCall Smith lecture.

I better make myself a strong coffee.

Retail Therapy

Yes I am off into town for a bit of retail therapy, I need some new shoes all i own are a pair of boots, some heels and some burkies. I need an in between pair for spring/summer. Im sure to find some at that massive store here. So im heading into town at 4. I set this time to write here.

Tonight I will come up with some questions for dad to asnwer on dictaphone. To help him get started and focused. I couldn't sleep last night so I got up and just surfed the net.. looked at some art work etc. Mainly spoke to Evonne.

I have finished five pages of alice so far... im up to the race that never ends. Just after she has cried and floated on the bottle. Im going to buy that dvd today too. I have it on video but our player doesn't work anymore... so im moving onto dvds...


Well i better get going.

Pumpkin Disaster

I made a pumpkin and potato curry for lunch. Felt like something wholesome... it kind of back fired on me i followed the recipe but must of put too much water into it. So i turned it into a soup it tastes absolutely lovely.

Well its a nice day outside... might go potter about with paints.

So i didnt end up painting. I ended up doing more on my alice. I reackon I cant sleep im just not tired out. Oh wel perhaps typing will make me sleepy....So im up pretty wired for sound must of been those two coffees I had late this afternoon. Oh well that will teach me ha?

I must say that the homacide program on 7 is great., watched it with mum.

Alice In Wonderland

You can see this is Alice in a tree with her minder sitting at the base of the tree and bird twittering too.
















This is the "bones' of the picture just the scene where alice lands down the rabbit hole and sees the drink me bottle on the table all the clocks etc floating behind her.

Alexander McCall Smith

This is a picture I did out of jewellery i found and some silver twine behind it, Looks really nice when the light shines on it... the background glimmers it is a special piece. I promised it to my little sister Louise.

I would love to see Alexander MaCall Smith at the writers festival i am considering going by myself to this event where hes going to speak about my all time favourite series The No1 Ladies Detective series. Id like to see. Id also like to see Clive James but he is talking as I type.. so oh well. U can't have everything.

I urge you to go and read his novels. They are terrific reads. I am going to get his latest book to read. Another mystery in the form of MIss Dalihouse. Cant wait should be as they say "a cracking good yarn".

What else? I think I will call it a night...

Bird

I finished this painting a while ago. Its so beautiful though. Or at least I think it is. Its a bird with blossom tree. I should have exhibited it I think I shall next time. I have to get a move on with that though. I have done nothing about it and the places are probably getting filled up as I speak.

So i better have some plan of "attack" namely my folio in place. Which I have to buy one of those memory stick things. I hope to have that up and going soon.

Anyhow its saturday afternoon a beautiful day. I stayed outside. Imtrying to work out which is the best way to approach alice. As ive done some completely black and white and then some with no background.. so Im wondering to myself which way i should go. I think I will ask mum. Or Mish.

Anyhow I will get going now.. have to upload some more images to myartspace.com

in a while crocodile

Blossoms

Slow start to the morning, sitting round listening to music reading my emails etc. Putting some opera music onto the computer at the moment. I am quite tired this morning for some reason or another. Had a great sleep.

Just got back from down the street, got me some lunch and dashed to the scrapbooking store and picked up some paper for my letters. Some caught my eye and i really like it. I can get more if i fancy.

I put this picture up as I really like it. Its of the blossoms outside the front. They are so delicate. I'd love to put some in a vase but im afraid to pick them. So i think i'll photograph them instead. Tonight we are having the rest of that cauliflower soup this time with the dijon mustard and cheese toasties, im positive that shall taste delicious.

It was good in the kitchen yesterday... dad cut all the vegetables for me... showing me how to cut them.. however y'all know how clumsy I am with a knife. (A couple of stitches later) I watched he claims that he can't cook anymore I said

"Why don't you cook mum and I meal?"

"I can't cook anymore ally"

Hmm I question that. If he put his mind to it i'm sure he could do it. Just a matter of trying really.

Cauliflower Soup

2 Table spoons of oil
2 small onions
2 bacon rashers
3-4 small potatoes
1 small cauliflower
1 pint vegie stock
1/2 pint milk

Instructions.
1. Dice onion and fry for a couple of minutes. Cook the bacon a bit too.
2. Add potatoes, cauliflower
3 Add stock and bring to the boil, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes.
4puree soup with a blender (i used the hand blender mush thing)
return and add milk bring to the boil

serve with some mustard and cheese toasties
its a nice accompaniment.

Note: I made double quantity but not double the bacon or else it would have been too salty. I put a bit less milk than what the recipe said. Its a beautiful soup and nice on a cold winters night.

Tulip

New Day

I dreamt last night about this diamond that so small and as old as the hills themselves... this lady held it in her hand.. I cant remember anything else at all. That's it. Perhaps that means something good is coming along. I don't know. Just a guess. Perhaps the diamond represented something lost in my life. I'm not sure.

I have taken photos of the garden they are rather on the large side of things unfort. Im not so sure how to shrink them. None the less. I have posted a picture of one of the two tulips that are flowering at the moment. Its a good garden flowers for all seasons.

