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!

Well I am sure many of you will have heard about Benoit the pro-wrestler by now, he got quite a size able article the other day in the paper.
He was (past tense and all) one of my faves. Alas no more!

The first episode of Dr Who tonight, I like the new girl, or shall I say I I like who I presume to be the new girl, a huge improvement on Rose aka the pop tart!

I finished Thud last night, a fabulous work! Truly fabulous! I know it said in the back blurb there was another new one coming, something about Post??? I must look it out.

It is a short one tonight I am afraid, I fear I am being chased by a chicken! (Sorry Thud reference, you'll have to read it to find out the answer!).

It's on!!!

Next Tuesday I am out to dinner, I have been waiting for this fo sooooo long. And it couldn't have come at a better time.
Chocolate Cremem Brulee here I come!!!
I will of course be accompanied by the usual suspects. And our weapons of choice, red wine and black fingernails....

Tonight I have a date with Terry Pratchett and his amazing ccast of characters. I am looking forward to it, I have not read Thud! before.

Ice! Ice! Ice Baby!

I'm so cold, I think I will do away with the fridge and just distribute items about my body in a special coat.

I have been in dire need of a hottie, alas Matt Hardy has been unavailable so I have had to settle for a hot water bottle.

Who else saw Torchwood? It was kind of slow to get off the ground, but Captain Jack! What can I say there is soemthing about certain Captain Jack's that are really appealing.

Alas I have not seen the third instalment of the Pirate Captain Jack, but I have discovered that I managed to miss seeing the third installment of Spiderman on the big screen. Very disappointing, however a tiny part of me is actually considering Nancy Drew. Yes, I do recall her from my misspent youth, not quite as promising as an Agatha Christie mystery but they were quite good.

I haven't knitted, I've cooked a lot, I find it much more satisfying. it was after all one of my first loves. I'm hoping to squeeze a little more baking in this weekend.

On the needles currently and pretty close to being done is a Critter from the Naughty Needles book, I should get back to it, they look like cute little owls in the book when complety finished.

Did anyone else suffer the horrendous fate of seeing the start of Pirate Master???? I was dubious about it, but decided I had better watch it before disregarding it. I lasted about half an hour and called it quits. It was too sad, way too sad!

Sharon was right, I so need a night out at Smokey Joes with a glass or two (or three!) of Merlot. Maybe week after next, I am due a day off so won't have to get up early. Yeah! I can hear those fajitas calling my name now!

What I am loving at the moment is Mouthfuls of Heavn that CIndy put me on to. So far I seen a lot of things I am keen to try and and a few things I have made myself!
Inspired by this I have been cooking a few things from Feast. The Somerset Rarebit and Potato Wedges, most recently. There is often a repeat of the Mushrooms on Toast!
Even Sandra D, who isn't overly fond fo Rarebit, devoured her entire piece on toast. We can put it on the list to have again.
I made the Potato Wedges to help fill the meal out since I had to make what was a supper dish for 2 go around 3 for a main meal. My father thinks they are the best potato wedges he has ever eaten. Out class the bought ones by far.
I have to admit they were beautiful! We had Kennebecs I think they were, I don't know if it was the potato, the spices or a combination that pushed them into divine territroy.

Next on the to try list is the Breakfast Biscuit (think American biscuit, not biscuit as we know it), you make them up, cut them out and then freeze them. You can then cook them straight away or pack them up in a freezer bag ready for another morning when you want to bake them. During the week, is a little full on I think for baking stuff, but on a Saturday morning when I am lurching about, muttering to myself, they would be a real goer.
This morning I got up to make a drink, I took it back to bed and read a book, quite happily passing the better half of the morning away. Incredibly decadent , but as Peter Cundall would say bloody marvelous!!!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

And it makes Suzi a dull girl, I need a holiday. A time to step back from everything and everyone and well and truly let my hair down.

I am awe inspired by the Reptilian from the latest MagKnits. About the only thing that really took my fancy this time.

I'm in need of some rock n' roll, some good comedy and some regular coke, no holding back the sugar this time around. If only!

Ohhhhherrrrrrrr!

If I could make that noise Lurch in the Adams Family made it would be perfect, because that is the kind of day I have been having.

We won't go into all the details, it was a tad stressfull the first time. But on the upside my new Emily the Strange tote bag was waiting at home for me! This is grand excitement! And my new knitting books arrived on Friday, Pretty in Punk and Charmed Knits. I am very pleased with both.
Something I used to be very partial to, before I moved into my all black wardrobe...was a bit of camoflage.

In Pretty in Punk they had some armwarmers, that laced up, the only thing I like better than armwarmers is armwarmers that lace up, and these were camoflage!
Be still my beating heart, I knew it was the kind of thing Miss Stash would appreiciate being a camoflage fanatc.
However I am very partial (clearly from watching too many Bond films) to the red star on a olive green background and to a particular style of hat (yes it would all hinge on the hat, I'll defect but only if you have hats I like...).

I need to look out some knitting to take to the coven tomorrow. What will it be? Whatever it is I had better get it out and do some work tonight, I have been neglecting my work, again!

Don't look now but I'm it!

Yes, I am a cousin of the Adams family, bet you wern't expecting that, or were you?????

I hve been tagged bu two people (the lovely Skully and Freaky Kniter) for the 7 Random Things....beware the tag! Catch you if I can I will!!!!

The rules:

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Here goes nothing,
1. As a small child I played the Pirates of the Caribbean board game, the rules were long gone so the actual plot of the game was also long gone, mostly I liked looking at the pictures of palm trees, treasure chests, bandaned and eye patched pirates and of course the rhyme about dead men and rum!

2. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie I think is the most outstanding crime novel ever written.

