Hello lovers.
It's been an age since last I blogged. Things have been travelling along quite swimmingly and I have had plenty to occupy me.
I enrolled in a couple of short courses to prepare me for the big one. One is called 'Writing at University' and the other is something to do with learning how to study online. I have attacked these ferociously and am really enjoying learning... so far! I went back to Aus last Tuesday and headed down to Wagga for a residential school. Here I met lots of lovely ladies and gents who are my fellow students, as well as the lecturers who all seem to be really down to earth and fun. Was a really good few days.
I am very tired so if it sounds like I am waffling crap, I am.
While I was in Aus I caught up with Carli, Yaz, Bundy, Myf, Michelle, Chris, Mum, Dad, Max and Pom. Was fantastic to see everyone.
God I'm sleepy! We were playing the licking game while we should have been in the land of zzz's. Silly kids.
Today I'm on a bit of a mission to gather costume for Ben's Johnny Cash. We are going to a 50's themed 30th on the weekend. I'm going as the good little house wife that I am - wearing my favourite blue dress and Ilona's old heels. Looking up some Hawkes Bay hairdressers to see if I can get my hair done.
Night all xxx
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Good posture, ducking and well fitting boots.
Take note of the above, fair readers. These three things are vital to a pain free life as I am discovering in this, my 30th year. Allow me to elaborate, if you will.
My posture is shocking and as a result my back is giving me the grief that I apparently deserve. I have a niggling little pain to the right of my spine, about mid back upon inspiration and if I sit or lay funny. I have been working on sitting up straight and today it is a much better.
Ben and I went to a gorge in The Coromandel Penninsula yesterday. This morning we worked on my pronunciation of the name of this particular gorge but I can't remember what it is three hours later. I digress. This walk led us through some old gold mine tunnels, most of which require a torch to enable one to get to the other side safely. Even with a torch, I still managed to smash my head on a low hanging rock at the end of one of the tunnels. The pain! But more so I think it was the shock that caused me to bawl like a smacked child. Luckily I had my trusty fishing hat on to save my head from being split open. Learn from my mistake friends, duck when walking through underground tunnels.
Last but not least, if ever you are shopping for tramping boots please remember that cheap is not always good. One of the blisters I attained from the bargain bin boots we bought a few weeks back was so deep it is taking ages to heal. I have a 2cm split on my left heel that is weepy and every time it seams itself up it splits again when I walk/ sit/ sleep. True, this could happen with any pair of boots but it happened with these and I loathe them. Nevertheless, I shall persist with them. Once I heal I will be submitting myself to more punishment and wearing them again. And again and again and again until they behave. Take that stupid boots. (I've just been told I rattle on too much about my blisters, so this is the last you'll hear of them. Slow news day.)
Love!
xxx
My posture is shocking and as a result my back is giving me the grief that I apparently deserve. I have a niggling little pain to the right of my spine, about mid back upon inspiration and if I sit or lay funny. I have been working on sitting up straight and today it is a much better.
Ben and I went to a gorge in The Coromandel Penninsula yesterday. This morning we worked on my pronunciation of the name of this particular gorge but I can't remember what it is three hours later. I digress. This walk led us through some old gold mine tunnels, most of which require a torch to enable one to get to the other side safely. Even with a torch, I still managed to smash my head on a low hanging rock at the end of one of the tunnels. The pain! But more so I think it was the shock that caused me to bawl like a smacked child. Luckily I had my trusty fishing hat on to save my head from being split open. Learn from my mistake friends, duck when walking through underground tunnels.
Last but not least, if ever you are shopping for tramping boots please remember that cheap is not always good. One of the blisters I attained from the bargain bin boots we bought a few weeks back was so deep it is taking ages to heal. I have a 2cm split on my left heel that is weepy and every time it seams itself up it splits again when I walk/ sit/ sleep. True, this could happen with any pair of boots but it happened with these and I loathe them. Nevertheless, I shall persist with them. Once I heal I will be submitting myself to more punishment and wearing them again. And again and again and again until they behave. Take that stupid boots. (I've just been told I rattle on too much about my blisters, so this is the last you'll hear of them. Slow news day.)
Love!
xxx
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Empty Vessels Make Most Sound...
Yes they do.
I baked again this morning. We had some old bananas in the fridge that looked like they wanted to be made into something yummy, so I made banana bread. This time I added walnuts and holy dooley! This is the best banana bread I have ever made!!
