A tiny slice of my life

This is a look at my life, and the many things I try to learn and do.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Merry Christmas

Well I hope everyone one had a very Merry Christmas.

I had a very quiet Christmas with family at my parents house.

We had hailstones the size of goofballs in the afternoon. My sisters car didn't get any dents, but my parents have 2 holes in the laser light on their veranda.

Also we had spectacular thunder and lightening, which sent my parents dog Coco, into a barking frenzy.

Miss Jess just clambered not my lap and slept, Mr CLI was at his parents house.

We went off to the Boxing Day sales because Miss Fish had 3 vouchers to use, which we did and some.

Well on the car I jury front my shoulder is still giving me a great deal of trouble, I think I will need to go to the Doctors in the New Year.

I hope you are resting up for your New Years celebrations.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Didn't I speak to soon. ...


Well I thought I was entering into the last minute calm before the Christmas storm last week. How little did I know.

What noise exploding airbags make, is permently implanted in my mind.


On Wednesday I was driving along minding my own business when what do I see coming towards me 0n my side of the road but a car travelling very fast on my side of the road.

So I have my arm in the sling and a hairline fracture of my clavicle, and burns and bruising from the airbag.

So my blogs will be a bit up and down till my arm heals.

So I hope everyone has their Christmas festivities under control. Mine have now been curtailed trying to cook with one arm is nearly impossible. Never mind I am here to speak about it and luckily Miss Fish wasn't in the car.


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

All Calm Again

Well I am typing this on my iPad hence no pictures, I still have to work our how to do that.

Yesterday after waiting nearly a whole day to see if the new iPhone had come in I called and found out that the shop had just received their 47 boxes of products and the kind fellow on the phone checked to see if the iPhones had arrived.

After a moments wait he informed me that he had my new phone in his hand, so I told him that I was on my way. I rang Mr CLI and he said "meet me out the front" so I grabbed my handbag the other phone and hurried down the drive way which is no quick walk as our front fence is 80 meters from our back door. I only had to wait a moment till his car came hurrying along and off we went.

Now I must point out I am not even getting the newest and latest iPhone only the 3 gs because they are cheaper and they will do the job for me.

As my old phone when I use it the battery cover slides of and the battery has a crack in it, also when Mr CLI or Miss Fish send me a photo from their iPhone 4 my phone can't open the photos.

Hence the need for a new phone.

Also I have promised to have it turned on at all times so I can be contacted. Lol

I do have a habit of going out and not turning on my mobile, just when it seems all the world needs to speak to me about very important things !

So I have strict instructions from Mr CLI to keep my phone on today as he may ring me.

As I have to quilt Miss Fish's quilt I am giving her for Christmas today I will home most of the day, but I better make sure that I keep the phone close by. LOL

So till tomorrow I had better scurry and get quilting before I start playing with my new toys.

One final word from Mr CLI "aren't we lucky we didn't put these under the tree for Christmas Day"

I can only concur because I would have needed a vat of espresso martinis to have coped with all the drama. LOL


Monday, December 12, 2011

Frustration with Technology

Why haven't I been online yesterday, because I have been up to my eyeballs in technology and what now seems like a permanent fixture my phone attached to my ear for hours. No word of a lie I spent 2 hours on Sunday and 3 hours yesterday on the phone.

What you are asking was I trying to do that required so long on the phone, well I was dealing with the newest technology iPads and iPhones.

Why oh why would they create a system that has the Internet but requires you to go onto a computer to connect to the Internet to toggle with iTunes, what a nightmare.

I ended with neither the iPad or the iPhone working on the network we had selected. So back to the shop yesterday to replace both of the sim cards for another network, but the mobile with the other network was sold after we left the shop !!!!

Also to top it of when the salesman remove the hard plastic protective cover that we had bought he broke it !!!

As it was the last pink one I now have blue covers, much more manly for Mr CLI he was the one that wanted to get an ipad.

So I have to wait till today for new stock to arrive oh dear !

So what kept me busy yesterday connecting to the new service provider, you call and provide enough details to fill a screen. Then you have to go onto iTunes to finish the activation, why it baffles me and what was the result a frozen iPad that required calls to Apple with no results then Mr CLI came home at lunchtime so I could try on his laptop. What a lifesaver.

The result after 1 and 1/2 hours is an iPad that's works Yipeeee

What does today bring hopefully a new iPhone and NO problems. I will update you tomorrow.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Santa has escaped

Well last night we were at one of the many Christmas Parties Miss Fish has this year. Santa even came on a Fire Engine with the lights and sirens !

You might ask which Santa has escaped, well my Santa's have the are now lurking about my house.



Santa with the long legs.

He was the first Santa I made and he seems quite at home with a paper chain that Miss Fish made draped around him.