3. I have not been able to consume enough yoghurt and cheese this past week.

4. I never wanted to live in interesting times, when I find out who cursed me to, I shall feed them to my pet shark like all good Bond villians do.

5. It wasn't just Imelda's taste in shoes I admired, she truly pushed the envelope as a hostess when at a birthday party for her deceased husband. He was the centrepiece, carefully preserved in a glass topped coffin.

6. Witches are one of my fave things, I have been taken by them since I was child, it all started with Meg and Mog - why shouldn't a woman and her cat go to the moon in a flying saucer? Especially if she's going to do it in a pointy hat. I dig the hat!

7. People in cars are going places, people on Harleys are free! Which can mean one of two things, either it's true and I'm right or the advertising works, and one day when I have $15,000 I can own the dream myself......

Now for who I'm going to tag, well it's going to be a bit of motley crew, but here goes.
Cindy, Sharon, Amanda J, Tienne, Karen, Che, and Mrs Dr Who.

This is what I mean, I was thinking about this exact problem just the other day.

I have to disagree with Mae West as here is proof that you can have too much of a good thing!

I'll have what she's having!

Yesterday I did the dance of joy as Numfar was no where to be found, Naughty Needles has landed!!!!!

It was well worth the wait, and I got some goodies with it, a magnetic Naughty Needles 2007 calender, a Naughty Needles postcard and a Disgruntled Housewife emery stick. But the most exciting part was the book! I am itching to knit something from it, actually there are a lot of somethings I'd like to knit from it.

I was looking forward to sharing it at the next knitting coven, but I suspect I may need to put it in brown paper and slide it under the table to certain members only. I knew it was sexy saucy knitting, and I had some idea of the patterns, alright a lot of ideas. But now having actually seen it and actually thought about it, I don't think it would be totally appreciated for general handing around. Boo!

But one piece of advice that made me giggle - "always knit your gorram swatch!". I must tell Miss Stash that, she will appreciate it, as I'm sure the lovely Green Woman will as well????

Speaking of Miss Stash she has been experiencing technical difficultys, not that she's bothered to explain this herself when she has been online....Of course it's my fault for not sharing this information in the first place you understand!!!!!!!!!!

Darn!

I missed CSI on Sunday, why? Because I thought it was a repeat, no it wasn't. And so I've missed Roger Daltry from the Who making his appearance. Hopefully it won't be long and this series will be available on DVD.

Something I won't miss, I am determined to see Spiderman 3 on the big screen. I saw the first two their and I think it would be disappointing not to get the full effect.

I managed to track down the Famicly Circle Kids Knit book form many many many years ago, wait it was published 1992. Not as early as I thought, it has some very basic designs, but I have missed it.
It was one of the first books I attempted to learn to knit from.
And how time flies!

Party On Garth!

It's days like this I live for, when someone like the wonderful Ms Fortuknit stops by to ask me those important questions like "Has anybody told you lately that you are a complete Gothic Goddess??????"

In reply I have this to say "NO!". I am most displeased not only has nobody told me lately, they have not constructed a lavish temple in my honour, or made the required daily offerings of freshly baked cup cakes.
I may have to send down some lightening bolts to smite people with, or at least give them a bit of a jolt!

As a truly amazing Gothic Goddess I need a new handbag to reflect my status this year at Alice, and possibly a new Devil Hat (there is two versions in Domiknitrix, hmmmmm). And of course the aforementioned shoes! Actually I am little uncertain what else to wear, I have my lovely black skirt I wore last year, but I fear I may need a new top as well.
And of course the all important ticket! But I am pleased to see that they are not much more in price than last year, yeah! But who he's support act if there is even going to be one I don't know???

Now I hope you are all sitting down, and you may as well brace yourselves as well. Tonight just prior to writing this I picked up my Broadripple sock and recommenced work on it! Perhaps you should all go have a nice cup of tea and a lie down to revover from that revelation. But lets face it, after that nothing could surprise any of you, not even if I danced in the street naked while it rained!

There have been phone calls but not the right one! Alas, and it turns out Naughty Needles is on the way! Yeah! It's been posted so hopefully won't be far off arriving now.
I can't wait!

There's a special something I have in mind to make and I have been poking about the net for yarn sources and substitutions. Starting something else? But of course!
It's needling away at my brain and needs to be created. I can't rest until it is done! That and the other 50 things going on in there.

Anyway it's back to James Bond, tonight is You Only Live Twice, last night I had From Russia With Love. I like the old Bonds, as much as I enjoyed the latest Casino Royale, as an action movie you couldn't fault it, it was brilliant! But as a Bond film, I wanted gadgets, girls, those predictable but cheesy one liners!
Granted there have been lasers and sharks, but alas no sharks with lasers attached to their heads....A lot of white cats. Look! I say to the Daft White Cat! I could rent you out to movie makers, earn your keep boy! He doesn't seem keen, unless chasing his tail is a sign of enthusiasm.

Whoo Hooo!!

I have been doing some minor celebrating, only minor there was no booze so not a major celebration yet. Everything is still under my hat, I am waiting for final phone calls before I dance naked down the street in the rain.

I have been working on a special something for Miss Stash, I have knitted it up, taken it back, knitted it up, taken it back, knitted it up, taken it back, etc etc....
Now I am about to take it back again because there is not enough stitches again, there is either two many or not enough. Getting the right number and adjusting the design slightly to fit occupied me for hours yesterday.

Speaking of Miss Stash, we have done some book shopping, I have ordered Pretty in Punk and Charmed Knits from Amazon, while Miss Stash ordered far more sensible books.

Cruising around the net in my pirate ship, I stumbled upon this picture! How awe inspiring is that?? I so have to make one myself.

