Great Australian Bake Off...

I am loving this show at the moment

I enjoyed the British version and have to tune each week for this one. When I saw the cookbook out already I nabbed a copy (lucky for me it was in a book club selection at work for $15. I hardly need another cookbook but I love to bake)

I dont want to read it too carefully just yet because I dont want to work out ahead of time who gets eliminated. Each of the contestants seems to have their share of recipes in it and I cant wait to try out this one

They try to make out that Kerry Vincent is a hard face bitch but I really like her and she seems fair and honest in her judgements. I really like baking, much better than cooking, so will be trying a few of the specialty dishes.

No wonder I'm putting weight back on.

Wash out...

Tennis tonight was rained off during the last game, some of the others had just about finished but we were battling out a hard fought game. I really wanted to finish and to win a few more games off them but we were getting soaked. My competitive side thought that it really mattered but its just tennis, just a game, just some exercise in the week.

Last week was a good exercising week. Swimming, mixed in with 25ks on the road and 3 rounds at tennis made me feel good. I need something to balance out the weight I have put on since enjoying so many home made cappuccinos. Even though I use low fat milk, about half a kg has crept back on which is disappointing when we ran so far last week. Just shows how you cant back off or get too lazy with your diet before your hard work evaporates. Looks like I will be running forever.

And a little wisdom to leave with

Next birthday...

The next birthday in August is today. Its a birthday without celebration of the usual kind. More of a remembrance of things that were not to be. This 4th of August should have been an acknowledgement of the beginning of the teenage years, yet it will not be this year as in the past 13 years it will be remembered with tears & a wistful soul.

I found these cakes that could easily have been used by a boy influenced by sci fi parents.

Some people are very clever.

And speaking of clever, we had a red hot go at winning the Trivia Night but alas were let down by our dancing skills.
And a 15km training run this morning has left me a little weary, so that is all for today.

Goodnight.

The month of...

Of the 2 people who read this blog, one of them has complained about a lack of news emanating from it. So I will make a concerted effort to share a bit more during August, to see if I can keep it up, and to share with you what keeps me away from my own blog...other more interesting blogs.

August is a month of birthdays for family and close friends around here, firstly Happy Birthday to Lucy who is as good as family. Lovely Lucy who has been like a twin sister to Hayley & who is missing Hayley as much as we are. For just 4 days they are the same age.

I could do a lengthy post about the 2 of them, there are about a gazillion pics to choose from of them together!


This made me laugh (from here)

Erin's school photos came & I found out I can download the image as many times as I want for 365 days by following the link/password they provide.

I am in the process of cutting many hexagons to make a fitting layout, this may take more patience than I possess at the moment.






This dress is in the lead for the Debutante Ball next April

It has the right amount of fullness in the tulle overlay skirt and a straight fitted bodice. She would like a glittery/bejeweled belt to accentuate the waist. My beloved & talented sister has agreed to whip one up for me (is that the right amount of grovelling?).

And I think I have a little bohemian in me, these two things from Pinterest appealed today









We're going to a Trivia Night tonight, so should have some laughs with the Tennis Club people. And training in the morning, then browsing the internet for hours. I want to try to find out how to place photos better in my posts and how to add the Pinterest link on to pics like I see on other blogs. Will keep searching until I work that out.

No wonder the time disappears.

See you tomorrow!

Somewhere in Spain...

Hayley has sent me some photos which I will share.

She met up with Backpacker Boy somewhere in Spain, she tells me it was hot & they had fun scrambling over rocks & discovering waterfalls. The water was refreshingly cold in the heat and she really enjoyed this time together.

Who wouldn't enjoy this view?

I got quite a newsy email with details about the fire festival, maraca concert and this rock climbing expedition. Easier for her to type & upload photos from his laptop while they were together. She has gone back to the family & he to the farm for a few more weeks. Things can be a bit mundane between outings.


Back at home, we have begun our half marathon training. No languishing & enjoying the moment post Run Melbourne, just hard slog for the next 10 weeks. I tried a swim yesterday on my day off to stretch out some different muscles. It was lovely day off yesterday and I felt very productive after my swim & did housework & baking after that.

I have a few ideas for layouts with Erin's school photos in and now updates from Hayley. If she can tell me where these places are the pages will come together nicely

I got my racquet restrung with the 'big banger' strings & played with it last night. Well worth the $50 it cost, I played really well after I adapted to the increased power. Watch out girls (& boys) here I come!

