My 200th Post on melody-biglittlesister.blogspot!

I'm sitting here outside with the warmth of the sunshine on my back, as I celebrate in writing my 200th blogspot post. I love blogging, I really do and have found a great array of people through this blog. Like you. *smile*

You might see on the side bar that I began this blog in October last year. But I have been blogging longer than 10 months, its actually been about 3 years now. I was pregnant with Monet and my sister suggested I begin a blog. As she had 3 accounts with 'typepad', she organised and set up a blog of my very own. And it was she who thought of the name biglittlesister. I'm taller than my sister, but younger than my sister. Hence, the name.

Last year I decided I should probably give the space I was using, back to my sister and set up my own account, so melody-biglittlesister began. And here I am, 200 posts in with 4 bloody blogs to maintain. Here, here and here. But I love it. Blogging gives me an opportunity to share with you, with my friends and with my family what we get up to!

I'm not sure when post number 201 will be posted as Monet and I are hitting the skies tomorrow morning (early) to visit family and friends in Melbourne and country Victoria. I've already checked in and have my boarding passes printed. We'll be gone until Sunday week when we fly back up to Brisbane and be reunited with Lyndon and spend a few days exploring that city and visiting Dreamworld. It is going to be a busy couple of weeks, but I'll try and keep you posted.

Sorry in advance if I don't come around to your place and visit but I will try and do so when time permits.

Up, up and away!!!! (I took this photo from our balcony a few weeks back. We see most planes fly into Cairns from our place and I still love watching them.)

A Leave of Absence

I am going away for a couple of weeks so I won't be posting here at cakes, cookies and an odd roast dinner.

So, I will leave you to discuss amongst yourselves your favourite cookbooks. Can you recommend to me a recipe book that I would use a lot, like I did with Karen Martini? (There are over 20 of her recipes from the 1 book in this blog!) Are there particular books you use all the time or are there books that you want to cook out of but just haven't yet? I look forward to reading what you write.


Thank you and happy baking and cooking in the next few weeks!!

Chunky Chicken and Vegetable Soup

This was good for the soul this soup and quick to make. Instead of using the 2 ripe tomatoes, diced, in this recipe, I cut back on the stock and added a 425g can of crushed tomatoes in stead. Instead of ditalini pasta I used tiny star shaped Italian pasta and a bit extra than stated, to thicken up the soup. The recipe also states to use chicken thighs but I used 1 chicken breast instead.. It was very tasty but Monet didn't think much of it. Typical.

*Taken from Family Circle Book 'Quick Short Chicken Recipes' published 1999*

Ingredients

1 tbs oil

1 carrot, sliced

1 leek, chopped

2 chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm pieces

1/4 cup ditalini pasta

1 litre vegetable stock

2 ripe tomatoes, diced

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the carrot and leek over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the chicken and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until the chicken has changed colour.

Add the pasta and the vegetable stock, cover and bring to the boil. (I added the can of tomatoes at that time too.) Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Add the tomato halfway through cooking. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Serves 4

Coriander and Lime Chicken

This was delicious and very easy to make. Does not take much time at all to make either and I love that!

*Taken from the Family Circle book 'Quick Short Chicken Recipes' published 1999*

Ingredients

2/3 cups (160g) coconut cream

1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock

1 1/2 tbs lime juice

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

4 chicken breast fillets

plain flour, for dusting

2 tbs oil

2 tbs chopped fresh coriander leaves

fresh coriander leaves, extra, to garnish

Method

Whisk the coconut cream, stock, lime juice and ginger together in a medium bowl. Cut the chicken across the grain into 1 cm slices and lightly coat with flour.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the coconut cream mixture to the pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half and thickened slightly.

Return the chicken strips to the pan, add the coriander and simmer for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Garnish with the extra coriander leaves. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4

Where My Drinking Water Comes From...

(Post number 199!)

Saturday morning took the three of us to the Copperlode Dam/Lake Morris in the mountains behind Cairns. It was 16 kilometers of bendy roads, but because the speed limit was 40 kilometers per hour, I fared well.

Lake Morris is a man made lake, holding some 45,000 megalitres and is the main source of Cairns water supply. It is at 100% capacity with something like (currently)10mm over the spillway constantly. I think it may be one of the only reservoirs in this country that is at capacity! Amazing, considering the majority of the country is at drought-stricken levels. But this is the tropics.

The views on the way to the Lake were amazing, looking over Cairns suburbs and city, over towards the Great Barrier Reef and Green Island. I took photos but of course it never quite 'captured' the view.

The road itself, cut through 'wet tropical rainforest', past mini waterfalls, simply lovely.

The Lake was beautiful and the way the area had been planned was great, with a playground, picnic tables, viewing platforms, boards with the history of the lake and an undercover kiosk area.

