2011

My new years resolution is that I'm going to blog every day.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

hahahahahahah

lol

lal

as if

Probably won't.

See you in 2012.

Quickie ramble

Hey there y'all!

Just checking in, saying hi, chewing the cud...

Life is good, but oh so busy. My garden prospered and is now wilting a little. I am waking up at night thinking about work, which is disturbing so early in the term.

Last week I went for a hike in Kakadu. It was brilliant! I spent the walk back in pain from blisters and a bruised knee, and I thought I would never take another step. But you know what? Turns out it's a bit like childbirth. One week later I've forgotten all about that pain and I'm aching to get back out there.

I had a good haul from the oppy today (Nightcliff Timor op shop). I got two vintage plastic plates with a wicker and flowers type print, one Tupperware pepper shaker, one tiny enamel mug for Bes (she likes to have cups of tea whenever I do), a tennis ball and a HOLLY HOBBIE tile. I collect Holly Hobbie paraphernalia. It's ever so cute, and gives me hope that one day I'll have a house where I can nail a shelf into the wall especially to display it all.

In other, more exciting news, Joe's website is NEARLY finished. It's looking mega-awesome and I will blog again when he says it's time to advertise the link. Oooh I'm itching to tell you now though!

I've been collecting jars to make beetroot relish. It's going to be rad. And if you're very lucky (and clumsy) it will make your white clothes a delightful pink colour.

I've also been to Alice Springs and back since I last posted, but that's a story for another day (when I've got the photos organised).

I went to the Darwin Show a couple of weeks ago, and managed to get SO MANY free bags, that I think I got back my entry fare in the saving I'll make on not needing to buy green bags ever again. I suspect that last sentence only made sense to me.

In news in which I have photos to illustrate:

We planted six banana trees at The Mulch Pit Gardening Club Super Group yesterday. Here are Bes and Rahkel and Jana keeping an eye on some well-watered holes (soon to be filled with trees).



I got a new app on my phone called Camera Bag. It is probably the best app I've ever downloaded (tough call, I do have Doodle Jump). It gets mediocre photos I've taken, and adds filters to make them trés cool. Here is one in which I look hot, even though I'm just about to go to sleep and am wearing an oversized green Tshirt:




Filter: Cinema

And here is one of Nightcliff beach one morning. I really like the way this seems drenched in colour (sorry I don't know any proper photography terms).


Filter: Lolo



See you soon,



Love Lucy.

Strange feeling.

I'm still in bed at 10:16am and am confronted with a strange feeling. Actually it's two feelings coupled together which make a new feeling.

Feeling one: Guilt, laziness, guilt, sluggishness, guilt, I should be up, guilt, the bathroom needs cleaning, guilt, there are people up and about outside this room, guilt, I'm stinky and need a shower, guilt, I am gross and lazy.

Feeling two: Self righteousness! You see, my long sleep-in only really began at 7:15am, AFTER I got back from the gym! I got up, I worked out, had a healthy breakfast and went back to bed. I'm allowed to do that- it's school holidays.

Argh! I think the guilt is winning, but the self righteousness is adding a nice little opposing voice.

This crippling guilt will probably cause me to stay in bed a little longer. It's a hungry feeling.

Everybody's talking about...

My new layout!
I know, I know, it's a normal blogger template. I just wanted something lighter. Because it is the dry season and the sky is light and bright.

In unrelated news, I went to a garage sale today and SCORED: Two Golden Hands Craft books, Three Hobbytex pictures (they are paint-by-number but I will leave them plain) and One Mosaic puzzle.




I'm going to try to do the puzzle tonight. I expect it's hard because it has crazy tetris shaped pieces that make it impossible to find the corners and edges.

Today Joe and I went to see 'I Love You Man'. I have to say I was sceptical at first, but was soon laughing my (pert) arse off. I think it would be a good date film. It's half-way between a chick flick and the Judd Apatow 'bromance' style films that boys these days are so fond of.

I also went to an RPM class today. That means 'Revs Per Minute' I think. The instructor was good- really motivating and encouraging. But JEESH she could breathe heavily into a microphone. Seriously, it sounded like a porn movie soundtrack at times.

Now the most exciting thing... tomorrow we are getting a PIANOLA! Thanks to the wonderful Bianca Jae.
Sing-along in Millner!
We are going to make the trek out to Palmerston tomorrow afternoon to pick up our new baby, and then move him/her into his/her new home in the back room (soon to be called the music room).
I will post photos toot-sweet.

