Feeling happy

April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 / Robert / 4 Comments

One of my favourite morning experiences is listening to my husband reading snippets from the news. Today the Daily Mail featured an article entitled “Declutter, hang washing outdoors and practice good posture: The eight steps to feeling happier immediately revealed“.

Read as a whole the suggestions make sense. Listening to the headings being read out led me to create an alternate reality in my head. When I heard “Invite a lonely person for tea”, I immediately thought where did I put that list of lonely people, I knew they would come in handy one day. Oh, there’s not many on the list, time to start recruiting!

2014 in a loaf

December 31, 2014 / Robert / 13 Comments

My experiences of making sour dough bread this year reflects my life. At times flat and stodgy, sometimes perky, overall there has been solid progress.

This loaf is the last I shall bake in 2014, it has the best texture so far. I hope that you will join me in raising a slice (toasted if you wish) to the good and bad outcomes of one year and the hope and potential of another.

All the best for 2015,

Robert, Sydney, Australia.

PLU

December 25, 2014December 27, 2014 / Robert / 5 Comments

I have baked this mini Christmas cake to celebrate my connection with you. Even though I won’t have the opportunity to see or speak to you today, I would like to wish you peace, love and understanding (PLU).

Robert x

The cake recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/mini-christmas-cakes-105332
I used: half the sugar; brandy instead of rum; and added 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Using large paper cases in large muffin tins make 18 cakes.

Yuletide colours

December 20, 2014 / Robert / 3 Comments

I know I harp on about growing up in the northern hemisphere, it honed my instincts. The weather in December is usually cold and the holly in the hedgerows appears to gleam next to it’s leafless neighbours.

The colours in this grevillea remind me that I count myself lucky to be able to live in Australia, even if traditions associated with Yule don’t suit the climate.

Advice for the young at heart

December 11, 2014 / Robert / Leave a comment

I took this picture of wall covering at Gowings Bar and Grill.

The lyrics (edited) are from one of my favourite Tears for Fears songs released in 1989.

Advice for the Young at Heart
Advice for the young at heart
Soon we will be older
When we gonna make it work?

Too many people living in a secret world
While they play mothers and fathers
We play little boys and girls
When we gonna make it work?

I could be happy
I could be quite naive
It’s only me and my shadows
Happy in our make believe
Soon…

And with the hounds at bay
I’ll call your bluff
hey…
Cos it would be okay
To walk on tiptoes everyday

And when I think of you and all the love that’s due
I’ll make a promise, I’ll make a stand
Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We’ve got the whole wide world in our hands

Love is promise
Love is a souvenir
Once given
Never forgotten, never let it disappear
This could be our last chance
When we gonna make it work?

Working hour is over
And how it makes me weep
Cos someone sent my soul to sleep

Working hour is over
We can do anything that we want
Anything that we feel like doing
Advice……

Interstellar

December 8, 2014 / Robert / 8 Comments

It seems like years since I have seen a movie in a cinema. I was put off by pushy people and the over enthusiastic air conditioning. After lunch on Sunday we braved the Palace in Leichhardt.

Armed with popcorn, wine and a generous cheeseboard we took our pre-booked seats to see Interstellar. To my left, a space claimer (no pun intended) sat down in the chair next to me. By the way he behaved I think I must have been in his seat. This immediately set me into overcompensation “not to make a noise” mode.

I found the film spectacular, believable and the music awesome. I did not dare to break the spell of the the silence of space by munching on a brie loaded cracker. The only hiccup was me creating a constellation on the pristine black carpet at my feet. The contents of the box on my lap tipped as I reached for the wine bottle on the floor. I managed to hold it together as the space-rancher next to me jumped as he felt light balls of corn tumble down his right leg.

No one was harmed in writing this post.

Picture Credit: Fornax Galaxy, ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2

Alien encounter

November 29, 2014November 29, 2014 / Robert / 1 Comment

I went into a discount chemist shop today in the suburb we moved to just over a week ago. Inside, the shelves were sparsely stocked. There weren’t any other customers and on first glance, members of staff were absent too.

While looking for the item I wanted to buy, I noticed a man wearing a white jacket behind the prescription counter. Assuming he was a pharmacist, I walked over and gave him the item. He walked around me to the cash register. I gave him $10, he gave me $2.05 change.

Behaving contrary to normal I consciously did not thank him. No words were exchanged; upon leaving the shop I decided I wouldn’t go there again.

Backache, headache; tomorrow is the day

November 18, 2014 / Robert / 5 Comments

Moving house is an opportunity to lift some of the weight of possessions from our shoulders. I knew this before we started packing 70 crates, why wasn’t I more ruthless? We have so many items that we have trailed with us from place to place.

Today we gave away three pieces of furniture to a man that restores things, in the hope that they can find a new home.

My mother’s 1950s Singer treadle sewing machine that she could never use because of the callipers she wore. During my childhood it sat under the window of the spare bedroom in my grand parents house. Topped by a potted aspidistra; years of water damage led to the slow degradation of the veneer beneath. I inherited the sewing machine in 1972, using it to alter clothes and make soft furnishings.

Our bed for the first ten years together; an early 20th century slatted oak head and foot boards. It had lain in the loft wrapped in polythene for the last three years.

A momento of one of our happy excursions to the southern highlands of New South Wales. A small Art Deco side table with a diagonal grain veneer top.

This represents the start of releasing the pretty things from our nest; a new chapter.

A perfect day

November 4, 2014 / Robert / 10 Comments

Receiving this bouquet was the first of many happy surprises on our wedding day.

On 24th October 2014 we entered the British Consulate, Sydney, Australia as bachelors.
We were the twelfth couple to be married.
We left the Consulate as bachelors.
We have been married in our hearts for the last 20 years.

Focus

September 21, 2014September 27, 2014 / Robert / 4 Comments

Image of a moment that is no more,
But one more memory shared, of this fair shore.
Blue of the harbour and red of the wine,
Light and shadow playing in the sunshine.

Happy faces at every mention
Of formal notice of our intention.
We will wed at the British Consulate.
Harbour-side mid-week lunch to celebrate.

With family and friends it will be regal,
‘Though same-sex union here’s not yet legal.
Some people, our decision, it astounds;
The dissonance of living still abounds.