This Past Fortnight

Where did those two weeks go??

Here are some places they went:

Popped drawn-on balloon

Mothers' Day angel (awww! MissM chose it for me!)

Found on creek bank

Couple of cute cats

Our dog's 7th birthday torte

Manic post-dinner crayolathon

Ominous autumn afternoon sky

Birthday present (1 g of paracetamol...caught whatever is doing the rounds)

My dad's present for me! Yeehar! A serotonin molecule necklace. Testament to my geekiness. Found here

Before...

...After.

Happy Easter to You

Hope it's relaxing, fun, and filled with yummy food.


This is a picture of the traditional Polish Easter basket, which we duly took to church today to be blessed. It basically contains a piece of food from all the Polish food groups (i.e. meat, salt, bread) (doughnuts don't fit), coloured hard-boiled eggs, the "lamb of God" (in our case a vintage one we used since I was little), and some green sprigs (not sure what they symbolise, but in they go every year). I also put in a couple of salt-dough painted shapes we made yesterday.

The idea is that all of this represents your food supply for the rest of the year, and is thus blessed.

It's about tradition rather than religion for me.

Tomorrow we go on an egg hunt in the morning to find choccy eggs, and would usually have a big traditional brunch, but I am working, so we are having a big traditional dinner. Featured on the menu are: too many cold cuts to name, salted herrings, "zur" (a soup based on sourdough starter, smoked sausages, and loads of dill), vegetable salad (cubed cooked vegies and apple in a mayo based dressing), and usually bigos (meat, wild mushroom, and sauerkraut stew) but mum is gallivanting around Europe, so isn't here to make it.

We have baked Polish cheesecake and Babka for dessert -- can't wait!!!!!! I will take pix of the spread, and post them soon.

Happy Easter/holidays to all.

More Christmas Food!

Poached salmon in aspic. Mum poaches it to tender perfection. Mmmmmmm-m.


Poppyseed cake ("Makowiec"), and gingerbread-chocolate cake.

Just the most delicious cheesecake I have tasted in DECADES!!!! From Europa cake shop on Acland Street, St. Kilda.

Good things

Some good things which have been happening around here lately...

Calico birthday kitty. My own pattern, which I will post soon for anyone who'd like a bash at her.

Drowning in oceans of strawbs'n'cream.

Bubble constellation in a pot in the sink.

Lilac on the windowsill.

Chocolate

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Vomit (my 3-year-old). Please don't report us to the DHS.

And smoked eel and toast for supper.

Happy Easter!

(P.S. Those are chocolate-covered cherries -- I was so excited to find such a relevant pic that I had to tell you this.)

Some stupid play on the word "felt"

I'm excited.

Yesterday whilst walking my three girls (two daughters and one female dog) I finally worked up enough courage to steal some quinces from the people-up-the-road's front yard. Last autumn they were tempting me but I didn't have the guts, and I watched them turn brown and rot on the ground all autumn, but this year I did it! I picked four lovely heavy golden orbs! Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with them. I can't wait to watch the magic transformation of their flesh into ruby beauty.

Today I went to a couple of op shops and bought six woollen jumpers, which I put into the washing machine and turned the knob to the 95-degrees-celcius cotton setting. Now I have loads of wonderful 100 % wool (mostly shetland!) felt, all for $12! Yippee! And mostly in wonderful cooked-quince shades!

Inspired by mollychicken and angrychicken, I also ordered a couple of Japanese craft books from yesasia which are due to arrive at the end of April. "Cotton Time Plus" (ISBN 4391622866) and "Zakka Book 35" (ISBN 4391624192).

And I bought some Green & Black's organic chocolate with almonds. This goes into the "get fit" category, albeit inversely. Oh well. It is very yummy.