Morning visitor

This morning we heard a woman's voice say, "Woo-hoo, woo-hoo" and thought it was the neighbor from upstairs. Went into the living room and there was this little guy - a gorgeous little owl at our front door! Ken had never seen one around before, but we went online and it said it was nesting season so they must have some eggs close by. He stayed for quite a while and was just the sweetest thing, didn't have anything else to say unfortunately, but seemed pretty tame.

I know he looks pretty similar to the kookaburras (at least he does to me in these shots) but it is actually an owl. You could tell when he turned his head around and blinked his eyes. Very cool!

Ken and I are getting ready to go to Casino, New South Wales for the weekend. It's Beef Week! His friends, Shep and Sue, have a cattle ranch there and we'll be staying with them. I can't wait to get out into the bush and see the beautiful country. And the cattle dogs! We leave in the morning and stay until Monday evening. It's starting to get cool at night and it's cooler there apparently, so I'm actually taking my Polartec jacket. We'll take the train down and it goes through a range of mountains - should be fantastic! Ken says they're more like big hills, but I'm really looking forward to it.

We've had a pretty quiet week or two. I had a girly shopping day alone while Ken went to the boat yesterday. It was fun to wander around the local shopping center and browse. Even more fun to walk through the park home. There is a rugby field and a bowls club (outdoor bowling) between our apartment and the shopping center. There's a lot of other stuff too, but that's my favorite part of the walk. Yesterday, the older men were playing bowls and the young kids were playing rugby. I wondered how much they could learn from each other if they took the time. Or if the kids ever thought, "That'll be me one day," as the old men said to each other, "Remember when we were that age..."

The birds are going crazy outside right now. Night is falling and the animals are calling to each other. Ken's playing on the Wii waiting for our nightly game. I need to get out there before he gets even more practice and kicks my butt more than the usual! We sound like such a boring, old couple, but it's a beautiful thing - the stability of knowing what you're going to be doing each day and not worrying about the next crises. Because there is none. I am so blessed.

Stradbroke Island Pt. 2

Mom and Dad, it was so good to hear your voices today! So sorry I've slacked off on the posting. The week on Stradbroke Island was just incredible and I'm not going to be able to do it justice. There are just no words that mean enough to describe the beauty and peace I found there.

Every morning we sat down to a beautiful breakfast from Sandra and discussed the plans for the day ahead. We pumped the beach for yabbies (little shrimp-like things) to use as bait for our surf fishing. And yes, I did fish for a little while and actually caught one! It was teeny-tiny, but Ken took a picture for me anyway. We drove on the beach down to the Jumpinpin Bar which is where the ocean cuts across the island and separates North and South Stradbroke. It's about a half hour drive from Flinders Beach where the house was. On the BEACH! How cool is that? We stopped a couple of times to try the fishing here and there and Sandra and I climbed the dunes and looked around. We could see the Gold Coast skyline across the bay and the outline of the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. We had lunch at the Pin with neighbors, Greg and Mary. It was a beautiful day.

At least, until Ken got bitten on the foot by something. We thought it was just a bee sting, but then his foot swelled horribly and he started having chest pains. Mary and Greg were kind enough to take Ken and I back to the house so he could rest. The chest pains went away quickly, so we weren't concerned enough to need a doctor. We're still not sure what got him, but his foot stayed swollen and sore for several days even after we got back home. He's thinking maybe it was a spider. It was a little scary and put a damper on his good time.

Greg and Mary had a barbeque for us with all the neighbors and it was such a great night! Most of the people knew Ken, Ross and Sandra from when they all lived in the area, so they were glad to catch up with them. They all certainly made me feel like a long-lost relative! Tess, Kit, Gwyneth, and Mary especially were just wonderful and I can't wait to see them again. Tess is a New Zealander who lives next door to Mary and Greg with her husband. They both work from home and are just lovely people! She earned my undying devotion when she asked Ken how he had gotten a "goddess" like me! The rest of the time there she and Mary called me "the goddess". "How's the goddess this morning?" etc... Kit and Gwyneth are an older couple and I just want to be her when I grow up. So lively and interesting, she's in her 80's and he's her "boy toy" at 70-something. They have both lived these incredible lives - I'd love to hear the whole story and write it.

