Missives Anonymous

2009-10-10T07:24:00.002+10:00

UrbanMAX
We're off to do UrbanMAX this year. (I heard about it from Kris last year.) It's sort of like doing The Amazing Race except just in our city. We have recruited a couple of people after our glowing tales from the last time. Hopefully we don't get too sunburned. This is a little photo of us kayaking in shark-infested waters (aka the Brisbane River) last year.

2009-10-04T17:46:00.002+10:00

Making Coffee
Two weeks ago, I noticed that the coffee tree out back was filled with bright red cherries. After a little bit of online research, I thought it might be fun to give homemade coffee processing a try. (In hindsight, "fun" is not the word I would actually use anymore.)

You can see each stage of the process in my Flickr set. My thumbs are raw from taking off the parchment this afternoon. I hope to roast next weekend.

2009-09-21T16:18:00.002+10:00

Links for Later? Yes, Please
♥ Mouse: Pretty photos, lovely handmade things. Will have to look through archives later!

♥ Kay Loves Vintage: Jealousy-inducing photos and inspirational ideas. And proof that Aussie IKEA is completely missing out on the good stuff.

♥ Handmade Typography Flickr Group

♥ Start to Draw Your Life & 75 Ways to Draw More

2009-09-13T14:38:00.002+10:00

I shot two photos in RAW the other day. First time. I hate life now. It's like Paris Hilton getting to release an album. Talent optional. That is all.

2009-09-03T20:52:00.002+10:00

The Goat Rescue Story
For those who haven't seen my story on Facebook...

One cold and rainy winter morning, the horses in the paddock next door were racing around playfully.

From the middle of the horse stampede came the cries of a little lost goat named Penelope. She could not find her mama and was very sad.

Our hero jumped the fence and carried her through the paddock back to the herd.

We like to think Penelope's mama was very grateful that we sacrificed getting to work on time in order to save her kid. The End.

2009-09-01T12:46:00.003+10:00

Links for Later
Time to restart Firefox clean, but I've been hanging on to a dozen tabs I keep thinking I'm going to look at later.

Photos
♦ Ruby Slipper Bride: South African Wedding Photographer
♦ Once Wed: Another pretty wedding photography place

Food
♦ Scrumptious Banana Cake Recipe: I may have posted this before, but this one is SO yummy and SO easy.
♦ Recipe Girl: Recipes including how to make adorable marzipan carrots.
♦ Urbanspoon: Restaurant guide
♦ Sugar Snap Pea Soup with Parmesan Cream: from my hero Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Craft
♦ The Handmade Expo: Ipswich crafty show blog
♦ My Paper Crane: Super-fun, crafty person's blog
♦ Tubby Paws: Cute papercraft

Other
♦ Mimicking Birds: Good music. Free downloads.

2009-08-29T13:14:00.002+10:00

No. No, I Didn't.
Thesaurus.dictionary.com thought I was looking for something else:

Like we don't have big enough complexes from childhood as it is...

Move in the Right Direction
I've sort of got it in my head that I want to move everything over to my own domain. But I can't for the life of me think of anything that summarizes me enough to want it to be the domain. So I'm stuck.

2009-08-17T15:45:00.003+10:00

Live and Learn
So next time we go away for two months, I'm going to throw away all the food in the pantry BEFORE we leave. That will save me the trouble of doing so when I get home. Mmm, yeah. We had some uninvited housesitters. Nasty.

2009-07-22T04:51:00.002+10:00

We're the Kids in America... Woah
The roadtrip was great fun. Since then we've been taking it easy in NW Iowa. The sweet corn season is just starting, and let me tell you, you haven't had sweet corn until you've had it fresh-picked that morning from an Iowa cornfield. It's like candy.

But now my friends from Des Moines have come up to see us, so we must go drink some more coffee.

With the Woolly Mammoth in Indianapolis

2009-07-12T04:56:00.002+10:00

Music City
We made it to Nashville after a week-long roadtrip via Des Moines, Iowa City, and Indianapolis. It has been weird making it a leisurely drive. Normally, I would have been on a mission to get from one home to the other and would only stop for gas. Now we have the liberty to pull over and see anything that piques our interest. It's good.