What else? I'm still organising for Alice, what will I wear? Choosing the optimum shoes is going to be essential, after last year, I may avoid heels. I was discussing the concert with Miss Stash who told me rock concerts where the sort of thing you should go in a group too. Very wise, alas I have no Alice friends! Not yet, anyway, I may have to organise to sit with the other odd bods this year, I'm sure they would have appreciated the Devil Hat last time.

I'm working my way through James Bond series, I've had Dr No, Goldfinger and Thunderball. I've also jumped a head slightly and had a couple of Roger Moore's - Octopussy and Live and Let Die. And that bloke who only did one, he was a model or something? On Her Majesty's Service? I've also seen the original Casino Royale which was a spoof. Absolutely mad cap, I recognized a few faces (mostly from the Pink Panther series).

Now I need to go back to in between Dr No and Goldfinger, there was From Russia With Love and after Thunderball was ??? I might need to check on that.
But it has proved an invaluable time for knitting, I may have to take this opportunity to finish my cloud hat in progress for Mongolia.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it possible lightening can strike in the same spot more than once??? Well there was a poor guy in the USA who was a park ranger, he was also a bit of a human lightening conductor. The guy got zapped a dozen times in his life, granted not always in the same place. But the poor soul commited suicide in the end.

The knitting powers that be, have streamlined something into my brain, but for the time being I am keeping it under my hat. And it's not just for Alice, it's for Awesome! But it shall remain under my hat until a future date, to make sure everything goes as planned - who knows I could end up with a three armed sweater a la Morticia Adams yet.

Oooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You would not believe blah de blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah - to cut a long story short is anyone free for dinner next week????

If so drop me a line to my inbox, you should all have my e-mail address. I can't believe it! Anyway I have to get back to the knitting, I've finished a Hurry Up Spring Armwarmer to the start of the thumb. It's almost done, I hope to get it done tonight.

Then look out for - the second mitten to match the first I made in Hobart, it is started and I knitted the first in a night.
- The second gauntlet from the very first Vogue Knit 1.
- Finally finishing the Glove of Doom and making him a sidekick.
- The second Bowhunter! (Still have to block the first but still.....)
- And of course a second HUSA!

The socks sit sneering at me, but I am ignoring them. Rude childish things they are. They just have to wait for me, I am very into hands at the moment, kind of like that weird cowboy guy was into sisters in Practical Magic - while as enthusiastic not as kinky!
I hope.

Is that a sock I see before me????

I have gone so off knitted socks I never want to see one again, which is why I am glad upon seeing Magknits latest issue there are no socks, but also not a lot else. However I am pleased to see another bag form bags pattern. I accumulate plastic bags somehow. I refuse them, take my own but still.....

My lack of ambition for socks left me a little disappointed there was still some Knittery colours I wanted to try out.
I have a few colours in mind and am seriously thinking of building a bridge to Sock Land and making the new ones in Yarn. Make them less cutesy with an appropriate colour choice. And maybe then we can continue peace negations.

Now something else that tickled my fancy in Yarn was the wimple! What is with that? I am deeply in love with the Cathedral Window Shawl, now if only I wasn't so fickle in love, but I highly doubt I have the commitment at this point in time to settle down for life.

I was thinking about a devil hat and I remembered I had some beads left from when I did the Rowan beaded bag, and wondered if perhaps a beaded wristwarmer might have been quicker???
And I had a thought about bowling bags, which it I admit took me a back a bit when I saw it in the Anticraft - I mean a bowling bag in Anticraft????
I remembered late last night Mystery Men starring Janeanne Garofalo (one of my fave actresses) who played the Bowlers daughter, she had his head put into a bowling ball - well he was the Bowler I suppose.

Anyway I'm off m\for my veg time, I am going to put some CSI on and sit and think about nothing. I think I might actually have tomorrow all to myself! I'm looking forward to that.

It's Alive! It's Alive!

A new AntiCraft! Excuse me while I touch the sky!

While I was impressed to no end, there was pause for concern. One of their projects had me alarmed - a bowling bag????????????
Oh dear........

But being a bit of a bag whore myself I was otherwise well pleased with the offerings. And as for the Blood Orange Cake, it makes me think of something Nigella would almost make. No, I take that back, proably would. After all this woman brought us Slut Red Raspberries!

And do you what else is wonderful? Alice Cooper is coming to my home town again! He'll be here in July. Oh I can't wait, I've been meaning to knit a devil hat from Domiknitrix, maybe I can get one done in time? Hmmmm...

Speaking of Domiknitrix, she got reviewed in the latest Yarn magazine. Wasn't particulary flattering, let the record show I thought it was a most excellent book! Not only that I know at least one other knitter upon seeing it was inspired to go out and get it.
They also reviewed Naughty Needles! I'm keen to get my cold large claws on a copy of this. I ordered one and now am waiting impatiently for it to arrive.

Yee ha!

I don't normally do CSI New York, but when I heard the legendary Suicide Girls were in this episode I had to watch!
Not as much as I would have hoped for. But still it was nice to see them out somewhere else. But CSI New York was fitting I suppose since New York is home to Coney Island!

I've been meaning to check out Knitty for the last couple of days, the e-mail landed in my Inbox and the promise of a knitted parasol had me sorely tempted. It's the kind of quirky thing I'd like to knit.

Speking of quirky I do believe the new Anticraft should be up this week! I am so looking forward to that, it is what the world of knitting has badly needed - a total VAMP!!!!!

Hubble Bubble!

I had planned to have the day to myself, but the best laid plans never seem to pan out how I expect. However I got to make a batch of Potato and Leek Soup in the Slow Cooker today so not a total loss.

