Friday on my Mind....

I received an email from eBay today congratulating me on reaching a positive feedback score of 50 and they have awarded me a blue star.... 

Well, well, well.... Apparently this tells other eBayers that I know the ropes and I'm an established member of the eBay community. They would love to shake my hand in person but they've sent me a Blue Star Certificate instead, which I can download and print out. 

Maybe I should frame it and put it next to my computer screen to remind me that I shop online far too much.... 

But seriously, I pride myself on being an honest eBayer. I've sold and bought things on there and always make sure that I never give anyone any reason to give me negative feedback. So I guess it has payed off.

On to other matters...

Last night, I went out for coffee with friends and we received news about an ex-friend of ours. This ex-friend did a mass dump of us all for no known reason and nobody could get through to her and nobody knew where she had moved to. She wasn't taking any calls, wasn't answering messages, she just decided one day that she didn't want to be our friend anymore. Our circle of friends is quite large and everybody was scratching their heads wondering what was going on. She was pretty close to me and my family. My Mum and brothers treated her like family and she loved my family back and this is what had my family scratching their heads. 

I have seen her do this sort of thing to other people before, where she never confronts a situation, she just gives them the silent, passive-aggressive treatment, but I never thought she would do this sort of thing to us. Well she did! 

This particular person went through something quite horrible a few years back, something that you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy. Everybody rallied around her not just to offer support, they actually gave her support where many wouldn't/didn't. We kept her close by our sides praying for a positive outcome that eventually came after 2 years of being in the depths of despair. Oh boy, did we party hard! Everybody was so happy that everything went her way, she didn't deserve anything bad happening to her, she was our friend and we loved her. 

So for the next couple of years I watched her end friendships that she claimed were poison, move into share houses only to have to move out after a month or two, claiming that the people were too hard to live with, start and end about 7 jobs, and now stand by while she turns her back on the very people who offered her love and support and asking nothing in return but friendship. 

SCREW THAT! 

I've come to realise that people can be arseholes!  A friend of ours accidentally ran into her the other night and he being one to never fear honesty just flat out asked her 'What the problem was' and what was her answer?

[I quote]

'If they don't know what the problem is, that's the problem'

0_o

What the hell does that mean? I don't even know where to begin with this insanity. I feel like we're all six years old in a playground having play-time fights. Honestly, nobody had done anything bad to her, we have no idea where this is coming from.

Any Psychoanalysts out there reading this right now, please explain... because that statement says to me that she has no real reason why she's doing this. Speaking in riddles can say so much about a person. 

But I can't fight about this anymore. I'm just too adult now and frankly quite tired about it. I've worked out that she's not worth fighting for. Funny that! I'm not the type of person to hang around people who don't want to hang around me, I'm not needy. 

But to this person I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies. Apologies for opening my home to her, apologies for being there for her every time she called, came over or needed to catch up. Apologies for being a supportive friend and for telling her that I loved her no matter what. I apologise for all those things and for everything she imagines I have done to her. I can't speak on everyone else's behalf and from what I know, they're all coming from a completely negative space about her right now, but for me I never wish anyone ill will. This is her journey, not mine and I wish her all the best with it. But she is now gone from my life forever and I have to say, it's all for the best. I honestly thought I would miss her a lot more than I do but now that I see how hard it is to be around her sometimes, I feel relieved. She's very troubled and I'm not really qualified to help her and I really do hope she seeks some help. It's never nice when a friendship ends, but sometimes it's just necessary. 

Life's too freaking wonderful to be spending it wondering WHY???????? 

OK, so it's Friday night, it's crochet night. Well it is now because I'm in a bit of pain tonight. Too much walking and driving today, so I'm banishing myself to the couch. 

Sending positive energy to you all, including my ex-friend and I hope the Universe is kind to you. Have a happy weekend and thanks for listening. I hope your friends stick around a lot longer than this one did. 

And by the way, I've finally finished all ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT [168] rounds for my blanket... not long now before the big reveal... happy dance

Cheers y'all

Thursday Musings

Hidiho Blogworld, how goes it?

This week has flown already. Everyday I've had to do something that takes far too much of my time up and leaves me no time to do things that I like doing. Yeah, I sound selfish, but I am selfish.... about my time anyway.

I thought while I was waiting for my fish to bake in the oven, that will be making an appearance at my dinner table tonight for Fish Taco's, I thought I'd pop in and say hello to all those that take the time to read my blog.

This week at a glance, I've watched the Grammy's, the Bafta's, The Descendants, J. Edgar and the latest 2 Broke Girls epi and New Girl Epi.... that's a LOT of TV viewing for someone who prefers to have a life than watch TV. I wanted to go to the movies tonight on my own to see 'One for the Money' but I think I've wasted enough time living vicariously through others in a world that doesn't all tie up in a neat bow with 'The End' credits rolling before my eyes. So I've pretty much spent the day doing the things that I always say I never have time to do. My motto is, if you watch TV, then you have time. For me TV used to be about watching stuff in my bedroom when the day was over and I needed to just collapse and blank out before bed. Now I've caught myself watching TV after dinner and twice this week during the day [Bafta's and Grammy's on Foxtel] tsk tsk tsk....

I've been writing. I've been mistaking myself in thinking that I can only write when the creative bug hits me, but in my case it's not true. I AM CREATIVITY! I remember watching an interview years and years ago with.... what's his bloody name... the guy that wrote April Fools Day... AAAggghhhh.... anyway, anyway, anyway.... he said that he has to treat his writing like a job. He said to allocate time, making your set working hours, give yourself breaks as you would if you had a day job and .... BRYCE COURTNEY.... damn it! ..... and you have to treat it just like a job if you want it to be your job. I have no ambitions of being a professional writer, I just want to put down some ideas I have in my head and self-publish them for self gratification, no other reason... BUT, I do want to be a painter. I think this all works, in the grand scheme of things, the same way.

So today I wrote! I added to a story I started ages ago and forced myself to keep going, I started another sonnet too. I feared that this was going to be a way to get myself to hate writing like I do any job I've had, but it didn't. I felt satisfied. It doesn't matter that what I wrote needs major editing, the ideas are down, the great one-liners are set. Then I started journaling about what I want from life.

