So that was Sunday...

Yes, I realise it's only just gone 5pm but I've officially declared the day over and plan to cook dinner then crawl onto the sofa with a bucket of Banrock Station and watch either Kermit's Swamp Years or The Muppets Wizard of Oz. Neither of which I've seen yet. Actually maybe I'll go with the first choice and save The Wizard of Oz for Christmas.

Except I don't plan to be home for Christmas this year for a change. I'll be at the Parental Palace in Petone for the first time in.. oh... (checks fingers, kicks of shoes, counts toes) a very long time. Mum, Raven Haired Sister, Dad? Fancy a little light comedy on Christmas Day??

But I digress. Here it is 5pm and I'm still in my gym clothes. I went to Pump at 11am. I still haven't had a shower. My excuse is I spent the afternoon helping V & M (and little E) do their end-of-lease clean. Remind me never ever ever to move flats - I was gobsmacked at the level of cleanliness that was expected (hello?! Clean the sliding door tracks?)

I did achieve something today. Made serious inroads into a little Christmas gifty for a bloggy friend. No pics, sorry. It's a secret.

And made up a delicious 10 minute lunch:

Fettucine with mushrooms and blue brie (serves one, could serve more if you double, triple or quadruple the recipe!*)

60g dried fettucine
4 mushrooms, cut into quarters then cut again to a total of eight wedges
1 16g wedge of Blue Castello
1 Tbspn fresh parsley, chopped
Olive oil spray
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the fettucine according to packet directions.
2. While this is happening, spray a non stick pan with olive oil spray and fry the mushrooms till they look sort of cooked and smell all yummy and mushroomy (you might need an extra burst of olive oil spray along the way)
3. Add the parsely and black pepper to the mushrooms. Stir. Chop the wedge of blue brie into four. Add to the mushroom mixture, turn off the heat and stir until the cheese is melted.
4. Hopefully by this time the pasta has cooked so drain it and arrange it in a bowl. Add the mushroom mixture to the top of it, skip to the table and eat!

(If you happen to be counting points this will set you back a whopping 3 1/2 points)

(* I usually double the recipe so I can add a serving to the freezer for future "I can't be shagged cooking" evenings... )(Listening to: Sophie Ellis Bextor, Read my lips)

Ta da!

One finished springtime bag completed just in time to take along tonight to the final performance in my 2006 Canberra Theatre subscription season.

Today was one of those days where time seemed to creep ever so slowly by in a good way. Do you ever have days like that?

By 11:30am I had done three loads of washing, finished my bag, and read the latest AU marie claire from cover to cover.

Which meant I could have a lazy lunch in Manuka with S before we went to an afternoon preview screening of The Devil Wears Prada (loved it, in case you're wondering. But what's not to like? Great clothes, great city and excellent soundtrack) Now I have a couple of hours free before heading into town and I think I hear the latest US Elle calling my name. Tough life all round, really...

How's your Saturday going?

(Listening to : Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions)

A Work in Progress (finally!) and more bloody books

I'm very pleased to announce that I've finally started that bag I first bought the fabric for in March and contemplated options for in July. Ceases will never wonder! (As they say) It feels good to be back in a space (figuratively) where I feel like crafting again.
Today was the first day of the Lifeline bookfair. So I had to wander over at lunchtime and check things out. I think I was most restrained only taking home this many books out of the 150,000 on sale. Don't you?

And since almost half of them are heading out to other people I don't have to feel at all guilty buying such a pile. Besides, my $50 went to a good cause....

Practice picnic

Boy oh boy! Today I discovered the Staff Cafeteria does lunchtime picnics which is good because I need to get some practice in for the coming picnic season.

On the menu was my favorite 5 minute Couscous Salad* followed by yoghurt and grapes all washed down with freshly made lime cordial. Very yummy and horribly healthy. I think I need some chocolate for afternoon tea.

(*5 minute Couscous Salad

1. Boil the kettle and measure 1 cup instant couscous into a metal or heatproof bowl. Dribble a small amount of olive oil onto the couscous to stop it sticking.
2. When the kettle is boiled, pour 3/4 cup of boiling water into the bowl, stir and cover with tinfoil. Set aside.
3. While the couscous soaks chop up some feta cheese, some olives and some cherry or grape tomatoes. De-stalk and rinse a couple of handfuls of baby spinach.
4. After the couscous has soaked for about 5 minutes, discard the tinfoil and fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the other ingredients, mix and eat.)

