a little walk

let me take you for a little walk around my suburb...

along the path...

past the local bowls club.
(i will make good use of this in 40 years time...)




our local butcher.
Sunday special: a free smile...




there's some beautiful places to explore.
but please, enjoy don't destroy.
it's too precious!

the eiffel tower on a squiggly gum??

it's the sort of suburb where all backyards meet in the middle.
it's cosy...

disclaimer: this is not my letterbox...

there were others on their Sunday Stroll...

right now, the wattle is out...
there are beautiful clouds of bright yellow everywhere.
simply stunning!

family heirlooms

it's a special thing, having something passed down to you: jewellery. an item of clothing. a painting. it's lovely to know that you have something that once was precious to someone you love.

i have a few special things. some brooch's of my grandmothers. some precious bags. a few pieces of crockery. a piano.

and then this week, came something special.

made my my great-grandmother.

passed down to my grandmother.

to my aunt, and then to my mother.

and now to me.







beautiful, isn't it??







and i know what you're thinking! it's a crazy little teapot cosy. and when Mum is one of 8 kids, and now there's lots of cousins running around, you've gotta take what you can get!

but it's surprisingly comforting, knowing that this little cosy is all about the little things in life, right?

a nice warm cuppa.

a big hug from your mum.

and the memory that you come from a long line of people who have lived amazing & precious lives before you.





it's beautifully kitsch! and i love it.

retail therapy

So there's comfort food, there's fluffy pyjamas. And i also totally believe in the value of a little bit of retail therapy every now-and-again, just to feel a bit better. within reason, you know! so i've been thinking about the blog this challenge this week - and just have to share with you my latest little buy...

i don't know why, but i have a little obsession with the colours red & orange. i'm strangely attracted to bright things. so when wandering around my local witchery store one day, out of the corner of my eye, i saw a flash of orange. i didn't know what it was, but i had to have it :) Imagine my delight when it was a scarf! (something else i'm obsessed with - one can never have too many scarves!).

And it didn't stop there, oh no.

It was a scarf.

with pockets.

for your hands: to keep your hands warm!

and i thought... how kitsch!







but, my friends, call it the GFC*, call it self control, But it didn't buy it that day. or the next. In fact, it was only a few weeks later when i walked back in the store, to see if it was still there... and it was! AND ON SALE!!!!!!!!!!

and then i was sold :)





and as for convincing my husband i needed an orange scarf with pockets for my hands?

...conveniently he was on an interstate work trip at the time... *wink*



*Global Financial Crisis, or Geelong Football Club, depending on which part of the country you come from.

best and worst

thanks mamamia, i think i just might. my best and worst of the weekend??

best: spending time with my best friend. laughing so much i was about to spit out my mouthful of drink. knowing that someone is there for me, maybe not being about to fix anything, but telling me i'm doing the right thing. my best friend is very special to me: he's my husband.
(and we did have fun! spent very little time together this weekend - him with sport, me with girlfriends, but strangely it was a game of football that brought out the laughs. good times! and go the lions!)

worst: *sigh* having someone apologise to me by saying "i'm sorry if it offends you." Is that really an apology? did they take back the nasty things? no. they still mean them. but they didn't mean to offend me?

and another possible worst: not having time to write my blog this blog. i have so many ideas! will need a photo shoot for this one: i'm excited! (watch this space).

night all. hope it's a great week ahead for you!

who i am

morning, all!
it's always fun to get a bit of an insight into the real someone. so here are 15 facts about me... some kitsch. some frivolous. some, deep down, are what make me who i am. check out blog this for the inspiration.

1. when i was in grade 2 we went on a class excursion to paris to watch swan lake. since then, i have loved the name odette and the gracefulness that ballet exudes.

2. i have visited every state and territory of australia. i had never been to dreamworld until i was 20, but i'd seen Uluru twice. i thought that was normal.

3. my pet hate: apple stickers. they're just so frustrating and small.

4. i also have a deep dislike for queensland newspapers. i just need Brisbane Journalists to step up the mark! in the meantime, i will make do with the Age, and the Australian.

5. since i was a little girl, i always loved the thought of becoming an architect. i still think about it. mainly because i wanted to follow in the footsteps of my daddy. he draws beautiful pictures of houses.

6. in reality, i'm quite a shy person. i may seem extroverted, but it's all a big act. that i pull off rather well, if i do say so myself.

7. i married my first kiss. and i think that's a beautiful thing.

8. speaking of the man i married, my first ever memory of my husband is grade eight home-economics when we were making apple crumble. he cut his finger and fainted at the sight of blood. who would have thought we'd fall in love six years later?

