a blow out, Nigella and a good bit in my book

sometimes you just have to have a blow out..... scream, stomp your feet and generally have a grown up tantrum. Somehow it makes everything feel a little better.

I love Nigella...... her oh-so-British accent, her way of making everything seem a bit naughty and her very real passion for cooking. So stoked to flick through the channels and stumble upon her show.

The book I'm reading is pretty good, but tonight I got to a really really good bit.... I love that

bloom, stocking up on freshness and a friend who'd run away with you

we have had a frangipani tree growing in a little pot on the back deck for over a year now..... and finally, this morning I see beautiful white and yellow flowers in bloom

mid week and out of spinach..... yikes..... so we cruise into town to re-stock. I end up coming out with a bag of spinach, celery, and fennel. Sweet.

I have a friend who would bust me out of jail, run away to Peru with me, or buy me a plane ticket just because I'm homesick.

best feeling ever, surfed out and awesome 'throw it together' dinner

the sun is out, the sky is blue, the waves are clean ..... you're riding a longboard because its pretty small and you know you'll get heaps of waves...... you take off, bottom turn and walk towards the nose, and just stay there, floating, flying

it's Sunday arvo and we're all K.O'd...... surfed out and smiling

everyone has left and Jeff and I are hungry.... we pull the chicken out of the fridge, chop a heap of veggies, make a tapenade rub for the meat and throw it in the oven..... Jeff makes a capsicum, sun dried tomato & cashew dip whilst I make a spinach salad. We walk over the road to check the surf one more time, and come home to the oh-so-delicious smell of roasted chicken. Dinner is served, and it is EPIC.

surf surf surf, skate and early night

the weather was supposed to be dreadful today bit it turned out pretty good. We surfed at Mullaway this morning and again out the front this evening..... if felt sooooo good to be in the water again. Nothing quite like having a sunburnt nose, jelly arms and salty skin :)

we took the skateboards out of the garage and did about a zillion (well, maybe not quite) runs down the road..... there is just enough of a slope in the road to squeeze in a few fun turns. I had forgotten just how fun downhill skating can be....

I think we all thought we'd be having a late night tonight, but after a super delicious home cooked meal we all looked at each other, and simultaneously decided it was time for bed. Off to bed with our sore muscles and lungs full of fresh air...... dreaming about the waves we will catch tomorrow

clean house, super delicious dinner and long chat with home :)

we have friends coming to stay this weekend, so it was a quick scoot around the house to get everything ready.... ha ha sometimes it feels like we are on a game show when we get on these funny little missions.

A simple dinner that turned out to be uber-delicious...... potato slices roasted in the oven with a little olive oil, topped with fresh baby spinach, and a scrummy serving of puy lentils and a little feta crumbled over the whole salad. Mmmmmmm warm salads....

A long chat with an awesome friend, and a glass of rosé...

baking cookies, fun bunny and through the worst of it

Another stormy day, and what better way to spend it than baking cookies.

I have a friend who is, what I would call, a fun bunny. She always has a goofy smile on her face, and is forever finding fun and adventures in everyday life. She is a true inspiration to me.

I think we're slowly but surely getting stronger. It seems like there are a lot more good days than bad, and that can only be a good thing right ?!

rain, location independent and wise words

I love, love, love the rain.......  and there are times when the rain feels perfectly suited to the day. That was today.

I did a little research today on 'location independent' entrepreneurs, and it got me super excited.

Wise words from someone I love a LOT.

together on a bumpy road, a funny show and a heart shaped rock

when life is feeling a little roller coaster-y, you've got to be thankful to have someone sitting next to you and sharing the ups and downs

every now and then, you just need to watch something that is going to make you laugh out loud. We did that tonight.

This might sound a little crazy, but ever since Jeff and I have been together we've both stumbled upon heart shaped rocks  post-surf walking back up the beach.  Random I know, but it has become a bit of a habit, and we're forever picking up rocks and taking them home for each other. I found a cracker today :)

scrummy sopes, mexican memories and looking after each other

mmmmmm a box arrived today with some Masa de Harina and some epic chilli sauce from Mexico..... that could only mean one thing..... time to make sopes.... Sopes are the most delicious little snacks made from corn flour (the flour you make tortillas with). You make little blini size pancakes, then fry in a little oil and serve with refried beans, avo, salsa and hot sauce.... so so so so yummy

The sopes instigated some serious withdrawal symptoms of Mexico.... we sat around this afternoon and remembered the super fun times we've had there ( and started planning another trip..)

