Snooze button

I satyed up reading til about midnight. I woke up at 8am then 9am then 10am i craweled out of bed... went to maccas for our usual coffee cept on a saturday and not sunday, so I had 2 lattes and havent had any coffee since. Im getting a little bit down now.. tiredness probably coming down off a caffeine high.

I have done nothing much today. Though went shopping with mum and bought a few pieces of clothing.. this beautiful purple shirt, lovely colour on me and a 7 smacker top for the gym. Just got to get motivated to go.

I pushed myself out today. Had stayed home for a few days straight. I found another japanese author Banana Yoshimoto. I had written the title of the book on this piece of paper in my walleti dont remember how or when i wrote it there, so i googled it.
So now its on my wish list.


Dinner smells heavenly.Its just the bake beans warmed up.. yummy


ciao

Snail Pace.

The day is crawling by. Slowly and more slowly. I am waiting for the right light to take photos in. I guess i will use the light tomorrow morning. Im am going to put my felt picture up and my butterfly collagraph. I will have to get it weighed i think see what it will cost to send. Probably a lot.

I have stayed home again.. in order to save some dosh. Ive been on the net investigating a few things. I love to read other peoples blogs. Mainly i've been looking at bars.. and checking them out online. I have some some quirky some nice and others outrageously expensive. There are a few i have my eye on. I will have go check them out i think.

Im still reading that book by elizabeth jolley... its interesting the deep relationship these two women share. Though i am reading it at snail pace. I think i need to get a few more books. Library calls my name. Id better scoot.

Autumn

It will be autumn in just a few days. I welcome it with open arms. I love the way the leaves turn and the cold comes envelopes us. So the dog is sleeping with her blanket on her. I am just awake. That ginger spice cake rocks. It is that yum. I had a piece, mum said it reminded her her of something she used to buy when she was in england. Good memories.

Nicola, you would love it and its very simple to make too. Don't have to cream anything. Just add it all togther... mix and pour. I lined the tin of course. I am thinking that I will make this recipe again. If i have to cart it to the city, so be it. Its nice to go somewhere and bring something. It s better than going empty handed.

So what to do today? I think going to the gym would be on the cards. Or even if i walk down the street that is better than nothing. Well its early morning I shall write more later alligator.

vegan spice cake

VEGAN SPICE CAKE
# 1 1/2 cups flour (I used unbleached flour)
# 1 cup white sugar
# 1 tablespoon baking powder
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1 teaspoon cinnamon
# 1/2 teaspoon ginger
# 1/2 teaspoon allspice
# 1/4 teaspoon cloves
# 1/2 cup raisins
# 1 tablespoon white vinegar
# 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# 1/3 cup oil
# 1 cup ginger ale
Directions


1
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices in a mixing bowl.
2
Add vinegar, vanilla, oil, and ginger ale to the dry ingredients - stirring until just mixed.
\ 3 Fold in raisins.
4
Pour batter into a greased and floured 8x8 cake pan.
5
Bake at 180 for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.


I recommend having this with some hot custard/ even ice it with cream cheese.It would also go well with maple syrup over it too. It is very very gingery. Warm it up and put some ice cream on top of it as well.

I made this with sultanas.So i'm not sure how it will taste, i cant tell.. cause the cake is going to dad for mr redman and the other half with mum for work. So then its out of temptation. I have not touched it. It sounds like an odd recipe but its actually turns out ok. Not burnt like the lemon yoghurt cake. Well the lemon cake tasted yum just looked a little worse for wear.

I made bake beans for dinner. I never tire of this recipe. I make it once a fortnight.As it is that nice. Well i better get going now... am a bit tired had an ok day. Got some lovely photos off the camera, will take more tomorrow. Got to take some of items to put on ebay.

So that about wraps my day up.

Slowly

Slowly slowly. The cold is almost gone now. I am glad. I will go to the gym tomorrow. and cook bake beans again. They are my fav. at the moment. So autumn is upon us now. I like the cold so much better than the heat.

