I'm Back

Not that I have been anywhere but I feel as though I have been away.

Writing in the National Novel Writing Month or Nanowri mo for short took up a lot of my time and then I worked for several days during that.

Mainly my work days started at 6.30 am when I left the house and often it was 5.30 pm or even 6 pm a couple of occasions when I got home. The work wasn't hard and I enjoyed it but glad that it is now finished.

I did get my book/novel finished on Sunday three days early.The story line is not finished yet but I had reached the required magical number of 50,000. I always like to do a word count and the last one when the computer told me that I had done 5,0003, I decided to validate it. All words written have to be copied and pasted to the website in America and often they vary a little usually to the negative but a message came back with Congratulations 50,009 words.

I will leave it for a few days and then start tidying it up, As I am not a touch typist, I usually miss out the commas in abbreviated words.

I will also need to come up with a cover for my book. I hope to get this one pulished, that is the "prize" for "wining" getting to the 50K in the month so I cant stay away from it for too long.

More changes have been made around the home which I will be blogging about in the next few days.

A Ratty Dog

I worked the last couple of days and Monday I arrived home about 5.20 pm. Warren said to me almost as soon as I walked in the door, "I dont know whats wrong with Lucy, maybe she was looking for you but the last ten minutes or so she has been in and out of her door like mad thing."

I told him that I knew what was wrong with her, it was past her dinner time and she was trying to tell him that! She is usually fed between 5 and 5.15 pm.

Photo is of Lucy waiting patiently for me to get her dinner out of the fridge, she knew then what was happening.

Last night I arrived home later but he had learnt and fed her at 5 pm, he has set his alarm so she didnt break the door down (that wasnt likely but if she is ready for her dinner, the door does make more noise opening and shutting) 

New floors

Yay, after talking about it for a couple of years, we finally did it, got new floors, well floor coverings. The bug bear was the big heavy unit that we had in the corner. great piece of furniture when we bought it nearly twenty years, it was to house the TV and other bits and pieces.

We emptied it still have the stuff that was in it but they will be culled and most donated, some things go back as far as wedding presents and have only been used a few times. Warren put it up for sale and it was sold and picked up within three days.

We have moved the lounge in its place for the time being. This is the dining/family room the night before the floors were done.

The lounge room ready for the layers to come in.

New flooring down.

Dining room and passage. The computer desk has been put into one of the bedrooms and will be staying there. The new modem that we had to have because of NBN, reached everywhere that we need it.

No carpet in the living areas only the bedrooms and it is so nice to walk on.

New Air conditioner

A couple of weeks ago I was home alone and suddenly the A/C turned on. It was only 11am and we dont usually have it on until the afternoon. I thought perhaps we had left it on over night and it had reached the temperature were it came on automatically. I turned it off so at least I tried. Just checking the batteries in the remote when Warren arrived home.

No, he had not turned it on and he reminded me that we had not had it on the night before. Odd, it wouldn't turn off at all not matter what we did, finally Warren turned it off at the meter box.

Later that afternoon when we did need it on, it worked well for about twenty minutes and then all the lights on it starting flashing and if it were a space ship, you would think that it was about to take off.

After a couple of days of off/on etc, we decided to replace it. We had had people out to repair it before when the heating side of it broke down, they couldnt/ didnt fix it but it still cost us a few hundred dollars as this particular brand was made in Korea, we didnt know that when we bought it.

Checking online for brands prices etc as our living area is open plan, a larger unit was required. Love the open plan but what can be a positive in some areas becomes a negative in others.

Warren had the brilliant idea to ring the electricial company that we have used before. yes, they could order one for us and replace, they could have some one out the next day to give us a quote. You little ripper! Not the time of the year to be without an A/C if one has been used to it. Much quicker service and better price.

The price was good, installation was about half as much again but there was quite a bit of work to be done. Old one had to be de gassed and then they did take it away so we didnt have to worry about that.

The boys arrived to fit it early this morning, luckily for them it was a cooler day. thye did have to go up into the roof cavity. It was all done before lunch and we have been testing it out, it works really well

Practice Christmas Dinner

I have decided to do something different for Christmas this year. Much healthier, less meat and less food altogether.