In case you are feeling bakey yourself, here is the recipe:
2 mushy bananas
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup sifted self raising flour
pinch of salt
Mash up the bananas with the back of a fork and mix in the golden syrup and sugar. Crack in the egg and add the sifted flour and salt, then gently mix everything together.
Pop into a loaf tin and cook in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for 30 - 35 minutes or until you can skewer it and the skewer comes out clean.
These are the basic ingredients, but you can experiment and add what ever tickles your fancy. Blueberries, walnuts and chocolate are great! Mix them in with the other ingredients just before you transfer the mix into the loaf tin.
In other news, my new hiking boots ate my feet on the weekend. Ben and I drove to his parents holiday house in Pukawa on Friday after I finished work and were joined by Phil and his friend Rich on Saturday afternoon. We planned to get up ridiculously early on Sunday morning to climb Mt Tongariro but thanks to a late night and much alcohol the night before, there was a last minute change of plans. Instead it was decided that we would go to the top of Mt Ruapehu instead. So we dragged our tired arses out of the house and up the mountain only to find that we were a good hour too early for the chair lifts (that take you most of the way to the top - something like 2,797m high). Another change of plans and we were on a track walking to the Tama Lakes.
Almost immediately after lacing up my new boots my left foot went numb. I thought this might get better after walking for a while and unfortunately it did, for once I regained feeling in my foot I could feel the blisters forming!! Bloody ouch! We were walking for about five hours and I was in a good amount of pain for at least four. It was a beautiful walk though, and I am very grateful to Ben for pulling me up the hills.
We had another walk planned this weekend which we probably aren't going to be doing now. We were going to be tramping around Mt Taranaki, a four day hike. Thanks to a dodgy looking weather forecast and some monster blisters on both of my heels and pinky toes this has been called off. I suggested the movies or horse riding instead but Ben and Phil don't sound too keen on either of these ideas.
I am back in two weeks from today! I am most excited about this. Can't wait to see everyone and Bundy and Myf. My subject outlines for uni have been posted online and I have been wetting my pants in anticipation for the 28th February when I can start studying. I think this makes me a nerd.
I think that's all for now. A couple of new photographs of things we've done will be up as of about three minutes from now, so have a geez if you want - www.flickr.com/photos/imasmellywombat.
Love you my lovers.
xxx
I baked again this morning. We had some old bananas in the fridge that looked like they wanted to be made into something yummy, so I made banana bread. This time I added walnuts and holy dooley! This is the best banana bread I have ever made!!
In case you are feeling bakey yourself, here is the recipe:
2 mushy bananas
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup sifted self raising flour
pinch of salt
Mash up the bananas with the back of a fork and mix in the golden syrup and sugar. Crack in the egg and add the sifted flour and salt, then gently mix everything together.
Pop into a loaf tin and cook in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for 30 - 35 minutes or until you can skewer it and the skewer comes out clean.
These are the basic ingredients, but you can experiment and add what ever tickles your fancy. Blueberries, walnuts and chocolate are great! Mix them in with the other ingredients just before you transfer the mix into the loaf tin.
In other news, my new hiking boots ate my feet on the weekend. Ben and I drove to his parents holiday house in Pukawa on Friday after I finished work and were joined by Phil and his friend Rich on Saturday afternoon. We planned to get up ridiculously early on Sunday morning to climb Mt Tongariro but thanks to a late night and much alcohol the night before, there was a last minute change of plans. Instead it was decided that we would go to the top of Mt Ruapehu instead. So we dragged our tired arses out of the house and up the mountain only to find that we were a good hour too early for the chair lifts (that take you most of the way to the top - something like 2,797m high). Another change of plans and we were on a track walking to the Tama Lakes.
Almost immediately after lacing up my new boots my left foot went numb. I thought this might get better after walking for a while and unfortunately it did, for once I regained feeling in my foot I could feel the blisters forming!! Bloody ouch! We were walking for about five hours and I was in a good amount of pain for at least four. It was a beautiful walk though, and I am very grateful to Ben for pulling me up the hills.
We had another walk planned this weekend which we probably aren't going to be doing now. We were going to be tramping around Mt Taranaki, a four day hike. Thanks to a dodgy looking weather forecast and some monster blisters on both of my heels and pinky toes this has been called off. I suggested the movies or horse riding instead but Ben and Phil don't sound too keen on either of these ideas.
