Luv-a-Duck ...NOT!

If you're a Vegetarian or Vegan - don't read on ...

Everyone who knows me knows I'm partial to a feast of duck! Duck salad at MINH , duck curry at THAI POTHONG, duck with ginger & shallots at a yummy, super fast, Thai eatery in Newtown where Veronica and I yearn to go more often.

So when I saw Luv-a-duck in my local butcher store I was ecstatic.

On Thursday night I followed the directions on the pack of Peking Duck Breast, accompanied with steamed baby bok choy and green beans whilst salivating at the delicious prospect.

On opening the packet I knew all was not as I expected. I'd never seen such a gi-normous duck breast, the sauce wasn't Peking it was a watery brownish concoction. OK, I thought, wait till you do the taste test. Two mouthfuls and it was in the bin. It was the most tasteless, contrived mix of compressed grey meat, no unique, gamey duck taste, more likely the sweepings off the duck manufacturing plant floor. Disgusting.

Next morning the also purchased Honey Roast Duck Legs along with my complaint went back to my butcher. He was concerned, offered a refund or an exchange for fresh duck breasts, a pack of two in a 120g pack... (interestingly not mentioned on the Luv-a-duck website) ... but ... Yay, I thought, this is the go!!

Tonight I scored the skin of the two breasts, spread a teaspoonful mix of St Dalfour Orange & Ginger Jam (the most luscious jam in the universe) and McCormicks Asian Wok Spices across the skin, placed them on foil on a tray, into the oven at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. No oil, as duck is usually fairly fatty!

When I removed the tray from the oven I was shocked to see the breasts swimming in liquid, 120 mls to be precise, as the photo shows.



My version of the duck, with steamed asian greens and baby corn was delish!

I've contacted the Luv-a-duck people, told them of my experience and questioned as to why I should pay for 120mls of liquid ... to be continued!

2007 Bead Journal Project

Back in early May, Robin Atkins, on her Beadlust blog, asked if people would be interested in participating in a Bead Journal Project. Yay I was there in a flash, #58 to sign up.

The commitment was to bead a page a month for a year, your choice of theme, design, size, a totally individual project, to commence on June 1, 2007.

Today's the day, the size, the theme, the backing, the needle size, the beads, the decision to use thread or glue, how to cover the journal, decisions, decisions ... all decided, for now that is. If you're creative you'll know the whole lot will change as you go along!

225 beaders from around the world are taking part, how amazing is that? The mutual agreement is to not show your work till September 1. Some people have set up blogs to record their work - me, I'm in beading heaven and not bragging till then!

Socceroo Cuties.

Do your self a favour and check out out gorgeous Socceroos. Click on the numbered link at the top left hand side of the first photo. Gorgeous eye candy!

Farewell to Pearl.

Organising my blog made me decide it was time to post about Pearl.

The perfect pussy cat Pearl left for that big cattery in the sky on April 22, 2007, just three days short of a year since she came to live with me. Over a few weeks she began to lose weight, she'd moved out of the living room to a quieter spot, she grew more finicky with her food and overnight stopped drinking. Pearl had a tumour in her pancreas, the Vet said it was the size of a manadarin, pressing on her stomach, causing reflux. She'd always been a burpy little girl. The tumour had potentially metastisized to her liver, a growth was present there too. Astonishingly the Vet thought she was 10 years old - she carried her age well ... I miss her dreadfully!

Sad not to be The Mother of Pearl <^..^> xxx

p.s. Read about Pearl's arrival.

Step Into Leonardo's Shoes

leonardoThere's something unique happening in July at the University of New South Wales at Kensington ... DRAWING from HUMAN ANATOMICAL SPECIMENS: 5-day Intensive Workshop with Susan Dorothea White and A/Prof Brian Freeman.

Discover what's under the skin and acquire new drawing skills by stepping into Leonardo's shoes under the guidance of anatomist Dr Brian Freeman and artist Susan Dorothea White. Both experts in their field, Brian and Susan make a unique team and provide personalized instruction in an informal atmosphere.

All levels welcome - beginners to advanced

Participants have a rare opportunity to study and draw real dissected body parts displayed on stainless steel benches in a spacious, well-lit university laboratory. These drawing sessions are interspersed with talks on anatomy and the human figure in art history, illustrated with projected images and Susan's drawings on a board.

I've was tagged at SCQUILTERS.

Gadzooks that great Australia Quilters Group Scquilters are running a tagging thingo and today I was tagged ...

1. What's your favourite colour combination?
Jewel colours or shabby chic.

2. What was the first quilt you ever made?
Haven't made a quilt but have made a Kimono wall hanging from
men's silk ties as seen in Japanese Inspirations by Janet Haigh.

3.What colour will you never ever use in quilting?
Yellow and/or purple.

