pass the tissues

I need to blow my nose! I have a cold and I feel lousy.

I just thought I'd share that with you.

pink salt

Pink Salt

View of dining area - communal tables

We packed a lot into today, including food, family and shopping. Working backwards:

As the title of this blog suggests (for those who have been watching My Restaurant Rules) we had dinner at Pink Salt, in Manly. I guess I have to admit, we are reality TV junkies. But even so, I can honestly say the food was fantastic, and the service first rate. Evan was the perfect host (Bella had the night off) and Kiralee who served us, was such as sweetie, the whole experience was like you were the most important guests in a friends home.

We sat at a communal table (with 3 other couples), which was fine by us, we didn't have to wait long, in fact we walked up to the door and were seated straight away. In some ways I had been hoping we wouldn't eat for at least an hour, as we had come straight from the family easter lunch (4 hours of eating).

I bought some of the pink salt flakes as a souvenier, and because I liked it. I also liked the idea that in a very small way if more people used it, it might help with Australia's serious inland salinity problem. The salt is naturally pink and from the Murray/Darling River region. It contains naturally occurring minerals and elements resulting in a high quality salt with a unique flavour, and such a pretty colour.


Dinosaur Design bowl with pink salt

I also liked how the salt was presented in a tiny pink dinosaur design bowl. I think I need to add to my dinosaur design collection.....

Today was Easter Sunday, and we had lunch at Auntie C's in Randwick, this consisted of lots of food, chocolate and sitting around. It was nice.

We had a rushed morning, after going to the Royal Easter Show the night before and discovering the stall selling hand woven and felted cotton and wool mix wraps were almost sold out, we panicked and took ourselves back in to the Show first thing this morning. I wanted one to wear to the Littlest Sister's wedding next weekend. I had originally thought that an aqua green would be the best colour to go with the dress I was going to wear, we took the dress with us and instead I got a mauve and pale green/grey striped one which matches perfectly. Just as well really as the green ones had all sold out. I would put a link to Ann Collins who makes these divine wraps but she does not have a website just yet. B gave her a lot of encouragement to get one up and running. She visits the St Ives Heritage Craft Fair from time to time though.

I also purchased the Miffy Alphabet cross-stitch as we made the dash out of the showgrounds.

fish mornay

Well, today went looking for a bit of fish! Not any old fish, but a special fish to replace chilli. After almost 30 mins looking for parking in Westfield, we finally got ourselves a spot and joined the masses inside.

We not only trudged around the majors within, but found a plentiful supply of chocolate goodies for tomorrows 'Easter' binge. We had made ourselves a list of 'to-do' items, one of which was to find a suitable replacement for the dearly departed chilli. On the list of attributes required, was a long whispy fins & tail, pretty colouring and attitude! Well, we got two out of three, it remains to be seen about the attitude and if he will allow Jasmine to share HIS living space!

So long Chilli

After much discussion over names (Chilli, Bok Choi, Jalapeno, Jesus (prouounced 'hey zeus' & it is the Easter Weekend!!) ,and Lavender due to his colour), we introduce Mornay!

Mornay

chilled out

Chilli the siamese fighting fish has passed away. Chilli has been a good pet, causing us no trouble, just quietly doing laps of the vase and tolerating Jasmine (the cat) drinking his water. Chilli was our second siamese fighting fish, our first fighting fish was also named Chilli (I liked the name) although Chilli the first met his death through an unfortunate circumstance, which goes something like this:

The scene - winter, it's cold in the loungeroom
Me to B and the Next Sister Down who is visiting: Do you think Chilli is feeling cold?
B: I think he's all right
Me sticking a finger in the water : He's a tropical fish isn't he? The water is cold!
So I turn on the new MicroFurnace ceramic heater and place the vase (fish bowl) in front of the heater.
B: What are you doing?
Me: I'm warming the water up a bit for him
Next Sister Down: I don't think that is such a good idea
Me: It's all right
A couple of minutes later...
Next Sister Down: I think that's enough, you'll end up cooking him
Me: Don't be silly, it'll take ages before it heats up, look he's swimming around now, he was cold
Next Sister Down: I think you're wrong..... I think he's in the throws of death
A few kamakazi dives later and I had to admit she was right.