I am back in two weeks from today! I am most excited about this. Can't wait to see everyone and Bundy and Myf. My subject outlines for uni have been posted online and I have been wetting my pants in anticipation for the 28th February when I can start studying. I think this makes me a nerd.
I think that's all for now. A couple of new photographs of things we've done will be up as of about three minutes from now, so have a geez if you want - www.flickr.com/photos/imasmellywombat.
Love you my lovers.
xxx
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Here's one I prepared earlier.
Here is a picture of the Lamingtons I made yesterday. They were so much fun to make! I think I over cooked the cake a bit but other than that they turned out pretty good. Ben's friend Ewout from Holland had never tried Lamingtons before last night and he had two. I went to the grocery shop yesterday afternoon to get some desicated coconut for the Lamingtons and some beer. The lovely ladies at the shop sold me the VB (it was Aussie Day after all) despite me not being able to produce my passport as ID. They don't accept foriegn licences here and as a result I have been refused service before. I told the ladies yesterday that I was 30 in June and I think they all thought I was pulling their legs but in the end they gave me the benefit of the doubt anyway, bless em!
We had dinner in town with Ewout last night which was lovely. Afterwards we came back here and I plugged myself into the computer and listened to the tail end of the Hottest 100. I VOTED FOR BIG JET PLANE!! So chuffed!! I wish I'd been in Aus to spend the day with my buds, but I had a pretty good day anyway.
I got my first Kiwi pay today! It feels so good to be earning again.
Hope your hangovers are brief.
xxx
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Happy Aussie Day!! from NZ...
Why G'Day!
I woke up next to my lovely Ben this morning after having a rather strange dream about Avis and penises and my third thought (after 'What the...?' and 'I need to get out more...') was 'It's Aussie Day'! I have been encouraging Ben to have a half day today so we can listen to the Hottest 100 together, or more to the point, so I can have company and don't feel like such a loner. I reckon I'm pushing shit uphill a bit though as the world doesn't stop because it's Australia Day and I'm here on my own.
How depressing!
Like a good little Aussie I am listening to Magic Dirt and and contemplating making Lamingtons. Here is the first recipe I came across:
Ingredients:
4 oz butter
3/4 cup castor sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup milk
Chocolate icing:
4 cups (454 grams) icing sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
Coating:
2 cups (480 ml) unsweetened desiccated coconut, finely ground
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla, beat in eggs. Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Spoon into greased and lined pan (approx 8" x 11") Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. Cool and store for a day. Cut into squares; dip in chocolate icing, then roll in coconut.
Icing:
Place the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and of pouring consistency.
How exciting for you! I have come to realise that this blog has become therapy for me rather than news for you, good reader. Thanks, you are a great listener.
Let me think... news... I am reading War and Peace. How's that for news!
Anyway, enjoy your Australia Day. Have a beer for me.
xxx
Later that day...
My Lamingtons look amazing! I can't wait to eat one. I have made a 'DO NOT EAT US SIGN' to stick up in the fridge because no doubt once Benji gets home they will be short lived. YUM!
I woke up next to my lovely Ben this morning after having a rather strange dream about Avis and penises and my third thought (after 'What the...?' and 'I need to get out more...') was 'It's Aussie Day'! I have been encouraging Ben to have a half day today so we can listen to the Hottest 100 together, or more to the point, so I can have company and don't feel like such a loner. I reckon I'm pushing shit uphill a bit though as the world doesn't stop because it's Australia Day and I'm here on my own.
How depressing!
Like a good little Aussie I am listening to Magic Dirt and and contemplating making Lamingtons. Here is the first recipe I came across:
Ingredients:
4 oz butter
3/4 cup castor sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup milk
Chocolate icing:
4 cups (454 grams) icing sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
Coating:
2 cups (480 ml) unsweetened desiccated coconut, finely ground
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla, beat in eggs. Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Spoon into greased and lined pan (approx 8" x 11") Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes. Cool and store for a day. Cut into squares; dip in chocolate icing, then roll in coconut.
Icing:
Place the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and of pouring consistency.
How exciting for you! I have come to realise that this blog has become therapy for me rather than news for you, good reader. Thanks, you are a great listener.
Let me think... news... I am reading War and Peace. How's that for news!
Anyway, enjoy your Australia Day. Have a beer for me.
xxx
Later that day...
