What's that smell???

I tried a new experiment in the slow cooker today, my mother had grand plans as I have just recently bought Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and have been unable to talk about it till now since I was giving Miss Stash a copy for her birthday.

The plan was we'd make the Chicken and Leek Stroganoff from MoF, well it only feeds two so first we were going to multiply it to go round 6 (my grandparents are up visiting hence the mad desire of my mother's to cook something from the new book, or more to the point to get me to cook something from the new book). This plan gets changed into chicken and leek stroganoff in the slow cooker. Only we don't have a recpie for a chicken stroganoff in the slow cooker, so we adapt a beef one.
It tasted alright. Can't say it looked very appealing. But there is a success story here, I made at long last the Totally Chocolate Choc-Chip Cookies from Nigella Express. I've just finished eating one as I type this. OMG! So, so very good! I will be making another batch to pop in the freezer, perfect in a time of crisis, also some chilli. Chilli is always good.

Some things didn't make the baking rotation today like Date Gingerbread and Raspberry Scones. But there still on the ever growing list of things to make.

But the big question is, is it really okay to get high off doing yoga? I understand endorphins get released while doing exercise, but after a session of yoga I feel like I'm floating on air!
Speaking of fun workout's, how do you fancy busting a move with Mr Burlesque?

Note to self practise wearing high heels! Dammit if Mr Burlesque can, surely I can!

It strikes again!

Now I am having technical issues, technology is defying me now! Blah! I brought my knitting to school and have promptly not done any. I have been chatting, investigating services and browsing through the local bookshop, which excitingly also sells normal books.

They even had some cookbooks I have had my eye on for some time. This could be dangerous! Actually I might have to go back and see if they stock any knitting, probably not but worth an excuse to rebrowse.

Miss Stash and I have been discussing the prospect of chilli in the slow cooker, this is a win-win situation. Everybody loves Chilli!!!
The Cheeseburger Soup is a must! I am adding the ingredients to my shopping list for when I next go. If I'm real keen I may take a picture of it to proudly display here on my blog!

OMG! So many good things, so little time!

I know I was talking about using my slow cooker more often, and after working my way through the Year of Crockpotting blog I have more ideas than I know what to do with.
Things on the top of the list are the Cheeseburger Soup and Chai Lattes, things I either like the sound of or like but can't afford to buy all the time. There also things I think I will find myself attempting to eat my way through alone, I fear Cheeseburger Soup would be seen as an affront on gastronomy by those I usually cook for.

There is a whole pile of others I printed out ready to compile shopping lists and plan when to make them, more than I'll mention here at this time.

My square seems to be stuck at 10 1/2 inches??? How does this happen I measured it, 10 1/2 inches, knit some more measure again, 10 1/2 inches????
I have a sneaking suspicion the world is conspiring against me of late, could my knitting be further proof???

Burn For Me!

Blah! No surprises who got themselves sunburnt, teach me to leave the house without my hat. Thinking of it after as I started to feel a bit warm and off on my merry way, was a fraction too late.

I finally am coming to a close to the organisational red tape for my new adventure, wandering from office to office, and needing to confirm who I am, what I'm doing, setting accounts up and getting my timetable sorted has been tedious but not exactly difficult I must admit.
The hard part's obviously still to come, but of my 4 subjects this semester, only three of them require me to sit a final exam!

Joining so many other knitters, I am also knitting a square, well one under way at the moment. It is quite meditative so I may find myself glad of knitting more as I get going into the treacherous land of economics. Blah!

The search is on for slow cooker recipes, I have some tried and true ones I am going to use. But there are a few new ones I'd like to test. While it doesn't seem quite fully like slow cooker weather I'll admit, I know I associate it with more cold weather cooking, but I quite often have time of a morning but not of an afternoon or early evening to whip stuff up for my dinner. Watch this space for my experiments!

Guess Who?

Guess who is starting at University next week???

9/2/2009 Edit - After much confusion and clarfication, it's not next week, next week will require only one day. One day which I am waiting to be notified about. So it will be the week after next!

I'm it!

Mrs DrWho tagged me, so here we go, six quirky but boring things about me! I can only name 6?

Rules
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that let’s them know they’ve been tagged.

1. Most of my clothing I own is black. I like to think of it as my urban camouflage and wouldn't dream of life without it.

2. I have an unyielding passion for themed food, my house is crammed with cookie cutters, chocolate moulds, fancy cake pans and kitschy ice cube trays (Bailey's bottle shaped ice anyone?)

3. When I grew up I desperately wanted to be an Egyptologist. I blame Agatha Christie entirely for this passion! Alas I fear a wonderful academic career will never be mine and besides I've seen what the helpers on Time Team endure. I'm trying to picture me a) doing that labour and b) doing it happily in a desert under the hot, hot, hot sun. Oh the heat!

4. Two of my fave things to do as a child was dress-up's and "playing ladies", the first involved a box of assorted off cast clothing (my fave piece being a sort of purple embroidered blouse) and the second was my Nana letting me get the fine china out and make afternoon tea to eat off it. These are two things that have carried over into my grown up life that I still love to do.

5. There is no denying it, I am a bag lady. I am always on the look-out for the more slightly unusual looking bags.

6. Matt Hardy lives on my computer desk! Next to a mini beanie pirate, vampire and white tiger.

I'll tag Lady Deathwatch, Spinning Goth, Metal and Knit and Msfortuknit and anyone else who's interested!

12 Days of Christmas Darkside Style

My dream Christmas theme is sandwiched somewhere between Nightmare Before Christmas and a Las Vegas casino. Well actually that's my year round dream decor. Glitz, glamour and above all gaudy with a touch of the sinister thrown in.

I completed my Christmas shopping for the immediate family today, everybody else on my gift list will be sorted out sometime before Christmas Eve or after Boxing Day. The family's presents all came from stores that gift wrapped, yeah one less job for me to do.

I've had a full on cooking binge, with a drinkies night on Friday night. May I say I can recommend highly the Poinsettia from Nigella Christmas (also in the Nigella Christmas Feast in the latest Australian Women's Weekly). Also from Nigella Christmas, the Chilli Cheese Crostini is wonderful with the Mexicana flavoured Dorito's, it's a little bland without anything highly flavoured to dollop it on. And the Peanut Butter Cups are wonderful, but then I am mad about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and this is as close to home made version as you can get.
I also made the Wasabi Crab Cakes, or Not-Wasabi Crab Cakes, I substituted English mustard for the wasabi as Nigella suggested (no one likes wasabi according to my mother), and lemon juice for the rice wine vinegar. Then instead of frying them, my mother thought we should bake them, they kind of came out dry, and not at all crispy and I really didn't like the flavour the mustard gave them.

I made the Cocktail Sausages from Express, they were an absolute winner, think chipolata's in a honey-soy marinade. One I am not pleased with is the Party Popcorn from Express, the popcorn popped alright and then I tried to make up the buttery spice mix to pour over. I ended up with what reminded me in appearance and smell of curry paste.
Tried remaking it, just mixing the dried spice mix up and shoggiling like mad, but most of it sat at the bottom. Oh well shelved till a future date when I have patience to fiddle with it some.
Also from Express and what I do like is Curry in a Hurry, what I didn't like was the chicken cacciatore.

My new addition to my Christmas decoration line up is a jaunty looking tiger wearing a Santa hat. I like tigers and I like hats. It's win-win. I haven't got my tree out, put none of my cards up, aside from the tiger I am still in two minds as to whether I shall have Christmas at my house or not this year. Tinsel on anything, decorations hung on the tree are all fair game as far as the Daft White Cat is concerned, so too any fresh flowers or potted plants I try to keep.

The only thing safe is the tree itself and the string of lights I have on it. Maybe the DWC likes a minimalist Christmas theme?

