Be warned. I am a voyeur.

Voyeur. One who looks.

And how could I not be, when this is the view I have. 

My lovely neighbour is pushing 70. And lives with her son. Even though we now have blinds, this is our view. Go figure?

Because I spend so many hours in the kitchen, occasionally I see odd things. And obviously I am to be punished. It would seem that I am destined for ugly footwear like these abominations.

Aren't these just so special. Long hours, cooking fancy treats such as rabbit rillettes, have damaged my feet.

 I am hobbling around at the moment as I have developed foot spurs and refuse to wear shoes such as those above. A recent trip to the special shoes shop (wearing converses that were deeply frowned at) had me running (okay, limping) out in horror. Did you know that custom orthotics cost $600???? Included in that is a pair of shoes. And they all looked like those.

This is what I would rather spend $600 on. If I had it.

A soft underfoot, freckle rug that the pup would probably destroy in a day.

Why can't my health fund cover this?

Black, black, black and freckles

It's hard to avoid wearing black here in Melbourne. In fact, nearly every photo that does appear of me has me wearing it. Melbourne black. Not sure why, but the lure of black is strong. Black on black on black. Believe me I'm not alone. That's why it's called Melbourne black. For all those of you not from Melbourne, you'll just have to take my word. In our fair city, it's all about good coffee and black clothes.

To avoid coming across all emo-like (or a widow), I do like to add a bit of colour. At the moment I'm in love with this scarf. 

In a hopeful way, I bought the yarn and needles last year, thinking this would be the year I learn to knit. Nope. Just can't get it. So off it went to my Mum's and came back in the form of a cable scarf (thanks Mum).

Less ambitiously, I'm sticking to what I know. Crochet. Here's a sneak peak at what I've just started.

It's super soft and will hopefully not take all winter like last years project.

Indoorsy is looking all cheery.

The forced bulbs are starting to bloom and smell heavenly.

Some are taking a little longer, but I don't mind them being staggered. It just means the delicious scent of hyacinth will be around a while.

Outside, the first bulbs are out.

 The rainbow-chard powers on

and the tarragon is popping up.

Bread is being made every day, and at the moment this is the recipe I love.

Cheerio!

Self analysis

Oh my!

Self portraits are hard. I am obviously overly vain, because I delete, or want to delete 99.99% of all photos taken of me. To be honest, I don't even like the sound of my voice over the phone answering machine. Is that really me? So tinny and screechy sounding?  Anyway, occasionally I get all silly (or bored) and take some photos that I know I can delete. 

So here I am.

Probably sounding all screechy and tinny.

And be happy that these are not summer shots. Of me in my bathers. Not that they exist...

I'm not sure where the photo phobia came from. As far back as I can remember, I've been a camera avoider. Thank goodness my kids aren't. Gorgeous as they are.

The only shots of me that I can even half stand are those I've taken myself. Here I can be super critical and delete that angle that so flatteringly highlights my double chin (see above), or highlights my many wrinkles and multiplying grey hairs. While I have friends who are simply awesome photographers, I am a challenge. I'd prefer to not be captured on film than to have to ask for every single shot to be taken a certain way. A flattering way. A way that makes me seem untinny and screechy. Probably something I should work on huh?

  But not in a studio that sees me dressing up in feather boas draped over a chaise longue....appearing on a calendar kind of situation.

Today I went to Daiso!

And may or may not have bought a few things...

Because I find the lure of cheap crap valuable household items at an economical price irresistible, off I trotted to Doncaster. I'd been here before you see. Foolishly with a husband in tow, who told me I had five minutes. Five minutes? Seriously? So many things for $2.80. Five minutes was never going to be long enough. Still, I managed to grab a few things and knew I had to come back soon. Husbandless.

Food picks for bento boxes

Banana keepers that I could never buy because I have a juvenile mind and can't help but snigger inappropriately.

Chair socks?

Cute dish sponges. Still wouldn't make me want to do the dishes though...

And the more practical things that came home with me.

Because I truly needed more shiny new plastic ware.

And the sweetest tote bag (I'm trying to forget that I threw out about twenty green bags just the other day. I swear they breed in the boot of my car when I'm not looking).

A grellow towel.

Partly purchased for the writing on the back. I'm always watching out for pesky friction situations.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Indoorsy

Grey days...cold nights.

I'm trying to add colour and brightness where I can.

Lemon tarts

colour pencils

kewpie dolls.

The heating has been working overtime and I've been dreaming of warmer climates.

Some of us are better able to amuse ourselves...

What's next?

For the briefest amount of time today, it was sunshiney indoors. Lovely, bright, drenching sun. And as I looked around, I realised that the last piles of construction materials have finally left our dining room. 

For a while there, I thought free space would never return. Stacks of timber, sheets of plasterboard, cornicing etc had taken permanent residence. We certainly have a way to go yet, but things are coming together. By no means do we have a roomy, spacious house, but we do have a rather cosy cottage, filled with our favourite things. 

I've go my eye out for something to grace that rather bare wall, but with a strict budget in force, it might have to wait a while.

In the meantime, there are always plants.

Zebra cacti

and emerging forced hyacinths.

Outside is another matter. With money for landscaping having well and truly run out, I'm forcing myself to make do with what we have. Self sown seedlings are being transplanted, and plants are being divided. As much as I'd love to visit our local nursery and come home with armfuls of plants, restraint is the order of the day. 

I'm forcing myself to make more of an effort, to make the most of what I've got, because who wants a bare garden? 

Poolga!

 Have you discovered Poolga yet? Words cannot begin to describe how much I love this site. It's a collection of free art for iPhone's and iPad's and I think it rocks. So cheery seeing these pops of colour when I open my phone. After the incident of the dropped litre of custard on said phone, a new phone has appeared on the scene and not before time. My previous phone had become so slow and the battery was nearing the end of it's life. Custard and phones do not mix and I had resorted to talking on speaker function just so I could hear my caller. I'm sure everyone was relieved when that was over.

Anyhoo. Back to the fantastic-ness of Poolga. A selection of illustrators and designers have contributed to a virtual gallery of fabulous pics. There is an app, a facebook page, twitter feed and a shop. Do drop in and have a looksy. Here's my picks of the day:

Croc Monsieur, by Peskimo - Synergy Art.

Kenzie, by Jimbobbin

Gone Karting, by Ben Steers at Handsome Frank

Rain Man, by Luciano Lozano

And just to show it's not all about the virtual art...here's what I've been up to.

Chilled soba noodles with prawns and pickled lotus root

Mini caprese salad with panfried gnochhi (also delish cold) and crumbed chicken

Tamagoyaki omelette bees with nori and onigiri pandas

and goldfish cheese crackers with fresh fruit and veg.

 Squeee!!!