4. What's the best bit about making a quilt?
The personal satisfaction.

5. If you could pick one quilt to save from a disaster, what would it be?
I'd save the jewellery and the collection of 'found objects'!

Thanks for the opportunity!

When there's no escape ... Delicaseys will save you!

The perfect, delectable cure, to ease any angst or ire is DELICASEYS. Never in your life will you savour a more luscious chocolate and ... if you go to Paddington Markets the gorgeous creator will tantalise you ... the chocs, the man, Mmmmmm, bew-di-ful!

Not Over It ...

Currently I'm not over anything ... What a change! I'm consumed with a bead project I've joined as well as creating against the clock on commissioned projects!

However I was curious as to what my bead name is!
Mmmmm Chartreuse ... how delicious!

My Your Beady Name is: is Chartruese Hollow Bead.
Take Your Beady Name Generator today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

I am the Empress

Which Tarot card am I ... certainly not the one that can transfer the html to my blog ... check out who I am ...
http://www.flarn.com/~warlock/tarot/chinese/3.html

Good Golly Miss Olley

Last year Good Weekend that once fabulous magazine (but that's

another story), that accompanies the Saturday SMH did a cover

story on the amazing Margaret Olley . Good Golly Miss Olley

was the title, it was then I decided that when I grow up I wanted

to be just like Miss Olley.

My thrill at the aformentioned Art Gallery was to see the portrait

of Miss Olley that won the 1948 Archibald prize by William Dobell.

I believe Miss Olley still creates, souvenirs flowers over the fences
near her home in Sydney's east and entertains interesting people -

Mmmm ... I'm getting there!

Mother's Day at NSW Art Gallery

The thought was beautiful, the company delightful ... the image of this monstrous tree
caught my eye - so much character, so much age ...

The prospect - lunch and a cultural stroll around the hometown art gallery.

The Lunch - a high priced version of a Coles Cafeteria, with ambience to match!

The art - ordinary - plus admission was charged to see this years Archibald entries ... outrageous!

The verdict - next year to the MCA ... where they know how to do it all !

Happy Mother's Day to All.

Mother earth ...

"Mother Earth is struggling, due to the decisions made by men".

Age ...

The sign in a favourite deli read ...
age is of no importance unless you are cheese.

True for me ... is it true for You?

Thought for the day ...

It's not only my bowel that's irritable ...

Reading v Drinking

I was reading somewhere about the benefits to your health if you gave up drinking ...
I gave up reading.

Writers Block ...

"You cannot be a good writer of serious fiction if you are not depressed."
-- Kurt Vonnegut --
in an undated speech to the American Psychiatric Association.

Now I know why ...

Note to self ...

Note to self ... don't wear cape when riding bike!

Cat Blogging.

I got the call 'wanna go Cat Blooggin' now isn't that enough to make a comeback and get over being over it? Sure is!

$10 well spent ...

Saturday morning, the best morning of the week climaxes
with a scrumptious brunch at THE best cafe in Sydney's
inner west. We've eaten at over two dozen cafe's and
each time we thought we'd landed ~ something would go
awry. Bad service, hard eggs, a cold meal, there was
always something that mucked up the treat.

Today we were set to enjoy when a young boy, set himself
up, two shops away and began busking playing a clarinet and
for the first fifteen minutes it was funny but as scales
plus the lack of any recognisable tune it began to grate.
As our brunch arrived, Moi, the shy retiring one, saying
nothing got up from the table and as I walked towards the
boy I looked back to see my mates were aghast ... what
on earth is she doing I could hear them thinking!

As the boy began to pucker, ready regale us with another
bout of a sound somewhere between a cat being killed or him
screaming as I put my hands round his throat I quietly said
to him ..."Excuse me" he stopped blowing and as he smiled I
saw a mouth full of metal " if I gave you $10 would you mind
going and playing somewhere else?". He smiled the most angelic,
metal mouthed smile at me and replied "Sure!".

We laughed and laughed at the thought of the boy going home
to Mum saying "A lady gave me $10" neglecting to mention it
was to go away. We laughed more at the possibility that Mum
had probably had enough too and had told him to go and play
down at the shops.

The girl in Monica's shoppe next door laughed when we told her
then we all laughed more as she said she would have contributed
to get him to move on as even playing the some great clarinet
music full bore couldn't drown out the wailing of that boy's
'licorice stick' ... Ohhh I love Saturdays ~ always a laugh!!!

PRIDEFUL or not ...?

I once had dealings with a religious fanatic who repeatedly
admonished all and sundry whenever the word pride was mentioned.
That made no sense to me. I wondered why was pride such a bad
thing? I'd always been taught that having pride in yourself
e.g. appearance, achievements etc were all the positives in
life. The opinions of the God botherer were perplexing!