They asked Ken and me over for coffee the next day. Unfortunately, we went to the wrong house and couldn't find them! Sandra and I went over later in the day to apologize and then Ken and I went over Monday before we left. I hate that we missed the opportunity to visit with them alone, but look forward to seeing them again and spending time with them.

As with most great vacations, the days ran together, so I'm having a hard time remembering what happened when. I'll just sum up by saying that it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and the vacation was right up there with my all time favorite, Prince Edward Island. Ken and I are already talking about going back in the winter by ourselves for a couple of weeks. I can't wait and only wish you could all see it in person.

Since we've been back, it's been housework, footie, and spending time with Bella, Aaron and Julie. It's a gorgeous Autumn day and we're enjoying every minute together. As much as I love holidays and paradise islands, I wouldn't trade our quiet routine for all the world. Being with Ken, baking bread, hanging laundry on the line, and knitting is the kind of life I've always wanted.

Stradbroke Island Pt. 1

It is really difficult to write about an entire week of fun in the sun, which is why I haven't posted anything about Stradbroke yet. Ken suggested I break it down into "chapters" to get a handle on it. So here goes with the first chapter:

It was a dark and stormy night...My apologies to Snoopy for plagiarism. Anyway, it WAS a dark and dreary morning when we headed off to take a train, bus and water taxi to Stradbroke Island. The wind was ferocious and it was more than a little chilly. I'd woken up with a sinus infection and sore throat. What a beautiful start to the holiday. Straddie is only about 1.5 to 2 hours from home, so it's a nice ride on the train through the suburbs of Brisbane.

When we got to Cleveland (not the one in Ohio), we had a short wait at the bus stop for the bus to the water taxi. There were a couple of American backpackers there (they looked so young!) and two Aboriginal school girls. I can assure you that teenage girls are just as annoying and obnoxious in Australia as they are in Indiana. We were all cringing! Especially when a Muslim family came over and the wife had her face all covered in beautiful fabric. The girls went over with their cigarettes and cokes and demanded, "Why do you have your face covered up?" The husband handled it perfectly by suggesting they sit down quietly and he would explain it to them. The female backpacker and I exchanged looks of absolute horror and embarassment. "Oh my God," she mouthed to me.

Finally our bus came, and the Muslim family, the backpackers and Ken and I all got on. The men started talking about the water taxis and time tables, etc. The water taxi was right on time and we loaded our stuff and got on. Because of the wind, it was a pretty choppy 25 minutes, but even in the gloom you could tell it's a beautiful place. Ross met us at the other side and off we went to the house. It was a cute little place on Flinders Beach called Lee's Cottage.

As soon as we unloaded the Ute and dumped everything in the bedroom, we were off to the beach. Wow! The dramatic clouds and dark ocean water were just fabulous. We worried about the fishing, but it truly would have been okay with me if it stayed stormy the entire time. It was that beautiful.

Sandra was so wonderful, she cooked the entire time we were there! I think the only thing I cooked was toast for breakfast. Yes, Mom and Dad, I did do the dishes. We had a lovely night catching up with Ross and Sandra and woke the next morning to sunshine! The kookaburras joined us on the veranda for breakfast and then we were off for a day of yabbie pumping and fishing.

To be continued tomorrow...

Stradbroke Island

There hasn't been much going on except getting ready for our holiday at Stradbroke Island. We're leaving in the morning and will be gone until Monday, so there will be no updates or posts until we get back. Things are wonderful here and I just can't wait to see the island! It's definitely one of Ken's favorite places, so I know it will be a special time for us. I promise to take lots of pictures and get them posted as soon as we get back. Everyone have a great week and weekend. Love to you all!!

Food!

Ken's Green Chicken Curry (we ate enough for a small village)
Lasagne!
Dessert - watermelon!!