WHAT DO I WANT?

[Hold that thought while I eat my dinner]

Right, where was I? What do I want?

This is the question that has a recurring spot in my life.

Because I forget where I'm heading sometimes, I have to pull my head in and get myself back on track. This past week I've been back in the studio painting and I've been really happy with the outcome. I'm writing daily in my journal and in a more creative way. I've taught myself some new stitches in my crochet because I want to take my crochet further. I'm good at it and I find it very calming. It's my new meditation.

So this is where I am at the present moment in time. Thinking, planning, plotting. But right now I have to hit publish on this post because I have friends waiting on me for coffee in Lygon St... BLISS!

Have yourself a great night/day
Thanks for listening.

Monday... Blah None!

Today I found it hard being a carer. Yes, sometimes us Carer's get jack of it all and want to run very far away. The Caree woke up cranky and nasty today. No idea why, but this time I fought back. So today was a pretty automatic day. By the time I showered and fed the Caree, did 3 loads of washing, cleaned the kitchen and made stuffed vine leaves and stuffed white zucchini it was 2pm and I was knackered. If truth be known, I just wanted to get back into bed, cover myself with the doona and stay there for a month, but I don't have such freedom.

Soldier on then....

I watched the Grammy's, the Bafta's and crocheted some rounds and worked on some paintings [yes I'm back in the studio, mess and all]. It's now after 10pm and I'm ready for bed. My eyes are falling out of my head they're so heavy. I have nothing of importance or with wit to relay to you today. I'm in a funk! I don't think this week is going to be my most bubbly. Monday is supposed to be my 'blah' day but that didn't happen, so I'm making it tomorrow instead. I have a respite nurse from 10-5 and I'm just going to do some 'blah' things... starting with a trip to Woolybutt to get one more ball of forest green wool to make more rounds for this, seems like never-ending, blanket. I need to have enough blankets for every couch in the TV room before winter hits. And seeing as I'm tucking as I go and joining as I go I must say this blanket is looking totally rad!

Do people still say rad?

I purchased a pattern on Ravelry yesterday for a completely gorgeous, brightly coloured afghan that is going to be the next project after this grandala one. Always on the go I am, nobody stop me! I love Ravelry and I love supporting the artists who take the time to write out great patterns.

So that's it from me on this somewhat gloomy day I'm having. I hope your day has been better

Cheers

Lessons on Progress

It's another 3 weeks until I'm allowing myself to re-activate my Facebook account. What I have learned in the last month is that Facebook is a very good tool if used correctly. I have been talking about Facebook a lot lately, with people who have never had it and people who have it but never check it and people who are on it everyday, I don't think I've ever talked so much about a social networking site in my life. One thing that stands out for me is if you want anyone to know about your work [I'm only talking about creative work here I'm not really qualified in any other area but I'm sure it still applies], you need to put yourself out there on all the social networking sites, otherwise you're an island. 

When I had Facebook I was getting more traffic to my blog, when I posted pictures of my work I was getting more enquiries and sales. I was involved more in art collaboration projects and I was getting a lot of inspiration and I was being inspiring. So what made me de-activate it?

Facebook is also full of crap! I used to have it on in the background while I worked online and update my status regularly. To me it was a fun place to hang out, connect, learn and get fodder for my writing. Some people used it as a counselling room, a spam feeder, a place to air their dirty laundry or to just simply take offence to EVERYTHING. For the love of all that is good in this world, why do people have to be so bloody melodramatic? And why did it affect me so much? What do I care what people put on there? This is the biggest lesson I've learned this month. Some people say that Facebook is an invasion of privacy. Yes it is. But what exactly are you hiding? If you use the internet or a mobile phone, the world already knows all about you. They know where you are and where you've been and what you've been searching for. We're talking 'X-Files' crap here...  

So I've made a decision when I get back on March 1.... there is going to be a huge cull of 'friends'. I pretty much know everyone on my Facebook, I don't add strangers. The only people on my Facebook that I have never met in person are my Art Friends who I've met through online classes or online art communities, but I talk to them and do projects with them more than any one I know. They are the one's that inspire me daily and I miss them terribly. But I also have people on there that are completely useless in my life. I get nothing from them and they get nothing from me. They gotta go... just because you've met me a few times at some random gigs I've attended doesn't mean we have to be friends on Facebook especially if we have absolutely nothing in common. I'm not the type of person who just makes friends with everyone I meet, I'm not that needy. 

I've noticed that I have no idea what's going on with my own relatives since being off Facebook. I found out a week later that my cousin in Lebanon had a baby girl, I found out I've missed parties where invites were only sent on Facebook [Leaving a message on my brother's Facebook to tell me about it doesn't quite work, they don't even tell me when someone called me while I was out]. Yes I can get all narky about nobody calling me to invite me to parties and shit like that, but all that does is show up my stupidity for fighting progress. You can't fight progress, you can only reject it, but be prepared to be left behind. So apparently you're either part of the world, or just sitting outside it. 

Another thing I've noticed about being off Facebook is that most of the art or writing challenges I've been looking at are all connected to Facebook. It seems I can't enter these challenges unless I link it to my Facebook page, so I have done NO collaboration projects since January 1 2012. Well that sucks ! What about all those people who don't have or never have had a Facebook page? They don't exist! 

We can reject progress. We can make a stand and say "I'm not giving in, I don't need Facebook, Twitter or even a Blog"  but I think you're going to have to prepare yourself for isolation. Hey, if that's your thing then by all means..... personally, I like feeding off the smart, articulate and the completely stupid. 

I have to admit, it's getting hard now to stay off Facebook. It was easy in the beginning, it was just a bad habit I needed to break and I had so much I wanted to do with no distractions, but now I'm itching to get back on and show people some of the creative projects I've been doing and finding out what they've been up to as well. There is also this great photography challenge I wanted to be part of so I'm hoping it will still be going on in March so I don't miss out. It's so easy for me to re-activate my page right now, but I made a promise to myself and I plan on keeping it. While I have made progress in my own world since being offline it's now come to the part where I want to unleash it to the world and see the reaction. 