Tomorrow we are having another knitting coven meeting, I am in two minds about going, I could go, or I could stay home and start constructing a reasonably sized bunker for the DWC and I to lurk in.
The now infamous scarf, will once again get an outing if I go out. Will it be done by New Year, possibly, if I can make the time to sit long enough to work on it. Fortunately I think my search is over, turned my entire home upside down in search of my "good" black skirt which I adore, asked my mother twice if I'd left it at her house at all, no no no, so searching again through all my clothes, when you own as much black as I do finding a particular piece is like seeking a needle in a haystack. My mother found it at her house.
Then there was the now complete searches for Christmas decorations and for my copy of Forever Summer.

Anyway my final thought on Christmas Twisted Sister Part 1 and Part 2.

The scarf is almost finished, thanks to Lady Deathwatch I have an idea on a shrug to start, it looks simple enough for even me to complete in a timely fashion, i.e. for when the warm weather well and truly starts here in my part of the world.

As most people are aware it's December, yes it's that time of year again. Good will to all mankind and all that other baloney. Bah! Is all I have to say to that. Bah!

However despite saying that, I have been putting the carols on, flicking through my ever growing pile of Christmas magazines and books, it grows every year.
As much as I despise this time of year, as much as I loathe it with every fibre of my being, I can not resist the opportunity for cooking too much food.
Food is just one of my major obsessions, of which I have many, long time readers will be familiar with my others.
New to this year's menus, I tried Christmas Chocolate Biscuits, Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies both from the new Nigella Christmas. And at long last I made the Maple Pepper Pecans from Nigella Express. One minor substitution I swapped out the cayenne for paprika in the pecans to road test them at that level, and I'm really not sure how other people feel about really hot things.
But they've passed my Mother's test, she was sampling them in the kitchen while no one was looking.

There's still a whole plethora of things from Nigella Christmas I'm keen to try and a number of them have made it onto lists, the Cranberry Studded Mincemeat (after the Vanilla Rhubarb mincemeat from Feast was vetoed by my mother, not enough people in the family can eat rhubarb, the fact I like it is beside the point) and Christmas Wreaths look like goers.
But the tried and tested Apricot and Almond White Christmas is back again this year, I love both apricots and almonds, and well I like some White Christmas, it's kind of like fruit cake, it can be hard to find a good one.

A reliable source (my Mother, so always right) informs me Nigella's Express was on the ABC last night! I missed it but with any luck my father has recorded it, we think last night was the first episode. I'm hoping so, I have been eagerly anticipating this series, I have seen little snippets courtesy of You Tube.

Shrugging off my problems

I need some advice, I want to knit up a cardigan for when the warmer weather gets here if at all or better yet a shrug (smaller thing to knit). All my jumpers are a tad warm to be a light cover up.

I'm going to poke through Ravelry, and look through my wrappy/shawly pattern books as I know they have shrugs as well in them. But anything anyone's knitted, not to complex, the quicker the better, and can recommend I am all ears (and eyes).

The Day After The Night Before

"The Shoveler is hammered!"
- The Shoveler, Mystery Men


I was out to a wedding yesterday, an old friend I've known for 28 years. But I guess over the later years I haven't seen as much of am as I used to, which meant I hadn't got a chance to meet his fiance and now wife till the wedding yesterday.

It was a really lovely ceremony, even I a jaded cynic, can not deny that. The dress was gorgeous, the girl in it turned out to be lovely as well! One of the page boys was over excited and rushed off to the front of the church soon as the bridal party arrived with his ring cushion and had to be retrieved and taken back to wait.

Now the important part of any wedding, the reception, a chance to have a drink or three. It was held at the Cataract Bistro, the very modern looking building adjacent to the TRC Hotel. Food was lovely, I had a slow roasted tomato, boccacini and basil tart with onion jam to start, the other popular choice seemed to be the Chicken Salad which Miss Stash had.
I don't care what she says though, my tart was so the best starter on that menu!

Main I had the rolled chicken breast stuffed with Persian feta and sun dried tomato on a Parmesan risotto cake I think it was meant to be. The chicken had been wrapped in bacon, but I disassembled mine cause I really don't like that much bacon looking at me. Blerch!
Other mains included fish (trevalla or trevally? trevalla I think?) which was one of my mother's favourites, and steak which the men at our table all seemed to order....

Dessert was a berry merangue or steamed pudding, the merangue seemed to be the popular choice all round, waitresses were dashing round the room with armfuls of plates with the merangues on them. It was delicious, my one complaint my crispy outside fell off, and when I tried to spoon it up completly disintergrated, so mostly I ate a giant marshmallowy mound topped with berry cream. Yum!

Drank quite a bit of wine during the evening, I was sozzled by the end of the night I will admit, but I had a fantastic time, and better still didn't publicly shame anyone. I was in a warm wine induced fuzz, so I didn't I have the motivation to do or say anything outrageous.
I wasn't allowed to buy a funny weddding card. Oh well, I guess that will still be a surprise, when they open the cards and the one from me isn't a funny one.

Of course there were the obligatory speeches, and they where all a reasonable length and funny. They get my stamp of approval.
The bridal waltz, they'd rehearsed leading up to the wedding, but not in the wedding clothes. So there we are a roomful of people watching the bridal waltz, collective agreement they look lovely and are lovely. Then rip! Yes the groom had stood on the dress, a collective ohhhhhhh!
I spoke to him after the waltz, I and I think everyone else he spoke to after the waltz, heard about the dress incident, he was kind of wound up and telling everybody about it.
Priceless!

Also had the chance to talk to a couple of people I haven't seen in forever, we all went to primary school with the groom. One of them's now married with four kids, the eldest was 8 and the youngest is 8 months. And the two inbetween, 5 and 3, I think. And it occurs to me now, while I asked how old they all where I didn't ask her if they where girls or boys, I know the first one was a girl.

Well I did say this was the day after in my title, well I woke up at 5:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, an hour of my muttering, changing sides of the bed and rearranging the covers, the Daft White Cat had had enough. He left the room.
But he was back 15 mins later, obviously thought up a way to annoy me, charged in, jumped up on the chair by the window and pulled the curtain back flooding the room with light.
I conceded defeat and the bed.

Wide awake and restless on a Sunday morning. Write a blog post, hmmm, hasn't taken long? Now what? Maybe make some breakfast, yes, I'm starving, I haven't eaten since last night.
There's always knitting, I have become a one-project woman, and it has worked, well sort of. I have only one project I'm focusing on, but now I kind of resent it, so progress is just as slow as if I was doing 20 projects. Blah!

I'm wildly excited, do you all know why??? Take a look here!

And I'm not looking here, cause this is just depressing when you check details.

more cat pictures

Preferably without pickle, onion and mustard! Oh and make mine a double one!!!

Triumph at last!!!

The slow cooker quest has ended and also in the same day so has the Polenta quest!

I am now the proud owner of a Breville Banquet Meal Maker (no where near the RRP on the website I might add). Fourth store lucky, the first store I went to (begins with K) wouldn't sell me the one they had as it was their "display" one. Big props to Harvey Norman who after going and looking offered to pack up their one on display for me if I was happy to have it as they had no others left. Damn skippy as Lula would say.
And how cool is this, tucked into my box with my slow cooker was a little box which transpires to be some sort of joint promotion between Breville and McCormick giving you five of the new Slow Cooker recipe base range - Mild Chicken Curry, Tomato & Onion Sausages, Garlic & Herb Lamb Shanks, Mediterranean Chicken and Beef & Red Wine Casserole.

And for my polenta, I finally found it. The Coles located at K-Mart had it in their health food section, the little part where you go to find all the special gluten-free type things and other -free foods. I couldn't believe my luck so nabbed two packets.
Miss Stash informs that while out with Sandra D the other day they popped into that big health food store under the Quadrant car park and they also stock polenta as well as fine polenta.

I finally rented the final installment of Resident Evil, however as much as I liked it and as good as it was, it has left me in suspense. Seriously I hope there is a fourth installment some day, because I personally felt there was a lot of unanswered questions at the end, who made it to Alaska? What was there? Did Alice create a "cure" for the T-Virus in the underground laboratory? If so did it work? Have the evil Umbrella been finally crushed once and for all???
This is all stuff I wish they had answered.