Tomorrow is Pumpkin Soup, a new recipe as well! And a Tuna Slice I have had the recipe knocking about for absolutely ages.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Pumpkin Scones I have also been saving for ages and one I forgot I had, Raspberry Scones. Which prompted a discussion with Sandra D about what I consider to be a old wives tale, scone makers are born not made.
Now I think this a load of old carpet! Scones like anything else you cook, provided you make the time and effort to do it right, you should get at least edible results every time if not always picture perfect. There's a lot of bad cooking going on out there, so is it good cooks are born not made? Or is it simply everybody has the potential to be a good cook should they make an effort?????

Sideshow again tonight, I can't last week's totally inspired me. But it was the first I suppose. New Tricks I also see is being repeated, I am a little disappointed it's not a new season.
Tomorrow is another day so we shall see what it brings. I've already got my jobs mentally lined up for tomorrow. Chiefly washing should the weather be nice, and plenty of other things if I put my mind to it, and there should be time while the soups practically cooking itself!

Wednesday was Anzac Day. Yesterday I went to a funeral, realised I had no idea what the Lord's Prayer was (Note to self - no Lord Prayer at own funeral.).
And today I had a doctor's appointment but on the upside it seems I am in fact still alive and haven't unknowingly slipped into the land of the undead. Very satisfying I think. This afternoon I finally got to see the Queen with Helen Mirren. It was a good movie, Helen Mirren was excellent. But it seemed to focus on the Royal Fmaily through the whole Diana period. It was a very serious watch.

I watched Hoodwinked yesterday, I loved it. It was very very funny! Tonight I find out how good The Stepford Wives (remake with Nicole Kidman) is. And just in case I am soooooooooo inspired to be all I can be and so very very much more, I may have to take up some of this advice!

Yesterday I made Curried Meatballs for dinner, and today I made Chicken and Corn Soup in the slow cooker. It was really good! I'm looking forward to making that again sometime soon.

My next goal is to start organising my photos, I need to get an album for them. I don't really do photos. I'm not one of these have them put on display all the time. I just don't see the point, all they do is gather dust and make more housework then! But I have them floating loose in boxes and drawers, so it's about time I did something with them.

In answer to Amanda's question I'm going to give a shameless plug to My Pumpkin Soup recipe, not only is it easy it's tasty and even Miss Stash who doesn't like soup will eat it!

Made the Slow Cooked Chicken again today from Punk Rock Domestics, that I can see will become a firm fave. I also whipped up a batch of scones, the recipe was called the Best Ever Cafe Scones and my word they were good! So light, and not at all floury. They were really good with some homemade raspberry jam and topped off with some whipped cream.

Haven't got Nigella's Chocolate Fruit cake made yet, I had hoped to try it today but I just couldn't fit it in time. So that is waiting for another day along with a Thai curry, marinara sauce from the Oxygen mag, Tofu and Veg Satay and self saucing choc pudding in my slow cooker. And some Chicken and Corn Soup also in the slow cooker, must look the recipe out before the end of the week, because I am hoping to make it by then.

What I need to post the recipes for is the Boiled Fruit Cake I made the other week, Beefburger Risotto! How long have I been meaning to post that?? I still have to try the Bolagnaise sauce, but I will put the scone recipe up for anyone who is interested. I am very into food at the moment I find I am a little more in the right mood to actually enjoy cooking, I love cooking. It is one of my fave things to do, but some times your so frazzled or so annoyed you end up eating toast or possibly just bread depending on what kind of day it was.

I love cooking! I've been doing it since I was very young, and I suppose it then could have gone one of two ways, I would hate it and never do it again. Or I would develop a unyielding passion for it! Fortunately it's been the last. I owe a lot of that inspiration to my grandparents and the many school holidays spent with them, usually a certain portion would be spent in the kitchen which was always exciting. Things like Tea Cake and Choc Chip Biscuits were pretty standered, occasionally Rock Cakes, probably the chocolate slice we always had and the good old slab cake!
What fascinated me most was watching my grandfather making bread, he usually did a loaf but occasionally he would make it into a plait.

We hit the video store yesterday to look for something to watch this afternoon after lunch, tried to convince Sandra D and Miss Stash that Hoodwinked should be funny - they weren't convinced. I think I might rent it when I return Ultraviolet (with Milla J!) for myself.
If you look at the spectrum as Do you want to do the job properly or just look nice? I'd put Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Garner closer towards the "looking nice" side of the spectrum. Milla is very ordinary looking in comparsion to these absolutely stunning women but when it comes to pulling off an action flick. It reminds me more of those guns blazing-buildings exploding-macho men action flicks I grew up with. I know where Bruce Willis is, and Arnold. And Sly pops up in the most unexpected places. But what ever happened to Dolph Ludgren? Jean-Claude Van Damme (who admittedly seemed to get a better run than Dolph)? Don "The Dragon" Wilson?
Eddie Murphy went from Beverly Hills Cop to Dr Doolittle! Mel Gibson went form Mad Max to ?????? Am I the only one who thinks since he decided to make the Passion of Christ he's been sightly odd???? The Rock! Who I adore, the man is gorgeous! But up until Doom he seemed to do well, but everybody I suppose makes a dog of a movie somewhere along the line. Then they tried to flog it in two pack with Serenity! Which while not as good as the TV show, further disappointed me when we finally saw the Reavers (big bad madmen of space), how unscary where they???

I am disappointed, very very disappointed! Action heroes have all gotten old and retired, and the villains are getting lame! An unwashed horde that looks like it could be easily conquered provided you stood upwind of them and blasted them with a fire hose just doesn't cut it. However I do like suits working for sinister corporations especially when they secretly cook up some bio weapon that gets loose and everything goes very very very wrong!

Anyway enough of my disappointment, while in the video store there was a sale on, so I ended up getting a couple of new DVDs. Shirley Valentine (I love this movie! Sometimes do what you want as opposed to what you should can be the right thing.) and that classic Dirty Dancing - oh how this takes me back! I got to rent it for my birthday when I was about 10, I think it was.
I've also got on loan from Miss Stash CSI Season 4! Which is very exciting. Hopefully I can watch some more tonight.