I have been keeping busy colouring in the wooden plates.. i will also start painting. I must find more how to guides on the internet. I will read a lot more. Got to take books back to the library.

I am looking forward to watching brat camp tonight on the abc. Its really great viewing. Anyhow... slowly slowly goes the day...

sleepish

I had a really great sleep last night. Went to bed at 11 woke up at 9. Its lovely to wake up to daylight than say 5am which i do sometimes. So I had a strong coffee.. but i think im crashing from that too. So went down the street briefly did what had to do and came home. I bought 5 dvds for the price of one. I havent seen any of these films.. they are all new to me.

So I may have to watch one today.. or tomorrow. Mum s making zucchini slice for dinner tonight. It will be yum. Mischief? Not much. Just colouring in my wooden discs. I have turned some into letters.

So what to do what to do? *Twiddles thumbs*

odd weather

Rather odd weather we are having, snow in tasmania, 40degrees up in queensland and winter days here. You would never guess that we were one country going from one extreme to the other and its supposidly summer! Yeah right!

Went to maccas for a coffee and read through the paper.

ETSY

I recommend everyone should shop on etsy. http://www.etsy.com/buy.php its a brilliant thing where everything is handmade. Very reasonable prices for everything. U get so lost for days or weeks trawling through the absolute pages and pages of hand made things from little shop fronts.

Be CAREFUL and hold on to your credit card! i KNOW youll be making a dint in it otherwise. There are so many little shops. I am promoting http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=30219 this shop this is where i got mums earrings from, she has some amazing jewellery.

Anyhow.. it is now 11pm time for bed.

nighty night.

surprise

Mum got home from the city today (she is sleeping at the moment) and i had a nice surprise... a whole lot of different teas. Green Mandarin (smells heavenly) , strawberry and vanilla, a oolong, hurro puro puro (green raspberry leaf) and apple berry. Apple berry would have to be mums fav. mine at the moment is muscat oolong. Although at the moment i am trying the strawberry and vanilla.

I didn't expect anything, it is really nice to get tea though. I have enough for a while now. Although we do go through a lot. Especially about an hour after dinner.. its always nice to sit down with a hot tea. Then have fruit before bed.Its a nice habit.

Well its almost 5pm. better get going.

Winterish

It is quite cold today. I got up and pushed myself out the door got the basic groceries shopped at aldi would you believe? I though i would go there for a change. Gee its such a busy place. I guess im talking 10 when most people do there shopping i suppose. I also went to warehouse and got some more coasters since ive been doing a nice job of the others and its not as messy as painting.. its just textas that i am using. They look really colourful and lovely. I know what i want to do.. i want to get a big canvas and start putting the same patterns onto that. It would look really amazing.

Anyhow i will take some photgraphs of them a bit later. I was awake til midnight again. Slept like a baby until about 9am. Its nice to have good sleep. Its so wintery. I liket his weather. I prefer cold over heat. It is another indoorsy day. My tea stock is depleted. Going to have to make another trip to the city perhaps next saturday.

Well im going to get my mitts on a nice hot tea..

ciao.

indoor

Such a lovely day to be indoors. I feel like baking this vegan cake i found.. using gingerale. Only thing is we don't have much sugar and i just cannot get motivated to go down to the shops. I feel like curling up and sleeping some more. However, i had a good 12hour sleep last night. I was that tired. I feel like my cold is going which is really great. I need this day of full rest. I have coloured some coasters with textas they look ok. Im not sure what ill do with them yet, keep them for a little while.

Not a lot else has happened today. Dad had an adventure fell asleep at the train station and woke up two hours later oopps. luckyhe never fell asleep on the train heading back to here.. or else he would have ended up in the city. Could visit mum then!

I am making spinach and feta pie for dinner tonight from donna hay instant cook book.
Well I better go start as it takes an hour to cook.


ciao

San churos

took tammy to san churos. Spanish doughnut place. It was really all too filling. I had some churos with chocolate. I wasnt feeling too well still.. sniffling here and there.. sore throat... i was so scatty and so not in the right frame of mind to sit and chat.I learnt a lot. Tammy is a great friend, she has changed a bit. Travel has really done her well. Wondered down brunswick st, just taking in some of the sights. Some cafes have lasted others shut down.