So this is the part where alcoholics take their first drink after a stint in rehab, the part where the smoker has just ONE cigarette after giving up... I know I'm not addicted like I was. I did the same thing to Twitter. I shut down my account and a couple of months later started a new one and now I'm hardly on it. I just use it to link my Blog and go in and tweet once a week, sometimes once a month. I'm using it merely as a tool and I like it.

What are your thoughts about Facebook? Do you like it or hate it?

Have a great day bloggers

Happy Hump Day

The skies are grey, the temperature is cold, I'm wearing a woollen jacket and this is supposed to be Summer. To think 3 years ago was Black Saturday not 15 minutes from my house and we came so close to being put on the evacuation list ourselves. What the hell is happening? Surely this must be the coldest Summer on record. 

Last night when I got home from dinner with Lena, I went up to my room to sleep like any other ordinary day and I went to switch off the light but the switch would. not. switch. off!  Arrghhh.... What the freaking hell am I supposed to do now? Fear of getting zapped I gave up trying to force the switch to flick up, I grabbed a towel and took out the light bulb. Do you know how annoying it is when you get up to do something, go to the loo, etc... and reach for a broken light switch ? Yeah ! Annoying much ? So now I am forced to live without a light in my room because our Electrician is a friend who NEVER has time to come and do things. Yah, I know, first world problems... but I need light in my bedroom damn it. 

Okay, okay, okay....

So anyway, I've been skimming over Mrs Beeton's Household Management book. Apparently I am supposed to dress simply for breakfast, no jewellery, no hair ornaments etc... I am to eat my breakfast with poise and decorum like any well-bred person would.... so I'm here in my plain pyjamas, wearing no jewellery [except my make poverty history band and my virgin mary necklace], no makeup, eating plain toast and knocking back my 2nd coffee for the morning. 

After breakfast, I'm supposed to make a round of the kitchen and other offices, to see that all are in order, and that the morning's work has been properly performed by the various domestics. Then give my orders for the day, answer any questions the domestics need to ask, and supply any special articles they may require, handed to them from the store-closet. But if I had a housekeeper, it's not necessary for me to perform any of those duties..... that must be what they call, stepping on the housekeeper's toes.

If I am a young mother, this is the time that I devote myself to the instruction of some it's younger members, or to the examination of the state of their wardrobe, leaving the later portion of the morning for reading, or for some amusing recreation. "Recreation," says Bishop Hall, "is intended to the mind as whetting is to the scythe, to sharpen the edge of it, which would otherwise grow dull and blunt. He, therefore, that spends his whole time in recreation is ever whetting, never mowing; his grass may grow and his steed starve; as, contrarily, he that always toils and never recreated, is ever mowing, never whetting, labouring much to little purpose. As good no scythe as no edge. Then only doth the work go forward, when the scythe is so seasonably and moderately whetted that it may cut, and so cut, that is may have help of sharpening."

DID YOU GET ALL THAT???? Geez you rabbit on Bishop Hall.... what's with all the whetting and grass growing ????? 

So now I'm off to clean my kitchen, mop my floors and start preparing the roast for dinner as I have no servants and no younger members to tend to. It's just not that complicated around Yammouni Manor

More on Mrs Beeton later

Have a pleasant and recreational day.... mind that footman of yours I think he's stealing from the cellar

Minimize Dude

So I'm pretty excited that the BBC has done an adaptation of 'Birdsong'. Have you read it? It's freaking awesome! Read it okay... As I type this, I'm actually stealing it off the internet [hello any officials reading this, how are you?] It's ok because I always balance my Karma out by purchasing the DVD when it comes out. I can't help it if I live in the butt end of the world and I have to hear the Brits raving about this Mini Series and the convicts are left waiting, sometimes forever because it never gets here.....The Internet has made the world such a small space, I get like a jealous kid without a lollypop when all the other kids have them. So I'll let you know how it goes. They're saying that it's pretty close to the book and I like the sound of that.

Hey check out this amazing guy... it's a 1 minute read and worth it and totally irrelevant to what I'm writing about.

I'd like to sell everything too. Too much stuff. 

So it's Tuesday! I mean it comes around every week but it still creeps up on my like a mugger in an alleyway. I really wanted to meet Lena tonight but I guess I've left it too late. Tuesday is our 'thing'. I'm so disorganised with my social life, I really need to get a clue. Unfortunately the Nurse that comes today has two patients to look after as I have Brother No.1 home from work sick. So I'm stuck home not able to go out tonight because patient #2 can't walk on his leg, therefore can't look after patient #1. 

Thank you Universe, I'm looking for the silver lining, I'll get back to you when I find it....

So today is about op shops and garden centre's. I'm looking for particular things which is always disastrous because what's in your mind and what is actually out there are, most times, two different things. I'm completely into up-cycling at the moment and I can't seem to stop. I really don't want to get any more 'stuff' in my house, but what I am trying to do is find other uses for some of the 'stuff' I already have. There is just too much of it. I just need a few little things to help me. 

So I'm off to have a Tuesday adventure. My 'day off' is only 12-6pm but it's better than nothing. First stop is coffee. COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE.... I FREAKING LOVE COFFEE ! 

Laters

Err....

Hubba Hubba

and a Musketeer to boot....

The 2011 Musketeer's movie received not-very-good reviews BUT I LOVED IT !!!

It's an Alexander Dumas story people, what's not to love?

Do yourself a favour and watch this movie. It's complete eye candy 

All for one and one for all ! 

PS. What do they put in the Welsh water? Too bad he's gay. Of course, not for the gay guys, they win here ! 

Monday, Blah Day in all it's Perfection

It's Super-Bowl Sunday today, Monday for those below the equator and my day of 'blah'.... 

Such a busy weekend for me. In fact, it was a busy week I had no time to do anything but spend everyday preparing for Sunday. A few weeks ago, my cousin Liz and I decided to put on an afternoon tea yesterday for Mum's 70th. Mum never gets to see her friends anymore, everyone is getting older and the drive is just too much for them. She misses her girlfriends a lot and I can understand that, because if I didn't see my friends anymore I'd be a little bit sad. So Liz decided to play Chauffeur and pick the Aunties up and bring them up to see Mum.

