Waiting, Waiting...

Big grade fiver...

I have just dropped Master T off at school for his first day back and am waiting for miss T to get ready so I can take her out to breakfast. I have a little gift for her as a celebration to commencing "Big Big' school. It is a bracelet engraved with her initials. She is taking a very l-o-n-g time so here are a few pics from the weekend...

Chicken nuggets and chips at the creek

Ahhh, the creek...

Well deserved after a l-o-n-g bike ride...

Maybe not r-e-a-l-l-y healthy though...

Bit of boogy boarding...

Trust your weekend was grand. Life returning to its usual routine after today....

 Ciao for now...

 

Breathtaking...

 I was blow away by the utterly breathtaking photography of John Granen.  I spent quite a bit of time marveling at his amazing talent. For me life is learning to take pauses, to consciously appreciate and to take a deep breath occasionally. We are surrounded by beautiful moments and beautiful things and an artist like John can capture life in such a way as to make you stop and pause.

Want to have a peak? I have linked his name to his website but, here is a glimpse of what is in store. I hope you enjoy...

Ciao for Now


  

Cheesecake...

We went out to dinner to a friend's house and I offered to bring dessert. I l-o-v-e making desserts and I made a frozen cheesecake a-la LJ (Sister). Sounds kind of like a frozen Sara Lee number but it is sooooo NOT and it is delicious! AND I don't even like cheesecake! LJ made it over the Christmas period and the bonus is you can make it days ahead because it kindly stays in the freezer until you are ready. IF it lasts that long. It is surprisingly rich and creamy...Want the recipe?

Base:

1 packet of sweet biscuits (any: Nice, Ruffles)

Melted butter, about 3 tablespoons

Crush biscuits to crumbs, mix with melted butter,  press into a spring-form cake tin. (I use the bottom of a glass to press it in evenly and to compact it down) Pop into the freezer

Filling:

3 packets Philidelphia cream cheese, room temperature (I use the low fat variety)

1 1/2 tins Condensed milk (Again the low fat version is fine)

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Put cream cheese and condensed milk with lemon zest into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add lemon juice. Pour into cake tin on top of base. Put back into the freezer. To serve crumble a Flake chocolate on top or add berries or... nothing! To cut, use a knife dipped in hot water.

Bon apetito!!!

Ciao for now

just Martha

Zhush Me...

Zhush me!!

I've had a bit of a zhush of my blog.... I l-o-v-e that word! Do you like words? Does saying some words fill you with joy?  Felicity has a 'Word of the Week' so pop in and have a peek. I could zhush some more but, hey, little steps.  Thanks to Jane for the tips on the signature.  I need a little zhushing too so this week will find me at the hairdressers and taking the Tweenies and I for eye tests. I will hopefully get some new glasses as mine have gone to that 'safe place' I have here at home. Darn it!!! Never to resurface again so far... I feel a little apprehensive at choosing a frame to suit me. The people in the shop m-i-g-h-t give good advice but what if they don't? What if all they care about is selling glasses? I was in a dress shop once and the girls working there were trying to talk this gorgeous girl with a mane of flaming red hair into a pink formal dress. She was quite hesitant and I could tell that she didn't believe them but was powerless to believe in herself. I couldn't help it. I felt obligated to save her. I caught her eye and gently shook my head 'no'. She practically ran out after she got dressed. 

So, any tips on choosing frames? The Tweenies have shown great credibility in the past. At the age of 7 Miss T chose a dress for my sister to wear at the christening of her daughter. LJ tried on one dress and Miss T said 'I don't think so' and proceeded to pick out a lime green number with grossgrain straps. It was p-e-r-f-e-c-t and LJ wore it with confidence. I could rely on the Tweenies advice but what if I come out looking like Justin Beeber? Maybe I will just have to trust my instincts...

 Ciao for now...

Blogger Awards...

 I have been honoured by receiving these awards from Trish at A Dream House For Trish. Thank you so very much! Have you popped in to see Trish at her beautiful site? She has an amazing blog.  It is great to learn a few more things about one of my favourite bloggers so thank you Trish!!!

