Hey creampuff *

#35 Cook through the Edmonds cookbook

I'm making cream puffs on Monday. Yum.

*name on the poster...

In fact, half the time my job is just to not corpse *

#35 Cook through the Edmonds cookbook
Well the Ladysmith cake was a great success today. A cinnamon base, rasperry jam, plain cake top with chopped nuts. Not too sweet, very moreish.
Next Monday I plan to make Cream Puffs. More on that later...

#40 share a meal with friends or family every two months
As I said I thought that I wuold be hard pressed to complete this one. However, even through the dark teatime of the soul last year I managed to keep this up. The last few months I think I've eaten with someone almost every week. I feel very lucky.

#70 Read the books I own but haven't read
Every time I finish one, I buy another one to add to the pile. *oops* Latest purchase "Not Safe For Work" by Emma Hart. It actually is (despite the torso/bra cover). It made me think that I need to find somewhere/someone to practice my conversation skills with. There hasn't been much exploring of ideas going on. For some reason the cat isn't interested.


* @coupdemain's interview with Charlie McD and David vH.

None of that my rabbit *

#35 Cook through the Edmonds cookbook










* The Belagariad, book 1. Pawn of Prophecy.

No peaks found

#35 Cook through the Edmonds cookbook
I went to see "Julie and Julia" the other day. A local cafe organised the tickets and we all went back there after the film for coffee and cake. In the film Amy Adams, playing Julie, says something like 'it was comforting to know that no matter how crappy your day you could come home, chuck a few ingredients together and create something wonderful.' Since the book was the inspiration for the task I've been reenergised to start up again. Yesterday I made Stuffed Tomato, Stuffed Mushrooms and Trifle. My timing was slightly off so the Tomato had cooled down by the time the Mushrooms were finished and I fudged the ingredients but I'd definitely make them both again despite their fiddliness. The Trifle was a bit too heavy on the whipped cream for my liking but that would be easily fixed. When I went in for the sherry the bloke at Liquorland Orewa (recommended btw, always good) was most helpful - he explained about the different types then suggested I might like to go for a cheaper brand - although it was up to me... I went for the cheaper brand. I'm glad I did. I tried drinking the sherry and barely made it through a shot glass full. Not really to my taste.


There isn't much time left to finish some of the tasks. I've made peace with this fact. Some were a teeny bit optimistic anyway (#16). Others were more about the idea of the thing rather than the specific thing itself. For example the desire to #62 Buy something by T.B. was satisfied by the purchase of an item similar in style to the things he designs. (And much cheaper. LOL.)


*title from video playback on CSI:New York
** blog titles come from interesting phrases I've read/heard/seen. I've decided to start referencing them. #librarian

I got outrageously drunk *

71. Take a cooking class
"Real food - fast!" class at a local cafe. Nat and Katie showed how to make one base and use it several times and how to make food go further AND how to cook something delicious that doesn't take that long. Excellent.

* What Karl Urban did after he found out he'd been cast in Star Trek the reboot

sweet mystery

um, got nothing to say...spanish is back on with private classes (but not tonight). Other things kind of stalled.

must...get...motivated...

George R.R. Martin is not your bitch *

#29 Learn basic Spanish
*sniff* my spanish beyond the basics class has been cancelled for lack of students. I was really enjoying it. Unlike Maori there was no pressure to learn it. It was just fun and now it's not. I guess it's back to the CD.

#20 Learn 10 poems by heart
Trying to track down a copy of "Just" by Stephanie Johnston. Her husband reckoned that NZ women say "I'm just.." a lot (or "I was just..." etc) so she wrote him a poem that was all "I'm just..." ending with the poet running the country.

#28 Take a uni course
I'm quite reluctant to go back to tertiary education. Lots of money for a bit of paper. Lately though I've been feeling my lack of a university on-campus education so I'm rethinking my position. Maybe it's a midlife crisis?

*what Neil Gaiman said about complaints from readers about a perceived lack of progress by Mr G.R.R. Martin

abandon the kayak and climb for your life

#61 Drive the Twin Coast Highway
Completed during autumn 2009. This is traditionally when roadworks are actioned in Northland so I spent many happy hours travelling at less than 60km. It was annoying but did allow me to look out at the scenery more than if I hadn't had an excuse to drive so slowly. It was a revelation driving around up north. I understand why settlers chose certain areas - the calm waters of the Hokianga harbour where you could choose to fish out of a window; the smooth plains of kumara country...actually that was a bit freaky. It was flat with nothing to break up the monotony of the fields. One particularly memorable town (memorable except for the name) had a long straight road leading to a line of about 20 houses arranged neatly along the edge with glimpses of empty stretching behind them. The road kicked to the right with another 15 houses lined up. After that a well constructed footpath stretched off into the distance and resolved itself at the area schools. Houses at one end. Schools at the other. It made me wonder what people did for a living. If I was unemployed and living in that town I think the space would drive me mad within the week.
Memorable moments - sharing a snaking gravel road with logging trucks; coming off that road to see in front of me the calm Hokianga harbour shining in the sun; a hawk lifting into the blue sky; stopping for a coffee and a chocolate bar and watching the waves; the Opua vehicle ferry; walking around Waitangi barefoot; a waka in the harbour at Waitangi;
Typical scenes - 'Watch out for the kiwi' signs; road works; lots and lots of roadworks; glimpses of the sea; tiny beaches; amazing views.

Select 'tree planting' *

#66 Attend some festival events - arts, literature, movies etc
This has been a really rewarding thing to do. Even if it's taken me two years and 5 or 6 festivals to complete it. The last set of shows were all part of the Auckland Festival 2009. A bit of dance, some theatre, some music and a couple of circus acts all combined for a very life affirming and joyful couple of weeks. Thanks AK09. If I'd have had more money (or more space on Mr Mastercard) I would have tried to stuff more shows in.

#4 Go to a concert
One of the things I went to was Besser and Bravura a Twilight Music concert. I didn't have a clue what I was going to , only that it would fill in the time between work and a late night show nicely. Little did I know that it would be very affecting. A group of musicians (minus one who was off with his wife while she had their baby) including the composer playing various compositions. I loved the Tangiers one (world premier!) and Turn (?). One hour was over very quickly.

#36 Spend a night on Tiritiri Matangi Island
I haven't managed to spend a night on Tiritiri Matangi Island but I did finally get there. Tyla and I spent a nice sunny sunday wandering around the island. (saw two ex-workmates there - who'da thunk it??) I think the spaces are usually used for researchers so maybe sometime during the holidays? (Do researchers get holidays?)

* From the ARC website

Bees is a useless pet

#20 Learn 10 poems by heart

Another one learnt - Erebus voices by Bill Manhire. I can't quite crack the voice though. Should they be different? Should I rasp on the first half? still experimenting.

Updated 6/12/2012 : title from Preserve us from The Good Life