Missives Anonymous

2011-01-14T16:57:00.001+10:00

Weathered

We're safe. We're tired. We're about half a block from where the river peaked.

2010-10-08T18:19:00.003+10:00

Hit It
My mind has just been blown. Every now and then, it becomes so apparent that my husband and I are from different worlds.

I cannot believe I just introduced him to Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. Even if you don't know the names, you know the songs, right? (Unless you grew up in Australia, I guess.)

2010-10-03T16:22:00.000+10:00

Kitchy
Ahh, remember when I thought I was recommitting to blogging more regularly? Well, my life has changed dramatically since then, and I can no longer commit to that:

5-Year Ausiversary
As of last week, I have been in Brisbane for five years. FIVE. YEARS. I believe that this takes the record as the longest I've been in any one spot since high school.

I've found it a bit funny as I've tried to reflect back to my feelings at the time. I was in love and excited about the adventurous possibilities. I couldn't wait to explore and settle in and pick up the accent. I looked forward to warmth and tropical weather and ocean and kangaroos. I couldn't wait to be with my future husband and his family and make friends who might find me to be as exotic as I found him in America.

Wow, I could hardly have been more disillusioned, and culture shock is a real b*tch.

[NOTE: That's the extent of what I've had saved in draft for over a week now. I was going to try and elaborate a little more on how things have changed, but I don't really know what to say. Things here are good. I am pretty much enjoying myself daily.]

(Us at the beach on the Sunshine Coast. There's also a cute photo of me & Tash from the same day here.) :)

2010-09-22T15:20:00.001+10:00

Impressed
Dear PressingLetters.com, how you distract me. In my dreams, I have the ability to make my own beautiful letterpress creations. In reality, I just need to read you more often. Love, Danielle

Everywhere Anemones
While looking for a photos of anemones, I came across this anemone light fixture, which I think might be really amazing in the right space. I, however, do not have any such space, but a girl can dream.

Edited to add a photo of my own anemones against my photoshopped wall color, because my real wall color makes me sad in my heart:

Wishes
I'm pretty much in love with these Merimekko Lettinauha Tights. There's also these ASOS Heart Suspender Sheer Tights -- and while they're a little saucy if you're wearing them with a mini, I'd like them as my own little secret with my longer skirts.

And what's new socks without new shoes... I think I'd like these cute little numbers. I am such a sucker for shoes that tie with ribbons.

2010-09-20T14:43:00.003+10:00

Recent Discoveries
♥ Smaggle - Inspiring good style and great living.

♥ Lushlee - Ooo, she links to beautiful things. Like Cabbages and Roses... I need a bigger wardrobe!

I'm having an exceptionally bad Monday, so I think I might tuck into the archives of those two for a while!

2010-09-14T11:49:00.004+10:00

Happy Blogiversary to Me?
Last night I was finally changing my wall calendar over to September. (Hey, that's my life lately.) And I realized that I missed my blogiversary. I don't know if this past year should really count, and I haven't been very committed to it... but here's to 9 years.

That's sort of part of my secret from the last post. I have a domain that I'm not using. I'm planning on packing up shop here at some point and starting up over there. But life is happening, and I'm obviously in no rush.

Back to Life, Back to Reality
Some fun things I've been experiencing lately in no particular order:

* Pyrophone Juggernaut @ the Valley Fiesta - We were just walking through Chinatown when this giant metal ship came to life with music. It was mesmerizing.

* PocketlMusiclatlthelManalBar - Saturday was a whole day of 8-bit computer game music. (Video montage here. That's me in the white tights against the left wall at about :26.)

* Tomorrow When the War Began: The Movie - My North American people probably won't know about this one, but hopefully it will be released there sometime. This movie was based on a book that is apparently part of the curriculum at many schools here in Australia. I knew nothing about it, but I have a total soft spot for stories where teens band together to kick some butt. (Band of the Hand, anyone?)

I haven't enjoyed a movie so much in a long time. We've seen a lot of good films lately, but in terms of mindless enjoyment, this one takes the cake. I hate spoilers and don't want to give much away, but this teaser trailer below does a good job of setting the mood without giving away all the major plot points like the official trailer does.

2010-08-20T16:53:00.005+10:00

Sew What?

I finally replaced my sewing machine in this past year. I can't remember when exactly... because I haven't actually USED it. It's criminal really. I was so gung-ho, and then I lost my motivation to do everything. And there it sits. In its box. At the foot of our bed. The cat uses it as a step to get up without having to needlessly exert himself, so I guess it isn't a complete waste.

Well, I came across this blog today, and I must say that I am inspired. It's called New Dress a Day, wherein Marissa makes a new outfit from a thrifted garment. All for less than a dollar a day.

She turned this:

Into this:

I mean, wow.

2010-08-10T15:17:00.001+10:00

Well, it sure has been a while, huh?
I was in a bit of a funk, if you will.
But I've got some plans now and hopefully there will be some changes around here.
It's time for a bit of redecorating.

2010-02-19T13:14:00.002+10:00

Links for Later
I've been hanging on to these for a couple weeks while looking for inspiration of classic illustration for a project at work.

DESIGN
♥ Stickers and Stuff: lots of great inspiration and illustration

♥ Kevin Kidney Blog: Long-time Disney designer

♥ Kevin Kidney Portfolio of Sorts flickr set

♥ Animation Treasures: Blog of Hans Bacher, animator of 40 years. What I love is he'll analyze classic animation background plates and colour choices.

HOME
♥ Remodelista: Sourcebook for the Considered Home (I want a house, I want a house, I want a house.)

♥ Hindsvik Vintage: "Daniel & Valeria are a young couple who run an online vintage store called Hindsvik. Renovating and redecorating their 1940s home on a budget, they share DIY ideas, design favorites and spaces with shop updates in between."

MOVIES
♥ Departures: We've been on a foreign film kick lately, and this has been one of the best. Such a beautiful movie.

♥ Lord Of The Rings prequel made by a fanatic using her £25,000 life savings scores 500,000 views on the internet: Need to watch this when I get some time! (Born of Hope YouTube link)

♥ Not long know until The People vs. George Lucas makes its debut at SXSW. CANNOT wait to see that one! (YouTube Trailer link)

♥ We received a free pass to Daybreakers, so we'll probably go see that this weekend... if only to see the Brisbane CBD on the big screen.

2010-02-11T20:04:00.002+10:00

Oh Canada...
I'm getting ready for our Vancouver Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony dinner on Saturday night. It's probably the most excited I've ever been about Canada.

For the Beijing Summer Olympics, I put together a stir fry and made fortune cookies and paper lanterns. It was hard to come up with a Canadian theme, but I'm quite pleased with what I've got to work with this time. There are some surprises, but I will say that there was paper-mâché and also flowers...

Once Upon a Time
I used some of my Christmas money to purchase Family Tree Maker 2010, a genealogy program. With it I got a six-month subscription to Ancestry.com.

I had been doing a little research and was using Geni.com, which has a great interface. However, the more I looked into doing genealogy "for real", the more I realized I needed to keep track of my sources, which isn't something that Geni does well if at all.

So over the last month, I've spent most of my evenings pouring through the resources that Ancestry has available... censuses, vital records, and my favourite, the newspaper archives. It's amazing how the society columns in the small-town papers were like the Twitter of today. So and so visited so and so on Sunday afternoon.

I found the wedding announcement of my parents' wedding in the local paper. I also came across this one of my Great-Aunt & Uncle from 1936. (Love her shoes!)

2010-01-23T11:24:00.004+10:00

Breakfast Sausage Cravings
I think I've mentioned our lovely butcher staffed by a dozen Eastern European women with varying degrees of patience. The other day I bought some sausages without casings that looked just like sausages you'd get in a pair along with two scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, and two triangles of toast off any breakfast menu back home.

Australians don't seem to do breakfast sausage though, so I went on a hunt for a recipe of spices to add to my meat. This one posted by a couple of Americans in Germany was the one I went with, and it turned out great. The red pepper gives that perfect lingering heat. I fully endorse it.

2009-12-31T14:28:00.003+10:00

Links for Later
I've been saving the tabs on this browser for the better part of December, so in an effort to clear the slate before the new year, I thought I'd do a quick link post.

Food-Related
♥ Fresh Corn & Avocado Salad: I made this one for our Boxing Day get-together, and it was really nice and super easy. I used verjuice for the Champagne vinegar and squeezed a bit of lime over the avos to keep them from turning brown before we ate.

♥ Beef & Cabbage Stir-Fry: for future reference (via Kris)

♥ Black Eyed Peas & Greens: Probably isn't going to happen as a New Year's tradition this year, but I'm curious to try the recipe.

♥ Homemade Peppermint Patties: Seems do-able and sounds good.

♥ Quick Bread in a Bottle: I made these jars for my in-laws for Christmas this year. I admit I haven't actually tried the recipe yet, so I hope it's good. Just ran out of time. I found milk bottles at Spotlight. Hansldesigned the fold-out directions with detachable recipe card. (Email me if you want to use it.)

♥ Real Whipped Cream on the Go at Freeze Happy: Put whipped cream dollops on wax paper and freeze to use later on desserts or in coffee. But the real reason I've saved this link is the hilarious aside at the bottom about make-shift piping bags and the kitty-poo-like results they produce.

♥ Alinea Mosaic: I first heard about the restaurant Alinea when the owner was interviewed on one of my NPR podcasts about this time last year. Since then, I've been intrigued by molecular gastronomy. This has also been fueled by the chemists on Top Chef. From what I can tell the Mosaic sight has a forum about a book they must have released, but the topics are fascinating. They are surprisingly transparent with their techniques and recipes. See also: All Things Alinea Flickr Pool for some mouth-watering photos.

