Part 3.

I had the worst cold sores ever. My one stupid cold sore triplicated over night so I woke up on Wednesday morning with my lower lip twice as pouty, and I'm already endowed* with pout. Things on your face are so annoying cos your face is sensitive and you want to avoid being seen, not that it looked really terrible. We drove back to Armidale via another cafe in Bellingen that has nice views, a piano and homemade lemonade, but a limited menu. I had nice banana and coconut bread though.

The rest of the week past quietly. I did the rounds of the op shops in Armidale with A, and the tea shop got some economic stimulation. Watched Smash on DVD, read a light romance about a gardener/illustrator set in Wales, ate, drew some wrens while J did her invoices.

The above is my bounty of treasures! Tea, an egg ring, honey, op shop things.

* word of the week is embrowed. It means well endowed with eyebrows. Well-enbrowed.

Part 2.

On Monday we drove to Bellingen. We stopped for a rest in dorrigo which has some exercise equipment to play on in the park. At Bellingen we had a picnic by the river and then trolled a few of the shops, there are some great op shops so I used the holiday clause of the stopping shopping challenge and bought a $2 skirt and a $4 bag. I really like a $90 yellow bag in a nice clothes shop so it's on the wish list. I used to have a useful small handbag from Colorado, it went tatty and then mouldy in the wardrobe so it got binned. That's how I justify a purchase. Replacement is frugal.

We went on to Urunga and our holiday cottage is in an ordinary street but its really nice.

After a long sit down we drove to check our the nearest beach. There was fine sand blowing like mist.

We got fish and chips for dinner and I was most proud of myself for buying only a piece of grilled salmon instead of battered fish and chips. It was small and not good value but delicious and healthier. Cracked out wine and cheese and chocolate after dinner, had an amazing shower, one of those really generous gushing shower heads in a bathroom with lots of hooks and shelves and things.

On Tuesday we had a sleep in and then went out to find the local honey shop, which makes and sells honey. It says its unbeelievable. Expensive, but delicious honey with ginger in it. Ginger is a positive theme this holiday. I must eat and drink more ginger. Then we went back to Bellingen. Checked out the rest of the shops. We had lunch which was healthy veggie wraps and burgers. If you eat out on holidays it pays to aim for the healthy menus! I bought the yellow handbag from the day before for $90, that's my budget-blower for the week, and a new-quality sense and sensibility book from a second hand book shop for $12, and sent a postcard. We bought fruit and macadamia sourdough and some fruit and veg and cruised back to urunga and got meat at the butcher there. And there was ANOTHER op shop so I bought a teacup with matching saucers for $3. A has been restrained with her shopping and J has bought many op shop clothes.

Then we went back to the beach. Water was a lot colder than the day before but I got value out of my swimmers, J and I had a decent splash about, and we walked the length of the beach which was long. Nature can be exhausting. Then it was evening. We cut up the bread, cracked open some ginger honey and some double Brie and had a pre dinner feast. SOOOOOOO yummy.

Holiday part one: weekend.

Started well enough, but I got a coldsore and probably a bit of a cold too, so on Sunday I was the walking dead. I had a nice time at the art gallery though, where I sat with a teapot of fresh lemongrass and ginger and honey in the sun, magical. The other girls looked at the art, I just sat in the sun recharging and got refills of hot water whenever I finished my tea. Value!!! I must try and grow lemongrass.

Our friends house is badly cluttered and we'd been asked to help tidy while we were there so we spent some time doing sections of that. Eg the walk-in pantry was non-walk-in. It's pretty quick to fix areas like that when it isn't your stuff. No trauma in the throwing away. But the satisfaction of the giant clean is spoiled by not knowing whether it will be maintained. Entropy is not a good system. Organisation takes effort but it is its own reward.

1. A place of everything and everything in its place, like with like.
2. Throw it out.
3. Don't buy it in the first place.

So there was cleaning, and I was feeling run-down and gross. But we had some nice dinners with people on Saturday and Sunday nights and went to church.

Away.

