Happy Aussie new year!

Well it's New Year's Day in australia. Happy new year everyone! We woke up fairly early as usual and made a big egg and toast brekkie with some local strawberries on the side. Delicious!!! Shaping up to be a beautiful and relaxing day! Welcome 2014 the year of the horse!

New Year's Eve

After jose got back from work we went shopping and took Miski for a run at the oval. Crazy windy today which has been a bit of a bummer but nice temp. Then we pigged out at dome. I've been craving a burger and salty/sugary food. Ticked that box! Came home and had a cuddle with moo moo and now getting ready for a New Year's Eve drink. Cannot believe it's going to be 2014. Yikes!

New Years resolutions

It's been a quiet break for us. I've done lots of yoga and relaxing and cooking. I've never been one to make resolutions but I loved this compilation. Works for me! I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year and that 2014 brings happiness, health and peace.

Heirloom yellow cherry tomatoes

One of our tomato plants has already started bearing ripe tomatoes! They are sooo good. The other plants all have big green tomatoes already too.

Beautiful Saturday sunset

My short break is going by way too fast!! Today we got up early and did lots of housework. We cleaned and weeded and took Miski for a run. Jose worked this afternoon and I had a little nap. I'm getting used to my naps. I made some dinner for us and we enjoyed a spectacular sunset!

Lazy Miski

During the holidays Miski has gotten special treatment and even jose is letting her on the bed more often, even without her special blanket to protect the bed :) she's been very happy

Merry-happy Boxing Day

Yesterday was pretty chill. Watched some movies and played with the dog. Jose had to work so I did yoga and gardening while he was away. Today we did a lot more lounging around. I had all these ideas of being productive. Yeah so not happening. We went to our other neighbors house for lunch today which was lovely. Had a traditional English Xmas lunch complete with Xmas pudding. Yum! Took moo for a run and watched a movie, did yoga, etc. same lazy routine really. It's so nice being together again!

Merry Christmas

We had a great dinner last night with our neighbours. They made pot roast, salad, pasta salad, potato bake, garlic bread and ice cream cake. Amazing. Also had some cherry brandies with ginger ale. Yum! They have us a quilt she hand made. Our first one ever! We love it :) this morning Miski woke us up and we let her open her presents which she did enthusiastically. She also opened some of ours and ate half a card. Jose got me a beautiful bracelet and a phone case. I got him some nice cologne. And we opened the lovely gifts from my mom and ray and santa! A very nice Xmas.

Almost Chrissy

One more sleep to go before Miski can shred open her numerous gifts :) I really cannot believe Christmas is here and it's almost 2014. Crazy. I made more ginger cookies to give to our neighbors as Xmas presents and jose and Miski have been rough housing. I'm so enjoying my time off - wish it wasn't so short!!

Miski is finally better!!

Finally got the all clear from the vet - her toe is healed and she enjoyed her first off leash run in almost two months! We had a relaxing weekend again. Made sun tea and cooked together. I did some yoga and Jose worked in the garden. Very domestic and relaxing!

Bajito

We've had a nice day today. Beautiful weather again and a good long sleep went a long way! We hit the farmers market and did some holiday shopping this morning, gardened a bit and had a BBQ lunch. Jose disappeared for a while and when he returned he had a bajito for me! It's basically a mojito with basil. So yummy. And it is in my new favorite glass-one we picked up at a garage sale recently.

Happy girl

We've had bizarre weather recently. It was soooo hot last week and then went cold early this week. Then yesterday it absolutely poured and continued to bucket down all day and all night and into this morning. And as you can see from the photo above it is now beautiful and sunny out. Miski is enjoying her perfect window spot. The weather here is so weird. At least my plants are happy! Can't believe Xmas is just around the corner. Wish I could be in the states this year.

Fried chicken burger

We had our pop health Xmas party this year at 3 anchors. I love that place! I got my favorite of course - the fried chicken burger complete with coleslaw and a pickle on it. Amazing.