For the Locals
♥ Sublime, Photography & Coffeehouse: One Saturday we were traveling from the Rocklea markets to the Moggill Markets and passed this place in Graceville. They just opened a little coffee stand out behind their studio. It's a really lovely place, good coffee, and relaxing spot to read the paper.

Cute, Crafty, or Otherwise
♥ Retro Renovation: "your daily dose of mid century renovation resources... design inspiration... fun finds... and a growing community of people all interested in restoring, preserving and cherishing their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s homes."

♥ Tonic Living: Amazingly beautiful retro fabrics. Love, love, love.

♥ 2009 Christmas Candy Box: A downloadable template for a cute little gift box. Check out the '08 & '07 editions as well.

2009-12-29T19:25:00.000+10:00

Tales of Christmas
It was hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit again this year. It's just too hot to feel like going through all the trappings of the season.

Instead of hauling out the tree, I ended up buying a couple bunches of arborvitae branches, and put them in a vase with some red pom-pon looking dries flowers. Decorations = complete! All the gift bags from America fit underneath.

A couple days before Christmas I raided the 50%-off holiday bins at Spotlight, Australia's equivalent for Michael's. I came home with some placemats and "peace" candles.

I didn't feel like doing our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, because it was too hot to have the oven on all day. So we opted for a fresh broccoli salad and risotto with mushrooms and peas.

It was lovely. Gift highlights include a sparkley ring and earrings, lots of goodies from Anthropologie from the US givers, and the parasol of my dreams. ♥

2009-12-27T23:29:00.002+10:00

My love spoiled me completely though, so I can't complain. Woke up Christmas morning to a birthday card with tickets for us to see James Taylor in April. I cried. Couldn't be more thrilled!

Scampers
We've found a stray kitten. Well, it found us. It was at the end of the driveway behind a bin last night mewing in the rain. He's maybe three months old, not too scrawny, but has fleas a-plenty. He had a couple cuts on his rear that we wiped clean, and then we reluctantly put him back in case he has a home to get back to.

But this morning, he was outside the kitchen door waiting for a hand-out. We left for the day, and he was still there when we got home tonight.

We'll get him a flea treatment and call the shelters and put up signs at the local shops tomorrow. However, I'm happy to take him into our home if no one responds. He really has a sweet disposition, and we'd been talking about going to the shelters after Christmas to adopt anyway.

2009-12-21T17:26:00.002+10:00

What's Cooking?
Seeing as I'm not exactly a cake fan, I didn't really think about making a cake forlHans's birthday last week until I came across this recipe for Gary Rhodes's Guinness chocolate cake. A cake with beer in it? Sounds manly, right? I had a piece and didn't actually mind it. It's really rich. (I chopped up a 100g bar of 70% dark chocolate and stirred it in just before pouring into the pan.)

I topped it with a yummy Irish Cream Cheese frosting:
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp Irish cream
Blend cream cheese & butter together with a mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar and finally Irish cream. Lick beaters.

More Recipe Goodness
♥ Gourmet's Favorite Cookies: 1948-2008: via Kris. I don't love making cookies given that I only have one cookiesheet that fits in my abnormally narrow oven, but a few of these have almost tempted me. Speculaas, Dutch Caramel Cashews, and Lemon Thins remind me of Grandma.

♥ Greek Almond Tea Cakes I think we're going to make these for my birthday treat this week.

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.

2009-04-01T14:57:00.002+10:00

Funny Business
A couple weeks ago, after months and months of meetings and coffees and chit-chats and note-making, we finally (mostly) launched our business. It has kind of gone without fanfare, because nothing has really changed. We are just now in charge of making the graphics department grow wings.

I've been a little busy with all that, but I think we're all starting to breathe a sigh of relief. Yay.

Shoes Cure the Blues
After a breakfast meeting yesterday, we saw a friend working at a nearby vintage clothing store. As we were talking, my eye wandered to a wall of shoes. I finally couldn't resist trying a few pairs on and ended up buying two pairs. ♥

They're both size 6, and a little itty bit tight. But they are also leather and hardly worn, so I'm hoping they'll stretch slightly. And if not, I will grin and suffer.

2009-03-27T20:56:00.002+10:00

Stuff and Stuff
I've got some transcript work again which is keeping me busy. Today was filled with the discovery of Heracleion. Next up a doco on the seven wonders of the ancient world. Woo!

Ahead of a busy weekend, we decided to head to South Bank for dinner at Ginga, our favourite! Then we had a stroll through the markets, and I ended up buying a big, floppy sun hat from this beautiful Serbian woman.

And I'll leave you with a song I can't stop playing. Some say it's very Kate Bush. Hans says it's Clannad-y. And I hear Fleetwood Mac. Whatever it is, I like it.

2009-03-12T11:36:00.003+10:00

Perplexing Packages
My mind is exploding from two packages sent in the mail -- one received and one not.

First, I woke up this morning to find a package from my uncle. Inside was a DVD. Cannot get the DVD to play anywhere. Suspect a bad burn, but am dying to know what was worth sticking in the mail. My mom said that my grandma also got one which didn't play, however neither they nor my siblings got one. Hmm...

And then the other package was an order I placed in January for the non-toxic flea spray that we have tried in the past. It still hadn't arrived as of this week, and I thought I had given it enough time to make it through customs and all that. So I emailed the company to see if they could look up the tracking information for me.

This morning I had an email saying that they had credited my card back and asked to let them know if we eventually receive it, and they will charge my card again.

Umm... but... I kind of just want the flea spray.

So now I'm weirded out. I feel like our relationship is over, like we've broken up through email. Do I place another order? Do I have to source another company who sells it? Do I write back and clarify? Did I ever imply that I didn't want my order? Is it because they're British?

Links for Later Perusal
♥ Painted Fish Studio: She's from the heartland. She finds pretty things. And she's crafty. Note: Paper Bead Bracelet, Trip Collages, & Fern Prints, for starters.

♥ 3-Day Weekend: Found this one when searching for ways to hang cork trivets on the wall without necessarily damaging the wall. They use self-sticking foam mounting tape. (Do I know what that is? And can it be removed later?)

♥ At Home with Kim Vallee: I don't know who this is, but lots of pretty household goods there.

Ugh, more later. I have to go officially boycott the decision to have Subway for lunch.

2009-03-08T17:36:00.002+10:00

Breakfast & Bushwalk
We had talked about going out for a picnic today. I found the Anstead Bushland Reserve online but couldn't find out too much about it exactly except that there was a picnic area and walking track. Good enough for me.

We decided to make it a breakfast picnic to save ourselves from the heat of mid-day. And it turned out to be absolutely lovely. There are three covered picnic table areas. Once we had finished eating, we set out down the walking track. I didn't have a watch to see how long it took us, but it was a good distance for us, not being exactly in top form these days.

There isn't much overhead cover though, so be sure to cover up if you go. We keep sunscreen in the car, but a hat would have been good.

It was gorgeous with lantana thickets covering most of the area. It was neat to see the old quarry spot. The breezes were cool off the river from the lookout. (There's also a drinking fountain there, thankfully!) Walking through the eucalypts was my favourite part though, because it just SMELLS Australian. We only saw one snake, and I don't think he would have killed us.

2009-03-07T11:49:00.003+10:00

Try This Recipe!
A while back Kris in Sydney posted a recipe for Spicy Shredded Pork. I was quite interested, because pork has become like a new friend to me ever since we started going to our little butcher. (Seriously, I love the women there as much as the meat. They're all of Eastern European descent and are boisterous and such a hoot!)

So yesterday we planned to have dinner with the brother- & sister-in-law (who just broke her foot), and I said I would go to their place to cook and keep her company. That was just my sneaky way to try this recipe in a fully air-conditioned home, instead of baking myself out of our house. Teehee.

I must say, that I am now in love with Spicy Shredded Pork. It's dreamy. It's so delish. We had it on tortillas with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole. I also had lettuce, tons of cilantro/coriander, lime wedges and sour cream on hand. A-MAY-ZING!

Also, for those who cower at the word "spicy", I'll just add that it is spicy in that it has spices in it, but those couple dashes of chili powder won't give it much more than a completely mild rating. I'd serve it to children, no problem. I'd also look into adding some chili peppers if you want any sort of heat.

Inspirational Thoughts
I came across this site with all sorts of ideas to motivate people to go out and do something beautiful.

For example: "Start a worm compost. Use it for your paper junk mail. Use the soil regenerated from the decomposition of your junk mail to grow flowers. Pick the flowers and give them away to people. If anyone asks you why you are giving them flowers, tell them that it's junk mail."

Computer Woes All Over Again
Remember a couple of days when I broke my computer? Well, I thought I had tricked it into working by creating a new user profile. And for a few days, it magically worked with no issues. Until it realized it was being fooled, and now it doesn't work again much at all. iTunes and LOTRO are the only programs that don't seem to crash it... which is great if I was after a gaming/music-listening machine, but I have needs, people. Internet needs.

Hanslis gung-ho about getting me a new laptop, but the one he's looking at for me seems to have some heat issues. (As though my other one didn't already have heat issues, this one gets up to 10 degrees hotter in some places.)

While I ultimately just want a computer that works, I'm finding all kinds of joy in finding the hilarity in the situation.

Me: Hey, can you preheat the oven to Dell Laptop for me?

Him: Do you know if it's supposed to be cooler today?
Me: It's going to be Dell Laptop until this afternoon, unless it rains.