I made a chicken roll on Saturday using chicken mince, spread out on baking paper then chopped spinach and nuts spread on top and rolled up, baked for 40 minutes. yep that was okay

The other dish I tried was this one.

Smoked salmon on the bottom, I used 100gms for two, six prawns, one cucumber, one mango and a red pepper with some herbs and some fish sauce, lemon juice and a little sugar to taste. Also to off set the sourness of lemon and fish sauce.

Folded the plastic over and into the fridge, I did it after lunch for dinner probably be better to leave it longer if possible.

This was serving the juices did come out of the ramekin, served with tomato and cucumber a little bit of coleslaw and cold roast pumpkin with some feta.

Warren said it was a winner just not sure if the kids would eat it. The salmon is a fairly strong taste, i will have to ponder more.

A trip to Hospital

We were taking Aidan in to the Lady Cilento Hospital Just a routine appointment. As we are not familiar with the city roads anymore, they have change lanes and all sorts of things, we took the train and bus. It does take longer but the hassle is far less.

Warren did the route to get there re times and we needed to leave home at 10.30 to catch the 11.30 train, we planned to drive several stops before getting the train to make it easier for coming home. What we had forgotten about and it was a good thing, was the new line that started last month. It joined our line at Strathpine where we were getting on the train.

Things just fell into place, I would normally have parked at the shopping centre and walked to the station about fifteen minutes, Warren said that he had always been lucky and got a park on the other side so we tried there as we did have plenty of time. Wouldn't you know it, one park right outside, we both scanned the area for signs to say either no parking or disabled but nope nothing there so we grabbed it. Only problem, that meant we were almost thirty minutes early as we had to wait for the early train to go thru but with the new line, it was only five minutes away.

Got to the city and went to bus, we could catch one of four buses, again three minutes to wait. This meant we were a whole hour early for Aidans appointment, time for a leisurely lunch. A new cafe/ eatery had opened since I was at the hospital last with quite a few choices. Still early but they saw us straight away. no dramas at all and it was almost the same going back home with buses and trains dovetailing as it were but without having to rush.

We had our Go cards but Aidan didnt so we bought him a paper ticket, almost twice the price of ours. Warren had a spare adult go card with some money on it so we used that for coming home. Kids concession cards are only good for 90 ninety days so unless kids go to school bu public transport, there is not much point in having them as they go out of date.

Tax Time

We saw our accountant yesterday to have our tax done. Yes, its what some people would call late but we are early than last year by about six weeks.

Bruce comes to the house and brings his computer and stuff, he has two big back packs that he carts with him. He usually stays and has dinner with us but it was a mid afternoon time and he was going on to another client.

Warren always has our tax stuff organised and I swear that it is getting smaller each year, I did have to run off a statement from both banks that we use about the amount of interest that they had given us over the year. Our group certificates and thats about it.

Bruce works his magic and luckily then tells us what we can expect to get back and he is spot on to within a dollar or two. This year we are getting all the tax that we paid back. yay! Funny, that the money we are getting back is about the same as we are having to pay for the new air con. I havent even paid Bruce, he didn't bother to bring his printer with him, now he sends it electronically to the Tax dept. He will print off a copy for his records and our bill once he gets back to his office at home.

Oh, well, money comes in one hand and goes out the other.

What use is a pallet?

Warren used a pallet (they were free) from Bunnings to increase the height of the fence so Lucy couldnt get over it. Since then she hasn't attempted to jump but she is more comfortable at home and knows that we will return.

As pallet was big, biggest one that I had ever seen, Warren said that he had always wanted to make a coffee table from a pallet or at least see if he could.

It only took him a couple of days, it was to be an outside table so rustic looking. We have been using it, its good to put a coffee cup on or feet on it when we are using the swing seat. Being outside in the heat, we could see that it was drying out so it was decided that the whole thing needed some stain to preserve it.

Warren gave it a light sand before staining it, one coat on all and then he finished the tin on the top so the top got pretty much got a second coat.

This is the end result. (and it is stable!)

Butterflies

Just lately there has been a lot of butterflies around much more than usual. Friday we noticed quite a fair go through the back yard as we were having a coffee on the patio. Some were white a couple were brindle and then there were the white with black around the edges of their wings.

