Home from Ballarat!

Hello!

The silly mistletoe kiss-feature (in the previous post) successfully loaded 20% of the time for me.. so I can't see how many kisses were left for me while I was away. Oh well... :-P

We are home.. we've done LOTS today (both home and away from home). One load of washing is done.. the kitty litter is well and truly emptied & refreshed.. all animal/human food stores replenished & I received one piece of mail today - A Christmas card from Tassie which was lovely.

It was a nice time away.. and the new kitty scratching post (see sidebar) has evidence of a few 'workouts' while we were away.

I wasn't going to make this post long.. I just wanted to share with you that I received a *video camera* for Christmas from hubby (see above pictures)... which means I can delve deeper into vlogging and making my video's more creative. Hopefully?

I'm hoping to update you soon about our few days away. I've also put a family update to the left on my sidebar. If you pray, I'd love you to uphold Wally, my father-in-law in prayer for me - it would mean a lot.. thanks. I hope you've all had a nice Christmas. Tell me what you did in the comment section. If not.. I will get around to your blogs soon.. I'm looking forward to it. Bless you.

While I'm away...

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas xoxox (p.s. Interactive Mistletoe feature removed)!

Prelude to Christmas

I'm writing this after midnight, so by the time you read this it'll be ONE more sleep to go before we head off to Ballarat which is where my inlaws live. We have a special evening church service on Monday night (something dramatic, like theatre or something?) - so that's Christmas eve & it'll finish around 7.30-8pm. From there.. we head off for the one hour drive with our Christmas presents & overnight bags in-tow. (Though we are staying three nights). By now I should have had my hair dyed.. so I guess that job is for tomorrow as well as making more Christmas pudding.

The first pudding on Friday *bombed* because I doubled the mixture (which is *a lot* of pudding) and didn't extend the cooking time. Thus, I will make two smaller puddings! So as far as Christmas desserts go, there will be my pudding at home, the "Lion's" Christmas cake we're taking up, the pudding my mother-in-law will be making and I'm hoping hubby will open his 'PUD' butterscotch pudding one day??? (which was purchased at the Werribee Harvest Picnic.. we had samples.. it's *delish*).

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and the people (who passed on their addresses), who I sent Christmas cards to - have received them by now? I may possibly give you an update or two between Dec 25 and 27 (via mobile phone) while we're away --in my sidebar, under the heading 'As Live As It Gets' (courtesy of Twitter).

I will leave you with my latest YouTube video.. which is made up of photo's of my food, my family & a couple of places we've been this year (the Werribee Harvest Picnic in November and Queensland in June)... all set to music. Eat well.. stay safe and God bless you all :-)

http://www.livevideo.com/

Here I am.

Yeah, where am I? Where have I been? I don't know if I can write it all down.. right here, right now? I'm eating my dinner.. it's *hot dog night*. That's what I've declared it anyway. Soft buns and continental franks. Easy. Yum. How about I catch you up in point form?

*I've done a couple of YouTube video's - mainly *thank you's* to two American pal's, one for a lovely Christmas card from New York City and the other acknowledging a package where I received an Eric Clapton CD and some blank video tapes. Now all I need is a VCR (as the one I bought on eBay.. DIED. It was terminally ill from the moment of purchase).

*None of these points will be in chronological order. I think.

*Today I had a lovely lunch with two friends (the one's I have a fortnightly Weight Watchers lunch with). I really enjoyed our time together. I scored a long-lusted-for set of electronic scales that go up to FIVE KILO'S!!! Perfect for the kitchen and for eBaying too! (Where I need to know the weight of things when I estimate postage costs for buyers).

*Speaking of which, I've done some eBaying. I listed six things and sold three of them. One was a Weight Watchers Eating Out guide (a copy I thought I had lost months ago -so I bought myself a new one). You can buy them for $14 at Weight Watchers. My starting price was 99 cents with FREE post. I sold it for $25 and it cost me $1.50 to post. The other two things I sold were PS2 games.

*My hubby came to me out of the blue last week at the end of a HUGE day where I was numb and teary. I felt beyond spent. He made me sit down (after pouring me a glass of wine) while he cooked me a steak dinner (I'd already picked up Hungry Jack's for my girl, which he knew about). While I ate, he did some dishes (which were already in my sink) and then went home with a kiss... so that was lovely.

*When I went to see him this morning for a short time, he made me a vanilla-ish cappucino. He is a recent coffee-convert.. something from God I think. Coffee.. though I don't drink it often because of caffeine issues.. is one of the nicest smells to me. Coffee brewing. Mmmm. Don't even get me started on coffee cake and cream.. etc! Mmmm. But hubby always *loathed* coffee and the smell of it. He now buys Lavazza and he's mates with a new plunger. And enjoys the 'pick me up' effect it gives him sometimes. It's like a miracle. I've always loved the smell of a coffee pot going around on a plane. Fresh, brewed, aromatic beans. It actually used to trouble me that the man I loved didn't love this one thing. It may seem trivial..but sometimes sharing even the smallest pleasures together is a big thing. I'll never get him to like peanut butter.. ok, I accept that. But coffee... I do feel blessed. He now drinks it atomic strength. Go figure? I praise God!

