Sunday 13 June 2010

No phone or Internet sucks and History Alive 2010

Well, since 5 June, I've had no internet or phone connection. It took them a week to work out what I knew on 5 June – that's not the modem, it's actually a line problem. As it's a long weekend here this weekend, no chance of a technician until Tuesday. If I'm lucky.


 

Of course, if they don't come Tuesday, then I will probably have to take another day off to wait for them. Added to the fun of, if the problem is actually in the building I live in, then I have to pay $230 for the technician.


 

Just what I needed! NOT!!


 

As a result of this, I've been haunting the local Maccas using their wifi, and have no discovered that BCC libraries now have free unlimited connection (when I last saw the info, you had to book and it was an hour – just like using their own computers).


 

So – library was a bugger to setup (make it easy? Why would they do that?) but now am here and computing.


 

I hope that this gets fixed soon – I am not coping too well, apart from missing Ste so much that I've been crying myself to sleep.


 

Fortunately, this morning at 6.30am (too cold, too dark, but worth it) I was back at Maccas because he could get online (don't go there – he's having computer problems too) and we could talk. Which we did. Until the batteries on my laptop ran out. It was good though. Long, long chat about him moving out here. Am so looking forward and needing that too!!


 

Yesterday, Mari and I went to History Alive at Fort Lytton – and it was fun to go to something like that when I didn't have to garb up, or have any responsibilities. Where else would you see a Roman centurion taking to a WWII digger??


 

The funniest bit, though, was just as the High Medieval (15th century) tourney was starting, a navy patrol boat came up the river! Great fun!


 

It was good to see friends there, although even with sunscreen I go a little burned (yes, Mari. I know), and the rough ground had my knee protesting towards the end (I actually had to go sit down for a while) and I ended up last night using a heat pack on it as I could barely walk.


 

Still – worth it for a good day.

Saturday 29 May 2010

Getting down to cooking...

I am totally in love with the Mixed Box from www.farmfreshcentral.com!


 

For the last two fortnights, I'm getting one automatically delivered and it means I've been doing so much more cooking each weekend – but it also means lots more healthy eating!!


 

The crock pot (slow cooker) is out and has been busy the last couple of weeks. Last weekend I did both Potato and Leek soup and Pumpkin and Bacon soup. Yummy to get home from work and have a nice mug of home made soup!


 

I wasn't as happy with the Pumpkin soup – not enough pumpkin to make it really thick and it was a little sweet (used butternut pumpkin) for my taste. Next time I'll use Kent or Qld Blue. However, the Potato & Leek was terrific (had the last of it for lunch today).


 

Today the crockpot has been really busy making curried sausages and I'm looking forward to some of that for lunch tomorrow.


 

I'm getting a good variety of fruit and vege in each box. There is some wasteage – I just can't eat it all in the fortnight (specially a whole lettuce – I'm not overly fond of lettuce) but with winter a lot of the vege can be turned into soup towards the end of the fortnight.


 

I am looking forward to seeing what I get as the seasons turn!

Friday 23 April 2010

Fruit & Vege Delivery

I've been a subscriber for a couple of years of Farm Fresh Central here in Brisbane (www.farmfreshcentral.com). Yesterday I decided to give them a go. I ordered a small fruit and vege box ($30.00) and 1kg sausages ($5.00). You see, I don't much like the fruit & vege in the supermarkets, and my favourite fruit & vege shop (Farmer Joe's) has closed due to the Airport Tunnel project. (Apparently they will not be re-opening).

Well, my box of fruit and vege arrived today and I'm really happy with it. A really nice selection – spuds, onions, a leek, a sweet potato, lovely lettuce, couple of cucumbers, beans, half a cauliflower, half a rockmelon, grapes, carrots, oranges, apples and some tomatoes. I had an apple and it was lovely.

I'll definitely be getting this regularly!

Sunday 14 February 2010

Winter Olympics - Opening Ceremony

I am a sucker for big ceremonies like this - I always get a little choky.  This one was especially poingant given the death of he Georgian luge competitor earlier in the day. 

Bottom line:  I loved it! The "Welcome to Country" ceremony was incredible, and I loved that they brought the competitors in right at the beginning so that they got to watch.  I also loved that everybody in the stadium got to participate in some way - even it it was just by banging drums or waving lights.  It's still "participation" and adds to their memories of being there.

I do think that Nelly Furtado could have re-thought her wardrobe - I was just WAITING for her to go A over T in those silly heels and her dress could have been a little less tight.

My kudos for the event, though, go to the prairie indians in those gorgeous coloured outfits. When the athletes marched, everybody was "dancing" - well, more shuffling from side to side, but these colourful guys were jumping and prancing and just throwing their whole hearts into it.  And to do it through the whole parade shows incredible stamina!

And now onto the competition - I love the figure skating and bobsleigh (both of which have Aussies competing), but also have a love for curling (gotta love a game where the sporting implements are a large rock and brooms!). 

Go Aussies!