Well the cheese scones I made were bloody awful. I put too much cheese in them and had to use wholemeal flour. It was just ALL wrong! Oh well I threw them out.. not much waste though a smidge of cheese and the rest of the self raising flour. I am having a strong coffee at the moment keep me buzzing along. I am going to make cauliflower soup for dinner tonight. I will start that soon.

I am listening to moby at the moment. Not bad. Haven't listened to him for absolute ages... its good going through your music collection sometimes. I'm slowly putting all my music on here and taking louise's scary collection off! Well I best be off, soup to start shortly.

Problem

The photo application doesn't want to work for me at the moment. So i shall try again later see if it is just this computer.

Squares

I am wondering if all the squares I am drawing will infiltrate my dreams. We shall see. Alice in wonderland is a big task. There are about 20 frames or so in the book (just a golden book) I will have to watch the movie. Will have to buy it on dvd. Should be in the cheap section. I put my photo of myself sideways cause i couldn't figure out how to flip it! Oh well *laughs* It is just me.
Its too cold to do much today other than work indoors.

I havn't heard back from my UFO driver yet. I don't know that I will as I was being a bit of a smart arse back in my note. Well let me see perhaps he is train driver or something. I don't honestly know. I took sheer delight in replying

The picture I am putting up is one of the clouds in summer when Nicola was here. It was one beautiful night. The sun was setting and Im glad Iwent outside.. I have many these pictures are rahter lovely and I like this one in particular as it looks like a paint blob on canvas that sat perfectly in the sky.

Dad just came in the lounge with two P plate things. Yes I want to learn to drive.. though I have a feeling that I have seen that show last chance drivers and perhaps Ill end up on that! Oh dear. I shouldn't put a negative where there is still hope and possibility.

At the moment I am listening to Carol King I like her music. I know Im such a fuddy duddy when it comes to music. I like all types. I guess it takes all types ha? Yeps indeed. Signing out.. or should I say singing out.?

well seems like i cant turn this picture round but this is me!

figurative nude

This is something I worked on for a while. Its quite a nice piece. I like the shades and colours that are in the cloak. I used some shimmer pigment.

Hilarious

I got this email today a a reply to my ad on penpals now. Im considering replying only out of sheer curiousity: He said he always wanted to be a ufo driver, dinosaur hunter and that he finishes like an accountant! How hilarious is that?

Man I think I have been attracting the wrong type of people. Though it was a clever answer to my posting. Not sure what i should write back. I just had dinner... a very unglamorous unfilling sandwhich. I have been working on my Alice series today.. just drawing. The paper I have now is much better now, it's the good stuff. I was up til bleeding midnight last night, couldn't sleep as I had way too a strong coffee. *Shrugs* my own fault, self inflicted!

I would like to make this bread and butter pudding that is in the abc delicious magazine... I may just have to next coming weekend. We will see. Oh isnt it funny that the Labor leader went on a trip to a strip club (taxpayers expense)(probably picking up some moves for parliament gigs) lol
educational no doubt.

Anyhow I am reading Ursula Le Guins Earthsea Quartet its a really good book. I am enjoying it. However seems like no matter how much i read doesnt seem like im getting anywhere. Though I have read one book out of it now. Though it looks rather like a small dint than one book.

Im slowly becoming more computer savvy which is good. Next up will be take a photos of dads garden. I like dads garden he does such a great job hyacinths and tulips, he has a tree that is like a bonsai he prunes it back and it looks pretty special when it flowers. There is an old silver birch which is rather beautiful. WHat else? Well that is it for the moment.

see ya later alligator.

	, vacation, fall
	All Labels:

Reader Comments
Allow
Don't allow, show existing
Don't allow, hide existing

Post time and date

Finally

Finally I have some photos up at http://myartspace.com/ under the name of allybelly or ally miles im not sure which one. Hope you can access this. Tomorrow I will put up more from up. The ones that bunnies took for me.

Its relatively easy peasy and I don't know why I hadn't taken a few hours to learn years ago. I want a nice photo of me up... lol yeah well we will see about that. I know the photos at this sight arent that good I will get better.

well Kath and Kim is on now.

Yarragon

Today went to Yarragon, just for morning tea and so i could buy my good drawing paper.. (better than the stuff from kmart which curls up) Morning tea was delicious, I had a piece of pear type gluten free french vanilla cake thing mum had homemade mud cake and dad had scones all with coffee. The coffee was a bit on the weak side. So after looking in some shops mum and I had a second coffee which was really strong! At this unassuming cafe. It looks like it does nice lunch too but we weren't "in the market" for that.

So at the moment i am so awake and alert.. waiting for Bradley to come over and help me upload and shrink some photos down to size so i can put them up at various sites. Including myartspace.com . I bought him some doughnuts as he likes them. We have been lunching nearly all day.. eating the patties, eating bread sticks and all that jazz. Followed by what will probably turn into afternoon tea. Not sure what we are having for dinner. Possibly salad I would say.