Salmon sushi

Sunday turned out to be gorgeous as well and super hot. Well, hot for here- in the 80's. We were lazy this morning again and stayed in bed late. We did a bit of laundry, washed the dog, did some gardening and planting and put up some Xmas lights. We went down to a local farm only a block or so from us and bought up some freshly picked strawberries and mulberries too!  They were so delicious. The guy who has the farm is Italian and very nice. Now I want my own mulberry bush! Made me think of the English children's song. Then jose went to play soccer and afterwards we made some super yummy salmon sushi. Delish!

Lovely lazy Saturday

Saturday turned out to be a gorgeous day. We hit a few garage sales, did a bunch of laundry, had a BBQ, did some gardening, and watched some movies. Miski is so tired of being cooped up poor thing.

Xmas cookies

I decided to give my coworkers a little present of ginger cookies this year. I think I made almost 130 cookies! Tastes just like I remember :) jose helped me wrap them which was sweet of him :)

Xmas chocolate stir spoon

Nat made everyone the cutest little hot chocolate stir spoons for Xmas. How adorable! And yummy :)

Sushi and cookies

Another lazy day. We slept in again and watched a movie. Then we made sushi for lunch with some leftovers we had lying around. Then I made a double batch of moms ginger cookie dough :) yum! Miski is so bored. I hope she heals soon so she can have a romp.

Pathetic dog and Xmas table cloth

Poor Miski. She's so ready to be done with all this toe pain and come of shame. Last night she was hurting and she curled up around my head for warmth and comfort. So sad. On a more exciting note my mom sent us a beautiful Xmas table cloth! Love it!

Yummy Saturday

It's been a very lazy weekend so far. We slept in late today and have mostly been hovering over the dog who needs constant supervision still. Jose BBQ'd pork tenderloin and yams and I made salad for lunch. Then we made banana bread. Soooo good!!!

BBQ and tomatoes

Yay jose started cooking for us again today :) we had chicken and sausage with our favorite seasonings and I made a salad with lettuce and mint from our garden. It was scrumptious!!! Also one of our heirloom tomato plants has already started producing fruit. So exciting.

Woah it's December

Cannot believe it's almost Christmas! My mom sent us a box full of presents which was seriously amazing to receive. I used it as an excuse to put up our tree. Perfect timing since jose came home the next day. Yay!

Here we go again

Miski had to have another surgery on her toe. Poor thing. Her bone never healed but now supposedly all the infected bone and tissue is gone. Hopefully this will be the end of this particular fiasco. Happily jose is coming home tomorrow!!!! Yay!

Turkey day 1996

Wow. Check out this pic from the archives! This was thanksgiving in 1996. I was 15 and bro was 25. Crazy.

Pretty beach walk

Went for a walk the other morning on Middleton beach. It was a gorgeous day! Now the winds are starting up again but that morning was fairly calm.

Poor Miski

Poor Miski. She cracked her nail at the base last week and we put her on antibiotics but they didn't work. I took her in today and she had to have toe surgery as ridiculous as that sounds. Poor little muppet has a bone infection. I guess it's just bad luck. So now she has a cone of shame and a back foot with only three nails and a little stubby toe :(

Bandicoots and paving!

Random post but I took Miski for a walk yesterday and it was a beautiful day. More exciting was the super cute bandicoot we happened upon! He was a pretty bold little dude. So squee. Miski didn't like her walk and she's still limping from a foot injury and I didn't realise until it was too late. I feel terrible. We've also finished off our patio paving so no more weird gaps in the backyard. Yay! Hopefully jose will come home soon.

Damper

I spent most of yesterday cleaning house and garden and so today have been rather lazy. Poor Miski is so bored. But I did manage to make some damper because I've been craving it like crazy. Damper is a traditional Australian soda bread. Yummo

Ah the sunsets

It actually turned out to be a beautiful day today. Too bad I hadn't slept at all and was too tired to do anything except laundry. Oh well. Miski enjoyed the sunshine and the sunset tonight was stunning. We miss jose so much. 6 more weeks to go...