I can't leave that hideous puffy eye photo up any longer. My eyes look a lot better now. I've had a super busy week in many ways. I've been thinking about my future and have put things in God's hands in a proactive but calm sort of way. I've ticked off a massive to-do list of work and personal jobs. I did my first ever dry-cleaning! Which I still haven't collected. I printed photos, which has made me very happy. I paid 5 cents extra per print for a white border, which is worth it because I'm not going to frame them, I'm going to stick them up with reusable sticky tabs, so they'll look semi-framed for very cheap. Photos to come later.

I'm off to Armidale in a little plane tomorrow!

The holiday highlight of my year, along with going to WA. Here are some pleasant memories of last year to make this blog more attractive. I'll be redoing these things.

Pre-holiday week.

My eyes have recently started flaring up. I thought it was a new moisturiser, so I stopped using it, but it hasn't gone away. It might be some common ingredient in a lot of moisturisers, and I'm using a lot of moisturiser around my eyes because the skin is very dry and itchy, and then the allergic reaction on top makes them puffy. I get mornings with eyes so puffy I've got 2 creases under each eye. Think I need to do systemic trials of what I put on my face, one week at a time.

I'm really busy at work this week, which is a shame because I won't be able to go to the New College Lectures.

But on Saturday I'm flying away. Yay.

Home weekend!

This would be a brilliant weekend to wash the winter woolies and put them away. But it might rain. So they'll probably stay in a big pile. I'm going to a Mad Hatter afternoon tea on Saturday, which I am not going to dress up for, although I could probably wear my normal clothes and look reasonably costumed actually. Fail for effort but win for effect, then. Also I'm not going to take any food because I'm not organised enough and also these things are always supremely over-catered for. Because each person brings enough for 7 but eats enough for 1, so there is 7 times as much food as people need. I'm going to help out by eating.

Right now I am waiting to meet E, and we're going to have a quick look at the spring flowers display in DJs which is esp nice this year apparently, and then meet G for dinner and swap nail polishes. It's a frugal way to enlarge your nail polish collection. I call it the nail polish library. Cos after one use, you want a new colour. This way I don't have to buy a bright coral that I'll only use once, I can just borrow one for a few weeks, and other library members can borrow the bright red I'm bored of. I've stuck stickers on all mine so I can get them back eventually. What fun Friday frolics we do have, us city girls! I am so excited.

Church weekend away.

My small evening church went to Long Point (in Maquarie Fields) for the weekend. Even though it's just the edge of Sydney it feels very isolated and quiet. The topic was gender. The talks and seminars were mainly on being God's children and gender roles and how we can love and serve each other. We had delicious slab cake from yael. Best cakes ever. I played the piano. We did Wii Dance Party and trivia. There was a tame pet parrot and some little kids. There was a swimming pool. Saturday felt like the first day of summer. I enjoyed that feeling of being warm and sticky and dirty at the end of the day. No snacking (nacking) went out the window a bit. I didn't have afternoon tea or supper on Saturday but there was so much food. I'm glad to be in control of my own food again. I just eat whatever's in front of me so ove-catered Christian events do me no good at all.

In other news, I'm trying not to grocery shop at the moment. Trying to eat my way through the freezer to clean it out, and the pantry too with any luck. And save money. Apart from fruit and milk.

This is my favourite dance.

Bathurst: Part 2.

 On Sunday I did jillian and then went "up the street" with grandma. At the chemist I scored an amazing bounty! Burt's Bees was 20% off so I got a lip balm and a cuticle cream. Then I noticed it also came with a free gift. The girl forgot to take the discount off the cuticle cream but the free gift made up for that cos I got a second small cuticle cream, two hand creams, foot cream, and face scrub. I kept saying "really? are you sure I get all of these?!" All small sample sizes but not to be sneezed at!

 Dad's cousin visited in the afternoon. It was really warm and sunny outside.