Cup of tea time I think. And the Daft White Cat apparently wants something??? What do you want??? The silence is deafening!

Best Laid Plans!

My Saturday did bot go at all how I planned, it became rather stressful and I had to come home and lie down for an hour in a quiet dark room to get over it.

I cooked something and was about to tell you about it, but it's gone! I'm making the Slow Cooked Chicken again on Wednesday, or the Drunken Chook as Sandra D likes to call it. I leave her unsupervised....Miss Stash was supposed to be watching her, a dash of Marsala says the recipe. And how much did she put in???? Drunken Chook?
Beef Stroganoff! That's what I made Friday in the slow cooker, Sandra D made corned beef in it Thursday and Miss Stash has not stopped eating the corned beef since, it turns out Mr Naughty also likes corned beef...

Anyway the stroganoff turned out well, dished up and then remembered I had forgot to put the sour cream in before serving, just dolloped it on to people's plates and they had to mix it in themselves. It worked, it tasted fabulous!

It turned out Sandra D did have a copy of the Margaret Fulton Crock Pot recipe book as I said, then she discovered she had two copies! So one has actually made it home with me, how exciting is this I can ring her up and we can both look at our books together and have consultations. Thanks to Sharon I will be looking out the French Onion Stew recipe. I was thinking about the French Onion Soup, theres a blast form Sandra D's past she used to make it on the stove top about 30 years ago? Maybe a fraction more.I have my book out now, does everybody else have theirs out???

Due to all the excitement, what is that Chinese curse? May you live in interesting times? I have got no knitting done what so ever, I am just too fed up to even look at it. Kind of like I am with the Daft White Cat he is a bit of a nuisance, oh just go away and play! When he does go off and play he is a bit of a clown, and I must admit it does amuse me

Speaking of clowns tonight is Alan and Denny night, followed by Scrubs! I feel a late night TV watching must coming on Toasted TV Tortilla! Yum!
And has anybody else tried that new carton of soup pumpkin with sour cream and sweet chili? I bought it the other week and had it, I remembered it last night after seeing an ad for it. While like most of these carton things it didn't really taste that much of pumpkin. It has inspired me for my next batch of soup.

Enough waffle! I should at least think about being productive. And watch some CSI, love CSI! I'm not sure if I will do New York tonight, I've never really taken to it.

Avast Me Heartys!

I am huge follower of too much of a good thing is wonderful, but too much of a good thing gone bad....Pirates I love them dearly, but there comes a time when most things hit an all time high and suddenly it's everywhere!

Now it's Pirates...which isn't so bad we could do with some more skulls and things in our lives I think. But sometimes it's a little too much, and not always particularly brilliant. But this could top it all, or surprise me in a good way.
We are talking about reality television here, the Pirate Master. I'll have to wait and see to judge.

On the knitting front, I temporarily put aside Miss Stash's HUS Armwarmer from SNB Nation. To start something else, took me two hours the other evening and I almost got it finished. My only regret was not starting earlier in the evening because I could have got it all done! Back to the Armwarmer today....

At home, I have started to have the big purge I promised myself I will always do. So far I have started on one of the biggies (and easiest!) the Recycling!
I read magazines, lots of magazines, I acquire them myself, from other people or sometimes in a second hand store.
Finally got around to sifting through them, I tossed a whole heap into the Recycling, which was very satisfying. Mostly I was keeping them because they had recipes I wanted. So I pulled out what I wanted, then I got to sort my recipe collection. Put all the things I want to make in the near future in a special folder and stacked the others into another folder ready to sort for future reference.

Now, I am going to invest in a large plastic crate to store all my food magazines in! As I am not going to part with any of them in the near future, they all live in a giant stack at the moment, apart from my Delicious which live on the cook book shelf because I really love them.
Speaking of Delicious, I discovered I could download the recipe index's for each year 2002 to 2006 as PDF's. And learned how to search them! How excellent!

I Touch Myself by the Divinyls is playing on the radio, there is a great Buffy reference to this, form the episode Lie To Me in the first season.
Tonight is the first episode of The sideshow with Paul McDermott and the final of West Wing....Although Miss Stash says she thinks they did make a single season of the new president????

Today is all my own, I have had a flat out week this last week, actually the week before it was quite busy as well. However today I am going to sit around in my dressing gown, drinking tea and eating toast and jam. Possibly planning the next adventure of Captain Denny and Matt Caveman. We haven't had one for a while. I have no idea where they may go this time.
And also because they are so much fun, the Armwarmers, the colour changes and how nice the Noro feels may outweigh the fact that it breaks and I may invest in some for myself to knit a pair next. Actually there is a scarf I want to make in it as well, I may get all the same colour # and see if I can create a coordinating set.

Hi Ho! Hi Ho! Off to work we go!

I was going round to Miss Stash's to sit with Mr Naughty after work and had organised to leave my knitting bag there, forgot i had lent Miss Stash my spare key to her house and of course couldn't get in. Mr Naughty did not get sat with and I can not do any knitting.

My rice cooker hunt is over, I am after the Breville Avance Rice Duo! Now I just have to shop around stores and find the best price for it. I know 16 cups sounds a lot but I am getting into the one off cooking sessions to freeze so I can have ready made diners the days I don't have time to cook.

And as for the slow cooker, I thought I might be a weird obscure item that I would have trouble finding anything for. A quick Google reveals masses of information on them! Not only that but there are modern cook books for them as well! And yes Sharon I have tracked down Margaret Fulton's book, Sandra D had it in her cupboard! Now we will all have to pop over to Sharon's blog and ask her what colour hers is!!!!!
She's even kindly offered to share her recipes with me, and from past experience Sharon makes some fab stuff, I am highly addicted to her Date Scones!

