While we wait....

A taste of 'Victoria' while we wait...and wait...and wait click HERE

Erin McKean: Redefining the dictionary

As the smell of a fresh peach is to my senses so this is to my writer's soul click HERE

..another MC reference...

Eating mulberries straight from a tree in Toowoomba
this afternoon bought back sweet childhood memories.

those of you who read my BookWritingBlog (see index to the right)
will know I just finished reading the above book...
and then my friend CS sent me the below story...
and I laughed all over again...at the story and the coincidence!

I couldn't resist even though it's an oldie - its a goodie!

Bob Hill and his new wife, Betty, were vacationing in Europe -- as it happens, in Transylvania. They were driving a rental car along a deserted highway. It was late, and raining very hard. Bob could barely see 10 feet in front of the car. Suddenly the car skids out of control! Bob attempts to control the car, but to no avail! The car swerves and smashes into a tree!

Moments later, Bob shakes his head to clear the fog. Dazed, he looks over at the passenger seat and sees his new wife unconscious, with her head bleeding! Despite the rain and unfamiliar countryside, Bob knows he has to carry her to the nearest phone. Bob carefully picks his wife up and begins trudging down the road.

After a short while, he sees a light. He heads towards the light, which is coming from an old, large house. He approaches the door and knocks. A minute passes. A small, hunched-back man (Igor) opens the door. Bob immediately blurts,
"Hello, my name is Bob Hill, and this is my wife, Betty. We've been in a terrible accident, and my wife has been seriously hurt. Can I please use your phone??"

"I'm sorry," replies the hunchback, "but we don't have a phone. My master is a doctor. Come in and I will get him."

Bob brings his wife in. An elegant man comes down the stairs. "I'm afraid my assistant may have misled you. I am not a medical doctor, I am a scientist. However, it is many miles to the
nearest clinic, and I have had basic medical training."

With that, Igor picks up Betty and carries her downstairs, with Bob following close behind. Igor places Betty on a table in the lab. Bob collapses from exhaustion and his own injuries; so Igor places Bob on an adjoining table. After a brief examination, Igor's master looks worried.

"Things are serious, Igor. Prepare a transfusion." Igor and his master work feverishly, but to no avail. Bob and Betty Hill are no more.

The Hills' deaths upsets Igor's master greatly. Wearily, he climbs the steps to his conservatory, which houses his pipe organ. For it is here that he has always found solace. He begins to
play, and a stirring, almost haunting melody fills the house.

Meanwhile, Igor is still in the lab, tidying up. As the music fills the lab, his eyes catch movement, and he notices the fingers on Betty Hill's hand twitch. Stunned, he watches as Bob's
arm begins to rise!
He is further amazed as Betty sits straight up!
Unable to contain himself, he dashes up the stairs to the conservatory. He bursts in and shouts to his master...

I bet you want to know what Igor said...


Are you sure you want to know?

Ok, you asked for it!


"Master, Master! ...

The Hills are alive with the sound of music!"

I need to learn to Pronounce this:

In Italian..
Bel far niente .
means 'the beauty of doing nothing'

In Italy though they work hard....
'the more exquisitely and delightfully you can do nothing, the higher your life's achievments'

By Elizabeth Gilbert (page 61)

As I understand it, not being lazy but being still. Sitting in reflection, pondering, contemplating: simply being.

Eiko did really well in her presentation;
her teacher said 'yum yum' to the cookies she made.
She had to apply lateral thinking
when her partner failed to arrive...
well done!

Hey Look a Personalised Car Space!

Blogging with Carla but she is away so it's Amanda!

I was thinking about the people who have had to evacuate their homes due to the fires in CA. So here is my prompt for today:

You are forced to leave your home and you will never be able to return. You can take only what you can carry in your arms. What will you take?

* * * * *

I have a backpack all prepared and tested with all VIP documents, medications heat and rain protection, 1st Aid and basic food and water for 3 days. Change of clothes.

I know where it is and I can easily get it onto my back. Or my scooter.

My WIP (writings in progress) are on a memory stick right by the door to be grabbed. I have also on there photos of things that are special but that I wouldn't be able to take with me: childhood treasures etc.

I have in my mobile (cell) phone the new number for State Emergency Services and the number for National security.

I was taught years ago,
prepare for the worst,
expect the best
then just get on with life.

Evacuation Sites Map

California Fires

somewhere under the smoke in this image captured by NASA is our friend Chez.

Right in the middle of San Diego she is becoming surrounded by fires,
that at this stage remain distant, but the wind gusts are sudden.

We are in regular contact and have made a plan for if she has to leave her home.

Aiko is making another batch of ANZAC cookies -
this time for her class presentation tomorrow.

credit where credit is due

I think it is worth noting that 'the O' from the slice below
had to put up with about 7 phone calls in the process of this delight being made.

Also, from the place of cooking to the source of guidance is a long long way.

and to top it all of their was a request for the recipe!!

The O Slice

Ingredients

90g butter, melted

1 cup (100g) plain sweet biscuit crumbs

1 1/2 cups (285g) dark Choc Bits

1 cup ( 70g) shredded coconut

1 cup (140g0 crushed nuts

395g can sweetened condensed mild

Method

Preheat oven to moderate. Grease 23cm square slab pan, line base and sides with baking paper.

