Kitchen.

This is my kitchen this morning, complete with my sidekick:

This is my kitchen now having just cooked chocolate brownie for afternoon tea:

I cheated and used a packet - if you know me pick yourself up off the floor as you know that I have NEVER done this before as I usually cook EVERYTHING from scratch. For $8 I bought this:

After five minutes of everyone having a stir, followed by half an hour in the oven (the box said 40 minutes yet mine was possibly a tad overdone even after 30 minutes) we ended up with this:

And considering the almost zero effort that was involved, it was not bad. Although I shudder to think of what might have been in it. I couldn't help myself and tried to salvage it with organic butter and free range eggs.

I spend a significant part of my life in this room:

I always coveted a chandelier in the kitchen and this house came with one in every room. My mum said it was a ridiculous thing to have in a kitchen as chandeliers are notorious dust collectors. She was right, but I still think it's beautiful.

This is the view of the backyard from the window:

You can see my veggie patch reproaching me for it's neglect. As are my cumquats which are desperate to be turned into Moira's cumquat compote:

This is my narcissistic collection of 'R's':

I bought the elephant as a souvenir of our trip to India last year:

On our way out of Udaipur I had the car stopped so that I could run into the shop to negotiate it's purchase thinking I would never see it's like again. I shouldn't have bothered as they were for sale at Mumbai airport......for less. It was worth it though as it conjures up memories of this.......sigh:

Because I am a creature of habit, I went to Bikram Yoga this morning.....my sixth class in as many days:

It may have been five degrees in downtown Hobart yet it is always 40 degrees in the hot room. So if you feel like a tropical interlude that also works out your mind and body, why not give it a try? I go for preventative healthcare and because it is cheaper than therapy. I take my medicine here. If you live somewhere other than Hobart, find your closest Bikram Yoga studio here. Later tonight, once I've fed the masses, I think I might go back for a second dose. Well, I'm wagging tomorrow as I'm going out for lunch.

R

Dinner.

Last night the cooking gods smiled on me. Which was very lucky as it made dinner delicious - I am still recovering from the amazement. I was pedantic with the use of my camera so without further adieu I give you last night's dinner party:

The guests:

Caramelised Onion Tart:

Rabbit with Agen Prunes and pommes de mon terre:

Chocolate Pots with berries and biscuit:

Of course, in the true spirit of French dining there was a chesse course between main and dessert.

We finally got to bed at 3am. It's not as bad as it sounds as Camelia was kind to us and obligingly slept until 10am, the boys were ecstatic to have a generous dose of morning TV and Mimi was at a sleepover.

So I have just been out and weeded my veggie patch. I am ashamed to show the before photo:

It looks neat now:

Although virtually denuded except for a couple of self seeded tomato plants and kale. I have given it a good dose of sheep manure and blood and bone which is being rained in as I type as the weather has just turned very wet. Bad news for Kim's brother's party he's hosting in the Waterworks Reserve this evening although good news for the garden.

Right now I'm finished weeding and off to pay the hot room a visit.

R