mortiz044

We've been lucky enough to catch up with quite a few of our friends in the past couple of weeks.  We always look forward to the time that we spend with our friends.  It is all too easy to settle into our life at home and almost become anti-social!  We need friends to exchange and challenge our thoughts and ideas.  We have also become friends with a couple who have taught us to play Backgammon.  It is a game that I have always wanted to learn and so far Philip and I are loving it! Last week we had lunch with one of Philips cousins and her husband.  They were holidaying in Port.  For 40 years I have been exchanging christmas cards with cousin Sandra without ever having met her.  It was strange meeting her after all these years but we got along like a "house on fire". Peter, Sandra, myself and Philip Last weekend we drove to Cairns to have a bbq dinner with another group of friends.  It's always great to catch up with this crowd.  The men a...

I've prepared and cooked some pretty interesting meals this week.  Some have been out of my comfort zone but everyone of them were so tasty and full of flavour that I just had to share.  But before I get into that I just want to point out something. All of these recipes fall under the healthy eating  banner that include lots of nuts and grains and the use of good fats and oils.  But I just want to point out to my readers (all three of you!) that usually if the food falls under the "super food" category it is very high in calories.  Just for an example 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil is a staggering 120 calories.  Also seeds and nuts, although healthy, are extremely high in calories. This will not worry a lot of you but for those wanting to watch their weight, MODERATION is the key with these recipes.  My husband and I fail miserably with this.  If it's in front of us we will eat it until we are almost bursting at the sides.  The way ...

Back in November last year we started discussions with a local pool builder to build an infinity edge pool.  When I look back at those original plans I am dumb struck that we have changed the plans so much!  Originally it was an "unground" pool with an adjoining rotunda on one side and a pergola on the other.  It was such a simple plan.... Now we have decided to build a mirror image of the exisiting rotunda on the other corner of the house and have the pool "above ground" at verandah height!  It is such a big change from the original idea but it is going to look fantastic.  We have also bitten the bullet and decided to heat the pool so that we can use it year round. So this week, four months after our first discussion, the pool building has commenced.  The contractor is now up to the cement pouring stage but I guess we will be guided by the weather as to when that will happen.  When the pool is complete the builder will come in and build the rotunda an...