*Can I write anything briefly and in point form?

*The other thing I scored today was a voucher to a store called 'Chef's Essentials'. I LOVE THAT STORE!!! How will I choose something?!!

*At my CRS appointment this week.. we discussed.. exploring my options.. and the reality of trying to get in as ground staff for JETSTAR airlines. Their main hub, Avalon airport is half an hour travelling time from me. For years I dreamed of working for an airline. For those of you who pray - I'd love for you to cover me in this area. It would be a local job, with an airline and the potential to go places with the company or laterally to other places once I'm experienced. Would you pray for me? Good hours, great working environment? My dream come true? It would mean so much.

*Though times have been financially **blehh** this Christmas season.. (and I struggle to feel content with that, it makes me feel insecure...)... I'm looking forward to a family Christmas in Ballarat next week with a traditional Christmas lunch with my girl, my inlaws and husband.

*OH! One more thing! A few years ago, hubby and I tasted an awesome Christmas pudding which he said was similar to what his Nanna used to make years ago. I was given the recipe and finally I'm going to be a lady of the cloth. Calico cloth that is.. for the two puddings I will make. I draw the line at three (which is what hubby suggested.. *cough*!!). He bought all the Christmassy-smells ingredients.. down to the $30 bottle of French brandy. All I need is the cloths and some string. They will be the 'boil-for-four-hours' kind of puddings. I can't wait. Watch this space, I guess?!!

Take Two! Foodie goes-a-wandering.

Let's try again! I'm re-posting a slideshow I did last night, which I had to do from scratch with a different 'Smilebox' template. The other template must have been flawed somehow as nobody could view it. With my "free" account I get a choice of 3 tunes for the slideshow. The one I chose was the most 'bearable' out of the 3.. the other two were Blehhh! So if the music doesn't seem to fit - just remember, "free" account! :-P If the slideshow runs too quickly for you.. feel free to use the pause button at the bottom. It might be necessary if you want to catch the commentary text and look at the photo's too! Look at where the 'Play' button is below. It's like a big dummy (pacifier) in my mouth! Oh & if you haven't already, you can read a bit more about our day in the post below! :-) - p.s. there is a typo in the slideshow text/commentary. Instead of saying "can't come", I say "come come" :-/

Make a slideshow!

Meeting @Melbourne Central again!

Last Friday, December 7th my girl and I did a pre-Christmas meet-up with Tiffany and her girl! (Because we *need* an excuse to buy hot chocolate/coffee's & other food items)!!

It was such a special day...I thoroughly enjoyed myself! It's the third time we've met and twice both girls have come along. As some of you may have read on Tiffany's blog - by the end of our time together.. the girls were mistaken as sisters - so that kind of stuck!

This Melbourne Central tradition is now a familiar comfort to me. First we meet under the big, glass conical roof by the base of Coop's Shot Tower.. and we head for all-things-chocolate @Max Brenner's. There are so many lovely chocolate desserts at Max Brenner's. If I'm cashed-up and fancy anything, I just do takeaway! I don't regret missing out on dessert there this time (though the Cappucino was like dessert) - as I enjoyed having a decent sushi lunch and we also took home some Krispy Kreme's!

From Max Brenner's we usually browse shops. Our first stop this time was a gorgeous little shop called Sophie Randall cards & gifts. I wanted a beautiful pack of Christmas cards from there (and planned to go back if I didn't find anything else). But I completely forgot about it didn't I?! We visited the two Diva (jewellery) stores, L'Occitane (where I picked up a couple of samples), National Geographic, Bread Top, Central Grocer's, Krispy Kreme... Sushi-Sushi.. & I can't remember anything else?

We were so blessed to receive some lovely gifts from Tiffany & Tia! I received a lovely 2008 Collins diary that, in addition to national school holidays & special dates, even has international clothing size conversions! I also received some Almond Meal, some authentic Hungarian "Garlic cream".. like a paste, three scented *bunny* erasers & some imported Croatian Chocolate. Jenna received a lip smackers pack she's always wanted which included "Vanilla Sugar Pink" lip balm (oh my goodness, I just put some on, it's like putting doughnuts on your lips.. a cakey-vanilla scent.. Mmm Mmm). She also received the lip gloss & matching nail polish. I don't have a photo of her 'Hello Kitty' candy necklace as that's been eaten!

Catch the slide-show of our day in the post above! :-)

Are you normal?