Chilli the second, was not given any such helping hand from me apart from a sprinkling of food each day. He had lasted 2-3 years, and we kind of expected he would be with us for while yet. We had a bit of a chuckle earlier in the day when Nat, who will be houseminding for us in a couple of weeks, said we had better get her a photo of the fish cause she couldn't see him in the bowl, and should he die on her she would need to know what to replace him with. We just laughed it off. So it was with some suprise to find him dead this evening.

Blogging friends

Today we finally got to meet 'N'! What was supposed to be dinner, ended up with a late night (thanx 'A') and an early morning (THANX 'A') and before we all knew anything else, it was arranged for both 'A' and 'N' to come over for morning tea, which naturally carried over to lunch!
Today we had 'Spicy Fish' on a bed of 'Cockroach (in joke after My Restaurant Rules) Rice, and veges of Carrots, Peas and Brussel Sprouts YUK!

A good time was had by all, and cant wait to do it all again!!!

Blogging friends

bloggerbot bother

There is something wrong with bloggerbot! I have a couple of posts waiting in the wings, and about half a dozen photos to illustrate however, bloggerbot is stuck at please wait, loading.

I think I might go back to my less than weekly postings....

yummy little cupcakes

we returned to the Royal Easter Show today and came home with our own little stash of cupcakes from the My Little Cupcake stand.

cupcake anyone?....too late they're all gone!

These are the best cupcakes, besides the one's the Next Sister Down makes of course. The self-appointed taste tester also agrees...

Macc: Who left that cupcake outside my (dog)house?

Macc, did his usual trick of helping himself, when B and I were distracted by a loud noise out front.

We were only at the Show for a few hours, we covered some old ground but also said hello to some geese and chooks.

curly feathered goose

pretty chook

secret women's business

the women folk gathered at the Littlest Sister's place for the Kitchen Tea today. The Next Sister Down had devised some good games although, one which involved putting on a wedding dress and picking up smarties with chopsticks, was a too much of a challenge for most.

silly smartie game

B is with the men, who have gone to play lawn bowls and have dinner at the Lowenbrau. This should provide me with an opportunity to get some study done, or not.

a right royal day

apart from the early start - having to drop B off at work and pick mum up before heading back almost from where I had started - and despite the rain, it was a good day. But then, I always love the Royal Easter Show.

I could've done with a spare couple of thousand dollars though to buy a beautiful pair of pearl drop earrings from the Pearls for Girls stand; a wool and cotton felted wrap (I might still go back for that one); a pale turquoise/aqua leather briefcase/bag; a 'frayed shade' lampshade; and Dick Bruna Alphabet needlework (and I might still go back for that too).

With a budget of $150 or thereabouts I did get a vintage mirror lidded glass box from 'The Shed', a cake decorating book from Better Homes and Gardens, gourmet biscuits (to take to the Littlest Sister's Kitchen Tea Party tomorrow), a beaded throw from My Little Cupcake, as well afternoon tea (coffee and cupcakes) for mum, B and me.

Highlights of the day, were the treasures found, bumping into the 'Princess of the East', fashion and style pavilion and the fashion parade, Miffy's garden (so cute), and the Woolworth's Fresh Food Dome. The Horticulture Pavilion was a bit disappointing this year but apart from that the quality of the exhibitions at the show was much improved.

doing the hedges in Miffy's garden

Miffy: Excuse me while I water my flower.

favourite district exhibits

B and I hope to return on Sunday, B only had an hour with us after he finished work, so hopefully we can bring you some photos.

let me reacquaint you....

too many commitments are distracting me from blogging. Work is busy, and uni is back for both B and Me, so we are in competition for the computer. I have been so busy that no quilting, x-stitch, or other creative pursuit has been done either.

So at my desk, over a sandwich, before my next meeting at 1.30pm, a brief update:

• the faulty toaster has been returned and a replacement is yet to be purchased
• a new breakfast has been discovered 'Spicy Date and Cinnamon Museli'
• B is a year older, and although I forgot to wish him a happy birthday, he did get a good pressie from me, and enjoyed a B'day BBQ with his 'adopted family', mum, and A
• the icing has been purchased for the Littlest Sister's wedding cake (the wedding being just over 2 weeks away)

And, in case it is over a week before I blog again...

Tomorrow, I am going to the Royal Easter Show with mum, Saturday, is the Littlest Sister's Kitchen Tea, and beyond that I have a few days annual leave which require some serious attention be given to uni work.