I also rented a quirky Canadian film called Walk All Over Me about a small town girl who runs of to the big city and looks up her ex-babysitter, who now works as a dominatrix. Then Girl meets Boy, Boy turns out to be chased by Bad Man and hired goons because Bad Man thinks Boy stole money from him. Madness ensues as everybody trys to bluff everyone else and find the money first.

What I actually bought for my collection was Who's That Girl? starring Madonna. I love this movie, and I really liked Madonna in it. She was also good in Desperately Seeking Susan. But I really didn't like her in Dick Tracy as Breathless. Although I think her best big screen work ever was when she made Evita.
And apart from her cameo role in one of the recent Bond films I have never seen any of her other work. I really can't offer a full judgment on her acting ability.

The Daft White Cat is currently perched atop my monitor glaring at me and occasionally waving a paw at me. Must be feeding time.

I decided it was time for an update of what I have been cooking lately from Nigella's books.

There was the pancakes from Nigella Bites, whipped them up in the blender in mere seconds. Too easy and very yummy to eat.
The Chili from Feast, next time I'm keeping it all for myself. The Best Chili I have ever eaten! Alas no sign of polenta so I had to forgo the cornbread topping. And I accidentally over limed my guacamole. But otherwise a success. One thing I wasn't happy with the Chili was the cardamom pods, it's all good till you bite into one. Blah!!!
Then there was the Croque Monsieur Bake from Express, I left the mustard out as there is only one mustard eater in my family, if you make this and leave out the mustard - it needs something put back in it's place. I'd like sweet chili sauce, and also to omit the ham because I don't like ham.
It was a simple thing to throw together and then fridge it overnight.

Now I am sure there is something else I have tried recently from them, I don't have them to hand and I can't conjure up an image of anything.
I made the Cheese Risotto from Express a while ago, I loved it, I seriously need to practice my risotto making skills, but I figure since the first attempt was edible it was a success.
High-Speed Hamburgers also from Express are good, as is the Go Get 'Em Smoothie. And not forgetting the Glitzy Chocolate Puddings.

I am now the proud owner of a second slow cooker (crock-pot)! I was on the hunt for a slightly larger one than I already own, it's not worth trying to work out the fraction of difference I'd need to make in recipes to get them to fit my current one.
Alas unable to find what I wanted I ended up coming home with a baby one, a little 1.5L (approx 1 1/2 quarts) one! It is very cute, and I figured the right size to just put whatever is going to be dinner in and leave it till I come home.
Really I see myself using it for stuff I've already made in advance, and just popping it in and leaving it on low so I come home to already heated dinner. Or just when I'm home it'd be enough for soup for me to keep it hot, so I can pop back and have another bowlful.
This is vital in my house, having to wait for stuff to heat or be delivered, means I usually end up eating whatever I can in my fridge.

The big test will come, when I attempt to cook porridge in it! I love porridge and having read about other people making it in slow cookers I am very, very intrigued.

I made a trip into see the BlackSpot, their own brand equivalent stuff is all marked down to special prices, so I went to poke about and look for anything I might want. The Inca equivalent, same quantities of wool, acrylic and alpaca felt nasty where the Inca was lovely to feel and I have a hat started in some Inca somewhere so I know for sure it knits up nice.
I wanted to knit an alpaca project up and I have some but I can't remember what ply it is and think I may have to rejig the pattern slightly because I think it may be a tad finer ply.

Reminds me of a conversation we had at the knitting coven yesterday!

more cat pictures

Which incidentally put a woman with big boobs on the cover of a magazine and you sell more copies, a proved fact in publishing!

It's that time of year, again!

The Unholy Trinity perhaps???

I have two weeks of long blissful freedom before I go back to school and I plan to make the most of it!
Just started 2 nights ago is Vickie Howell's Peacock Scarf in some Vintage Hues. It has turned out really well so far, and I am super pleased with it.

For the first time ever, I saw Stargate Atlantis last night, I was up and roaming about when it started, I have no idea who anyone is or what the hell was going on. But the Man with the Dreads was Tasty!!!

I've treated myself to a new Bratz doll, whenever I'm in a department or toy store I always check for Bratz, I still haven't got my hands on the Wicked Twiins. You know one day I will walk into that aisle and they'll just be there waiting.
Anyway I came out today with a Play Sportz X-treme, I got the X-treme Kick Boxing one. The only other choice was a pile of X-treme Skateboarders. Obviously not as popular.
After showing Miss Stash my new acquisition, she told me she'd seen a Skydiving one in a toy sale catalog. Now that would have been cool to see!

Something that is going on my to buy list, cause it's not yet released is this new book Knock Down Knits: 30 Projects from the Roller Derby Track.
I was trying to explain to Miss Stash about Roller Derby this afternoon, if only I'd known about the book then as well. My mother knew what Roller Derby was, I was so impressed.
Now if someone will just write a book that combines pole dancing and knitting I'll be set....

And just because I love it, here is a clip from the 1950's of womens Roller Derby. It's a classic and dare I say slightly cooler looking than some of the modern clips I've seen.

This is me finishing an assignment for tomorrow. Then I have another test Wednesday. No rest for the wicked. Ever.

I'm debating what to make with some natural black alpaca I received from Karen during the PRGE, 2 years ago now??? I still haven't decided, it's so good, so I want to pick the right project for it. Because otherwise it'll be all gone.

I'm working on an all knit wrap at the moment for my mother (Sandra D), you really can't go wrong with all knit. It's sort of a pale green almost aqua in the old Caressa, back when it was only a 7-ply. It's knitting up lovely, it feels very soft and even though it is slightly fluffy it's not an irritating fluffy.

In between finishing my assignment off, I'm squeezing in Top Gear to see them drive across Botswana, this should be interesting. And hopefully finish off any remaining questions in time for Boston Legal!

I Am Legend!

I passed my test yesterday afternoon, so another one down and another step closer to my end certificate. I am really pleased, as it was getting to the stage where I was ready to throw in the towel. No! No more! My brain is already atrophying!

You live and learn. The day I stop learning is the day I drop dead. Which could be tomorrow, so maybe I don't need to rush the whole learning thing???

With all the Olympic talk going on, I am planning my Olympic KAL challenge, I'm going with socks, a whole pair! I know it's a way off, but with all the media coverage surrounding the upcoming event and all the associated political circus that is on about the Human Rights.
If China weren't the next Olympic host would there be as much controversy? Would as many people be looking and pointing their fingers???

The world is full of very bad things, something at times that seems to slip out of sight, usually because not the entire world is getting press coverage. Let's face it their are fashions or trends of horror in the media, today it's firmly planted on China. Not that long ago it was all about Iraq and Saddam, even Bin Laden has slipped to a mere peripheral on the camera lens.
When it comes to War on Terror - what is your first thought? Iraq? Do you have a vague memory about Afghanistan??? Afghanistan has dropped out of favour, it's perhaps not as controversial as troops in Iraq. Not likely to sell as many papers anymore.

But for those who are up for fighting the good fight, a quick browse of the home pages of Amnesty and their Australian branch show that there's more than just China for us all to glare disapprovingly at and mutter about boycotts.

Do I make you horny??? Do I????

I've been working my way through a stack of Knitty Gritty episodes courtesy of Mrs DrWho. I can not get enough of these shows! They are alas very American for lack of a better description but very useful and loads of fun which more than makes up for it.

I've seen the Yarn Harlot talking about (aboot Terrence!) her sock, the Domiknitrix demonstrating her Snow Devil Hat - hence the horns!
I love Lily Chin's work so was very excited to see 2 episodes of her demonstrating. Most awesome!

Not to mention a host of things I am now not afraid to try, Mobius, steeking, toe-up socks, the Brioche stitch and crochet cast on's. And the math episode for calculating the right size that was invaluable and way unscary.

It was very inspiring and since Thursday night when I started watching I have eat, slept and breathed knitting. Be sure to look for me getting around town in this most fetching hat! Now all I need is a suitable yarn for it.

