Sweet Fabric:
Cocktails

Nice things happen at my kitchen bench.

It's a place to gather, chat, drink & eat. It's currently quite small & we have a huge living/meals area attached but people only ever sit at the bench. Consequently, the bench in the new place will be much more accommodating.

The lovely doodle above was begun by my sister in the afternoon. She inked the leaf & then left it sitting on the bench. In the evening Trace came over for a swim & a pretty drink. The red pencil was moving the whole time she sat & chatted.

I think I'm going to see how much creativity I can draw out of "accidental artists" this year.

The date has christened himself "crap courier". He reckons everyday when he goes to pick up seriously important mail from PO Box there is some new piece of Kirst crap to bring home.

I've tried to explain the seriousness of the etsy situation but he just doesn't get it.

for a week of baking at Mikes.

It's OK there's only Vodka in the icing (which can, of course be substituted for tap water).

How we love a Capiroska.

Now we can eat them too!

Capiroska Cupcakes
1 & 1/2 cups of SR flour
1 cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 cup of dessicated coconut
grated rind of 1 lime
2 eggs
125gms unsalted butter
1/2 cup of ginger beer
1/2 cup of milk

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

Melt butter in saucepan.

Add melted butter, milk, ginger beer & eggs & mix with a wooden spoon.

Spoon into patty cases & cook for around 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Icing
1 cup icing sugar
grated rind of 1/2 lime
vodka (around 1/4 cup)

Sift icing sugar, add lime rind & then vodka (gradually until a smooth consistency is achieved).

Ice & enjoy (just as you would the drink).

Do you have a favourite place to sit? This is mine - a little unconventional I know, but it's all mine.

When my brother, sister & I were growing up there was definitely an IT spot.

It was the cane chair closest to the TV. The chair was awfully uncomfortable & had exposed nails that caught on your clothes & your hair. BUT... it had tier 1 status because in the days before remotes arms reach was vitally important.

It was only your spot until you had to get up to go to the loo or grab a gingernut biscuit from the bickie barrel. As soon as you took your first step someone was waiting to nab the "top spot". These chair wars usually ended in tears & a bit of blood. So, genius children that we were we came up with "spot reserved". If you declared this prior to leaving your seat no-one could assume your position & it was a no go zone until you returned. I love the politics between siblings!

No-one wants my spot now - but just for old time's sake..."spot reserved". Don't anybody pinch my patch of floor (or my pretty drink).

I had lots of ideas for people to invite to a sensational dinner party with the date but in the end I've settled on my friends from school: Jo, Tan, Soph, Lise, Jen, Tiff, Megs & Myself.

The date will decline his invitation & we will all sit around drinking pretty drinks & laughing til our cheeks hurt.

Sure - we are all very different people now & our lives have moved us in different directions & around the world. Maybe if we met in the street today we wouldn't all be friends. BUT... there is something really special about a shared history & the easy, honest & kid-like way you interact with a friend you've had forever. It's priceless.

The photo with the pink cut outs is the final list but we need to add Jo & Megs into the pink voids. Can you match all my friends with their before & after shots?

Thank you Lily & Agathe and Three Buttons.

DELIGHTFUL.
Snippets from my week.

I purchased a few pairs of jeans from the Op Shop to finish of this project. When I got them home I examined them more closely & found one of the pairs to be fits-like-a-glove & tracky-dack-comfy...delightful.

I met a friend for coffee. She was running late - yay just enough time to duck into the Op Shop next door. I purchased a taped closed supermarket bag full of what I knew to be handwork of some kind. What I discovered was the handwork pictured above...delightful.

On my daily mouse-mobile travels I read this post on a blog well loved by many and written by lovely local Claire. The post was simple and utterly...delightful.

A souvlaki pizza enjoyed with beautiful tier one friends & pretty drinks & made by the date...delightful.

I should just warn you that I am on my 4th date made Capiroska (read double shot of vodka).

Inability to touch type making me giggle......tragic!

I love Friday - it's the trigger to exhale - friends come over to have a drink & a laugh - it's gorgeous.

I had planned to have a crack at Pip's delicious sounding curry tonight...I'd printed off the recipe & everything...then I got all involved in a bit of Brown Owlishness & instead we ate dip & cheese & a LOT of Red Rock Deli Honey Soy Chips...oh & Vodka...I'm SURE that's in the healthy food pyramid!

Preview for Sunday: I had my haircut today...yay!

the perfect partner for the limes.

I think there is a little life lesson in there for us all. When it's right it's so right.

diverged in a yellow wood,
and sorry I could not travel both
and be one traveller
long I stood & looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth
then took the other,
as just as fair & having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy & wanted wear...

excuse the inaccuracy of my memory but you get the drift.

Not one to make New Years resolutions - I prefer to make it up as I go along.

But I do want to make sure that in 2008 I choose the road not taken more often. I've found the rewards to be plentiful when I've trodden this path in the past.

I don't mean to sound like someone from a bad reality show but ... it really is all about the journey

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

we have ever spent.

It's an ice crusher purchased from Go Low. This little baby crushes ice perfectly for all our favourite drinks.

Enjoying lots of icy drinks tonight with the family which will be lovely. Looking forward to 2008 with anticipation. So stinking, ferally hot today & I'm hoping the icy drinks improve my grumbly mood.

I hope that your farewell to 2007 is cool(ish).

mojito! I hate mojito but my date tonight (& forever) loves them.

Finally tracked down some mint in Queenscliff, I brewed the sugar syrup today & we are all set.

I made a double batch of sugar syrup...I wonder what girly drink I could make with that? Ah yes, the slushie. I'm going to the strawberry farm tomorrow!!!

tomorrow night.

We are catching up with some friends who are moving to Singapore tomorrow night & I'm bringing Strawberry Slushies.

The arm's a bit sore from juicing all those limes but it's so worth it. The kitchen smells all strawberry sweet.

I've got a few mates popping in for a drink tonight. I'll be having capiroska. Perfect weather for a nice and icy kind of drink don't you think?

I like Friday.