The Brisbane Adventure, and more
SO: Friday, we went to Brisbane. The plan was to visit the Queensland Museum at Southbank, then have a wander through the galleries and meet up with some friends from an online forum.
The one exhibition I really wanted to see was well worth seeing – but alas, due to the fragile nature of the objects, no photography was allowed – and I didn’t want to spend $10 on a booklet (I would have bought 2 or three postcards, had any been available, but ten dollars is just too much. AH, the life of the pov!)
Maybe I’ve just been at home too much, but I found the hoards of screaming children utterly exhausting. After 20 minutes (which felt like an hour!) I had to retreat to the cafe for a cold drink. I’m glad we avoided school holidays, I can only imagine what hell that must be.
I thought that the museum was very … empty. Mr Beloved was also quite disappointed. It was as though the entire centre was set up purely for small kids. Fair enough as far as that goes, but not the Museum experience we were after. I strongly suspect that the days of quiet contemplation of exhibits in cases are gone for good, more’s the pity. Interaction schminteraction. (And you kids, get off my lawn!)
We then wandered outside for lunch (mmm, love that zucchini slice – it’s even good cold!) then down to the Queensland Art Gallery. I’m very pleased I got to see the “Hats: an Anthology by Stephen Jones” exhibition, even though that was quite busy too. Mr Beloved noted that Stephen Jones’s own designs were very skillfully and beautifully made – often the best thing in the case.
By the time we left the Queensland Art Gallery and headed over to the Gallery Of Modern Art I was getting reeeeaaaaallly tired. We didn’t bother with the Ron Mueck exhibition because even the concession tickets were $10 each – and to be quite frank, his work totally creeps me out anyway.
I think we really tried to do too much in one day – about half an hour after this photo was taken (it’s at the end of GOMA, looking out onto the river) I just Could.Not.Go.On and so even though we were about an hour early for meeting the friends, we decided to go to the cafe and just sit.
Mr Beloved was wearing a recognisable hat – and was recognised (it was the first face to face meeting with online friends).
We made quite good time out of the city, and got home around 6 pm. On Sunday night the police came knocking on the door at about 20 to 9 – the business over the road had been broken into some time on the weekend, a big safe had been removed (probably with the aid of a circular saw) and had we heard anything?
Well, the neighbourhood dogs pretty much bark non-stop, every night, so the barking I heard on Friday night might have been relevant – or not. Talk about crying wolf…
Maybe now the business will invest in some proper security (although I doubt it.) As I remarked to the nice policemen, we get all sorts of cars and stray people down the end of the street because there’s no street light.
I called Mum and Dad at their new Adelaide house last night, too. Week one, so they’re still trying to unpack, but they seem to be going ok.
I’m still trying to get rid of STUFF – there WILL be books leaving via Bookcrossing this week!
Sometimes, you just have to ask… featuring CUPCAKES!
So, after yesterday’s rant, friend K gets in touch with me and suggests coffee and catchup. I mentioned seeing a brand new shop when we were wandering downtown yesterday; she agreed it would be a good thing to go there. I wasn’t sure if it would even be open, but she googled it and found it was.
This is the first professional cupcake I’ve ever had, I think – and I’m so pleased I did. Such an indulgence, but so very lovely. The lemon buttercream icing was perfect and the small square of decorated fondant (already gone by the time I remembered the camera) was a lovely touch.
The shop was nearly sold out when we got there – and the owner has mentioned on her facebook page that she needs to close tomorrow so she can bake more stock.
We grabbed takeaway coffees from a cafe nearby, then sat under the jacarandas at the railway station and just talked. Best afternoon out I’ve had in ages. Thanks, Karen! Just sitting in the sun and chatting has done me a world of good.
Oh, and here’s some more that Karen chose to take home with her:
Chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry and white chocolate, I think. I’m looking forward to trying some of the other flavours next time.
Introducing…. REX!
Credits: Kitschy Digitals Vintage Camera Kit (background paper, Box Brownie, Polaroid frames); Lesley Grainger‘s Birdie ABC Alpha; Doodled Edge from Laurie Anderson – Heaven’s Gate Designs.