Signs of spring

Pasty white arms sticking out of short sleeves (a new dress I bought when the spring clothes first hit the shops ages ago and haven't had the chance to wear until today). And the first bottle of lime cordial for the season. Bliss!

There be treasure in me post box...

Argh me hearties, happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day to yer all. And if yer not talkin' like a Pirate ye'll be walkin' me plank quick smart as yer obviously 'ave no sense of fun.

Ah found treasure in me post box. Above yer can see the sparklin array of readin' material sent by Thrift Shop Project. Shiver me timbers, how lucky am I?But there's more! Land Lubber Laura over at Architectural Tours LA sent this little pile of booty to me. A booklet on Queen Mary's Dolls House and one from The Eames Foundation. Argh! I need to do me some plunderin' to rustle up the readies to get me back there. LA or Windsor? Don't care, either will do...

Beat boy beat boy hit that Eurobeat boy

It was gooood. I laughed. A lot. Even when other people weren't laughing. There was modulation. There was tearing off of costumes. There was lots of white outfits. There were three songs in one. Obviously these people know Eurovision very very well. I was impressed.
Princess B and I sat in the Greece row. Our contestant looked like Nana Mouskouri and Denis Rousos's love child. Liechtenstein won on our night. I hope they make Eurobeat an annual event - in November so we don't have to go more than 6 months without a Euro event. (And if I never make it to a real Eurovision I think I have experienced something close to it anyway.)Oh - and the theatre was architecturally quite quite beautiful. Just in case you were wondering.

A Saturday in Sydney

The Royal Household awoke early Saturday morning and set out into a wonderful sunny Sydney day. First stop (8am! Before breakfast!) was Orange Grove Markets in Leichhardt to pick up supplies.Then the world was set to rights over breakfast at The Barn in Rozelle(which gets my vote for funkiest toilet in town)giving us the strength and fortitude to deal with the important part of the day: frugalling!Luckily in Rozelle there is a Vinnies and Salvos across the road from each other.Pickings were slim at the Salvos but the Vinnies did me good with 4 books for $14 (two are heading off as gifts) plus a Fat Boy Slim and a Stellar CD for $3 each. Find of the Day was this folding cake stand for Princess B ($3). She's been wanting one for a while so I was pretty happy to find one on the shelf at Vinnies. Pretending it's not Use What you Have Month *ahem* we can now admire the fabric ($2), leather button set ($3), self cover buttons (check out the groovy packaging! $1) and, in second place for Find of the Day, an Opal sock kit which looks complete except for 1 missing stitch marker ($2). Not that I really have any interest in sock knitting so I think this will probably be heading southwards.Oh, did I forget to mention the Rozelle Markets were on a mere block away? Oh dear. We just had to have a wee explore but I was very restrained (over my frugalling budget already) but managed to convince myself that $20 total for this, this, this and this was worth bending the rules for.And it was still before lunch.In the afternoon I finally made it in to Kinokuniya to see what all the fuss about Japanese crafting books was about. Spent a very happy hour browsing through several shelves of them but came away empty handed. For now. Such restraint! Actually I figured I could justify an under $10 frugalling lapse from Use What you Have Month but not a whopping great $100 fall from the wagon. So I went back to Princess B's (she was out attending a 2 year old's birthday party), put my feet up and read one of my towering pile of books-to-be-read.Had to conserve my energy for the big night out....

On the road again...

It would seem I've become incapable of staying in one place very long as here I am in Sydney again for more work stuff followed by a weekend with Princess B. Odd, really, we seem to see each other more often than I see some of my friends who live in the same city as me. Maybe that's because I've hardly been at home over the past few months.

Anyway - greetings from The Medina Crows Nest where I'm propped up in bed wondering how it is that I forgot to pick up any breakfast supplies yesterday. Which means I probably need to get up and venture forth to fossic for breakfast very soon.

I went to the pictures last night to see Unfolding Florence and discovered the most amazing picture theatre - The Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne. Did I take my camera? No. So you'll just have to cope with a link to the beautiful deco style theatre we were in. I now desperately want to go to a Wurlitzer performance there...