Run Melbourne...

Today was race day.

Running Buddy & I have had haphazard training for this event. Training that was interrupted by her wedding & moving houses. Interrupted for me by Hayley's departure, a sore hip and bad weather (who wants to run in the rain?). Nevertheless our sporadic training culminated in a fantastic day.

I wasn't terribly excited by the forecast and yesterday was freezing cold and rained all day. But this morning it was clear, nary a cloud in sight, very little wind but still cold.

I drove into the city and into my pre booked Wilson parking space at Eureka, very close to the start area. As you know parking is a great source of stress for me, so when I stumbled upon this Book a Bay facility I was both excited and relieved. You can go on line, pick the carpark you need, put in your enter & exit times and pay. For today's parking in a guaranteed spot I only paid $5.50. I will do this again, it was brilliant. Not only the price but the surety of a place was so good.


 The race itself was a fabulous course around Melbourne, part of it past the Shrine of Remembrance, the Tan, along the Yarra and past the MCG to finish at Birrarung Mar. Running Buddy had a goal of doing the 10km in 60 mins (well we both did) but she managed it and I was a few minutes behind her, finishing in 1:04:30. I was happy with that result, I'm not sure I can go any faster and also not sure if I want to. My hip doesn't want to.

 We both finished up with a medal that very nicely sums up the day.

Remember this moment 

You've earned it

Our next goal is the half marathon in mid October. I keep reminding her that I will be 50 at that time so am not looking to set any pace records. Just finishing that will be my goal. We have to put lots more k's on our legs before then.

But for now I am going to revel in the achievement of today.

Coffee anyone?...

My new Pixie coffee machine is da bomb! We have been enjoying cappuccinos & lattes everyday. They turn out really well and taste great, the little machine has been a wonderful addition to the kitchen. We have been going through the pods and litres of milk at a great rate but I am a happy girl.

Saying goodbye...

to a local identity.

The large funeral gathering was studded with local names in a tribute to a man who had lived for 89 years in the district.

The service was a history lesson on Bacchus Marsh and very interesting.

Max had also served in RAAF during WW2, flying 30 missions as Skipper of a 6 man crew in a Lancaster Bomber and received a Distinguished Flying Cross. All this at just age 20.






A life of an orchardist growing apples in Bacchus Marsh probably seemed a bit tame after that.

His legacy lives on his family, who did themselves proud today, giving Max a tribute befitting the honourable gentleman he was.

Baby its cold...

on this side of the world anyway.

We have had very chilly mornings and days. If you find a nice spot in the sun out of the wind you can warm your bones, otherwise the heater has been cranked up.

Hayley has been telling me she is warm, spending time in the Spanish sun. The family she is staying with have been very good to her and when they picked her up from the Reus airport they spent the weekend at a local resort.



her accommodation looks very much like this



and she has been finding funny things like this



I have been chatting to her everyday on Viber. She has been telling me how Carme (the host mother) has included her in family outings to the grandparents home, trips to the beach to see fireworks and a confetti festival. She has been earning a little money teaching English to some adults. She is yet to meet up with Backpacker Boy in Spain, he is about an hour away on a farm and his duties there have prevented them from exploring Spain together but Carme is doing a good job.

Meanwhile at home we have been doing very mundane things while Erin has been on holidays. 3 weeks is nearly up. We did manage a trip to the Melbourne Zoo and saw some changes since the last visit. We saw the baby elephant tentatively making his way around their enclosure with the other elephants. And it was the first time we had seen the new seal/fairy penguin enclosure. If we had waited a day we could have been at the Zoo coinciding with Chris' charter.

Other than some trips to the shops and training for Run Melbourne, we have been doing a whole lot of nothing, which is nice way to spend a holiday.

Hola!...

thats hello to you in Spanish.

Hayley has made it to the town of Vila-seca, Tarragona, Spain. She is set up with the Spanish family and each side is struggling with their English/Spanish. A bit like that movie 'Spanglish' except Hayley tells me that they speak Catalan as she is smack in the middle of Catalonia. Her Spanish lessons aren't helping that much. Chris knows about that because they have a GP there as well as a MotoGP and some cycling events as well.

thanks Google maps for showing me where Hayley is now