The following trivia has confused the issue more. I'd always
considered myself a person who took pride in many things and
now ... Prideful ... who made that one up??

Do you make sense of it all ... I'm still perplexed ???

Your Pride Quotient: 33%

You're a little prideful, but nothing out of the norm. Like everyone, you enjoy attention. But you're also good at sharing the spotlight!

How Much Pride Do You Have?

I Belong in Summer ... maybe not!

In beautiful Sydney the last two days have been scorchers.
Thermometers hit 38 degrees! The weather man says
temperatures are the highest for any October day in the
past 150 years!

As I realised it is a month since I've posted here I
discovered the following bit of trivia! It's true I've
always adored sun, sand, surf and brown bodies. I
think I'm ready for a change with my wider girth, feet
that puff up and being seen constantly swigging from a
plastic bottle of water as people wondering whether I
am back on the Gordons ...

You Belong in Summer

Energetic, creative, and very curious about the world... You're not going to let anything hold you back, especially a cold day. Whether you're chilling out at the beach or partying all night, you live for the warm weather.

What Season Are You?

Arr ... what's ya Pirate name me hearty?

My pirate name is:

Dread Pirate Flint

Like the famous Dread Pirate Roberts, you have a keen head for how to make a profit. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

As you age ...

Today a wise woman told me the following as we
compared the complexities of middle aged women.

“As you age you become the distilled essence of
what you always were.”

This lovely lady drives past five post offices to do her
posting and purchasing at the best post office in Sydney.
We were horrified as we witnessed one of our kind, perform
with her curt manner, totally lacking in any mirth on a bright
Saturday morning when the staff were going out of their way
to make everyone cheerful. As the staff dealt with this middle
aged horror we glanced at each other in the queue, we knew
we were on the same wave length.
Outside we chatted and wondered what middle age does to
some women to make them such right cows?

For years I’ve put the attitude of these witches down to a lack
of hormone replacement. Have you noticed how their mouths
purse, how they always whinge despite usually being way better
off materially, than you or I might ever be? Have you noticed
amongst their miserableness they lack a sense of humour
especially, when it is a joke about themselves, how many of
them are experts at backstabbing, empire building and ‘running
with the hares and hunting with the hounds’, in other words
playing their cronies against the each other?

The majority of these women adore back stabbing, survive
on playing the victim, always trying to out do the members
of their clique and appear aghast at any insinuation that they
are ever in the wrong or are harbouring any of the atrocious
mannerisms I’ve described. Trust me, I've known them!!

Me … well I say it like it is. Am renowned for being funny,
forthright, friendly and yes, I took my hormone replacement!

No Google at School.

I heard late this week that the Education Department has
banned Google from school computers.

The question is ... why??

Is it to benefit the pupils and if so how? What ... no more easy,
quick research and referencing?

One can only wonder will this stroke of bureacratical genius
hinder the teaching staff as well as the students? What ... are
they going to re-open libraries in schools, send the kids back to
the books and remove computers from the libraries??

Do the decision making genuises think that Google is the only
search engine on the web?

Interesting too that not a word about this decision has been in
the media ... makes you wonder doesn't it?? We're living in the
computer age yet our future generation is being deprived of the
encyclopaedia of their era!!!!

Tess, Martin Place 1941

Doesn't she look the epitome of glamour for that era??

While still thinking about her today I dug out some clippings I
found in a 1950s Good Housekeeping book. I'd say they'd been
clipped from an English magazine and they remind me of Tess
and the way she viewed life which would have been influenced
by such articles.

VITRUES OF A DAY’S REST.
A day in bed is a remedy for so many ills. So many of us are
overworked and underpaid, and have to live from hand to mouth,
that it is small wonder our nerves are rasped and jaded sometimes.
We do not get enough sleep, we do not get time enough to eat out
meals, and we scarcely have time to breathe; certainly we have no
time to breathe fresh air. But just spend the day in bed with the
window wide open, give your tired brain enough sleep and spare for
once; take plenty of time over your meals, and your stomach will
rejoice and be glad. It will think the millennium has come if you lie
still after a meal and break your rule of bolting your food and bolting
to the station to catch the morning train.
Yes, a day in bed for the over worked.


LOOK AFTER THE EYES.
Eskimos will detect a white fox in the snow at a great distance away,
while the Arabs of the desert of Arabia have such extreme powers of
vision that on the vast plains of the desert they will pick out objects
invisible to the ordinary eye at ranges from one to ten miles distant.
Among civilised people says “Health” the Norwegians have better
eyesight than most, if not all other, as they more generally fulfil the
necessary conditions. The reason why defective eyes are so much on
the increase in this country and un Europe lies in too much study of
books in early life and in badly lighted rooms.