Grandma dropped me at the station on Monday morning at 5.30. The ticket machine only took coins, and I luckily had $8.40 but unluckily it was in too many coins and there is a limit where it cancels the ticket after too many coins so I had to trade a 50 cent from the boy behind me. There was a queue, it was one of those anxious idiot situations. There was a coffee cart there so I could have bought a drink if I needed more change, I realised later. I stepped from 2 degrees into a warm train, and settled in for a very comfortable trip through the foggy hills as the sun came up. There was fog and frost. I did some nice dozing. Got to work at 9.40.

It seemed kind of cruel to be catching the train through the mountains on such a sunny day. So lovely, but staying on the train and going to work.

Bathurst: Part 1.

So long train trips at night are very boring, because its like sitting next to a dark mirror for hours. But I've got lots of podcasts on my iPod and I curled up in scarves. The man behind was an annoying people-person, oversharing to the lady behind him. At 8pm the train stopped in nowhere cos an engine died so he alternatingly complained and played his guitar. The guitar was quite nice.

We were totally broken down for 25 minutes but they got it going again. Everyone clapped. Train got in at 10.05.

I walked in the morning to find some markets, but there were none. I did browse through old stuff for auction so that was nice. Since I didn't want to buy anything anyway.

This is the showground pavilion where the auction stuff was.

I did some useful shopping in town. Walked through the park and took photos of ducks.
Ducks with curly tails.

I went into the old Bathurst hall which  is a liquidation store now. But you can tell there is a ballroom. It's quite interesting. Grandma and grandpa met at a dance there. Fancy. What a terrible shame nobody dances anymore. It would also make quite a good church. There's the main ballroom and lots of side rooms and some upstairs rooms.

I brought Crawford DVD with me and we put it on in the afternoon, grandma really enjoyed it.

Bathurst weekend.

Tonight I'm catching the Bathurst Bullet train after work to visit Grandma for the weekend. No reason, just a visit. I'm taking Jillian, I plan on going to Big W, and seeing if the Saturday morning markets are any good, and I'm taking my camera so that I have something to blog. To which Elsie replied

"YAYAYAYA! I’m so glad you’re taking your camera! I was going to ask, but didn’t want to pressure you :P"

I feel so loved! It's nice to have friends who like seeing my photos!

How the French man kneads bread.

I had a go at this last night. It's not as easy as it looks in the video but I did get the lightest and fluffiest bread I've ever made. Home-made bread tends to be heavy. Also, I cut up a plastic lid to make a scraper like his and it made it way easier.

I used scales like he did and did 1 pound of flour, 2 teaspoons each of yeast and salt, 1 teaspoon of bread improver (optional) and 3/4 pound of water. The ratio of flour to water is important, 1:0.7. My batch was half the size of his so it was not as easy to slap and pull. I didn't do it 100 times like him, just maybe 50. But revolutionary! It's upside-down kneading! It gets so much more air in it!

What wondrous love.

I really like this version of What Wondrous Love is This. For the original, Blue Highway do a good version with harmonies. I enjoy singing that one. But this is a nice twist, turns it into a prodigal son story.

http://wilderadkins.bandcamp.com/track/what-wondrous-love-2



This is the more traditional version, and it has mandolin AND a capella AND a round. Love it.


 
What wondrous love is this, oh my soul, oh my soul, 
what wondrous love is this, oh my soul. 
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss 
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, 
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

In Tenderness.

 http://marshill.bandcamp.com/track/in-tenderness

 In tenderness he sought me
Weary and sick with sin
And on his shoulders brought me
Back to his fold again

While angels in his presence sang
Until the courts of heaven rang

Oh, the love that sought me!
Oh, the blood that bought me!
Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold of God
Grace that brought me to the fold of God

He died for me while I was sinning
Needy and poor and blind
He whispered to assure me,
“I've found thee, thou art mine”

I'd never heard a sweeter voice
It made my aching heart rejoice

Upon his grace I’ll daily ponder
And sing anew his praise
With all adoring wonder
His blessings I retrace

It seems as if eternal days
Are far too short to sing his praise!

Adapted from lyrics: William Spencer Walton (1850-1906)

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/1068

New shirt, new robot wires.