Him: But it's so much cheaper than the other ones with the same specs.
Me: Yes, but have you considered how much the skin grafts for my legs are going to be?

*sigh* I laugh, because otherwise I'd cry. My poor baby is dead.

2009-02-28T11:06:00.002+10:00

February Finale
Well the album writing challenge is complete. The guys are off mastering it today... which means I get to use the computer that works!

Open That Bottle Night
I was just reading about OTBN on Serious Eats. The idea started 10 years ago to make February 28 that "special occasion" for which you've been saving that one particular bottle of wine. Not all wines can be saved forever, so tonight's the night to open that bottle. There's even going to be a live Twitter tasting.

I think we have a bottle off sparkling wine that we got for our wedding. Neither of us are super sparkling fans though, so it went into the cupboard. Maybe I should get that one in the fridge!

Camera Bag Tips, Anyone?
I'm already thinking about packing for America and trying to decide how many of our gadgets need to come with us. I'm obviously bringing my camera, but the thing I don't love about it is that the bag is big and bulky. It seems ridiculous to pack the whole bag inside my carry-on... but I'm going to need more than a camera bag to carry on with me.

I need a camera bag that can double as a purse. No. What I really want is a purse that can double as a camera bag. Can anybody help me out?

Must hold camera body, medium size lens (preferably attached), small external flash, cords for charging & connecting, extra disks and lens cleaner, etc. Must also fit make-up bag, wallet, travel papers, and other purse-like items.

I've been looking at Crumpler, because I've wanted one for a while, but the only one that seems like it's along the line is the Brazillion Dollar Home. But is that too honking big to lug around? I don't know.

Other cute bags...
♥ Acme Bowler Bag... adorable, but no spare room.

♥ Jill-E... well I don't super love this one. It's a bit "nashville soccer mom" to me, but I like the polka-dot inside. But again... where do I put the rest of my stuff?

♥ Or maybe I should just make my own, like this person.

2009-02-23T16:28:00.002+10:00

I'm Not Down with the Sickness
Because I am totally awesome and stuff, I got me a computer virus last night. Fun times ensued. And though the virus is now gone, a possible pre-existing condition has flared, and the computer will no longer boot on command. It's more of a "I'll start when I'm good and ready, thank you very much, and that may not actually be today" sort of situation.

So I pretty much want to die, because I have three years of non-backed-up photos and video on there. (I AM aware that this makes me a stupid person. Please don't leave comments to remind me.)

There is hope, because the one time it did start again, I was able to burn off one year of photos. So at least I know things are still there and in tact. I just won't breathe easily until they are all safe and sound on a drive that ISN'T going into self-destruct.

I was going to get a little Lacie Rugged drive to take to the States, so I can copy over all my cds. Looks like I may get it sooner than later. (Plus it's orange. How cute!)

Herbie!
On a happier note, I am loving this French herb dryer. Le sigh. If I had that, I would definitely use Straight from the Farm's advice on preserving fresh herbs.

By the by, Australians say the "h" in "herbs", and I think I say it now too. But anytime I consciously say the word, I have a hard time remembering which way to say it.

2009-02-22T11:08:00.006+10:00

The Mystery Mystery
I have probably mentioned "our" horse before. She lives in the paddock next to us, and we feed her apples and carrots and bread. We call her Mystery even though that's not her name, and the lady across the street corrects me every time she hears me say it.

So the other morning I got called outside to see quite a surprise.

Three!

We've named the other ones too. (Suck it, Across-the-Street Lady!) So in the top photo, it goes Sugarplum(p), Gossamer, and Mystery. We're gonna need more apples.

2009-02-15T22:06:00.003+10:00

Next to the Noise
We're officially halfway through the album-writing challenge. I say "we", because it's a challenge for me too. A challenge not to go completely crazy.

That's not true. There is some stuff I really love coming through the wall, and I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing them work it out live.

If you're of the curious sort, you can hear some snippets here. My favourite at the moment is Day 12 Song 8 Version 4 because of its 80s-licious synth line.

If you really want to experience what I am, you can try cranking that up as loud as you can in one room, and then go into the next room and try do anything that requires any sort of concentration. Fun times.

Let's Hear it for the Boys
Due to that aforementioned lack of concentration, I have been watching a bit more television... at volume levels so low, I am becoming an expert in lip-reading... but more television than I might otherwise, nonetheless.

This is the reason I watched the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal from beginning to end the other night. I've mentioned before that my grandpa was and my dad is on the volunteer fire department. My brother was going to go for it as well before he lost half his hearing in the accident.

That said, I have such a heart for those out there putting their lives at risk to help try and save others. Not just them, but their families too. The people who give them a kiss as they leave the house, knowing the danger their loved one faces head on.

When we heard that Coles was donating their profits last Friday, we rearranged our grocery shopping day. We don't even usually go there, but it was great to stock up on pretty much everything we normally use knowing that the profit was going to the Red Cross. (Granted, my pantry overfloweth now, but we'll deal.) So anyway, I just read that they made $4,870,889. So great. Press release PDF.

Linky Links
♥ Spoon Sisters: I <3 that "Home is Where Your Mom Is" tea towel. (I think we're buying plane tickets to go "home" then this week. Yay!)

A Conversation
Him: Oh look, Flying High is on.
Me: Uh, no. It's Airplane!
Him: What was your sequel called?
Me: Airplane 2?
Him: Yeah, ours is called Flying High 2.

So I look it up. Sure enough, it has two names. Then I proceeding to rock myself and think of my happy place. It's times like this when the subtle differences between our countries make me think I'm losing my mind.

2009-02-11T19:57:00.002+10:00

Safe and Sound
We are completely safe here in Brisbane. We can't see or smell smoke. While we are saddened and shocked like the rest of the world, we're not really affected by it more than most of you are.

And just FYI, according to the map below with the comparison of Australia to America, we're over there in that eastern part of North Carolina. The fires are down in the Gulf of Mexico there. And the massive floods that you may or may not have heard about are up there in Ontario somewhere.

Arty Links
♥ St!#ch Out Loud: subversive cross-stitch and crafty stuff... may not be safe for work.

♥ Artista Blog: I just found this one back. She makes such adorably cute watercolours. Love!

2009-02-08T14:20:00.002+10:00

February Failure
So that self-imposed, nightly photo sorting challenge went by the wayside on Friday and didn't happen again yesterday. And today I don't feel like it anymore. But it was fun while it lasted.

Friday night, Wolfmother were just walking off the stage when we made it to the venue, so I'll never know. Judging by the sweaty mess of people leaving, I don't think I would have wanted to be in there anyway.

Last night we went to the CD launch of a friend, and it was so amazing. I don't really like watching music much anymore, but I'd even go back tonight for a second performance if they decided they wanted to do it all over again.

The other big news of the weekend is my new shoes. You can tell I've been here too long when I look at a pair of $35 flip-flops and think, "Hey, those are cheap!"

But they're called Swamisz. They're purple. They neither flip nor flop. And best of all, they haven't given me blisters... yet.

2009-02-06T17:05:00.002+10:00

Shows and Secret Shows
We've got a gig at the Troubadour tonight, but then afterwards we (or at least I) will be sneaking over to the Wolfmotherlnot-really-secret-anymore show. I don't really care much about them (him?), but I'm just dying to get the scoop from our friends (and venue owners) on whether Andrew's a prima dona and that's why the other guys split.

2009-02-04T19:47:00.004+10:00

I ♥ BioBags

We got this bin ages ago to resolve our stinky compost issue. At the time, Biome was offering the bin free with the purchase of all the bags or the other way around. That's they only way I can explain the pile of 210 bin liner bags.

The BioBags are made from corn and are completely compostable and biodegrade in a matter of weeks. They are also breathable, so the waste inside the bin dries out making it less stinky. And since the whole bag can go into the compost, there's no slimy container to wash out afterward.

My Mexican Valentine
I'm not really one to need a big Valentine's to-do. But we've been throwing around the idea of hitting our favourite (and, in my book, the ONLY proper...) Mexican Restaurant in Brisbane for Valentine's Day.

Then today, I came across this recipe for Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème, and I think we have ourselves a Valentine's dessert. MMMM!

Bragging Rights
Rave's got a very complimentary review of my bearded soul man's show a couple weeks ago. And they are also right about ME being incredible. Can't wait to see them again!

February Photos
I got partway through one of the days that we were in Albany last year with my aunt & uncle and parents.

2009-02-02T22:19:00.004+10:00

Photo February
I'm a music widow this month thanks to The RPM Challenge. Since he's being very disciplined, I figured the least I could do would commit to getting something done this month as well.

I have several SD cards filled with photos from back to when my parents were here. Few have made it to the harddrive, and even those that have join several years' worth which haven't been backed-up.

So every night I'm going to try and do something to remedy that issue. Here's a couple from our SeaWorld trip in December.

2009-01-29T17:54:00.002+10:00

Link Dump
There are some tabs I have been saving and reopening obviously since November, and it's getting a bit ridiculous when I have to scroll for miles to get to my most recently opened ones. So here you go, my links to you:

♥ Wild Rice Stuffing: This was the recipe I used for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was really yummy, even without the acorn squashes.

♥ Chow Thanksgiving Ideas: Those creamy carrots... DELISH!

♥ Chow Entertaining Ideas: Theme Nights!

♥ Cool It Down: Chow's Cooling Off: Icy desserts and good things like Chocolate Icebox Cake with Mascarpone and Blackberries (which we had over Christmas break). Then there's Lemon & Mascarpone Sorbetto, which I have yet to try. And also sweet cherry sorbetto.