Last night I went on a boat cruise on Darwin harbour. The sunset was stunning, the company was friendly, the breeze was cool, the marscapone was creamy and the wine was free. I was so wrapped up in the moment that I forgot to take photos. So here is one of a comparably beautiful sunset last week at Mindil.



The picture doesn't do it justice, but my little iphone camera did her best and I want to acknowledge her effort.

Finally, a little bit of cuteness for you.



This is from The Toy Maker, which is a wonderful website of things to see and do.
Ah love.

Hooroo gentle readers.

Love,

Lucy.

Personality Results... I'm still the same.

I did this Jungian test and got the same result I always do... which was not what I was expecting. I thought I'd changed. Maybe this test knows The Real Me.


Strangely the results don't mention the narcissism required to post about myself on my blog.

INFP - "Questor". High capacity for caring. Emotional face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 4.4% of total population.

personality tests by similarminds.com

For good explanations of the types (but no actual test) check out http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory2.html


What type are you gentle reader? (I really am interested... promise).



I'll add a photo now to bring interest to this post.



An autumn tree in the Domain Gardens in Melbourne, May 09. I thought for a long time about how the sun could be so visibly shining while I felt so desperately cold. I couldn't work it out meteorologically so I started focussing on the metaphor of light obstinately shining in the scary, vulnerable times of life.

Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.
-Terry Pratchett


That's all for today. Except to say that I've recently joined Brown Owls and that means I can write on the Brown Owls blog, so I'm going to try to get some practice here to build myself up.

Love,

Lucy.


P.S I am going to twitter this (as is the fashion of the times) so welcome to any new readers.

Wonderful!

I have just watched this 5 times in a row.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Scattergories

We used to play Scattergories ALL the time when I was a kid. I loved that massive dice and the fact that although it was stiff competition between me and my brother and sister, all 3 of us were better than any of our friends.
The rules got bent and elaborated upon, and we had to make it a little more antipodean, but it's just one of those simple addictive games.



I got this chain email with a Scattergories theme, and since I don't actually pass those kinds of emails on much, I thought I might post it on my blog.

.............

Use the first letter of your first name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things - nothing made up. Try to use different answers, if the person in front of you had the same first initial - which by the way is hard if you already have read their answers! You cannot use your own name for the boy/girl names.
1. What is your name? Lucy
2. A 4 letter word: Look! (also the name of my favourite book in Prep)
3. A Vehicle: Lexus
4. A city: Lismore
5. A boy's name: Lucius
6. A girl's name: Louise
7. Beverage: Lager
8. An occupation: Labratory rat
9. Something you wear: Lingerie
10. A celebrity: L.L Cool J
11. A food: Lychee
12. Something found in a bathroom: Loofah
13. Something you shout: LEFT!
14. Reason for being late: lateness in general
15. An animal: Lorikeet
16. A body part: Liver
17. Word/s to describe yourself: LOL-worthy

Who needs artists?

When you can find exquisite things like this growing on your passionfruit vine.




Just kidding, I know we need artists. I need one artist in particular...

Do you know what I hate?

Those awful passive-aggressive signs people make in publisher and stick up all over offices and school staff rooms.



I am a decent human being! Maybe I was just too busy to rinse my cup, or maybe I'm coming back in a minute.
Why don't you just go ahead and clean it for me while you're at the sink.



You know I'd do the same for you.

The 150 list.

Yes, it's another meme.

I somehow doubt I'll get all the way through by the time I'm 30.
40 maybe?

Bold the ones you’ve done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theatre
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married engaged!
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on a television news program as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life by not hitting them with my car.

(via Oh My Darlin')

66! Almost half way.

A Meme About Food

Just more of my attempt to get into blogging by starting off with Memes. I have so many ideas that I never blog!

Joe just farted.

We had a beach picnic at Lee Point today and it was a delight.

And now the meme...

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results."