Tammy said I should start to write some short stories. Truth being I haven't "weaved" any sort of story since I used to tell Jasminder and Manjit when they were little. So what should i type? My dreams? My dreams are always a great source. Last night I dreamt i was in a hairclip factory and they only sold blue hairclips and that is all I remember. Its a great starting place I suppose. What could happen next? What should happen next? I am not sure. I think I may go trough some of my dream books. Although I usually end up crying when I go through them for various reasons.

Kitchen Tales

Did little today. Mainly stayed indoors out of the cold. Reading, watching tv and cooking. Tonight it wasa combined effort in the kitchen. Donna Hay's recipe for salmon and potato patties (adjusted)

Salmon and Potato Patties

2 x 250g salmon fillets (we used a large tin of salmon)
olive oil for brushing (and cooking)
300grams chat potatoes
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (we used normal parsley)
1 egg
2 and a half cups of breadcrumbs
2 eggs, extra lightly beaten
olive oil for shallow frying

Place potatoes in saucepan filled with cold slated water, bring to the boil and cook for 10-15minutes. Until cooked through or until tender. Drain.allow to cool, then mash roughly.

Place salmon (seperated by fork from the tin) , potatoe. lemon rind,chives, parsley, egg and one cup breadcrumbs,salt and pepper in a bowl and stir well until combined Shape 1/2 cups (we used a scone cutter) of mixture into patties dip in the extra egg and then press into the remaining breadcrumbs.

Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook patties in batches for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown..We served ours with sweet chili and mayonaise. But the dip with coriander is great too especially in
summer.

I will definitely be making these again. They taste delicious with a plain salad too. We just had some plain lettuce and tomato. Just lazed about today. Funny old day don't know where the time went. Slipped away. Funny talking to tammy last night she has a house guest in the form of a mouse which she calls Matilda it got into her coffee supply.. imagine that! lol Well I best be off now.

Nana Nap

I did not dream, I do not sleep heavily. Scooter kept jumping up to see if i was ok like a yea ol faithful dog that she is. Tea tonight will be simple. I had the rest of the spinach rice from last night for lunch. The dog goes crazy over it. She absolutely loves rice for some odd reason, I will have to ask DrHarry about that. Id love to be able to take her out for a walk but she is a house dog mainly a real lady lux she has cushions on her seat and likes to be covered by a blanket... and if shes not covered then she'll demand it! Her commanding voice..*woof woof* It is only 13 here and cold.

Aghh it is so nice to have my own music on this computer. Louises stuff was driving me a bit batty.
I mean eye of the tiger and all that jazz. Man what an eighties girl she is! Hehe oh well. Let me see i found some nice recipes to make in the abc mag. For now i will save them for a rainy day..


night night

Ooops

OOps the parcel l is too big for any box in the post office. So i must find my own box and post it in that. I'm sure there is one in the garage somewhere. Oh well. It's only almost 11 and I am already tired. I think I may have to have a nana nap today. I am present putting some music onto the computer. Louise's music is a little scary, i tell you. Each to their own.

I got the abc delicious magazine today. for a change from Donna Hay. I like her though.. I love recipe zaaar too. I needed a bit of input from outside the "small" circle of cookbooks I use. Im bound to cook something from this I imagine.

This morning I heard this girl sing here name is Sara Mitchell sing a song.. i really like her voice its very beautiful so0 i'm hoping one of the main places may have the cd of hers. I must remember to buy Augie March too. I love that One Crowded Hour song. Its so beautiful.

I was tempter in the supermarket to buy some nuts so i could make the sweet and sour ones. I thought better of it. They are so yum and tasty. I refrained. Probably a wise move.

anyhow back later

Down

TodAy I am not so good. I have been a little down. Although I was still able to cook I managed to make spinach and feta rice. I used some of that nice paper today to make some nice post cards.. so i will send them off tomorrow. I got a letter from a lady a new pen pal. So all is not lost today, just when i was at a loss tammy came online. So i am at present writing and talking.

Let me see now. I started Alice series off on the wrong sort of paper though so tomorrow i am off to get some proper paper. I can't have it curling up. That is no good. So I will buy some water colour paper. Oh well *sighs* I will turn in now.

paper

I only managed to get to one of the paper stores and then ran out of time to walk further but the paper i got is quite pretty and I will be sure to use it sparingly. Its silver with a print on it and a green with a pink print on it. I ended up reading a lot instead.So my day was a little in eventful! I bought lunch half a roll with mum.. they put waaaaaayyyyy to much pickle on it. Man talk about pickle overload.

Oh well *sigh* I read my book all the way home so I did a serious amount of reading... good good.
Well I best get going..the land of nod is calling.


signing out

Corn Fritters

Basic Corn Fritters (Donna Hay)

1 cup self raising flour
2 eggs
20grams butter melted
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper
400grams can corn kernels,drained
3 green onions (scallions) chopped
vegetable oil for shallow frying
lemon wedges to serve

Place the flour , eggs, butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl
and whisk to combine.

Fold through the corn and green onions.

Place two table spoons of the oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat
\Add 1/4 cups of the mixture to the pan cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until bubbles
appear on the surface. Set aside.