♥ DIY Macro Photo Studio: I always see these around the place, and I'm sure I've probably linked before... but here you go.

♥ fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au: just a random beauty site in Australia that carries Phyto.

♥ French Fried Onions Recipe: You have to give up your firstborn to get your hands on a can of french fried onions around here, so I broke down and made my own last weekend using this recipe. (I practically didn't have any left for the green bean casserole, because they were SO yummy to snack on!) I used self-rising flour and have the theory that it helped puff up the crust a bit. Who knows.

♥ HTML colour chart and Color Shader. Guess who was working on websites last weekend. (If you know where to find the hubby's homepage, have a look. Wordpress kicked my 'a', but it's semi-mostly done except if you're using IE6. But then I'd like to introduce you to 2009 and tell you to update.)

2009-01-22T22:38:00.000+10:00

That's New
I was just watching what I believe to be Korean news with another Asian language overdub. It was like watching a bad kung-fu movie and still not understanding what they are saying.

2009-01-18T09:12:00.002+10:00

Why Someday I Will End Up with Claw Marks Across My Face
Last nightlHans was doing some recording. At one point I went in to talk to him, and Chucky followed me in. I had this moment of genius and asked if he wanted to sample the cat. Brilliant, right?

Yeah, Chucky doesn't like to be held except on his own terms. So dangling him in front of the microphone wasn't really the brightest of ideas. I would, however, like to point out that the rumbling you hear is purring, so he still loves me. I think the reverb adds a particularly nice touch.

(Yes, when we address the cat, we use this high, squeaky voice that comes from an old ventriloquist show by Ronn Lucas called "Who's in Charge Here". If you know it, you are awesome and probably had The Disney Channel in 1983.)

Breadbaking Addendum
If you all are like Aimee and are raring to go at the whole bread recipe I posted the other day, definitely have a look at this 9-page article. It includes more tips and more recipes to make with the basic mix. I made naan yesterday to go with our Indian leftovers. While it wasn't exactly the way I wanted, it was super easy and should be great once I work out how to make it thinner.

I took the last of my first batch out this morning for some bread to go with our breakfast. So I've got my second batch of dough rising on the counter. Yay! I feel so accomplished!

2009-01-15T11:40:00.002+10:00

I'm a Breadmaking Machine
On one of my new podcasts of The Splendid Table, Lynn spoke to Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois about their book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking. It was a short segment, but I was instantly intrigued.

I love the idea of fresh bread -- bread which contains only what I decide goes in. My grandma makes wonderfully delicious bread herself. And I have made attempts in the past, but who has time (or counter space) for all the kneading and rising and everything?

So Jeff & Zoe's book has a "master recipe" which can be found on the Splendid Table site. And then apparently the book has all kinds of variations for those more adventurous. I admit, I did read the preview of the first part of the book to get additional tips, but I do intend to buy the book to support them.

I bought the flour and gigantic container of yeast granules with a confidence that surprised even me. I had a big container that fits in the door of my fridge, and so I mixed up the dough as directed, let it rise, and then refrigerated it overnight.

The next day, I lopped off a hunk of dough, formed it into a bit of a log, and after resting, baked it. It was beautiful. I should have taken photos. The next day I tried again with the oven temp down slightly and left it in a bit longer. I was approaching perfection. I MAKE BREAD, people!

The dough can stay in the fridge for up to two weeks, and as it ages, it develops more sourdough flavour. It's so simple to mix up. There's no kneading involved. In fact, you're meant to handle it as little as possible.

The other night, Hans took some out and after resting, he pressed out a couple little pizza crusts. The dough is pretty sticky, so we used a lot of flour on the hands and cutting board. We also sprinkled polenta on the pizza stone to help remove after baking. The pizza turned out amazing, and I'm sure this will become a regular treat.

I recommend everyone give it a try! Have a look at the author's website: www.artisanbreadinfive.com. You can also do a Google search, and you'll find tons of people talking about their experiences too.

Other Yummy Goodness
While I'm talking food, I came across this recipe for this crockpot recipe for Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup by another American blogger in Australia Elsja. It sounds SO GOOD. Too bad it's too hot to try it now!

Other Expats
And while I'm talking about American expats, Aussie Erin is a New Yorker in Sydney.

2009-01-07T16:28:00.004+10:00

iLove
I cannot believe I am about to admit my newfound love (and complete dependence) on an Apple product. I've been so anti-Apple for my own self-righteous reasons, and I haven't hated them very quietly either.

So imagine my surprise when I opened one of my Christmas presents fromlHans and found a nano. I hate to admit that my first thought was "what the heck am I going to do with THIS?". The fact that it is purple DID endear it to me slightly, but honestly, we don't take the train anymore... did he think I was going to wear it around the house?

My next present was an FM transmitter, and he told me that he remembered me saying that I missed my radio stations back in the States and thought I might be able to find some podcasts to listen to in the car. This is why I love him to bits. Oh my goodness.

I immediately went to iTunes and subscribed to the podcasts of This American Life, All Songs Considered, Studio 360, Fresh Air (I ♥ Terry!), The Splendid Table and Car Talk.

This has CHANGED MY LIFE! I cannot even put it fully into words.

No more asinine drive-time radio djs. No more crap music. No more breaking news updates with the latest comings and goings of the Britneys and Parises of the world. I'm back to the glory days of PRI and NPR. My IQ is thanking me.

The only thing I DO miss is the traffic reports. I take that back. I don't even care. In fact, I almost WISH there would be a traffic jam, because then I'd get to stay in the car listening to Lynn Rosetto Kasper just that little bit longer.

2009-01-05T16:24:00.002+10:00

I <3 Kikki K
It seems like hardly any Australian vendors have websites which show the majority of their stock. Most post a PDF of their latest flyer and call it good.

So I was thrilled to discover that my favourite office supply place kikki.K has a simple site with products to behold. I am allowed to buy one product every time we are at the mall, which is rare for us. So now that I can see what they have that is new, I can make plans to visit the mall more often. :)

My Christmas list read "anything from kikki.K", and he delivered. In fact, tonight I am going to start going through my Donna Hays from last year and use my gifts. He got me the recipe sticky notes, this recipe box, recipe card refills, and finally the magnetic shopping list in case I decide I need some more ingredients in the house after looking at all that food!

2009-01-03T17:31:00.002+10:00

Anthropologie Does Gardens?
In recent years, I have grown very attracted to the idea of tending the earth and nurturing plants and generally being more of a green thumb instead of a brown thumb(?). I have two plants thriving indoors even though I just discovered that the root system of my third was eaten by worms. I also have several on the veranda that haven't died yet. I can't wait to start my herb garden. Et cetera, et cetera.

Today I was getting some of my Daily Danny, and he posted about terrariums at a store called Terrain:

Terrain is a new concept store by the people behind Anthropologie, with a focus more on gardening, household plants and all the lovely accessories that go along with raising and growing plants at home.

If ever I need another reason to move back, I think this might just be it. I love (and I mean loooooove) Anthropologie, so I can only imagine what Terrain is like. Danny's posting photos soon. Eee!

A Comment about Comments
My old comment system quit service a little while ago. I knew it was going to happen, but then I kind of forgot. I could have downloaded my old comments and moving to some system that would allow me to import them, but there was that little bout of forgetfulness, you see. So instead of forgetting about them altogether, I thought I might move them over individually. It's not that I have all that many, and they are fun to look through again.

That being said, if you care to leave a comment, use the link to the left. You'll find out soon enough that the link on the right doesn't let you comment anyway. I don't like how the comments look at the moment, but I can't be bothered with fixing them right now.

Pretty Link
♥ Art of the Steal... girly, pretty stuff.

2009-01-01T17:57:00.003+10:00

It's New
And here we have 2009. We welcomed it in a very low-key manor at the sibling-in-laws. After several energetic rounds of Wii tennis, we settled in to play Little Big Planet until someone mentioned that we should check the time. We watched the last 15 minutes of the various (lame) shows until fireworks time.

I have lived in four states, and I don't remember fireworks being part of the NYE tradition in the US. Not even city organized ones, much less half the neighbourhood setting off their own stash of contraband. Maybe it's because of the snow.

So we watched the fireworks on tv, and then went outside to try see what the neighbors were doing. We heard more than we saw. And then we promptly went to bed. The end.

I Resolve...
I don't really do resolutions, because, let's be honest here, how many are ever actually kept by anyone?

I think I'm setting more goals for myself that might not be some year-long process, but more on a weekly basis for some things and even a daily basis for others. I feel like I've slipped down a slope of apathy and laziness in certain areas of my life, and I think it's time to brush off and start over again... with baby steps.

It's kind of why I'm writing now, after spending this sickeningly hot day on the bed, the closest spot to the air conditioner. It would be easy to put off posting until tomorrow, but I could probably find an excuse not to do it then too.

It comes down to discipline, I suppose. So crack that whip, and whip it good.

Refreshed
If anyone missed my tweets, since I didn't really update here, we went on a bit of a retreat last weekend. We spent three nights up at this really great spot a couple hours from here. No internet. No television. Just us in a little chalet with the rain and an air conditioner. Oh, and they had a cute little pond with a rowboat.

2008-12-15T14:59:00.003+10:00

In General
Things are picking up. We still have no Christmas decorations out to speak of, but I'm feeling a little more interested in the holidays. We braved the mall on Sunday, and I'm feeling very confident in my gifts for He Who Buys All He Wishes For. He may not necessarily know that he wants what I've gotten, but I'm meeting his needs in one way or another.