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (is this anything like muncheros?)
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses (I had to look; a pungent cheese from France)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (have had pumpkin soup in a sourdough bowl though)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float (no, but I love ALL Spiders and am bringing them back)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal (I looked it up, it's a curry hotter than vindaloo)
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/US$120 or more
46. Fugu (why would I eat something that might kill me?)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (probably)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores (I know, born in the wrong continent)
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake oh yes! Tried churros this year!
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (from the roadkill cafe)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (what is this? I want pie)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky (I can't remember, but possibly)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (pansies, borage, nasturtiums, calendula, violets, lavender, roses....)
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

FEW! That took a lot longer than I expected. On the upside, I killed some time while awaiting my birthday.
Killing time seems a violent thing to do. Is there an alternative expression?

Meme

Here is a meme I got from Pip at Meet Me at Mikes.

Tell Me The Last Time You:
Swam: last week! At Florence Falls in the afternoon and at the beach at sunset.

Could Not Stop Laughing: With Sam and Sarah having a disco in the space in our house that is supposed to be a dining room.

Walked a Mile: this morning! Is 2.9km a mile?

Slept During the Afternoon: A couple of Sundays ago.

Picked Flowers: On friday to make a frangipani button for Gai.

Wrote a Letter: postcards? To the Melbourne kiddies. Does writing general information about crocodiles count as a letter?

Lay Down on the Grass: Playing with Valjean on the oval.

Ate Without Cutlery: This morning- eggs.

Gave Someone A Gift: last week - Naomi

Mixed a Special Drink for Yourself: Don't know! But Netty made coconut banana icy poles.

Watched Two Movies in One Day: Don't know that I've ever done this without falling asleep

Made Something With Your Hands: last week- Naomi's pencil holder

Counted Someone's Toes: Gus's toes (he has 10 by the way)

Talked on the Phone for One Hour : the other day, to Hannah.

Sat and Did Nothing : Just before I decided to do this blog.

Read Aloud: Last week I read The League of Geniuses to Bes. And I often read the NT News Txts 2 Da Editor aloud.

I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.

Take the Quiz here!

JOE IS "RAPT"

Since I am sporadic (thanks Alicia Silverstone) at best with my blogging, I have decided to embrace meme's. So to all my readers, feel free to not actually read. This meme thing is going to get me into the habit of blogging and then I will be churning out original posts in no time.
If blogger had Growing Gifts I would quit Facebook for it.



This is a one word meme. I won't be tagging anyone as I don't know anyone who would do it. Actually Netanela, I tag you.

1. Where is your cell phone? stairs
2. Your significant other? PapaJoe
3. Your hair? Brazil brown
4. Your daughter? cute
5. Your son? rascal
6. Your favorite thing? blue sky
7. Your dream last night? Dr Xavier
8. Your favorite drink? peach shnapps
9. Your goal? broadway
10. The room you’re in? lounge
11. Your church? Borg
12. Your fear? loneliness
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? darmania
14. Where were you last night? verrandah
15. What you’re not? driven
16. Muffins? lamingtons
17. One of your wish list items? orange iBook
18. Where you grew up? Box Hill
19. The last thing you did? whistle 'I could never be your woman'
20. What are you wearing? denim skirt
21. Your TV? far away
22. Your pets? loved
23. Your computer? joybook
24. Your life? sunny
25. Your mood? laconic
26. Missing someone? too many!
27. Your car? bike
28. Something you’re not wearing? shoes. ever.
29. Favorite store? Aldi
30. Your summer? wandering
31. Like(love) someone? yes
32. Your favorite color? yellowypurpleorange
33. Last time you laughed? now
34. Last time you cried? june
35. Who will repost this? netanela

Netanela's post.

This here post is for Netanela. Netty is probably my biggest blog fan and I thought that the least I could do would be to write some sort of diatribe on here for her.

Last night we forgot to eat the watermelon.

Since I don't really have a specific thing to write about I think I'll just write a few mismatched thoughts. A meme of my own design.

1. I just got a sewing machine. Actually I WILL be getting a sewing machine, but not until I go to Melbourne. I do have all the stuff that goes with the machine though, all together in a nice decor container. Not Tupperware, but I'll make a concession. My machine is called the Janome Gold Jem and it seems BRILLIANT! Thank you to Mum, Step-Dave, Sam, Hannah, Chelsea and Dougal.