9. i am a good cook. i cannot, however hard i try, make gravy.

10. my tea of choice: earl grey

11. my most unfavourite movies are: milo & otis, the lion king. i still cannot watch those movies without bawling my eyes out.

12. mortality is something i face everyday in my job. death is a natural part of life. and i'm ok with that.

13. i have an intolerance for people who smoke around young, helpless children. thankyou for giving them cancer.

14. when i was little my parents bought me a "i got shipwrecked on great keppel island... and i survived" tshirt. White with blue writing. I really did believe it had happened to me!

15. i am really quite good at canulating. it's where you have to stick a needle in somebody's vein, to get a drip inserted. it is something i am secretly quite proud of. is that morbid?

the dinner party

the dinner party to end. all. dinner. parties.

Yes that's right friends, I'm hosting a dinner party. Thanks to Blog This for the reason.
i thought i might let you in on how preparations are going...

the guest list...

myself & hubby
hostess with the most-ess
Simon & Garfunkel
will that count as 2 guests?
seriously, they are still beautiful musicians 40 years later...
and i'm sure they've got a few stories to tell...
Joni Mitchell
if only so she'll play me an acoustic version of "river"...
and when that's done i'm sure her and S & G can talk about how things "used to be" in the music industry, like all old people do...
Mr (Fitzwilliam) Darcy
look mate, forget elizabeth bennett, i'm doing a bit of matchmaking with the following guest...
best friend ruby
(ok so i've changed her name!)
i'm not usually into matchmaking, but i just know they'd be perfect for eachother!
That, and I want to spend Christmas's at Pemberley!!!
Bill Bryson (author)
You've always gotta have someone to tell a hilarious story about anything...
and he's just the man!

Looking over the guest list i'm almost embarrassed to invite these beautiful people to my humble home, but that's what dinner party's are all about, right? humble and comfortable and sharing a meal together. (And also, i want to have a glass of champagne and not have to drive home!!!)

which brings me to the menu...
Masterchef? eat your heart out.
i have lamb shanks, and i'm not afraid to use them.

entree
caramelised onion tarts with persian feta
served on a bed of rocket
wine : Marlborough sauvignon blanc

mains
slow braised lamb shanks in red wine sauce
served on a bed of herb polenta
with steamed baby winter vegetables
wine: barossa cabernat sauvignon

dessert
Clafoutis
a beautiful french baked custard dessert
served with fresh berries
and thin cream
wine: dessert wine - Muscat
or sweet Champagne

of course, the bottle(s!) of french champagne will be served extra chilled throughout the evening.
I suspect the gentlemen will also retire to the lounge after dessert for a refreshing glass of port (well, that's what they do in the books, don't they? no pipes allowed in my house, though!)

I'm not setting a dress code, but it's an unwritten rule that i'll be wearing black. Not for the sophistication or the slimming nature. no, purely because i will undoubtedly spill something on me. Probably the red wine sauce from the lamb shanks. Even more undoubtable considering i'll have had at least one glass of champers by then.

the entertainment...
here is where my guests come in. Joni Mitchell. Paul Simon. Art Garfunkel. Need i say more?
haven't you heard the phrase: sing for your supper?
but seriously, i'm also hoping Bill Bryson will have us all mesmerised by his stories of travelling the world.
And, of course, Ruby & Mr Darcy will not notice anything but the beating of their hearts as they stare into eachothers eyes and realise they are looking at their soul mate. ok, so i'm just a little bit of a romantic!

And, like all good hostesses, i will have backup.

• Burn the dinner? my mum can save anything. and she's 2 minutes up the road.
  
• Someone turns out to be gluten-intolerant: didn't you know polenta is made from cornmeal?
• Joni lost her voice? I've got Kate Miller-Heidke's personal phone number... i need to hear that song!
  
• Awkward moments of silence: I'll just make some funny joke about the "Sound of Silence" which no doubt will impress Simon & Garfunkel to no end, and will undoubtedly have the table in raptures of laughter (...pun intended!)

It's sure to be a great night! I'll let you know how it goes...

into the week...

Monday! here today... gone tomorrow. (is that too corny? sorry...)

have been checking out a few new blogs (Vonerable and fat mum slim) and was inspired to do a quick check of the weekend that was...

high from the weekend: the simple delights of freshly made bread & pumpkin soup. on a beautiful winters' sunday...

low from the weekend: to have a planned weekend in sydney fall through! was planning to go to a beautiful restaurant, stay in a funky hotel and a head to a concert... but will have to be another time now. you've always gotta have something to look forward to, right??

and on that note,
night night...