I had a nap earlier this afternoon, so am having a supper rather than dinner tonight. I'm polishing off some leftover slow cooked chicken. Yummy!

Naughty Noro!

I have to ask has anyone who has knitted with Noro found it to break a lot???? I ma currently knitting up a Hurry Up Soring Armwarmer for Miss Stash out of some Noro, it runs thick and thin which I don't mind. What I do mind is the fact that it's taken to breaking at the most inconvenient points!

The Slow Cooked Chicken was a rousing success! I will be making it again, but purely for myself, I am not sharing it with anyone else. No one else!

And inspired by my recent success and some inspiring reads while seeking out recipes for the new slow cooker, I have decided to start shopping around for a rice cooker.
I'm keen to track down on of the ones that also has a steamer insert in it, kind of dual cooking. Very helpful.

Today was knitting coven day, we all got little cards with every ones birthday and colour preferences on it made by one of our members. Apparently one of my fave colours is turquoise!!!!!!!!!!

Something that is my fave, is CSI and the cat and I are going to make ourselves at home on the couch and watch it. Should be good, although I think tonight is meant to be a repeat. Never the less, I am enjoying my evening's on the couch, watching something on TV, reading or knitting. Really makes a nice change at the end of the day. My days seem so long at the moment, and there always seems so much to put into them.

Yesterday I had a blissful domestic day, I made a batch of Chili Con Carne in my new slow cooker. Which is neither orange or olive green "with a little kind of geometric greek key pattern around the top in a darker colour" alas, pity because that last one sounds very kewl!

The Chilli Con Carne was a success! I have some American recpies for Chilli, which involves neither mince or amazingly more so not one kidney bean! No! I kid you not! Not one single kidney bean!
I'm not a huge fan of Chilli Con Carne or kidney beans, having eaten a lot that wern't all that nice. But I have found the Annalisa brand do kidney beans (one side of the lable says kidney beans the other has fagoli rossi (fagoli meaning bean in Italian, and rossi meaning red), it all depends which sides facing out). I'm very keen on their chopped tomatoes so decided to try their kdineys as well.

I have learned a lot from cooking shows, magazines, books, websites and studying to be a food wench, however I cannot correctly pronounce coq au vin. Never mind I don't particulary fancy making it anyway.
However if I can get my tongue round the French translation of Beef in Burgandy I will be a slightly happier woman.

Powered through a pile of ironing yesterday, how exciting was that? Not really, I find it quite peaceful. I think it's all that repetitive motion - which is what Nigella says about risotto or any other dish that needs constant stirring, the repetitive motion is very soothing.

Then I topped the day off with eating of the Chilli Con Carne, and some knitting! Yes it's that project I haven't named yet, hopefully I will get a bit more done tonight so it looks more ipressive when I show Miss Stash tomorrow.

So far the Daft White Cat and I have had a hot shower, I got into my flanlette nighty, dressing gown with penguins on and slipped my ugg boots on, there will be some warm blackcurrant for me and the DWC???? He mght be under the blanket, he likes to hide under it and purr. I don't ask.

There's a bit of time to fill before Boston Legal tonight, I may work my way through Agatha Christie's Murder in Mesopatamia, it's a Poirot one but I do not remember it at all!!!!!!!!!!

While I remember the Slow Cooker Chcken! Testing it tomorrow so will let you all know how it turns out.

Hats are like sugardaddys, you can never have too many of them!

Well? Did you all survive Friday the 13th? If you've lived to tell a tale you should check out this awesome hat by Obsidian Kitten, so going to whip one up for myself.

I had a surprising find, I discovered I had hidden some of my Christmas cheque bounty away. Now last week when one of the department stores catalogues came out, they had a slow cooker for $50 and it was 6 litres in total, but divided into two sections - 4 and 2 litres each. Allowing you to cook two different things at once, ie dinner and dessert, main meat dish and vegetarian version main.
Now I had been planning on making a trip in and perhaps lay-bying it since there was no rain check and didn't want to miss out on an offer this good. But what do you do on a Saturday morning when you need a cheque cashed so you can hot foot into a department store and buy a split-level slow cooker?????

You ring your mum of course! No answer, after waiting all morning and not hearing form her I rang again. She hadn't checked her phone so had no clue I had rung her. We agreed to cool foot it in now, all that excitement wore the heat off.
None, zero, zilch, zip! We found a boy, looked all of about 12, he had to find someone else, the someone else looked about 16 and tried to at first sell us a rice cooker by the same brand name. No a slow cooker. "Is that different?" Yeeeeeeeeeesssssssss...............
We wait while he goes to check the catalogue and see if there is any left in the system. No, none left, last one sold this morning.
"Curse you for being not home!" I say to my mother. We go to look in another store and see what they have, we detour via the boogelly store who shall get no advertising what so ever from me. I spy the slow cooker like a I wanted, no not quite it's straight 6-litre. But still. Wait there's no price! My mother and I searched fruitlessly on the shelves for a price (a lot of things didn't have prices on the shelf!), then she espied on a tiny ticket at the bottom of one side of the box a price - $90.
No! Far too much. Besides by the time I got it to the counter and had it scanned it could have been $1 million! That would not do at all, besides I've yet to have been served in a timely fashion by any staff member, I could overlook that there always crabby if they'd serve me sooner. The sooner you sell me the stuff the sooner I will go away, it's very simple.