And speaking of beautiful theatres that I've never been to, tomorrow night Princess B is taking me to The State Theatre to see Eurobeat: almost Eurovision. How exciting!

Like a lucky dip but I get to keep everything (and not pay a cent!)

There was a package waiting at the post office for me this morning. I didn't recognise the sender which could only mean one thing - it was a swap! So helter skelter back home I went and ripped it open to find this:Which bought back childhood memories of lucky dip stalls at school fetes. Once I'd dug through the packing I unearthed a wonderful range of black and white goodies:
I'm particularly loving the composition books which I've lusted after since I first saw one in Seventeen magazine back in 1979 or thereabouts. Oddly enough I didn't actually remember to buy any when I was in The States in May so these made me very happy.

Other highlights include the penguin mint tin which I shall empty asap and use to keep either sewing stuff or small treasures in.

And I'm not sure if you can see them properly but on the right there (above the lovely smelly candles) is a box of black and white stripy paper clips which I adore so much I might have to revert to childish behaviour and hide under my pillow when I go to bed. (Did anyone else do that when they were young? I remember one occasion when I tried to sleep with a new pair of shoes under my pillow...) There's also a box of zebra patterned bulldog clips. I may never be able to return to plain black stationery again...

So thank you thank you thank you to Coffee Cake (alas, no blog) for a wonderful parcel. I'd be very happy to swap with you any time you like...

(Listening to: Cafe del Mar Vol 1)

A little lunchtime frugalling

I couldn't resist popping into Vinnies Dickson on the way past today, especially as there was no time for frugalling this weekend just gone.

And boy was I glad I did! Total price of the stack of books above? $6.10. I almost feel like I've made it to the same book bargain league as Thrift Shop Project.

And the find of the day has to be the Pirate Ship pop-up adventure (50 cents) which, alas, will not reach it's recipient in time for Tuesday's International Talk Like a Pirate Day but I'm sure will be appreciated none the less:(Listening to: Lily Allen, Alright, Still)

The End (almost)

Once upon a time, many months ago there was a fair maiden with a pumpkin patch and a very generous nature.

The bounty from the patch was spread far and wide (well, at the very least across a bit of North Canberra) and came in very handy on a number of occasions.

But tonight, at Monday Night Catch Up, the final pumpkin was cut and the resulting meal (a pumpkin and bean stew served on a bed of couscous with coriander and fresh dates, in case you're interested) was shared with the Catcher Uppers. We even got doggy bags to take home for lunch tomorrow and a final hunk of pumpkin each to remember the *ahem* incredible journey which was the past 7 months.

Of course with all the pumpkin J has been eating this year and all the seeds she's been putting into her compost heap I expect there will be another pumpkin explosion at her house in about 5 months time...

Big B. Little B. What begins with B?

This weekend I had Princess B of Libraria in town for a royal visit. In her honour today was a day of Bs.

First, and most important word was budget so the day started with breakfast at the Staff Cafeteria (who knew?! It's also open on the weekend!)The special of the day was toasted gluten free chocolate bread (courtesy of Deeks in Pearce, purveyors of gluten and grain-free bread and bakery products with nationwide delivery) with (as it was a royal visit) grilled banana (which cost *ahem* only $2.35 each)

After breakfast we decided to walk along the lake front and admire the blossom.But it was a tad brisk and blustery for the Sydney-based Princess so we sought shelter in The National Portrait Gallery where we admired Headspace 7: Me and my place (Secondary School student portraiture) and Princess B got warm.

Further along the lake (after visiting the gift shop, of course!) we wandered round the National Gallery Sculpture Garden which was full of, well, big art.

By this time we were both feeling a little peckish and, since The Staff Cafeteria did such a good job of breakfast, decided we'd go back for lunch:Gluten free parmesan and onion bread (Deeks again) with hummus, zucchini and carrot fritters (gluten free, with lots of garlic) and a salad. With a glass of wine each. Princess B was most pleased.

The afternoon was filled with a trip to Belconnen Mall (with no buying but some near misses) then Princess B was dropped off for the Royal Coach bus home.

(Listening to (and just a little obsessed by): Starky, Starky)

Things that are making me grumpy at the moment

1. Teething problems with Dell Boy (that's what I've called my new work laptop).

Yeah yeah, I know to expect such things in a new job but us Geminis get VERY grumpy if they can't communicate and I have emails that take over half an hour to get sent (if they go at all) and a very very slow database.