Friday was spent going shopping with Dave & Chris. Chris is a Chef by trade and decided that he would make pretty much everything I needed to make an afternoon tea worthy of Yammouni Manor. We went to huge catering places in Richmond and walked the aisles ooohing and ahhing over everything. We went to huge Asian supermarkets absolutely intrigued by things so foreign to me, like dried squid heads.... [I don't want to know], buying all little things that provide great finishing touches. It was a great day and tiring. 

I went to an Op-Shop and found what is now my most treasured possession... 

A Copper Goblet

When I got home from shopping on Saturday morning, I walked in the house to find my brother Joe was trying to polish it with some special stuff he uses when he dresses his guitars. Joe spent ALL DAY polishing this. When I found it at the Op-Shop it looked more like brass, if it wasn't for the stamp underneath saying 100% Copper, I would've left it there. My love for copper runs deep. It has the most amazing colour unlike anything I've ever seen, to me it shines better than a brilliant diamond. This photo does it no justice but you all know I don't own a camera anymore, whaddayagonnado? Make the most of what I've got!

Then I decided to make this myself too

My very first cake stand

I was so proud of this. I just love making things myself because then I get a sense of satisfaction when I actually use it. I thought this was perfect to put my scones on, which by the way, came out freaking awesome... thank you CWA. I've NEVER had a homemade scone that ever tasted so good until I made these

Soooooo Nice

They were so yummy, EVERYBODY was raving about them. My baking skills get better all the time. I also made a Banana and Walnut bread loaf that my Mum's friend told me was 'Marriage Worthy'... they're always trying to marry me off.. just because I run a house like a 1950s Housewife doesn't mean that is my ambition Ladies... hahahahahaha. There is no photo of that but let me tell you I got the alchemy of that down like a superstar. 

The Table [partly set up]

We had ribbon sandwiches, chicken ribs marinated in Lime & Garlic, home made pitta chips, yoghurt dips, individual serves of Creme Brulee and Chocolate Mousse, homemade sausage rolls, chickpea and vegetable balls with a sweet chilli/Mayo sauce, a cheese board and gorgeous cupcakes topped with sprinkles. It was a complete hit!

Mum had such a great day, she slept in until 9:30am this morning which is always a sign of a great day that was had. I was so happy I was able to do this for her, I wish I could do it every week. 

This is Chris, scorching the sugar with a blow-torch
on the Creme Brulee... what a star!

All in all, it was a great day, even the weather didn't dampen our spirits. Our cousins came too and helped eat all the food, there was pots of tea and coffee, glasses of Louis Roderer Brut and happy smiles all round.... 

Photo taken by Marcel, I can't flip it now.

Part of my Family... that's Eva in the Pink top

Have a happy day everyone

And PS. My new obsession is Luke Evans. I must tell you in my next post all about the movies that I've watched this week. There's some great stuff out there

Brain Explosion

So much activity happening in my head today. I've made so many lists of things that need doing I've actually given myself a headache now... But I'm happy that my Muse has stuck around for a while longer than she has in a long time. Right now though, I'm going to have to lie down with a cold compress on my head. 

Tonight it's Spicy Stir Fry Beef with fried rice... because I'm awesome! For those that don't want the recipe, here's a cute video that has kittens in it, go watch it while I get on with the recipe...

OK you're still here... Good!

Spicy Beef Stir Fry then...

500g Beef strips cut to your liking

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of honey

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons of cornstarch

1 tablesppon water

1 tablespoon sesame oil or vegetable oil

4 cups of mixed vegetables

Directions: Ready, Set..... Action  [well that's what a director does]

Combine Beef, lemon, soy, honey, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl and cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth and set aside.

Generously coat your wok or heavy skillet with a spray oil to make it easier on yourself, then add your oil and over a high heat, add beef with marinade and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Transfer beef to a bowl and add your vegies to the wok/skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-5 minutes depending on what you're using. Stir in cornstarch mixture  until translucent, about a minute or under, return the beef, heat through briefly and serve immediately.... oh boy it's so easy

Are you having a good day?

I hope you are

I'm having a drink in your honour tonight... Cocktail that will probably consist of vodka, cassis and some other yummy stuff, I'll let you know.

Cheers

Planning to Plan

I'm planning a bit more now. It has taken me all of January to get used to not being on Facebook to work out what it is I want to concentrate on. I'm back on Facebook whenever the countdown widget says so, on the top right of this screen and I've made it in plenty of time! I know now how to go about making my ideal living and I plan on spending the next 29 days planning the plan. Unfortunately I cannot tell you much more at this stage. You'll just have to watch it all unfold as it comes along. I tend to work well under pressure and this Facebook-time-limit thing has worked. Because I'm writing more, creating more, and not talking to anyone about it so as not to get any confusing interference, I am clear on it and I'm making it happen. Please wish me well, it would mean a lot to me... 

Have you figured out how to live yet?

It's a flat land, until you hit a mountain...

Yesterday I visited out Capital city Canberra, to see the Renaissance exhibit to see some old fashion art at the NGA, then walked across the road to the Portait Gallery to see some more art, then went to the NLA to get my mind blown away by the HANDWRITTEN exhibition which to me was the ultimate art.

I'm always surprised when my fellow Australians travel all over the world but have seen very little of their own country first. Canberra is a beautiful state with a lot to see and do. The place is as flat as a tack but completely engulfed by Mountains in it's perimeter. When you walk the streets it smells of wood as there are trees EVERYWHERE, and not just one row of trees lining the streets but two. And Ladybugs, lot's and lot's of Ladybugs... it's beautiful. The customer service in Canberra leaves Melbourne for dead, everyone is so happy to serve you. When I arrived, I was greeted by my brother's friends who came to pick up the bag that I had to take for them. Turns out there were about 4 bottles of high-end grog, Johnny Black and Johnny Blue, not really sure, anyway, anyway, anyway, they offered to drive me to the Gallery saving me a cab fare which I thought was lovely of them. They drove me around showing me how to get to the Library, how to get to the new Parliament House, yadda, yadda, yadda and off they trotted home after they gave me their number and said if I needed anything not to hesitate to call... Bless!