We’ve heard the little one saying “peep peep peep peep PEEEEEEP” for over a fortnight now – but we didn’t want to do anything that might endanger him/her. Well, S/he has open eyes and is finally big enough to start to stand. I think you have to be a bird person to truly love the little ones when they’re this ugly/cute! Bollinger and Dorian, the parent birds, are spending increasing amounts of time out of the nesting box, but both are still on feeding duty.
I’m trying not to get too attached, as it’s still early days, but young Rex is over the most vulnerable phase, we hope.
BTW – Mr Beloved called the chick “Rex” because it was able to make a fierce hissing noise when disturbed – sort of like what baby dinosaurs might have done. (And how much do I love the look of adoration on his face as Mr Beloved holds Rex?!)
We went to the Nice Psychiatrist today, and I feel like I have a little more control over what’s going on. She listened to my whinging about side effects and gave me the option of changing meds or sticking things out – she thinks that a lot of the symptoms I’m struggling with are signs that I’m actually getting better. So – knowing that it really takes at least 6 weeks for new medications to settle, I now have an action plan, possibly at half hour increments, of How To Cope with panic attacks, rage, hunger, etc. It feels a bit silly filling in the day in such small wedges of time, but apparently I know this makes sense and stops any one problem becoming OVERWHELMING.
And tonight I baked. It smells sooooo good – let’s hope THIS one makes it out of the tin without any disasters! It’s the banana variation of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Cordon Rose Cream Cheesecake. Mr Beloved beta beater(!) tested the mix before it went into the tin and pronounced it Good. It’s been at least 6 years since I made it last – I had to buy a new springform tin to replace one that didn’t survive the move from Canberra.
I must get to bed: Social Cre8te tomorrow, and we’re celebrating my birthday, so I have to be there (with the cheesecake!) I should point out that I didn’t HAVE to make my own cake, I just wanted an excuse to bake. Especially since part of the new regime to cope with the side effects of the medication will be a CARB FREE HOUSE (or as close as we can reasonably manage) – so that I don’t end up the size of a house again. Lots and lots of veges and vege soup in my future.
BED!
Photos of cake etc tomorrow.
And if the cake doesn’t turn out….
- Add a lego construction worker to the rubble
- Fill the centre with the Birthday Girl’s favourite choc orange easter eggs
- light fancy candles
- and just laugh!
(and remember to do an extra layer of greasing and flouring the tin next time!)
The cake tasted GORGEOUS. Like a light choc orange mousse pudding. We were all laughing too hard to get non-fuzzy photos, I think!
But it smells so GOOOOOD!
(Polaroid frame from Kitschy Digitals‘ “Vintage Cameras ” kit; font is CK Ali’s Hand.)
Fingers crossed that this cake will turn out of the tin ok! I do adore my Nordic Ware tins, but sometimes the cakes stick a bit. (Anyone know here I can purchase “Bakers Joy” non stick spray locally? It’s NOT the same as the spray Mum used to use, this one is flour based…)
Anyway, the cake is to take to Social Cre8te (aka PLAYGROUP!) at the Local Scrapbooking Shop tomorrow. Since the Birthday Girl (the shop owner, Tammy) is mad for chocolate paired with orange, I decided it was time to give one of those cakes where you boil the oranges and blitz them in a food processor a go.
The only problem? I am GUARANTEED a migraine if I mix chocolate and orange – every single time. I had to wake Mr Beloved from his nap this evening for a taste test of the mix (yep, he got to lick the bowl, LOL!) and he reckons it’s lovely.
I’m planning on leaving it un-iced, just a few choc orange speckled easter eggs and a little bit of grated chocolate to decorate.
Will I be able to resist? Stay tuned for an update tomorrow!
Happy 2010!
Well, we made it! (All of us except the Bank of Queensland, whose EFTPOS machines decided that it was 2016 and therefore all cards were expired…)
We had a fairly uneventful New Years Eve, where I didn’t even last long enough to open the bubbly – I was out like a light by 9 pm. I woke up again after some commotion at the end of the street (very drunken girl and her friends from one of the parties around the place, behaving stupidly ) and again when the roar of “THREE… TWO… ONE… NAPPY YEW HEAR!!!” (or something of the sort) rang out.