2. Wesley had better step up his gift buying since Chelsea and Dougal got me a sewing machine.

3. Wesley is my wabbit (baby rabbit). When he grows up he will be called Resley because he won't be a wabbit anymore.

4. Here are some people who I love (in no particular order)... Bes, Netty, Dan, Joe, Kelly, Hannah, Sam, Mum, Step-Dave, Nan and Gramps, Lili, Phillipa, Ali (x2), Emily, Nick (x2), Pat, Jake, Tom, Margeret, Marty, Mary, Libby, Gordon, Andrew, Stephen, Revecca, Matthew, Aden, Catherine, Sarah, Baby Hannah, Mary, Owen, Kate, Phil, Deege, Gai, Paul, Jemma, Grace, Reuben, Hamish, Sarah, James, Alex, Pete, Eira, Bryan, Paul, Mel, Logan, Kate, Gen, Sammy J, Kranki, Tom, Linda, Jessie, Jarrah, Cindy, Ryan, Anthi,....

5. I have to go now to do some DRIVIN'. Will write more soon. I like this no pressure rambling blog stylez. Think I could really get into this whole blogging thing.

Mundingburra

Tonight there is a full moon. I have been going for a swim each night this week to cool down before bed. I want to be able to use my new doona as much as possible, but it's still 35 Degrees each day. Getting cooler at nights though- ever so gradually.
For some reason, tonight I thought of that R.E.M song 'Nightswimming'. I was transported back to my 14 year old self, sitting on the floor of our house in North Queensland, listening to my brother's REM cd. I thought Nightswimming was the most profound and beautiful song ever.
I don't know why I didn't think of the song for so long. Like so many obsession songs it slipped away once I was finished with it.
As I was swimming and watching the moon through the palm tree silhouettes, I couldn't help but wonder how I could ever feel melancholic when I am living in a life which is so beautiful.

Nightswimming, remembering that night
September's coming soon
I'm pining for the moon
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
That bright, tight forever drum
Could not describe nightswimming...

Love from Lucy.

Savouring the rain.

I don't CARE what you say!

I'm posting about the weather again.

Here is a song I teach to the kiddies:

Rain rain go away, come again another day

Rain rain go to Spain, you keep dripping on my brain.

(oh how they laugh).

Here is the view from my room RIGHT FUCKEN NOW!

And yes, that is me being a half-shadowed verandah livin' hippy.

See how I live in a tropical paradise? You could TOO!

We are waiting for the rain to die down a little. Then we will go for a swim in the creek.

Love and love,

Monsoon Lucy.

Dear Gentle Reader (you know who you are... and I couldn't pick a nicer blog stalker),

Thankyou for passing on the message from Rofflwaffle.

It appears that you are raising him quite well, and for that I am grateful.

Tell him I love him, and that I'm sorry I had to send him to the cold southern land, but I just couldn't raise a boisterous young lad like him whilst maintaining my current lifestyle.

I will not be sending him money, as I feel this encourages general humbuggery, but I will understand if he feels the need to resort to selling his 'wares' outside the Preston tram depot.

I miss you more though.

Love,

Lucy.

P.S There was a piece of lettuce in my text book acting like a bookmark.

Wet Season Study

I am at my peak level of productivity when it's sunny and humid and still and I'm sitting underneath a fan.

But when it starts raining I go into a whole different headspace.

The sound of the rain on the roof is like white noise drowning out the little voice in my head reading the text book to me.

The sight of the rain through the window is hypnotic, falling and falling and only changing ever so slightly every few minutes.

Is it so bad that I get drawn to the verandah at these times, and leave my books and laptop alone?

Can I please get an extension?

You see... um... like... it was raining.

If Thou Art With Me

Off to my singing exam this morning!
Here is what I am singing:
Ave Maria- Caccinii (listen to it- absolutely beautiful)
Bist Du Bei Mir- often falsely attributed to Bach but actually by Stolzel
Flowing Sleeve and Trouser- Dvorak
The Cliffs of Tatra- Dvorak
Here in The Wood- Dvorak (these 3 part of a cycle of 7 Gypsy Songs)
Lo Hear The Gentle Lark- Sir Henry Bishop- words by The Bard
and something else but I am too nervous to remember.
A BEAUTIFUL set of songs and I am scared I won't do them justice.
First time I have actually been able to choose classical songs for an exam that actually mean something to me.
Note the lack of musical theatre- I am trying something new. Or old. A revisit perhaps.
AND NO 'POOR WANDRING ONE' for once.
Love to you all. Especially if you are doing exams too, my gentle readers.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Lucy- soprano- at your service.