What a find, I spied (with my little eye) this little wooden bowl in Vinnies for…wait for it... 50 cents! My brooch and badge collection needed a bigger container and this is perfect for them. There were 3 or 4 more in different sizes so I think I’ll pop back in and see if they are still there tomorrow.
I’ve had to be strict with my favourite things this week coz there were so many. I’m loving the weather just now, even if it is a bit chilly in the Smout house, that just means I have a reason to rug up and enjoy my winter woollies. Here are the small things that made me happy this week: What a find, I spied (with my little eye) this little wooden bowl in Vinnies for…wait for it... 50 cents! My brooch and badge collection needed a bigger container and this is perfect for them. There were 3 or 4 more in different sizes so I think I’ll pop back in and see if they are still there tomorrow. Farmers markets are a treat, we have one very near us, but it’s rare that I drag my ass out of bed in time to enjoy the amazing food smells and funky music that accompanies the produce. This week I made an effort to go and came back with a spinach and fetta sourdough loaf, rhubarb and a new rosemary plant as we think ours is dead. Talking of plants, our seedlings are sprouting! Here is our teeny tiny basil plants, can‘t wait for them to grow big and strong so I can make pesto. I headed into the city on Friday for a friend's birthday and took some snaps on my phone. Maybe not the best quality, but I love the city at night, next time I’ll remember to take my camera. Not sure what the second photo is of, looks like a crazy disco at the size of the ferry! Last by no means least, a bit of black rubber. This baby might look like a black bin bag, but it helps me with stretching and is easing my super stiff side at the moment. Thanks to the lovely Miss Sarah for giving it to me.
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She slipped into the bookshop, breathing in the scent of paper and dust, feeling the excitement build as her sanctuary enveloped her and she sought out the purpose of her visit.
There it was, subtle in its black and grey sleeve, but standing out amongst the garish brights of the other covers surrounding it, jostling for her attention. Ignoring the others she ran her hand along its hard, smooth length, glancing round, wondering if she was being watched, not sure that she cared if she was. Lifting it she slowly opened the cover, smiling as the paper cracked and the contents started to spill over her. Licking a finger she turned a page, then another and another, flicking further and further on a thought growing quickly in her mind. Biting her lip she scanned the room, had she been noticed? Closing the book she let it slip back into the holder and, feeling slightly dirty, she wiped her hand on her jeans trying to remove the thoughts left by the contents. Expectations met she started to walk away when a staff member approached. “Can I ring that up for you to take home madam?” Blushing at being caught she shook her head, “No thanks, I won’t be buying that… ever!” I knew the purpose of this blog would show its face if I kept at it, my thing that I would chat about all the time. Turns out I have already been talking about it, but it needed to punch me in the face to realise that was it.
This week has been shit, I mean tears and snotters kind of shit, it’s not been a pretty sight. The crap from last week has been overwhelming me again and it took a cuddle from a good friend to sort me out today. Usually I rely on TBM for that kind of stuff, like tag team wrestlers we have each other’s backs, but just now we are going through the same crap at the same time and can’t really help each other enough. Thank Jebus for good friends. Anyhoo, I digress, but for a reason. My lovely friend S gave me a big hug and reminded me to let the big crappola things slide and enjoy the small thing in life. And then it hit me, that’s what this blog is really about. The small things, the cuppa with a friend, the dog rolling about on his back in sheer joy, an email from an old friend or whatever it is that made you smile today. I don’t think it will change my ramblings too much so don’t panic, it just gives me a bit of a clearer direction and hopefully inspire you a bit too. I’m already disturbed by my second bout of puberty but now it seems like I’m actually turning into a teenage boy. I was busy inspecting my face for wrinkles, crinkles and zits when I saw something blowing in the breeze. It was a hair. Not one of those long, fine, see through whiskers either. This baby was dark and sprouting out of the side of my face looking like it would invite its friends and grow a set of mutton chops that would put John McCririck to shame. While a teenage boy may be excited at the first sprouting sign of his manhood I was horrified and had to act quickly. I decided that tweezers were the way to go, pull the sucker out by the root and stop it coming back once and for all. Tweezers in hand it took a bit of manoeuvring to get it in place and then one swift yank and it was out, root and all, and only a teeny bit of wincing at the pain.
