TWO WORDS!!!!

Women. Sometimes they really do astonish me. One of Lulu's oldest friends comes online and says hi to her. Lu wasn't actually on the computer, I was. I said two words to her friend... I said "hey kathleen".... and yet she knew it wasn't Lu.

Two words!! How in the world did she know that!

Women... A constant source of amazement....

EEEEEWWWW!!! That looks like I rolled around in some rather fresh cow patties. It's actually hair dye. Lulu was so excited about dying my hair that I just couldn't refuse her. If you want to see the finished result you'll have to meet up with us!!!

The Procrastinator's Handbook

The irony of it. I was going to buy "The Procrastinator's Handbook", even added it to the online shopping cart and was about to checkout but couldn't be bothered.

Queer Eye Optional...

Not everyone has access to a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, but I reckon with this book you wouldn't stray too far.

Only in Japan...

Only in Japan. The Lonely Man's Cushion.

Banana Bread

Made banana bread today and learnt a few lessons along the way.

1. Don't forget to add the yeast - its best to add the yeast before you add the water and the first kneading of the bread.
2. Too much water is bad and makes the dough sticky - I added the correct amount of water, actually it was milk and water but I also added 2 eggs. What I should have done was reduce the amount of water used.
3. Add the bananas at the start - its easier to add mashed bananas at the start than kneading it in later.
4. Most importantly that non-stick bread tin is NOT non-stick
5. Cleaning the oven from overflow from the rising dough in the bread tin is a pain in the arse.

B & B - Bruge and Brussels

Friday - Monday (10th-13th Dec). We had a 4 day weekend, a day in beautiful Bruge and 3 in Brussels. We hadn't heard of Bruge before we came to London but our flatmate suggested we go as it is very pictureque and postcard beautiful. I'm glad we took her advice as it was everything she said and more. My memory of the town is filled with spending hours in chocolate shops. Needless to say there's so much chocolate here the streets are paved with it. Every other shop is a chocolate shop. After visiting the chocolate museum I had dreams of coming back home to Sydney to set up business, and had to be restrained from buying chocolate molds in antipation of my triumphant return.

Brussels, part brrrr when its -1 or -3 degrees, and part mussels. After Bruge, Brussels is not as pretty by far and reminded me of parts of inner city Sydney - Redfern. They do have wonderful waffles, chocolates (much more expensive than Bruge too) and mussels. If you like beer they have many fine ones to choose from. Kriek is a cherry beer with about 5% alcohol. Its sweet. If you like Ribena then try the rasberry beer. At 2.5% you can't taste the alcohol and is extremely easy to drink. I drank more beer than Lulu. Gotta find a rasberry beer supply in Sydney when I get home !!

Bruge
Me just walking down the street. Sometimes Lulu catches me on camera unexpectently in some really weird off beat positions.		Main square of Bruge at night where the christmas markets and ice skating is held.
Just us having fun in the square.
Brussels
Two things that Belguim is renown for - waffles and chocolate - combined!! That is what you call indulgence and glutony!!		What else is Brussels renown for?!!? MUSSELS!!! This pot of 30-40 of the tasty morsels were cooked in garlic and cream... there was enough garlic to keep an army of vampires and one girlfriend away :(
Manneke Pis - the statue of the pissing boy. What I want to know is why it is so famous.		Main square in Brussels all lit up with lasers, christmas trees and coloured lights.
Meeting up with Lulu's work mates - Virginie and Carmen (in black top).

London weather in Sydney

After all our friends telling us about the brilliant sunny weather in Sydney, I read about hellish storm weather hitting. All that rain and hail one week before we head home... It better get back to being hot and sunny by the time we touch down!

Birthday Dinner

I attempted the lemon, mustard, herb and soy chicken again for my birthday dinner. This time i used more soy and mustard, abit too much as I couldn't taste enough of the lemon and it was all marinated for about 24 hours. It did have better colour with a nice brown but not as brown as my mum makes.

Thirty-Two

A year older.

I remember the Coffee Festivals back in Sydney. Crowds of people tasting the finest coffee the world has to offer. $1 a cup and being high on caffine. Those were joyous days oh so long ago. On year we lined up for free milk samples. Everyone got small half litre bottles. Somehow I got a full litre, somebody apparently thought a person of my age requires the extra calcium....

Another year I got there before all my friends and got a free sample bag. When the others came along I got them sample bags too. Everyone got sample lipstick, ground coffee and vouchors. I got ground coffee, vouchours and "Nightly Eye Cream".

Shopping through Harvey Nichols I walk up to a counter of hair gels, creams, etc. The sales girl offers me some free samples that I just couldn't refuse. I did refuse but she gave them to me anyway, she was quite insistant. On walking past a mirror I realised why she insisted. Dry skin, flaky skin, old and wrinkley.

	Yes that does say INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH and DOUBLE DUTY

Narelle, my former college at AMPCO, used to call me "metrosexual" I certainly wasn't on that day. Before I met Lulu I hardly ever moisturised.

These days at my peak (which I confess i'm over) my nightly beauty regime far exceeded that of Lulu's and stood at about 5 steps.

I hope I look this good when I'm sixty-four....

Latest cooking successes.

Here are some of my latest successes in the kitchen. "I think therefore I can" cook.

Pasta lunch from a few days ago. Pasta shells, peas, tuna and sauce.		Tonight's dinner. Drumsticks in lemon, seeded mustard, mixed herbs, olive oil and soy sauce. Oven roasted and tasted good!

Property Property Property!!

Two people now have said to me that the property market back in Sydney has cooled off and prices have begun to fall. By the time Lulu and I get back to Sydney it might be time I seriously look at something to buy. There are a lot of tv shows here in London about doing up properties and selling them on for a profit. Wouldnt mind do that a few times back home to build up some money. Hard work it would be though.

Other shows have people relocating to Europe from the UK mostly for the lifestyle... and the sunshine (something that doesn't really happen here in London: 3 days/year compared to 300 days/year in Sydney). Admittantly the people doing it are usually of retiring age but some are younger going to some tropical island. I wouldn't mind a European holiday house/investment property somewhere in France or Spain. $UK80-$UK90,000 could do it. Then again thats money I don't have.

Dream on Denzil, dream on.

More stress than a fighter pilot!!

And you thought State Rail (in Sydney) is bad check this out:

Latest research shows that people catching the Tube (London's train network) have more stress than combat fighter pilots and policemen in riot conditions. Much of the stress is due to the sardine like conditions and delays often experienced by commuters. Most people waste about 5 years travelling on the Tube and go into a zombie like state. Experts suggests doing something constructive like reading a book or magazine instead of zoning out and listening to music.