just because i haven't written a list in ages...

Watching: I think I've mentioned this before but every Saturday night the Maori channel show a great indie' film.

Rabbit Proof Fence stood out recently, extraordinary subject matter...the English in Australia used to forcibly take the children of mixed race couples (white and aborigine) and put them into camps. They were denied any contact with their families and eventually released into servitude. This is the true story of three little girls who escaped the camp and walked hundreds and hundreds of kilometers home to their mothers.

A fabulous film that shocked and inspired.

I spent a very enjoyable evening with girlfriends watching Julie & Julia . I actually enjoyed the film more than I did the book, now that doesn't happen very often! Although Julie Powell is a very engaging character, all through the book I had a the persistent, nagging thought that I'd much rather be reading about Julia Child. The film split the difference beautifully and there was more than enough Julia time. What a woman!

I'm not much of a TV watcher but Nurse Jackie has caught my attention and I now look forward to a weekly dose of strange medical action. Loving Edie Falco's pixie cut too.

Reading: The Memory Keepers Daughter was gobbled up in one sitting; a sad story of discrimination, family dynamics and secrets. Some good strong charaters though, I enjoyed this very much.

I'm not much of a one for chick lit but in a recent 'sitting in the car waiting for basketball practise to finish' episode and with the only choice of reading matter being a leaflet concerning prostate cancer and my daughters book, I chose the latter.

It was about a Shopaholic and I am loathe to admit I can't really remember much else, however, I thoroughly enjoyed it whilst I was reading it...how weird is that? I'd class this as mental candy floss, sweet, insubstantial and only good in really small doses.

Does everybody have a friend that always seems to read the best books, cook the best cakes or find the best treasure? I do and she recently recommended The Surgeon of Crowthorne, a tale of murder, madness and the Oxford English Dictionary. It's a fabulous book and I have learnt at least seven new mouthwatering words that I am desperate to slip into a conversation.

Eating: Paella, bowls and bowls of steaming, ricey goodness. Recently some friendly Mexicans returned to their sunny casa and left me with the entire contents of their fridge and pantry. What fun I've had with boxes and bags of incomprehensible foodstuffs. There have been a few hiccups...never overcook an octopus, it tastes literally like a Dunlop tyre...but the mad abandon with which I've thrown in the contents of all sorts of herby, spicy, garlicy, limey, salty jars and bottles has resulted in some gorgeous one pot wonders. The queen of which has most definitely been Paella.

finders keepers...

3 things I've found this week

1. The enormous lemons growing on next doors tree are actually grapefruit!! This is truly heaven...I live next door to a grapefruit tree. I feel a legalize scrumping campaign coming on.


2. I'd somehow forgotten this photo on my phone, so finding a snap of these amazing melted ceramic jugs folded across a washing line made my day.


3. I FOUND A KAYAK!! I kid you not, on the way to the market last Sunday I spied a kayak on the side of the road. Screeching to a halt, I jumped out and promptly sat in it until Slap had pulled a 'U' ie and parked up beside me.
Theatrical, moi...actually it was a very necessary action as the hordes of white vans that scout the inorganic piles of rubbish were converging like vultures.
What a piece of luck, now I've ticked off the top two on my camping wish list, hammock and kayak, just a bedouin tent and a throne to go!

ceramic doilies.... really!

I have been a little remiss of late, there always seems to be just one more thing to do before I think about writing anything; so I've moved blog to the top of the list... and here we are!

As you can tell from the previous post my mind is full of campsites and caravans. I'm not a natural camper it has to be said, sleeping on the ground and not having all day access to a pair of GHD's leaves me a little cold; however in the spirit of 'try it you'll love it' I've booked us in for a week in a tent just after Christmas. There 's a lot of us going so it should be fun, most of them are seasoned campers with acres of equipment, boats and wetsuits, so it should be very outdoorsy, get wetty, barbecuing good times.

I actually won't be doing the get wetty bit if there is a wetsuit involved...I'm more the body type that enjoys deck chairs, waiters bearing cocktails and afternoon naps, in fact the closest I've ever been to a wetsuit is the two pairs of snuggy pants that are needed for me to fit into my party dress.
When I was being gently crowbarred into this camping trip the comment was made,
'that even Princess Margaret enjoyed camping!' (She's my hero and favourite ever royal, although Henry 8th comes a close second)


I'm not sure a villa in Mustique counts as camping, but beggars can't be choosers so it's a camping we will go...

ANYWAY!

The reason it's been so busy...we don't have a tent and that seems to be a prerequisite of this type of vacation so I've been scouring the internet for the canvas castle needed.
Blimey, tents are expensive! To afford even the scungiest affair with seventeen not so careful owners, I've been listing and selling bags of the treasure I've had in storage. The dollars are piling up nicely and I've been able to afford my first necessity...a hammock, and YES! it is a necessity.

We picked it up yesterday from a lovely lady on the West Coast, then as we had an hour or so to spare, Slap and I wandered around an art gallery, all hushed tones and grown up nodding until I spotted these...


...ceramic doilies!

As a doilie-maniac, these set off my spidey senses alarmingly. The exhibit, Labour of Love, Susannah Bridges, porcelain clay, was $7400, a snip for a wall of ceramic doilies, I think you'll agree. I wonder if you can sell children on ebay?

three hail mary's at least...

Lustful thoughts are naughty I know....but check out this little beauty?

Number 1 on the list of 'things I didn't know about myself'...I'm incredibly attracted to old caravans, thank you flickr.

teenagers, aaaaarrrrgh!

I have just written the rule below on a large piece of paper and stuck it to the fridge...the only place I can be sure the aforementioned teenagers will visit today (apart from their beds of course, but once something enters the twilight zone that is the teenage bedroom, you can't be sure it'll ever be seen again).

"Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying the bills, washing your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rainforest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try cleaning your own room!"

A slight variation on the original Bill Gates quote, but it still fits.

And what brought this on?

Hearing a newly and lovingly decorated room laughingly described as a 'floor-drobe' by an 18 year old modern day version of Miss Haversham, who systematically removes every single mug from the kitchen cupboard before locking her door so you can't get them back.

Having a recently restocked fridge devoured in one sitting by a swarm of invading Pac-men.
Remember that game Hungry Hungry Hippo, well I have the real life version camped in my front room as we speak, except the Hungry Hungry Teenage Boys don't stop chomping once the marbles have all disappeared.
Actually, I haven't seen the cat in a while...

Edit: Just been brought a cup of tea and 2 slices of gluten free cardboard slathered in Boysenberry jam by the aforementioned teens...and I didn't have to ask, so am feeling nurturing, maternal and blinded by love...at least until the tea's all gone

Teenagers...awrrr!

it's very you!

What does that mean?

Is it a compliment or a polite way of saying,
'Ye Gads! Who in their right mind would get rid of two very functional but horribly boring brown, sliding wardrobe doors and replace them with topsy-turvy curtains made from a couple of old table cloths, a sheet and some ticking?
I'm going to take it as a compliment....so there!