Note - I was kinda lazy when I wrote this so alot of links will be "linked" later!


more cat pictures

Alright less laziness and more like I was rotting my brain with cats who can't spell - it's just not funny when they can.

Monday Nights are Boston Legal Nights again! Yeah! This a very good thing, however I forgot and missed last week's episode.
And even more exciting when it started we were just coming to an end of a repeat of the previous season on a Saturday night, so for a brief overlap it was two episodes a week!
I really must get the earlier seasons on DVD.

I attended the Northern Ravelry meet-up and met some new knitters, and saw most of the knitting coven for the first time in months!
Since that Saturday I have not looked at my knitting, I've thought about it and taken it out places with me but that is as far as it has got. I am working away on my second "Bratz" Gauntlet can't wait to finish it, I will buy the ribbon after the second one is done and they will truly be complete.
In light of this I've started thinking about the next project, while listing my sock wool on Ravelry, I had the idea to use a particular ball of it for some arm warmers. Hence the search began!
Now these Armwarmers seem the ticket, there should be enough yarn in my ball of Opal to complete them and being a fairly plain pattern it won't matter how variegated the pattern turns out. But I must confess to falling in love with You Snag.
My only concern is how striping the pattern of the yarn is, I don't want to lose the awesome deconstructed look of them with something that will end up looking too busy.

I'm sure I tucked the ball of yarn into my knitting bag to take to the Ravelry meet-up to get some opinions and I presume it's still in there, provided I actually put it in there in the first and didn't just think about it.
The other pick is Arm-egeddon Sleeves, but I'd have to buy yarn as well as beads to make them.

And of course it's that time of year again, Guardian Angel program has started once again. And this year I am finding it hard to muster the enthusiasm for it. Normally by now I've been and got my pattern book and picked out what I will make and usually have got it started. Not so this year, I haven't picked anything let alone started it.
I suppose I will get something underway but I doubt it'll make this year's deadline for hand in.

And in closing something I can muster a bit of enthusiasm for is proper use of pole dancing (no Britney flailing about here), the British Women's Institute had a proper performance!

Yes, Victor, I believe it!!!

It has just been one of those mornings, the kind that would have Victor Meldrew frothing at the mouth.
The kind where the world conspires against you???

I am submitting my final math assignment this morning, well while it's still very close to morning.

Today is also the first day of my holiday and today I am doing the baking I have been meaning to do for the last three weekends. It's just that time of year, when sitting at your computer with your cup of tea wearing a jumper, mittens, scarf and a hat, that you just fancy something with your cup of tea while you cruise Ravelry finding even more things you want to knit.
Can you guess who is refusing to admit it's cold enough to need heating yet??? Heating?? I don't need no stinking heating! Especially if the hydro prices go up, mines all electric.

In answer to the Greenwoman's comment, yes that is the yarn I meant! How delicious is it???

Speaking of Delicious has anyone else seen this months issue??? Lots of tasty things this time around.

Late evening edit!
I have submitted my maths assignment, now we just play the waiting game. I got no knitting done today, I was running late from the word go, so knitting just got pushed to the back burner. Maybe tonight, park myself on the couch and watch some episodes of Rising Damp - an about 1970's(???) British comedy.

Well well well, it's been an interesting day. My afternoon class finished 50mins early when everybody but me had had to dash off early...
We were only about half our usual number to start with, so rapidly losing nearly all the other half kind of brought our lesson to a halt.

In that time I have been working on my afternoon classes assignment and doing some more of my morning classes work.
Oh and now writing a blog post, multi tasking at it's best baby!

You may remember me starting Ysolda's Lace-Up Opera Gloves awhile back? The pattern temporarily had me flumuxed when I had to pick up stitches. What? What stitches? It got sidelined because I got impatient. But thanks to Ravelry, (yes I got my invite look out for me DarksideKnitter) I found a discussion about it and apparently someone else had the same frustration I had. They also took it back and retried it like I did. I feel much better about them now and think they may have to come out again.

I am tempted to buy new yarn, pretty yarn, fantasy yarn! I'm after some Cherry Tree Hill in a colourway called Tropical Storm, it looks lovely but do I really need more 4ply? More socks? No, maybe armwarmers I am good at those, I actually make two.
I site Whitewater Wristwarmers and Funky Punky Armwarmers (aka as the Emily's) as two examples of my capability to knit a second.
And after I finish winding my yarn up I will knit the second of my "Bratz" Gauntlets aka Swinging Gauntlets from Punk Knits.

The first "Bratz" needs the ends put away and some ribbon threaded through but it will be fantastic when it's done.

Anyway links will be provided later, three things I can do on school time, even if class is technically over, but hunting for links when I don't have my bookmarks will have to wait.

I am 7th in line for the new Anticraft book from my library! You know, I wouldn't at all be surprised if I didn't know who the some of those other 6 were...

And to you all I say, Hurry Up With It! It has things in there just begging me to knit them! Speaking of things being begged to knit, Bad Juju from the Anticraft site is made with Lionbrand Woolese which I spied in the latest BlackSpot mailout, I must pop in and see if there are any suitable bad colours.

That'll be on next week's list of things to do, when I'm on holidays, somewhere in between assignments and homework for school.

The Who was amazing, I'm still trying to get over the descriptive "nice" used with the phrase "rock band". But 1970's filming technique aside - that really dated it - would it have been better with all the bells and whistles of a modern tour???
Hmmm, well some things aren't going to be better no matter how much bell or whistle you throw at it.

Prime example Joan Jett's classic I Love Rock n' Roll


Now everybody and their dog has had a turn at doing their version, but this is Britney's version...

Music video or audition for a gentleman's club??? I'll let you be the judge.

I had a day out socialising with "real people" to borrow a phrase from a friend. All study and no play has not just made me dull, it's bored me senseless.

There was a much run debate about whether to organise a night out and get out and have a good time, but realistically given how dark and cold it gets by 5pm at the moment, not even I'm keen to be out and about! So I promptly shelved the idea for later use.

After much discussion I have re-requested an invite from Ravelery, I requested one which we worked pout must have been almost a year ago and heard nothing. But others have requested invites just recently and had invites issues quite quickly. Oh, well if you first don't succeed!

The Who are on TV tonight, a showing of their Isle of Wight concert I am very much looking forward to it.

I have another week of study then holidays! Oh yes! Things I will do? Finally rent Resident Evil 3, and after much discussion this afternoon I must track down Monkey!

Lookie Lookie I Got Hookie!

I'm flahing back to Hook, what a movie that was, it had pirates in it. But really the point is I wanted to show off my new ice block tray today, there was only one of this design left on the shelf and I just couldn't take a chance of going away and thinking about it.

But a far better a photo than I could take is one here on the manufactures website. Look Here!

Hello, My Name is The Daft White Cat!

TDWC had the privelidge of coming out for an outing to my parents house to meet my grandparents while they were here staying, alas he choose to take up residence behind the toilet - don't ask nobody has an answer only theroys about small spaces!

The only time he deemed worthy of coming out and along the hall was to greet my grandfather and give him the full treatment and receive a pat in return before returning to his new residence. He did later venture just outside into the hallway and I managed to snap a few pictures of him.

Upon his return home he settled back into his routine of sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, eating, playing with Mousie (a handknitted blue mouse made by myself!), sleeping and finally sleeping.

It's a hard life staying home all day, I just wish he'd learn to cook or iron. He'd make such a better house mate, he dosen't contribute financially at all either. He is a kept male of the first order!

While I am no Jane Austen fan, I am a huge fan of quizzes and when I saw this while reading through Melinda's blog I had to hop off and have a turn.

Take the Quiz here!

Also thanks to Melinda I am madly in love with these mittens - Daisy Stitch Handwarmers. They look amazing I am so going to have to make myself a pair.