Made my way into the next department store after navigating my way around prams and marauding children, why are all prams suddenly 10-feet wide?????
The exciting thing was it turned out there was a 10% off sale on small electrical appliances, unfortunately no pram disintegrating ray guns or small child stun guns. But I managed to got a slow cooker, 5.5 litre with the 10% discount and my now found Christmas bounty I got my slow cooker for the bargain price of $12!
Tomorrow, tomorrow I make Chilli Con Carne in it! Then later in the week I am hoping to make this slow cooked chicken recipe from Punk Rock Domestics forum, and now I can't find it.....I'll find it later.
I've also come across a Tofu and Vegetable Satay which sounds yummo!

I don't mind vegetarian dishes at all, vegan I think may be a little extreme for me. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit that much! But I discovered this site while searching for recipes - Fat Free Vegan. And it had a crock pot section! Hurrah!!

On that note it is hot chocolate time, possibly white I think, I am very partial to it. And some toast and jam to go with.

Horror Movie Survival Guide

1. When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it's really dead.

2. If someone passes you a videotape and tells you everyone who watched it died seven days after, for heaven’s sake, go rent something else.

3. If you're searching for something which caused a noise, and find out that it's just the cat, IT’S NOT. Leave the room immediately if you value your life.

4. If you find that your house is built upon or near a cemetery, was once a church used for black masses, had previous inhabitants who went mad or died in some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed satanic practices in your house, or if household objects start moving by themselves, move out immediately.

5. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, or using a voice which is other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared.

6. If you find a town which looks deserted, it's probably for a reason. Just avoid it.

7. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, fangs, increasing hairiness, scurrying about on all fours, etc, get away from them as fast as possible.

8. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are a scantily-clad female. Also note that, despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.

9. If your car runs out of petrol at night, DO NOT go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.

10. And if for some stupid reason, you enter the deserted-looking house as a group, DON’T split up to go looking around.

11. If you have a friend who says he can see dead people, see other friends.

12. It’s not a good idea to do a school project on a local witch/series of murders/place where people disappeared mysteriously, etc.

13. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.

Happy Friday the 13th!!!!! Remember I can see you at your computer reading this....

So much reading, so little time!

And too little funds, I need to give up all but one of my many and varied interests.

I was out at the local K-Mart today , they had 25% off Bratz, and I had seen those wonderful Wicked Twiins there and thought I would take advantage of the savings.
Unfortunately the shelves of Bratz no longer consisted of the Twiins. The search resumes...

However I did see the third book by Leigh Redhead - Cherry Pie. No matter I still haven't read the first two, despite reading an interview with her when the first was released. I have been waiting for them to come on sale. So far no luck!
Also on the wish list is the third and fourth installments from Kirsty Brooks - The Millionaire Float and The Lady Splash. And I am hanging out for Janet Evanovich's latest Stephanie Plum when it's released, Lean Mean Thirteen (unless it's out, haven't sped it yet??). I had the joy of discovering a Between the Novel's Novella a couple of weeks ago. I read it in an hour and half. It was pretty good.
And what do they all have in common? They fulfill my crime novel passion! Of course there are my old Agatha Christie paperbacks with the weird covers of the time....

On the knitting front, I am starting something new tonight, so will see how it goes before I reveal more, and possibly include a photo of said object if it turns out well!!!!! On with I must go!

Hello!

This first one is Lela! Only this I think is the US version because the Aussie version dosen't have as cool as lipstick, bah!


This is what I am next hoping to add to my collection, the Wicked Twiins!

It was an exciting long weekend, I've been away to Hobart to catch up with the family. Miss Stash gave me huge Milky Bar Easter Egg! The Daft White Cat clearly twigged something was on and bought me an Eggasaurus Egg. At times he's quite cluey.

Then I discovered the upcoming Sideshow with Paul McDermott, I am so looking forward to that.

Then I finished the first Bowhunter Wrsitwarmer, not as brilliant as I hoped, but towards the end I got my groove on and it really picked up. So now I know what I am doing the second one will be perfect!
I also knitted up Saturday evening the first half of a pair of mittens for me! Two in one finished!

Then today I got my very first Bratz doll! I was quite keen on a lot of the styles, but I noticed in a catalogue while in Hobart one of the ones I was looking for and it was on sale for $10! (Well $9.70 to be exact, reduced form it's normal price of $20.70).
I have perched on my desk so I can admire it, Lela from the Costume Party series in a Witch outfit. I nearly thought I had missed out as all the shelf appeared to be full of was Yasmine in her Angel costume. But tucked away right at the back was one Lela.
I ummmed and ahhed over Yasmine, but her outfit didn't inspire me. And there seemed to be no others on the shelf so I decided to wait and see if I came to a more definite answer before I bought her.

While in Hobart, around my knitting success, I whipped up a batch of Nigella's Gingerbread Muffins, a Boiled Fruit Cake (recpie I found on the back of a packet, turned out brilliant!) and Nigella's Meatballs (tomato sauce). Also Sandra D and I cooked up a roast for Sunday lunch. A very enjoyable weekend, with lots of cooking and knitting!

Life is like a ???????

I saw this over at Skulls n Bats just waiting to be snagged by someone, and thought why not me???

Directions: If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

1. Open your mp3 library
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press Play.
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the Next button.
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool.
7. Don’t skip songs.