My Lamingtons look amazing! I can't wait to eat one. I have made a 'DO NOT EAT US SIGN' to stick up in the fridge because no doubt once Benji gets home they will be short lived. YUM!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
It's really hard to concentrate on writing a blog while listening to the Hoodoo Gurus on your headphones.
G'Day!
It's Aussie Day eve and I am in NZ! Does anyone want to make an impromptu visit to the Shakey Isles to bury some Fosters with me tomorrow? Will provide food, bedding and sheep to chase...? Get in touch post haste and I shall arrange to have you collected from the airport in a gold encrusted Mazda 3.
No, really, it is very hard to concentrate on anything but air guitar with the Hoodoo Gurus playing. I can still recall the time, she said she was always mine. And she left, as people do, and forget what we've been through...
Back to ze riveting blog that I shall spew forth for your semi entertainment.
I am really enjoying my new job! It sucks that it's only a day or two a week at this stage but I have picked up a few extra shifts as the full time staff start to go on holidays in a couple of weeks. Should be crackers. It's really nice to be nursing again, I forgot how much I enjoy it. Once I start uni at the end of February I will have something to fill in my days off. Until then I am going to do puzzles. Really, really big puzzles with lots of colour blocks so it takes me ages to figure them out.
Speaking of uni, I am coming back for a brief visit and to head to Wagga Wagga to attend a residential school for a few days. I'll be staying on campus and meeting my class mates and things. I am very much looking forward to this! I plan to linger at my folks for a few days following, making a nui(my girl don't love me no more!)sance of myself and eating all their food. Mum (oh god, Tojo is my favourite song on this album) had a partial knee reconstruction last week so I'll make her cups of tea and rub her feet and be the good daughter that I sometimes am.
Today I am motoring in to Manukau to get my glasses fixed and watch a movie. My specs were accidentally elbowed off my head in the heat of a 'play fight' (Benjamin fending off my spin attack)a couple of weeks ago and are now slightly askew. I'm normally very OCD about my glasses being straight so this has been a very good test of my cool! Not sure what flick I'll see yet, whatever is about to start when I arrive I suppose.
One of Ben's colleagues from Aus is arriving for work tomorrow. He is staying in the little granny flat next to our house and I am bit looking forward to another familiar face being around for a couple of days.
What else.... hmmm.... oh yes. We are moving out of the guest house in a week or so, maybe. Our current arrangement was only ever temporary so our suitcases are still packed (mainly due to lack of clothing receptical)and we wait with baited breath for word that we can move out of here and into somewhere that we may be able to settle into. Even then, if the company moves someone with a family out here and they need the house we are in, we are shifted again. So the campaign has begun for us to move into a furnished apartment in town. Sheep are fine as neighbours but they make some weird gutteral sounds in the night. Quite spooky at times. I suppose human neighbours tend to do the same... hmmm...
Ben and I are doing great. I feel kinda sorry for him being my only sounding board but he is very patient and having just finished a massive solo stint in Asia, understands solitude better than anyone. I am very lucky to have such a great fella (cue bucket).
I think that just about covers it. The Hoodoo Gurus just finished and I am now listening to The Lemonheads. Must. Dance. FOCUS!
One last thing. Kids - eat your vegies. Apparantly I haven't been eating enough and as a result have developed a little sore in the side of my mouth. I am the new poster girl for malnutrition! I'm on the mend though - we did a good shop last night and got lots of healthy stuff and some multivitamins. Just need to keep my mouth shut for a few days and hopefully it will heal itself to hell.
Let me know your flight time this arvo/ tomorrow and I'll pick you up from AKL. Can't wait to see you.
xxx
It's Aussie Day eve and I am in NZ! Does anyone want to make an impromptu visit to the Shakey Isles to bury some Fosters with me tomorrow? Will provide food, bedding and sheep to chase...? Get in touch post haste and I shall arrange to have you collected from the airport in a gold encrusted Mazda 3.
No, really, it is very hard to concentrate on anything but air guitar with the Hoodoo Gurus playing. I can still recall the time, she said she was always mine. And she left, as people do, and forget what we've been through...
Back to ze riveting blog that I shall spew forth for your semi entertainment.
I am really enjoying my new job! It sucks that it's only a day or two a week at this stage but I have picked up a few extra shifts as the full time staff start to go on holidays in a couple of weeks. Should be crackers. It's really nice to be nursing again, I forgot how much I enjoy it. Once I start uni at the end of February I will have something to fill in my days off. Until then I am going to do puzzles. Really, really big puzzles with lots of colour blocks so it takes me ages to figure them out.