Add another two tablesspoons of the all and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Serve with lemon (serves four)


These are great with the sweet chili and lime yogurt dip I make. Or with just a bit of sweet chili sauce. I havent made these in a long time. I know Roman loved them. They taste yum.

Record

I am going to start interviewing my dad and recording it onto tape.. so then he has something to write from and I have some tapes of him talking. He is an excellent story teller. There is a light in his eyes when he delves back into his memories.

I am going paper shopping tomorrow.. I cant wait.

will post the corn fritter recipe tomorrow. I'm tired.

Alice?

I feel like Alice in Wonderland sometimes when I'm on the net. I feel like i've been gobbled up in cyberspace. I have made a start on the black and white series. More to the point I have not chattted on the net in years to just strangers. So today is one of those days. Not putting my heart on my sleeve rather just twitterting like a skylark. Talking about books, art and just stuff in general. Well I must get going.

In a while crocodile.

Annoyed

Went down the street to send a few parcels off. I have learned that boxes cost a stack to send. So i stick to tough bags.. they weigh next to nothing. In Nicolas... lots of goodies... plus clothes for Roman. Angiebears.. a book and a few other little things. A cheer up note too. I think i may have got the notes wrong !I have a feeling I sent angies letter to nicolas parcel and vice versa.. as some bright spark pushed my stuff to the side and left me with a quarter of the bench space.. just so he could sprawl his phone book and peruse the yellow pages.

Man I was so annoyed, I needed the space, not him.! I didn't dare look at or he would have got a few daggers coming his way. Pest. Lucky I never put my hands on my hips and said "EXCUSE ME BUT I WAS HERE FIRST, DO YOU MIND?" That would have been bad form ha? Its just trivial things that get me.

Write more later alligator.

Clearout,

Its mid afternoon, I have cleared out all my tea stock, I have just spent the last hour sitting on the floor going through it all. I am giving a bit away, to good homes. Where other people can chat and sip upon a cuppa. I would love to go to a tea ceremony one day. Perhaps I may go and meet up with Tammy in China. I think that is just a dream though. One that I cannot fathom at the moment.

Well writing down a not so productive day. I have been lounging around, drinking cassis and blueberry tea, i recommend it, I don't feel the need for coffee although I'll bet i will have a headache soon . Will post more later. Want to start reading Earthsea Book.

Big Smoke

Started out on a crowded train, lots of day trippers I suppose. Well that is obvious as it was a Sunday after all. Started out great in the city, went straight to the QV centre stood outside the tea shop just in time for it to open.. Evonne and I were like to kids about to step into a candy store. I went a little bananas, as expected. I got six teas. I think she gave me a100gram bag for $18 instead of $36 cause I checked the docket when I got home and when I emptied the bag it was a 100grams. So thank you tea shop. Thank you lovely girl behind the counter. I am well stocked now and happy. I am currently drinking cassis and blueberry tea. As mum commented last night "Its nice to have good tea back in the house" It REALLY is. Tea is like a morning ritual, I usually drink it in the morning and save my coffee for the afternoons.

We walked to our next destination.. Lunch. Though it was a bit expensive and the service was crap and the food was not what i remember it to be. So I wont be going back there in a hurr, if ever again. I felt bad because it wasn't all that good. Im going to have to find other places in the city to eat. I am so out of touch with places to go. Next time Evonne can pick.

After lunch we saw a sign that said "handbag and shoes exhibiton"and thought we hit the jackpot. So we walked all the way down the concourse.. only to find out that its for traders only. Damn! Turned away at the door. Ended up at the DFOoutlet at Spencer street. I did all my shopping earlier in the day. I bought Tales of Earthsea too. So now I have yet another new book to read. This time it is four in one. Saved a packet. I would like to see the animation to this. Im not sure if it is out on dvd yet.

The train hope was packed too... being sunday at four thirty I am not surprised. There were two giggle pots on the train laughing and laughing. Its infectious. Sleepy heads too. Dad and I just chatted for nearly the whole way home. I lose myself in books when traveling,. Not this time. Dad found a few gems and I spent the day with great company. It was a lovely day out In the big smoke.

I watched the free dvd of cath and kim that came free with the paper. Its hilarious. Can't wait for it to start next sunday.

Window Shopping

Its fairly cold this morning the wind is blowing a gale.I found this quote "I sometimes forget from where I've come from and how far I have traveled." by the guy who writes the blog The 4th Avenue Blues. It got me thinking. how I have come from the country and how far I have traveled mentally.

Today Louise is home so I have been hanging out with her and mum. Went window shopping.. its the cheapest thing to do. I am preparing myself for tomorrow in the city. I know I will spend a few smackers there. Hopefully not too much.

I sat writing letters this morning. My morning ritual. Its uncanny my horoscope has been spot on lately. Perhaps it I am in sinc with the way my life is supposed to be lived. I have just had plain english breakfast tea we are almost out of that too! I will render that tomorrow. Dinner is almost ready. Tonight it is a roast, mums famous roast potatoes... now I dont know how she makes them but I can never get them as good as hers. She has perfected the roast potato.