We stayed for a while, soaking it all in, sitting on the chairs and sipping drinks (a hot chocie for me thanks!)

It was a really nice place to visit for a Saturday morning, especially when your daughter falls asleep in the car on the way home. *grin*

And because you have all been such loyal readers, as my present to you, here is a photo of Monet and I, taken at the Dam. Do you like my new spiffy haircut I got last week? Heehee... (And can you believe that cute little girl is mine? She looks nothing like me, more and more like Lyndon each passing day!)

Did you do anything of interest on the weekend?

Birthday Aprons...

It is Lyndon's nieces 3rd birthday tomorrow (she is 5 weeks older than Monet) and she is as 'Dora' mad as her cousin.

When in Spotlight a couple of months back, I bought a length of 'Dora-inspired' fabric, knowing that I would be able to whip up something with it. So I made a little girl's apron out of part of it and I'm actually pretty impressed with the result. I didn't have a pattern - I just copied one of Monet's 'store-bought' numbers.

I also bought Heidi (our niece) a matching Dora umbrella and a disc which I know she doesn't have. I'm sure the present will be a hit. (There is a little girl in this household who want to keep it!)

As Heidi has an older sister, Jessie, who is now 4 and a half, I thought I had better make her a gift too. The result was this apron which I made yesterday, also without a pattern.

I'm sure she'll like it as much as the birthday girl will like hers.

(Thanks to Louise from Lulu Lolly Legs for the inspiration!)

Born on the 27th of July

No, I wasn't born on the 27th of July. My sister was. So therefore that means today is her birthday! Happy Birthday Kimbofo.Kimbofo moved to the UK about 9 years ago now (I think!) and we don't get to see her that often. I, for one, have only been over once to see her there, but I think an impending visit within the next couple of years is a great possibility. *fingers crossed and all!*

My sister is 3 and a half years older than me and we get along pretty well. We always have. Sure we have fought in the past (when we lived together of course!) but we are pretty much alike. Sometimes when I look in the mirror even, I see her looking back at me. But that's okay.

We have led different lives to one another. Where as she was always the studious one and pretty much career minded (she's a magazine editor), I was the one who knew that one day I'd settle down with someone and have a baby. Having a career was never in my minds sight. But we've always understood that in one another.

I have always been proud of the achievements Kimbofo took in her stride. Always. When she left home to go to university, when she got a job working at a bookstore in the city and then later Myer (I thought that was fabulous!), when she moved away to Brisbane and did her Masters of Journalism and then a few years down the track, made her way to London to follow a dream. In her current job she is the first female editor that particular publication have had. Yeah! Right on!

And today is her birthday.

So if you have read this post, can you please (please, please), click here and wish her a 'Happy Birthday' and say that 'Melody' sent you. She'll appreciate that. And so will I.

Happy Birthday Kimbofo from across the miles. Have a great day!

Play Dough (cooked)

I'm always after a good play dough recipe. One that lasts. And I have finally found one! This recipe is quite brilliant and is oh-so professional. I'd even go to say that this recipe is even better than the 'real thing'. Yes, it is that good.

I made a batch of this over 6 weeks ago and it is still getting a good workout and is as good as the day that I made it. I store it in a large zip-top plastic bag when not in use.


*Taken from the side of the McKenzie's Cream of Tartar tub*

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
4 tbs McKenzie's Cream of Tartar
2 tbs cooking oil (I think I used olive)
1 cup salt
food colouring
2 cups water


Method
Mix the ingredients in a saucepan, stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture congeals. (I think it took a while longer than that!)

Snail Mail

Once upon a time, I used to get very excited to go and collect the mail. I used to love writing letters and waiting to read a reply from a pen friend, whether that be my sister or a friend. (Now I excitedly look at my 'inbox' instead!)

Now when the mail arrives I kinda groan. No doubt if there is anything there, it will be a bill of some kind. And we don't need any more bills.

But now when Monet and I collect the mail, most times there will be a single envelope in there addressed to Monet. From my mother. At least 2, sometimes 3, times a week and doesn't Monet love it? Loves it.

"A letter for me from Grandma!!" she exclaims every time.

We wait until we get into our apartment before she opens the envelope and ohhs and ahhs over the card Grandma has made and written in. And Monet reads the card out loud to me, because my mother writes the same thing in each card, Monet thinks she is reading it... "Dear Monet, with love from Grandma Carol xx" Inside the card is an assortment of little cut outs that my mother has cut out of magazines, which Monet pours over. They are cutouts for Monet to glue into her scrapbook, but she hasn't done so for a few weeks now since I caught Monet sticking crayons and textas into the 'clag' pot. I need to buy more and keep forgetting.

So our collection of cutouts is growing, but Monet will still go through them all, pointing out certain pictures.

Now Grandma also includes stickers which are a big hit around here.

