This rain is well & truly here and things are getting a little scary. I have never seen anything like this the whole 14 years I have lived in Brisbane. We are in Paddington and are in a Queenslander style house on a big hill, the water just runs down the street or under the house and I think there is no danger of us being flooded.
I just went down to the local shops at Milton to grab a few things and the few shops on the trip down there are taped up & have sandbags. My local park is now a thigh deep swimming pool and unbelievably people are down there running around in it. The rain has not cooled things down at all, it is so humid and sticky.
Leigh works in Cenral Plazza 2 in the CBD and was evacuated at about 11am this morning. Unfortunately he did not get to come home, he was sent to his companies disaster recovery site to man things from there. Several of our friends have been evacuated from their homes and have had to go to shelters but you can not take your pets.
They are predicting this could be worse then the 74 floods & that D day will be Thursday. Hoping things get better than worse. I feel very lucky that we are all together and safe in our home tonight, I feel terrible for those who are not.
This is the river walk at New farm where we go for walks often - it has been closed off
This is Coronation Drive about a 5 min drive from home
Day 1 of a diet is never much fun and today is no different. Yes I would like to lose weight but right at the moment I do not have my diet mojo. Why am I doing this then? Becuase I feel pressured by my fertility Dr. I gained alot of weight in 2007/2008 when I was very ill. I lost 30 kilos of it to start ivf but Dr L is always at me to lose more. It gets a little embarrassing that she mentions it every visit and even on the day of my miscarriage her parting words on the phone to me were to "rest up & lose some weight". I know I have weight to lose, but I know of people heavier than me that are doing/have done ivf.
I lost the first 30 kilos using Jenny Craig, the food was not bad but I am a very picky eater so there menu for someone like me was very limiting and I had to repeat alot of meals to pad out the week. Needless to say after awhile I got very sick of it and called it quits around the time of my whooping cough. I thought I would give lite n easy a try as there was a better selection.
Today I have had:
Breakfast was a cheese & tomato tosted sandwhich - sounds good but ever try making one with no oil/butter it sticks even to a non stick pan and falls apart. The second attempt was made by toasting the bread in the toaster and melting the cheese in the microwave. There was also a yoghurt to have but I can't eat it, it is one of those things that makes me gag - I can not even stand the smell.
Lunch was a chicken salad which was not bad but the portion was very small. There were some cheese & crackers for a snack.
Dinner tonight was sausages in onion gravy with veg which was not too bad for a frozen meal.
Guess I will just continue to give this a go and hope some motivation grabs me. Nothing worse than going on a diet then when you have been told to.
In the letterbox this afternoon was a parcel from my dear friend Maggie in Louisville KY, she mentioned she had sent something off but with everything that has happened I had forgot.
First off there were 2 shirts - on the front was printed TEAM & our surname and on the back of each was our names, also there was a bracelet which featured several pics of Leigh & I and the girls. What beautiful, thoughtful presents. I wish I was talented enough to make such things. I popped on my team shirt and wore it in to pick up Leigh from work. One of my good friends who works with Leigh had popped down to say hi and got to see it too.
I want to send a big shout out to Maggie and thank her so much for putting a smile on my face again. I feel lucky to have a friend like you and wish you were not half a world away.
Leigh models our Team shirts - he put it on as soon as he got home!
Today was Leigh's last day of leave so after doing a few errands we decided to get out & have a nice relaxing afternoon tea at Vanilla Pod.
Leigh found Vanilla Pod a few years ago when he was trying desperately to find somewhere in Brisbane that had red velvet cake (it became my holy grail cake after having it regularly in LA), now we order one for all our special occcassions.
Today we decided on their decadent Iced Chocolate with fresh whipped cream (not areated stuff) and tons of ice cream
Unfortuantely there was no red velvet by the slice today so we had white chocolate mud cupcakes
I suggest any Brissy readers go for a visit!! Vanillapod
In the past week we have seen quite a few good movies, of varying genres and some I have enjoyed more than others. Here is the rundown:
The next three days is the new Russell Crowe film, a great story and lots of edge of the seat stuff. Russell is excellent in this as a man who plans to break his wife out of jail. I would put this on any must see list.
Rabbit hole was ok. The acting was fantastic but it is not something I would send people to see nor am I in a hurry to see it again or add it to my collection.
Love & other drugs is a rom com with a difference. Anne & Jake were great and there are quite a few funny moments but this does deal with some serious stuff as well.
The Tourist, loved this from start to finish. I enjoyed the story and Angelina's wardrobe was devine. If you want action & plot twists, this is for you.
Black Swan will not be for everyone. If you want to see a movie with a very different story aka not your run of the mill movie this is for you. Natalie Portman was great and we really enjoyed it. I think this is one you will either love or hate - no grey area here.
Due Date in some ways is like the classic Planes,Trains & Automobiles in that it throws 2 very different people together to travel cross country. I only looked at it cos I am a fan of Robert's and did not expect much. I got quite a surprise as I had several laugh out loud moments. At a time when neither of us felt like laughing this cheered us up and distracted us for 90 mins. Its no masterpiece cinema but it did what it was supposed to - entertain.
