The much anticipated but not forgotton picture of the last parcel from my not so secret pal, or technically second last, I will just have to take a picture of the latest!!!

A Pirate Devil Ducky for my bath! Lovely little chocolate men, why can't more men be made of chocolate? Or at least chocolate coated?? (I do like chocolate coated nuts!!!). A block of chocolate with cassis. And some very divine yarn, which is to go with the latest goodie that has arrived. How exciting!
And how cool is that card?I must try and get just a close up of it!

So far, no news. No e-mails, no phone calls and best of all no letters of doom!
No news is good news right??? But then January is just next week!!!!!
Should I start coniving cunning lies? Practicing illnesses? Researching symptoms? What exactly is the proper etiquette when sneaking around trying to get another job without your employers knowing???

I am working on a hat with the yarn my not so secret pal Karen sent in the first parcel. So far so good, it hasn't twisted and I am going to go out on a limb and try double points rather than a circular to see if I can avoid that dreaded twist. (I'll get it and it's little dog too!!)

I have a new toy or rather two new toys for my kitchen, I will give you more details as they come to hand...but it is very exciting!!!

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide red head and damn proud of it!

Merry Christmas!

Today's the big day and how is everybody fairing? So far I have had my martini and Frank Sinatra and opened my pesents, of particular note is the 3rd season of 21 Jump Street which Ms Stash gave me. Oooooooooo!!!!!

Second of note is the bag, it may be familiar to my fellow knitters - the 12:01 from MagKnits. Very nice! Very nice indeed. I suspect I know the elf behind that one...

Alas no Matt Hardy under the Christmas tree, clearly I shall have to have words with Santa in time for next year and a well placed donation perhaps????

I think there will be Gingerbread Muffins this morning, I could be wrong. They still need to be made, and I think I am making them???

Dispensed with the Apricot and Port Glaze for Roast Turkey and instead this year will be making a Cherry and Port Sauce to serve with it.

Below is the six weird things, those I have tagged!!! Looking forward to your six weird things. Merry Christmas!

So this is Christmas?

Well just about, and I am laying down some new traditions.

1. There will be sausage rolls and mini quiches on Christmas Eve, there will also be carols and booze.
2. There will be one present opened on Christmas Eve.
3. Christmas morning will now see me opening my presents with martini in hand and Frank Sinatra singing carols in the background. Anybody who objects to this soundtrack does not have to sit with me, I will sit in another room if need be.

Now on to the really fun stuff, devoured aforementioned savouries and then opened the latest parcel from my now not secret pal Karen, it was the Domiknitrix book! How excited am I? Not much can top this at Chrstmas.
"Hurry up and finishing looking at it!" cried Ms Stash, "I want to see!"

It is a truly beautiful book, and the patterns are gorgeous! A very incredible good set of instructions at the start with lots of photos for how to's. I can not recomend this book enough! Go buy it, now!

And I have picked up my tag! Courtesy of Tianne.
Here are THE RULES:
Each player of this game starts with the weird things about you.People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.
1. I like shoes! Actually I love shoes, the higer the heel and the trashier the better. Yep, give me trashy shoes and I'm happy.
2. I'm reluctant to finish my knitting projects because then they are over, and I don't like over, as it's the end. Apparently I share this with my not so secret pal Karen.
3. I prefer to wear black, all black, it's my security blanket.
4. I am not ashamed to be seen in public wearing seriously odd hats or anything seriously odd for that matter.
5. I will drink almost anything with an alcohol content the brighter or more varied colours, the more out there the names the more likely I am to purchase and drink it.
6. Collecting cookie cutters, and other naff kitchen gadgets. I have a fetish for kitchen paraphanalia.
Who will I tag? Where will the bottle of fun stop? Cindy, Sharon, Mrs Dr Who, Amanda J, Jana and Che.

That's all for tonight dear readers, unitl next time, find some Christmas cheer and possibly a young buff Santa.

But why is the shrotbread gone?

Went ot Oatlands today to catch up with the rellies. Got burnt, am all purple-red with white blotces on my arms, fortunatly I was wearing my hat. Sandra D gave away all my shortbread, so now I only have left what is int he fridge waiting to be rolled out and cooked.