So I bought my ticket and went in to see some really old stuff. Most of the paintings were so warped they no longer sat in their frames properly. This fascinated me... I know, I'm weird, but it did. When you look at the date some of these paintings were made you thank the universe for hoarders. Imagine if humans throughout history were the 'throw-away' society it is today? Sheesh! We'd certainly be a boring race and I wouldn't blame the Aliens for destroying us instead of observing us. Fascination after fascination as I saw one after the other after the other... then my breath caught in my throat, my hands got clammy and I had an overwhelming urge to burst into tears....

...This painting made me cry when I saw it in the flesh

RAPHAEL - St Sebastian 1501-02

It is the most serene painting and the work is so intricate it really is a marvel. When you study Art History and Uni and you spend a term writing papers and doing research on paintings you only see in huge Art text books, something happens to you when you actually get to see it in the flesh... *sigh*

There were two room devoted to Madonna and Child but the one that caught my eye was probably the smallest work out of them all. 

Benozzo Gozzoli - Madonna of Humility
Tempura & Gold on Wood
1449-50

This picture does it NO justice whatsoever. This little painting which was roughly 8" x 10" just gleamed from across the room. It was blinding in it's light. If the Catholic Church has ever offered anything to this world, it was money to pay for work like this, painting with real gold leaf, not their ignorance at feeding the poor. [I was raised Catholic I have the right to say that! hahaha]. There are moments in my life where I want to rip the painting off a gallery wall, put it in my purse and run off with it and hide it in my bedroom, this was one of them. *sigh*

Then it was across the road to the Portrait Gallery because I MUST see this painting every time I go there

Charles Blackman - The Family
Oil on board

My favourite Australian Artist, the reason why I pursue life as an artist today. My love for Charles Blackman's work runs deeper than any vein in my body. He paints the paintings that I WISH I painted, just like Alexandre Dumas writes the books I wish I wrote, and Beethoven writes the music I wish I composed. *big sigh*... I left elated.

So floating down the road, a 5 minutes walk to the Library actually took me 25 minutes because of my stupid back and knee... everyone in Canberra jogs, I think 25 joggers passed me, two power walkers and about 500 cyclists. They make you feel so bloody guilty you feel like setting off in a trot as well, but I walked like an old woman having to stop regularly for relief of the pain. It's kind of hard to ignore a stabbing pain in your lower back and knee but I soldiered on. Finally, I arrived.

I was starving hungry at this stage. It's after 2pm and I'm still on a boiled egg on toast from 6am and a cup of tea on the flight over. So I went into a huge cafe that was in the Library foyer and had myself a bowl of Cauliflower and Potato soup that was nice... it was smashingly nice after I added salt and pepper to it though... the places I've been to in Canberra for food and coffee is really terrible actually, I haven't had much luck in my last few visits there. This is where Melbournians can get quite nasty about other states. Nothing compares to Melbourne cuisine. For starters, the cafe outside the NGA gallery, that was jam packed with people, made me the worst coffee ever. The fact that I asked and got charged extra for a double shot coffee with 1 sugar and I got weak coffee - or strong water, depends on how you look at it, with no sugar made me want to throw it in their face and tell them if they served that shite in Melbourne they'd be hung and quartered, but when in Rome...... onwards and upwards, I'm not there for the food, I just need the sustenance to get me through the day. 

Let me tell you about the HANDWRITTEN exhibit...

If I had ANY inclination on how good it was going to be, I would've just flown up for that, never mind the Renaissance... ' pfft ' to 15th-16th century art !!!!!!!

The exhibition charts human thought and endeavour over a 1000 year period and includes documents from some of the most amazing minds on earth. We're talking letters, sketches, manuscripts and musical scores that have been hand-written by major influences in our life of literature, science, music, philosophy and of course, that great divider, religion. Galileo, Goethe, Michelangelo, Voltaire, Kafka, Schopenhauer, Marx, Mozart, Wagner... The list goes on... 

The first room had some documentation books that were the same size as the desk you are currently working from on your computer. They were HUGE! The handwriting was precise, straight, in two newspaper-type columns and right THEN & THERE I wanted to devote me life to the art of hand writing, but alas, it's just not needed these days...  I turned around and saw a small Parisian hand-written bible that was illustrated. You need a magnifying glass to read the text it was that small and how the hell did they paint that picture so miniature... what the? 

Cabinet after cabinet that contained these fragile works was just one stunning thing after another. I was completely sucked in. I was jumping out of my skin. 

Napoleon has a very small signature which leads me to believe that he had a scribe writing everything for him, but I could be wrong. Einstein had the neatest handwriting I've ever seen. Someone, I can't remember who now wrote phonetically and some were hard to work out as they were in another language. But the pieces that took my breath away were 

1. Dante's Divine Comedy. I mean the actual manuscript written by him... can you imagine?
2. Beethoven's 5th symphony and his talk-book

When you see Mozart's ' Marriage of Figaro ' in perfect ink and Wagner in fine line perfection, you get to Beethoven and you get what you expect to get when it's on the subject of Beethoven.  The manuscript is a complete mess with crossed out marks done quite harsh and amendments all over it. It just has Beethoven written all over it [ aha, did you see what I did there? Ya gotta love a pun ! ]. His talk-book of course is in other people's handwriting because that's how he communicated. They would write what they wanted to say and he would speak the answer and apparently quite loudly. Beethoven's Musical Score completely took my breath away. 

I'm seriously running out of breath at this stage people. 

The cutest at the exhibition: 

Karl von Meusebach, writes a flirtatious letter to his 'little woman' Ernestine von Witzleben- a poem about Champagne

Well worth the trip I'd say. Time to get picked up by my cousin Lee and have dinner with him and his family, go to the airport, fly home and seriously crash on my bed from exhaustion. It was a fab day.

What did you do yesterday? 

I can't think of a title for this post about nothing...