I've got so many photos to upload, but I don't think that will happen until we get back to AU. Eeep. I should have brought my own laptop along.

2009-06-27T14:25:00.004+10:00

So Much To Do, So Little Time
We're in Florida hanging with friends who are more like family... if our family was a bit dysfunctional. (I know she'll object to that statement, but all I'm going to do is mention "frogs"... and I rest my case.)

A year and a half of multiple longings have been quenched since we got here. We've had Chick'n Minis for breakfast two days in a row. We've had numerous Starbucks coffees. (Not the greatest coffee in the world, no. But it's like a comfort beverage to me.)

Another highlight was going to Anthropologie, a favourite of mine since forever. I got a frame, a little bird thingie, and an apron.

Tomorrow we might even get to see NASA's rocket launch depending what's happening. Cool, eh?

2009-06-15T13:15:00.003+10:00

Things I Have Done in America
♥ Seen my family.
♥ Eaten at Baja Fresh, McDonald's (the new Southern chicken sandwich is their answer to Chik-fil-A, yum!) and Pizza Ranch.
♥ Seen Up... twice. (It comes out in AU in September.)
♥ Shopped at Super Target, and super it was. Overwhelmed by all the selections. We may have jumpstarted the economy with all our purchases.
♥ Bought Advil by the hundreds. (They only come in packets up to 20 in AU, not in bottles of 150.)
♥ Plugged in appliances without having to check if the outlet was on.
♥ Drank Dr. Pepper and root beer!
♥ Walked home from the movies at 9:30pm while the sun was still setting.

The Trip
We left our house at 8:30 on Friday morning. We flew via Auckland to LA with a fair amount of turbulence. It was nice to know that when you're sleeping, you just sort of rock with it. It's much less alarming than when you're awake and gripping the armrests with white knuckles.

We were delayed in LA due to thunderstorms in Denver. And then we were delayed again there, because our plane had a mechanical problem they wanted to double-check. Yes, please go ahead and take your time quadruple-checking that, thanks. By the time we got to the hotel in Omaha, I believe we had been gone for 36 hours. Blergh!

I've had jetlag worse than ever before. I'm not sleeping at night and feel like poo all day. Tonight I'm taking a sleeping pill if I'm not down in an hour.

2009-06-11T21:20:00.003+10:00

Oh Honey Mustard
I've been a member of Vibe Village for almost a year now. In that time I've tried some fun products, but last weekend I got to host a party that featured some Masterfoods Family Favourites sauces with a bonus Glade Scented Oil Candle.

We had Tuscan Meatballs, Honey Mustard Chicken, Beef Stroganoff & Cheesy Potato Bake, and they were all pretty darn good. I've never met a potato bake I didn't like, so that was a given. But my favourite was definitely the Honey Mustard Chicken. The recipe on the packet was SO EASY and would be something I could throw together after work. It only requires chicken cutlets, sliced mushrooms, 100 ml pouring cream, and the sauce base. Yum.

Anyway, I took some photos of the night and thought I'd upload them as I'm clearing off my memory sticks.

2009-06-08T19:32:00.003+10:00

Queens Park on Queen's Birthday
After reading about all the get-togethers of the Sydney American Expats, I thought I should mention that we've got a few in Brisbane, and we know how to have fun too! So today we had three Americans and a Kiwi celebrating the Queen's Birthday at Queens Park.

We joined Brisbane-newcomers Nat & Chrissi at the Nature Centre to have a stroll through the animal enclosures. I must say that the more times I visit, the more I'm starting to love those ugly emus.

We had afternoon tea at the cafe and saw the resident cockatoo Cocky. He can dance and say "scratch my head", and he made a friend in Chrissi when she did just that. I believe I snapped this photo just before he attacked my camera and gave me a fright.