My Movie:

1. Opening credits: Gone - The Butterfly Effect
2. Waking up: Creep - Radiohead
3. First day of school: Lightening Crashes - Live
4. Fight song: Black Fingernails, Red Wine - Eskimo Joe
5. Breaking up: Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
6. Happiness: Post Modern Sleeze - Sneaker Pimps
7. Life’s okay: Caught Out There - Kelis
8. Mental breakdown: Never Tear Us Apart - Inxs
9. Driving: I Want You Bad - Offspring
10. Flashback: Call Me When Your Sober - Evanescene
11. Getting back together: Again - Lenny Kravitz (now this fits, will I ever see you again? Will that day come?)
12. Wedding song: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
13. Birth of first child: I'm Not An Addict - Janes Addiction
14. Final battle scene: Venus in Furs - Velvet Underground (Shiny, shiny boots of leather!)
15. Death scene: Ballad of Lucy Jordan - Marianne Faithfull (No I didn't rig it! But it is apt I suppose.)
16. Funeral song: Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
17. End credits: Black Leather - Guns n Roses

Alright I should have lied! And cheated! Ah well at least Shaggy featuring Rik Rok - It Wasn't Me didn't come up for the funeral song or death scene, although it could be interesting, what kind of movie would that be?
Probably one directed by Denny Crane! Yes it's that time of week again, my fave day of the week is Monday's, it's Denny Crane Day. Which is a wee bit sad, but life is short you need to take your thrills where you find them. Like in the early episodes of the X-Files. David Duchovny with his shirt off!

However I am now quite fond of West Wing, but am not looking forward to next week's episode, it's going to be a box of tissue's episode I suspect!
However on the bright side there are five whole series before this waiting for me to see, plenty of time for old man perving. It all started with ageing rock stars....

By the pricking of my black thumbs! Something green this way grows!

I bought a basil plant on Tuesday and so far my notorious black thumbs have not managed to kill it! If it does survive a bit longer, at least another week, possibly two to be sure, I am going to have a go at Italian parsley. From there, possibly some oregano.

Tonight I make for the first time ever, an Easiyo yogurt in my Easiyo yogurt maker. Up until now I have been making my own yogurt up from a mix of skim milk powder, water and some natural yogurt to start it off.
Fingers crossed it all goes well.

I was working away on the Bowhunter wirstwarmer this afternoon, and suffered momentary panic when I thought I had made a mistake and would need to take it back. My panic was unnecessary, I had merely miscounted!
It's really beginning to take shape and I am pleased with it, can't wait to start the 'back'!

Tonight is Miss Marple night, I have no idea what the story is as I can't quite put the description of it to a book, Sandra D thought perhpas they were doing the Pale Horse. Will wait and see.

The Top 13 Most Wanted!

1. Sparkly Queen from AntiCraft (kint beaded pasties! They'd be great for pole dancing!).
2. Emerald Beaded Bracelet from MagKnits - this is too beautiful for words!
3. Bauble form Knitty - another shiny must have for me!
4. Petticoat from Anticraft (I can sew!)
5. Fowers on a Grave from AntiCraft
6. Nuclear Family from AntiCraft - the must have for any discerning housewife on the Darkside!
7. Bad Juju from the AntiCraft
8. Yorick from Knitty
9. Snowballs Chance in Hell from AntiCraft
10. Knucks form Knitty
11. Lilies from Knitty
12. Crime of Fashion
13. Lace-Up Opera Gloves (these may even beat Knucks onto the needles, I don't know I can wait till I'm done with the Bowhunters either, well maybe one Bowhunter....)

Narrowing it down to 13 was hard, but I have felting, beading and intarsia. Not to mention I can test my sewing skills with a couple of projects.
I can sew, knit, cross stitch and bake almost anything! Once I can crochet something other than a boogelly chain...but never will I take up scrapbooking! Never! And I will say it in regards this. Never will I say anything but never to scrapbooking!

Food Update!

I have typed up the recipe for my veg soup I made this afternoon, I've also done the Honey Crunch Cookies at long last!
Haven't typed up the Beefburger Risotto yet, but it was a success. It was pretty basic but very very tasty!

Look out tomorrow for the Spag Bol recipe, I'm making that then. My mother's recipe from before she bought jars of sauce. Could be interesting. Also hopefully a scone recipe and at long last some pictures of my apricot jam I made earlier this year, hopefully on the scones provided they come out well.

And if you haven't had a good look at the Inn recently I suggest a good poke about. I'm trying to update it more regularly and try and create a better order for my recipes.

There'll mostly be new baking coming soon, probably a run on friands. You can buy the tins for these now in the supermarket so not a real specialty item any more, unlike if I were to make Madeline's. Which I am hoping to, but then I'm a weird food person so I'm going to enjoy that.

Food again!

I had trouble downloading my e-mail last night, things just wouldn't go. So here I am first thing this morning attempting to do it again, well perhaps not first thing any longer. But I slept well last night and late this morning, fortunately I have m day to myself so far, I have to fit in Ms Stash after lunch. But she may be coming to me, so all is well.

I was hunting through a suitcase last night and discovered some new recipes I had horded away. A very easy vegetable soup, some gingerbread pikelets and my mum's beefburger risotto (yes it is very old it dates back to before I was born, back in my parents salad days!). I also have my mum's spag bol recipe but I shall have to do some converting, pounds and ounces I'm not bad on but pints are a mystery to me!

Also discovered in with the recipes I actually had a full printout of the skull illusion scarf! I also found a pattern for a knitted possum, I never knew I had that either.

I have made myself a compromise, upon finishing both my Bowhunters, I can then and only then start a pair of Knucks for myself. But until then I can wear my Whitewater Wristwarmers (they were from MagKnits for all those people who keep asking! They were also very easy.). Then after the Knucks depending on how I feel I am making the Mermaid Wristwarmers based on the Pomoto sock design.

But on the flesh front, I was highly excited because I've lost inches somehow, so I tried my beloved faded jeans on, I can actually do the button up. So I decided now was the time to make a sugar sacrifice, I've also been floundering at aerobics, I blame lack of fitness and coordination for my difficulty.
I was visiting a friend yesterday and was having a go on the new scales, I was pretty chuffed with myself so was eager to hop on and see how I was doing. I came away not chuffed with myself.
But this morning, I decided to look on the bright side, my clothes are still slightly too big for me, my thighs are now speaking to me again (the day after the last workout they decided it was too much) and my ultimate pleasing thing - I have buns of steel at the moment!!!!