Luckily the IT support chaps are good and, after some rummaging round on Dell Boy removing crap that we don't need and stuff we don't need to have running in the background, we seem to have narrowed the problem down to my wireless modem.

iBurst, it seems, needs to be pointed directly at Telstra Tower from a distance of not more than 5 feet (OK, I made that last bit up) in order to pick up any speed at all. Hurumph!

2. More tech problems, this time at Head Office causing them to be unable to pay us today. I did warn them that things start to go pear-shaped IT wise if I'm around but did they believe me? No! And apparently this issue only happens "maybe once a year" and is most unusual. The story of my life - I should hand out T shirts to tech support printed with "That shouldn't be happening!" when I start a new job.

3. The Staff cafeteria may have a severely limited menu tomorrow (see above)

4. Speaking of The Staff Cafeteria, somehow my precious bag of Pineapple Lumps*, carefully carried all the way back from NZ, got opened and finished off this afternoon. No idea how that happened (insert shifty look here) but now I don't have any more supplies.

5. And I feel sick... Definitely too sick to go to the gym tonight (excuse number 57: Sorry, I can't go to the gym, I ate too many Pineapple Lumps)

(* For my non-Antipodean readers, Pineapple Lumps are chocolate covered sweets with a chewy pineapple flavoured centre.)

Things that are making me happy at the moment

1. Spring! (need I say more?) And spring rain which is very welcome.

2. The new Poco Profile diary refills for 2007 are out and I've ordered mine.

3. The new IKEA catalogue is due out (I've been told home delivery starts today and it'll be in stores on the 18th.)

4. The September US Vogue arrived this morning and boy is it a fatty (unlike the people within it!)

5. I discovered Real Simple at the local Newsagents - it looks like they are bringing it into Australia finally so no more trawling eBay for back issues or trying to justify $14 for a copy at Borders in Sydney. (And before you asked, yes I subscribed but discovered that renewing my sub was not at all Real Simple so gave up in disgust) Real Living and Notebook are pale imitations in my humble opinion. (Which reminds me: Thanks Mum, for saving your back issues of Notebook for me to read!)

6. I'm off to a presentation this evening on river cruising in Europe so I can collect some information for my planned 2008 trip.

Spots, socks and "what the?"s

Picked up at Salvos Lower Hutt, this set of large saucers (look more like side plates to me!) were NZ$5 the set. I'm pretty pleased with them as they look close enough like the Kate Spade Larabee Road plates I've been vaguely lusting after for months - but a lot lot cheaper! (There were cups too but they were truly fugly and were redonated quick smart.)

And speaking of a lot cheaper, I did craft last night!

Monday night has official been renamed "Monday night catch up" and the craft component is now purely optional. Good food, wine and conversation are still compulsory (except from E who, at almost 6 months, provides none of the above but makes up for it in entertainment value).

I have a new laptop for work which came with a very large, very heavy and very ugly laptop bag plus a doowhacky called an iBurst which means I can surf the net (and, I suppose more importantly, connect to the office from almost anywhere in the country). The laptop bag was replaced on Sunday by a large handbag I found on sale at DJs (see below) and I've ordered a wetsuit to further protect the contents.

But the iBurst was a problem until I saw a version of an iPod sock free on the front of a magazine at the supermarket. Far too colourful for my liking but it got me thinking. And idlely flicking through eBay. Until I came to my senses and realised I could probably knit one for free. So I did (using this black flecked wool.)TSS's nobrainer iPod, MP3, mobile phone or iBurst sock pattern

Using number 8 (4 mm) needles and double knitting yarn, cast on 39 stitches.
Knit 4 rows K1 P1 rib.
Change to K3 P3 rib and continue until your sock is long enough to cover the item you intend to protect.
Cast off and sew up side and bottom seam.

And, finally, a couple of frugalling coincidences. I found this for $NZ2 at the Te Omanga Hospice op shop in Lower Hutt:Yep, it's a City of Canberra souvenir table cloth. Most odd. I had to get it.

And the other coincidence was at Pegasus Books in Cuba Mall which had one lonely back issue of Urbis magazine for sale ($NZ5). Which just happened to be issue 2, the only one I'm missing. How weird was that?