It was a beautiful day and lots of fun hanging with some American peeps who share a lot in common with us. We leave Friday on a mission to partake in white cheese dip in remembrance of them.

Money, Money, Money... Must Be Funny
Last night we pulled out The Money Drawer. We throw all of our loose change into a drawer at the end of the day. We've been accumulating for years, only taking out the gold coins when we're desperate. I've been worried about losing the bottom of the drawer, because it was so heavy it could hardly be pulled out anymore.

At our bank, they want you to count out the coins and put them into bags before you bring them in. So we watched Wipeout and sorted coins until we ran out of bags. What you see below is $1000 in $1, $2 or 50¢ coins. One THOUSAND dollars. In CHANGE. That was sitting in a drawer in our house.

And that's not even all of it. We have a ton more $1 coins. And then there's all of the 20¢, 10¢, & 5¢ coins to go. I'd bet there's at least another $500 at least. I feel a bit like someone with a mattress full of cash, but it's a nice little stash to deposit right before we go on holidays!

2009-06-04T20:55:00.002+10:00

Through the Looking Glass
This past weekend after launching a new CD on Thursday night, we took off for a little anniversary getaway. We headed up the coast on Friday and spent three nights at Glass on Glasshouse. I found that place when looking for accommodation over Easter break and thought it would make a good romantic destination. It really was perfect.

The place is ultra-modern and two full walls are glass. (Do not worry, there are blinds.) Polished wood floors, leather lounge, huge spa bath, king-size bed, media system, and views to blow your mind.

There was a covered porch with a dining table and electric grill. Below is the view coming down the path towards the "pod".

Just inside is the living room. We watched both "Bridget Jones" movies and then the Lord of the Rings trilogy -- director's cuts. Eeeep! The couch had a fold out bed, which we pulled out a couple of the nights when it was getting hard to sit and keep watching.

There was a small desk where Hanslset up for a while. He was doing music, and I was on the couch backing up all my photos. Aren't we the geeky couple? But I don't know how he got any work done with a view like that. (And yes, Manda, those are my Spongebob slippers in the bag.)

Next to the television was the ethanol fireplace which was double-sided and could also be seen through a glass panel from the spa.

The giant spa bath filled from the ceiling. It seemed like a really cool and romantic idea, but to prevent it from splashing all over the whole room, it couldn't be on much more than a dribble until it was half-full.

Also modern and cool was the bathroom sink with water coming out of the mirror. It looked so zen, but as I've mentioned elsewhere, it was a bit gross while brushing teeth. I don't particularly enjoy watching my spittle traveling across the porcelain square into the moat at the front and floating around to the drain in back.

Comfortable bed and more great views. Several kangaroos would tend to hang out outside the windows on this side. The last night we slept with the blinds open and woke up to the glorious sunshine.

I drew a quick, not-exactly-do-scale floorplan one afternoon while we were there. You can click through to flickr to see the notes explaining what each area is.

I took along my anniversary flower that I got on Wednesday, because I wanted to enjoy it while it was still in its prime. I had it setting on the edge of the spa so that I could see it from the sofa. One morning we had the blinds down while we watched movies, but the sunlight came through one crack and made the flower glow. I didn't even notice the reflection until after I looked back at the photos.

Other highlights from the trip:
♥ Italian pasta lunch on Saturday at the fabulous discovery Cappriccio's in Maleny. (We even tried to go back to try the pizza on Monday before we left the area, but unfortunately they were closed. We'll be back!)

♥ Going for a Sunday bushwalk on the Glass House Mountain Lookout Track.

♥ Spending several hours strolling through Maleny on Monday before we came back home. My souvenir was a silk pillowcase from Maleny Additions. (Three days later my skin and hair are instant perfection... well, maybe not yet.)

2009-05-27T10:21:00.003+10:00

Three Years and Counting...
It's so hard to believe we were married three years ago. In some ways, it feels like it has been forever, and in other ways, it feels like just yesterday. I think we're just lucky that we remembered our anniversary at all. I guess neither of us are super-sentimental in that regard.

