0072: NIGELLA LAWSON

I love how much she loves food. She cops a lot of stick about the way she does things, but I think she's fab. When I watch her, because she is so delighted to be cooking and eating, it makes me happy - even if I get a bit hungry too. I love that she makes simple food that you can actually cook at home, and that she really does not care if her food is rich, creamy and delicious, because honestly, we all know that that is exactly what we want. You go Nigella!!

0071: MUSIC FESTIVALS

People in great clothes, bands you've never heard before, food, colours and of course, amazing (and not so amazing) live music. At the Folky last night, I had the best time with Papa Pilko and the Binrats - like the Blues Brothers times six - and Fun Machine's Hungarian Disco Party - woah, woah.

0070: CHESS

The game of champions. Strategy, bluffs, poker faces, eventual brain damage.

0069: YOUTUBE

Those silly videos like the panda sneezing, the animals of youtube singing _ or Gangnam Style, it is all quite good at cheering you up. Just then, I watched the 100th episode of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries - a modern, online adaption of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. WARNING- highly addictive. Just by the way, I'm not obsessed with Jane Austen, it just seems that things in my life have been Austen-y lately.

0068: SOUP

Soup, soup

A-tasty soup, soup

A-spicy carrot and coriander

Chilli chowder

Crouton, crouton

Crunchy friends in a liquid broth

I am gazpacho, oh

I am a summer soup, mmm

Miso, miso

Fighting in the dojo

Miso, miso

Oriental prince in the land of soup.

I don't think there's any soup I don't like. It's all so tasty and homely. My Ukrainian g-mama's borsch has to be my favourite, though.

0067: SLIPPERS

My tootsies are snug as a bug in a rug. Slippers are small luxuries, but they have a great effect. Squishy, snugly, cosy, fluffy or just plain cute; I love 'em all.

0066: CANDLES

They are just great. When you walk into a candle shop and it smells so good. When you explore the different scents and find those horrible ones and gag. By the by, I found a cannabis candle today :) OH! And those candles that are so yummy you nearly eat them. I think candles are just so fantastic, that it was the only thing that could contend with a cake on somebody's birthday.

Or perhaps your into religious practises or like performing rituals and spells, an I'm down with that too.

0065: TRYING WEIRD, NEW FOODS

From the Asian grocer, exotic country, trendy restaurant, health food stores, farmer's markets, even unexplored isles of the supermarket hold many wonders. Today, I tried Melon Tea and Chrysanthemum Tea. I took a large slurp of the Melon Tea and to my horror, it was disgusting - there I was thinking it was the safe option - and the Chrysanthemum Tea tasted just like honey. You never know until you brave it, I guess.

0064: CHEAP CHOCOLATE

A friend of mine had a chocolate craving, so we went into the dollar store and bought some cheap chocolate. Most people find it gross, but I find it funny. When I eat it, all that occurs is uncontrollable laughter. I'm not really sure why. Like our 99c pack of caramel filled Easter eggs, which tasted like alcohol, but didn't have alcohol on the ingredients list, made me laugh so hard. Especially because we ate them in a fancy department store, trying Lancome make-up and Chanel perfumes.

0063: OP-SHOPPING

OH GOODNESS. Today I went thrift shopping with my friend and the change rooms were full and it was 15 minutes until closing time, so we made a makeshift fort with the sheets in the back corner of the store and, in the smelly and sweaty little nook, raced through our gargantuan pile of clothing. FEW. Had some incredible buys, and saw quite a bit of breast...

0062: BOY TALK

Talking about boys is just so nice. I had a witty and revealing text-conversation with a friend last night about her secret love. There were threats, bluffs, insults and pleads flying. Even if your not the information-pumper, it's really nice to share and re-live those conversations, looks received or given and moment shared with guys you like. Or gals, I don't mind.

0061: BATHS

Bubbles + hot water + candles = hap-happity-hap-hap

0060: GOOD HAIR DAYS

You wake up, roll out of bed, and to your utter astonishment, your hair is perfect. You can do anything with it, and it still looks AMAZING!! We like.

0059: BEING INSIDE ON A RAINY DAY

Warm, cosy and comfy. Hot beverage in hand, laden with books and or movies. Mmmmmm.

0058: HOT AIR BALLOONS

So graceful. If only I could get up early enough to have a float. But they're so nice to see. When I'm on the bus in the morning, and there all over the place, and everyone rushes to look out the window, it makes me quite happy. I couldn't resist the Darth Vader balloon. I hope it makes you as happy as it made me.

0057: FIREWORKS

Fireworks, I think, are something that I don't appreciate anymore. When I was 9, I went to Disneyland with my family. It was the holiday season, so they had Christmas fireworks every night, and those nightly fireworks were better than the Sydney New Year's Eve ones. So you can imagine what I thought of the Disneyland New Year's Eve fireworks...

I have never really enjoyed other fireworks again. But at least I still watch them, if only from my back veranda or on TV. They are always beautiful. And you, dear reader, probably love them.