I think Grandma is now laughing at me, when she includes tiny bits of sequins etc., which Monet tips out onto the floor. My mum must know that it is I who has to clean up! *smirk*

It is lovely receiving goodies, such as letters, in the mail. I'm pretty good at sending postcards to people, but my letter writing has gone out the door.

Maybe I should go and write a letter?

When was the last time you received a hand written personal letter or postcard in the mail? My last postcard was from my father who sent us a postcard from Morocco.

Pork Chops with Apple and Red Onion Chutney

This was quite nice (please excuse the crap photo I took of it!) and the chutney was delicious. I served this with hassleback potatoes, a recipe I will indeed post another time!) The recipe also states to use green cabbage, but I used the ordinary everyday white-type one. Is there much difference?

*Taken from Murdoch Books 'Fast Food'*

Ingredients

125 g butter

2 small red onions, sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, then cut into quarters and sliced

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/3 cup honey

4 pork loin chops (about 250g each)

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

725g green cabbage, thinly shredded

Method

To make the chutney, melt 50g of the butter in a saucepan, then add the onion, apple, cloves and honey. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes over low heat. Increase the heat to medium, cover and cook for another 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to a thick chutney. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, season the chops well on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 50g of the butter in a large frying pan and saute the chops over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat, leaving the chops to rest for 2 minutes.

While the chops are cooking, melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan, add the caraway seeds and cabbage and cook, covered, over medium-low heat, tossing a few times with tongs, for about 12 minutes, or until tender.

To serve, place a port chop on each plate and serve the cabbage on the side. Top with a spoonful of chutney.

Serves 4

Dirty Harry

In our household at the moment, our favourite tune is a song by Gorillaz called 'Dirty Harry'. The three of us love it, besides the fact its been around for a while, we play it like it is a brand new hit. Well, it is in our house anyway.

Monet is always requesting to listen to 'Dirty Harry' on the iPod and in the car. And I'm not complaining. Monet sings along, she knows the main words quite well but not when the rapper begins. Give her time. And boy, can Monet dance a jig to this song. Simply gorgeous I'm telling you.

Our friend gave us a lend of the live Gorillaz concert DVD a while back which I loved. Simply fabulous and very entertaining. Not that long ago it was actually on tv here (ABC2) and was shown on a Sunday morning so I got Monet to sit there and watch it with me. And she LOVED it. She watched and danced and sang. Gorillaz rocks in this household.

I found on YouTube the actual live performance of Dirty Harry from that DVD. I love the kids dancing in it...so does Monet.

Watch and enjoy. And turn up the volume!!

A Post About A New White Good

Guess whose washing machine called it a day last Thursday?

We had our trusty Fisher & Paykel machine for a good 10 years. It has seen a lot of our clothes and towels and smalls during it's life time and it must have decided it had seen enough of our clothes. When it couldn't pump water into its own system and do its 'thing', we said 'Goodbye'. It has had lots of moves over the 10 years and I believe most things these days, have a 10 year life span.

Lyndon and I ummed and ahhed over whether or not to call the Fisher & Paykel Doctor, whom we saw a few years ago when we resided in Rye on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsular. I remember his call out fee was over $100 and the part he replaced was like another $100-odd. We decided to maybe research and toss the idea of a new machine. ( a silent Yippee was uttered by me!)

I like Fisher & Paykel stuff (hence our dishwasher) and we have bought numerous stuff with their logo.

I had read they had released a new top loading machine that is if as efficient a front loader, as I wasn't that keen on buying one where I have to kneel down to fill and I can't add extra clothes to the wash if need be. I am all for being environment friendly and water conscious (and besides, it saves us money in the long run!) so I did research on this washing machine.

And we went and bought the same one on Sunday morning.

It is probably up there with being one of the most expensive top loader on the market, but the Queensland Government is offering a $200 rebate on all water-saver machines, so it is $200 cheaper than first expected.

And I love it. It is so brilliant to use and washes everything and anything. I even washed the spare feather doona in it yesterday, which was starting to look a little on the grubby side. It washed really well.

It's little screen talks to you and is all based on finger sensitive buttons. Its pretty cool.

Anyway, I Love it. And I thought I'd share that with you.

Anyone want to drop their washing off?

End of post.

Dinner on the Inlet

I've been lucky enough to some things that I would never have been able to afford to do,(ie. stay at Dunk Island), thanks to the company Lyndon works for. Saturday night was no exception. We cruised Trinity Inlet (which Cairns lays alongside) on a luxurious catamaran with a buffet dinner (including seafood which I don't touch!) and all the alcohol you could drink (including champagne which I guzzled *heehee*). And yes, children were invited.

When we arrived we sat upon the deck and watched the sunset over Cairns which was lovely. Yep, it is a hard life to be able to relax, sip champagne and watch the sunset.

