27 November, 2005

a great day for ducks

and tea cake.

The Easiest Lemon Tea Cake

Chef: Alison Alexander
Degree of difficulty: Low
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

You need:125g. unsalted butter, at room temperature2 eggsfinely grated zest of 1 lemon3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon caster sugar1 1/2 cups self-raising flour1/2 cup milkTopping:juice of 1 lemon2 tablespoons caster sugar

Method:1. Pre-heat oven to 180deg.C. Line a 20-22cm cake tin with Glad Bake.2. Place all cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters for 4 minutes, scraping the sides to make sure all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for about 35 minutes or until cake is cooked when tested with a wooden skewer.3. Remove cake from the oven and rest in tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the cake evenly with the topping. Serve warm.Topping: Combine lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved.

It has rained heavily all day today and been really cold, but not to be put off, B and I spent the day travelling the Hills District in search of specific plants for the garden;
- roses for the front yard, in particular Kentucky Derby (B's favourite) and Scentimental.
- 3 Curry plants, and
- Scented Gernaniums (apple, lime, ginger, and lemon)

We also managed a visit to Bali Garden, no success there unfortunately, I was after a Mimpi (carved sandstone lady with frangipani's on her head), and lunch at Windsor for the best fish and chips (about the only good thing going for Windsor these days). Now back home it is still too wet to plant out anything so instead we shall eat teacake and watch 'What Not to Wear' snuggled under the doona.

16 November, 2005

a duck, mobile phone and long hair

This post is brought to you because it is over a week since our last post...

I have hopefully saved a wood duck from certain death. Travelling home along the M4 at breakneck speed this afternoon I spotted a duck in the centre of the M4 (I have noticed a theme here, the previous entry also being about an incident on same road), by centre I mean next to the concrete barriers that separate east going traffic from west. The duck was just sitting there, he didn't look hurt, he was alive. However, being on the M4 he wouldn't survive long, and also being on the M4 next to the fast lane, it was not safe or possible to stop/turn back and rescue him. Instead I rang the helpful RTA helpline and after being put through to their emergencies number and explaining the situation, the 'man in charge' well at least the man on the phone promised to send out a crew to rescue the 'little fella" (his words). I was much relieved and thankful that he took me seriously, I half expected a response like 'well, what would you like me to do about it' or 'this is the emergency number, it should be for real emergencies, and you shouldn't be ringing me on your mobile whilst driving, you can't disguise that mobile by your long hair'.

06 November, 2005

What the?!?!?!?

Picture this....
Travelling along Sydneys M4 (Freeway from Sydney to the Greater West, thats not actually free as there is a toll on it, but thats another story!) at approx 100klm/hr.
I looked over my right shoulder (in order to see that the lane was clear to change into it...) and in the Hyundai Excel two lanes over was a guy with Rosary Beads in his hand! Not just holding them, but actually saying three (maybe more) hail mary's! What for?? Your driving along a bloody freeway you idiot!
If you get caught using your mobile, you get fined. If you drive whilst under the influence of alchol, you get fined or if really bad, imprisioned. But, driving along a freeway at over 100 klm, is just plain stupid in my books...
Not that I have anything against using a set of Rosary beads (in the right place... like a church or at home, or if you are the PASSENGER), but NOT when driving!
Take note, if I see something as stupid as this you will be BLOGGED!!!!

a certain kind of torture

it is back to reality. Tassie seems an eternity away. We are back home and I have been imprisoned in the study preparing for my exam tomorrow. There is a strong element of hopelessness in this endeavour - I am sure that the results are not going to be all that positive. So start praying, ramp those prayers up from 2pm - 5pm. I need all the help I can get.