glory day

Illicit Thursday

Today I am not where I should be.  I should be at the op-shop raising money through retail, but I'm so very PMS-y and stabby, and the idea of trying to have a conversation with anyone makes me want to chew off my own face.  I'm at the place where, if anything slightly stressful happened, I would lose all sense of proportion and go totally postal.  Much better idea just to stay at home, I thought.

Also there will be potato chips.

The celebrations are still in full swing here, as for the first time since November we now have hot water in the downstairs bathroom.  I KNOW!  It's so exciting!  Also the leak under the sink has been fixed; really it's all too much at once. 

We went to see Terminator: Salvation last night, really just because we wanted to go to the pictures.  I wasn't expecting to enjoy it overly, but I thought it was great, certainly much better than T3.  Then we went to Asakura for dinner which is always good.

All my projects are continuing apace - De's house is becoming uncluttered at a rate of knots, and I've finally finished cutting out my surprise! blanket.  I could wish to be in slightly less pain but what can you do.

Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't look at all comfortable.

In which I LOSE at LIFE

Last night De came over for a glass of wine and a chat, and while she was pouring the wine I went to put away the dishes.  I picked up a wine glass and BAM! SMASH! the glass shattered all over the floor.

I swept and swept and kept finding glass in the most far-flung of locations - how can bits of glass be under the telly, on the armchair and in the cat's bowl?  I mean, I dropped the wine glass, I didn't dash it to the floor from the top of the stairs.  After 20 minutes I decided that the glass was all swept away, and decided to soak the cat's bowl just in case.  I added some baking soda and BAM! SMASH! the jar of baking soda shattered all over the floor.

At that point I about wanted to give up and go to bed, because seriously.  I haven't broken a glass all year let alone two in the space of half an hour.

Luckily Mr Puss was upstairs begging for laptime, as usually when glass smashes he is all over it and the idea of him dancing through shards of broken glass was not a good one.

So I finally, finally got all the glass swept up, then declared I wasn't to touch anything breakable for the rest of the night.

And lucky De!  She came over for a glass of wine and a chat and instead watched me sweep the floor.  She learned a few new swear words though, so she's probably ok with it.

I love how Mr Puss looks like he's in some sort of wooden prison:

because sometimes that would solve some problems.

Pretentious and arrogant, certainly, but definitely pretty too.

Look at my pretty apron - vintage Australian wine bottle labels on Polish linen:

I feel the need to take up baking again.

On Friday a large group of us went to Encasa for a birthday party.  I had been drooling over the menu all day, and it wasn't until we got there that I found out we would be eating from the set banquet menu.  That news nearly broke my heart, seriously. Luckily I wasn't actually able to eat most of the banquet dishes (onion allergy FTW!) so the lovely waiter agreed to bring me a steak with a cream and prawn sauce.

It was divine and I positively swooned.  A tender, juicy steak, plump prawns, creamy garlic-y sauce and little bits of fried potato - I would marry this dish if I could.  I'm sure David wouldn't object.  And I shall be having this dish again.  Divine.

Mr Puss works that blanket like a champ:

On Saturday we watched the All Blacks lose to France.  After the inevitable wailing, rending and gnashing it was all a bit of a relief, really.  For the past few years the AB's really haven't played well yet they still keep managing to win (except for that debacle of a World Cup, obviously).  And because they've kept winning they haven't really addressed some of the basic problems (cough*coaching staff*cough).  Hopefully a home loss to an NH team will force some changes, and hopefully we haven't left it too late for the 2011 World Cup (oh please oh please).

On Sunday night we went to see the Fire Water presentation, which was a huge disappointment.  Despite watching from the Opera House as suggested we couldn't see very much, and what we saw didn't look that exciting.  We debated hanging around for a later session but couldn't really be bothered. 

The lighting effects around the Harbour were fun - particularly on the Opera House - and while we took about 957 kajillion photos none of them really came out.  This photo of the Harbour Bridge isn't too bad:

Actually that photo looks a hell of a lot better if you click and enlarge it, otherwise my apron looks three times the size of the Harbour Bridge.   Strange.

David and I were reading in the paper the other day that Sydney is not regarded as a pretty city, but that's just such bullshit.  Any city that has the harbour and the Rocks area (not to mention Hyde Park, Manly, Darling Harbour, I could go on) is a very pretty city indeed.

Some variety at last!

Sometimes it seems like I write the same damned thing over and over again (generally about the losing ways of my beloved Highlanders, the poor befuddled dears).  But then some times it seems the same things happen over and over - the Highlanders lose, I make a frock or maybe some jewellery.

But this week so far has been quite unusual compared to the weeks we generally have.  Yesterday David bought a new toaster, which is definitely a once-off in his life as our former toaster had been in his family since 1971:

Goodbye, devout and faithful toaster!  You delivered us all our bread-related treats and tried to teach me that all orange kitchen accessories aren't the work of the devil!