Down underneath the deck it was nice and warm (it was rather chilly outside) with set out tables, a 3 piece band, a bar (very important that!) and a sprawling buffet cart with loads of hot food, salads and seafood. I have never seen so many people dive into oysters and prawns like they were going out of fashion. I think I might have been the only person who didn't put either on my plate! True.

Monet had a wonderful night dancing away to the band with some little friends and some big ones too!

She enjoyed playing with other children and being awfully cute with one of our friends daughter who is 11 months younger than Monet. (Monet tends to 'mother' little Zali - it's hilarious!)

The three of us ended the evening (we left the boat at about 10pm) by going up to the 11th level of Harbour Lights with some of our closest friends (whom Lyndon works with), as one couple were staying there for the night in the hotel section. It was nice to see Cairns from up high at night...

Monet fell asleep in the taxi on our way home at about 11pm.

It was a great evening, bar the fact that it was with 'work people' (you know what I mean?) but never the less, I shall not complain. After all, we probably would not have gone out for dinner like that if it wasn't for his work company...

Show Day

On Friday, we braved the locals, the tourists, the teenagers, the young adults, families and the people washed down from the hills and the back of nowhere, to visit the Cairns Show. And when I say washed down from the hills and the back of nowhere I mean it. I have never seen such an assortment of, well, shapes, sizes and different country folk. Oh, yes I have. The last time was the Cairns Show last year. Heehee. It was a public Holiday in Cairns to allow everyone to attend the show which runs for three days.

Monet was awfully excited to go as we had been building it up for the past week or so and especially since our successful (yep - successful!) potty training. It was (part of) her reward. The thing was, she wasn't so much excited for going to the show to see everything as such, it was the excitement of the food she was allowed to eat. The girl takes so much after her father at times it is scary. She already had plans on what she was going to eat when she got there.

Lyndon woofed down a 'Dagwood dog' (urgh!), which is basically a hot dog sausage, dipped in batter, deep fried and then dipped in tomato sauce (ketchup). Oh yes, the most important aspect of the 'Dagwood dog' is that it is served on a stick. (It isn't my idea of something yummy) Monet was given a bucket of salted hot chips which she thought was wonderful.

We battled our way through the mass of people. We watched the brave souls battling to get in line to get onto rides (we gave them all a miss in the end) and blocked our ears to the loud thumping music. Monet walked around with her hand firmly in place of her father's, looking around with wide eyes. She really was taking it all in.

Her eyes widened when she saw the 'Clowns' game. You know the one. Where the clown heads with open mouths move from side to side and you pop balls into their mouths to get a prize? Monet thought that was the best fun she had had in a long time.

So much so, when she spotted another game of similar action (this time monkey heads!) she had another go. And both times she got a little prize which she thought was the ants pants. Stuff little girls adore (plastic necklace etc.,)

When it came to 'Show bag' time, she was allowed to choose 1 and 1 only. And at $20 a pop (can you believe that?) she choose a Play School one which I was glad of because the stuff in there is stuff she will use and not discard.

All the walking around made someone very hungry for an ice cream. Now Monet carries on about ice cream every day and I swear during her life she has had ice cream only a handful of times (if that!) Each morning I ask her what she had a dream about and 9 times out of 10 she will say 'ice cream'.

So an ice cream it was. A kiddie size soft serve that she surely appreciated because I swear it took her a good 25 minutes to eat! Lick by lick by lick. Drip...drip...drip...

We were all rather keen to leave after doing one walk around the show grounds. Monet was tired after being on her legs the whole time and Lyndon and I were sick and tired of battling the crowds.

But we couldn't leave without buying a bag of Fairy Floss (bright pink fairy floss that that!) which Monet and I ate on the way home. A big sugar rush for both of us! Yum, yum. I love fairy floss besides the fact that it contains 99% sugar. Ahh, who cares if it tastes so good eh? *wink*

We all came home exhausted. But someone is still talking about it so obviously it was worth the money, the effort and the battling of crowds.

Orange Sweet Potato and Ditalini Patties

These were really tasty, besides the fact that for the life of me, I could not find any ditalini pasta anywhere. Instead I used tiny little star shaped pasta, I don't think there is any need to actually use the pasta specified, but what ever pasta you use, make sure it is tiny. I served mine on a bed of mixed lettuce leaves and a big dollop of creamy mayonnaise.

*Taken from 'Fast Food', a Murdoch publication Book, 2002*

Ingredients

2 orange sweet potatoes (about 800g in total)

1/2 cup (90g) ditalini

30g toasted pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tbs finely chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan

1/3 cup (35g) dry breadcrumbs

plain flour, for dusting

olive oil, for shallow-frying

Method

Preheat the oven to very hot 250C. Pierce the whole sweet potatoes several times with a fork, then place in a roasting tin and roast for 1 hour, or until soft. Remove and allow to cool. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under running water.

Peel the sweet potato and mash the flesh with a potato masher or fork, then add the pine nuts, garlic, basil, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and the pasta and combine. Season.

Shape the mixture into eight even patties (about 1.5cm thick) with floured hands, then lightly dust the patties with flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the patties in batches over medium heat for 2 minutes each side, or until golden and heated through. Drain on crumpled paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Great with a fresh green salad.

Serves 4

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Owww...I love a good cheesecake. Especially ones that taste like this... Cheesecakes are very simple to make, but only if you have the use of electric beaters...

*Taken from the 'Kraft' website*

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate cream filled biscuit crumbs

60g butter, melted

500g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup caster sugar

200g white chocolate buttons, melted

1/2 cup thickened cream

2 tsp gelatine, dissolved in

1/4 cup boiling water

3/4 cup thickened cream, extra, whipped

1 tbs drinking chocolate, for dusting

Method

Combine biscuit crumbs and butter together; press into the base of a lightly greased 22cm spring form pan. Chill.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, white chocolate, cream and dissolved gelatine, continue beating until smooth.

Pour mixture onto prepared crumb base and refrigerate 2 - 3 hours until set, or overnight. Remove cheesecake gently from pan, spread over with whipped cream and dust generously with drinking chocolate.

I Knew We Could...

For those of you waiting with baited breath to see how the whole 'One Day Potty Training' went, well, I think I can say that yep, we did it!! We are one happy little household here presently. I knew she could do it. I knew it. I think I knew it.

Yesterday involved 6 potty successful trips with only 1 accident (too busy watching bloody Dora!) This morning I checked her 'pull-up' nappy and it seemed as if there was only one wee in there. Good. Today she has been 3 times to the potty successfully. No accidents yet. And I don't think there will be one*.

This morning I drove to one of the local shopping centres (or malls for you US folks), thinking that this was going to be a tester for Monet. I asked her a couple of times when she was there if she needed to use the potty. NO was the stern answer I got back.

So we were away from home for about 2 hours and returned home to...dry undies! Yippee. She did very well.

Ahh, the joys of toilet training...

And because you read this post, you get presented with this image of me (as a baby) with my older sister and my 'hippy' dad (It was 1973 afterall!). Hee hee...

*Spoke too soon. I was just presented with a pair of undies with 'number 2' in them. Charming, I know. Nobody is perfect.

'We Did It'...well, just about...

With inspiration from Marie, of Practigal.com, I think 'we did it!'.

Did what? I hear you say.

I think we are on our road to potty training in one day. Yep. One day. Well, this is day One and Monet has done extremely well. So keeping in mind on how Marie trained her son, I followed suit. Kinda.

We've talked to Monet for weeks about getting her ready to use the potty, with today's date in mind for the 'Big Day'. (We even skipped playgroup for the occasion!) Big rewards when she is totally potty/toilet trained involve a trip to the Gold Coast's Dreamworld to meet one of her heroes, Dora.

I found on the internet last night 'Dora the Explorer' potty charts, stickers and certificate to print out, which I did. I bought yesterday, some little chocolate sweets and some stickers, all in ready as a reward for each potty experience.

And they worked a treat.

I think Monet will be meeting Dora in 4 weeks time.

As she sat on the potty alongside her 'potty doll', who also used the potty on several occasions, (including a couple of accidents), we read books, watched some telly and sang songs. And drank lots. I took a leaf out of Marie's book and surprised Monet by showing her that her potty doll (named Star) had done 'poos' by using some dried raisins. I found it amusing. And I'd get Monet to go and get something for me whilst I tipped some water in Star's mini potty and some on the floor, to prove that Star wasn't perfect either. Monet loved the fact that Star got a sticker and a chocie treat after Star's first wee, which Monet found awfully exciting and she told me she wanted a go on the potty. How great was that?

Monet practised pulling her 'undies' up and down, up and down and sitting up and down on the potty. She did practically spend half the day on the potty in the lounge but she succeeded by successfully doing a total of 7 wees (equalling 14 little chocolate buds) with 2 little accidents which she knew she was doing at the time. No 'number 2s' as of yet, I'm hoping that happens tomorrow.

So how proud am I?

Awfully proud. And happy.

I think we did it. I'll keep you posted.

Stealer

Guess whose daughter yesterday taught herself to (finally) open up the fridge door?

Guess who thought it was okay to 'steal' the last Tim Tam sitting in the fridge this morning after breakfast when her mummy wasn't looking?

Guess whose mummy is going to try and find a 'child-proof' fridge door catch-thingy?

Saturday Morning Fun...

The weather has been rather splendid (yes, splendid!) for quite sometime now. Besides a southerly that seems to hit our suburb each afternoon, the days have been cloudless and full of sunshine which warms the skin (and the soul!).

Monet and I spent yesterday morning at Muddys, the children's water playground on the Esplanade whilst Lyndon went to work for a few uninterrupted hours.

It was nice to be there soaking up the atmosphere along with the sunshine. And to say that Monet has a lovely time is a bit of an understatement. She even made two friends. She started playing with two little Japanese sisters who were simply gorgeous. I love watching Monet interact with other children and watching her from afar. I love it.

So Monet and the girls were having a great time running through the water fountains, giggling, screaming and having a ball. The older girl kept an eye out for Monet and they laughed at each other as they stood on the fountains together...

...until it all got spoilt by one big, chubby boy who ran straight towards Monet and knocked her over. Poor Monet. She looked straight at me, saying "I'm okay Mum...I'm okay". I knew she wasn't. She says that to reassure not only me, but herself. Then she got up and started crying, and walked over to where I was, still mumbling "I'm okay Mum..." Poor little butterfly. She wanted to leave then. Her fun was ruined by some chubby kid who bowled her over with no apology. I wish I could have spotted the parent in the crowd. I know if that was Monet who bowled some kid over, I would have said something to the parent if I had witnessed the incident. But anyway, no harm done.

We walked down the Boardwalk towards Lyndon's work, after spending a good two hours at Muddys. We had farewelled our new found Japanese friends (I say 'ours' because the mother and I had begun talking) and strolled towards Lyndon's work.

It was lovely to be out and about in Cairns city for a change, on a Saturday morning, with all the tourists. Perfect holiday weather. Perfect Saturday morning.

What did you get up to on Saturday?

Avoiding the Regret Period

I like shoes but I am actually pretty fussy these days when it comes to shoes. I guess that's why I don't own many pairs. Do you know how many pairs of bad shoes there are out there? By my standards, there are more bad shoes than good shoes. But that is just my opinion. I've had many a-pair of bad shoes during the years...

Seeing as I have only bought two pairs of shoes during the past year (and one pair were a gift from my Parents-In-Law) I justified a new pair pretty well. My other shoes I wear religiously are my Birkenstocks.

These ones...

and these ones...Seeing that Monet and I are off to Melbourne and country Victoria, in less than 3 weeks time, I can't exactly go around exposing my toes as they might drop off. Literally. It is cold down there. And one can't possible wear socks (or tights) with Birkenstocks now, can they?

So after weeks of looking and researching I actually found a pair of shoes that I like. That I can wear with both jeans/three-quarter pants or casual skirts. I saw them in a window of a 'skater' shop in Cairns Central a while back. I came home and researched them on the internet and really, to see if Lyndon liked them. True. I have bought shoes before that Lyndon hates (being the 'Shoe King' he is and all) and needed his 'nod', because I know that if Lyndon didn't like them, I would never wear them. (Is it only me who does this? Meaning, if your partner screws their nose up at something in terms of clothing or shoes, you never wear them again?) I trust Lyndon's opinion to avoid the all important 'regret period' that often happens in this household. (ie. You buy something, come home and then feel the biggest regret in purchasing that product after looking at it again. Okay then, maybe it is just us!!)

I tried the 'wanted' shoes in store, the following week to discover my size was not in stock. So they ordered them in for me. How nice. I wanted those shoes. (After getting the 'nod' and all!)

They arrived this week and I picked them up today.

I'm happy.

That '8' Meme....

...that is doing the rounds at the moment. I've been tagged twice to do this meme, by both Bob-Kat and Kikimiss, so I figure I may as well do it. And you never know, you just might learn something...

1. When I am in the car, particularly when I am driving, I love to sip on a Red Bull. I don't know why, I just do. I remember when I was pregnant with Monet, I would actually sniff an open can, if Lyndon had one, as one knows, you shouldn't drink the stuff when pregnant and lactating. I remember the first can too that I had after I gave up breastfeeding. Yeah, I'm a little bizarre. It's the smell I love, not the actual taste. I say I'm not addicted but don't all addicts of any and every kind say the same thing? Oh, I'm not addicted...

2. At the age of 4 I fell over in the backyard when playing 'Hide and Seek' and I practically ripped off my bottom lip. I can still remember the blood on the black and white lino in our old house. Mum zoomed me into hospital whilst my sister sat in the back seat with me, holding my lip up to my mouth with towels. I had 14 stitches all up if I remember correctly (it was 30 years ago, after all!) and I have a scar to prove it. Being a parent now, I can really feel for my mum on that day. How horrifying.

3. I once bet 'Bones' Hillman (he was the bass player for Midnight Oil, he is the one on the far right in thie piccie posted here), at a game of pool in some seedy Karaoke bar in the back streets of Melbourne city. My sister, a friend and I had gone to see Midnight Oil perform at the Palace in St. Kilda. We had had a great night and decided to stick around after the gig to see if we could meet them (maybe we had one too many drinks!) We all, for some reason or another, wanted to meet 'Bones' rather than Peter Garrett (whom I admire - politics and all) and Rob Hirst (whom I also adore and kinda swoon at!) So we hung around in the club with a few other people. We were just about thrown out of the venue by big Maori bouncers, when these two guys said they were Bones' mates and to stick with them. We did. Out came the band, all bar Peter Garrett, and we got to meet Bones. We took them up on an offer to go into the city and play pool (mad, I know!!) but I remember Bones and his 2 friends being really sweet and friendly and the 6 of us, well, us 3 girls, had a great memorable night. I won't spill any beans. End of story.

4. My favourite number is the number 8. If I was on Deal or No Deal, that is the number I would choose.

5. I always thought I would live in Melbourne forever. I love that city. So when we moved away we always said to ourselves, we'd return. But that isn't in our sights any more. We have different goals now and the possibility of us ever returning there seem slighter and slighter. And you know what? I don't mind. Moving made the possibility of doing anything and going anywhere more open to me. Life is short and the world is an amazing place. And just how wonderful and diverse is Australia? We have a lot more exploring to do yet.

6. I used to hate beer. Hated it. I guess that is one reason why I never used to go out when I was at uni. I preferred Saturday nights in watching 'The Late Show' and 'The Bill'. (Now its still 'The Bill' but now also 'The Movie Show' on ABC2!) When I went to the UK in 1996, I was introduced to Beer and Lime and loved it. I came home to Australia and found I could go out and enjoy a beer (and so did my wallet!) I finally got rid of the lime in my pints or pots or halves in 2000. And I have never looked back. I have a particular fondness for European Beers (they are nice and light tasting) - Becks has always been a favourite of mine. I also love Grand Ridge Brewery's Natural Blonde. Mmm...

7. I have never had a cup of coffee. Never. Not even an iced coffee. I've never been a big tea drinker either until lately. I enjoy my evening cup of tea (white with one thank you) and sometimes one in the morning. I don't like it when people say "Want to meet for a coffee?", because, umm, no, I don't drink coffee.

8. When I backpacked around the UK in 1996, I went alone and I never thought twice about going alone. During that trip I learnt a lot about myself in the fact that you can do anything you put your mind to. I survived 4 months before I headed back to Australia. It was during this trip I stayed with my 'then pen pal', Rachel, where she lived as a student in Cardiff. Rachel is now a regular reader and contributor to this blog and she even has a wonderful blog of her own now! Go and say 'Hello' to her over at 'In A Land of Milk, Honey and Cider'...

There is my eight random things. It's actually taken me all day to write this post. I will not tag anyone but if you wish to do a list yourself (like you Rachel!), let me know and I'll come over and visit.

Sunday Tour (part II)

After leaving picturesque Lake Eacham, we decided to head south, about 50km to Ravenshoe, which is the highest town in Queensland at 930m. We didn't go there beacuse of that fact though, we went to see these...

...20 wind turbines spread across farmland. The largest wind farm in Australia.

It is bizarre to see these dotted along the landscape, capturing the wind. Not that far from my parents place in Victoria, there is a wind farm there (with 6 wind turbines I think - correct me if I am wrong!) I don't know if wind turbines differ in sizes but the ones I have seen in country Victoria looked bigger than these ones, even though the Ravenshoe ones were huge.

From the lookout at the Wind farm, we drove through Ravenshoe but didn't get out. I wasn't too keen to have a pub meal at 'The Highest Pub in Queensland', which is probably something Lyndon will not let me forget in a hurry!

We drove home via Atherton (and via the KFC drive-thru!) and Mareeba home. And tired. It was a 300+ kilometre Sunday drive.

There is a lot to see and do on the Atherton Tablelands. (You may remember this post about Millaa Millaa). The only crap thing about the tablelands is actually getting there! I'm not one for windy, bendy roads which is one of the reasons we decided to keep to the sea side off the Gillies Rangers. You can travel via Kuranda, which means a 20 minute drive through the mountains, or via Gordonvale with the Gillies Highway, which would have to be the most bendiest road I have ever been on!! Urgh. Or via Innisvale and the Palmerston Highway, which is a non-windy road but it is a big detour for us to go this way. The trip over the mountain rangers is usually worth it though.

I wonder what we'll get up to next weekend? (I'm loving Lyndon not working Saturdays anymore -yay!!)

Sunday Tour (part I)

Yesterday we decided we'd go on a bit of a family drive to view a few things on our 'to do list'. We headed towards Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands, about 100kilometres south west of our home.

Yungaburra sits on the waters of Lake Tinaroo, which was made in 1959. The waters of Lake Tinaroo hold more than the whole of Sydney Harbour. And it was beautiful yesterday with the sun shining and people enjoying boating and skiing and fishing. And we were there early so I imagine by lunch time the place would have been pumping!

On our way to the lake we had seen a sign post directing the way to the Curtain Fig Tree, which I had read about so a detour past it was a must. And I am so glad we did.

Magnificent is how I describe it, very much like something you would see in Lord Of The Rings, don't you think?

The boardwalk surrounding the tree was a terrific idea to whoever built it as it allows prams, wheelchairs and protects the undergrowth. And judging by the people who were coming and going it was worth building.

I could have stayed there all day.

From there we, well, Lyndon, drove to Lake Eacham, about a 10 minute drive east of Yungaburra. I had read (yes, I study The Lonely Planet's guide to Queensland & The Great Barrier Reef, like one would a bible!) that it was possible to spot turtles in the clear waters of the lake, so Little Miss Monet was very excited to get to our original destination of "the Turtle Lake".

The Lake was so crystal clear and if it was the wet season when the humidity is in the 90's, we would have been swimming in there no doubt.

Unfortunately, we didn't spot any turtles. Boo Hoo. But Monet (and Lyndon and I too) found it rather amusing when I read out loud, a sign about the freshwater turtles. Besides being the only turtle species that live in the lake, they are the only turtles who have the ability to breath through their 'bottom', (or bum as I told Monet.) Monet thought that was hilarious and rather naughty, but we got good mileage out of that for the remainder of the day.

Stay tuned for Part II...

Blogger is not liking me lately! I've actually had a gutful of Blogger to be honest with you. For the past week after I have typed and published a post it is not appearing like it usually does. Err... Now today, Blogger is not letting me type a Title Heading. I've had enough. Better luck later on. Maybe. Or maybe I find a new home...

Mini Baguettes

Once upon a time, making bread, without the use of a bread maker, used to scare me. Not anymore. It is rather easy, but I don't knead the dough by hand, my mixmaster does that part, which I guess why bread making doesn't scare me anymore! If the recipe states to knead the dough for 2 minutes then yes, I do it by hand then.

This recipe is delicious and is very crusty. The bread freshness doesn't last too long (an afternoon), so don't expect to make this with the aspect of keeping it for another day, as it won't last. It'll all be gone anyway, so no need to worry.

*Taken from the Murdoch Book 'The Essential Baking Cookbook' published 2000*

Ingredients

7g sachet dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

3/4 cup (90g) plain flour

3 cups (375g) white bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs polenta, to sprinkle

Method

Place the yeast, sugar and 1 1/4 cups (315ml) warm water in a small bowl and mix well. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface. The mixture should be frothy and slightly increased in volume. If your yeast doesn't foam it is dead and you will have to discard it and start again.

Mix together the flours and salt and transfer half the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture. Using a large metal spoon fold the flour into the yeast mixture. This should form a soft dough. This forms the 'sponge'. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 30-35 minutes, or until frothy and risen by about one third of its original size.

Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and add up to 1/4 cup (60ml) warm water, enough to form a soft, but slightly sticky dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks to the work surface while kneading, flour the surface sparingly, but try to avoid adding too much flour. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size.

Lightly grease two large baking trays and sprinkle with polenta. Punch down the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 portions and press or roll each into a rectangle about 20 x 40 cm. Roll each up firmly into a long sausage shape and place seam-side down, well spaced on the prepared trays. Cover loosely with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to a hot 220C. Lightly brush the loaves with water and make diagonal slashes across the top at 6 cm intervals using a safety blade. Place the trays in the oven ans spray the oven with water. Bake the bread for 20 minutes (I baked for 15) spraying the oven with water twice during this time. Lower the temperature to moderate 180C and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and firm and the base sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

Baguettes are best eaten within a few hours of baking.

Lumberjack Cake

If you ever want to taste just a divine homemade slice of deliciousness, this is the cake. It seriously felt like I was sitting at some fancy cafe eating a slice of cake, rather than in my home environment. It was soooo good!! The element in my fan-force oven has died so I had to bake this the 'conventional' way so it burnt a little on top, but it still tasted that good. Lovely and dense and moist. Everything a good cake should be.

*Taken from 'The Essential Baking Cookbook' a Murdoch Publication, 2000*

Ingredients

200g fresh dates, pitted and chopped

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g unsalted butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, grated

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup self-raising flour

icing sugar, optional, to dust

Topping

75g unsalted butter

1/2 cup soft brown sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 cup shredded coconut

Method

Grease a 20cm round springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Preheat the oven to moderate 180C.

Put the dates in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to the boil. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda, then remove from the heat. Set aside until just warm.

Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the date mixture and the apple, then fold in the sifted flours until just combined and almost smooth. Spoon into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients well combined. Remove the cake from the oven and carefully spread the topping over the cake. Return the cake to the oven for another 20-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the cake is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the tin to cool completely, then turn out and place on a serving plate. The cake can be dusted with icing sugar just before serving.