Recipes and Updates

It has been such a weird week - a nice combination of busy and quiet. We've had a lot going on and the time has flown by. On Monday we did get back to Coochie and the boat. It was a fantastic time! The bad news is that we didn't get off the mooring...again. But we did spend the night on the boat and it was the most incredible night! The day was just so beautiful, we couldn't have asked for better weather. Ken and his friend Ivan had the idea that maybe the propeller was the problem, just too gunked up from sitting in the bay so long. So I got to go diving! We put the goggles on me and down I went. It was so fun! The propeller was full of barnacles and plants, so I took the wire brush down and spent the afternoon cleaning. Did I mention how much fun it was? The cuts on my hands and arms weren't really fun, but it was nice to be able to finally do something to help! And I love being in the amazing clear green water. I made Ken start calling me Esther (Williams). Of course, everyone who has seen me in the water knows I'm not nearly that graceful!

Sadly, the boat still isn't right. But that's one job down. We gave up for the day and opened up a beer. Sitting on the boat just watching the sun go down was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. I told Ken that it was my favorite moment so far. Then the stars came out. We ate some irish stew that Ken had made and drank a bottle of cabernet under the most amazing starry night. Van Gogh would have been in heaven! I'm actually able to find the Southern Cross on my own now. As the night went on, they just got brighter and more crowded. I had an old sweatshirt of Ken's on and we just sat watching the sky. We went to bed early, but I woke up in the middle of the night just in time to see a falling star. Was this the Universe telling me I'm in the right place, that I've made the right decision? Maybe, but I'm really having no doubts now. They've been wiped away with the dawn. Yes, I woke up early enough to watch the sun rise! It's weird that we don't have the dramatic sunsets and sunrises that Indiana does. They are very quiet and peaceful. Just a little yellow, then silvery purple and finally blue. I do miss the dramatic sunsets over the hills in Indiana. I bet it's beautiful now with the leaves out.

We came back home Tuesday afternoon and were just exhausted! Wednesday we ran errands. Yesterday was my favorite kind of day. I got a lot of housework done, but still took time to read and enjoy myself. Ken had to go to the doctor, so I cleaned the bathroom and did laundry. Made a spinach pie for lunch and waited for him to get home. The pie recipe came from Rhonda at Down to Earth and is so good! I've made it twice now and we just love it.

Spinach Pie
2 boxes frozen spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped (or more)
olive oil
5 eggs
250 g. ricotta
1 c. cheddar and parmesan grated
4 sheets filo pastry

180C Oven
Chop spinach w/onion and garlic and fry in pan until soft. Mix eggs and ricotta together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add other cheeses. Add spinach mix and combine well. Brush oil over each pastry sheet. Double it up and place in dish. Cover the base of the dish with all the sheets. Pour egg/spinach mix into dish and bake until golden. I use an 8x10 pan.

With a nice salad, it's a complete meal! And I use whatever cheeses I happen to have. Yesterday, it was gouda and mozzarrella. YUMMY! And this is really good cold too. It's great for a light brunch or lunch. Because Ken hadn't been able to eat much for a couple of days, I made a big supper too. My lasagne recipe was much improved this time. I loaded it up! And made some baguettes and a nice salad to round out the meal. Of course, we'll be eating both of these meals for the next couple of days. So it's a lazy day for me!

Lasagne
2 T finely grated parmesan
250 g packet lasagne sheets
Meat Sauce:
1 T olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
garlic (I use a TON)
dried oregano/Italian herbs
500 g hamburger
large can diced tomato
carrots, bell pepper, mushroom, chili pepper, etc
1 cup beef stock
3 T tomato paste
White Sauce:
30 g. butter
1 T flour
1/2 c or MORE grated cheddar (I added a bit of Mozz.)
1 c milk (or so)
salt, pepper, nutmeg

180C Oven
Heat olive oil in saucepan add onion, garlic, herbs and meat. Stir over medium heat until meat colors. Stir in remaing meat sauce ingredients, lower heat and simmer slowly for 25 minutes.
Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk and seasonings. Stir constantly until sauce thickens and comes to slow boil. Add cheese until melted. Take off heat.
Spoon thin layer meat sauce into dish. (9x13 works well) Cover with layer of lasagne sheets and repeat layers finishing with meat sauce. Top with the white sauce and the parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or sheets are soft when tested with a knife. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.