I made the sausage rolls and the litle egg and ham quiches yesterday, all cooked up ready, didn't get th mini apple pies int he oven, so will do them tomorrow as well as the last of the shortbread dough. White Christmas, simplest of all really was easily fixed up. Everything seems to have been successful so far!

Now it's time I whipped something up for dinner, something highly unexciting I am sure. Probably out of a tin.

Oh Drama!

Oh Drama! as the Discworld Death would put it, after the mass panic of trying to organise Christmas because I thought I would have to work, I'm not rostered on. YES!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!! Excuse me while I have my When Harry Met Sally moment!

I have had a busy feral day today, started out at 9:30am this morning, went to the sacred Godlen Arches for brekafast and a latte, Ms Stash discovered her milk had expired and her bread jammed in the toaster she seconded this as a sound idea. On route to Ms Stash's current work I popped into a newsagency, picked up the English Women's Weekly (which really does come out weekly) Christmas Special (I normally buy them in the lead up to Christmas but forgot this year), the latest Simply Knitting with bonus Rowan magazine and 2007 calander and also an issue of Vogue's Knit 1 - the TV issue. Last one I saw was the art issue, and I am still going to track it down, the Wool Shack I am certain will have it.
Ms Stash brandished the new Yarn beneath my nose and said do you have this? No I do not have that, I've been waiting to see it. Ms Stash dashed off with it, I'm buying it! It has shawl patterns! Did I go and seek a copy for myself? No I merely chased Ms Stash with hers. Shawls?!?!?!?!?!?? Let me see!!!!!

Then in to the busy metroplis that is a shopping centre, try to get parked, then fight through shops in search of my new Santa hat, it's mauve and has "Spoiled" emblanzed across it's white fur trim.
Then to town, bought the last of the Christmas presents, stopped for a drink before I fell over with Sandra D. We returned to the car, only to then have to return to my house so I could change my top because all the heat and rushing had made me revolting. Then to the supermarket, get round with all but two things and then wait by the frozen pastry cabinet while Sandra D goes for evaporated milk. Wait longer by frozen pastry cabinet, start to feel like daft white cat, still wait. Give up after convinced deli staff are staring and retreat to meat section for sausage mince, guess who forgot to get it out of the freezer last night???
On way back to frozen pastry find Sandra D who has more than evaporated milk. Buy shredded ham from deli and leave supermarket. Come back to Sandra D's in order to cook, am too hot, unable to think, don't ever want to cook.

But after a sit down, a cold drink, get underway with cooking. Put my new hat on along with my "Stuff Being a Princess I Want to Be Queen!" apron and prepare ingredients to make pastry for mini apple pies, start White Chrstmas, Sandra D does not have icing sugar as she thought so goes to buy some, I wait again. This time in the kitchen by the thawing pastry.

Sandra D finally returns, Ms Stash has arrived, finish making White Christmas, prepare pastry and have it in fridge chilling, prepare shortbread and place in fridge to chill. During all of this people keep wandering in to the kitchen making drinks, bikkies and cheese and various types of sandwich. What the .....???
And on top of all these other interruptions "Have you got your roster?" repeatedly. After putting on the oven and not making a drink before embarking on preparing egg and bacon quiches and sausage rolls (both with bought pastry fortunatly) I come to check my roster. Only have 2 days. Yeah!!!!

Now dear readers it is back to the hot kitchen to stand over a stove and cook the ham and onion, yes I know it's egg and bacon but Sandra D wanted ham for something else... Oh Drama!

Oh.

While Ms Stash was getting fantastic phone calls, I was getting letters of doom. The job I applied for last week, my dream job. I got a letter today on very nice paper, thankyou but no thankyou. Oh.

Never mind, I applied to the call centre with the boogelly rep yesterday, I think it's put about by other people applying to try and phase others from applying.

Also in today's mail arrived my expression of interest form, to go back and do more study in hospitality. Sandra D does not approve. I don't want to get to 30 and think what if! So at this stage I am giving it some serious thought, I don't want to be old a and wrinkly and look back and think what if I had gone back and done what I wanted??? Where might I be today? With my own chain of restaurants? My own chain of hotels? My own airline (or at least a private jet?).

But on the upside of the mail, a very big upside I got gift wrapped in green a present form Karen my now not so secret pal! I haven't opened it yet, it's going under the Christmas tree so I can open Monday. I am looking forward to what possibility may be inside! It's so exciting!!!