Out with Sheridan yesterday and we were driving down a secondary road just off the main highway and as she said it was like driving down a wind tunnel as all these butterflies were coming towards us. I couldn't estimate how many but it was a lot and they just kept coming.

Warren said that he saw on the news that it is something to do with the strange weather patterns in the West has pushed them over our way.

More butterflies this morning when out walking on a horse trail. Lucy saw two horses being ridden, that was freaky we got her to sit while they went past. She saw one in the paddock last week today these were up close and very very big her eyes were wide open as they rode past and then she was in a hurry to put some distance between her and them.

Nanowrimo

Its that time of the year again. Time to write! National Novel Writing Month.
50,000 words in 30 days to write a novel makes one a novelist (it also makes one a bit nutty at times)

This will be my seventh years and I have acheived the goal each year so far.

I am finally writing the idea that I had when I first committed to nanowrimo seven years ago. I had a late start as Tuesday being Melbourne Cup, I had some things to do for that,

I did finally make a start and did 1668 before, the breakdown is 1667 each day. I need to write each day otherwise I feel as though I wont be able to catch up.

Today is the fourth day and I had a good writing day with over 2k written and I will probably do another hour or so. The weekend is shaping up to be busy so I need to be ahead.

Beans or not beans

Beans from the garden? No! it is home made pasta!

I love watching Jamie Oliver and this is what he made and cooked on Monday night. Warren and I went out yesterday doing a couple of things (and we resisted having afternoon tea while out as we are both trying to get rid of a couple of kgs that came home with us from Melbourne.)

Last port of call was the supermarket because Warren was out of his breakfast cereal. While there we decided to get the things needed for Jamie recipe, luckily it was easy and so we could remember what went in it.

The above picture is the pasta made from 300 gms plain flour but we used gluten free and 200 gms of spinach, nothing else the water content from the spinach is enough to moist and combine the two. Once in a dough, then roll out small balls.

Sauce is tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini with Jamies chilli powder and garlic, saute together, when pasta is cooked, add to tomato and add parm cheese.

We only had dried parm cheese, I think fresh would be better.

Warren made all of this while I was writing, he also added some basil into the pasta and tomatoes.

It was tasty and filling, we only did half of the recipe.

Last night Jamie did doughnuts for breakfast, yum only 360 calories. Think I will try them next, dont think for breakfast though.

Ah, Melbourne Cup Day

The one day in November that stops the nation. Being the first Tuesday of November it is also our Red Hat day and the last couple of years we have gone to some ones home for lunch, dress ups and cup watching.

One of our members is a keen race follower and she does the sweeps on the day, Yesterday the sweeps were so popular that I was only able to buy one and that one didn't do any good for me.

Our Queen is holidaying at the moment and had left some money for sweeps and ended up winning two firsts and a third.

Instead of us each taking food or having food prepared for the day our host offered to cater it for $5  head, several didn't think it was enough money but she was adamant that $5 was plenty.

What a spread we had, all vegetarian. There were quiches and several different salads, with different tastes and textures. Then she brought out dessert! I dont usually have desserts when I am out but I couldn't resist a taste of three or four of these, luckily they weren't much more than bite size.

Fourteen of us then sat to watch the fashions on the field, that was our dress ups for the day too was "Fashions on the Field" and finally the race.

There were some showers throughout the day which kept the temperature down, last year it was so hot, close to the forties and we had dressed up as something starting with a C for the cup.

Halloween

It was a fizzer this year. Each year for about the last five years the numbers of kids coming to the door for Trick or treat had been increasing but this year we only had one.

I had prepared separate bags of sweets with a couple of chocolates in each as well, my thought being that chocs are far better for their teeth than all sweets but only one.

The bags were on the hall table ready to give out and Warren and I did help ourselves to a couple of bags yesterday, which we didnt need. This morning I suggested to him that we bundle them up and put them in the bin. I dont like waste and this seemed wasteful but we certainly dont need to eat them which is what will happen if they are left out. He agreed and so all the sweets and chocs are now in the bin.

There was something done for Halloween in the town square on the weekend so maybe kids dressed for that and didnt walk the streets.