18 September, 2012

Thematic Photographic - Retro

Last week, when heading down to Woolloomooloo for lunch, I spotted this old car, of which I think is a 'Type 34, Karman Ghia'. The Naval Officer seemed pretty 'chuffed' that I was taking a snap with my iPhone whilst waiting to cross the road!

Thematic Photographic - Retro

This is, of course, a return to Thematic Photographic, and this week, has a 'Retro' theme, and I think this car fits the bill nicely. Certainly a distinct departure from the modern cars of today!

Hoo roo for now... ------

17 September, 2012

Just another manic Monday...

Questions is, did you read the title, or sing it??

After doing the front garden and lawn yesterday, I was thinking about dinner, and what I would do... I have had a craving for a roast lately, and a Pork one at that with some good crackeling... But, with friends coming for dinner, one of which doesn't like the flavour of pork, I thought as to what to do. So, I thought of a dish that I have not done in a while...

Its pretty easy, really, and its quite nice!
Pancetta Wrapped Beef on a bed of Mash and mashed peas
  • 2 x strips of pancetta
  • 1 x Veal Steak (or Beef)
  • 2-3 Baby Potatoes
  • Frozen Peas
  • Garlic (minced)
  • Small Onion
    • These are per person quantaties...
  1. Season meat with a little pepper and simply wrap the Pancetta around your cut of meat. For last nights meal, I used Scotch Fillets as there was no Veal, and its better with a Veal cut as well. Cover with cling wrap and into fridge.
  2. Peal and boil potatoes in a saucepan, and in another saucepan, boil peas until very tender.
  3. Remove meat from fridge and then put into a frypan and seal one side, 3-4 minutes. Then, turn your cut and put lid on frypan, as this will cause a 'sauce'.
  4. Remove potatoes from saucpan, return it to heat; add a nob of butter, teaspoon minced garlic and diced onion and cook until just transulcant (I cheated and used Onion Flakes, works just as well). Then add potatoes and a little cream (or milk) and mash until smooth and creamy.
  5. Drain peas, another nob of butter, and return peas to pot and mash, again until smooth and creamy.
  6. Plating up is simply a stack, a spoon full of mash potato, then of peas, and then place you cut of meat atop. Pour over some of the pan juices/sauce and serve up - YUMMO!
Baked stuffed apples, with ice-creeam and passionfruit juice
  • Granny Smith Apple
  • Sultanas or Dried Fruit
  • Brown (or Raw) Sugar
    • These are per person quantaties...
  1. Core center out from apple.
  2. Stuff Sultanas/Dried Fruit into the center of the apple and cover with sugar
  3. Place into a baking tray, glass/ceramic, and into a pre-heated 180c oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the sugar caramalises and into a sauce.
  4. Serve onto a plate, topped with Ice-cream and cream, and then added a Passionfruit over the top of that - YUMMO!! 
Then, this morning I had to drop my car at the mechanics as it is time for its service and registration. So he could do the 'Pink Slip' to make sure it is road worthy! I, on the otherhand, had to then catch the train into the city, which is never a good experience...

Cityrail - Tangara

Crowded carriages and a $9.60 return fare, I'd rather drive myself in, sit in a comfy car (both train and car was sitting in traffic) and listen to the radio on the way!

I also had to pay for my CTP Greenslip, and this is a rort!!! The Government deregulated to make it cheaper to register cars in NSW some years back. If thats the case, all up, I will be paying $98 CTP, $30 Pink Slip and then another $325 just to register the car!!! And then there is Insurance (this is seperate to Greenslip)!!!

Not sure what I will do for dinner tonight, I actually really enjoyed the vegemite and cheese toastie, so maybe something nice, quick and simple like that...

Hoo roo for now...
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16 September, 2012

Weekend Work & Smelly Things...

