It's been a while!

It has been a while!  But I might be back..................

My 2 beautiful kids

This is Princess Jess on her formal night with our skater boy Dan - we love them immensely!

2 blooms today

Tonights Dinner (well not mine but the rest of the familys)

Paul's Penang Chicken Curry


Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
1 2/3 cups Ayam coconut cream (unshaken)
2 tablespoons grated palm or brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
500g chicken (we used a bought cooked chook)
4 kaffir lime leaves, spine removed, shredded
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
steamed basmati rice, to serve
2 small red chillies, thinly sliced, to serve

Method
Combine curry paste and peanuts in a bowl. Heat wok over medium heat until hot. Spoon thick top layer of coconut cream into wok (see note). Cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until oil separates and floats to the top. Add curry paste mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add sugar and fish sauce. Cook for 5 minutes or until sauce reduces slightly. Gradually add remaining coconut cream and stock. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Add chicken, kaffir lime and basil to curry and stir to combine. Spoon curry over rice. Top with chillies and serve.
Notes
If the coconut cream you are using does not have a top layer of cream, cook curry paste mixture in 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in step 1.

It's a little spicy so a drink was needed by all.

No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.  ~Channing Pollock

Beautiful orchid flowers

A beautiful Gold Coast evening

A night at the Footy with the Girls

Fortunate to see Legend Lockyer lead the Broncos into the Semis. Great night with my girls at the Footy!!

Vegie patch

Our small veggie patch is starting to take shape. Won't be long until we are enjoying home grown beans, capsicums, spring onions, bok choy, tomatoes and lettuce. Come on Spring!!

The next challenge

This one should be easy! I am going to use everything in my pantry. My pantry is full of stuff that we have bought and used a little of or bought just in case we need it! So I figure with google, the pantry and a few groceries (bought on line of course) we should be right for meals for the next 3 or 4 months.

A few new challenges

I have set myself the challenge of buying everything on line. I have found that, generally, you can get everything cheaper on line these days. So we needed a new fridge water filter and yes I was able to get it half price on line. Success!!

Colourful rainbow

A beautiful end to a glorious day!! We are truly blessed.

Colorful end to the day

A beautiful end to a glorious Gold Coast day!

A great night out with FRIENDS

Peking Duck restaurant provided great food and environment for a wonderful night out with beautiful friends!!

Local wildlife

Unusual for a possum to come out in the middle of the day!

Wow

Wow can't believe it is so long since I blogged.  I shall be on here more often.  I have missed you all xx

Our holiday 27/12/10-6/1/11 on Rhapsody of the Seas

The Ship: Rhapsody of the Seas

The itinerary:

Day 1 - 27 Dec, Sydney, Australia Arr. Embark Dep. 6:30pm


Day 2 - 28 Dec, At Sea

Day 3 - 29 Dec, At Sea

Day 4 - 30 Dec, Noumea, New Caledonia Arr. 8am Dep. 6pm

Day 5 - 31 Dec, Vila, Vanuatu Arr. 11am Dep

Day 6 - 1 Jan, Mystery Island, Vanuatu Arr. 8am Dep. 6pm

Day 7 - 2 Jan, 6pmLifou, Loyalty Island Arr. 7am Dep. 5pm

Day 8 - 3 Jan, Isle of Pines, New Caledonia Arr. 7am Dep. 5pm

Day 9 - 4 Jan, At Sea

Day 10 - 5 Jan, At Sea

Day 11 - 6 Jan, Sydney, Australia Arr. 6:30am Dep. Disembark

 
More tomorrow!!

Remembering my Nan

On 7 January 2010 my beautiful Nan passed away.  I miss her more than words can say!  Nan I love you forever!

We should all have one person who knows how to bless us despite the evidence, Nan was that person to me.

Merry Christmas

From Us to You wherever you are we hope you have a wonderful, merry Christmas and a New Year full of love, laughter, sunshine and Joy!!

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

End of year concert coming up!

Only one week until our Christmas dance concert!  Myself and my girlfriends have been dancing together for about 5 years.  We have a great time!!  Can we dance, well that's questionable, but we certainly do share alot of laughter, love and friendship.  Here we are after a little practice today!!