I bought a shirt from Sportscraft this week, on sale. When I was obsessing about buying a grey spotted shirt a few months ago I went instore to try on a standard shirt and see how the sizes run, so I could then order online. I just picked a random shirt I didn't particularly like and it wasn't my style. But then it looked really good on. But I left it and got the sensible grey one. Then I went back on the stopping shopping challenge anyway. So it was off the cards even though I kept liking it. Kept looking on the website and then they ran out of my size, and I heaved a sigh of regret and closed that chapter of my life. Then they had another sale, it was cheaper, and they had 2 in my size! So, I bought it. When you are given a second chance like that, it's a sign. I justify it by saying that I CHOSE it while I was allowed to shop, but waited until the price was right, saving money, and thus I am not breaking the no-shopping-challenge. I am so clever.

I went to the ortho today and got my second set of robot wires on and some grinding done on the bottom teeth to put some gaps in between. Bit of a headache. But I think it's a good sign that I'm on the second set of robot wires. There are only two sets! I can't have that much longer to go. I go back in October.

Canberra: Turner and Portraits in a day.

I don't know what I am standing in front of. I think it's Questacon. Looks like a pink squid on the corner of the roof.

I went to Canberra on Saturday with some friends and we went to the Turner exhibition. I picked up a pride and prejudice board book in the NGA bookshop for $11 (teaches babies to count using P&P). After lunch we went to the portrait gallery which was great. So interesting. Laid out chronologically. All the portraits have a little biography with them so you find a name you recognise like barrington, cos there are mountains named after him, and then you find out that he was a pickpocket who joined the circus, got caught several times but usually talked his way out of it until finally he was transported to NSW where he got good behaviour and became a policeman and got promoted up the ranks like a respectable person. But he died quite young and apparently lunatic. The bookshop in the portrait gallery is brilliant. It's got lots of books on design, architecture, food, and also much cool stationery. But it's very expensive so I didn't buy anything. Because I should write on the stationery I own first, and read my books.

Day walk: Mt Kembla.

A delightful day was had by all.

8 of us traveled down to Mt Kembla, parked at the top of the escarpment and walked to the top of Kembla for lunch, which was a cardioriffic 1.5km. Lovely views over the Illawarra. Perfect opportunity for my miniaturiser effect.

A mouse joined us. I took this photo down between my knees while he sat in front of me.

We walked back down, then did a 5km circuit around the mountain. We did a little side-trip to an abandoned coal mine from the late 1800s.

And we looked at Windy Gully cemetery where some miners are buried. 96 men and boys were killed in 1902 in an explosion, so that was actually the worst disaster in Australia, until the Victorian bushfires. There were a few deadly mines around the area.

We stopped at Austinmere on the way home to replace some calories.

I have it!

I have a walking group. 2 walks with the same group makes a walking group. 6 months apart is fine. It's a group and we walk!

And we bushdanced.

 That was the highlight of my weekend. I did every dance. So much to love about dancing. Music, exercise, silliness, holding hands and twirling. It's very social too, because you swap partners and reassemble in different sized groups all the time, it's like a big get-to-know-you game, "form groups of 3!" then the next dance "form groups of 9!" You've gotta go dressed for comfort, esp in the footwear department. It is NOT the time for cowboy boots, it's the time for cushioned joggers. Nail polish is good though. Because of all the clapping and stuff, your hands are often at eye level. It doesn't improve the dancing, but you know, as far as nail polish opportunities go dancing is good value. FYI, if you are considering getting bales of hay for decoration, the clean-up effort kind of outweighs the decorative value. It was cool to do once, but I think there will be hay in the corners of the church forever.



Photos courtesy of the Outback Bushband. Excellent music and great calling/teaching.

This dance is crazy. The boys lock shoulders and the girls hang on and everyone circles until the girls feet swing off the ground. Extreme bushdancing.

In other news, I'm probably going to have a piano student. I'm rather looking forward to getting to know a little girl, cos I don't have any kid friends at the moment. And a little pocket money too. I think it will be nice. Just as well I didn't throw out my piano teaching stickers in the big declutter! In fact it's just as well I found them in the big declutter, too.