Happy New Year to all...

Happy New Year to all my lovely friends in blogland! Thank you for being a source of inspiration to me.
Best wishes for a bright, happy and healthy 2011!
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We are expecting at least 39C today (106F) and there is a hot north wind blowing already so fingers crossed we don't have any bushfires across the states. Queensland is in dire straits with massive flooding and there's more to come and we are now sweltering although a cool change is forecast later today. Global warming at its best!
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I made some of Nigella's Chocolate Pistachio Fudge - it was super easy but just remember to crush to pistachios first so they are ready to go in the fudge at the last minute - I was running around like an plonker trying to stir fudge and crush nuts!! - and some Shortbread last night. It's been packaged up to give as gifts so it won't end up on my thighs (sigh...)!... okay, so I kept some off-cuts from around the sides! :)
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As far as I know, we are staying home tonight, not partying on anywhere. Seeing as its going to be hot, we'll have the air-con on and will have a nice dinner for two, a nice bottle of wine and probably an early night. Tomorrow, we are going to our favourite beach spot and the weather should be 'ripper' so stay tuned for some nice pictures of that.
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Stay safe and I'll see you in the New Year (I love saying Twenty-Eleven!)
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Cheers - Joolz

Around my house...

Petunia 'Coral Morn'
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'Sweet Bite' tomatoes
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Strawberry Ice Agapanthus
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Geranium and impatiens
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A pretty frilly variety of Petunia
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Snowy the Gnome and Petunia 'Coral Morn'
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Petunia 'Strawberry Swirl'
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From The Simple Woman's Day Book...
For Today...
Outside my window - It is a beautiful clear blue sky day with no breeze. Just perfect. Bonnie is sitting on the study window sill, scratching at the fly screen. Naughty.
I am thinking - back to work today, I wonder what there will be to do.
I am thankful for - the lovely Christmas that we had with family.
From the kitchen - Angus barbecued a butterflied lamb roast and we had Turkish bread sandwiches with lamb, aioli and green salad for dinner last night.
I am wearing - my pyjamas still! Must shower and get to work...
I am creating - ideas for a family 'Sisters' cook book.
I am going - to put another load of washing on.
I am reading - the Australian Women's Weekly
I am hoping - we do not get too much hot weather in the coming weeks.
I am hearing - the girls getting breakfast, showering, banging cupboards.
Around the house - its pretty tidy except for some gifts that need homes found for them.
One of my favourite things - leftover Christmas ham and nearly a full Christmas pudding still in my fridge.
A few plans for the rest of the week - work 3 days then its New Years Eve. Not sure what we are doing but we hope to go to No. 2 Rocks on NY Day with friends.
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Cheers - Joolz

From The Simple Woman's Day Book

My Christmas Day...

'Twas 4am and I was up placing gifts under the tree (like a Christmas idiot) so the gifts would indeed be a surprise for two inquisitive children... er, adults... who can't help but search out my hiding places and ruin the surprise...
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...then 'twas 7.15am and they were into it! Father was not impressed at being woken from his slumber...
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Christmas this year was at my nieces (her name is Mel Gibson, by the way!) It was a beautiful, warm, sun-shiny day with family a plenty. This is my cute great-nephew, Klaye, enjoying a splash in the cool water...

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My mum receiving a gift...
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The littlies having some lunch in the shade - there were 10 cousins and they all played so nicely and had fun all day, no fights or tears...
~The spread of food we enjoyed...
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Lots of yummy salads and cold turkey, pork, ham and chicken...
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...my plate runneth over...
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...brothers-in-law and nephews and uncles chatted...
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...the slip-n-slide got a work out...
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...kids bounced, jumped, ran, slid, sang...
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... enjoying the blue sky day and then Santa arrived, jingling his bell...
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...cuddles for Santa...
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...he was a jolly old fella, handing out lollies...
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...he got Nana B giggling...
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...and had a go on the slip-n-slide!
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Little cousins having fun...
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Son-in-law having fun with mother-in-law...
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...nice shades, dudes!...
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Big and little cousins (Rylee, Brianna & Kirby)
~Uncle and nephew-in-law (oh, those sunnies!) ...
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Christmas dinner - glazed ham...
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Bonnie the cat, eyeing off the tomohawk steaks...
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These would make Fred Flintstone envious (Brontosaurus steaks maybe?) ...
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Fruit tingles on Boxing Day!
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I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas Day as much as I did, I am blessed to have my family around me.
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Cheers - Joolz

Gifts given and received...

For the first time this year, my girls exchanged hand/home made gifts. Brianna (17) sewed a make-up wrap for Kirby (she used the tutorial here but made it slightly bigger - this is a really cute blog too!)...
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... and Kirby (20) home tie-dyed two tank tops for Brianna! How cool is that!
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Unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning...
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I have 4 sisters and for the last few years we have been exchanging gifts with a theme. It started off with paper in 2007 ( I have to hunt down some pics) then material in 2008 then round and shiny in 2009 and this year the theme was garden...
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I potted up a terracotta herb pot with oregano, basil, chives and parsley (in the holes) and added a petunia, a vinca (like impatiens) and a strawberry seedling in the top.
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Marilyn gave me a chilli plant, gardening gloves and scissors...
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Janine gave me this concrete stepping stone and cute bird...
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Sue gave me this potted plant and wrought iron pot holder...
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... and Leanne gave me these garden goodies - calendar, garden bag, mozzie repellant sticks, scissors, kneeling pad and leaf scooper and a garden gnome who was AWOL for the picture! Aren't they all cool presents???
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It's my turn to think of a theme and I have decided I'd like a recipe book from each of them. Ten mains, salads, desserts, cakes or slices and 10 hints/tips. They've all be married over 30 years so they should be able to come up with some good tried and true recipes.
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Do you exchange gifts with a theme? It is fun!
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Cheers - Joolz