0056: JELLY

I want some JEEEEEEEELYYYYY
I want some, jelly in belly!!
I want some, jelly in my be-he-helly!!
Jelly in my be-e-lly right now!

wobble
wobble

0055: PRESENTS

They are great to get, but I love buying, wrapping and giving them. Oh, funny fun fun.

0054: PILLOWS

Pillow fights, screaming into, squeezing, sleeping on. Comfort in solid form. YAY!!

0053: SLUMBER PARTIES

I had a BBC Pride and Prejudice marathon with 35 people last night. *sigh* Scoffing pizza and ice-cream, crisps, chocolate, carrot, celery, hummus, lollies. Pillows and blankets and trackpants. Perfection.

0052: CORDIAL

Mmm mmm mmmmmm. I have had a cordial craving for a month, and have finally secured two large bottles. I am very happy. Cordial is tasty, fun and super yum. So good, there is a line about it in the magnificent Mary Poppins, "Lime cordial, deeeeeeeeeelicious!!" Eloquently stated, Jane.

0051: WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

I loved the book, and don't get me wrong, I love Johnny Depp, but the Gene Wilder original movie was what I grew up with and it blew my mind. It is one of my favourite movies of all time.

Look at the Oomp Loompa on the left doing a glamour shot. He he he...

0050: EWAN MCGREGOR

MILESTONE!! My 50th happy thing! 1/20 of 1000!! WOOT WOOOOOOT!!! I knew I needed something good. So I chose Ewan McGregor. I saw Down With Love last night with my friend and her gay brother, and we all fell in love with him again. And may I say, he looked sharp in that blue suit. But he also does all those really great documentaries, and I just love him so much, even though he is so out of my league...

I think it's time to stop professing my love.

By the way, I'd love a comment and you could be the first!! Go on...

...you know you want to ;)

0049: PANCAKES

 

eggs, milk and flour, pancake power,
look at his milky yellow sunshine face
flip it now flip it good oo
flip it now flip it good oo
some are salt
some are sweet
some are fruit
some are meat

the time we used the chive
it really came alive!
edbile frisbies
springtime tuesday

i like to boogie.

0048: SPARKLERS

I would like to take this opportunity and say that these photos are mine. I took them while on a beach holiday with my best friend. Sparklers used to scare me a little, but I do rather love them now. They are great fun and cost like $2 for a pack of 24, or something. SO COOL

0047: LADYBUGS

Aren't they just so nice?? Non-creepy crawlies. There was a ladybug on the ceiling of my bus on the way home today.

0046: THE SMELL OF FRESHLY MOWN GRASS

I love it. It's fresh and clean and smells like nature. Maybe those of you with allergies may not think so. Well I'll just be selfish then.

0045: ART GALLERIES

Discussing the elements of art, being in a close vicinity of a world renowned work which millions of people have paid a pilgrimage to, but coolest of all, being separated only by glass to something that Degas, Bernini, Da Vinci, Van Gogh or Dali have actually created. To think of them in their workshop standing up close painting, sculpting, imagining. And the dim lighting is pretty cool. Just today I went to a fabulous Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition. Splendid.

0044: PERIOD DRAMAS

Not dramas about a particular time of month, as the name suggests, but rather dramas based on a period of history. They are witty, intelligent, and just generally jolly. Books can be difficult to get through, but definitely worthwhile, and movies are always lovely.

0043: AFTERNOON TEA

Afternoon teas just make me feel so eloquent and posh, and I say things like "good heavens!" I swear, afternoon tea in a sewerage pipe could not dampen the greatness of it.

0042: SEASHELLS

I have a particular fondness for scallop shells and have a large box full of them, but I also adore those enormous shells one is only blessed with finding rarely. The memories they dredge up and the sound of the sea. Occasionally a bit of sand comes out after you've owned it many years. There's something a bit special about the way that a beautiful shell washes onto the shore just for you.

I love telling the story of how I found my first scallop shell...

I was on a scout camp and we were at the beach. I had forgotten goggles, but my friend had hers. We were searching for shells by sticking our heads under water, and she had an obvious advantage. Well, she found a really beautiful mother of pearl shell, and I was so jealous I picked up the first shell I felt - a particularly ugly one in fact - and tried to coax her to swap, I was at a disadvantage, after all.. She refused my offer, and dejected, I went back into the surf, and hopelessly felt around for a shell like hers. My hand landed on something smooth. I scooped it up, expecting disappointment, but as the sand fell away, it revealed a stunning, white scallop shell. I ran onto the shore in sheer joy and triumph, and showed every single parent. My 'friend' then strode up, and proposed a swap, however, it was my turn to decline with "I think I'll hold on to this one." Victory was mine. And I still own that shell with pride.

0041: SHAGPILE CARPET

We had this in our old cabin/caravan at the coast. It was woollen in different tones of brown and 100% authentic form the 70's. It smelled like dust, but in a nice way. Kind of like grandmas? Mum was repulsed, dad was nostalgic, but I was in love. This anemone of joy will feature in my future home.