notsmokinjo

NOPE...smoking is nothing but a drag.

I'm a Halloween Grinch....it's not an Aussie tradition .....at all.... Aussie kids and supermarkets are trying to make it a thing but I'm resisting....it's really only become a thing the last couple of years but because of daylight saving it starts getting dark around 8.30pm....its just wierd and I don't like it.

and a big stinky Barker egg comes out. I put in some air freshener and a peg

Move to Melbourne and get four seasons in one day.

Sauce Recipe (sorta...I just chuck everything together so measurements are not accurate): Skinless chicken thighs (or breasts...i just think the thighs have more flavour) cut into chunks (about 1kg makes enough 3 large serves and 2 left over meals to freeze for Ron) 500g sliced mushrooms 1 onion, chopped (or 2 tablespoons onion powder cos forgot to buy onions) 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic (or 3 teaspoons from the jar). 2 teaspoons chicken stock powder 1-2 tablespoons Italian mixed herbs (oregano, basil, marjoram ..not sure what else is in there) 6 short cut bacon rashers cut into pieces (Aussie bacon is like Canadian bacon..sorta...defo not like American bacon....I only added bacon because the kid thinks if there is no bacon she can't eat it) 2 tablespoons plain flour (all purpose flour) 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Water So in a deep frypan or wok... Clarify onion Cook off garlic Render bacon Add herbs and chicken Once outside of chicken is cooked, add mushies and stock powder then cover with water (about 3 cups) Simmer until chicken cooked through and liquid reduced about 1/2. Strain off AND KEEP liquid and put solids aside. Put liquid back in pan, add flour and whisk to thicken sauce. If too thick, you can add milk or water or white wine whisking to the viscosity you want. If ya using spinach add it hear...I add a box of the frozen stuff. Cook ya pasta or gnocchi (yes I make my own..have a few recipies I use , but sometimes I buy it too but only the one from the fridge section not the long life one off the shelf, cos it's yuck). Mix pasta with chicken an mushy mix...stir through liquid sauce...serve with fresh parmesan, cracked black pepper. I like to sprinkle on some fresh basil and nutmeg and my housemate adds chili flakes. It's pretty basic so good for a work night. Freezes well.

Oh I defo did the Doreen method.

Chicken an mushroom gnocchi....just made my gnocchi...have the sauce cooking then boil up the gnocchi and bobs ya uncle... Sprinkled with Parmesan, fresh basil & cracked black pepper.

2/3rd of the way up I didn't think I'd make it..looked at the incline and went yeah-NAH...then the kid says..."the goat man you know in America will think you're slackk if you don't do this so move ya fat arse"...had a ball..not in a hurry to do it again but wouldn't rule it out.

Just remember everyone...you can get new shit but there is only ever 1 you...leave early, stay safe.

Oh @G67 keep safe. Nothing worse than the smell of burning pine and egucalypt.

Hope your air quality holds...and your asthma doesn't flair. I think most of our Cali mob are south.

Spiders spotted...1, teeny tiny thing on the pin lid. Snakes....2 but both were dead and in the mouths of kookaburras. Rosellas that stole food from out table...2 (rosellas are pretty blue and red birds) Eastern Grey Kangaroos...a mob of about 30...with cute little babies. Koalas...stoned and sleeping in trees...3 Echidna...1 walking around on the summit freaking out the tourists who thought it was a giant hedgehog.

Well it wasn't really climbing...it was more walking up a track/hike....there were stairs carved into the rocks in some parts but the over hanging rocks meant you had to climb the stairs bent over so ya didn't knock yaself out. The summit had to be reached by scrambling over boulders...there were a few sections like that where there was no path, you just had to scramble over the rocks following the blue arrows and hope you didn't tumble over the side. It's classed as a level 3 hike..whatever that is...but let's just say there are no safety rails or ropes or fenced off sections so it's a bit daunting at the top just standing on rocks...it wasn't even that far...but some of the climb sections were steep... Was still more exercise than I am used too these days...spent a while at the top cos one of the girls had a panic attack over the crazy tourists standing in really dangerous spots with not safety precautions ....then an echidna came out and walked around...so cute.

Climb the remnants of a volcano and miss the alien sighting ...but glad all is good and ta back.

Congrats Archie Roach....Victorian Australian of the Year.....

NOPE!!!!!!! @Doreensfree is NOT an ashtray...

@G67....miss you mate, even if you count in the wrong direction....your boys are missing you too and are all very sore arsed seeing as they keep getting spanked. Where ever you are hope you and yours are safe and happy.

@Martian5.....you good?

Confession: I committed to climbing this with the kid and her friends and am stressing I bit off more than I can chew.

My lot have it as CREST syndrome but only my Aunty and one of my sisters have all the crest conditions. My other sister, mum and cousin both have Reynaud's and Scerladerma. I did luck out big time by missing that little genetic gift. I keep my eyes on my daughter but considering she 'runs hot' hopefully she has missed out on this too. Its awful and I know they all suffer. We joke they have shares in ugg boots. Do you get the chilblains too? My pore aunty got one on her nose this winter.

Well I'm coming up on 2 years and I still find random lighters and even the odd stashed smoke/s....mental.

@abbynormal my mum, her sister, my 2 sisters and my cousin all have Raynaud's.... I am the only one who doesn't have it. Can I just say when its 42C and they are walking around with hands like ice I don't mind if they touch me.

I eventually did

So you have Sugar Britches and our lovely Lady Toad and that's not enough to prevent a wrist injury!???

Confession: I always say "Thank you driver, have a nice day/good night" when I get off a bus but I never say it on a tram.