I must be off.

Other blogs

I have found myself reading other peoples blogs.. completely at random.. I came across this one: http://4thavenueblues.blogspot.com/ which I find myself reading every day. He is an excellent writer. I hope he finishes the book he is working on.

goodnight all.

Baked Goods.

This morning I have been busy baking... making choc chip muffins, banana choc chip muffins and chocolate vegan muffins. I just felt like throwing the vegan ones in using up nearly all the flour. The house is filled with that delicious sweet smell of freshly baked goods. No wonder they say to bake bread or cookies when you are trying to sell a house. The muffins are a bit short... but little is good still.

I had a glass of plain milk with them.. (its odd how well it went with them) i am totally all muffined out now. I have one more to try..the vegan cupcakes are in the oven as I write. Its a nice thing to do..sharing the goods with everyone. I don't know why people use packet mixes, when it doesn't take too much time to start from scratch. Maybe about 20 minutes more (but totally worth it)...

I guess I have time on my hands as I work from home and it's a good way to procrastinate. I bought my fine liners and paper so now there is no excuse for not drawing... I think I hear lunch calling me.

Far away So close.

Well the burgers weren't that great as i should have fried them but I grilled them instead had to put them in the oven. Now ad I of had some sort of relish to with it that would have been good, mum had hers with sweet chili sauce. Perhaps the dip I usually make would have gone better with it. The dip is from the essential vegetarian cook book.

To make dip:

2 table spoons of sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons of lime juice
2 tablespoons of fresh corriander
200grams of thick natural youghurt

mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. This dip goes well with a lot of other foods.
Including crackers, fish, tofu. etc. It is a big hit usually when I make it. It is great in summer.
I found it simple and no blender needed.. so its less mess.

Well I received a parcel today from Tammy beautiful pashmina in it. Along with a really nice pendant a cute evening bag and letter. I must send her a thank you card. Her sense of humor has come out as of late. I will post the corn cakes on here tomorrow. I think i'll turn in now.

Far Away

I have to say I posted off some magazines for Tammy. The ladies at the post office are so helpful here. I guess they know me quite well.. i'm always in there. So instead of sending them off for 11 smackers she only charged me 7 plus both bags i paid for. So it ended up being 10smackers all up.

Not bad. I hope she will enjoy all the puzzles..I have a spare book which I will get stuck into tonight. Atl east I went out today...instead of staying in my hobbit hole. Had lunch with mum. I bought some nice paper to write on. Thank goodness for the scrapbooking shop, it is a blessing. Im not into scrapbooking though. I just like their pretty paper that they have.

Tonight I am making chickpea... falafel burgers, chickpeas.. parsley, cumin, lemon juice, flour... i may add some breadcrumbs. Just depending how the first lot go. I think I will grill them. Well I better start will write more later.

Secret

Its still early morning. I have been up since about 5am Its the first time i have solid sleep like this in a long time. I didn't dream at all. Blank. It's nice gives me a break from the alternate universe. So what does one do at that hour? Read. I read some more of the Archer book its a real page turner. I put that down and picked up that secret book. Pointers :

*Monitor your thoughts. Think things into existence.
* shift yourself by changing to refocus.
*love conquers all
*visulising the positive making the will of the universe there to bend and your will.
*ask, believe and receive.
*write your day out in advance.

Well that covers that chapter. I have a feeling I will struggle to read the rest. However I will do my best.

On with the show... choosing what to make for dinner. Its my turn to cook again. "Simple is best" or so mum says. Mums are not always right at the end of the day. I mean they are a great wealth of knowledge. With what my family has been through she has been a tower of strength. I know. She holds the key.

Tammy must be missing games, i will send her take 5 magazine. I may put in some chocolate in the parcel too. I always forget to ask what things she'd like and needs.

Oh well. Must dash.. meeting mum for lunch.

Oddly

Oddly the day has gone relatively slowly. I made some lemon cupcakes for dad to take to his appointment, with some lemon icing. not sure they worked that well. There are still two stuffed apples in the fridge waiting to be heated up.

I am going to make choc chip muffins on friday for Louise. I haven't made them in years absolute years.. talk about a moment on your lips and a life time on the hips! None the less. Make them, I shall. Perhaps I should have called this blog :adventures in the kitchen.

I have sent off my letters once again. No markers yet due to me close to the poverty line! Not really, still got a roof over my head. I love the box that the bear came yesterday. It had a lovely print on it, so im cutting it up and making cards out of it. More later alligator.

The Secret

I have started to read The Secret, as it was almost like Karma me having a copy landing in my lap.... I am unsure about this book. I have begun reading it, taking mental notes.. so far let me simplify:
*focus on what you want, make it happen
* like attracts like
*a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush ( so to speak they put it in other terms)(ah birds again!)
*what you put out there, you get back
That is all so far. It is what I have heard from my mum along the way all these years. So it is not new to me.It feels as if these things have just been cemented. None the less I am just taking it one chapter at a time. once a day. I will treat it like a medicine that I must take. Small doses.