Last night was really great,met up with catherine and had nice cup of tea. I enjoyed pjharvey concert. Her voice is just lovely. All the instruments she plays, quite accomplished in that sense. AMAZING. The acoustics were really good. So it was worth going cold and all.

I go up at 5am couldnt sleep past that. Was out like a light and slept like a baby as snug as a bug. I got up and had breakfast then left and caught the first train home. It was raining a lot, and is a fairly cold day.Im indoors and very very tired. I cant go to sleep til at least 9om.



So what to do now.? Well im going to put dinner on shortly.

PJ

Yay! Im off to the city in a few hours. Although I am far from 100% I have to go and thats that. I look forward to taking tammy to a few spots that she has not been to yet. I am tired and a bit worse for wear but push on, i must. Maybe i will sleep on the train... maybe not i dont want to end up in geelong now do i? NOPERS.

Im wearing my shoes they are tricky to put on. It took me atleast 20minutes. So now Im ready to go however i have a few hours here at home. So i just want to curl up and go to sleep. Im forcing myself to have coffees. Ive got to buy some lozengers as well. That will help with my tickly throat.

I am going to attempt to read the elzabeth jolly books on the way to the city... see how i go. Well Im ready for a nap i know its only 10am though...

so ciao for now,

shoe

I got some new shoes today as cute as they are.. someone else has to do them up... i chose wrongly. Anyhow.. its my fault..just means ill get mum to do them up before she goes to work tomorrow. I like them they look really nice with just an itsy bitsy heel and lots of grip. They look nice on my feet. I had to go a size down than normal.

Now tomorrow. I already know what i am going to wear. Comfortable clothes. I need to find a book to read, perhaps i'll try dads room for a music book, or some biography.
I am tired but it is almost four c clock if i have a nap now ill not sleep tonight.
So i have had a coffee Im waiting for it to kick in.

I am not 100% well. Oh well.U get that sometimes don't you? I only wizzed round to the shoe store. Got them in a hurry.

blister

Once again i tried to wear my burkies in... so now im sporting yet another blister the size of texas on my right foot. Damn it. So tomorrow Im off to morwell to find me a pair of shoes that will have to be instantly comfortable or i won't buy them. I have lots of cheap shoes.. which need a bit more grip on them. CRISIS.

Or i can wear my brown comfy shoes, at the moment i have to opt for my sneakers and socks. I have been really bad with weight management lately. I guess i will have put on a little not lost any. I cant afford to pay for the gym until thursday. I have spent a lot this fortnight mainly on postage. Things that i had to send.

Well at least i went walking today. I walked down the street. I feel a little unwell tonight.. so ive taken some panadol and im gonna see if its just a 24hour bug. I think it might be. though my throat is very sore too.

Well enough about me and my ailments. I am a tad tired. Think i will turn in,

simple sunday

Simple sunday.. no i didnt paint. I have been checking how to describe things off ebay. See if i can get the wording right, I am going to take photos of some of mums old beautiful kaftans and some things of mine. I hope that i will have all the photographs done. Im trawling through prices and trying to get a feel for things.

I have had a slack week. So im going to amp up the the exersize and lessen my bread intake etc. I want to lose some weight but the way i have been going about it lately no end in site. So its up to me to change.

Anyhow... simple sunday and we went for a coffee to maccas.. they know what mum likes now. well at least one lady does. I like my latte. I hope to walk more too. I bought some turps. so im all set to start painting.

Well im looking forward to seeing tammy on wednesday and seeing pj harvey.

signing out for now.

Art work

I recommend you see this guys art work" http://www.artofandrewdaniel.com/ absolutely stunning work he does i stumbled across his work the other day. Im thinking of doing a few pasley patterns myself. I am actually picking up the brushes tomorrow for sure.