Methodology
I just found out about Method Lust over at The Dieline. Even though we have some Method products at the grocery store here, I do have their holiday air fresheners on my Christmas list for my parents.

Artsy-Farsty
I'm loving this: Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?. She draws what she buys. Simple as that.

Short of making a resolution for the new year, I really would like to do more drawing in 2009. I seem to remember saying that a couple years ago too. Hmm.

On that note, for future reference: Doodlers Anonymous.

This is Your Birthday Song / It isn't Very Long
Hans is the magic number today. We woke up and opened presents in bed. Then we raced to get ready so we could play Little Big Planet before work. (He has rehearsal tonight. I don't. Hehe!)

2008-12-03T20:21:00.002+10:00

Mmm... Creamy
I made these creamy carrots for dinner tonight. I'm officially making every vegetable creamy from now on. YUM!

Belated Thanksgiving greets to all ya'll. I'm homesick or something and not coping super great at the moment. The hot weather and the onslaught of Christmas "cheer" isn't helping.

Bah humbug.

2008-11-12T17:20:00.002+10:00

Movie Magic
The past two nights, I've gone along with the guys from work who were doing vfx supervision on the set of a movie being filmed here at the moment. It was interesting while being incredibly boring at the same time. The amount of time it takes to set up the shortest of takes is unbelievable.

The first night I went along to get photos of every angle of this car that they will have to recreate for an explosion scene. I left early and was home by 11, while the man didn't get home until after the chicken started making noise at 5 AM. I kind of wished I had stayed to see the stunt men being set on fire though. Last night we went back to get more photos of the walls in the alley for textures. It was kind of fun.

Birds in Backyards
This morning, my little tawny frogmouth was back in the tree by the house. He's lost the baby fluff, but he is still gorgeous. How can you not love a face like this?

2008-11-04T20:20:00.005+10:00

Public Service: On Shore Partner Visa for Australia
Firstly, I got a letter from immigration today to say that my permanent partner visa has been granted. WOO. HOO! It's such a weight off the shoulders not having to think about that anymore.

I get lots of hits from people searching for info on migrating to Australia, so I thought I'd post my time-line to help give an idea. Keep in mind that every situation is different, and this is just my personal experience. Dates are what was on the correspondence unless otherwise noted. I don't know if I have all the dates either, but this will give the general idea.

Wife: American in Australia
Husband: New Zealand citizen, Australian resident
Visa: Partner (Temporary Residence) Visa (Class UK) (Subclass 820) and Partner (Residence) (Class BS) (Subclass 801)

06 JUL 06: Made appointments for full health check. (AU$296)

14 JUL 06: Had blood test for health check.

18 JUL 06: Had chest x-ray for health check.

23 JUL 06: Had fingerprints done (FBI Form FD-258: PDF) at Roma Street Station to send with FBI Clearance form. (I was not charged by the super-nice policeman, but the website said it was AU$21.)

24 JUL 06: Had medical exam done for front-loaded visa application.

31 JUL 06: Mailed FBI check to America. (FBI Cover Letter PDF and instructions.) Saved copy of request to submit with front-loaded visa application. (Request: US $18 / Postage: AU$16.50)

11 AUG 06: Hand-delivered front-loaded visa application to Brisbane Department of Immigration, which included the following:
• Spouse Visa Application Document Checklist (PDF);
• Big fat cheque for AU$1990;
• Completed Form 47SP (PDF);
• Completed Form 40SP (PDF);
• Certified copies of our passports;
• Copy of sponsor's Australian tax assessments for two years;
• Certified copy of my driver's license;
• Two passport photos for each of us (AU$24);
• Certified copy of marriage certificate (AU$25);
• Evidence of genuine relationship including phone records, instant message logs, emails, wedding cards, copy of wedding ceremony and announcement, photos;
• Two statutory declarations Form 888 (PDF) from people who know us (we used a couple we used to live with and husband's boss);
• A statutory declaration from each of us describing the history of our relationship;
• Results of my health check; and
• Photocopy of my Character Clearance Check from the FBI.

16 AUG 06: Received letter from DIMA noting that they were waiting on the requested FBI clearance. I was also advised that we needed full medicals (AU$296), Form 80 (PDF), Australian Federal Police clearance (Form 1101: PDF), and NZ Police Clearance (instructions) for my husband as the sponsor being a NZ citizen.

13 SEP 06: Letter from Australian Federal Police clearing husband (AU$37).

13 NOV 06: Email from immigration officer saying my Temporary Partner Visa has been granted. (Time passed: 3 months, 4 days)

02 JUL 08: Letter from DIMA with checklist for Stage 2, Permanent Partner Visa.

01 SEP 08: Hand-delivered Stage Two application, including:
• Partner Visa Checklist;
• Statement on Partner Relationship;
• Two statutory declarations Form 888 (PDF) from people who know the ongoing nature of our relationship. (This time we used sister-in-law and our boss.);
• Form 80 (PDF) for me;
• Certified copies of our personal details pages in our passports;
• Evidence of our relationship, such as mail in both names at same address, bills, text messages to each other, proof of name change to married name, boarding passes showing joint travel, evidence of events we attended together, photos, evidence of joint purchases and financial obligations; and
• Photocopy of request for Federal Police clearance (Form 1101: PDF) (AU$43).

03 SEP 08: Received Federal Police Clearance in the mail.

05 SEP 08: Mailed police clearance to DIMA.

08 SEP 08: Letter from Department of Immigration requesting Australian Federal Police Clearance (Form 1101: PDF) and Form 80 (PDF) for my husband as a sponsor who is a NZ Citizen.

04 OCT 08: Sent off Police Clearance request for husband. (AU$43) (The reason for the delay in getting this done was due to my parents being here for two weeks, so I waited until after they had left to get back into all this.)

06 OCT 08: Mailed Form 80 and copy of Police Clearance request to immigration officer.

20 OCT 08: Letter dated from Australian Federal Police as clearance for husband.

26 OCT 08: Sent AFP Clearance for husband to immigration officer.

31 OCT 08: Permanent Partner Visa granted, unbeknownst to me until...

04 NOV 08: Received letter from immigration officer informing me that my application had been approved! (Time passed: 2 months, 3 days)

Yay!

For anyone going through this process, if you have any questions, I'm happy to try answer them via the email address above. I can only speak from my experience and am no expert by any means.

Some people, like we did, might wonder, "Do I need an immigration attorney or migration agent?" The answer for us was a big, fat NO. We got all our forms off the internet. DIMA will send a request for anything you miss. All an attorney can do is hound you to get things done, because you're still going to have to fill out all the forms yourself. Save the $2000 and do it yourself.

And finally, my biggest piece of advice is to SAVE EVERYTHING. I was blessed with a certain packrat gene, but if you don't have it, start getting into the habit of sticking anything do to with your relationship into a file. Anything with both of your names on it. Anything that shows you live together, travel together, socialize together. SAVE IT!

2008-11-03T10:59:00.003+10:00

Nature Kids Strike Again
I've been feeling more and more outdoorsy, which is pretty out of character for me. But after having my parents here, I've been feeling a bit more adventurous and curious about the world around me. Spring always helps too, with all the new life abounding.

Saturday night we were sitting at the table, and we heard a kind of squalking noise coming from outside. Concerned that it might be Frida, we went out to check. It clearly wasn't coming from the chicken coop, but it took us a while to locate the noise coming from a hollow in the macadamia tree outside our door.

We got out the flashlight and brought out a chair to stand on. Eventually out popped the head of the cutest little green treefrog. He was covered with ants though, but he went back down in the hole before we could help him out. So we poured water down in hopes that he just needed a rinse.

Then on Sunday morning, we went outside to find two fuzzy baby tawny frogmouths in a tree. They are so, SO cute. I really wanted to get a photo from the front, but he wouldn't turn for me. When they are little, their entire faces are eyeballs. So adorable.

Oh! I just found someone else's photos of a baby tawny too. This is a great one from the front. I just want to hug him and squish him and call him George. And this one reminds me of Fizgig.

2008-11-01T19:48:00.000+10:00

Lousy T-Shirt? I Think Not
I went to New South Wales, and all I got were these cute new shoes.

2008-10-30T16:01:00.002+10:00

But I Still Love Technology
If you love me and/or my husband, download this little game for your fancy-schmancy iPhone. It's the free version. (Though if you like it, buy the real version.) His friends did the game. He did the music. And in the future, you may, just may, see them release a game based on my idea of a mail-order toy company gone wrong.

Out and About
The in-laws have a Dutch backpacker staying with them at the moment. She's cutting her trip short and is going back to Europe soon. So we told her we'd take her out to somewhere that she still wanted to visit on the weekend. Looks like we're off to Byron Bay. My first time! Should be lovely if the thunderstorms stay away.

2008-10-25T14:55:00.002+10:00

Since Last Time...
... my Tash has been here;
... we got a new tv and Lego: Batman, which consumes us;
... one or both of us has been sick almost every day;
... I have barely looked at websites not news or weather related, except Facebook. There's always time for Facebook, yeah?

I'm Excited About...
... Coles Online: this is going to change my LIFE! Shopping for groceries FROM MY COUCH, and then they will magically appear at my door at any time I desire??!! I love you, Coles. If only you stocked Method, I would never go anywhere else again.

... our new chook pen. Frida is completely too big for the cage set-up we had on the veranda, so we bought her the super-deluxe, A-frame chicken tractor. She is spoiled.