I need a coffee. A strong one.

Gosh!

Golly gosh, those apples were so delicious. I went a little over board and made enough of the mixture to make stuff 9 small apples with. So I intived Aunty Anna down to ":sample the goods" .As the cinnamon and apple instant oats accompanied the flavour of the chai tea . So simple, so easy peasy. I am going to post the recipe here:

Stuffed Apples

Recipe #197573

Top this oven-baked treat with ice-cream or whipped cream for a warm fall treat.Recipe makes 4 apples.

by Boyz 5

| Edit...

My Notes

Requires Premium Membership

My Notes

ONLY YOU see your private notes, and they print with the recipe.

4

apples

45 min 15 min prep

Change to: apples US Metric

4	large apples, cored
1	tablespoon butter (generous tablespoon)
1/2	cup rolled oats
1/4	cup brown sugar
1/4	cup chopped pecans

Not the one? See other Stuffed Apples Recipes

• Oven Roasting Pies & Tarts
  
• Low Protein Pies & Tarts
  
• Apples Pies & Tarts
  
• Comfort Food Pies & Tarts
  

1. Core apples and set aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk together oats,sugar and pecans;Thoroughly cut in butter.
3. Pack mixture firmly into cored apple from both top and bottom to get all the filling inside.
4. Place apple on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes,or until apple is tender to the tip of a sharp knife.
6. Serve hot,unaccompanied or with cream -whipped or drizzled -or with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Once again it is from http://www.recipezaar.com I cannot stress enough how great this website is. It has all sorts of recipes on it. It is good cause you get to leave your rating and exchange tips with other people. You can even start to put your own recipes up there in the form of a virtual cook book. All the ones I have tried off there have worked, I have a growing nice book in which i copy them into.

Nana o'clock so goodnight.

Afternoon Natter

This afternoon got home from down the street, made dad lunch. I made him banana sandwhich.. It could almost be classed as gourmet with the price sky rocketing to a high of $7.99per kg. Making them alomost a luxury item. It is a must have in this household. I have about enough money for a postage stamp at the moment!

Aside from that little grumble... I sat down and had a chat to dad. He was talking about his shipping days, record collecting. Two of his favourite things. I think that it is good to have a chat. Some of his stories are very funny. Specially one where they made him smoke a stack of seaweed in order for him to stop smoking. Though come to imagine I can't see him with a cigarette in his hand.

It is now 5ish I have made lovely spinach, feta and rice dish. One which is a little bit salty but its edible. I felt like doing some home cooking so I have made stuffed apples. It is such a simple dish to make.. and I can;t believe I haven't made them until now. Its just a bit like apple crumble topping stuffed into the apple. They are in the oven as I write. I made a mess of the kitchen.

Today I received a parcel from Leanne. With some of cousins art work in the booklets a letter a cute little bear and the book called the secret. I have been delaying reading mums copy of that now I have my own , I have no excuse. Its all character building. I have come into my own I think. I may not be as flourishing as my friend Tammy who has taken to China like a duck to water. Throughout our 25year friendship I don't think I've ever heard her be so free and out there experiencing new things with fresh eyes.

I must check on the apples. I must tell dad to come inside... now I know that call will fall on deaf ears.. he is always outside, I must admit he does do a good job of the garden. I would like a patch of earth in order to create a little garden. However thats not to be... so I have all my pots on the front porch.

Hello Sunshine!

Goodbye dull sky hello sunshine! For today at least. I am going to buy a stack of black markers all the same so I can start doing my Alice In Wonderland in black and white squares. Im not sure if I should do this one normal a4 paper or go and buy some good drawing paper from the newsagent.*Sigh*I have a stack of mail that needs sending. So i'm going down the street and go looking at what I cant afford. Just window shopping. That doesn't cost anything, maybe a second of your your eye sight. I am wearing these cute apple hair clips today. Either side so it keeps my hair out of my eyes.Otherwise it's too annoying.

I would like to have some more postcards made from my art work. I will have to see what that is going to cost. Just to promote myself a bit more, it is important to put "feelers" out there. Test the water a bit. Now the problem here... no printing place in this town anymore. Damn!
Means I will have to go elsewhere for that. *sigh*

Don't you hate it how music can draw out emotions? Well time has passed. I am no longer what Rollins said in his poem "I am weak looking to get stronger" I remember parts of this poem. As I once stood up in front of the whole school and had others behind me move in the way they felt. was going. I got alot of slack for that. A lot of my friends back then thought I was having a go at them. Really I was having a go at all those people who bullied/ teased the shit out of me for being myself. My best friend Tammy uses this to remind me of how strong I can be. I have lost faith in my "poetry" I think it was teenage angst really. Thats why only a few people have my books and the rest found their way to the recylcing bin.

Hello sunshine I say to myself right now. The sun smiles over the mountains, the ski season is in full swing, the dog is curled up on her seat, the cat is on patrol, the radio is on, photos of family surround me like a deep well in which i can draw from. I choose this moment to reflect... and see all those "learning curves" .. there are so many if only, If i had of, if i could go back etc Its not to be. One has to live and learn and that is a huge step forward.