Tale

Today I didnt got to the city.. trying to save some money so i can have a nice day in the big smoke on wednesday. I made the bake beans the other day.. donna hay recipe.. they turn out so well. Its going to be a fornightly dish. Its is so helathy for you. All the different type of beans its enough to feed 6 i think. If served with bread then it will be enough to serve 8. It would be nice with a glass of red too.

Mum said "dont ever throw the cake out. let us taste it first" due to it been a bit dark on the outside... its beautifully textured. So she cut it for aunty anna and some left for dad. I am go0ing to see if i can work out how to use ebay. Cause I am a bit clueless! I will photograph everything on a white sheet. Especailly the kaftans. They are so beautiful. I wore one to my friends end of school celebration in yr 12.

I had a big clean up of art supplies today.. do you know how much i have? Absolutely tonnes of it! Inside and out. So i sifted through it... finding some gems.. and flinging the crap. I got a bit carried away with buying stuff. So now I will sit and sift through my paints. Get rid of the old old ones.

It is a lovely day today. the sun is out..there is a nice breeze.. went for a coffee.
Well i shall get going now.

DIsaster

Where did i go wrong? The recipe required only 30minutes to cook.. i made double so i timed it double... WRONG. It wasnt cooked even with double the mixture. I suppose i should have split it into two pans then it would have cooked a bit better. The cake inside tastes amazing.. almost lemon cheescake ish.. but the outside... the crusty/ burnt exterior just made it look unpresentable. I will try this recipe again but split it into two tins. Mayb then it will cook better. Shame. Cant give that to mum at work its simply not presentable.

I couldnt sleep until about 1am this morning... now im so tired... i am thinking of a nana nap.. i know dad will not be happy if i do that. Its my fault that my eyes are at half mast.. and reading blogs on the internet doesnt help either... so now what?

Well lets see... sleep sleep and more sleep.

anyhow. have a great day.

insomnia

Having a bit of a hard time sleeping lately... perhaps i need to get everything out of my head. how? Im not sure. I was bawling over some of the ,music on the radio. Guesss its a mushy day for the rest of you.

see if i can sleep now

Tip Toe

Today I have forced myself out of the house again. Cept this time It was in aid of buying some beans to create dinner with. I just forgot all about the washing better hang it out before dad comes home or else he wont like that.

Washing is hung out now. No worries about that. I have been looking at etsy... again. I scroll through all the things.. some of them are really beautiful... most start with an idea i guess. I am going to make that lemon cake tomorrow. I got all the stuff for it. take it to mums work for her morning tea.

I started my art journal the other day.. i haven't done any of that in the past few days. Although I am itching to paint again. I will go to the cheap shoe place and get some ballet flats or something. Although i want the i love billy shoes. Shall see.

So i should go to the gym. I think i will pay it next thursday.. when my account is a bit healthier! Welpers... i better go now.

Chitter Chatter

Today I am ok. A bit better than the past few days, I had slid into a bit of a downer. Im slowly pulling myself together. It is national sorry day today. The speech that our primeminister gave. Well written.

Anyhow. Its funny that I was talking to m um telling her how i like the name adele... and then nicola sent a parcel with a cd called adele. I will have to listen to it this afternoon. I read some of the lyrics, which seem lovely.

Today I have a few things i have to do down the street. Like tattslotto ticket! You never know when your luck has got to turn. Also posting off a few parcels etc. I have started an art journal... which i think is a great thing. I will fill it with ideas and other things.

Anyhow. I will go and read now.

Better

Feeling a bit better today. No i have not made that lemon cake yet. I will tomorrow. Whenever I watch so you think you can dance australia i end up crying.. so did mum. Ive never known dance to move me so much. It really is a great show. Perhaps i should go see some. Plays don't interest me, i can sit through them but not very well.

I hope to go to the gym today. I am still thinking about it. I should go as i have a parcel to send to my sister,it's gonna cost me a fortune to send, i just know it. I guess if you add up the discounts we got then you really add them on to the freight cost.

We are having pizza for tea.. tomorrow night i am making the three baked beans. Just need to go to the super market and grab the essentials. At the moment i am sipping earl grey tea.