Miss Fish makes paper chains to decorate the house every Christmas, she has advanced from me cutting out the paper and using sticky tape to make the chains. To her cutting out the paper and using the stapler, her chains are just about perfect this year.



Cheeky Santa

He is all attitude.









Spooky Santa






Why is he spooky Santa because when I first made him I put him in the lounge room and at night he scared the heck out of Mr CLI.

He doesn't like him in the lounge room and each Christmas asks were he is so he doesn't get a fright.



I drew his face then colored him in with pencil. So he is very pale.






Have you got any spooky or scary Christmas decoration that scare anyone, or are all yours happy and sweet ?



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Bring Some Liquid Cheer to Christmas

Now I don't drink very often, but on Christmas day I don't mind one or two maybe even 3 or 4 after all the kerfuffle of lunch is over and we are sitting and opening our presents.

Now last year my parents came to my house for Christmas and I designed an espresso martini for my Dad and I,we both love coffee flavoured drinks and my Mum never drinks alcohol and Mr CLI doesn't anymore.

This was such a hit the bottle of champagne stayed in the fridge and we managed to get through about 2 litres of this cocktail, a friend of ours also popped in an had one or two , she lives within walking distance and my parents stay here for a rest, so no one had to worry about driving.

So don't panic I made these so you knew there was some alcohol in them but not that strong that it would knock your socks of after the first glass.

This recipe can be altered to make other cocktails with cream in them if you like cream based cocktails.

You can later and adapt this recipe to your taste.

Espresso Martini
1 litre cold espresso coffee - I used instant espresso granules and boiling water let it cool then refrigerated it, as you don't want any coffee grounds
2 cups sugar syrup - made by boiling 2 1/2 cups water with 1 cup caster sugar till slightly thickened but not browned in any way about 5 minutes of simmering

vodka, kahlua and creme de cacao





creme de cacao






In a large jug mix the litre of coffee add 1 cup of sugar syrup and 1/4 cup of each liquor , stir and taste. You may need more liquor you want it so you can taste the alcohol but it not burn your mouth also you want it slightly sweet but not sickly sweet.

Peppermint Crisp













per drink
1/4 cup cream, 1 shot (30 ml) kahlua, 1 shot (30 ml) creme de menthe, 1/4 cup cold espresso coffee


creme de menthe









Shake together in a cocktail shaker or whizz in a blender, pour into you glass and top with grated chocolate.

So there are 2 ideas for some Christmas cheer, if you want to make a non alcoholic chocolate martini, use the coffee and sugar syrup mix together then top with a dollop of softly whipped cream and a grating of nutmeg. It is similar to an iced coffee but without the milk.

So next time you think of Christmas or even for New Years eve, think cocktails have a fossick in your drinks cupboard and see what you have hiding in the back and invent a cocktail just for you.

Cheers !

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Some Christmas Fun

Now today I am going to give you some interesting Santa and Christmas things that you may not know.

While reading the papers on Saturday I found a little item about an app that you can download on your iphone to follow Santa's trip on Christmas eve.

I got Mr CLI to check if it costs anything it doesn't its free. The app is from NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command).

Now as Miss Fish still believes in Santa I might get him to download it, my only concern is that being in USA that they will be a day behind so we will have to see on Christmas Eve.









There is even a North Pole site on the web that has a count down till Christmas fun activities for kids and things for parents to do.


If you have children and they want to write a letter to Santa there is even a website just for that.



Everything seems to be electronic, what happened to the days of writing a letter to Santa and going to the local shopping centre and popping it in a specially marked box, or even leaving it out on Christmas Eve for Santa to read.

Talking of Christmas Eve in our house for many years Santa has only got water and carrots for the reindeer, as Miss Le Coiffure stopped the tradition of leaving a glass of Port for Santa when the

"If you drink and drive your a bloody idiot" ads started so Santa was banned for all alcohol ! LOL

Mr CLI and I put up our outside lights last night, when I get all the leads connected tonight I will take a photo, but we did this with a bit of sadness, as I love Christmas lights I purchased a 48 metre long rope light which I hung on our front fence.

Last year Mr CLI came home one night and said that some of the rope light wasn't working, as it was nearly Christmas I didn't do anything about.

When we checked it out last night the moron or morons that had swung on it with such force they had some how broken the connection in the rope so that only half of it worked !

We of course didn't hear anything when it was done, the same as when they hung of our 2 metre high front gate and pulled it from the pillar, because our house is set back 60 metres from the front fence.

So this year we hung up what was still working on the front of the house. The good thing that did come out of it is the Christmas Grinch, Mr CLI said I could get more lights for next year and we will keep them closer to the house.





Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Coconut Chicken with Mango and Peanut Salsa

Well this a meal I cooked the other night there hasn't been much cooking for the last couple of days because I am busy on the sewing machine making Christmas presents.

I will post photos after I have given the presents as I don't want Miss Le Coiffure to see them here.

