and very cold, but in the last few days the winds have changed and it has warmed up again. It is amazing what a difference in temperature we get from a Northerly to a Southerly wind.
Just as well it is warm again as we have friends coming from New Zealand to visit us next week. I would hate for them to freeze on their first trip to Greece! We can't wait to catch up with them!
I do think they are lucky that this time of year provides beautiful lighting for photographs.
And we have had some lovely evenings since the Northerly winds got chased away by the Southerlies...
Anyway, I am off to work now as the owners of the boat we work on are having a dinner party tonight at their house and have asked me to cook for them. I am making a mixed Asian style buffet... Asian chicken bites and compressed sushi for nibbles, followed by a buffet of Thai caramelized pork, Ginger beef with grilled eggplant, sushi rice with sesame seeds, Asian deli noodle salad, Thai green salad, Steamed bok choy, Japanese marinated carrots...
And for dessert... something completely not Asian... Profiteroles!
My little chickadee is actually a dolphin. From a very early age we've been taking her to swim lessons, and now at the ripe old age of 2 and a half, she swims in the pool without me. Five little cuties line up along the bar and the teacher takes turns to help them "paddle-kick" across the pool. The five mummies stand beside the pool, fishing them out occasionally when they let go, and trying to make it through a whole lesson without getting drenched.
Anyway, it all started with the swim nappies......here in the UK Huggies "Little Swimmers" have pictures of Nemo on the front. She's been wearing them for ages, but all of a sudden Nemo has become flavour of the month. Next we found a bath squirt toy, which has enjoyed both bathtime and become a favoured bed-buddy. Then, daddy rooster bought her THE MOVIE!
It's a "must-see".....every day......at least three times. Yep, we're getting to know it by heart. The really funny part is that chickadee now talks incessantly about Sydney, Australia and since uncle-chick is a dentist there's going to be hell to pay when she visits and finds he doesn't have a "Nemo-fishy" in his fish tank....hmmm.
Must go. Fish fingers for tea....
Madame Cholet
PS: Here's the link if you're looking for baby swim classes in South London: http://www.dolphinswimschools.co.uk/
Today I did some baking for 'my boys'. I am the only girl in a crew of four. Last week I made a batch of biscotti and it disappeared before I could say 'boo'. So this week I got crafty and cut them thinner so that hopefully they will last longer! They are not the most enjoyable biscuit to make as I tend to make a huge mess when I make them, but they are a big favourite with my husband, so how could I not make them? Secretly I think he was a bit disappointed that the other two boys really liked them as he was hoping to keep them all to himself.
This is what the biscotti look like after the first baking... you have to cut the slices like bread and then rebake them for a bit...
Look at that! Beautiful pistachio, almond and chocolate biscotti ready to be devoured!
I also baked an Apple Muesli cake that I had to trick the boys into trying as they all turned up their noses when I mentioned apple. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo, but the boys loved it, and I got to use up some old apples that were floating around in my fridge. I also got to take a trip down memory lane when I made this cake as it was a recipe from my Granny, and I remember having it in my lunch box in primary school! It was sooo good, I can't believe this is the first time I have made it for myself. My poor deprived husband informed me that he never had such decadent things as cakes when he was little... just bread and butter for him and his siblings... However, he also told me that all he had to play with when he was little were some wooden pegs, and I think his Mom would have something to say about that!
If you want me to send you the biscotti recipe or the Apple muesli cake... just leave a comment with your email address and I will send it to you.
We've had another boatload of (assumed) asylum seekers go down with few survivors!
As someone who considers herself a citizen of the world and not particularly of any one country, my heart goes out to those desperate enough to want to take such a desperate risk with the lives of those they hold so dear.
Politically, there is no simple solution to the problem of 'boat people' and I'm not going to even begin to think of going there... this post has absolutely nothing to do with politics. It has everything to do with gratitude and empathy.
I am so very grateful for the fact that we were able to move countries - safely, when and how we chose to. I know just how fortunate we have been. How fortunate we are... it's not something I take for granted.
My chicks roam around the world, free to live and work as they will. We sleep soundly in our comfortable beds at night, we have food on our table and a roof over our heads.
What would it be like to be a prisoner in your own country? A country that has changed beyond recognition in your lifetime. A place where you and yours are no longer safe.
Once before I watched, horrified, as a survivor mourned the loss of his entire family... he was safe, but alone in a strange country that really didn't want him. He was devastated beyond belief and my heart went out to him. That was when I wrote 'Somewhere'. It isn't a poem. It isn't good. It does express my sadness at this loss of hope.