I fear this hair was only the first wave in the attack of excess facial hair so will now be adding 'check for stray whiskers' to my daily beauty routine. You may laugh, but it could happen to you too! It’s been a rather strange week at Smout Shout, the week started full of tension and frustration and ended up fantastic (thank you acupuncture!). To keep up my crusade to help you be happy with the small things in life, here’s some of what made me happy this week. My last macaroon bar from my trip back home was scoffed and boy did I enjoy it! For those of you who have never had one they are basically a hard fondant covered in chocolate and coconut, it used to be made from mashed potato and you still make it like that at home (yes, I am telling the truth!). They are nothing but sugar and so bad for you, your teeth hurt just looking at one. Farewell my old friend, I’ll see you again when a kind person from Scotland sends me more! If you feel like making one, which I might have to turn to in desperation, have a look here. My Mum and Dad gave me this bag for my birthday and it got its first outings this week. I am in love... Loads of room for all the tat you carry about with you and it is so funky it cheers you up every time you use it. I had my first acupuncture session on Friday and it was amazing. For being jabbed with needs and a hot stick held over your back it was pretty damn good and I can’t wait to go back. If you want to read more click here. I watched the new Spiderman movie with TBM last night. I had no expectations going in, in fact I thought it was gonna be a bit crapolla and I was happily surprised at how good it was. If you are a comic geek like me go and see it, much better than the previous one. More food, I am nothing if not a greedy pig! Homemade rhubarb crumble with custard… cannot be beaten and it was my first attempt at making it! Recipe will go up this week if you want to give it a go.
So what made you happy this week? Are you a foodie like me and excited with something you cooked? Did you make something cool and crafty or did you meet up with a friend who gave you a good giggle? Please share and inspire us all to try something new and fun and have happy days. Yesterday I had my first acupuncture session. I wasn’t sure what to expect never having it done before but I was strangely excited about it.
Katika, my acupuncturist (you can find her here), did an initial consult getting some background on my issues. There were a lot of questions, but one made me sit up and take notice, she asked if I had any pain in my ribs, which I do, on the right hand side. What she said about this made me gasp out loud, it was so spot on. This type of pain can be associated with blockages in your liver, making you feel like you are stuck… spooky or what considering I had only just realised this about myself earlier in the week. Once she had done my initial consult she took my pulse which confirmed my issues were in the middle of my body then she got to work on me. The first needles went in my back, I think she put in about 6, but it could have been 8 I was so relaxed I didn’t even notice them going in. Along with the needles I got some heat treatment to help put energy back into my kidneys which felt amazing. I forgot that all but one of the needles were there, but the one I noticed (not in a sore way, I could just feel it) was to do with my kidneys and as my energy is low it’s maybe not surprising I could notice it. Needles were removed and new ones were put in on my tummy, feet and hand, again no pain at all except one foot which felt like it was burning a bit, again this one was a ‘fire point’ to do with my kidneys. A bit more heat on me and I was left to relax for a little while. The whole session was fantastic and today I already feel a bit more together and that my main issue of inflammation feels a little less than it was. I’m booked in for next week for a second session and I'm really looking forward to it! It's maybe too early to say how it is affecting me, but so far I would say if you are considering acupuncture give it a go. It’s not sore and strangely relaxing for having needles in you. As an extra bonus my health fund covered the cost of my first session, so it felt even better! I hate socks. With a passion. Don’t get me wrong I’m happy my little tootsies are snuggly wrapped up in them and I totally LOVE the snuggly slipper socks I have (and my owl ones!), but other than that I hate socks.
