Blast from the past times two

Today I had two blasts from the past, so completely unexpected but so interesting. The first was a gal I worked with in Melbourne and I saw her on facebook and befriended her and lo and behold I find out she has twins girls and not with the guy I expected. I still can't get over seeing her with her new guy. It's just so weird. Don't you find that sometimes you just can't reconcile thoughts in your head. I often find that when

I'm thinking about unlikely couples. I just can't understand it.
The second blast from the past just hit me. I was watching The Block and bang there's a girl I recognise from high school. Then I'm on facebook and another eagle-eyed friend has spotted her and soon someone provides her name. A small problem of going to a large all-girls school. Way too many names to even try to remember!

So, on the same theme I had a beautiful lunch on Sunday at a restaurant that I last ate at when I was 13. We were there for my Dad's 60th birthday and it was seven courses of divine food. It also meant that we had about 6 hours away from the bub who was under the watchful eye of Auntie Twin and her partner. Dad had wanted to bring her but was swiftly vetoed - this was definitely adult time. Not much cooking from me yesterday but definitely a lot of eating!

Overwhelmed and then sane again

You know those weeks when everything just builds, and builds and finally pop you're ready to explode and some lucky SOB is in your way and they cop it. This week I feel like I've been building but no pop! I'm hoping that my inner tension has been relieved by a merry night of eating and drinking with the Mums at the newish Boulvevard Hotel. Much champagne was drunk and I devoured a tasty Pork Cotoletta with coleslaw and rosemary potatoes, mmm yummy.

I've actually been inspired to cook recently and I attempted to take photos but my skills are definitely lacking in that department. I think the desire to cook again comes out of a need to reclaim some of my pre-bambino life.

So out of my very, very small kitchen (less than one metre of benchspace) has come: homemade digestives (no chocolate, not quite McVities), bacon, spinach & tomato quiche inspired by Jude Blereau who has the best recipe for savoury custard, roast pork and trimmings, Donna Hay's chocolate and caramel puddings, mini pear and raspberry muffins, Italian beef casserole, roasted pumpkin and garlic soup, carmelised pears with butterscotch sauce and these divine cookies from Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks, http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/toasted-almond-sables-recipe.html, mine are always stars but I'm now on the hunt for gorgeous mini cookie cutters.

Image from Heidi Swanson 101 Cookbooks

Whilst I'm on the subject of Heidi Swanson I am anxiously awaiting delivery of her new book. She has combined her two profound talents - cooking and photography - into a fabulous book. Well, I'm sure it is fabulous, come on Amazon!

So hopefully my inner tension has eased, and sanity has been restored. I think I still have a long way to go in creating balance in my life. I know it's an ideal that we all strive for but one day I'll get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!