Somewhere, I have enjoyed several of Sofia Coppola's films especially the virgin suicides & Marie Antionette but this left me cold. I get what she was trying to do here but this was slow to the point of boring. It reminded me of a over descriptive novel the way some scenes were so long. I think I enjoyed this the least of everything I have seen lately.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas! The festivities started on Chritmas eve for us with Leigh's parents coming up to stay the night. We had a great dinner of fresh prawns, roast turkey and vegies. For dessert we had Leigh's mums famous pavlova. Christmas morning Leigh whipped up pancakes with fresh strawberries and maple syrup and we all got stuck into the pressies.
We then headed off to Bilambil Heights to my Mum & Dad, we all visited my grandparents at the home then headed home for another turkey & veg dinner.
Speaking of pressies I did very well!!!
Leigh got me:
Tickets to Wicked, I have been dying to see this and now I will on the 2nd March
A Pandora Charm
The new Beckham fragrance Intimately Yours
Celine & Paris got me the following blu rays
My in-laws gave me pj's and some money and my Mum & Dad gave me a maxi dress, some shoes and a top, make up and the following blu rays
I started a tradition many years ago of buying myself a christmas present and this year I decided to get the LAMB bag I had been coveting, as luck would have it, it arrived on Christmas eve and it is even nicer in person.
Boxing day we decided to avoid the sales and the crowds (I just was not feelilng up to it) and instead we went to the movies as I had a voucher from my birthday I had not used.
Being fans of Meet the parents and Meet the fockers of course we decided on Little Fockers. The whole gang is back but the movies pretty much is all Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro. If you like the first 2 movies then you will enjoy this one. I needed a laugh after all the drama of late and I certainly got a few - the youtube clip at the end is one of the highlights.
Enjoy the time off over the next few days and if you get a chance leave me a comment and let me know what you got for Chrissy!
Lots of fun things to try here, you can track Santa and try the naughty or nice list! http://www.santaclaus.net/
Watch a Christmas movie:
My 2 faves are Elf & The Grinch
Play your fave Christmas tune!
LAST CHRISTMAS - WHAM!
DO THEY KNOW ITS CHRISTMAS - BAND AID
WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS
I hope everyone has a wonderful & safe Christmas, have lots of fun, laughs & food! I hope all your Christmas wishes come true.
I will close with something that has been a fave of mine since I was a little girl.
love to you all
Nic x
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
After testing many,many shower gels/body washes over the past 10 years my holy grail has to be the ones by Philosophy. I had heard about these and seen them in Mecca but balked at paying $40 for shower gel. As soon as I touched down in the USA the first time back in 2004 my first stop was Sephora (really it was - we got to our hotel, showered & changed and headed to Hollywood where we ordered breakfast and while waiting I ran downstairs to Sephora!!) The body washes are only $16 a bottle over there so I grabbed 2 and decided on chocolate ice cream & strawberry milkshake. Not only do they smell divine and leave you oh so clean they have a fantastic lather, its like a bubble bath in your shower.
On our next trip the following year I stocked up with some new flavors, senorita margarita & vanilla birthday cake. I have been rationing out these 4 bottles for a little while now and as no trip to the US is on the horizon I decided to do some online investigating and to my surprise strawberrynet now has them!! They are $24 a bottle (still better than Mecca's $35) and with my various loyalty discounts they come down to $22 and of course the shipping is free.
I decided to treat myself to the following three:
This will be a nice treat to get in the mail post Christmas
This time last week we had to pack the girls up and head to a new residence for the week while the work on our shower began. We found a nice little place that was animal friendly up on Latrobe Tce and enjoyed a week of BBQ's and being within walking distance of some cafe's & shops. Paris & Celine were not impressed about the relocation at first but settled down just as it was time for us to leave.
Our shower pretty much just decided to fall apart a few months back, the tiles from a large section just dropped off one afternoon. When the insurers came to look we found out that there was large amounts of water damage and that the shower would need to be reapired as stage one then 2 walls and floorboards would have to be replaced in stage two.
We got to go pick a new shower head, hand held and tap and also the tiles, as we have done no renovations to this house it was quite exciting!
Stage 2 will be a huge pain as besides moving out again the shower backs on to our office and that is one of the water damaged walls to be replaced which means packing up the whole office (I have so many books it will take forever!)
Here are the before & after shots!!
BEFORE - Grotty white tiles, plastic taps, sad old shower head & the large hole taped over!!
AFTER: Large midnight blue tiles, funky huge square shower head, slimline handheld shower head & one flick mixer
The colur of the tiles is so nice in person - just a little hard to photograph
I am so excited! I just got front row tickets to see Belinda Carlisle next Feb!!! I love Belinda, she is in my list of female singers I love and I have never been able to see her live. I have been lucky enough to see other females I adore like Olivia Newton-John, Madonna, Kylie, Gwen Stefani.
I liked The Go-Go's but I became a huge fan when Belinda went solo, her first album Belinda I played over & over and I used to watch the video for Mad about you all the time. I admit I even dyed my hair red when she did.
Unfortunately she is not playing a great venue but I don't care as I am going to get to see her sing all my fave songs!!!