For NYE 2000, I believe I was chatting (IRC, oh, how long ago!) with friends online. And for 1990, I was having a wonderful (ahem!) time under the stars with my delightful dairy farmer, near Corryong … can that really be TWENTY years ago? I feel so old.
I had a fabulous day yesterday – went to Brisbane with friends – long day, but good company and some fun shopping. (Thanks, L and T!)
We went to Photo Continental at Mt Gravatt. Did I think to buy more matte photo paper for my collages? Nope! We got to the scrapbooking side of the shop and spent 2 and a bit hours wandering in a bit of a daze… they had a lot of older lines in stock (which were new to me, since they were before I discovered just how cool scrapbooking supplies are!) and I grabbed some more O-wires for my Bind It All machine at half price. (Yes, I succumbed. Expect to see LOTS of coil bound books this year!) I wanted a new alphabet stamp set but decided I’d already spent quite enough…
Then we went to IKEA! Oh maaaaaaaaaan I love Ikea. It’s pure fantasy island. Especially the kitchens (even if some of the display kitchens would take up our whole house, LOL!) And of course, we had lunch there:
I’m pretty sure that on January 2, 2009, I was having this exact same lunch at the Ikea store in Adelaide! (We make our own traditions…)
Buys at Ikea: a new kitchen clock, with a sweep second hand so we can see when the battery has run out (D’oh!) for $3.49; a new rubbish bin for $2.99, and a pack of face washers for around $7. Wins, eh!
Then on to the new Kaisercraft Outlet store at Browns Plains, where I grabbed a couple more sheets of my favourite (old) range, “K-Bots”. I’m hoping they’ll release it as a digital set soon (although their digital stuff is overpriced, IMHO, compared to the value from places like Scrapbook Graphics, Designer Digitals, Scrap Girls, and Pickleberry Pop.)
And now I must get on with the Art Journal Caravan pages I want to make today. Our first assignment (and one shared in other places, including the QuiltArt list and Ali Edward’s blog, who links to this very useful worksheet by Christine Kane on discovering your word) is to choose a word we want to inspire us for the year. (I am NOT into all that “wooooo” stuff about “manifesting” – but I do want to keep this particular word in my heart, mind, life, and art this year. All will be revealed next post.)
Whew!
Today I slept all day. And I mean ALL DAY – went to bed at around 11pm last night, woke up at 7:30 pm this evening. Mr Beloved had to do all the errands scheduled for today. He made me lunch and I fell asleep eating it! *sigh* So much for my theory that I could get away with keep on going after a chiropractic treatment – I did that yesterday, and paid the price today.
But my lower back is slowly improving, so yay!
Went to lunch with friends on Sunday – none of us remembered to take a photo, how slack! It was lovely to see everyone… somehow we don’t seem to all be able to get together terribly often, I think the last time was in MAY! Where did the year go?
Other than that… been pottering around doing stuff:
Tomorrow I have to work on a digital scrap booking page for the Digidares – I want that freebie, LOL!
So, that’s about it from me for today…
Another Digital Scrapbook Page
My BFF Sue and I had had a terrific day at Dalby (about an hour west of here) with other members of the Australian Sewing Guild and Felicity from For Frock’s Sake. We were there for a fun colour and style workshop at the home of one of the Dalby girls – Thanks, Lesley! I got quite worn out, but it was a great day. Turns out I’m NOT one colour season but a mix – there ya go!
Tomorrow we’re off on a little shopping trip to Brissy, where we’ll meet up with a friend from Pattern Review. (Hi Lynn!)
So anyway, I wanted to make something to say thank you to Sue: I don’t know if she’ll like this or HATE it, but here goes:
I think I might print this out and mount it on a cream background to give all that pattern some breathing room:
(Template:Pattie Knox SpeedByte No. 114 from DesignerDigitals; All papers and elements: Shabby Princess: Happy Go Lucky (free kit!); and I nicked the nice pic of Sue in her LBD from her blog – Probably Sue’s DH took it,so I need to credit him, too!)
What do you think? I hope this isn’t one of those layouts where I look back and cringe – for today, I’m pretty happy with it!