Pour butter into prepared pan; sprinkle evenly with biscuit crumbs, choc bits, coconut and nuts. Drizzle with condensed milk.

Bake in moderate oven about 30 minutes. Cool in pan before cutting into pieces.

makes about 18

Tip This recipe can be make a week ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

Read the Gold Coast Bulletin HERE

Tis Spring

Everything is blooming most recklessly;
if it were voices instead of colors,
there would be an unbelievable
shrieking into the heart of the night.
~Rainer Maria Rilke ~
Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

It's true - you cannot change another person only yourself.

Sometimes however, you need help. There are always plenty of people telling you to hurry up and do so, not so many with candles or torches in the dark. Let alone maps....

This book sheds great light, reveals clear paths: published earlier this year it is as up to date as it can be...on the unique subject, and associated challenges of baby boomers being parents of adult children.

Well researched and clearly written there are great insights in Jane Isay's book.

The Hitch hiker

I was riding on my scooter and pulled up at some traffic lights. I felt a funny tickle on my right arm and thought it was a fly so I waved my arm about to dislodge it. As I took the handle again I felt the tickle reoccur...the lights were still red.

Concerned that it might in fact be a spider I turned my arm to look and beheld a beautiful golden lady bug. She had the black spots but was golden like my scooter, rather than red.

I put my index finger out and she walked up it and then out onto my left handle bar, the lights turned green and she came for a little ride..before flying off home.

A special moment in time....I continued riding but smiling and feeling happy from viewing my hitchhiker.

* * *

a cricket on a rose bush we thought had died in the drought

Give a Little Whistle

Performed by: Jimini Cricket (Cliff Edwards), Pinocchio (Dickie Jones)
Music: Leigh Harline
Lyrics: Ned Washington

---

When you get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong
Give a little whistle!  Give a little whistle!
When you meet temptation and the urge is very strong
Give a little whistle!  Give a little whistle!

Not just a little squeak, pucker up and blow
And if your whistle's weak, yell, "Jiminy Cricket!"
Right!

Take the straight and narrow path
And if you start to slide
Give a little whistle!  Give a little whistle!
And always let your conscience be your guide

---

Look what I received today...

Some people voted in a State Bi Election today.

We are all waiting on the Prime Minister to call the Federal General Election...
then the 'real' campaign can begin...and we can put up with that knowing
it will have an end date...this 'unreal' or pretend version has been going on long enough.

It begins with the vision to recognise when a job, a lifestage, a realtionship, a relationship is over

- and let it go.

It involves a sense of the future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving on

rather then out.

Ellen Goodman
from 'My Life so Far' by Jane Fonda

Digital Freebies Designer
Stephani Whetsel
Friday Freebie
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images and link from google

Blogging with Carla

WHAT DID I EAT TODAY?

MidMorning: weetbix (because I am an aussie kid) and full cream milk, teeny bit of sugar.

Through the day: Drank a lot of water & ate half a strawberry. (yes, really! from my garden)

Mid to late Afternoon: tuna slice salad - all healthy contents.

Now: hot chocolate (milo)

Dinner: will be pasta

A New Series:

* * * * *
#1

speaking of Handle...when I was about 11 our very creative teacher (we had one and she taught all subjects except science French and dressmaking) asked us what book and music we would take to that island..the one where you are all alone, but I think they mus really be very crowded if one but went looking - however I chose The Messiah...this was probably a some what unusual for an 11 year old.

My teacher asked me why and I said I wanted to be able to play it loud with out having to worry about the neighbours.. .so guess what she did?

She lugged her stereo equipment along to school alerted the entire school staff, etc and then played the Messiah for me - LOUD!!!!!!!

( I have no memory of the reaction of the other students)

You know I don't recall the music or the listening experience but I have never forgotten that she did that for me.

My father played it louder each year after that and I have the LP record and one day....

My delightful student, Aiko (60) cooked a beautiful tasty healthy Japanese dinner for a myself and a group of friends on Saturday night.

We had my like-a-sister who was born in Scotland and grew up on South Africa, who now lives 8 hours west by plane, in Perth.

My like-a-daughter from China, who lives here now having arrived on my doorstep at 16 with no English at all.

My like-a-daughter born out in a big country town but of Dutch descent, my new upstairs neighbour who lived in Japan and speaks enough to rescue us; Aiko the oldest student I have ever had stay with me, and myself born in NZ and now living here: a Kiwi-Roo I call myself.

We sat in my quaint blue and white apartment with the front door open and a cooling spring breeze wafting through.

Some ate from bowls with chopsticks; some from plates with forks; some drank champagne and others drank sparkling non alcoholic grape juice from south Africa.

We were a business investment manager/single mum, a nurse/sales rep; a single world traveler working for airlines; a single accountant under pressure from parents to get married; a housewife gardener/youth volunteer; and a writer.

I was the only one who knew everyone.

We finished off with ice cream bars with mango and macadamia nuts.

Oishii, totemo oishii!!

A touch of Spring at Home

Waiting...waiting...waiting....

even in the drought....

we save every drop we can and this is what makes the difference.

CAFE BOUQUINISTE

Gigi and I went shopping and she rested on the footpath
while I had a delicious hot chocolate.
in charming new local cafe.