THUMBS LARGE & SMALL.
Someone has been telling the character of women by their hands.
It is said that women can be divided into two classes, those with
large thumbs and those with small. The first are supposed to be far
more intellectual, and have a natural taste for study. Small-thumbed
women have more romantic inclinations, and are very sensitive; they
are the coquettes, the women who will consider love above all things
and who fascinate no matter what their age. If a woman’s thumbs are
large her head will rule her heart, she will be a good business woman,
clear headed and tactful.

Happy Birthday Tess.

Happy Birthday Tess.

On this day, August 11 1921, Irene May arrived in the world.
The only child of Roy & Rene she had a more sad, than happy life.
Here's Tess (as her Dad called her after the heroine of the movie
"Tess of the storm Country") aged 14 in 1935 the same year her
Dear Dad was killed on his way home from work.
How sad she looked.

A How to Cure Asthma & Snoring Tip!

I got cheesed off with this blog, photo's wouldn't load, so I
spat the dummy, took my playlunch and left the room!

I'm over it all now ready for another round of blogging!!

The big tip for this episode is one I learnt from a wise friend
who has taken up the didgereedoo!

Did you know that circular breathing, the style you use when
playing the didge helps asthma and snoring??
Well that's the word ~ I can imagine lots of you heavy breathers
taking up the didge one day soon - Enjoy!

Testing photo upload - and YeeeHaaaa!

Been talking to Nephone and Veronica about being unable to upload
pics to the blog and thought I sneak over and give it a go ...

Voila........... here's the Pearl as we speak!! I'll be back ...

What kind of knitting needles are you?

Didn't you always want to know what kind of knitting needles you are?

I delivered a new scarf to MJ and swore I will choose wool
more carefully in future. I was bedazzled by the colour and
missed the fact that the wool was a boucle, synthetic mix that
didn't move on the needle and picked up every other loop along
the way ... despite that, the scarf was well received!

It's a lovely, wet, lazy, Peter Alexander style day today, browsing,
buying,sorting, lazing and purring are the order round here ~ enjoy
the following...

Drat ~ I can't get the HTML to work - you'll get my drift!!

http://images.quizilla.com/L/larissmix/1077233136_turbo.jpg">

You are "turbo" charged.Fast moving and classy, you get things
done with power and grace. Your expensive tastes can be
deceiving, since what you really value is quality and
efficiency. As you're careening around those corners in life,
finishing a dozen knitted objects each month, stop and smell
the roses.
Don't miss the beauty of process!

If you want something done...

MJ once told me "If you want something done ask a busy
woman" well that's me lately. I swear there's not enough
hours in the day to get through what's going on round here!
It's all good, though I'm having trouble sleeping the hours
Ineed to keep this finely tuned body and brain firing -
courtesy of a new feline/greyhound in residence upstairs.

The lovely neighbour, who brought Pearl into my life, was the
owner of a very large, very loved, old cat named "Meaow/Mao",
depending on how you said it. The poor old fella, the cat
that is, became very sick, spent a week in the vet and
unexpectedlyturned up his paws. My neighbour had been to the
vet's each day sitting with his pal and was devastated at
his death.

A few days later the vet called my neighbour asking would he
be interested in giving a home to a cat. My neighbour was
thrilledand not daunted when told that the puss had been found
by thelocal police, in the gutter, after being hit by a car.
The police hadtaken the puss to the vet and had taken up a
collection to pay forit's care. The vet had had to amputate
the puss's front left leg.

My neighbour went to the vet's every day to sit with his soon
to be new son, talking to him and getting to know him. Two
weeks ago he came home. This little fellow is a charmer, a
playful,attentive personality who even after complications, his
wholeleft side shaved and looking like he's been stitched by a
quilter races through the place belting his left stumpy, shoulder
on thefloor as he pelts around upstairs.

BUT ... a few days ago my neighbour decided he would make
Mao a winter bed in the bedroom, on the window sill so Mao
get's the morning sun at the exact same spot directly above my
head.

The building is old, where there's no concrete separating the
floors but creaky, old wooden boards, when if it's all quiet you
can hear, EVERYTHING above, and I mean everything.

The new Mao has taken to early rising and playing - right above
my head, each morning at any time from 6am onwards.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm an insomniac, that hears the
grass grow even while sleeping. So after going to bed at 2am I
am not happy jan about the early morning feline olympics /greyhound
training sessions ... But what can I do??
The cat is adorable, the neighbour is one of nature's gentleman.
I've explained my predicament, he's concerned ... but the
cat rules his life!

Pearl's not happy either, she's a night owl like me and looks bleary
eyed as I appear early in the morning cussing under my breath.
As I write she is close by I am sure wishing me to stop pounding the
keyboard and probably wishing me to go to blazes ...

I know how fortunate I am to have the tiny problem as my only
gripe in life - but take a look at Pearl - says it all doesn't it???