Well it's a muggy day here in Melbourne. It's rainy, sticky, hot, grey sky, with a bit of Sunshine here and there kind of day... This sort of weather makes me lethargic with not much on the agenda. I'm making lamb souvlaki's for the family and a fish souvlaki for me, I found some stunning fresh flathead fillets at the market this morning.
My brother and his partner are coming up for dinner tonight to drop off some stuff they need me to take up to Canberra tomorrow. Yes I am off to our Capital City to see the Renaissance Exhibit at the NGA and to the National Library to see, Handwritten, ten centuries of manuscripts treasures, I'll call it a day as soon as I see Beethoven's handwriting and that's no joke.... My HERO...
So apparently my brother's friends are meeting me at the airport to pick up their whatever-it-is-i-am-taking, and have kindly offered to drive me to the gallery saving me a cab fare... bless!  I then plan on meeting up with my gorgeous cousin Lee and his wife Jing and their two babies for dinner then off back to the airport to come home... a very full day.

But today is all about writing out plans for my outdoor kitchen. Nothing elaborate mind, it's just I really want to BUILD my OWN wood-fire oven like this one

I can build that.... 

Well I'm thinking if I take my time and gather supplies slowly it may very well happen. I have bricks, I have some stone, I just need to get some sand and some clay. I've already looked up how to build one and there are so many websites that show step-by-step instructions. And I want an organic one, not a bought one from the shops. My backyard is very organic, the last thing I want is some shiny looking oven that [bite-your-tongue] works on gas... I want WOOD BURNING.... OMG Yum already!

There is a lot of time on my two-seater couch today, that still only occupies me only [one day there will be another person who will fit the couch perfect I promise], I'm in a bit of pain today. So it's writing, planning, reading and conspiring in theory only.

On a different note, I have been commissioned to do some paintings for my cousin Liz' best friend, Perin, who lives in KL. She's looking for some original art for her son's bedroom and I had the honour of meeting Rashan last week before they went back home to Malaysia. He's a gem of a boy. He's 4, has so much personality and a bit clumsy [I think he fell 3 times in a space of 4 or so hours]. I can't wait to see what comes out when I meditate on that. And, I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio sooner rather than later... I think my Muse has flown back to Mount Helicon for a year-long party because that flighty bitch hasn't been near me in ages. Well, I'm calling her in, it's time to get to work. 

So I guess this post is about nothing and everything really. Just another day off at Yammouni Manor, but rest assured I am always planning ahead. I hope you all have a great day and remember.... if you're coming to visit me, bring some rye bread.... hahahhaha, I'm in a bit of a Jimmy Durante mood... here he is to take you out....

I watched this movie again last night and Durante's scenes are the ones that make me belly laugh.. 

Enjoy xxoo

April Lovemaking...

So many January babies... what is it about the month of April that make so many people conceive? Maybe the Easter Bunny is a turn on.

On Wednesday night, I went to my cousin's place to help celebrate her son turning 18. My other cousin was there pumped up on cold and flu tablet and feeling like crap but I did not know this when we hugged and kissed hello... seriously who goes out in public when they're germ-infested? So mean. Anyway, I now have this tickle in my throat that I can't shake. I'm full, and sick to death of tea with lemon and honey. Is it any wonder people are all flu-like with this stupid weather we're having. The days are hot and the nights are cold... stupid summer! 

I really cannot afford to get sick right now. I am trying in my minds eye to will it away and not let it come out. So far it's working. I've pretty much eaten garlic and ginger with every meal, aside from breakfast, but the taking of pills is just not going to happen. I am pretty much banned from all sorts of cold and flu remedies, I'm allergic to most of them and have no choice but to do it the natural way. I have a jug of water next to me at all times and meditating keeps me calm. Tomorrow night it's Lena's birthday party at a Spanish restaurant and I'm really looking forward to it, I don't want to be sick AGAIN... I want Paella damn it! 

Today I am making Lamb salad. I haven't had much meat the last couple of weeks so I bought a lamb fillet steak which I will grill on the BBQ and slice it up for the four of us for dinner. Seriously though, I'm not liking the fact that chewing is making my ears pop and crackle... 

On a happier note, I've been surfing some kitchen porn and I've decided that I want this ↓

I hope it comes in red

Isn't it divine? Of course I'll have to import it from the UK but that's ok. I plan on winning the lottery soon anyway.... 

Just let me dream a bit people... 

Well it's time to put my washing out on the line and have another honey and lemon drink. Have a happy weekend people. I hope life shows you just how wonderful you are even if it's only for 5 minutes. 

Drink your milk from a Martini glass at least once in your life

Happy Australia Day

Sweetheart Teacups, 100% Australian Yarn, Clover crochet hooks, Organic Chocolate, a two-seater couch and homemade soda bread all make for a gorgeous holiday... 

Yarn Love

Yummy

Happy Australia Day Bloggers

Chester... the Little Jack Russell

Total spin in my day... quietly minding my own business in my own backyard, reading, when I feel something sniffing at my leg and I look down to see a cute Jack Russell dog at my feet.
"hello, who do you belong to?" I ask expecting an answer...

Door knocking at the neighbours, nobody owns him, nobody cares. This little guy was running all over the road and as I live on the crest of a very big hill with cars flying over, panic set in for me about this little guy. He was friendly enough to coax him into my backyard that has no side gate. What was I to do? He wasn't a young dog, he had a collar but no ID.... surely he was chipped. I had to call the pound. I HATE DOING CALLS LIKE THAT. This was someone's beloved pet and now they were going to have to bail him out to bring him home. But that wasn't as awful as having this dog get hit by a flying-over-the-hill car.

*light bulb moment*

Remembered my neighbour was home on holidays from work and owned a Staffy named Kobe, so called him up and asked him to bring over a dog leash to keep the Jack Russell in one spot.  How long was I going to sit here for keeping this shaking dog calm? I gave him some water and we sat and had a chat...
"Don't fall in love with me little doggy, you can't stay here"
The more he kept looking at me with those brown eyes the more I wanted to keep him.

Damn it! The Ranger's car just flew past my house. How the hell do you find a wandering Jack Russell driving that fast up the road? [See what I mean about flying cars?]
My neighbour Michael ran after the Ranger's car to flag her down. The little dog was obviously not used to a leash and was fighting it to get free. All I wanted to do was go inside to my air-conditioned home and keep reading my book, but NOOOOOOO, I had to be a bloody good samaritan. Sheesh!