So, I need to tell you 7 things about me and then pass the awards on to some fellow bloggers. Okay, here it goes:

1. I read magazines and the newspaper from the back to the front. Always. I am disciplined when it comes to novels thought. Just the regular way..

2. I was born at home in England rather than in a hospital. My Mum was drinking coffee and put it down to have me. Very civilized apparently. The house we were living in was reported to be haunted...

3. If any of my family hurt themselves, I get this dreadful feeling in the pit of my stomach. Doesn't matter if it is a scratch or a broken wing...  My friend who used to work in both Intensive Care and Emergency, fainted when her husband broke his collar bone! Yet I am fine if someone I don't love is injured.

4. I used to watch horror film after horror film!!! U-n-t-i-l the night I watched 'The Pet Cemetery' by Stephen King (1989) and I had nightmares for w-e-e-k-s. I haven't watched a horror movie since and even suggesting scary stuff to me at night sees me up a-l-l night having nightmares... The Silver Fox used to think it was funny, until he spent many a sleepless night with me. Now he will turn off anything remotely spooky.

Ada and Darcy

5. This year I am determined to do a course in soft furnishings to learn properly how to do mitred corners, button holes, put in zippers and piping. The r-e-a-l way, not just my way... Wish me luck!

Handy with a can of Mortein...

6. I once had to drive, in my pyjamas late at night, across town to a Pizza Hut carpark to kill a spider that was in my sister's car. She begged and pleaded with me as she has quite a fear and could not drive until it was dead and gone. Am I not a great sister?

Nachos

7. I have 'Corn Chip Anxiety' from working in a Mexican restaurant for 3 years whilst going through University. Do you know how many people choke on corn chips? Heaps!!! Probably due to their sharp corners. To this day if I hear someone choking, my pulse rises and I am ready for action.  Any where, any time. When my sister used to give her small children corn chips I would have to leave the room. We do eat corn chips but there will always, always, be a caution from me to 'take your time', 'chew properly'...

Now, if you are still awake after all that I would like to pass this award on to 7 people:

Sarah at Ah, the possibilities

Glenda at Gg-Notes on the Journey

Thisisme from Southamsdarling

Elements at Elements at Home

Jen at Slumber Designs

Melissah at Scrapbook

Belle at Belle Inspirations

 Ciao for now...


 

Aussie Day...

Today is Australia Day and we celebrate by having a public holiday. Our current job situation means that we both have a public holiday and that we can pl-a-n to do something fun. Starting the day off with the boys going BMX bike riding, then the beach, then the creek for a picnic. Sounds like fun? You bet. Beautiful days recently. We will meet up with other family and friends at the creek and relax the afternoon away....

The boys will do a bit of this...

We will all do a bit of this...

Lunch will be here... with a few more people about no doubt...

Maybe squeeze in some of this... Yum!

What are you doing today?...





Ciao for now...

 

Egg Anyone?

Hanging Pod Chair

Hanging egg chair

Images

I really want one of these! A hanging egg chair. Not one on a stand but one hanging on a long chain from the ceiling. Maybe outside on my balcony.  What do you think? Could you see yourself gently swaying in the breeze, curled up with a favourite book? (A little part of me sees it swinging out of control banging into everything with Master T inside...)

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Duck Eggs in an Oriental Garden...

Laura Ashley Oriental Garden in Duck Egg

There is something about 'duck egg' when describing a colour isn't there? Duck egg blue. N-i-c-e. I don't think I have ever seen a real duck egg. Have you? But. I can imagine the colour. Very stylish. So, one of my projects this year is to find a chest of drawers for my bedroom and cover the top with a beautiful wallpaper. I bought Oriental Garden in duck egg blue with pearlescent inks. Isn't it lovely? Actually, in real life it is a bit more blue looking. Nicer than this image really. I don't have the chest of drawers yet but hey, the wallpaper was on s-a-l-e so I had to start somewhere. I am even toying with the idea of covering the drawer fronts too with the wallpaper like the one below but it might be too girly-girl for me. I am a bit plain.  I like sleek lines and minimal fuss. Oh I like fussy-fuss too but not stuff that I would get sick of or that would go out of trend. I spent my childhood in the 'Mission Brown' era a-n-d we had a sunny-yellow kitchen. It has lasting effects you know...