I cant understand this one company trying to shift out the library. to a new monster of a buliding... but then if they do do that... they will be having to close a lot of the shops there. My fav pasta place.. the pizza shop.. the pet store.. and a few other shops. Why, if it aint broke don't fix it! All in the name of this one company/ medical centres greed. I hate that. That is my say on the matter, MOe gets the dregs of council money and its not fair.Taralgon and Morwell get everything.

Anyhow. That is my gripe today.

midnight

Its almost midnight. I watched the so you can think you can dance australia...I burst into tears.. thinking about things... thinking that dancing is great. In my head... i was trying to hold back tears for some of the things that were said... so beautiful yet heartwrenching at the same time.

Also I was partly crying over a few dates that i had a few years ago. I wounder now.. if i could just change those learning curbs how different my life would be today. I regret a lot.. but that is ok. I let it go. Well some of it. So where do i start?

i LOVE THE WAY the light falls on the canvas in the morning, i like the sound of birds. I love the way the dog sleeps in the sun no matter what the temperature. I just lik these things. Sand throuh the hands mainly. To top it off its valentines day this week. Yet another year passes by... i havent put myself out there very much though.

So I jump headfirst in the pool. Whack. I miss swimming so very very much. I feel i dont look a treat in my bather. Well hung ups i have,


bla bla bla


goodnight all

ciao

much love
albell

Beautiful

I made some beautiful pastry yesterday.. for the flan. That is about the only thing that is good about the flan... the rest was a total disaster. I will so make that pastry again.. it was really odd it needed an egg in it and i thought.. oh dear. but it worked out smashingly.

I used up all of dads tomatoes which is also good. I bought some basil.. i had pasta for lunch, with some basil and olivey sauce.So im all set until dinner time. I got thinking, I was just in a day dream type state thinking about things in my past... like meeting Minoru and how carefree I used to be. I am watching that film Serendipity.. its making me a little sad. about things and events , How much i used to leave things up to fate. I have not cried like this in absolute ages.

STupid films.

Tomorrow I am going to make Lemon Yoghurt Cake..from good taste magazine.:
recipe is as follows
1 lemon
100g butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
160 yoghurt
175g self raising flour

Method.
preheat oven to 180c Grease pan.
1 finely grate lemn rind and juice the fruit add in lemon rind and juice the fruit. Ass in lemon juice and use beaters to mix together butter and sugar until creamy.
2 Add eggs one at a time add youghurt and stir until combined.
3 Gently fold in flour with a spoon until combined.
4spoon mixture into pan and make a smooth surface.
Bake 20-25 minutes and remove and place on a wire rack...
4 to make syrup use 50g of sugar and 2tablespoons of lemon juice in sauce pan until sugar has disolved bring to boil then stir over low heat pour of warm cake and cool in pan.

So the recipe should work. I will give it a go and see how it turns out.

take care out there
love
albell.

Soup

Here we have ample amount of tomatoes due to 3 plants.. just churning them out like there is no tomorrow. So first up i said what can i do? I made roast tomato soup:Its from Donna Hay and it tastes so yummy. (i only put a little bit of the garlic in with it not the whole head)

Roast Tomato Soup
12 large vine ripe tomatoes, halved (2kg/4lb)
I head of garlic, whole and inpeeled
2 tablespoons of olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
3cups of stock
2-3 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 180(350f) Place tomatoes and garlic onto two baking traqys lined withnon stick baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40minutes pr until very soft. Allow to cool slightly. Squeeze garlic flesh from its skin in a blender and process om a blend with tomatoes and any juice from the baking trays in two batches until smooth.
Cook the tomato mixture,stock and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for six minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve, ladle into bowls or mugs. Serves3-4 people.


Now this soup is so lovely, summer or winter. Love it. I also made a tomato tart.. its quite rich and you only need a small slice of it. The pastry i made is really lovely... buttery and nice. I know i must curb my cooking sweet things. I had a lovely drink last night of cointreau lime soda... man i love that drink its my favourite.