The Ranger Lady came and scanned little Jack Russell and we found out his name is Chester who lives one street over. Sounds close but it's not. Where I live the next street over is about a 15 minute walk down and up hills, not to mention along a main road. So the Ranger said she was taking him home. I hope the owners are home so he doesn't go to the pound. It breaks my heart to know that any animal is in a pound.

What a great country I live in. A country that looks after the welfare of Animals, Elderly people and underprivileged kids... if only we could do something about our Hospital system....
We really are 'The Lucky Country'

A Post for Demy

Yesterday I mentioned that nobody comes to visit my blog page anymore and whaddaya know?
So here's the Potato Kibbeh recipe for Demy who was nice enough to not only visit, but leave a comment.

This recipe is traditionally made at Easter time when Christians don't eat meat [I just don't understand that but anyhoo....]

You will need:

1 1/2 Cups of fine cracked wheat [burgul], washed and drained
I small onion, finely diced or grated
4-6 medium potatoes, peeled & cooked
teaspoon or 2 of salt [to taste]
White Pepper to taste
some Olive Oil

For the filling:

1 cup of chopped walnuts
2 large onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon of Pomegranate Molasses [Dibas Reman, found in all Middle East Bakeries]

1. Wash & cook potatoes, peel & mash and mix in salt, white pepper and the finely chopped medium onion to make like a mashed potato. Add to a food processor and add the washed cracked wheat and process to a smooth mixture
2. In a frying pan, add the 2 chopped onions, cook until opaque, add the chopped walnuts and dibas reman
3. Grease a baking tray with olive oil, divide mash mixture into two portions. Flatten half the potato in the bottom of the greased baking tray, spread walnut mixture on top evenly and then flatten the other half of the mash over the top. Score in diamond shape or square shape [whichever you prefer] drizzle about 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the top and cook in moderate/hot oven until golden brown.

Bon Appetit

Even though it is complete vegetarian, it has quite a meaty taste to it. The Walnut is the most amazing nut in all the nut family in my opinion, no wonder it is a staple in most Lebanese cooking.

Enjoy Demy, I hope you make it and if you do please post some pics

Blah Day... Mish-Mash

Monday!
My favourite day of the week.
I got all my housework done by 2pm [including floors]. Now this doesn't seem news worthy, but to me it's a bloody headline in a major newspaper. This is the first time in MONTHS I've been able to tackle dusting, vacuuming, mopping, organising... you know all that fun stuff.. 0_o Of course my body is so sore now, but it's all worth it because my house looks AWESOME!

The weekend went ok. Saturday my family were invited to my Uncle's place for a BBQ and it was a beautiful night. It was just us and them and it was so nice to just hang together without other people there like there usually is.
Sunday I crocheted all day, I made a cushion cover for my bed [red of course] and didn't go to bed until I finished it. No cooking, no cleaning, NOTHING! Just sat and watched episodes of 'Revenge'. This show is a big hit with me. Firstly I love Madeline Stowe, she's just stunning and secondly, it's like a modern day 'Count of Monte Cristo' and for those that know me, know that is my favourite book EVER! It's well written for a show that has lines like -
Man: I just want to fix our relationship
Woman: Well you shouldn't have slept with my best friend then

Whoa!!!! OK I'm not for soapy-type shite, but this show has me hooked. Hahahahahahaha... I must be getting trashier in my old age

Confucius once said that if you ever embark on a journey of revenge, you'd better dig two graves... Well said Dude! But what the hell do I know about revenge anyway, I've never hated anyone or anything in my life. Bless!


Today I wear my cape around my waist and make things in the kitchen. I'm trapped at home unable to go to the shops so I had to make stuff using the basic ingredients I had on hand for dinner tonight.

So I made some potato and bacon hash and I'll top that with a poached egg but the magic underneath this hash is some homemade olive and sundried tomato soda bread that I whipped up in no time. I'm following Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's advice and making my own daily bread. Too many preservatives and chemicals in shop bought bread and really there are so many recipe's out there, if you have no time there are heaps of instant bread recipe's. It just takes planning.

The second thing I made was potato kibbeh. This will require me to write out a recipe it's not so readily available seeing as it's a family recipe. Usually I steer clear of Lebanese cooking because it takes TOO long to make, but this was relatively easy. But I can't see the point in writing the recipe out because I don't even think anyone reads this blog page anymore which renders all these words a moot point. Excuse me while I file that comment under 'Screw It'

 If you want the recipe comment below and I'll post it for you.

So it's a real summer's day today. So confusing! The Air-Con is on, the couch beckons, I've done enough today. It's time to make some old fashioned granny squares for a cushion cover while I sit on my butt, watching more episodes of  'Revenge'

Have a happy day and remember to eat Cake for breakfast every now and then...

Ripper Ripple...

No post yesterday

The hot water bottle was my best friend yesterday as I sat and watched episodes of '2 Broke Girls' which I have to say is really funny. Errands were a pain as I got caught in the rain and to top off the day, I didn't win the lottery so it's another day of being a pauper. Now that I've accepted that, I can move on....

It's another grey sky day here in Melbourne and I'm starting to worry that we'll never see the sunshine again. Dont' get me wrong, I thrive in this weather and don't like the heat at all, but it just doesn't make sense that I'm cooking Boeuf Bourguignon in January. My fruit trees are rather confused not to mention my tomato plants AND I had to put the heater on... What the hell is that?

I've learnt so many new stitches in crochet but there is one that I want to learn before the week is out and that's the 'ripple stitch'. So off I go in search of a pattern to get me started on this beautiful acrylic yarn I got from Woolybutt last year. Nothing beats a good quality acrylic yarn for crochet projects. I really need to go and get some more colours for the ripple stitch blanket but I thought I'd just learn on the cheap stuff first.

Since writing the above I've come to the conclusion that the Granny Stripe blanket is annoying me and I'm unravelling it and trying the ripple stitch with the pure wool. The only reason is that I can't get the edges in a clean line and if it's not clean looking, then there's something wrong. I may try it again another time, I think it's a matter of maths. That, or I just suck at crocheting... I'm thinking the latter is right.