I have noticed, as of late that a lot of my books that I have read over the past year have bird in their title. I must be attracted to them subconsciously. I was just noticing such as the cuckoos call, how to make a bird etc. I even have been buying bird cards for people.. perhaps there is a reason for this. I only awoke to the fact this morning when I was browsing the bookshelf.

Anyhow my dream from last night... I was sitting on a bed counting loads of coins/change.. I was counting it all.. there was tonnes.. I don't remember anything else. Must be something to do with being a shrapnel queen. I should empty out my change at the end of they day into a little money box.

Well time to start the day. There is a coffee pot with my name on it.

Struggle

It seems I sometimes struggle with a lot of things. Painting provides a challenge to me, I am constantly learning what works and what doesn't. I found cotton ear buds are a great erases... I found that using oil paints in winter is NOT a great idea. I am almost finished Scott's painting . I just hope it ill go with their house! I had started with oils and no knowledge when I was 19. 10 years later and Im still a novice.

I sometimes struggle mentally. Some days the doors are open.. other days the doors are closed. Its the way it goes with life. Ups and downs. I have been more ups than down lately at the end of the day I find myself reading, I read for an hour or so before sleeping.. I know when to sleep my eyes keep wanting to close and I slip off into the alternate universe. Speaking of that world. I dreamt last night about a while lot of spiders. Im talking hundreds of them, big ones no small ones. I had to eat them. Now i'm not sure of the rest of the dream that is the only bit that stood out.

So if you are into dreams.. and have any knowledge please feel free to shed any light! (ie Kylie)
Well it is coming up to nana o'clock and I am rather tired. I think I shall turn in.

Letters

Today I have made cards for everyone just about, Its fun I used the left over wall paper I had and some blank cards that i chose to decorate. I like to snail mail everyone at least once a week. Today I have squadered hours on the internet looking up various websites. Seems like most of my friends can be found on facebook now! Its like a bug. Its fun too. I think I have gone overboard with the applications on my page! Oh well.

It's been another cold day. Could not paint as it is so cold. I shall attempt to tomorrow as its supposed to fine up. (since when do i trust the weather person?) I take one look and I can see that my reading last year got a bit out of control.. I can't believe I have read that many books. Im such a bookworm. Now lets see I heard the greatest line in this song the guy sung "I go trucking with my high heels on" talk about Priscilla! The whole song was so hilarious.

Anyhow I have always wondered what "notes" my perfume had to it, i found a great website that tells you its called http://www.fragrancex.com/ It has everything. I discovered quickly that cabotine posseses the blend of ginger, citrus and fresh cut flowers. It suits me too. Very earthy.

I went through some of sketchbooks today and had a look.. yes I am going to attempt to do my black and white Alice in Wonderland series again. Its going to take me a lot of hours but that won't stop me. I want to have it done for my next show. Speaking of which I must go gallery "shopping" once I have my folio together.

signing off for this moment.

Scones.

Today had some family members over for scones. Mum makes them the best all from her head and faith in her baking. They were really yum. Cream and jam. Just delightful. Yes, they went down a treat. Mum then made pasta and sauce. She out did her self as a fine cook today. I have to laugh now though... she has just eaten a bowl of cereal for dinner... hmm I have had a bowl of this the other day and it tastes so odd. A cross between passionfruit and mango. If you can imagine that!I am having garlic bread. I read an interview with Missy Higgins today, I don't have her latest album but I have heard a few of her songs on the radio and Im not sure about it this time. The first one seemed to have more catchy tunes/ chorus.


I have so far today done diddly squat. Just sat down and read parts of the sunday paper. It is something that is real comforting. When I spend the weekend at home. Today I felt like looking nice so I got this pruple sparkly top on and black slacks. I didn't fancy wearing makeup though, just a plain face. At the moment Scooter is sporting her latest look.. one ear up one ear down.. and her little pink tongue hanging out. So cute.

Dad has been gluing everything around the house. Turned the bathroom floor into an ice skating ring with the sealant he was using. It took me walking in their with socks and almost slipping over to find this out. Oh dear. Oh well.

Now birthday season begins again this week.. only most of my friends are turning 30. Now what to get them? What do you buy friends when they have everything? Something outside "the box" Ive done the whole movie voucher, book voucher, tea voucher thing .. i think it is a safe option but a little impersonal in a way.

I must admit I am addicted to watching America's next top model. It is just so wrong! Yet it makes good viewing as its bitchy, catty and just oh did i mention wrong?! Anyhow. Im going to settle in for the night.

ciao

tea snob

Wish I was like scooter sometimes. Sleeping all the time. Dog days. I have done little reading. Though i have been looking at dads french cook book i found many recipes all looking very seventies in their presentation. So it could be a bit scary making something from that. Although I cant go wrong with gingernut cookies can I? (Nicolas favourite) plus viewing a trashy magazine of course.