My chest of drawers will be timber so imagine the Oriental garden print...

When Miss T was a baby I covered the insides of her chest of drawers with a teddy bear print and gingham lined with lavender and wadding. I spent a-g-e-s cutting out cardboard as the base to glue the wadding to and couldn't feel my thumb for months after all that cutting! The things you do. Master T inherited it and he still has it in use. The inserts are easily removed for when he finds it too babyish. So, my first project is to complete the handmade chenille quilt and cushion covers and then on to the chest of drawers!!!! Very exciting...

Ciao for now

just Martha

Storm Season...

December/ January where I live is always storm season. Hot, humid and dry. A big storm is sometimes a relief to break the heat.  We get ones where the thunder shakes you out of bed... literally. Are the Tweenies scared? Nope. Usually sleep through the whole thing. God love them. My Mother h-a-t-e-d storms. She was terrified. But growing up we never knew. All we knew was that whenever there was a storm we weren't allowed to look out the window and the curtains were drawn. No one could use the phone either because apparently it is very common for people to go deaf whilst using the phone during a storm. She said she knew someone once who had gone deaf... Plus, she always cleaned the pantry. Always. In later years we discovered this. The pantry was the only place without windows so off she would go. She was traumatized by her granny as a kid. The mirrors would be covered, the silver hidden and under the bed they would all go... No wonder she was scared to death even in her adult days. I want to thank her though for not passing on this phobia to her three children. Thanks Mamma. A-n-d we had a very clean pantry in December/ January!!! I like storms. Sometimes we can watch a storm out at sea which is quite beautiful. Lots of lightening and not much noise.

Do you like storms?

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Unbelievable...

Image

Yes folks it is indeed a new record. Shopping with the family at Ikea and........ buying nothing. N-o-t-h-i-n-g!! Totally unheard of. Unbelievable!!!!

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Family Moments...

I have had this week off. Hooray!! It is so heavenly spending time with my gorgeous children. Being able to relax and take deep breaths. I am not usually the 'fun' parent so we have done grocery, school uniform, school shoe shopping and the gutting of bedrooms. But. We have also had bike rides, indoor rock climbing, friends sleep over, swimming, movies..... All with Mummy! I think I'm a 'cool' Mum. In fact I know I am but apparently general consensus is that I'm not. How rude! I know I am way cooler than, say, my Mum was but, alas, maybe that is the quandary that is parenthood. Maybe no parent is cool in their children's eyes... Their friends think I am cool though so that will have to do. 

Today sees us heading to Byron Bay before Miss T has a sleep over at a friends house and Master T and I go either for a run or a long bike ride. I have had to get out the spatula most mornings to remove the Tweenies from their beds. I guess they are a bit exhausted from all the 'fun'. I must admit it is very nice not to be ruled by the clock with everyone out of the house by 7.50am! So dear Bloggers, enjoy your day... What are your plans? Want to come along with us?...

Ciao for now 

just Martha

Corner Glimpses...

The painting at my entry

What a heavenly day! We had a home day. Yay!! The children had friends over and I got to throw all the windows open and generally potter about... Bliss!! I was given a Samsung camera for my birthday so I thought I would try it out on my favourite corners around my home. It is just a handbag camera so I do envy you slr mob but I have this on me nearly everyday to whip out when needed.  Here are a few of my favourite things.

Nautilus shells - still intact!

I bought these at Bangalow...

My wall lights near my stairs

a glimpse of Ken

My wind up chiming wall clock

A glimpse through the louvers

Wall art in my bathroom...

The squareness of an entry window

A handle on our warehouse-like doors

Now it is going to storm so best run and shut all the windows...

Ciao for now 

just Martha