... but she is LAYING EGGS. Did I mention this before? We've got eggs coming literally and figuratively out the wazoo. So if you're in the Brisbane area and want some yummy eggs from a happy chicken, let me know. We can work out some sort of drop off action. EGGS!

2008-09-28T09:42:00.002+10:00

And We're Done
Wow, so today ends the three-week vacation of 2008. My parents left on Thursday, and I'm still a little bit sad. The introvert in me didn't always love the constant being with people and all the go-go-go we scheduled, but overall, it was so great. I think the best part is just being able to talk to them about stuff now, and they will have a better picture of what we're talking about.

We really did pick up the pace, which was good considering the amount of rich food we also ate. But I am really hoping that we can continue that on our own. Sure we won't be hiking through the Bunya Mountains or walking along the rocky shores of Western Australia, but it's not too much trouble to find a park or bush trail around here.

I also have had a bite from the travel bug. I'm excited about finding new treasures in new places, even places close to home.

That being said, I've heard about a new park, we've got the foodstuffs for a picnic on hand, and we have yet to try out our new picnic blanket. Today might just be the day!

Linky Links
♥ The Paupered Chef - I may have put this one before.

♥ Oh, Sunday School - cute

♥ Red Bubble - for all you artsy folk, they'll make cards and t-shirts and prints of your work for your customers.

♥ Quick Indian Cooking - because someday I'll make it from scratch.

2008-09-23T17:39:00.001+10:00

Australian Icon
Our flight path to Perth went right past Uluru. It was pretty amazing to see, even from that distance. I am hoping that we get there someday.

2008-09-22T22:36:00.002+10:00

West Coast and Back
With sunrises like this, can you see why I didn't want to leave?

2008-09-16T21:46:00.000+10:00

Back from the Bunyas
We've been busy.
We're tired.
But we are having a great time.

2008-09-11T21:15:00.003+10:00

Day One: Survived
We got up before dawn and managed to get the parents from the airport. We had an easy day with hanging around the house and a light lunch. Then we took them to Queen's Park in Ipswich. Their nature centre is really quite good. It's not quite Australia Zoo, but it IS free. No koalas or crocs, but it has wombats, goannas, wallabies, emus, kangaroos, lizards and birds of all sorts.

We also had a walk around the Nerima Japanese Garden. While you can tell it has been affected by the drought, it still is the greenest place I've seen in quite a while. It really is so peaceful and beautiful. I reckon we'll be having a picnic there one day soon.

Then tonight we cooked dinner for both sets of parents. No culinary catastrophes to speak of. No embarrassing childhood stories. No lack of conversation. It was quite impressive for a first-time meeting.

Now we sleep.

2008-09-05T13:46:00.002+10:00

Pending Arrival

I have to say that things are looking... good. It's not really the "finding places to stash clutter" that I'm worried about, it's most definitely the "finding it all back again" part.

So now that it's crunch time, I'm starting to re-look at what I REALLY need to have done before they get here. So the curtains may not get washed, but since they are staying in our room, the contents of bedside table drawers are getting repositioned, if you know what I'm saying.

It's going to be good. Trying not to stress.

Food Meme
And since I don't really feel like doing anything anymore, I'm using this as a distraction:

Here's a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that [very good taste] think[s] every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison - I don't think so
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp - ahh Minnesota summers
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich - I've had bites but never an entire one; gross.
14. Aloo gobi - this is one of the dishes we get at our new favourite Indian place
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes - plum wine, mmmm
19. Steamed pork buns - perfect sweet and savory combo
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries - my aunt the mountaineer pointed some edibles one out on a hike
23. ~~Foie gras~~
24. Rice and beans - one of our specialties
25. Brawn, or head cheese - I've been in close proximity, but don't think I tried it
26. ~~Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper~~
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. ~~Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl~~ - I don't dig the clams
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut - we had it for our Oktoberfest last year
35. Root beer float - oh how I miss A&W!
36. Cognac with a fat cigar - separately but not together
37. Clotted cream tea - most recently at Newstead House a couple weeks ago
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more - $40 short
46. ~~Fugu~~
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut - meh
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. ~~Beer above 8% ABV~~
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads - nearly striken, but I could probably try if I didn't know ahead of time
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake - I've had them all but would argue that they should be separate
68. ~~Haggis~~
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky - I love the strawberry ones
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. - not looking good with none in AU
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers - violets in my salad a couple weeks ago
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox - waste of a good bagel
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

2008-08-31T19:12:00.002+10:00

Providence of Playlists
I'm sitting here adequately stressed out while putting together the finishing touches on my gigantic package of photocopies and documents to submit with my Stage Two Partner Visa application. I've had the MP3s on shuffle and couldn't ask for a better soundtrack of mellow and moving tunes to keep me going.

♥ "Wonderful" - Adam Ant
♥ "I'll Fly Away" - Gillian Welch & Allison Krauss
♥ "Mojo Pin" - Jeff Buckley
♥ "Fast Car" - Tracy Chapman
♥ "Crazy" - Seal

And then "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie came up and ripped me out of my happy bubble. Hmm, where'd that come from?

(Also my intense love for Adam Ant has been rekindled, and right now I'm kicking myself for bringing my Manners & Physique album to work.)

2008-08-30T21:14:00.003+10:00

Working Best Under Pressure
I am finding myself wishing that my parents would stop by a little more often, because dang, it's motivational. We're achieving things these days that I haven't managed to do in the last two and a bit years that we've lived in this house... specifically unpacking a box of my stuff that I haven't opened since we moved. Found $400 in travellers' cheques, too. I mean, awesome, right?

So as a bit of a pat on my own little back (and that of my dear husband), here's a bit that we accomplished today:

Wiped down the adirondack chairs on the veranda so we could eat breakfast outside.
Dusted the ceiling fan blades in the bedroom.
Changed lightbulbs in places we've been stumbling blindly through for quite some time.
Massive dust and purge in the bathroom. (Thanks, sweetie!)
Bought a new washing machine, since our other one completely died after the Great Power Outage of 2008.
Bought and changed fuse on our stereo, which also was a result of the aforementioned power issues.
Had lunch at a cute little place called Fig Jam. It was an Entertainment Book find, and it was quite lovely. The chips are scrumptious.
Went to Bunnings. It's like the Home Depot of the southern hemisphere. It was familiar and great. Bought pavers, because we're crafty like that.
Purchase and built a shelf unit thingie for the corner where the unpacked box used to be.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good. Just 12 days to make the rest of the house immaculate.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
I decided that I needed a freshen-up before our holidays. I finally found a Redken salon, and it was close to work. So I went in yesterday armed with a photo of Heidi on last week's Project Runway. Finally got my old Shades EQ color done and chopped a lot off. Can't say I look like Heidi Klum, but I've got bangs again for the first time in over a decade.

2008-08-28T10:23:00.002+10:00

Moist Slices
The phrase "yummy mummy" repulses me to the core.

2008-08-26T15:01:00.003+10:00

For Future Perusal
For the next available free moment between now and October.

♥ Earthlust: stainless steel water bottles

♥ Kir De Vries: online store with Earthlust products... and also Shinzi Katoh bento boxes?!

♥ lost.net.au/vic: links to pretty things

♥ Write On and More: even more links to pretty things, including the beautiful Blue Leaves

♥ Expat Women: misery loves company, I guess?

♥ Wists: Make your own wishlists... if you want.

All these are brought to you by a sudden urge to find a new handbag before we go to Perth. (Though, maybe I should just get one there -- even I can't resist their shopping opportunities.) However, as you can see, there are no links to handbags. Oops. Back to work.

2008-08-23T18:54:00.011+10:00

Gamers and Those Who Love Them
The other day I came across the webcomic The DM of the Rings. It's about a bunch of gamers playing a D&D-style game to the story of Lord of the Rings. After a quick debate about whether to admit how much the geek in me loved this, I feel compelled to say that there are points where I nearly died from laughter. If you or someone you know is into gaming and LOTR, you simply must read this one.

Flower Photos
A couple of weeks ago, we had a picnic at the Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha. It was such a lovely day. (And then we came home to find out about Dixie, so I wasn't really excited about posting the photos.) A sampling of the photos are below. You may click for more.

www.flickr.com
Hmm...
Until this week, I was unaware that "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" was to the tune of "God Save the Queen". Is it wrong to suggest there was some sloppy lyric-writing when it results in "Queen" rhyming with itself FOUR times?

2008-08-20T14:30:00.003+10:00

Wondering
Do I need to notify anyone at the national mint that we're about to release $800+ in COINS back into circulation?

We're finally clearing out our change drawer, and it was, um, well overdue. I am really sad to learn that we can't pay for anything with it though. (See Question 13.)

Rock Down to Electric Avenue
While I was tempted to feel rich with all this newly counted wealth we've been hording, that was all before the Great Blackout of 2008. Last Saturday night, we were going to bed when I noticed the lamp kind of fading in and out. Finally the power went out in that half of the house altogether, but as we were already in bed, it didn't really matter.

We called the power company on Sunday morning. The guy came out and said that there was a faulty switch and that we were lucky it hadn't caught fire. So he disconnected the power to the whole house.

Monday, we called a wonderful electrician who came out to change the switch that the power company had disconnected. However, since we were at work, he couldn't check the switches inside. We got home and the lights worked, but the powerpoints did not. The freezer was thawing.

Yesterday, he came back out and changed a bunch of stuff and whatever they do. He stayed until almost 7pm to get it working for us. All was good until after he left, and I went to turn on the dishwasher. That's when we realized that the major appliances would still trip the safety switch.

So this morning, he came back one more time and found a stray wire from our original bungled wiring that was the issue. So hopefully we're good to go now. Today we eat meat and lots of it to avoid wasting everything that was in mid-thaw yesterday. *sigh* Not looking forward to the bill.

2008-08-10T22:45:00.002+10:00

Roadtrip!
In an effort to raise my comfort level behind the wheel, we decided to take a little roadtrip today to a few more miles (kilometers) under my belt. We headed West and ended up in Laidley. I'm too tired to write about our adventures at the moment, but after today, I have a renewed love for Australian scenery.

2008-08-04T09:52:00.002+10:00

Sadness
The in-laws' dog killed my chicken Frida yesterday. I wasn't a fan of the dog to begin with, but I pretty much hate him now. I'm quite sad.

2008-07-28T14:42:00.002+10:00

Here in My Car I Feel Safest of All
It's New Car Day! Hooray! We have the day off, and I thought we would sleep in and then go later in the afternoon. But no, I think I was awake by 7:30 and raring to go. It's so exciting. Our CAR is parked underneath me as I type. We went and got groceries in OUR CAR. I went through three roundabouts in OUR CAR. I'm ready to take a roadtrip in OUR CAR!

We're a little split on the name. I wanted it to be sort of "Man from Snowy River" themed, since it is a Colt. The thing is that I can't remember any of the horses' names from the movie. Bess was the one who died at the beginning, right? And then I'm not sure any of the other ones had names. Just "the Brumbies", I think.

But we've got it narrowed down to either Clancy or JESSICA!. Not Jessica. You have to say it like you've just spent the night looking for her in the rain. JESSICA! Maybe the car can have two names. Clancy for when it's behaving well, and JESSICA! when it's giving me grief.

In Other News...
* It's fricking FREEZING.

* Hans's tante and oom from Holland are in town this weekend. I can pick up only the slightest bit of their Dutch, but they are such a hoot. We're arranging a visit with them in 2010 when we go for Sail Amsterdam.

* As a thank-you for watching my in-laws' pets last week, I was given some Soul Food Kitchen Cajun Spices. So last night we made red beans and rice. With the Cajun blends that I've found here, I usually put in two Tablespoons to get it to my heat level. So I did the same with my new stuff. OMG. We nearly died. I thought my lips were going to swell shut. I think Hans was hallucinating. I'm scared to try it again. It definitely is NOT the Australian version of spicy; it's legit.

Linky Links
♥ Dutch Word of the Day -- I'm newly recommitted to learning the Dutch that I abandoned quite a while ago.

♥ CraftGossip -- lots of crafty ideas, and from there I found Jon's Thread Escapades, a blog about tatting. I started learning to tat from my Grandma years and years ago. That's another thing I feel like I should consider taking up again.

♥ Vinyl Record Headbands -- here's a craft for Alyda!

♥ Cake Wrecks -- I can't remember where I found this one, but it shows when cake decorating goes wrong, all wrong.

♥ Basic Instructions -- Another one I've had open for a few days, so I can't remember where it came from. But it's a pretty funny webcomic. (Even though I hate them for not having their top banner return to the home page. Who doesn't do that?)

2008-07-23T21:14:00.004+10:00

Stay off the Sidewalks
In case you missed the Tweet, I got my Queensland Driver's License the other day after only the slightest bit of drama. Oh, and I also had my eyes closed the first time, so I had to take not one, but two, horrible license photos. But woo... no test!

Crazy Town
When I'm home alone, I am acutely aware of the sounds around the place, the dogs in the neighborhood, and the noise of the gate. So when I heard the gate open a little earlier, I started to panic knowing that it was an unexpected visitor. Footsteps on the stairs. Oh... poop.

"This is the police". Oh... crap.

I opened the door and was met with a flashlight in the face. It was a very nice officer asking if I had called the police. Turned out that the lady next door had actually called them, as we have sort of the same house number. (Don't ask.)

So of course, I stood outside like the rest of the neighborhood trying to figure out why there were three patrol cars and six officers walking around. Oh, it must be the guy off his face sitting on the curb screaming that he needed help and didn't want to die.

From all appearances, he was being helped and was not, in fact, dying. But he kept up the screaming, nonetheless. Even as they all drove away, you could hear him in the back of the patrol car. Erm. Right. Back to "So You Think You Can Dance."

Linky Links
The Traveler's Notebook and The Nine Commandments of Travel Writing via Write to Travel.

2008-07-20T15:29:00.002+10:00

We Got Wheels!
Three years ago I left my last car in Nashville and rode back to Iowa in a moving truck with my folks. And yesterday we finally replaced it.

We've been talking about how we should have a car by the time my parents get here just so that it's easier to get them around. We'll still use public transport, but it's nice to have the option of getting away to some place that isn't necessarily on a train line.

We, being who we are, however, hadn't really done much looking at cars. We sort of had our hearts set on at least test-driving a Swift. But then the soccer mom in me started leaning towards a CRV. This was all virtual searching though.

Then yesterday, we had gotten back from our McAmerica trip, and Hans's brother came to the door with a flyer describing this Mitsubishi Colt. A test drive and some smooth talking later, we had the guy down to our price range with a 3-year warranty. Next thing we know, we're signing papers.

Of course, neither of us can legally drive it yet, but I'm guessing I should do something about that this week. Eeep! I need so much practice. I've driven my in-law's car down the street to the grocery store, but I've managed to avoid all roundabouts thus far. I'm freaking out, but it will be okay.

It's kind of cute in that ugly sort of way, which is totally our style. It's amazingly roomy, and it'll be great for hauling band gear around. I'm excited.

Ocean Moonrises
Then last night we went down to the Gold Coast for dinner. Someone had recommended Matsuzaka to us for the Teppanyaki (where the table is around a chef who cooks for you), and I'm recommending it to you. Be sure to request Chef Phil. He is personable and really made the experience enjoyable.

So enjoyable that I completely overate and was miserable well into the night. But it was so delicious. We had chicken and beef and fried rice and scallops, prawns & I tried morton bay bugs for the first time. I'm not a huge seafood fan, but the sauce they put on the bugs was incredible. We nearly licked our plates.

Another special moment for the night was when we were walking to the restaurant along the shore. The huge orange moon was just coming up and reflecting over the ocean. There have not been many opportunities for this Iowa girl to see such a magnificent sight, and I almost didn't want to go inside just to savour a few extra moments.

In Other News
I'm completely addicted to the Pack Rat game on Facebook. Let me know if you want an invite!

2008-07-13T18:10:00.003+10:00

I ♥ Askinosie Chocolate

On Friday we came across a new indulgence, Askinosie Chocolate. The beautiful organic packaging is what drew us in, and we couldn't resist purchasing one of the 70% dark and one 75% dark chocolate nibble bars with actual roasted cocoa nibs. Their beans are single-source, and the package even has a photo of the farmer on it.

The packaging led me to their website, where I could enter a number on the package and see the history from beans to bar. I also had a look at their FAQ, and the ethics behind this company make me a real cheerleader. I want them to do well, and I want everyone to support them. They go beyond "fair trade". They do right by the farmers and share any extra profits. It's so beautiful. Be sure to go read their story.

On top of all that, it is REALLY good. Almost bad good. I predict a serious breakout in my future. We stopped eating the one bar long enough for me to take that photo, but I'm sure the other bar won't last long either.

Brisbanites can get it at Biome in Paddington for sure, though I haven't been to the city location and don't see in on their website.

Linky Links
The Askinosie packaging was featured on TheDieline.com, which collects all the best in pretty packaging. I'm such a sucker for lovely design, so I plan on visiting this site more often!

2008-07-11T16:09:00.003+10:00

When the Cat's Away
Box came for the boss today from one of our suppliers. Boss isn't here. Box was opened to make sure that it wasn't some sort of explosive devise. Box turns out to contain a fruit bouquet. Fruit bouquets do not survive the weekends well. So we ate it.

But we took a picture so he could see what he missed. Now it's 4:00, and I'm bored. BORED!

Free Stuff
So the other day I found out about PureProfile. It's one of those places where you sign up and tell them about yourself, and then they pay you to click on links or take surveys.

I used to be in one in the States, though I've forgotten the name. But I figured I could sign up and see what happens. Worst case scenario, I get a few additional spam emails or something.

In two days, I've made a whopping $.70, but apparently if you do surveys, they give you more for your time. I only had to click on a few links, and a couple of them were actually interesting. I just thought I'd mention it in case anybody else out there wants to earn a couple bucks, albeit quite slowly. (If you do decide to sign up, would you be so kind as to use my referral number? I think I get a bonus or pats on the back or something.)

One of the sites I had to go to was called Vibe Village. I signed up for that one too. They send out products for you to try, give feedback and hopefully share with your friends. I got accepted into a program for a fiber supplement (hmm, yummy), so you can be sure I'll let you know how that goes.

That's all. We're going out tonight and get to take a CityCat, so I'm pretty much excited about that. Whee!

2008-07-10T11:45:00.003+10:00

Retail Therapy
There's nothing quite like starting off the day with buying two pairs of shoes. All before my second cup of coffee. The shoe store across the street from work always has sale shoes outside on a rack. We often go to the deli next door to get some banana bread for breakfast, but today the shoes drew me in.

The picture of them here doesn't truly convey their cuteness. But I fell in love with the black ones, and Hans said they were so cute and convinced me to get the green ones too. CUTE! (And they're called Cute Girl... how cute is that?) And one more "cute" for good measure.

I almost bought these too, but I thought they made my feet look large. But they are so grandma-licious, I might still go back.

I'm thrilled to find some shoes that actually fit and aren't extremely-wide-width, like most shoes here tend to be. I'm starting to figure out the international shoe sizes... "A 37?! But I'm a 6.5 in America!" I used to be such a shoe whore, and now it looks like I can become one again. :D

2008-07-08T10:26:00.003+10:00

Trust Me
Okay, so if yesterday's post didn't convince you to love Pinback, I'll give it another shot. (Was I wrong about Family Force Five?) But first...

I woke up this beautiful, rainy morning with a song in my head. Actually just some doot-doot-doots. While not being COMPLETELY tone deaf, my efforts to sing the melody to Hans were mostly in vain.

That's when he introduced me to SongTapper.com. It is so freaking ridiculous. You go there and tap in the rhythm of the song you're thinking of, and it will spit back a list of potential songs. It has yet to miss for me. The song is always there.

So I tapped in the rhythm that was in my head, and about halfway down the list I spied Pinback. Of course that was the one. It's called "Loro". It's the last song on their myspace player. It was apparently also on the Elizabethtown soundtrack. (But I don't endorse that movie, because they LIED. That was SO NOT the Nashville airport.) And it's stuck in my head.

Immigration Station
And I came home yesterday to a large envelope from my lovely immigration officer. Lo and behold, it has been two years since I submitted my partner application and now it's time to Taylor-Dayne it up again. Another Australian police clearance, more statutory declarations, the ever-fun character assessment form, and evidence and documents based on my answers on the Statement of Partner Relationship... to be completed by September 2. Joy.

(Yeah, Tash, turns out a visit AFTER September is going to work out better! Hehe.)

2008-07-07T15:58:00.002+10:00

Audio Addiction
I have been ridiculously obsessed with "Good to Sea" by Pinback... to the extent that I've listened to it all day pretty much on repeat. I get this with certain songs that have a particular element that fascinates me and finds a place in my heart. (The prime example being the dun-duh-yeah found at 1:52 in this particular "Head Over Heels" video by Tears for Fears. Watch the video anyway, it's so awesomely 80's.)

So anyway, what I love about "Good to Sea" is that you listen to the first minute and a half thinking that the oh-oh is the figurative answer to the musical question, only to find it as the anacrusis at 2:24. Love it. Listen and love it too:

A Conversation
After getting Tennis 101 the other night while watching the Williams sisters...

Me: How is it that you know all this anyway?
Him: Because I love tennis.
Me: Yeah, why is that again?
Him: Because there's so much strategy involved. It's like chess.
Me: Ah yes, the OTHER great spectator sport.

2008-07-02T16:43:00.002+10:00

A Bit on the Homesick Side
It's weird. My great-uncle from California passed away last week. They are having the funeral in Iowa tomorrow. I only saw them once a year at most. I can't remember having any one-on-one conversations with him. And if I were in Nashville, I probably wouldn't be going home for the funeral unless I had already planned on being home for the 4th.

So why is my grief crippling me today?

Maybe it has to do with getting information like this in casual "oh by the way, has anyone told you yet" emails. Maybe it's the realization that it's only a matter of time before it's Grandma or even someone younger. Bleh.

Linky Links
More expats to peruse:
* Suzer's Expat Adventures
* A Girl Named Supermindy
* Florida Girl in Sydney

I'm pretty sure that I got this link from one of the above. A Year of Crockpotting - someone who is using their crockpot to cook every day this year. (Allison & Steve, I think we all need to try some of these recipes and share the good ones!)

McYum!
This past Saturday we had what I consider to be one of my all-time favourite days in recent history. We had a bit of a sleep in, which is one of my greatest pastimes. But then we hurried to get ready so that we could walk down to McDonalds before they changed their breakfast menu.

The goal was to have the limited edition McAmerica. I may have completely lost my taste for what American bagels are supposed to be like, but this was the closest I have come to bagel perfection in the longest time. The taste, and, more importantly, the texture were EXACTLY what I was looking for in a bagel.

I'm in love with a breakfast sandwich, people. One that I will love until it goes away on August 5.

We then walked past the shops to pick up some food to get us through the weekend and had a lazy stroll back home. It was so glorious outside and getting a little exercise really recharged me.

After we got home, we spent pretty much every last minute of the day playing Lego: Indiana Jones. Freaking awesome. And we're finally getting some use out of the world's most expensive dvd player.

2008-06-22T21:31:00.002+10:00

And We're Done
I have to say that the launch was so much fun and so unbelievable. People came! You know how you plan something big, and then you start to wonder if anybody will even show up? Well, over 250 people did. It was so wonderful.

I didn't even take my camera along. Knowing I would be running around the whole day, I didn't want to have to worry about lugging it with me. (That, and it's not on our insurance yet... oops.) Plus I knew there would be way-more-competent photographers there. *ahem*McGaws*ahem* So I haven't seen any shots yet, but he looked pretty hot if I do say so myself. (Although, I think the girl who was bummed to find out that he was married would agree.)

And then it worked out that a friend was able to come and shoot the set on a Red, which should make for some really great footage. I can't wait to see that either.

So we're just floating in a haze of post-show afterglow. It's nice.

The Tax Man Cometh
Probably the worst part about being in Australia, besides the obvious lack of Dr. Pepper, is their financial year ending June 30. And because I'm never good about doing these things in a timely manner, it seems like I am under the constant weight of having to hurry and get my taxes done for one country or the other.

So this year, I'm making a vow that I am going to stay on top of this so that when it comes time for somebody to know what I've earned, I can just fill out the form and be done with it instead of having to dig through files and folders and making phonecalls. It will all be right there.

I spent the afternoon modifying the PearBudget Spreadsheet to suit my needs of tracking deductibles and things like that. While I would really love for us to be a by-the-letter budget-keeping family, we're not quite to THAT point. But baby steps, right?

2008-06-15T10:34:00.002+10:00

We Are All Made of Stars
Allow me to brag for just one moment. My hunky man has a little article right here. (Also, he got a really good haircut last week, and it's like he's my hot new boyfriend or something. *rawr* Is that weird?)

And also in the Proud Wives Club this week is Brandy, and rightfully so. Waltz for Venus had one of their songs featured on MTV's Real World. Check it here. (And with the number of RW marathons they have, that will be a sweet little royalty check, I would presume.)

We're Cute!
A couple weeks ago, we met a friend of a friend. It just so happens that we ride the same bus as her. The first thing she said was, "Oh, you're that cute couple who rides my bus."

Yesterday at the markets, the Yugoslavian woman who sells eggs could not stop gushing about how happy we look and how nice we look together. We practically had to give her our life stories with all her questions about how long we've known each other and how long we've been married. It was really sweet.

I've always hoped that we would be a cute OLD couple. You know, the little oldies who still hold hands and are just so cute you want to squeeze 'em? So I'm happy.

2008-06-12T15:56:00.003+10:00

In List Form

The CD Launch is in 8 days. The CDs arrived today. I'm pooped and can't wait for it to be over. Next time we hire event-planner extraordinaire Miss Tash.

We are in the middle of changing banks. Very un-fun.

Our chickens are getting so much bigger. So are their poops. But they are irresistible, and I sat on the kitchen floor until after midnight last night holding them as they tried to eat my freckles.

I'm still in love with putting my recipes on tastyplanner.com. The pea soup looks terrible due to bad light.

One of these days I'm going to finish the post I started about our recent truffle experiences. (The gourmet deli by our work is now ordering fresh truffles from a farm in Perth -- delish!)

We know the guy who is the voice of Big Brother during the nightly shows, and that's my excuse for watching. I'm so lame.

2008-06-03T22:40:00.003+10:00

Spaced Out
Last Monday we were both home sick. I happened to discover the news article about Phoenix landing on Mars. I don't know why I care about that stuff, because I tend to think that money could be better spent trying to save life on THIS planet instead of trying to find life on others. But yeah, there is still a sense of mystery and adventure that consumes me. Witness:

I only have this picture because the person who is supposed to love me most in the world thought I looked hilarious and wanted to show me. That's our marriage in a nutshell.

And yes, I'm wearing a scarf and sweater. And yes, that is my stocking cap on the couch next to me. What can I say? It's cold in our house in the morning.

2008-05-27T10:59:00.000+10:00

♥ Two Years ♥

2008-05-23T11:50:00.002+10:00

What ARE Husbands for Then?
Quote of the day...
"Why didn't you tell me that I spent the day with hair that made me look like a long-lost member of Def Leppard?"

2008-05-22T10:21:00.004+10:00

Mmm, Tasty
I've been a bit unwell this past week. In fact it was exactly a week ago I was sitting slouched in my chair at work saying that I felt yucky. I then proceeded to spend the next five days on the couch. Changing from one pair of pajamas to another.

I also became enthralled with Tasty Planner. It's a really cute little place to post recipes, but then you can also drag your recipes into the weekly planner. This is important for us, because we do our veggie shopping fortnightly, and I need an idea of what we're going to have otherwise a lot seems to end up in the compost.

I only have three recipes up on my profile so far, because I think it looks nicer when they have photos. But you know how hard it is to photograph food in bad lighting, so only foods I've made in the daylight have made it up so far.

Pre-Sadness
I was also given some bad news on Saturday. I seems that one of the little chickens CROWED on Saturday morning, making it less of a girl than the others. We suspect it's Pepper because s/he's got a lot bigger comb than the others.

Apparently there is a chicken exchange program at the grain place, so I may trade him/her in for another little bub. I'm still holding out hope that it was one of the others before we go to such measures.