I opted out of going for dinner. As delicious as the food is, Im saving my pennies in order to buy tea and a few books next weekend. I look forward to going to the big smoke after about a month and a half. Within that time I have used nearly all my tea stock. Can you believe that? I can't. Considering how much that actually is. I have some t2 tea but it just doesn't quite cut the mustard. I like raspberry l green, black orange, green apple berry and paradise green all from qv centre. I guess it is true to form that I have been called a tea snob by a few people! No worries. I am. What I say is I am one loud and proud! Oh well. I do have packet mint tea which isn't so bad.

I would love to experience a tea ceremony one day, now that would be wonderful. I remember mum and I had beautiful green tea and a platter of cookies in the Asian gardens in San Fransisco. I didnt have time to do much in singapore, cept look at shops and take a bus tour around the city. I would have loved a few days there.and experience their floating markets. That wasn't to be.

Scooter is driving me bananas every time mum is not home at night i find she barks alot more. Makes me go to the back door..then backs away herself. Oh well such is a dogs life, her bark is wrose than her bite. We love her even if she is a "Tad" pampered.

You know I have been thinking about lots of things tonight. I must consider all the wrongs in my life as "learning curves" some moments have made me happy and some moments sad. I am feeling the latter of the two right now. I will get going, I can hear the faint call of the kettle boiling.... music to my ears.......

Sleepy Head

Getting up at 4am is not such a great idea. Its only 8pm now and I am quite tired and it's not even nana o'clock yet. Oh well you get the odd day like that. Louise and Allen are home for the weekend, I will no doubt be fast asleep. I ended up having this instant rice for dinner. Erm tasted a little bland but filled the gap.

I have been reading Life etc (the abc magazine) an article about Cate Blanchett gee she is lovely and very grounded. I really like this magazine, it is brimming full of articles of a different nature, and mainly has ads at the back... or subtly placed. Anyhow. There is a tempting bowl of pistachio nuts sitting right in front of me. I shall resist them.

Anyhow on another note. I have some emails to reply to now. ciao for now.

Two soups in one day.

Soup: It started out good.. I had to get dad to slice up the pumpkin as I would have sliced my fingers off. I could see dads skill when using the knife.. explaining as he was going. I wonder why he doesn't cook anymore. (though I remember the last time he made scones they were like rock cakes and you could knock someone out with them.) It was real nice to talk to dad about his shipping days. You can see a light in his eyes. I'm sure he can't wait for Roman to grow older so he can tell him stories about sea travels. I put too much water in the curry and a "Tad" overly heavy handed with the chili. So today I am making it into a soup. It needs more curry powder to balance it out with. That will be tonights dinner. At the moment I have tomatoes in the oven, for making soup with. I forgot to cover them in oil...oops oh well I will remove them from their skins. Two soups in one day.

I feel a bit puzzled. I was up at 4am for two hours I just couldn't sleep any longer. So I got up and then went back to sleep at about 6am only to wake up when mum was walking out the door to go to work. Puzzles. I love the word puzzles in the paper where you have a word of nine letters and you have to work out what it is along side other smaller words of four or more. I can usually get to the ranking of good. I guess will have to suffice.

The tomato soup was a hit. Piping hot with toast. I am thinking of making vegan chocolate cakes now. So far this week I have been more of a cook than anything else. Dad would like me to use his old cookbook that he used at sea. So to make him happy, I will make something from that. I will look at something a bit simple. "Simple is best" I hear mum say. I have not made a cheesecake in years, since i lived in Richmond. It is a bit tricky without a blender. In a way it is blessing that we don't have one!

I posted all my letters today. Yes I spend a fortune on stamps. none the less, I love snail mail. There is something about it. Its like a lost art in a way. These days email is much easier.. i guess it is when you travel that you can keep up with friends. A week has gone past and I have written a lot. it is nice to write once again.

post more later. ciao

Out there

Another day, I feel much better today. Though I still have a little sniffle. My back is not cold. So this nan has noe blanket and no hot water bottle. I thought it was supposed to be 16 today! phhhht! It looks like it is going to bucket down. Which is good for the garden and all the plants. Haven't seen a real winter like this in well over 6 years. Isnt it sad to think that some children have grown up without rain in their lives before until now. I suppose it is like those without snow too. Though there is plenty this year.. skiing is so not on my agenda, all know how un-coordinated I am. I can't even get tai chi right,

Our phone was "running hot" last night. So many phone calls. It's good to keep up with everyone. I will stop being such a hermit, I want to oust myself into the community a bit. Since I can see myself living here for a few more years yet, so I will be able to have more exhibitions. I could never afford to if I were in the city. All my money would just be poured into rent and not into art. This way Im able to save a little bit and pay for the galleries etc.

I must go back to CUSP and retrieve a painting and a copy of my proposal. I thought about having it there again but it doesn't appeal to me. I think I need to branch out into other places. I think once I have the memory stick thing for the computer I can put all my work on there and my cv so I can go round to galleries and they can just say yes or no. Perhaps a bit of cold canvasing is the order of the day,

I must say I am looking forward to dinner tonight, I making spinach and pumpkin curry with rice. Dad has re-organized the pantry so mum and I are struggling to find things in there. I know he means well. Well must potter along now.