However in closing, I have to share a thought that came to me, I feel a great kinship with the Wizzard, Rincewind from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Always where I don't want to be, always opening the wrong door. Which Ms stash informs me means something boogelly will come out and go ho ho! You've opened the wrong door an now I'm something boogelly. She may just have a point.

And another final thought, I am doing my best Nigella impersonations tomorrow, I'm going to take photos. Will I post them? It is the season for goodwill to all mankind so maybe not.

Housewife's desperate or otherwise....

The lovely Ms Fortuknit, sent me this link and upon having a sticky beek around the main site I have to declare I Love It! And I am so going to have bag myself some of those grocery bags! And do you know what other treasure I discovered while there??? A new knitting book! (I want you to think NEW CAR on a game show when you read that bit dear readers.) I think I may have to treat myself to a copy for Christmas, direct form the author and I can have it personally signed. Now there's a thought, and you know I am so worth that effort.

I have one Christmas present left to buy, and that is for the difficult Ms Stash, who doesn't like anything. So you can guaranty to get it wrong everytime. Having said that I won't be buying her a bath mat.

Then all I have to do is do some Christmas cooking on Friday, to finish off the last of the Christmas presents for everyone else. After much debate and the apparent turn out of the fact I am the only one who eats fruit mince pies, I won't be making fruit mince pies after all. Bah! However I will be making Nigella's mini apple pies from Feast. Let you all know how that turns out after. Speaking of Nigella and Feast the beautiful Jana led me to this sumptious goodie form Nigella Hungarian Sandwich.
I made one last night, only mine was light cream cheese (what would Nigella say?) and blackberry jam on bakery white bread. Not bad, I must look out some dark rye, haven't had it in ages, as it used to be nice with jam.

You know what would be helpful if I didn't have a daft white cat rolling on my keyboard, causing that irritating beeping sound and the screen to flicker madly. Oh and also if he didn't keep unplugging my internet after being removed form the keyboard would also be helpful.

Friday I'm also whipping up some more White Christmas, some sausage rolls and some much anticipated shortbread! No cake as of yet, maybe Saturday? Helped Sandra D make coconut ice on Sunday along with some Brandied Fruit. I'll try and get both recipes posted for anyone who's interested, and also the bean dip! My cook book has come back to me at long last.

How bad is this, as of last week I'd been there about 3 1/2 weeks and I applied for another job, it was offering permanent part-time as well as casual(bah! All ready have that) in the Hospitality field. I applied for it, feel a bit of a louse, I've only just got his job. But permanent part-time is pretty tempting, even casual in my preferred field would be a start. I can move into a permanent role probably easier from there. And into other areas of Hospitality all across the board. It'll be good I'm sure.

However also on the horizon another call centre is advertising full time permanent positions, however they have a boogelly reputation. Which springs to mind a quote from Buffy second episode of the first season I think.
"I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide till it goes away." - Xander Harris, one of life's great philosophers!

I now know who recruits for one of the call centers, located conveniently in town thanks to Ms Stash, and will be popping into their office with a copy of my resume now for future positions.
Not that I'm certain this is forever, but for now, these gigs pay good money. And good money buys nice yarn, and chocolate, and wine, and of course Matt Hardy's. Almost time I had a new one for my collection I think.

Back to the land of living go I, as opposed to the land of cyber I suppose.

I stand before you today....

for the purpose of writing a bitter diatribe about pay tv. First they tried to buy up all the sport, not that I really care, I don't watch it, but I am affronted on behalf of people who do want to watch it.

Now, they have bought up the good cooking shows, the much anticipated new Nigella series's. Both the new 3-part Christmas special Nigella's Christmas Kitchen and the new series to go with the book Feast.
While unfortunatly, the Christmas special is next week, and I highly doubt I'll have pay tv by Monday. I console myself with the fact that I can probably by Febuary when Fest is due to air probably have it. Provided I don't get stuck with a gaziollion channels I don't won't for the next billion years.

Curse pay tv! How dare it! Cads and bounders! Now I'm off to find something cold to cool myself down with. Nice cool drink of some sort.

How now brown cow!

Ah, well Ms Stash has done me a favour and done osme picture taking for me, yeah! she is a most excellent photographer and will do my newly arrived parcel from my Secret Pal (or should that be not so secret pal?) immense justice.