Its early sunday morning and im up. As per usual. I have had two cups of english breakfast tea.. and am feeling ok. Not wired for sound yet. Over the past few nights i have spent just talking to friends really late. Which means i cant remember much in the morning probably cause im half spaced out on sleeping pills.

Well a new day a new way.

Must go make some breakfast... later alligators.


albell

Paper

I am going to paint a little today: so on with the show.

go go go.

Slips BY

Yet another day has slipped by. Although I went out today.. looked at the shoe store.. got some stuff to make dinner with...thought i had everything... only to realise no plain flour in the house.... and i needed that to make the pastry shell cant use self raising. Stupid me. So i will go out and buy some tomorrow.

Im such a silly billy at times. It should be a nice flan full of dads tomatoes... full of bocconici and a bit of basil. So hell yes i shall make it. Im not going to the city tomorrow with mum I am staying home. I will make roast tomato soup and the flan.

Let me see now: I may even dabble and make the lemon yoghurt cake too. We shall see about that.


anyhow im a bit brighter today, a bit more positive.


take care out there


love ally.

Few days

The past few days have flown by. I have not done very much though... been a little down. I have been indulging in reading though. That takes the days away. I am a little house bound.. or i have been feeling that way lately.

well i'll write more tomorrow.

Pancakes

Its a pancake evening. I made banana pancakes...which we had with banana, icecream and maple syrup. Just delicious. Dad asked if there was anymore... of course was more... lol man so he polished off the rest of them... rare for dad. I guess banana is about the only fruit dad eats.





Well.. its late i need sleepies.


much love ally

quote

"The previously unloved may find it hard to believe that they are now loved; that is such a miracle, they feel such a miracle" *Alexander McCall Smith.

I am learning heaps and heaps, every day i am learning more. Im going to the sewing class next week. I have borrowed some watercolour books from the library.. so I can larn how to use them. Though im more of a hands on person and learn more from observing. Oh well its my fault for not sticking to the art course.. right? RIGHT you are.

What else? Im golly well tired today. Maybe these midnight evenings are doing me no good. I think im going to enjoy so you think you can dance australia. Think its another show i'll be addicted to.

Hmm well.. I better get me to sort out my paints... im putting them into louises old nail kit..thing. Keep all my pencils and charchol and pastels.


welpers on with the show.!

Morning tea

Morning tea at mackers on sunday has become a bit of a ritual.. even if it is just 4 of us sitting there sipping lattes until the cows come home and readng bits and pieces of the paper. Aunty Anna joins us... so did bradley and uncle henry. Really nice to sit down and just chat.

Anyhow it was annoucned today that my sisters wedding will be on the 18th of october... so i have to get serious about losing weight... i want to be a size 18 by then... that is do able, me thinks. me knows. it is. Im back into some of my size 22 clothes. Im holding out... i get weighed this week.

So hit the gym tomorrow going to see if i can go 4 days a week now.. and try to walk everywhere. Anyhow.. time for me to hit the hay...


night night

shoes glorious shoes

My goodness.. took a trip to taralgon... mum came home with 2 pairs of shoes... me with none. I got another installment of ladies detective agency. Cant wait to read it. Though im trying to manage about 4books at the moment. *sighs* I havent read this much in ages. Mum went a bit crazy on the shoe side of things. I resisted... the one i tried on they had no half sizes.. so i went without,oh well i have new burkies so im happy.. i managed to fix up how tight they were on my tootsies. Im breaking them in slowly.

Its good to read though. Scott was recommending me a book! SHOCK! he barely reads! So he can change his spots! Well lets see now. I have been looking on ebay at things.. lucky i cant pay or dont know how to use it.. although ive been thinking of putting some art on there. Im not sure.

Im looking at etsy.. i like the hand made touch to things.. oh well. I have got enough ingred. to make a lemon yoghurt cake.. i will make it for mum or something during the week. The recipe is really really simple. Mum is right that food should be simple to make.. the simpler the better. Mum is an amazing cook.. she barely follows recipes... its all in her head. Me im a recipe person.

Anyhow better go now. Start the next book to ladies detective....