Nice view...

I took this photo a couple of mornings ago - if I were a skier I would no doubt be dying to get up into those mountains for the day. As I am no skier (far far from it), I simply enjoyed looking at them from the living room window...

Dazza

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Darren Hanlon. He has a new album out now and just made this video.



How can you watch this and not feel happy? Genius.

Meet Jeff Cooper

This is Jeff Cooper. We have had him lying around for a while now, but last weekend we got the power drill out and managed to mount him.



He looks awesome. Both Pot and Boo have spent quite some time trying to work out what he is, and why he's up there and why he won't fly away...(note also, the beautiful warm winter sunshine shining through the windows).

Knitting again!

I can't believe that we are over halfway through winter and I've only knitted one little thing...


I just finished this little hat for someone I know who is having a baby in September. It was so great to get the needles out again, as it feels like it's been ages.

Next project: a baby hat with ear flaps - I just need to find a decent pattern.

Another thing which has had a renaissance round here recently is Rilo Kiley's album More Adventurous - I used to listen to this when we lived in Melbourne and I was on call at the university, so it reminds me of driving out to Werribee in the middle of the night. I never knew that Jenny Lewis was a child TV star..!

Fatty and Skinny....

Guess which is which...

Tamarillo funtimes

It's tamarillo season here in NZ - they have a pretty short season I'm told, so I snapped a few up from the supermarket last week. I have a confession though - I've never actually eaten a tamarillo, I don't remember seeing them when I was growing up, and they kind of remind me of feijoas which I hate. Anyway, I thought I'd give them a bash as they were so cheap and looked so nice and red and shiny.

For my first tamarillo foray, I decided to make a version of Aunt Daisy's Tamarillo chutney.


It has been many moons since I some sort of preserve or chutney on the stove (definitely not this year), and it was great to steam up the kitchen (and the whole house for that matter) with acidic vinegary-ness.


The end result is a lovely colour, and tastes yum (quite sweet, but with a tart aftertaste), however it hasn't set very well and is fairly runny.


I'm just not sure if I can be bothered trying to remedy it by boiling it up again....

I went to Sydney and all I got were these photos of a cat....

That's right, a whole weekend in Sydney, but was there any sightseeing? Nooo. Any shopping? God no. Any sleep? A tiny bit. Some good food? Quite a lot, but mostly takeaways.

We took bubs over to visit relatives a couple of weeks back - a whirlwind visit consisting of much dashing around, lots of introductions and general madness.

The highlights?

1. Meeting Kipper the cat (see above) who got particularly put out when I got up early in the morning and wouldn't feed him - well, I would have if he could have shown me where his food was kept, but he just kept meowing and attacking my feet. I finally found some dodgy (yes Toby and Nic, dodgy) Whiskers sachets - ewww. But it kept him happy.

2. Thai takeaways - I can't remember if we had them twice or three times, but they were goooood. It was so great to have fresh plump prawns and other delicious seafood delights.

3. Bourke St Bakery in Marrickville - my one expedition outside the house, around the corner from where we stayed. I had a lovely coffee and some brioche toast with yoghurt and berries.

4. Getting home again - flying internationally with a teeny baby is not much fun, I won't be repeating that in a hurry.

Saturday sunshine (finally!)

This weekend the weather cooperated and the sun shone both days...such a welcome relief. Matt, Clem, Boo and I left Pot at home with a good book and a cup of tea while we visited the Lyttelton Farmers Market.


One of my favourite things at the farmer's market is the Dog Parking Area.


Unfortunately, as Lyttelton is situated on the South side of the Port Hills, the Dog Parking Area hasn't seen sun for about a month, so the ground was fairly chilly for Boo. She was a trouper though and didn't complain.

We picked up a few veges, including fennel, and last night Matt made pork, fennel and apple burgers which were yum (he doesn't cook often, but when he does it's good). I bought a few organic pears, and I think I'm going to poach them for dessert sometime this week.

As is customary when in Lyttelton, we stopped in at The Lyttelton Coffee Company for a coffee and a bite to eat. Check out Matt's 'baby wearing':


That little girl on the left is obviously impressed (or maybe she's just admiring the stripy hat I knitted for the boy).

ps. Boo's foot is much better, thanks for all those who were concerned, particularly Sam and Ang who sent such a lovely get well present...