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair... ~Susan Polis Shutz

Photo Hunt - Hard to find

It's hard to find the sun and blue sky at the moment - even though it's summer!

Go here to tnchick  for more photos

Happy Weekend everyone!

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter

Beautiful one day perfect the next??

La Nina has taken hold!! The weather outlook for the week ahead!

Enjoy your weekend!

The plants are getting a watering today

On this last day of Spring - it's rainy - the plants will love it!  Busy with a work conference over the next 2 days!!

Enjoy your day!

Where does the time go!!!

Well it has been a while and it's nearly Christmas - so to all my blogging friends and family I hope you have a wonderful time!!  We are almost ready for Christmas - love to you all!!

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale



Long time no talkie!!

Well it has been a while since I have blogged - life goes on!!

Visit from my wonderful God Parents:

It was wonderful to spend and share time with them - I love them very much

xxxxxxx

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar

Whether it's the 1980's or 2010 young people are still the same, it is us who have gotten older!!

Helen Reddy - 'I Am Woman' (Live) 1975

I am proud that we finally have a female Prime Minister!!!!

UFO - main beach Gold Coast 5 June 2010.mpg

So the story is - our daughter Jess and her friend needed to film a dance sequence for their dance school assignment. We had to be at the beach around 5am (before sunset) so filming could occur while still dark, then while the sun was rising and then when the sun had risen. The girls were fortunate enough to capture a UFO. This video was shown across the country on Channel nine news on the Saturday night - channel 9 did interview the girls, but unfortunately that part wasn't shown. Anyway it was very exciting for all of us.

Video taken at Main Beach Gold Coast at 5.45am Saturday 5 June 2010 - Sorry the sound did not come across when we copied it.

There's Nothing Like Australia - via Mumbrella

There's nothing like Australia!!

Sunday dinner

Dinner tonight was wonderful Yummy chicken pie!

Serves 4
Cooking time approx 35 minutes

2 tbspns olive oil
1 leek or brown onion thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
500g chicken mince
2 carrots sliced
2 celery sticks sliced
40g packet french onion soup
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 cup of peas
600g potatoes, chopped
400g parsnips, chopped
50g butter
1/2 cup milk

Heat oil in large frying pan over moderate heat.  Add leek and garlic, cook and stir until leek/onion softens.  Add mince, cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, until browned.

Stir in carrot, celery, 1 1/2 cups water and soup mix.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat, simmer until vegies are tender.  Blend cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water.  Stir peas and cornflour mixture into chicken mixture, cook and stir until mixture thickens.  Spoon mixture into a shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish.

Combine potoato and parsnip in a microwave safe dish.  Microwave on high until tender.  Add half the butter and milk, mash until smooth.  Season with salt.

Spoon potato mixture over chicken mixture in prepared dish.  Dot remaining butter on top of potato.  Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven of 180C/160C fan forced until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste.

Laiko Bahrs

Sunday in Surfers Paradise!!

Last Sunday we spent a lovely day in Surfers Paradise.  Jess was filming for her film and tv assignment.  It was great to sit and watch her film her friends exercising in the middle of Cavill Ave!!!  We then had lunch with great friends!! 

Jess preparing her equipment!

Chloe and Amanda rehearsing!!

Chloe rehearsing her part!

Setting up the shoot!!

OK let's have a look - we may need a couple more shoots!!

Maybe the meter maids might join in!!!

Ok thats a wrap!!

mmmmmmmmm lunch with great friends to end the day!!!

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

- Anais Nin

Uncle Kracker - Smile

Happy Mothers Day Mum

To my mum I am wishing a wonderful Mothers Day!!  To my wonderful Aunty Maureen and Aunty Maryann I also wish a wonderful day to them.  To all mums have a wonderful day. 

As a mum I know the great things that mothers do.  But without our children we would not be able to do them!!  So thankyou to all the wonderful children out there who we, as mums, are blessed to have!!

And to my Nan who I miss so much - I love you more than you will ever know xxxxxxx

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

Author Unknown