First day (sort of)

Today is my first day in my new job here in Canberra. Sure, I started with the company last Tuesday but spent the week in Sydney doing training so that doesn't really count, right?

It felt like what I imagine the first day at school would feel. Except my feet didn't hurt because I don't have new shoes to mark the occasion.

I do, however, have a new bag courtesy of the wonderfully generous Pink Trees (don't you love the matching keyring and the little bag of vintage buttons which she included in the parcel?) Not that anyone has seen it (one of the pitfalls of working from home. Alone.)

I'm liking the staff cafeteria a lot. Today's special was a toasted cheese, eggplant, red capsicum, mushroom and olive sandwich with salad:Service was quick, I had no trouble finding room to eat even though it was peak lunch time and they even played music I enjoyed. I think I'll make a habit of eating there regularly...

NZ Frugalling report part three: The Swap stuff

I couldn't forget my blogging buddies while I was away, particularly when I came across a plastic bin full of fabric bits at Salvos in Kilbirnie, all NZ 50 cents each (see above for the pieces I picked)
Then Tracy and I discovered the two Rebound Clothing stores in The Hutt. And I discovered the table cloths above. From left: $NZ1.45, $NZ$2.20 and $NZ1.75.

They each have some small marks but I figure they'll probably come out with a little gentle persuasion and, if not, you could just position items over the marks and no one would be any the wiser!
I also found these placemat sets at Rebound Clothing. The red set comprises two placemats and two matching napkins ($NZ for the lot) and the green set four placemats ($NZ 2.45 for the lot). The white and blue china plate (marked Snowhite Johnson Bros Engadine) was $NZ1 at Salvos Miramar and the green Melamine saucers were NZ 50 cents each from the same place.

NZ Frugalling report part two: The Kiwi stuff

I bought a few souvenirs while I was in New Zealand, but not the sort you'd normally expect.This vintage New Zealand edition Monopoly game was $NZ18 from Pegasus Books in Cuba Mall. All the street, station and utility names are places in New Zealand. I think Dad would have grabbed it if I'd not decided it had to come home with me. Milk bottles, $NZ7 for both at a junque shop in Petone (sorry, can't for the life of me remember the name of it). Old Whitcombe's story books and School Journal, NZ 50 cents each from a second hand shop on Molesworth Street and two 50 cent NZ cassettes which were from Salvos Lower Hutt. Which is where I found this mint in box stainless steel tray and corn fork set for $NZ3.50.

Listening to: OMD, Sugar tax)

NZ Frugalling report part one: The free stuff

(Left to right, top to bottom)
1. A book from my Mum who had finished it and thought I might enjoy it.
2. A vintage wire office intray which Dad insisted on paying for when I spotted it for $NZ3 at Steptoe and Sons in Upper Hutt.
3. A 1963 copy of New Idea which the chap at the Strathmore op shop gave me when I bought the $NZ3 suitcase.
4. A champagne glass from The Good Luck Bar which they let me souvenir.
5. My Grandmother posted me down a copy of her poetry book when I mentioned I didn't have a copy. Can't wait to have the time to read it.
6. Dad's old metal Comet stapler which he's replaced with a whizz-bang plastic stand up one. I've always loved this stapler so he let me take it home with me.
7. White plastic daisy container similar to one I had when I was a kid. Also given to me by the Strathmore op shop.
8. Soap from The Museum Hotel bathroom.
9. Free diary refill which I was given by Kingston Leathergoods when I asked them if they still made leather filofax covers. (The answer was, unfortunately, no)
10. Notebook my mother bought me.
11. Vintage wooden ruler Dad also insisted on paying for ($NZ10 from Steptoe and Sons)
12. 50 cent Six Volt (a Kiwi band from the 1980s with very little web presence) cassette Dad paid for as well. From the Weasley op shop in Upper Hutt.
13. New York taxi cab magnet Princess B had spare. I forgot to buy one when we were in New York.
14-18. (Not shown as they're still at Princess B's) Five design books Princess B rescued from the discard pile at work. Pictures and skiting to follow when I have picked them up!

(Yes, I'm a truely spoilt gal and have many many people I need to thank profusely once I finally return home tonight...)