The buggers hide in the laundry basket and TBM complains when he doesn’t get the correct number of socks back to put away. I hate hanging them up, so much so that I have been known to just drape them over the washing basket and not actually hang them on the line! I’m sure that the birds wait for me to do this so they can fly away with them for nesting material. It’s not a sock monster in our house, the birds steal them. I refuse to pair up any sock other than my own, even though I will put all the other washing away. TBM is regularly faced with a pile of them, looking like a heap of snakes so sort out and ball up while I look on snugly from the cozyness of bed. I was explaining this to a friend who laughed at my craziness and I thought surely there must be other people like this, who have things they despise doing in their home. I can handle every other chore, I even put my hand up and say I enjoy ironing (with a good program on the TV to keep me amused), but socks… you can keep ‘em. My mojo has left the building. Gone. Vamousch. I have no idea where it has gone to, or how to get it back for that matter. I’m not depressed or anxious I’m just totally apathetic about everything and it’s really starting to bug me. No one likes a winey b#tch, least of all me and it was getting so bad I was annoying myself.
I was wondering what to do about this, obviously not trying too much, I’m apathetic after all, when it dawned on me. I was stuck. In a great big rut. Or maybe a maze as I had a feeling there was a way out somewhere, I just couldn't find it. If it was only one thing I think I would know what to do, but there are two or three big things that are taking up a bit of my attention right now with no idea of where to begin. I talked to a few friends about it and had a bit of a breakthrough with one thing today. I’ve been home sick and also sick of my home, but at the moment can do nothing about it. Moving back to Scotland is not a good plan just now with the economy being as it is and moving in Sydney is a nightmare. So I have to accept where I am at the moment and stop letting it draw my attention when I can’t do anything about it. Problem not quite solved but at least I can accept where I am and move on, mentally speaking. Encouraged by this breakthrough I decided to take things into my own hands with some health problems. I have a doctor who keeps an eye on things, but I wanted more so booked in to get acupuncture. I have been told it’s very good, but never being a pin cushion before I’ll have to wait and see. The last issue is getting off my ass and working on my business. I have a feeling now that I have managed to get unstuck with these other two things that will happen on its own once the apathy diminishes. My friend John is a song writer and one of his lyrics is Apathy = inaction, well inaction = apathy in my case so maybe I’ll overcome it now I have moved along on my path. Left overs, they can strike fear in your heart, will they sit there looking at you, going to waste, or make you jump with joy with a brand new creation? Today I’m putting the leftovers from our roast to good use by making a pie out of the chicken. Tasty dinner, no waste and easy to get on with.
I follow a really straight forward recipe, it's by Jamie Oliver and I use it regularly, except for a few tweaks here and there. For my pie leave out the chestnuts and sage and part boil some firm potatoes (I used Kipfler) before you get started on the filling. If you want to give it a go follow Jamie’s recipe (minus the sage and chestnuts) and before you stick the pastry top on, chuck your part boiled potatoes into the mix to make it more of a one pot wonder. Stick it in the oven to cook through and Bob’s your Uncle… or should that be Jamie? Serve with extra veggies if you like or you could have it on it’s own. Mr Oliver would be proud. Happiness doesn’t have to be from the big things in life, it can be the little things that can cheer you up. Here’s what made me happy this week. A giggle and a gossip with a good friend, what can be better? Maybe being served your cuppa from the teeniest tea pot in the world? Adding a bit of funkiness to my outfit, my triceratops brooch may be small, but he is mighty! Grrrrrr! I love a bit of craftiness and decided at the start of the year to try and make presents to give to people for birthdays and Christmas. I’m starting to stockpile just now for the dates still coming up. A walk in the sunshine helps clear your head and a Sunday afternoon stroll has become a bit of a tradition with me and TBM. We hoped to see some whales, but had to settle for heaps of dogs running about instead. There is nothing quite so comforting as a roast dinner and TBM cooks a mean roast chicken. What’s even better is there will be enough left to have a tasty chicken pie tomorrow.
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