I've updated over at the Inn again, this time with more Christmas recipies, I need to reclaim my recipe book to be able to post the Spicy Mexican Bean Dip recipe. However you will find the Port and Apricot Glaze, the new treat of Apricot and almond white Christmas (divine! This will now go into the Christmas tradition list), and I've also managed to rouse up the truffle recipes I've made the last three years. I usually try to find a different one each year. Didn't get around to making any this year. Next year.

Not much else to report, last night was soup and season 1 of Buffy night. I have to say of al my Buffy's none have had as much use as season 1. It was a good season. Before they all started to take themselves too seriously.
Tonight i htink may be another soup night and possibly Elvira...

Some like it hot!

It has been too hot for me, last itme I checked it had made it to 30.5C. Way too hot, and of ocurse that put a crimp in the Christmas cooking Sandra D and I were supposed to be doing today in preperation of the big day.

I also managed after reclaiming the recipe for the Port and Apricot Glaze for turkey then managed to leave it behind at Sandra D's. Oh well one day this week and I can put it up on the Inn. I've actually just been over there and moved the links in the sidebar around so all the recipes are listed first, making them easier to navigate. Hopefully.
There is a new Christmas treat possible going into my line-up this year, I'll post the recipe after I try it and find out if it's succesful or not.

carols by Candlelight next weekend, bah humbug! Having said that I will probably end up watching the televised version from the ???? on Saturday if only to shout at the tv.

It must almost be about time I dug my Christmas tree out and put it up. Decorate it so the Daft White Cat can steal things from off it. Bah!
Then I'll just have to get everyone's present to put under it. I suspect htere will be a lot of envelopes, such an easy way of shopping!

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide hot and bothered red head and damn unhappy about it.

May the yarn be with you!

I need my very own kind of force to get me through a working week, however am less rubbish at job on day five than I was on day one of my first official working week.

So I have found my next treasures, both from the Knittery. First the Merino 4-ply in Sea Breeze and the much long awaited Merino Cashmere in Moonlight.

Discovered by accident the new Knitty was up, stopping by to check the archive. And there was a new one, and it seems to be quite a bumper issue this time or is it just me? Way too much good stuff this time around, my to knit list will grow majorly! However I think my absolute top pick is the Eiffiel top.

Went out to a party with Ms Stash last night, had a vodka cruisers, scoffed some very nice sauaage rolls (note to self make sausage rolls for Chrstmas eve this year!), and generally did what I do best sit around and observe the bright colourful lightside dwellign people do, which was mostly dance to weird techno music. Then we got a band, very exciting rock music! Yeah! Then we got the DJ with the dunce dunce dunce music, traditionally played in night clubs at the end of an evening loudly in an effort to drive people out.
Mostly a lot of young people in there interesitng outfits jumping and twirling about on the dance floor, I felt really old and out of touch.
And what else did I see out dancing together, well nothing new there, I mean lots of guys dance together. Or more to the point jump around the dance floor together.
But out on the dance floor having a good old fashioned make out session were a couple of boys.

Now I know most people will be disturbed by this, or just generally grossed out. But I, I was pleased that we, here in Tasmanaia truly seem to have come long a way in a short time. It wasn't that long ago the laws were repealed against homosexuality.

Today has been too hot to do anything and mostly I have been appreciating not having to get up and go to work. Bah, I find I'd like to accidently hang up on a at least half my customers. Don't know how long this will all last before I move on to a new workplace.

I have to go find somehwere cool to lurk and cool my fevered brow. I may have to wait until this evening before I tackle any knitting.
But how is this for fate? I missed the November issue of Aussie Women's Weekly, with their Christmas baking special. Guess what found it's way into Sandra D's hot little hands? Yes, a copy of the November issue I had missed given to her by a friend, neither of whom new I had missed it and was kicking myself.

Until next time,
Suzi
A bona fide red head and damn proud of it.

Share and Tell

Well I survived today my first time alone and allowed out with the real custoemrs unsupervised.
Not as boogelly as I htought and I actually knew what some wanted and could fix it.

I see the new MagKnits is up with some awesome scarves! I like scarves.

My Family starts again this Wednesday on the ABC, I do like it. SUSAN!!! Snarf snarf!