Saturday, was going to be a busy day, gardening blah blah blah... But NOOOOO... Something came up and I simply needed a diversion, so luckily enough for me, a mate came over and we simply hung out for the afternoon... Nothing planned, but I had wanted to get down to the Wisteria Gardens Fete, that we use to go to 30 odd years back. They had small rides, show bags and the like, but the gardens were (once) wonderful. It is part of a rehab hospital, so there are also patients walking about. BUT, a few years back, before L died, they had removed a lot of the Cherry Blossom trees, the Ranunculus are gone and so on, but there was a bit of colour all the same...

Wisteria Gardens FeteWisteria Gardens FeteWisteria Gardens Fete

Sunday, this NOW became my gardening day, tidy up the side garden that leads to the front door (on the side of the house; yes), prune, weed and feed the rose garden bed, and the feed the lawn. I stopped for a quick lunch of a Cheese and vegemite toastie - yumm!!

Sunday Lunch - Vegemite & Cheese toastie

I used Chook manure on the side and lawn, and the Roses got Cow manure. Needless to say that the house smells somewhat 'earthy' this evening!!

Side Garden cleaned out and fedWatering in

Hoo roo for now...

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14 September, 2012

Friday Fill-Ins

It's Friday Fill-Ins time, so here we go again...

  1. Sunshine, and hopefully summer, is coming soon, and  I am so looking forward to it... I love the warmth of summer.
  2. Kyle and Jackie O talking on the radio, morning radio is good, and it sets my mood for the day. They were talking about visiting a school, and talking to the kids in kindergarten, when one of the kids said, "I want to be a builder' is the last thing I overheard someone say.
  3. I found a recipe for "Beer Can Chicken", where you put a whole bird, and push it onto a can of beer through its, well... you know, right?, and it really tasted good!
  4. I'm looking forward to so many things, but more importantly, a rest over this weekend... Perhaps, other than gardening, a day in front of the TV watching movies.
  5. Right now I am somewhere I'd rather not be, both physically and mentally! I am at work, shhh, but my head hurts. Maybe a ride this afternoon to clear my head.
  6. Bronty makes me smile! She is stupid at times, yet her unconditional love and happiness when I get home, just makes it all better. 
  7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to fish 'n' chips for dinner, tomorrow my plans include mowing the lawns, throwing out a lot of chook manure out and watered in and Sunday, I want to do NOTHING at all and watch lots of TV! Although, Wisteria Gardens is open, so I may end up down there as it is a beautiful garden, with lots of Spring flowers! 

Hoo roo for now...
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07 September, 2012

Friday Fill-Ins

Something new, so why not!
  1. I am really REALLY tired today, not necessarily 'physically' tired as I have been sleeping well, more 'mentally' tired looking for these gates.
  2. It seems, that now its spring, its time to start renovating the lawn. But first, I need to get me a new mower as the old one 'blew up' last weekend!
  3. Bronty really makes me laugh at times, especially when she knows that it may be 'time' to go out, but 'acts' asleep or disinterested!!
  4. Did you know that birds often hit planes up in the air, and that more than 3 million people fly EVERY day?
  5. I looked more closely and I saw that its often the little things that matter the most.
  6. I'm so glad that, in a few hours, I will be heading home, well not straight home as I am going to the next-sister-down (in-law) home for dinner tonight with my nephews! 
  7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with the family, tomorrow my plans include getting the lawns cut, fertilised and watered in and Sunday, I want to be a great day, surprise filled and lots of fun!
Clivia's are out at the moment, and this is one outside my office (all I had was my iphone sorry)

Clivia spp

Hoo roo for now... ------

06 September, 2012

Thursday Thirteen # 15 - Heritage Research

It has been a while since I have done one of these, but here goes...

