end of the decade

Well fellow bloggers, here's to another year, after spending a fairly inocuous xmas day at work, which acually was a bit messy, but we got through it! Let me explain, I work as an RN in a small regional hospital in the ICU with some really great people who are the salt of the earth. So here's to all the health care workers out there- hope the celebrations on new years eve is a quiet one! I've been reading of the antics of the population of the great usa in the ER departments- thank god i live in a peacefull small area. Really most of the people we see are elderly who have cardiac issues, they are on the whole nice normal people and are really thankfull for the care they are given. So I will be celebrating with a couple of friends watching fireworks by the river and hope I dont get called in to work! Buon anno!

holiday fun

so just been reading some other blogs, there seems to be the pefect Bree from desperate housewives who can bake the perfect cake, every day...? or sew amazing garments or decorate better than your average designer mag,. or those who are more or less than normal beings thank you. So today im bored out of my brain, my social life consists of taking my kids to their various outings with their own friends, and their are more tourists around than the whole population so an outing soon becomes a fight for A carpark B service C keeping your head on. I should think myself so lucky to live in a major tourist destination but really there must be a thousand other places more interesting, the beach is good, but what to do if its raining? Yesterday an outing to the cinema was like a stampede out of lion king, forget the popcorn just get a seat! Next year im going away this is insane, ok i gotta go im late for my daughters lift to her friends place...

first day of december

The first day of december and now only 24 days until christmas! For the majority of us this will be a joyful time with family and friends celebrating the end of another year. I'm not religious but thank the christians for this holiday so we can all just relax hah! Some of you will be a little stressed at the prospect of having an entire family gathering to cater for but really would you have it any other way? For us in the southern hemisphere its hot and humid, so we tend to celebrate outdoors, so its a bit easier to spread out. Generally the bbq is put to good use and the whole affair is a casual one. I am thinking of doing a lunch out this year as we have family members too far away to make it together unfortunately, which is a shame. Its time to wrap the presents to put under the tree, which my children decorated wonderfully, lights and all its really pretty. I also have a number of projects to complete before then so it will head down for a while, So ho ho ho 24 days to go!

endless celebration

While most of America is madly preparing for thanksgiving, the rest of us are still preoccupied with getting organised for christmas, never mind the turkey, thank you very much its the pudding I'm after. I think Australians are single handledly pulling the rest of the world out of the GFC, the shopping centres are jam packed, trying to find a car space is all out war, I even had a woman in her flash new BMW follow me around the car lot! I should have asked her for a lift to my car! So now my christmas shopping is complete, my credit card bulging at the seams, I can relax until the bills arrive... hmmm
Now its time to drag the tree out of storage, unfurl its mishapen limbs and attempt to decorate with all the preciously kept bling. I always try to get the children to help, but they seem to like to watch me wind the tinsel around myself and then attempt to untangle the pretty lights, which can induce a few choice words, but never mind that its all in the spirit of christmas! 5 weeks to go..

the sicilian kitchen

Have just read a wonderful book called the sicilian kichen by michele di bartolo. Its the story of an italian family that had immigrated to australia in the late 50's, told through the eyes of their grandaughter michele who grew up in the inner city of Brisbane surrounded by her family and italian friends. She was raised with traditional italian values passed on from her nonna along with her wonderful recipes which she interspersed throughout the book. It begins with sarsa semplice, the foundation of many fabulous dishes, the simple red sauce for pasta combined with a generous helping of parmesan-italian of course, which is delicious. It ends with the tradional family gathering at christmas, full of fabulous food and sicilian love. Ahhh family what would we do without them!

Here's my own salsa italiana:
One medium onion diced
3-4 cloves garlic chopped finely
good smoked kassler or salami about 100g
3-4 ripe tomatoes diced roughly or one can of tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste reconstituted with about half cup water
handful of basil and oregano
a good splash of red wine

lighlty cook the onions until soft then add garlic and kassler or salami cook for a couple of minutes then add the tomatoes, wine and herbs, add extra paste if needed for thicker sauce and simmer for at least half an hour for flavours to infuse. Serve over your favourite pasta with loads of good parmesan, buono appetito!

holy moses

Christmas is nearly upon us and although the northern hemisphere looks like this, we have the aircon blasting. This photo was taken in oz, high up in the alps in autumn, so its a bit different now.
According to our local department stores christmas has been arriving since september, good god who in their right minds is that organised? For the rest of us its an irritating reminder that we will be caught in the maddening crowds come the week before xmas with a list that will be longer than the queue for the chocolate shop in easter.
Or you can escape to somewhere exotic and send your family postcards "wish you were here!" Being from the driest continent on earth xmas here is usually hot, so its usually a fairly casual affair around a bbq and pool if you have one. Everyone is contentedly stuffed with sausages coleslaw and potato salad followed by either pavlova, melting icecream, wine trifle or all three, and numerous bottles of beer and wine.
Although there are others that have a different celebration and some go to mass- does anyone still do this? I would love to have xmas in another country, one that isnt hot and humid. So with that in mind I am thinking Paris would have to be the top of the list, and I might even send a postcard! Viva la France, I hope I get there this christmas, only 7 weeks to go...damn.