Two new recipes I have tried recently, my Grandparents have been up visiting so we have been having a dinner and lunches and making desserts. The first is Treacle Puds, a very handy stand by. And the other which we had for the first time ever came from my mothers cookbook and she couldn't remember when she'd last made it (if ever) was Raspberry Trifle.
Which was another simple one made with frozen raspberries and was delicious, in future we should make double.

I need to search through my delicious magazines since it was in there I am sure I saw a recipe for Scotch Eggs that were baked as opposed to the quite often method of frying.
Something I am keen to try from Good Taste magazine is an omelette in a bag. It was featured in an outdoorsy-camping menu feature but the prospect intrigues at home on the domestic front as well.

Today I am off to sit a math test, not exactly a fitting way to end the week, I'll have all weekend to worry how I did...

I don't like maths, I like maths with letters even less, I really don't like maths with letters that require working out future values! Blah!!!
But my teachers seem to think I do know it, hence the math test this morning!

To atone for disappointing the Green Woman yesterday I have found the Count! Highly appropiate since I am about to sit down to some math.

I thought it was about time to update my blog, but when it comes to sit down and write something...fizzle...puff of smoke....lingering smell of something burning in the air.
That'll be my brain overheating and catching fire. Far too much to think about at the moment, I actually found myself slumped on the couch watching Home and Away the other night. I don't even like Home and Away!

So I have decided to take a leaf out of Amanda J's blog and her Sesame Street winners.

With no further ado I give you a video blog!



Enjoy mon amis!

Done minus pockets!

Funky Punky Armwarmers done in Woolbale - solid purple no stripes on this pair!

I have knitted up and blocked (read put under a towel and ironed) my first pocket and begun sewing it on, however aside from aesthetic of being all matchy-matchy I am debating if I want a pocket on both arm warmers or just the one???

While I debate about it, after the first pocket is done. I'm throwing Ysolda's Opera Gloves onto the needles and getting them underway in some Angora Supreme which should be lovely against the skin.

Make Mine Mitered!

I popped over to MagKnits to check out some patterns and was thrilled to see a new issue up, and I am so loving these arm warmers with the mitering.

On a particularly high note I have passed my first two tests, you know what this means? I actually know stuff! I have learnt/retained important useful information.

Following up on the 2paw's comment, I love Abby! How can anyone resist! Mind you it is an improvement of the pink hair and snotty attitude in CSI. Get a load of this! Goth Sterotypes! If I had to label myself I'd start with a dash of Perky-Corp hybrid and add in a good measure of rock n' roll.

Now has so become Agatha Christie time, it's just the right weather for a sampling from her huge collection of novels. The little grey cells mon ami! If I remember Poirot always objected to the cold and was usally done up with coats, blankets and mufflers when traveling!

What are pockets for????

Well aside for keeping stuff in on my arm warmers they are a attempt at being trend setter. I tried this in high school with hair sticks it never took off though I don't understand why not??? Hair sticks are immensely cool!

And with winter creeping closer, I figure having a pocket I can stash a bus ticket in means I do not have to juggle purse and umbrella on days when it is wet to get ticket out and hold umbrella or once on the bus fiddle around to put it away all the while either brandishing a wet umbrella or trying to prop it up so it dosen't slide away.

Besides without pockets all you really have is some long stocking stitch tubes, they need help to look more impressive!

I finished the first one while watching Gladiators last night, did anyone else watch??? Ah how cheesy was it? I'm hooked, an hour of valuable knitting time with bad acting to boot.

I've been doing homework and I just couldn't be bothered doing anymore so I thought I know I will go write a blog post and then I can come back and finish it. This will not turn into Bernard on Black Books with his tax....

Which means my plan to sit and knit after it was done has been pushed further back and looms dangerously at not at all tonight Josephine.
Bah! And double bah - why is there always more pink than white marshmallows in a packet I ask you? What is with that????

I decided I should attempt to whip up some fabric arm warmers for my self, Miss Stash thought this was very brave of me since the sewing machine would blow up.
Not, you understand because she doesn't have faith in my sewing skill more she thinks its been so long since the sewing machine has been used.
Oh well I might have to settle for knitting a pair of delicious over the elbow alpaca ones. And there was this Dragon Scale one I saw and quite fancied in something metallic or shiny looking yarn.

Anyway back to the homework. Bah!

Heaven is a pair of purple arm warmers!

Currently underway on the needles is a the first in a pair of arm warmers, they are purple and are knitting up wonderfully. Once there all done they'll just need some pockets added, their in the round so no sewing up yeah! But I will need to sew the pockets on after, boo!

I've ordered some new yarn to re-attack the gauntlets I wasn't entirely satisfied with, I've got a bit extra so I can tweak the pattern some more.

Now I am planning a slightly less than conventional camouflage print for the next pair after that, I was going to go with blue. back and purple. Then changed my mind and decided I'd like to do different shades of purple so they appear to meld more.

It's all purple at the moment, purple, purple and more purple! Makes a nice change from my usual urban camouflage (black, black and more black!)
Now would be the time to go all out, as a student you can get away with a lot more, purple hair? Yeah baby!

Son of Stitch n' Bitch arrived much to my delight! It's full of things I want to knit for myself to wear, the Pin-Up Illusion Scarf will have to be one of the first! But I am loving some of the hats a lot as well....oh decisions decisions!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Batman???

Here is my new pride and joy! Is it a scream or what? I adore it very much and am looking forward to an outing befitting it.

No surprises which of the Dishcloths got finished first, Skully is going onto the needles after I finish this blog post. You can find Batty here.

Speaking of bats I was very excited to find out about this organisation, Bat Rescue. I'm going to sponser a bat later in the year but will be making a donation before then.

Two of my favourite things are the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Emily the Strange so when given the chance to combine the two I couldn't say no!

And a favourite thing I am regretting saying no to, I love belly dancing. For years I have always been keen to learn and many many years ago I tried to teach myself from a instructional video (for you youngings out there a video was the big thing before DVD's where even thought of. Kind of like a film version of cassette tape. Don't know what a cassette tape is????)

Not only where they running a belly dance class this year through Adult Ed but also a Tribal Style! I like it a lot, no more or less than other styles. I am loathe to use the word traditional here as I have seen to differ this newer style from others because I personally think unless you have your own personal time machie or are good friends with Dr Who and are able to pop back to the time and place where it all began and learn there, anything going today my be in the traditional style but exactly the same as it started after it's traversed the world, blended with other cultures along the way???

Which made me think of knitting, what is traditonal knitting?? Who is a traditonal knitter??? Can we ourselves within our own yarn community's prove that what we do today has never changed one iota since it first was born??? Knitting without knit and purl isn't knitting but it's how people have used these stitches and what they've added that makes what we have today as knitting.
Do we all think that at the birth of knitting someone thought hey I can take some purple yarn and knit a dishcloth? Or better yet take some purple yarn and knit a dishcloth with a bat on it??? Well......

At the first knitting guilds ever organised, a boys only affair do you think they sat around discussing colour choice? Pattern choices? Had they seen the latest Vogue/Jo Sharp/Creative Knitting?? Fondling yarn????
I don't know but I wouldn't have put the yarn fondling past them a bunch men alone with yarn???

Just a quickie!

Mostly because I have nothing exciting to tell anyone, my life has become very dull since becoming a starving student again.

Monday afternoon I had a maths test, I have no idea yet how I went, but I came up with an answer for every question, and that's half as important as actually them being the right answers???
One of my fellow students handed in their test shortly after starting, no not finished in record time because they were a math whiz, but because they decided they couldn't do it so there was no point in trying.

The fact I got enough right on my maths assignment I handed in the other week to actually pass means surely I must know something maths related, fingers crossed it was enough to get me over the finish line on the test.

There was indeed an assignment due yesterday, but I am bolstered that most people hadn't got it finished either and so we can have until Thursday to hand it in. Mines all finished the end sums don't quite add up equally, Miss Stash is getting the job of reviewing it and explaining just where exactly I am going wrong this afternoon.