Speaking of uni, I am coming back for a brief visit and to head to Wagga Wagga to attend a residential school for a few days. I'll be staying on campus and meeting my class mates and things. I am very much looking forward to this! I plan to linger at my folks for a few days following, making a nui(my girl don't love me no more!)sance of myself and eating all their food. Mum (oh god, Tojo is my favourite song on this album) had a partial knee reconstruction last week so I'll make her cups of tea and rub her feet and be the good daughter that I sometimes am.
Today I am motoring in to Manukau to get my glasses fixed and watch a movie. My specs were accidentally elbowed off my head in the heat of a 'play fight' (Benjamin fending off my spin attack)a couple of weeks ago and are now slightly askew. I'm normally very OCD about my glasses being straight so this has been a very good test of my cool! Not sure what flick I'll see yet, whatever is about to start when I arrive I suppose.
One of Ben's colleagues from Aus is arriving for work tomorrow. He is staying in the little granny flat next to our house and I am bit looking forward to another familiar face being around for a couple of days.
What else.... hmmm.... oh yes. We are moving out of the guest house in a week or so, maybe. Our current arrangement was only ever temporary so our suitcases are still packed (mainly due to lack of clothing receptical)and we wait with baited breath for word that we can move out of here and into somewhere that we may be able to settle into. Even then, if the company moves someone with a family out here and they need the house we are in, we are shifted again. So the campaign has begun for us to move into a furnished apartment in town. Sheep are fine as neighbours but they make some weird gutteral sounds in the night. Quite spooky at times. I suppose human neighbours tend to do the same... hmmm...
Ben and I are doing great. I feel kinda sorry for him being my only sounding board but he is very patient and having just finished a massive solo stint in Asia, understands solitude better than anyone. I am very lucky to have such a great fella (cue bucket).
I think that just about covers it. The Hoodoo Gurus just finished and I am now listening to The Lemonheads. Must. Dance. FOCUS!
One last thing. Kids - eat your vegies. Apparantly I haven't been eating enough and as a result have developed a little sore in the side of my mouth. I am the new poster girl for malnutrition! I'm on the mend though - we did a good shop last night and got lots of healthy stuff and some multivitamins. Just need to keep my mouth shut for a few days and hopefully it will heal itself to hell.
Let me know your flight time this arvo/ tomorrow and I'll pick you up from AKL. Can't wait to see you.
xxx
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I like to give the people what they want... Thursday 20th January 2011
Word on the street is that people don't always want to hear the good stuff. Sometimes they want to read about the shit that goes on in the lives of others. After all, is anyone truely happy all of the time?
So I'm going to tell you about some shit that happened to me on Monday.
I went in to my new place of employment for a bit of a trial day. While I was there I monitored an anaesthetic for a cat dental. One of the tasks involved in this is checking the patients temperature at regular intervals to ensure their temperature doesn't drop too much. As in people, it is much nicer for puppies and kitties to have things stuck in their bottom if a little bit of KY is employed, so I, being the lovely vet nurse that I am, did the KY thing and took kitty's temperature.
There are two types of thermometres typically used for general temperature taking these days - mercury thermometres and electronic thermometres. The electronic variety do not require shaking to get an accurate reading and on Monday I found out that this is a very handy feature.
While shaking down the mercury thermometre after taking this kitty's temperature I felt something land in my hair. Sure enough, it was some faeces laced KY from the end that had just come out of the bottom of poor kitty.
That's my shit story for the week. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures!
So I'm going to tell you about some shit that happened to me on Monday.
I went in to my new place of employment for a bit of a trial day. While I was there I monitored an anaesthetic for a cat dental. One of the tasks involved in this is checking the patients temperature at regular intervals to ensure their temperature doesn't drop too much. As in people, it is much nicer for puppies and kitties to have things stuck in their bottom if a little bit of KY is employed, so I, being the lovely vet nurse that I am, did the KY thing and took kitty's temperature.
There are two types of thermometres typically used for general temperature taking these days - mercury thermometres and electronic thermometres. The electronic variety do not require shaking to get an accurate reading and on Monday I found out that this is a very handy feature.
While shaking down the mercury thermometre after taking this kitty's temperature I felt something land in my hair. Sure enough, it was some faeces laced KY from the end that had just come out of the bottom of poor kitty.
That's my shit story for the week. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures!
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