He slipped an orange gerbera onto my desk when I wasn't looking this morning. And we're going for a little tapas lunch at Simpatico today. Then on Friday we head to our little getaway for a long weekend. We're staying at Glass on Glasshouse. It looks absolutely perfect and peaceful. I'll let you know!

2009-05-23T21:53:00.002+10:00

Survey Says...
Last July, I wrote about this survey place I found called PureProfile. I signed up and have been slowly ticking up the cash in 10-cent intervals. (Actually for a survey, I usually get $2.)

The reason I mention it again is just because the other day I took a survey about plastic shopping bags. And then on Friday I happened to see the results of the survey written up in an article in the Courier Mail.

"The survey found that 83 per cent of Australians want a national ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags, while 79 per cent of respondents want electronic waste to be barred from landfills."

Look at me contributing! So yeah, it's been interesting, and I've made an easy $60 so far. If you want to sign up, you can use my referral number to show some love. :)

2009-05-16T13:14:00.002+10:00

Everyone Makes Mistakes
I'm not always the master genius of spelling and punctuation, but I'm still recovering from the heart attack I had when I saw this birthday card at Officeworks the other day:

I've only ever taken about three photos with my phone due to the poor quality, but this situation warranted an exception.

2009-05-08T21:11:00.003+10:00

Hometown Tourist
Recently my brother-in-law asked if we were going to do any sight-seeing while we're in the States. My immediate response could have been perceived as abruptly in the negative.

He seemed a little offended that we didn't intend to do so. And I felt a little offended that he would even suggest that the point of our trip be anything but to catch up with family and friends.

I mean, my younger nephew just graduated from PRESCHOOL. He was barely walking when I moved here. I have serious catching up to do. I want to sleep in my old room. I want to eat my grandma's cooking. I want to keep my best friend company on her drive home from work every day. THAT, my dear brother-in-law, was the point of the trip.

But... that was until I saw this article about Captain Kirk's future birthplace being in Iowa. I wouldn't begin to consider myself a Trekkie, but how awesome would it be to say we'd been there, done that, and bought the keychain.

This got me thinking about the other campy roadside attractions around northwest Iowa where I could drag my dear husband. RoadsideAmerica.com has been a goldmine of places I've been or heard of plus a bunch that are completely new to me. So we may need to work these into our itinerary:
* The Grotto of the Redemption: West Bend, IA
* The National Music Museum: Vermillion, SD
* 1880 Town: Murdo, SD
* The Buddy Holly Crash Site: Clear Lake, IA
* The Alpine Inn: Omaha, NE (eat with the raccoons)
* The Corn Palace: Mitchell, SD
* The Amana Colonies: Amana, IA

Another little joy I discovered? The Western Iowa Wine Trail. Wine! In Iowa! Growing up in a teetotaler household, I had no idea. I'm definitely anxious to find out what the great corn state is doing for vinoculture.

We might have a little more to fit in during this trip than I originally thought!

2009-05-01T14:41:00.003+10:00

Lost in Translation
woop woop (whup whup)
n. the middle of nowhere
"They're going out to Woop Woop for a camping weekend."

I think this is my first Lost in Translation for the year, and it's probably because the Australian slang is becoming so familiar to me. (One might say TOO familiar.) I used "woop woop" in conversation today, and my colleague didn't blink an eye even though I felt quite proud of myself.

He then asked what the American equivalent would be, and I can't even think of one! Is there one? All I can think of is a rather rude acronym involving Egypt, but I feel like there IS a common one out there that I'd use in front of my mother. Help me, people!

2009-05-01T12:47:00.002+10:00

Maps Schmaps
My photo of the Chinese lanterns at the Chinese New Year celebration got used in the Street Parties section of the Brisbane Schmap guide:

Cool... I guess?

2009-04-29T19:32:00.003+10:00

A Travel Journal Reflection
The other day when I wrote about hanging my bulletin boards, I mentioned a "couple" crafty projects but then only talked about the one.