Bones is on tonight? No Crimainal Minds? And did anybody else see the new FBI profiler thing last night, I watched half but went to bed because I had an early start today.

Went to Hobart on the weekend, and finally made progress on the Whitewater Wristwarmer, yeah! I'm about 6 rows away from startign the thumb and then that pretty much marks the half way mark! Almost finished! An finished pair!!

Time for soup. I have been eating my way thorugh alot of the Velish Butternut pumpkin, dosen't quite remind me of my pumpkin soup which is beautiful! But it fills a hole and is immensely satisfying.

Unitl next time,
Suzi

What month is it???

Here comes Meloncholia!
Here comes Meloncholia!
Right down Gloom Lane!
Vodka and Bloody Mary and all the others
are pulling on the reins.
Door bells are ringing, children screaming;
All is sherry and bile.
Hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Meloncholia comes tonight.

Here comes Meloncholia!
Here comes Meloncholia!
Right down Gloom Lane!
Hope you've got a bag that is filled with toys
for the boys and girls again.
Hear those toys jingle jangle,(and clink and clatter!)
What a frightful sight.
Jump in bed, cover up your head,
'Cause Meloncholia comes tonight

Apparently it has become December, and no I am not excited or
organized for that event beginning with C!

I have come up with a little check list of things I will and
won't be doing.

First the will NOT'S!
1. Christmas Cards - No, none what so ever. However I urge
those of you who do to be thoughtful of the environment after
Christmas and take them to the Planet Ark recycling boxes.

2. Secret Santas - No, no and once again NO! I do not like
Secret Santas, I do not approve of them, and quite frankly I'd
sooner give my money to charity.

3. Carols by Candlelight - Never again! The last time I made the
mistake of going, everybody who thought they were anybody had to
have multiple turns to sing songs about everything but Christmas.
This is not a local karoke bar, sing a carol or get off the
$*!%*$#@^ stage!
Have I made myself clear?

4. Piped continuous carols - I don not want it on the bus, in store
or as I am walking down the street. I do not want them at all!

5. Too much time in a small enclosed space with family members - Far
too stressful and everybody ends up feral.

6. Too many Christmas outings - Only will I go to those I know I can
suitably let my hair down with.

7. Goodwill to all Mankind - Hah! May I direct your attention to the
Middle East? While I won't behave on that scale. "It's Christmas!"
just doesn't cut it for me, no sudden bosom buddies. If I didn't eat
it before December, I won't now. If I didn't like it before I won't
like it more now that it is December.

8. Too much shop bought Christmas consumable goodies - Too often
they have peel, too much sugar or taste like cardboard. If buying
choose wisely.

The absolute YES'S!
1. Lights - Yes a must. I must recreate the Las Vegas Strip.

2. Christmas Food Magazines - All of them I must have all of them!
As this is the most important component I will be scouring newsagents
and magazine sections in supermarkets to find all possible
combinations and ideas.

3. Christmas Cooking - I want it all and I want it now, you name it
I want to bake it or make it!
There must be enough food to feed a  relatively large army, if I must
scale down, I will go with more than twice as much as needed for the
number of people.
Also I am a huge fan of food shaped into suitable themes, very kitsch
but a must!

4. Crass Christmas Movies - Never can they be too bad, or too camp!
These are a holiday must, what would Christmas be without trashy movies
about Christmas?

5. So Fresh Christmas Album - Promises slightly more upbeat,
funky versions of the old dirges. Probably going to be hated
by everyone else. Kind of like trashy Christmas movies. Must buy!

6. Wine! Spirits! And Frozen Margaritas!! - Never should those
fateful words be uttered "But why is the rum gone?!?!?!"
What kind of host would be I? Arrrr!

7. Suitable silly hat - No this is almost mandatory, everyone
should have one. Even if it's only the paper one out of a cracker.
It helps ward off evil spirits you know.

8. Try to avoid having to work - If this fails, beg, bribe or blackmail
your way into the earliest spot possible, so the rest of the day is free
for Frozen Margaritas, ridiculous hats (and/or antler headbands) and
bad Christmas movies!

Still to come on our Christmas Special how to survive Christmas
complete with instructions on making your own bunker!
A sligtly more practical Countdown to help you organize your way
right up to Christmas.
And not to be missed out 101 Ways with Leftover Turkey!