I was optimistic about getting to town early this morning and fitting in some important errands before going to class alas I just missed the early bus I wanted so popped into my corner store for an iced coffee and a fruit bun. Not quite the treat I had promised myself for making the effort to get to town extra early, no designer coffee today!

Has any one seen the latest Better (than yours!) Homes and Gardens magazine? I always get the Christmas one, and occasionally their Easter one usually if it has some really good chocolate recipes in it.

I started work on some new arm warmers last Monday and they need a bit of tweaking before I will be totally be happy with them.

I have started a dishcloth! It was no good trying to fight it any longer, I have made a start on the Mason Dixon Ballband one, I'm aiming to finish it before I start ones with bats and skulls!

Somewhere in amongst all my notes is a schedule for my classes that list what each lesson is and when assignments are due. I must check and make sure there isn't an assignment due for tomorrow afternoon's class I got a little bogged with the last one because I didn't realise how long it was, this next one is longer!

I bought myself a new bag and was optimistic that it would arrive in time for my outing to the Crustys, alas I went on the Saturday and the bag arrived on the Monday. Look for a photo soon it is an absolute scream! I couldn't resist it.

I went, I saw and they conquered!

I am so excited! I am home after a night out at the Crusty Demons!

The pre-show according to my ticket was due to start at 7pm, if what we got at 7pm was meant to be their idea of a pre-show - it sucked!

While I was sitting in my seat waiting for it to start I noticed a man standing under one of the ramps, I dubbed him "Ramp Man" and then speculated why he was there. It amused me greatly and helped pass the time, is this where naughty Crusty's get sent for punishment? Had he dug a tunnel from the little tents out to under it? Was he attempting to secure himself a good spot to view from? He was wearing normal clothes unlike the crew roaming around who were all in Crusty t-shirts - like most of the crowd were wearing. Which later in the show confused me because it looked like about a dozen members of the audience had wandered into the performing area.

However the pre-show consisted of making up a gross cocktail and getting suckers willing participants from the audience to drink it - the winner got a t-shirt, it was hilarious. However I seemed to have landed a seat in the conservative section of the grand stand because after it was over their was a collective (female) announcement of "How disgusting!".

But moving on, they started on time always a good sign - we got an introduction to who everyone was. One poor guy's bike came out and his bike wouldn't go so he had to get off and wheel it behind one of the screens marking their "pit" area.

Watching them do their tricks individually was pretty cool, but where seeing them live really comes into it's own is during the free for all session where their all out all going at once. There's three ramps so theres usually at least three of them flying at once, sometimes four if two come off the same ramp. Theres so much happening that it is hard to take it all in but it is incredible to watch.

We had to endure two irritating hosts, I think the show would have been better is someone had unplugged their mikes for about 90% of it. Could have done with cranking the music up a notch or two as well.
Crusty Babes, well, what can I say? I've seen the Crusty Babes we're talking muscle tone, and they dance. The ones at our show here mostly seemed to wave their arms around a lot. But after intermission when people had a chance to drink some more beer and they came back in smaller outfits this apparently made it all better.
I wasn't convinced.

Scott Murray who attempted the Double Back Flip for the first time outside the US as all the ads proclaim, and who you may have seen in the news attempted it in Canberra and came off the ramp.
He pulled it off tonight, they interviewed him after and he took his helmet off. I was like OMG it's Ramp Man! Ramp Man! One of the irritating hosts was going on about Scott Murray had been psyching himself up for this. Yes I saw him! I actually saw him!
Of course I didn't actually shout it out loud, although by this stage people in my vicinity thought the Crusty Babes dancing was exciting so I probably could have shouted anything I liked.

The Space Cowboy was their guest in their "Freak" spot, he was on Sideshow at least twice I think I saw him? And then there was the talking skull that announced the upcoming riders and segments! A talking skull!!!!!
How cool is that????????????????

Your results:
You are Dark Phoenix

Dark Phoenix 77% The Joker 66% Venom 66% Poison Ivy 63% Riddler 63% Apocalypse 61% Mr. Freeze 50% Juggernaut 48% Catwoman 48% Mystique 44% Magneto 44% Two-Face 44% Dr. Doom 39% Lex Luthor 36% Kingpin 35% Green Goblin 24%

A prime example of emotional extremes: Passion and fury incarnate.

Click here to take the Super Villain Personality Test

For your perusal....

A very Merry Nigella Christmas from her Living Kitchen range. Here is a sample of the Christmas gifts Sandra D and I recieved... The tea tin and the tea mug (came as a set of 4) were Sandra D's presents, I'm sure there must have been a mistake, so I am kindly letting her have them on extended loan!
The cake stand is mine, can you believe all my life I have had not one cake stand and in the space of 3 months I was gifted 2! Piled artlessly up on it is the Marshamallow Crispy Squares and Rocky Road Cruunch Bars from Nigella Express which can be seen in the background along with a glass of chardonnay...
Miss Stash received the Salt Pig in Cream, which alas was not here for the photo shoot. It resides with pride of place beside her stove.

Here is what I have been doing for the last 3 weekends, making apricot jam! This picture so does not do it justice, it is a beautiful jewel-like shade of orange and tastes superb. When making a batch last week and letting Miss Stash know was I inundated with offers of help? Told how good it was of me to slave over a hot stove in this hot weather? No all I got from her was - "Will you bring me a jar when it's done?"

We had Linguine with lemon, garlic and thyme mushrooms and it is divine also perfect for this weather the only compnent needing to be cooked was the pasta and lets face it pasta doesn't need to be stood over and stirred, the rest is just marinated for lack of a better word.

Some of the other things I can reccommend as worth trying are her Pea and pesto soup and Curry in a hurry.
Tomorrow is Rapid Ragu - kind of like bolagnaise really but sounds quite delish. I am a huge fan of making my own bolagnaise sauce and usually use the tried (maybe tired?) Leggos one from about 30 years ago.

We had our first knitting coven meet-up for the year last Tuesday it was good to be back and catch up with everyone and where they were at, alas my lunch came in a "trendy" serving size. Noooo!!!! After I've eaten my lunch I want to realise I've eaten it!

It's far to hot, too hot! This is Tasmania! Clearly the weather gods are on holiday and have left a minor god to fill in who has no clue what buttons to push.

My Christmas wasn't bad, it was fairly good. I ate prawns and oysters! Yummo! Presents were good, people understand now about buying off the list.

Surprise, surprise I got Nigella Express! Saves me having to print off all the stuff I want to make off the net now. Goodbye loose pages!
The really good present was Ronnie Woods book! Really good read so far, the other thing I am loving is Velvet Revolver's last album Libertad. It was my Xmas present from the Daft White Cat.
He may be daft and white but he sure knows what his mummy likes!

As for Nigella, New Year's Eve saw me melt, mix and fridge two slices from the latest book, much easier and cooler than baking anything. Marshmallow Crispy Squares and Rocky Road Crunch Bars - the Marshmallow I could eat the whole tin alone if I succumbed, the Rocky Road is incredibly sinful! Even for me, one piece is enough at a time.

Belatedly I got a mezzaluna, it got hidden and forgotten about. It's not as big as Nigella's but it is one of those double bladed ones and it comes with the special board with the dip to make chopping easier. As soon as he saw it my dad wanted to have a go - what is it with parents buying their children toys and then commandeering them for themselves???

Just before Christmas was Terry Pratchett's Hogfather made into a movie, and much to my joy it is available on dvd! It was good, Death was perfect, the wizards weren't as they should have been. A bit too Gandolfy and LOTR. Very disappointing.
But very satisfying spotting all the familiar faces!

While I managed to get no knitting done today, far too warm! It was the perfect day for a long cool glass of lemon cordial and a flick through all the Christmas editions of the food magazines.

Armed with Table, Good Taste and Delicious magazines accompanied by the Coles and Woolworths own mini-magazines, I have been a woman on a mission. Only thing left is to acquire Super Food Ideas, Family Circle and the Australian Womens Weekly and my once yearly buy of Donna Hay.