I am doing a project at work, that has asked what happened to a set of gates, yes GATES, that were removed from one of the entrances. The Sandstone piers are still in place, well the two outer main piers, and beside them, the two pedestrian gate piers are, where as the center pier was removed (suggested to allow vehicular traffic with cars being wider than a horse and cart)

  1. Gateway first went in (from documentation I have found) in the mid to late 1800, c. 1834 an initial letter and believed to have been completed by 1879. Cost, approx, was 1,279 pounds!
  2. There were many gateways into work, however, these were part of a much wider, now removed, sandstone wall which was built to protect the then Governor's wife.
  3. Some of the gates, have had multiple locations around the site, with the advent of new motorways bisecting the site.
  4. The lower lodge, whilst now removed, was a charming little cottage, but the lodge aside of these gates, is a quaint sandstone cottage!
  5. Whilst originally thought the gates were removed in 1930, I have discovered that they were asked to be removed in 1925, as the police (in particular) were not in favour of the 'unsavoury' behaviour in the parklands behind the gates (which are to be remained open).
  6. A 'possible' theory was that these cast iron gates were most likely melted down to make munitions, although I am yet to find any evidence of this...
  7. Whilst impressive, if still installed (even as a token gesture), I am not sure if it would cause more issues than increasing the sense of 'arrival' into work.
  8.  A website that I am using, Trove, is fantastic, but, our library has a great source of reports, books and files (including photos and artworks) I still have a lot of reading to do.
  9. I also have a contact who sits on a committee I am on, who is an unbelievable source of information... I am so grateful for the knowledge held!
  10. I think I am about at the point, to start compiling the information, into a draft report, and send it on its way, with an updated version to come soon - hopefully, I can get this done by tomorrow!
  11. Today, I shall head over to one of the two libraries and State Records to look through some of the files they have...
  12. Looking forward to lunch over in the city today - not sure where yet, but something nice...
  13. Entrance to The Domain with three unidentified people and view of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral in background, Sydney.
     Entrance to Domain 189_ Robert Morse NLAWithycombe, Robert Morse, 1868-1936. Entrance to The Domain with three unidentified people and view of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral in background, Sydney [picture] [189-] 1 negative : glass Part of Robert Morse Withycombe collection [picture] 1882-1910
Hoo roo for now...
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05 September, 2012

Wordless Wednesday 58 - Rally Time

Around turn 1Jayden Mitsubishi Lancer EVOSubaru Impreza

Hoo roo for now...

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04 September, 2012

What a rip-off (not to mention, BAD service!)!!!!

Several weeks ago, I discovered that my air-conditioner wasn't working... It was the exact problem that happened when under warranty, the 'mother board' has gone!

So, I called Frost for a repair guy to come out, and was told of the charges... In essence, a call out fee then in 15 minute blocks... He came and the clock was on, I told him what the problem was and told him what needed to be checked... Anyway he looked around here, and there... And then, just into the second 15 minute block, he THEN looked at the motherboard, and then concluded that yes, I was right, and that it was gone... He then went on to say that it would be cheaper to simply get a new unit, and suggested brands that they stock...

I listened to what he had to say, but still requested a quote on a repair...

A few weeks later, having not heard a word, I called them up asking as to the status. I was tol that, "we have emailed and left messages with the supplier, and that they are not replying... But, we can sell you a new one, but would need to visit and quote accordingly, but I'd be looking at $3,800"! I replied back by saying, "ok, the loungroom faces west, there's a 4m verandah that stops sun hitting back wall. All walls are insulated and as is the roof space. It is also a 40m2 area, and the current unit is a 7040/7700 heating/cooling BTU' But he still wanted to come out and quote. Anyway, after a couple more days, I called DeLonghi, I obtained a part number and a supplier nearby where I could purchase one for $325, which I forwarded to them in an email...

The following day, I got an emailed quote to repair, $1,100! They outlined that the part quoted needed additional parts, and that, with labour, totaled out at the $1,100!

So, after helping my neighbour cut down my Mulberry Tree (will post about that seperately), I proceeded to take out the part, drive to Wetherill Park (c. 10 minutes), collect the new one, drive back home and install it... All up, an HOUR of my time (including driving) and my Air-conditioner is working again!!!

Old 'Motherboard' unit

New 'Motherboard' unit wrapped in plastic

Hoo roo for now...
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29 August, 2012