Thirty photo challenge: 21, 22 & 23

21. A picture of something you wish you could forget:

My special cat Mr Charles... he was attacked by a dog and killed last year (Charles was in his own yard in an enclosure, the dog wasn't on a lead and broke through the fence to get him)..... I wouldn't like to forget him but the whole awful incident.  Pets become such an important part in your life and it is so sad when they go.


22. A picture of something you wish you were better at:

I would love to be able to make my own bread... would love to be one of those women who routinely has dough rising or a starter bubbling or a loaf cooling on the bench.... I have made bread before with varying degrees of success... but not as often or with as much ease as I would like!



23. A picture of your favourite book:

This is like the 'favourite band' one - I can't just pick one!

I'm baaaack!

OK after a brief hiatus I am back.  We had a great time in Perth and didn't even complain too much about the cold.  We sampled heaps of amazing wines in Margaret River and bought more than a few (its hard to limit yourself when so many taste so good!).  We had some great meals both out at restaurants and in with grandad when we were back in Perth.  We came back to work and hit the ground running.
Here are a couple of pics....

Sign at Hay Shed Hill winery restaurant

A stormy day at Prevelley Point

Lunch at Cullen's winery

A few beers at Bootleg Brewery - as they say 'An oasis of beer in a desert of wine'

A few of the restraunts we went to were:
 http://www.clairaultwines.com.au/ just amazing, one of the best meals I have eaten in memory.  Glad that I will be going back there within the year and taking a whole bunch of friends!
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/338/1544898/restaurant/Perth/What-the-Pho-Northbridge who can resist a Vietnamese pho bar, particularly one with a cool name like "What the Pho"
*Vietnamese pronunciation note: Pho is pronounced 'fuh'.  Yes I am still going to Vietnamese language classes.  Yes my Vietnamese still is fairly crappy.  Yes Iron Chef's mum laughs at me and pretends to understand me when I say things to her.  No I fail miserably when it comes to understanding things she says to me.  Sigh. I will keep trying!
http://www.sanchurro.com/ Spanish hot chocolate you rock my world
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/338/1425609/restaurant/Perth/Hawkers-Cuisine-Northbridge Another place without its own website BUT absolutely topping my list of places to eat in Perth.  The roti cani was delicious and their spicy tofu was devoured by our table of four within minutes... luckily they happily brought another serving for round two.

A break.....

There will be a short break between posts now as we are going away for a holiday together :) :) :)

Posts will resume in a week or two!

Thirty photo challenge: 18, 19 & 20.

18. A photo of something which has made an impact on your life recently

(photo not taken by me) The floods that affected our town since December 2010.  It has affected my life in so many ways...
The pistol club is still unusable and needs so much work and as with all clubs there are only a few willing hands to put in the hard dirty work required (and I am one of them) - and so much paper work (applying for grants, exemptions, etc) and also so much sadness at not being able to play with guns every weekend!
Also not to mention what the flooding brought with it.... ruining the beaches for the whole of summer, the humidity, the standing water that STILL remains around town six months after the event which then leads to sandflies everywhere making outside not an option at sunset, the plague of grasshoppers/locusts, the damage to houses & plantations & businesses (the petrol station in the photo is now operational but the building is not!). Enough already! This was apparently a 'once in 100 years' flood and I am very glad to see the back of it.


19. A photo of your biggest insecurity

I don't think I can answer this one.  I'm not perfect but I'm not insecure about it.  I am more than happy with what I've got in life.  Like my mother says: Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you.  I like that.  And even when the bear gets you there is always still something out there that can make you laugh!

20. A photo of a place you would love to travel to

Well apart from the obvious - Fairbanks!
And New York - again , what an amazing place!

I think I have to pick 2....

Split, Croatia.  A friend of mine is from there and has recently moved back to start her own business.  She runs some holiday accommodation and writes me lovely emails about cooking freshly caught fish in the sun with a glass of vino.......

Tokyo, Japan.   I know it's expensive.  I know it's crazy busy.  I know it's cramped and the hotel rooms are tiny.  I know Japanese is an extremely hard language to even understand the basics.  But I WANT TO GO.

Thirty photo challenge: 15, 16 & 17

15.  Someone you can't imagine life without.

Two people please!!

16. Something you want to do before you die.

17. Someone who inspires you.

My boss and close friend Robin.  She has all sorts of personality traits I admire, she is fair, tenacious, thoughtful and honest.  Also she drinks rum, does dispensary dancing with me and laughs at my jokes.

Thirty photo challenge: 12, 13 & 14

(none of these pictures taken by me!)

12. A picture of something you hate

13. A picture of something you love

14. A picture of your favourite band

Just one? Ok, 5.

Thirty photo challenge: 9, 10 & 11

9. A picture of your favourite night

 It's hard to pick just one.... but this night was fantastic.  We were in Sydney and decided to book a seven course degustation dinner for two on a boat that cruises up and down Sydney harbour.  It was a freezing cold night but the dinner included a different glass of wine to match with every course (and welcome champagne and port for afterwards) and that helped warm us up.  The dinner was held on the enclosed top deck of the boat and it was huge, there were only about five other couples and they were all spread out over the deck so we felt like we were all alone - except for the waiters and the piano player! Good food, wine and a window seat to watch Sydney harbour light up at night - fabulous!




10. A picture of your most treasured item.

11. A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

How can one person have so many right answers?? And good recipes?? I love you mom :)