My latest YouTube video, 2 minutes, 41 seconds -answering 9 questions! It has (Hungarian) music, so turn your speakers up! If anyone would like to answer these questions on their blog, you are most welcome :-) P.S. I have been wanting to post about my trip to Melbourne with my girl, meeting Tiffany and her girl. But my camera cord is definitely faulty so I'll be borrowing hubby's cord to upload quite a few photo's and video footage! I've not even been able to share pic's of the Werribee Harvest Picnic yet... but will soon hopefully!

Dropping the ball...

I kind-of amuse myself sometimes. Recently I've been having some 'inner' struggles.. and to be fair, some outward influences have also been biting at my heels with razored-incisors. You know when it seems like one thing after another comes at you?

Last night.. (yes, after a women's break-up Christmas dinner) for various accumulative reasons I felt like "the pits". So.. around midnight.. I wanted to fess-up and come clean without actually writing anything. I was also stirringly conscious of not wanting to bring any of you down either.. what's the term? A wet blanket? (For some reason, I first thought of a "wet sock"? Same difference!). Anyhow, I was too tired so I didn't finish the post! But prior to turning off the laptop I searched for images with irritable displeasure! Images that reflected how I felt and what I wanted to eat right-that minute to comfort myself. I also erased my "Current Mood" and the "As live as it gets" information on the sidebar! The only blog communication I could muster were a bunch of images that would speak for themselves. I wanted the world to know (albeit quite passively) that I was angry with it!

Sigh....

Here was me.. and a reuben sandwich (sauerkraut, corned beef, wholegrain mustard, swiss cheese, toasted bread.. pickles on the side). Sandwich is best panFRIED (I think)! Have only ever eaten a reuben once (at a cafe.. wasn't fried though).

No surprises here: sashimi-dense chirashi sushi (rice is underneath) - and the seafood/vegie pancake 'Okonomiyaki'.. with usual special sauces & bonito "dancing" fish flakes.

Someone elses version of chirashi sushi - and some steamed wontons.

Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts and a Krispy Kreme wedding cake.

Ginger dessert.. looks like cheesecake (I was influenced by one of last night's dessert offerings a ginger-ripple cake)! Mmm Mmmmm! I'd only ever tried chocolate-ripple cake before. And also we have a hearty meat pie with proper (naughty) beef-shortening pastry.

On the positive side.. (and this in no way should be discounted) and as beautiful as all of this food is.. it was the negative emotions that made me hunt for it. And despite these emotions, hubby and I have been stable.. fine and good. How I have been has not reflected negatively in our relationship or our progress.

So the darkness leaves.. and light prevails. Praise God.

Not smarter than a 5th grader? + Desktop Tag!

Splashed on the internet news is a video clip of a former American Idol contestant (Kellie Pickler) giving (and I quote) "an embarrasing display" of dumbness! Apparantly she had the audience in a state of hilarity and disbelief with her lack of basic geography knowledge. Admittedly when I watched, I thought "okaaaay?" and "???" Sometimes you take it for granted that people know what you know.

The 5th grader video of Kellie can be seen here:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=331119

I decided to check Kellie out for myself (having never heard of her before). I was curious to hear her voice and see a sample of her time on American Idol. What I learned was that Kellie was 19 when she appeared on Idol and she lived with her grandfather. Her mother left her when she was two years old and her father has been in and out of prison all of her life (he's a drug addict- I saw a picture of him in prison uniform). Kellie then became human to me. Yes, my jaw did drop when I saw the Q&A video. Yes, I thought her lack of geography knowledge was off-the-charts this-can't-be-true (especially for a travel buff like me - AND I'm Hungarian) but you know what... SO WHAT? She was an idol finalist. I couldn't sing my way out of a paper bag. On good days I think I can hold a tune. I get very nervous doing karaoke-style singing in front of family members. I'd embarass myself at an Australian Idol audition and I'd subsequently appear on their "outtake" clips, used sometimes when they cut to a commercial break.

I've since heard more of Kellie's songs--and God has truly given her something. She's a great performer (with that whole "Dixie Chicks" vibe if you like that).. and an infectious charm. I think it's deservedly fitting & lovely that she's going places now! Considering Kellie is no Rhodes Scholar, she was brave to go on national TV and take a 5th grader on.. when they clearly had an edge over her academically. Despite this "would-you-take-a-look-at-this-dumb-blonde" press, she's WoW-ing fans in her country... and good on her! I hope she has a beautiful life.

I was tagged by Tina and required to show you what is on my desktop! I have Jennifer Aniston (a recent addition) - because in some of her photo's I can imagine wearing what she's wearing and being her weight. I use it to help me visualise being slimmer as I struggle with seeing myself this way. Thank you Tina for helping me 'capture' my desktop so I could publish it here on my blog. I had no idea how to do it before her guidance!

I tag: Christine, Cory, Gail & Petra

Collage of favourites... #2