This was another of my easy recipes that can be put together in about 1/2 an hour. A terrific idea for a BBQ.

You can make the salsa with either pineapple or mango, as I only had a mango I used that. As usual I served a salad with it, you know you need to get you greens in any way you can.

Coconut Chicken
4 chicken breasts cut into tenderloins, 1/2 400gm can coconut cream, white part of lemon grass finely sliced, 1 tsp ground coriander , 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsps brown or palm sugar

To Serve - steamed rice and salad

Mix all ingredients together. Heat a griddle pan or frypan with 2-3 tbsps oil. Add chicken strips grill 3 - 4 minutes on one side, turn reduce heat to medium cook for a further 3 - 4 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with salsa, rice and salad.

Mango/Pineapple Salsa
1 small pineapple, peeled cored and cut into bite size pieces or 1 large mango peeled and cut into bite size pieces, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/4 cup peanuts with the skin removed

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl.

Monday, December 5, 2011

The Star of Siam - Adelaide South Australia

Now the very first time Mr CLI and I went away to Adelaide , way back in 2005, the actual last time I rode my old motorbike anywhere, this is the first restaurant we ate at.

We have been going there ever since. I can still remember the first meal we had it was barramundi with a green mango salad, both of which we had never eaten before. It was divine.

We sat out the front of the restaurant under the veranda watching the passing parade of cars and pedestrians. The Star of Siam is in Gouger Street if you know anything about Adelaide you will know that this street is full of restaurants and the back of the Adelaide Central market is there as well.

We have taken Miss Fish there twice and she has thoroughly enjoyed, as she is a fried rice and dim sim girl she was a bit concerned that there wouldn't be anything she liked, but she happily sat and ate small spring rolls, rice and stir fried vegetables, before her and I had coconut ice cream.

Now for just their coconut ice cream it is worth going there.

A word of warning if you do intend to eat there for Dinner especially on a Friday night you will need to book , as it is very busy with people leaving work who then do there weekly shop at the market then have tea there then go home.

So if you want some divine food in a very friendly atmosphere go to the Star of Siam next time you are in Adelaide.


Friday, December 2, 2011

Some Christmas Cheer

Well we are officially in the Christmas spirit, even the Christmas Grinch (Mr CLI) can't complain because it is now after the 1st of December - Miss Fish and I decorated the inside of the house last Tuesday, because she had no work - and the Christmas Grinch complained that it wasn't even December !

Miss Fish & I love Christmas not so much for the presents, which are nice, but all the lights and decorations.



So we put our tree up last night. I always try to color theme the tree each year and I remembered that I had bought Christmas balls in January this year, when they were cheap.

So while Miss Fish was getting out the decorations I got out my new balls and tinsel only to discover that they don't have any hangers on them, what are we meant to do try and jam them onto our tree branches in the tiny holes at the top.

So Mr CLI got the job of tying ribbon loops onto them so that I could hang them on our tree. Which he did a very good job of, until he made the comment "that if he had bought the balls he would have noticed that they didn't have any hangers" after that comment he nearly had one of the balls in a place most uncomfortable. lol

When the tree was decorated Miss Fish officiated in Mr CLI hanging up her candy canes a must on our tree.

A SIGN OF DESPERATION

Here is a desperate dog Miss Jessie, who is 12 years old and our 3rd daughter she had her bed put up for vacuuming and we returned to find her asleep in it !










As I am typing this I am looking at her once again perched high on the lounge asleep, protected from the vacuum cleaner !

OFF TO THE RACES

Miss Fish went to a race themed dinner last Friday night, she has a busier social life than me. She bought home a horse !

Giddy up !








We still have to put up our outside lights - the Christmas Grinch has to help, but I hope if the weather holds out we will get them up this weekend.

So if you haven't started already, have a merry time decorating your house.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Mini Meatballs

Now as the theme for the party food was finger food I even made the meatballs small. Out of 500gms of mince I got about 40 meatballs.

As with most of my recipes this one is very easy, but the meatballs are moist and flavourful.


You can make them ahead of time then cover them in tin foil and reheat in the oven.

Meatballs
500 gms mince beef, 2 cloves garlic grated, 2 tbsps tomato sauce, 1 tbsps Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp celery salt, 1 tbps chopped fresh parsley.

In a bowl mix all ingredients together, the best way to do this is with your hands. Collect the mince together in a ball the throw it together on the inside side of the bowl. Do this several times till the meat melds together.

I do this so that the meatballs don't fall apart while cooking.

Roll into small balls, or larger if you wish for bigger meatballs. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a large frypan. Cook for 3-4 minutes rolling the balls around to get and even brownness over the meatballs.

Reduce heat to medium cover the frypan the cook for a further 5 - 7 minutes stirring a couple of times, till the meatballs are cooked through.










Remove from the frypan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Serve hot with tomato or BBQ sauce.