Sadly it was time for Old Reliable to be retired as it was shorting out the power supply.  In it's stead we have a lovely chrome curvy toaster with an "integrated bun warming rack", which sounds ... fascinating.

Last night we went to Blackbird for dinner - Blackbird is one of my favourite places on Cockle Bay and while I still have reservations about their service I love the food there.  Caesar salad with king prawns, oh my, oh yes.

Then we went to see Red Cliff which was showing at the State Theatre as part of the film festival.  We arrived to find the queue wrapped around the block, and after waiting for about 10 minutes we were told that the starting time would be delayed by about half an hour.  Did I mention it was absolutely bloody freezing in that queue?  With the wind screaming down the CBD wind-tunnel?

Very grumpily David and I went to a dodgy pub to get out of the wind.  We talked about maybe not going back - there was no way they were going to fit that amount of people into the theatre quickly, it was late, we were cold, we could see it at the Dendy later.  But we went back and although the queue was even longer it started moving quite quickly.  In a few minutes we were inside the lovely old theatre, we were toasty-warm, the seats were comfortable, all was right with the world. 

Then a woman came on stage to introduce the movie, and instead introduced John Woo!!  I tell you what, I was squeee-ing like a teenaged fangirl.  I didn't actually know he was going to be at the screening (probably because I don't listen, concentrate or pay attention) so that was a very cool surprise.

Red Cliff was amazingly awesome and fantastic, by the way - well worth a look.

Oh, and another thing that happened this week which doesn't usually happen: I got assaulted.  While riding home on the bus the other night some teenaged girl punched me in the face.  Twice.  It all seems to be a case of girls acting badly (as opposed to someone wanting to punch me, specifically, in the face); the police came round and took a statement and my face is pretty much fine.

While I'm always open to a bit of variety in my week I draw the line at physical violence.  Although our cat bit the policeman, so that was a tiny bit funny.

And here's something else that hardly ever happens: Mr Puss, slayer of policemen, naps on the black sofa:

I guess if you really want a cat to sleep on a sofa you need to cover it with fabric scraps.

Although they built that industry on the backs of the convicts

To celebrate our sixth (sixth!) anniversary David and I spent Easter in Newcastle.  While this probably wouldn't be a choice that everyone would make we both had a great time.

We'd been there before for gigs and clubs but we'd never looked around the city.  The buildings are all Victorian and reminded me of Dunedin, and the foreshore walk gives a great perspective on the town.  What I didn't know about Newcastle was that it was (post-European settlement) originally a convict prison, and by all acounts a fairly terrible one.

This is the Convict Lumber Yard, one of the first buildings built by the convicts:

It's now a park/historical monument - and I've got all the sensitivity of steel wool, but it still feels a bit creepy.

Newcastle is generally known for maritime history, and also for being the birthplace of Australian industry.  It should also perhaps be know for its bizarre statuary:

Yes, that is a wheel on a foot.  There were about 20 of them in a small space and no explanation was provided.  Make up your own story!

So there was much celebration and flowing wine, much eating and drinking (I had the most amazing meal of haloumi, steak, cream sauce and prawns which probably won't win a Michelin hat any time soon but met most of my basic food-group requirements) and generally had a good time together.  Which after six years together is pretty much the point, isn't it.

Newcastle is home to the rugby league team the Newcastle Knights, and look at this awesome poster:

Don't you love the way they say "next JOUST will be on ..." - I mean absolutely, commit to that imagery!

[Yes it's a crappy crappy photo, taken through the filthy train window as we were pulling out of the station, right in to the light.  But I still thought it was awesome].

Actually I assume an overvalued dollar would be a bad thing

Last Monday was the first Monday of April - time for Hobo Monday!  The challenge is to make a meal costing no more than $5US (which translates to $6.94AUD, and let me tell you watching the converted amount slide from $7.50 to $6.94 over the past month was a tiny bit stressful*) - and the additional rule for April was 'no pasta'.

I present The LambShank Redemption:

Braised lamb shanks with rosemary, roasted sweetcorn tossed with parmesan and pine nuts, small green salad and tinned beans (only for David; I loathe beans)   It was awsome - the meat was melting off the bone, the corn was crunchy and cheesey - two thumbs up!

The total cost was $6.60AUD ($4.74US) - $4.10 for the shanks, 0.98 for the sweetcorn, 0.53 for the pine nuts, 0.36 for the parmesan, 0.40 for the salads and 0.20 for the beans.  My pantry staples were olive oil, wine, homemade stock, rosemary and garlic.

I enjoyed doing this!  It was fun to think up and price a dish, and try new [to me] suppliers to try and keep the price down.  There were highs (I have found a new favourite butcher in the Golden Horn) and lows (the price of sweetcorn went from 0.40 to 0.98 overnight which nearly made me weep) and it's made me even more conscious of cost-cutting - or at least cost-watching.