This might imply some weird obsessive passion for the impending silly season. But that's not it at all, I loath Christmas! The Grinch thought he hated it, but he has to fight for second place with old Ebenezer himself.

Don't get me wrong there are some things I really like, I love food and the potential for all the cooking that you can do it really is one of the few true feast days in our calender, I love Christmas carols - I have to have a new CD every year of anybody who's anyone singing the tried and true. Christmas movies! My favourite being with the Muppets, how can you not like the Muppets? At this time of year complete mayhem is such a sanity saver.

But in preparation for the big day on Sunday we made our Christmas pudding, it is a family tradition and something I have helped with for as long as I can remember. We always use my Great-Grandmother's recipe, which much to my amusement directs you to measure out a gill of brandy!

I also made a pavlova Sunday, I do love pavlova. That and cheesecake. I'm not sure how I feel about a pumpkin cheesecake though???

Next on the list however is a fruit cake, I think I might give Nigella's One Pan Christmas Cake as featured in the latest Delicious a go it sounds easy enough. And White Christmas! It will be the Apricot and Almond version again as I much prefer it to the mixed fruit varieties. I am keen to try a Rocky Road version as well.

So much news so little time!

Today was knitting coven day, not only did I take the back-to-front heel back, I restarted it and it is coming along nicely. I have high hopes for this sock.
Now the Curse seems to have been lifted off it I may (shock, gasp, horror!) make the second one upon the impending completion of the first one.

I had a flick through the latest Nigella book, Nigella's Express. I am very excited, so many good things. Which prompted me to revisit my what-I-have-made list from the previous books. While the list is short, it's all things I have made over and over again!

Only thing I haven't ever done is update with what I have made from Feast, I'll do that tomorrow.

But for starters:-
How To Eat
How To Be A Domestic Goddess
Nigella Bites
Forever Summer
Feast
Nigella Express

Granted the Express I have only started on because of the Times Online special to coincide with the start of the TV show in Britain. It's also started in America (and possibly Canada???) so there has been ample opportunity to see what everyone else has thought of the new series and book! And more importantly what they are all cooking!

But on the downside my beloved Matt Hardy has been living in interesting times recently. First he had the most amazing bruise (and less interesting a huge sticky plaster) where he cracked his head open. And I thought I wonder if there'll be a scar? I like scars....

Now he's been and had his appendix removed, after it ruptured and poisoned him - the human body is an amazing thing isn't it? In times of crisis you need something to keep you going, some sort of hope.
Something other than one of Nigella's chocolate recipes, and I'm going with he had to have surgery to remove it, so they had to cut him open, so surely it stands to reason there will be a scar???

It's a good thing knitting is so therapeutic, I won't have to dwell on it all too much. Now about that chocolate my cat? What have you done with it?

Crusty Demons will be here in March 2008!!!!!

What a day!

How awesome is this? Nigella's Feasts started tonight on the ABC! It's good to see her back on the ABC!!!

Today was like Bargain Day, I picked up the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 for $20 this morning! I have been waiting ages to get it, as much as I liked it I wouldn't pay $30 for it.

I also popped round to one of the local music stores I knew had Pink's first cd for $12 and I have been meaning to go back ever since I saw it. Well today I had the time, and I'm glad I did because I also got her 3rd cd for $12.

This afternoon I popped Pink into the cd player and sat down to read through the blogs. There is something very bolstering about Pink, really if were talking girl power, I think at least, Spice Girls eat your hearts out!

I haven't been able yet to find anyone else who saw the Sideshow on Saturday night yet! The girls from La La Parlour were all on and one of them did a solo performance and it was so good!
Anyway I've tracked it down thanks to YouTube, where would we be without it?
Here is La La Parlour's performance from Saturday for anyone who's interested.

Alas the week after next will be the final ever Sideshow, none this week because the Tally Room will be on - ye gods! Somebody save me!

As for my back-to-front heel on my beautiful and nearer to completion sock, I haven't been brave to take it back yet. Why? Why? This sock is cursed! What have I done to anger the knitting gods??? Clearly I have not sacrificed enough yarn to them!!!

While perusing today's paper I made the exciting catalog discovery! I love catalogs and some of the best only come in the paper.

Todays find was the Angus and Robertson one and has brought my attention to two books that have made it to the top of my Christmas List!

Dear Santa....

Ronnie by Ronnie Wood
Slash by Slash (& Anthony Bozza)

Please excuse the Amazon references but Angus and Robertson's site had no description of the books! Which I think is very poor.

Also caught my eye is Nigella Express has been released here at last! Mind you at the current price I will be watching all the catalogs like a hawk. I can remember when Feast came out and I managed to snag it for only $40 thanks to some serious catalog browsing.

and it always seems to happen to me, I have lost the ability to multi-task. While talkng and knitting, I have managed to start and merrily go on my way with the heel the wrong way out on my feather fan sock!

and for anyone who didn't see the Sideshow saturday Night, the Wau Wau Sisters did an amazing trapeze act backed by the Guns n' Roses Welcome to the Jungle! Very cool!

Happy Halloween!

It's here at last! I've had some full on weeks recently and I'm afraid I can't make time to squeeze in my themed food and pointy hat till probably next week.

There are a number of things that have managed to slip under the radar (out of sight, out of mind).
My mobile phone has been riding around in my handbag for at least a week and a half completly flat and needing to be charged. Finally remembered last night, got it out and put it on to charge.

Then preceded to forget to take it with me this morning, dropped a a full cup of water while out and had to locate someone so I could get it cleaned up. Spills can be a OHS hazard.

Then while recovering from this, I was looking at today's paper. New mayor, turned over a few pages. I had a sudden thought, flicked back to the front of the paper.
My minds eye instantly zooms to the "safe" place I put my ballot paper so I could sit down and read all the hype about everyone before voting.

Oh s***! Oh well I am a fan of the don't vote it only encourages the b*******! motto, but even still...maybe I should return the paper and the envelope anyway unfilled simply so somewhere somebody can account for me.

But upon returning home today, I had the pleasure of discovering I'm not the only absent minded person on the loose. While flicking through the phone checking missed calls and seeing what texts there were - hmmm, one of my knitting coven comtemporarys had texted me on Monday asking if there were costumes for our meeting on Tuesday since it was going to be Halloween.

Well. Since I wasn't there, I won't make any comment on what anyone actually turned up in.

But I hope you'll all remember to don your costumes for tonight boys and girls - or for some of us, just go out as normal!

One last question - Trick or Treat????

Through Hail, Sleet and Shine!

This afternoon, I am off to introduce myself to the regional manager of a local business chain, they will be in there central store some time this afternoon. That was as precise as the information got.

I figured I squeeze in lunch before going, because after all who knew how long I would be waiting? Which I'm glad I did, as it started to rain.
Having safely tucked away some of Nigella's Pea and Pesto Soup (absolutly divine!), we (Sandra D and I) are now awaiting Miss Stash to ring us and let us know what she's up to.
We debated about nipping into the store quickly and nipping back, but decided we would wait for Miss Stash's signal, thus making it only one trip out.

And now that it has started lashing down again, I'm wondering just what will I look like by the time I leave the safety of a car and before I reach the safety of the building? All this wind and rain, I like it. But not when I'm out trying to make an exemplery impression!

As for the soup mentiond earlier, I have just had a non-event recently for which I still got presents. One of which was a nice new blender. Very exciting prospect - and just in time for summer cocktails!
For which I might mention there are a number in the accompyning booklet. Along with soups, dips and thickshakes!

Nigella reccommends blending your soups as opposed to putting them through the processer as they come out smoother - and who am I to doubt her? So to road test this theroy I made her Pea and Pesto Soup and put it through the blender.
And it did come out smooth, but is this because it was blended or because apart from peas it's all mostly liquid???

To furthur study this I'm going to test run Nigella's Slime (Pea and Mozzerella) Soup and a really nice sounding Roast Pumpkin Soup from the booklet.