Somewhere...
In a room, not far from here
You sit and remember and wonder, 'why?'
How it is that all promise is now forever gone
Leaving you living, breathing, but alone
On an island of many millions of people
You stare into a future of loneliness
Remembering… once laughing
And loving, a family, with dreams and hope
Family drowned in a sea so rough
Flotsam and jetsam, with a price on their heads
Kindness, compassion, empathy - just words
How will you heal?
Will you grow hard and hate-filled?
Wanting only revenge
Is there hope for you in this new world?
Will you know love again somewhere, someday?
Can you forgive?
Perhaps you are a better man than me
You gave your all in the attempt to give your family
Education, peace, a place in the sun
When will we learn that man does not own the earth?
It is merely loaned to us
As is all about us
Can we ever truly share what isn’t ours to own?
Do you think on these things?
While you sit all alone, deep in your grief
Can you feel the love that I send you?
Is it helping you to heal?
I am sorry
That I sit, safe, inside my house
Children alive, well clothed and fed, educated and healthy
And I can do no more than send you love and healing
So... I'm no designer, but I have had an idea for a dress floating around in my head for a while and when I saw this contest at Shabby Apple Dresses, I thought 'why not put it to paper?'
The dress is to be made of a soft jersey cotton (maybe with a bit of lycra) with floaty sleeves and a woven diamond shaped panel in the front. I was thinking in darkish grey.
I think the competition closes this evening, but if you have a dress idea, stop delaying and go to Dare to Design at Shabby Apple.
I just thought I would share with you a new (to me) Australian Handmade Market a lovely friend of mine just sent me the link to. It is called Mathildas Market and it specialises in beautiful handmade items for babies and kids. Mathildas Markets are held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra and in 2010 they will be in Adelaide and Hobart too.
These are just a tiny fraction of the things available at the Sydney markets...
These cool button mushrooms are from Gifts Created, and there are a whole lot of other cool things on this Etsy site too.
I first heard of Planet Cake during the Masterfood Celebrity Chefs challenge.
It wasn't until I looked them up on the internet that I realised what a wonderful service they offer! Everything from designer cakes to icing classes! They have a great blog too - see 'blogs we like' - and their blog lists other blogs that I have really enjoyed visiting too.
If you like to cook/bake then do yourself a favour and have a read, it's quite fascinating to see how many talented people are out there.
They've also listed some great 'bridal' type blogs. Everything from rings to dresses...
Now all we need are a few 'flower arranging' blogs and I'll be giving up magazines for good.
Oh. You might have guessed. I'm hungry. Nearly 4pm and I haven't eaten lunch yet. No wonder the 'foodie' sites/blogs are so interesting.
No, there is no cake in the house. Just as well.
April Blackbird
PS I forgot to tell you that you can buy 'ready made' cakes for icing from Planet Cake too. In a variety of flavours.
The countdown to Christmas has begun! Officially! The Christmas markets and the craft markets are in full swing across Sydney so I suppose that might explain why the St Ives craft market wasn't as busy as we'd expected it to be today.
Stall owners were commenting on how much quieter it was than what they'd expected... the brilliant weather might have been a contributing factor, or the fact that Sculptures By The Sea started again this weekend (must go and see it again this year!).
The Newcastle Pudding Lady was doing a roaring trade! I met the owner today, he's such a gentleman and he's very 'aware' of all things healthy. I was delighted to hear his concern about 'coeliac' and 'preservative' and 'free range' issues and felt totally justified in supporting him by buying a (totally delicious) date and toffee pud to take with to New Zealand. Apparently, it's great sliced up finely and served alongside crackers and cheese so I bought a log shaped pudding (you'll see them on their website) for easy slicing.
It was really tough making that decision... there were so many new recipes to try out... Christmas pudding is no longer just pudding. It's an art form. A very delicious artform.
RoseyChick accompanied me today and we had a ball trying out everything on offer. We found some great hand made jewellery and some lovely (absolutely huge) Christmas stockings. Lots of children's clothing (some stunning smocked outfits!); handmade soaps; woodwork; artwork etc on sale. There was honey, cheese,vegetables, ice cream, cakes, bread and of course, food on sale too. I bought a huge bag of fresh brocolli for $2!
Now I'm home, my feet are aching and I'm feeling very guilty about all that material in my kist... must get around to doing something clever with it at some stage of my life.
Next weekend I'll be visiting the Sculptures By The Sea... hopefully, I'll have a camera I can use so I can post some photos for you all.