So now y'all should participate in next month's Hobo Monday challenge.

* I am told that the Australian dollar is actually overvalued against the American dollar, but I have no idea if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  All I know is that lamb shanks are delicious things.

But they're so deliciously creme-y

I've had a pretty bleh week - isn't it funny how being bullied can instantly take you back to high school? - and I have turned to Easter treats for solace.

For various reasons I haven't been able to eat Easter treats for the past few years, and oh! I am so excited!  The very clever people at Bakers Delight had the [frankly genius] idea to add chocolate chips to hot cross buns - and really, is there anything that isn't made even better by chocolate chips?  I am delighted.

I'm no longer able to eat my much-loved Cadbury Creme Eggs, but I have replaced them with a whole bunch of wee Lindt eggs, and I'm finding the subsitution acceptable.  I used to work on the line at a Cadburys factory - where you ate all the chocolate you wanted and let me tell you they took a beating on that policy when I worked there - and my love for the Creme Egg will never be surpassed.

I posted off a birthday parcel to my wee niece today and that made me think about my birthday present for my big niece.  I made her a necklace, and while I'm sure she opened the present hoping for *things 16 y/o girls like* and ended up with something made by her Mad Drunken Auntie she was gracious enough to have her photo taken wearing the necklace.  So I could see that she had received it and worn it at least once, and really that's all I ask.

Although yeah, I do hope she liked it; it was made with much love.

Fabrics and lists and friends, oh my

I have been that busy coming up with new systems and writing lists and decluttering and trying to get our lives more organised that I've completely ignored the other parts of my life - namely anything to do with sewing, pattern-making, blogging or not obsessing!  However we are over that particular project and ready to move on to designing the perfect wrap dress pattern.

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Cool things that have happened recently include:

Fabric from Green Olive!

Martine was kind enough to send me a pack of her gorgeous as-seen-on-TV fabrics which will become a wrap dress in the fullness of time.  The colours, the texture - this fabric is awesome, and check out the Tribal range as well.

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I had my hair cut.  While I really, really like it I can't help but feel I look a little bit like David Bowie circa Aladdin Sane.

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A Highlanders jersey of my very own!



For years I've been wearing an old Otago jersey which my brother unknowingly donated to me which, while very good in its own way, isn't really the same thing as a Highlanders jersey.  De was in Perth a while back and found the 2007 jersey design on sale and thought of me!  And the Highlanders have won every game since so obviously it was meant to be.

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Spotlight had a 'spend $100 get $40 off' which I thought was sneaky-clever.  I now have my own body-weight in retro florals and black crepe suiting.

We're planning to make a late comeback, no doubt

Last week was the third week of the Super 14.  My beloved Highlanders had yet to register a win as they were desparately unlucky to lose the first two games (when it comes to luck all Highlanders fans know we have only two kinds: bad and none at all).

So it was with hope in our hearts and a jaunty bounce in our step that we went along to see the Highlanders play the Waratahs in Sydney last Friday night.  The Highlanders were wearing their fetching new alternate strip:

and we settled down with our overpriced beverages and soggy pies to enjoy the game.  But sadly there was absolutely nothing to enjoy there - the Highlanders played like they were afraid of the ball and the Waratahs ran right over us.

So of course there was much ranting about how they should pay us to bloody watch them, and how hard is it to win anyway? and rash statements about never watching them again.  Honestly, Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch is so on the money for over-the-top fans it's scary.

And this weekend rolls around and we're playing the Crusaders.  The Crusaders!  The reigning champions!  Who have won the title seven times!  And we're second-last on the table!  OK, so we managed to pull out a win against them last year but that was due to last round ennui on their part and some sort of Mephistophelean deal on ours.

And my god, what a game.  Nil-all at halftime, nil-all after an hour, then we won the game 6-0.  It's the lowest score in the history of the Super 14 - and incidentally the first time the Crusaders have been held scoreless - but you know what?  We beat the Crusaders and that's all the record books will say.

I'm choosing to see this win tonight as the starting play of our inevitable and glorious finals victory, etc.  Highlanders fans are forced to live in a world of delusion and fantasy, and sometimes it's almost worth it.

The best rockabilly band in the world

Without wanting to sound overly dramatic (perish the thought!) last night was the night I've waited thirty years for.  Because last night we went to see the Stray Cats.

Stray Cats were my first "band crush" - the first band that I identified as something I wanted to listen to, rather than just letting the radio play at me.  The first band whose album I bought.  I didn't ever really think I'd see them play live, but when I found out they'd be playing here I begged David to buy me tickets for my birthday (which he did, and he rocks).

And oh, last night was simply fabulous!  They put on an awesome show and had heaps of energy.  We loved it, the crowd loved it, the band loved it.  Just a top night out all round.

Here Miss Clara models the merch: