are we there yet?

a trip to tatura for a food and wine festival on sunday. i was darn tired after the housewarming on saturday night, but i managed to drag my sorry butt into the city to catch the mini bus out to the sticks. tatura is a town north-west of melbourne, not too far from shepparton. and we didn't get to see much of the settlement as we were situated in a park in the middle - surrounded by tents full of wine and food. no one seemed to venture pass them funnily enough.

a really fun day of wine tasting, though truth be known there was only two tents visited and then bottles bought to drink. and the paella was tasty. but i sadly note that there was NO CHOCOLATE TENT (and let one of the organisers know of my plight). and i had to make do with yoyo biscuits and a local baileys substitute. mmm...





jamie took a few pics (which obviously didn't include him) but kevin featured prominently. and no, i really don't know why he crawled under the table, nor the inspired art work. :)

the back of the bus was a raucous and out-of-tune place to be homeward bound. i'm not sure if the others have quite recoved as yet. i know i haven't.

non-global warming the flat

today was a continuation of last night's baking. on friday i threw together the caramel tarts and mars bar slice as well as savoury zucchini slices. today i finished up with the three cheese and spinach muffins and spanish tortilla tarts, then sweetened the deal with lemon tarts. i wish i had taken photos of the table. gail had given me a fabulous three tier cake stand a couple of years back and it's the first time i got to use it. mmm... there was nothing left by the end of the night though.

as i was saying, i didn't take any photos but i stole a couple that ilona took. i'm not included, the house is not included, most of the crew that showed up are not included... but... hmm... who was included then?




the flat warming went well. i was prepared and ready for guests since it was a casual affair. i'm thinking a games night is in order over winter. will let you know. ;)

"you'll make a good wife..."

yep, she said it. my mum, isn't she just lovely? ;) i texted her earlier today with an important baking question. well, not so much baking as freezing stuff. but back to baking, i decided on mum's quick cup cakes. thought i could have a couple of warm ones for dessert and then ice a few to take to work tomorrow. feeling a bit domestic after work, even managed to cut out fabric for another skirt. might see if i can sew it up tomorrow night.




don't hold your breath mum. :)

sunday stuff

i caught the tram into starbucks this morning and pretended to write. i held the pen, but nothing came out. i swear, not even the ink. :) so in a feat of procrastination i entered hoyts to watch a kid's film, all in the name of research. i know, i know... it was nothing spectacular but i was entertained.


i caught up with leah and terencio in the afternoon for a practice tent-pitching and pulling down session. i managed it well.

the evening had me baking lemon curd tarts. never tried them before and they turned out really tasty. i have to remember to roll the pastry out a little thinner next time.

another city adventure

"it's a small world after all" sung through my head when i walked in to taco bill's early to meet jamie and i hear, "leisa". now i know that it was "leisa" with an e, because it was ms alex calling from across the room. she and chris were just finishing up so i grabbed their table and had a bit of catch up. they swear they weren't cheating on me by eating at bill's as a duo, instead of the usual trio. i'm not quite sure. ;)

mark joined jamie and i for a drink before we made our way to the hifi bar for brian jonestown massacre.


it was hot. the venue. very hot. the music i enjoyed but not so much the stop start attitude of the band. i left before it finished because i was slightly annoyed by a fellow punter (don't get me started). but the lads said BJM kicked it up a notch and put on a good show. and so ended saturday eve.

?

what is "from the back of postcards"? i got asked this by someone i don't know. and it made me think... what is it? or what has it become? i guess the blog started out as a pie in the sky idea of how to get my niece, nephews and little brother interested in the world. being the virtual travelling companion as i walked the world. that's where it started. you know, instead of writing something on the back of a postcard? but i guess like many things it's morphed over time. now? hmm... i guess showing off my life a little. it's a good life. and i share it with friends and family across the continent and across the world. and sometimes, in those rare low moments, i can visit back over the pictures and words to remind myself how truly lucky i am. life is good. life is grand. my life is bloody fantastic.

(except for the housewarming party i've been forced into having... that's just something else to add to the busy agenda...sigh, i'm so hard done by) ;)

stories to tell

a gala night of story telling to celebrate the opening of the wheeler centre began with david malouf and ended with... um... paul kelly. that's right. and in between there was cate kennedy, judith lucy, shane maloney, john safran, john marsden and a few others. most were good, some were wonderful and just a couple were...eh. thanks to alex, chris and jamie who joined me for the told tales.

the supper inn, a bottle of wine and a tram ride to a party in northcote to close the night, or start the morning. ;)