Some days are easier than others, but all days are easier when we're together.

almighty house clean, like minded folk and inspiring women

Jeffo snuck off to go fishing so I took on the house cleaning solo. Loud music, check. Countdown set, check. Aircon on, check (it gets pretty flipping' hot when you're cleaning here). Wowzers, feels mighty good to have done it now :)

Tonight we're invited to dinner and meet some awesome like-minded folk. Within minutes Jeff and I were looking at each other grinning, and both thinking the same thing 'these guys are just like us !". It almost felt like an opportunity to look in a mirror and be reminded what we can achieve when we're playing at our highest level.

sometimes its important to surround yourself with people who inspire you. Today I spent a few moments thinking about some really stand-out role models.

bestie, rainforest mission and pizza next door

finally I get to catch up with Al..... she's a super hero friend.... the kind that will bring you soup when you are feeling sick, and always knows when you need a hug. So important to stay connected when we're not physically in the same place.

last night we made a plan to hit the Bello markets early this morning, but then curiosity was the call of the day when we found an alternative route through the rainforest and hills.... it ended up taking us twice as long to get there, but as we dunked in the river for a pre-market swim, we felt an inkling of Indiana Jones.

After a day long mission of crazy driving, river swimming and yummy sampling at the markets we were super stoked to get a text from next door to ask us over for pizza

a rainy lunch, a long drive and laughing

we drove to Beachstone Cafe for lunch, and sat quietly and contently watching the rain

on the drive home we took a detour and ended up following a dirt track through the rainforest and winding up the hills. It felt like the road would never end, and I guess in Australia, it could easily go on for hundreds and thousands of miles.

I have a friend who I hardly ever see, who has the most mischievous and contagious laugh. We can go weeks or months without talking, and within 10 minutes we're giggling away like school girls again.

running again, international weather and learning

wow, it's taken ages but I'm running again. The first run is never pretty..... always a little uncomfortable but definitely worth it :)

I'm not entirely sure why, but I love it watching the weather report when they show the whole planet. There is only one news programme on SBS that does it, but I'm always pretty stoked to catch it. I think it makes me feel a little more connected to the rest of the world.

so, I have my super exciting new camera...... but I'm a complete beginner so its time to start learning. I've wanted to have a good camera for so long, and I'm so pumped to be learning how to use it. Watch this space for some new pics...hope they get better and better !

mango & raspberries, a statement of intent and finally writing

mmmm the day started well with a bowl of fresh mango and raspberries, and a little sprinkling of vanilla sugar

today I wrote a statement of intent...... a very therapeutic task that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm ridiculously goal orientated, so writing an almighty statement of what I want my life to look like, is pretty much as good as it gets for me goal-wise :)

So I told you that I was starting a food blog, and I did. Well, I registered the name and played around with  the templates. But after much procrastination, I finally started writing today.

hanging out on the deck, a reconnection and a new camera

there is a deck overlooking the beach which has wooden steps leading onto the sand. This morning, after our swim, we sat there and talked about our hopes and dreams.

a much needed reconnection with a great friend

wow wow wow..... my new camera arrived. Much excitement in our little house, a lot of running around and taking photos of anything and everything.

love from home, sensible-ness and an evening swim

sometimes it feels like there are days where I am bombarded by good thoughts and love..... today was one of those. I had 2 text messages, 1 missed call and 3 lovely messages on Facebook.... all from lovely folk back home. They act as such a great reminder that I have such amazing friends out there.

sensible-ness..... it is a term that needs to be taken seriously. Today we injected a little sensible-ness into our plans.

it can be so easy to forget to make the most of where you live. So often, we find ourselves winding down at the end of the day and flicking on the tv whilst starting to prepare dinner. We forget, that outside, just across the street is a beautiful beach. So tonight, I grabbed my bikini and Jeff grabbed his boardies, and we ran across the road for a late swim. Bliss.

swimming in the rain, baking scones and writing in pencil

we drove up to Bellingen today, to get our fix of hinterland loveliness. It was raining by the time we got there, but we strolled around town, drank coffee and read the Sunday papers, then headed to the river for the obligatory swim in the river. I didn't think I wanted to go in, but once I was swimming and feeling the rain pouring down on us, it was pretty exhilarating.

Stormy days in Australia conjure up a bit of a problem for me. You see, when it is stormy at home, it's cold. So stormy weekends are spent snuggling, cooking and sheltering from the elements. But over here, you have to be a little more creative. Having said that, I felt that considering I'd had a swim in the river and a rainy walk, I was entitled to bake some scones.

Sunday night quite often means pulling out a heap of recipe books and writing our shopping list for the week. Tonight I scribbled it down with a pencil, and had forgotten how lovely writing in pencil really is.

stormy afternoon, thai beef salad and catching up :)

it was a grey and stormy day, and so we settled into a perfect afternoon movie. 'Beautiful Lies' with Audrey Tatou.... oh so French, quirky and funny. Loved it.

Mmm, this week has been all about testing out new recipes. Tonight we had a super fresh, super zingy Thai beef salad.

It can be tricky to get the timing right for Skype calls. So often the moment when you really want to have a chat with someone is the middle of their night.... but tonight I managed to have 2 long calls, which made me very happy indeed :)

good service, grilled polenta and girlie night

I love it when something goes to plan. This morning I had to get our car window fixed, and a very nice man found the part, gave me a discount and had the job done in 25 minutes.

Mmmmmm grilled polenta with balsamic mushrooms. A new recipe that feels like it may become a favourite.

Despite being in a different time zone, Elsie and I managed to have a super fun Skype whilst I was cooking dinner and generally enjoy some 'hanging out' time. So good to talk regularly with the people you love. Oh, and to finish my girlie night off, 2 episodes of Sex in the City back to back whilst waiting for Jeffo to get home from fishing :)

awesome start, map and oh so yummy lasagne

the surf was pretty much non-existent but we swam in the refreshing ocean, dunking under the waves in the shore break and waking ourselves up for the day ahead

yipeeee.... my map arrived !!! very much enjoyed sticking it up on the wall and scribbling my planned adventures all over it

so we decided to invite the neighbours over for dinner.... and road tested an amazing recipe that really needed about two and a half hours to make it when we only had an hour and a half.... a few tweaks here and there, and it was super delicious.....pork, roo and butternut squash lasagne..... with  homemade garlic & herb ciabatta and rocket and spinach salad..... and a great bottle of Cabernet Merlot...... oh, and affogatos with hot chocolate sauce for dessert :)

early solo surf, an injection of music and a renewed sense of self

it was such a beautiful morning that I raced across to the beach as soon as I woke..... the surf was super small but clean so I took my longboard out and had a heap of fun. When the sun is shining and you are in the ocean by yourself and the waves are tiny, it just feels like playing :)

my poor iPod has been sitting on my desk somewhat redundantly. I guess a lot of people have sad little iPods sitting around now, thanks to it's big brother the iPhone. Anyway, I had to drive into town so I grabbed it and blasted some of my favourite tunes for the whole drive. What can I say, I'd forgotten how awesome an injection of music can be. It totally transforms whatever mundane task you might be up to......

partly thanks to the solo surf and the musical car journey, I felt a renewed sense of self today. It made me feel empowered and excited.

eeek an amazon package, mmmm ribs and intelligent television

I act like a little kid when I'm walking over to the post office...... imagining all sorts of exciting parcels and packages awaiting me. I think it has something to do with not having a normal postal service. It makes me want my daily stroll to the post office to be worthwhile, and when I'm handed a bunch of bills or junk mail I wonder why I bothered walking over. But this morning Anne went out the back saying ' Oh yes, I think a parcel came for you yesterday....'

I have this great recipe for ribs roasted in honey and rosemary. Well, I say great, but the first time I cooked it (following the recipe word for word), I saw the potential, smelt the potential but the reality was a blackened dish of charred ribs. Each time I've cooked them since, I've tweaked the recipe ..... it states the cooking time is 2 to 3 hours...... and each time I rescued them from the oven, it seemed just a little too late. So tonight I vowed to try again (it has been a while since the last time, as Jeff wasn't as excited by my 'lets eat burnt ribs' experiment). Turns out the recipe was definitely wrong, I'll be generous and say it must have been a typo. Tonights' ribs were delicious, roasted to perfection and left me feeling very pleased with myself.

One thing I miss about the UK is intelligent television, something that is really lacking out here. Luckily I've found a channel called SBS that broadcasts some really interesting shows. Tonight we watched a live debate about the Greek Debt Crisis followed by a documentary about illegal immigrants in the UK. It felt like my brain cells were sighing with relief.

ebay excitement, lost in a book and revamp

If I'm totally honest, I'm pretty new to eBay. I created an account years ago but abandoned it after one or two absolutely ridiculous purchases (where I was more excited by the bidding process than the item I was actually bidding on). When we got back to Australia I noticed a few things lying around in the garage that   were worth selling, so I scrambled around to find where I'd noted my login details, and 24hrs later, voila ! One TV sold for $300 !! Amazing ! So with my newfound passion for eBay I started looking at what goodies were online, and lo and behold I found a Nikon camera with a start price of $100...... a few bids later ($180) and it was mine !!!!!! Sooooo excited...... if only we had a postman here I'd be waiting for him. Alas I have to keep stomping over to the post office each day :)

a new book ..... folklore, mystery, murder ....... perfect for getting lost in

It was about time I showed my mac some love, so I did a couple of software upgrades and it now feels like I have a new toy !

rocking out, reading extravaganza and making a list :)

Sunday is cleaning day..... top to bottom... normally a chore shared between the two of us, but today, as Jeff drove up the coast to see some friends I thought I'd tackle it solo. So I cranked up my favourite Kings of Leon album super loud, and sang and cleaned my way around the house.... and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Somehow I seem to have stockpiled a heap of newspaper articles. So today I sifted my way through them, reading the best ones and recycling the not so interesting ones.

I used to keep a list of my 'adventures'. All the trips I had been on since I was 18. I'm not sure when I stopped adding to it, or where I filed the original version, so I started a new one.

rainy surf, baking a cake and boxing

this morning the sky was grey and it looked pretty stormy, but we checked the surf and it looked kinda fun. I'm not sure whether it was because it was a little chilly or just the mood I was in but I really enjoyed it. and it reminded me of surfs back home when it feels like a storm is brewing.

Jeff and I baked a cake together this afternoon. It was fun.

we spent about an hour training on the boxing bag.... it's super hard but I love it

empowered, lifted and fresh goodness

this morning I got up early to make a call that I had been meaning to have for a while. It has taken me this long to find the courage and strength to face it, but now it's done, I feel incredible. I owned my situation today, does that make sense ? I felt like I was in control again, and that's good because I'm the only one who can make a difference in my life.

The buzz from my this morning's action gave me a lift and keep me feeling positive all day. It is so much better to grab the bull by the horns, I realised I've spent a fair amount of time hiding from it.

A yummy dinner of lamb koftas with garlic rice, and baby spinach salad....yum yum yum

words on my whiteboard, walking and tiramisu

finally I cleaned up the whiteboard in my office and wrote some goals up there to set me up on the right path each morning

this afternoon I was feeling a little blue, so Jeff took me for a walk to the beach. The combination of fresh air, exercise and a friend make everything better.

Jeff cooked a delicious dinner tonight, parpadelle with leek, thyme, prosicuitto, and garlic pangritata.... soooo good. We finished off our meal with a super yummy tiramisu that I had made this afternoon :) Double yum

freedom, reading on a park bench & cornbread

a decision was made today that left me feeling relieved, independent and free as a bird

whilst waiting for Jeff, I sat outside in the sunshine on a park bench and read my book for an hour

I love testing out recipes that are a bit different from the norm.... tonight I made cornbread to go with our chilli

learning to fold, roast chicken and jazz

ok, so this is going to sound ridiculous but recently I have taken great pleasure in learning simple new skills. Here's an example..... how to get melted candle wax out of glass holders (stick them in the freezer, and ta-daaaa ).Stupid I know, they are hardly life changing but somehow I get a real kick from it ! So today, I finally learnt how to fold an elasticated sheet....ha ha ha I know, I know, I'm no domestic goddess but wowzers I felt pretty damn proud putting my neat little sheets away in the cupboard !

simple and delicious roast chicken, with it's yummy smells drifting throughout the house early evening

we found a channel on our TV called ABC Jazz.... it's a digital radio station and I love it. It gives us the perfect alternative to watching tv, which let's be honest is so often dismal, unintelligent and brash.

mum's recipes, new blog and I fixed it !

my mum is compiling all her amazing recipes to make a book. Last night Dad asked me to make a list of my favourite recipes and food memories from Mum. The process that followed was sheer pleasure..... I spent about an hour reminiscing and scribbling my list down

so after some thought, and a little research I've decided to double my blogging efforts and start another blog. This one will be all about food, and everything that I love about it..... the recipes, the books, the restaurants, the favourite meals, the memories....

I've been pretty damn close to throwing my laptop through a window these past few days..... but I managed to find a temporary fix for it. Thank goodness.