The other crafty project I'm working on is a travel journal for our upcoming trip to the States. I made one for our last trip back home in 2006 after seeing a lot of examples on websites that brilliant craftspeople had created. I especially liked the idea of taking an old book and refunctioning it for use as a journal.

In particular, I was completely inspired by these three journal/sketchbooks (Paris, Italy, Provence) by a lovely lady named Jan. She even replied to my inquisitive email and gave me some tips on how to rebind my own.

I picked up a book at the Lifeline Bookfest called This is Your America. It's navy blue and has the capital building embossed on the front cover. I thought it would be perfect to pull apart for this project.

I pulled out the book I did the last time to recall what papers I used and how I put it all together. And while I had it off the shelf, I took photos of the pages. There were quite a few blanks that I thought I would go back and fill when I got back. I added a few, but I'm definitely going to be more proactive in using it along the way this time!

See the full set here.

2009-04-26T19:38:00.003+10:00

Welcome to the Neighbourhood
We have some new neighbours. I'll give you a cute, little hint.

Not just one. No, more like 13 and possibly more. Here's a small sampling:

I kinda love these stinky little goats. One was extremely pregnant, so I expect we'll be seeing a little one soon. Frida seemed a bit skeptical. She was ready to defend our jasmine with a peck on the nose if need be.

(P.S. Feel better, Tash!)

2009-04-19T15:44:00.005+10:00

Crafty
I've had a couple of projects set aside that I finally took action on this week. I've been wanting a bulletin board in the kitchen for quite a while for two reasons. One is for the obvious use of tacking up notes and photos. The other is to showcase my pins.

Back when I was on the road, I tried to get a lapel pin from every area where we stopped and put it on my backpack which went everywhere I did. Some were the touristy type which said specifically where they came from, and others were a bit more generic. But each one invoked a memory.

I have picked up a few so far over the last few years, so I thought the cork boards would be a good place for them. I originally wanted to get the cork trivets from Ikea, but I found these at Bunnings. They fit perfectly between the picture rail and the top edge of the kitchen nook, so I settled. I gave them a light mist of white spray paint, but I may go over them again to make them a little more even toned and whiter.

Now I just have to find the rest of my pins. Hmm...

Pain in the Neck
Two days ago I woke up with a horrible pain in my neck. I don't know if I just slept wrong or if the new chilly weather at night cramped me up, but I haven't been able to turn my head for two days. I'm starting to feel kind of silly. Any of my chiropractor and/or massage therapist friends out there have any advice?

The Bitchin' Kitchen
This weekend I dove into my latest Donna Hay Magazine, and we have been eating like royalty. Friday night we had the slow-roasted chicken pictured below. I put my version of the recipe up at TastyPlanner. Seriously, this one was SO easy and SO delicious. The aroma will start to kill you with hunger about 35 minutes into baking. I wanted to go sit in the kitchen for the next hour just to SMELL it!

We had the Puffed Cheese Omlette (below) yesterday along with toast and yummy maple baked beans. This morning we had Creamy Scrambled Eggs with leftover beans. Yum! And tonight we're having the Sage & Cauliflower Risotto.

I don't mind being domestic when it involves food.

2009-04-06T11:14:00.003+10:00

Linky Links and Pretty Things
I click on one link from a Twitter feed, and now I've got so many windows open of pretty places that I don't have time to explore. Oh Mondays!

♥ Bluebird & Trees Carafe by Shinzi Katoh: it all started at 3 Potato 4. I love Shinzi Katoh.

♥ Kikki K Easter Sale: voucher or coupon code at link. Hmm, 20% off means I can buy 20% more, right?

♥ Misha Lulu Blog: lots of pretty finds and interesting links.

♥ Design Crush: Seriously, link overload and so pretty. Particularly loving the Printable Mailing Label tip and the Design*Sponge DIY tax receipt holder.

♥ Creature Comforts: Turns out I love the whole site that the mailing labels came from.

♥ Black Eiffel: Another. I don't have time for all this greatness.

It's time to WORK, people. Work.