OK, it's time for breakfast now, I'll be back later


8:17pm
Well it took me all of 5 minutes to learn the ripple stitch... I had no idea it was so easy. It's looking so much nicer than the Granny Stripe. I'm tucking ends as I go so there's a lot less work to do when I finish it. Of course this stitch requires a lot more wool so it looks like I'll have to stock up some more.
Here's a sneak peak...

Ripple Stitch Blanket

Well, we had Fish n Chips for dinner because I spent all day winding wool and resting my back. Tomorrow is a day off and and Osteo appointment and the weekend is finally free of any sort of social activity. I'm hoping to get to some markets this weekend, I just can't allow any sort of distractions to sway me from it. 

1. Mood - Happy
2. Creativity - Med
3. Productivity - Med
4. Reading - Nil
5. Cooking - Nil
6. Social Outings - Nil
7. TED Talks - 2
8. Naps Taken - Nil
9. Movies Watched - 2
10. Painting in Studio - Nil
11. Times I went to check Facebook - 1

Cricket season has me on edge, so it's time to leave the communal TV room and move up to my room with my own TV, Foxtel and DVD player. I don't want to crochet, read or write anymore today, I've had enough and my eyes are going cross eyed.

Have a great day/night wherever you are in the world 

Days Off Make for Good Things...

Today I had the Nurse from 12-6pm and I welcomed the force-you-out-the-door, go-on-get-out-of-here shove I seem to need the last couple of months. I took some soup to my Aunt who is sick with fever at the moment and sat with her for a couple of hours then my little brother took me out for lunch in Box Hill for some Nasi Goreng.... OK it was seriously the BEST Nasi Goreng EVER! As we were walking around all the shops he said there was no need to go to Singapore because Box Hill seemed to be a small replica of it... Personally I'd still like to go to Singapore. All the Asian food is westernised here for our weird taste and I'm rather pissed off about that.

I then went to one of these huge-packed-to-the-hilt Asian supermarkets and bought all sorts of good things. Dried Chillies, Mushroom Soy, some hot curry paste, saffron, that pink dye they put on pork, ya know? Good things! The stuff you can't buy in hick towns like where I live.

Then I came home, threw on some stretchy pants and started to crochet... and look what I made....

I call him Pancake

Yes my very first Amigurumi... I saw this ages ago somewhere on the web and do you think I can find it again to get the pattern? NOOOOOOO... Do you think I remembered to bookmark it? Nooooo....  so I made it up. Now, I call him Pancake because of the Pancake rule... you know, throw the first one out because it's only to season the pan and never tastes right... yeah well Pancake here is riddled with mistakes but I have no pattern and in my life, it's a learn as you go kinda way... Say hello to Pancake, he's going to sit on my desk to remind me that perfect is in the eye of the beholder because I think Pancake is just perfect, crooked nose and all.

Well of course I know I should've reversed the colours..... NOW! But it's ok. I have 20 eyes to use yet, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. 

1. Mood - Happy
2. Creativity - High
3. Productivity - Med-High
4. Reading - Nil
5. Cooking - None
6. Social Outings - 1
7. TED Talks -Nil
8. Naps Taken - Nil
9. Movies Watched - Nil
10. Painting in Studio - Nil
11. Times I went to check Facebook - 1

OK so tomorrow my family and I are being filmed for a friends music video... not sure why but we're here to help the arts, so I guess I'll be filling you in on that when it happens.

Hope you're having a peach of a day filled with lots of great stuff

Blah Day... Waiting

What a completely wasted weekend. Sick as a dog on Saturday, in bed for most of the day, I past the time watching all 9 episodes of 'New Girl' and the first episode of the new season 'Sherlock' and drifting in and out of consciousness.
I'm thinking it was something that I ate on Friday night because when I got home I wasn't feeling the best and I was up all that night going out of my mind. Sunday I woke up not 100% but not feeling sick, just zombie-like.
Today, Monday, the sun is struggling to come through the clouds, so my washing is taking far too long to dry and I need clothes. I have errands to run, but I have visitors here, my leg aches but I can't rest because the visitors have me up and down, running all around... So it's pretty much back to normal at my place.... Yay!

I've started a new blanket. Every couch and chair in my home will have it's own blanket, ready for when we have movie nights in winter here. This one that I'm making is made from soft pure wool, so it's MINE! Everyone else gets high grade, no-pill acrylic... hey I'm not freaking rich enough to make blankets out of wool. The only reason I have this wool is because I've been gathering it over time every time Spotlight have a sale... it's beautiful Australian wool and I love it.

Quick and Easy... What I need right now... no fiddly bits

I got the pattern for this from a lovely blog that belongs to a very creative lady named Lucy over at Attic 24 . Lucy has a plethora of stuff over there waiting for busy fingers to create. She also doesn't charge for her patterns, but she does have a 'Donate' button which I think is a lovely idea, it reminds me when I was little of the 'honesty' system we used to see on the side of country roads when we went on day trips and bought chestnuts etc... anyway, I guess it's not obligatory but I'm very in to Karma and balance in life... I am, after all, a struggling artist myself so I get it.

1. Mood - Unsettled
2. Creativity - Med
3. Productivity - Med-High
4. Reading - Still going on with Life of Pi... so far it's just a history of zoo keeping. Struggling a bit to be honest
5. Cooking - Kibbeh & Salad
6. Social Outings - Err... NONE for the last 3 days now
7. TED Talks -2
8. Naps Taken - Nil
9. Movies Watched - Nil
10. Painting in Studio - Nil
11. Times I went to check Facebook - 2

I am kind of missing Facebook in that I miss documenting my day and I have no idea if my cousin in Lebanon has had her baby yet. That's the thing about Facebook, it's a great tool to keep in contact with my family overseas, I mean, I actually text my  cousin in New York today to see if he got back OK but that just doesn't work with my cousins in Lebanon. Never mind, I'll get a nice surprise in March as to whether it's a boy or girl. 

So that's pretty much it from me on a Monday... I plan on doing more boring things tomorrow even though I have a day off to go exploring I am on a very tight budget this week. It's New York and London in October and the only way I'm getting there is to be a real tight-wad about things... Off to sell some of my guitars on eBay now...

Have a great day