Do you know what I have to help me on with my cooking/knitting now???? Miss Stash gave me an iPod, yep the real deal. Not just any old MP3 player I'll have you know.
Now I'll have to knit a cosy for it!!!! Miss Stash said to me "Are you going to knit a naff cosy for it?"
Like she had to ask! Mine is going to have the naffest cosy out!

I'm already planning to knit a pair of iPod mittens for next winter and I must look out my Vogue Knit 1's as the first issue had a knitted armband thing for carrying it around in.

While I have a heap of cooking/wine/cocktail making podcasts to load on, I haven't got around to downloading any knitting ones yet because all the foodie ones took forever! I even have some Cook and The Chef - not whole episodes but little hints and tips bits. Like the Nigella Express ones were.

The Daft White Cat has very helpfully found a half finished sock he thinks it's about time I finished - Broadripple from Knitty. It's about half done and a very easy pattern to do. Maybe I should take the hint, lest he thinks it's been purposly abandoned as a play toy for him.

Something I must confess I have been lax in doing is checking the new knit mags online, which is probably why I am so late in seeing the new MagKnits - has anyone else had a look yet????

Bah!

We have not Adopted a Pirate! At times I'm not surprised the mainlanders think were all a bit backwards down here.
I'm begining to think it too.

I am very excited because it is October and months has become weeks, which will soon be days and then Halloween will be here! At last!
I am slightly envious for the Northern part of the world as it does exactly fall in the right place for a harvest festival, closing of the year, days getting shorter, boogelly things running loose!

Oh all right so boogelly things run loose here as well, but it's not quite got the same appeal to it.

Which is why I was excited and sad at the new Knitty pattern Jackyll and Hide. While I do agree it would be nifty for Halloween, it could be a tad warm here for it.

I hate daylight saving, so far it has done nothing for me except disrupt my sleeping habits. I go to bed, and the next morning not am I only still awake I am incredibly irritable! Curse who thought of daylight saving!

However I suspect these things can be smoothed over with a large Lemon, Lime and Bitters and some Nigella...Blood and Guts Potatoes anyone???

Avast ye land lubbers!

I've unearthed some buried treasure for your gain!

Paul McDermott doing a cover of Britney's Oops I Did It Again!

Something!

How exciting is this? My home town is contemplating adopting a pirate!

Yes splashed across the Saturday paper was the headline Adopt-a-Pirate! Of course I was excited, I thought I could actually adopt a pirate.

But no, we are considering becoming a friendship city to the Sea Shepherd Convservation group and their soon to be painted boat, which will set sail as the Jolly Roger!
It is the Sea Shepherds anti-whaling boat which they sail around in wreaking havoc on whaling ships in.

As you can surmise, I don't approve of whaling. If someone is taking a pro-active stance on it, other than saying how strongly they disapprove of it, then I for one am going to look on them more favourably.

Something that amuses me, Poland have an excess of blubber in storage, great warehouses full of frozen blubber, which they were hoping to onsell to the Japanese. The Japanese are no longer looking to buy blubber in, as they can meet their own demands now.
Seemingly for one reason or another blubber is not the delicacy it once was, and is something only the older generations of Japanese now enjoy eating.
Now what do we make of that boys and girls?

After my political activist rant is over we'll pass on the far more pleasent topic of knitting! I have picked a few choice things I want to make myself from the current Knitty.
Such as the very cool Entwined and Cherie Amour. And on my wish list, one day I will be able to lock myself away from a cat and all distractions and make, Muir.
And just because there cute and kind of kooky as well as spooky - Woodins!

Speaking of Kooky and Spooky and all together Ooky! It is after all October, Halloween will soon be here. And soon the 3rd season of the Addams Family will be out on dvd, I'm still waiting for the second season to come down in price. I do enjoy them, even after all this time.
As for The Munsters, well I didn't like them as much. It was funny, but they wern't the Addams.

I was watching Nigella making Blood and Guts Potatoes and Slime Soup and thinking how much I'd always liked the sound of them in her book, to actually see them has made them all the more tantalising.
Poor Miss Stash, "She's obsessed with peas!" she cries as we watch Nigella making yet something else that uses peas. I like to torment her and tell she's imagined all these dishes with peas. Miss Stash does not like peas.

As children we would do a deal, I would eat her peas if she would eat my fish fingers. It was a good arrangement.

Experment: Test 1

Tonight is Curry in a Hurry night, nobody else could get excited about Linguine with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Mushrooms.

I have heard a whisper that come October the book of Nigella Express will be available in New Zealand and will retail about NZ$95.00!

While I am hoping for a similar release date here, not too long to wait. What I am not hoping for is a similar price, I'd like a less price!

I have picke dup work on one of Ms Stashs abandoned projects all the talking at the knitting coven has caused a error that will need to be corrected. Arrggh!

Back with the Verdict! It all got eaten so that's probably a really good sign. Delicious but delicate curry, not too spicy for those who don't like it hot.

And I was reflecting on the supermarket visit I made this afternoon. It now yields up such Nigella needed delights as elderflower cordial, blood orange juice, jam setting (& marmalade setting) sugar and to my great excitement of discovering it this afternoon - '00' flour!!!!

However, I could only find pesto on the shelf in a jar, no tubs in the chiller section. And for some reason, there seemed to be a serious lack of frozen soy beans. I wonder why that could be???

Sunday sees the Saffron Roast lamb with Sticky Garlic Potatoes from Feast for Lunch. I'm looking forward to it, well to the potatoes at least. Roast Lamb is blah! I so would have taken that dinner date with Tom Cruise!!!!

It's Here! (Almost)

Today is the official first day for the British Times Online to start it's Nigella Express special. Already up is an interview with Nigella, a podcast of Nigella talking about why Nigella Express and not one, not two, not even three! But 12 recipies!

I am in food heaven, nearly all of the recpies are stuff I'd like to put on my to make list. I'm only uncertain about the smoked trout however....

And all can say is, I can not wait to get my hands on the book, which is available form the 6th this month in the UK, so I will be paying a visit to my local book store and see if they have a release date yet for here.

And on a side note, poking around the web, I found one of my other heroes. Mel Fyfe! Who I am unsure how many of you are familiar with her, she's the Circus Oz strongwoman. Well I found her most recent tv appearence I've seen and had to share it with you all!

Happy eating!

(And on a completly unrelated note, I just disovered my blogaversy date. August 24th! Well on this date just passed my blog was offically three years old! Same as the knitting coven!)

You've been Hoodwinked baby!

Surprise surprise, I have been indulging in one of my new fave movies (once I add Ghost Rider to the collection I'll have a new hankering), Hoodwinked!.

And it must have been all that talk about goodies, it prompted me to start flicking through my Nigella books and looking for something goodiefied. Then I had to check on what Mouthfuls of Heaven latest offering was....

The Coke-Cola cake was one of my first attempts from How To Be A Domestic Goddess. And it was divine! Fond memories came flooding back.

Actually what I was thinking of making was the Best Ever Cafe Scones, a recipe I kept from an issue of the Australian Women's Weekly (which comes out monthly!). Then there were Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares, they could be a winner. Or just plain old chocolate cake!
Mmmmmmm!!!! Chocolate!!!!!

There must be something in the air, has spring sprung??? I've noticed a lot of bulbs out, blossom on trees, and this morning the Daft White Cat thought he was a kitten again.
Yes, what is the world coming to?

New series tonight with David Duchovny, will I watch it, well it is the first I think tonight. I might have to test it out. Maybe I'll feel like a kitten!

There's a new Nigella book!

A new Nigella book! Nigella Express, of which I understand there is a TV show to go with and will be broadcast by the BBC.

But the important question, when will it come here?????? But in the mean time, The Times Online will be having special downloads of Nigella giving recipe advice.

Bring me a sandwich board!

Thanks to Cindy, I now know the new AntiCraft is up, I have been a little distracted lately.

I have to make an end of days kit up, the zombies could be here any minute! To those of you who choose to mock and laugh, remember people laughed at Noah when he built his boat!

Be excellent!