fuchsia fragments

"I have never touched a bird this way before"

"Massaging a chook is totally the way I imaged my Saturday..."

We managed to fit 14 people, 2 dogs and a baby into the terrace... huge effort and watch 3 movies!!! Although we did skip through Into the Woods. Funniest thing ever though cause we skipped 5 minutes and NO IDEA what was happening. Weirdest movie ever... so not a Disney movie for kids. Mad Max: Fury Road was another weird one... it was literally a road fighting movie... with a guy playing the guitar the whole time??? And we also watched Pitch Perfect.

Catching up with friends and family is always fun, lighthearted and is likely to involve good food.

I felt quite special this week turning another year older - I'd still like to argue that I'm in my mid-20s. Thank you to every single one of the lovely souls who made it happen.

From the coffee guy shouting me a free coffee to the colleagues who offered to buy me one, my boss telling me to leave as early as I can, to those who came to the short lunch despite the rain and cold and my favourite lawyer baking me an incredible Guinness Dark Chocolate cake at 4 AM... thank you so much. It really made my busy day less stressful and more enjoyable. Thank you for the messages an the smiles.

I've been lucky enough this year to catch up with so many people in July.

From PR who I had sushi with on Thursday evening (and we exchanged birthday gifts), to my two favourite blondes and party ladies and an amazing night at The Butler to my nearest and dearest cousin, sister and Albert at Apollo tonight, thank you for the laughs. And the epic Catan game (my sister cheated to win...). And the 3/3 star spotting in Potts Points. Yes... 3 celebrities! Matt Moran was at our restaurant with an actor (but did not know name... so it's really a half point there) and SBS veteran Lee Lin Chin. *starstruck... not!

Walked by a block of toilets with thick black smoke coming out of it and the brigade there and as we drove into the Cross, there was a truck decorated as a fire truck with teenage girls bopping up and down. It was hilarious... definitely a lot of funnies tonight!

Got a week of cakes, bakes, work and events coming up... super excited and what a way to start another year!

End of quarter lunch on Friday. Another lovely location but we really had to work for this one this time. Literally and figuratively - our new CEO wanted the know how we all could help improve the sales team and so we went round the table a few times. Lots to do before the DNA improves.

I am not trying to be snobbish but I'm a bit over (don't get me wrong) really good quality food on spotless plate is a bit boring. Wish we could do other things or make it more exciting somehow.

And oh dear... when too much red wine gets involved (at over $350 a pop...). It's a brand new ball game and we are so much closer when you get drunk with your boss. And you have to pretty much carry her back to your colleagues apartment and make sure she stays out of trouble. Not just my boss, but also one of the commercial directors. What a team we make...!!! It was hilarious yet so troubling at the same time. Way too many "I love you's" in the space of a couple of hours. I'd hate to think of the bill. And we left - on our own accord - but I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for the huge amount of money we spent, we would have been kicked out or banned for life...

Went to see Les Miserables last night with mummy and sissy. Ahh... what a good show it was even with all the unfortunate interruptions. A lot of people came in late and even though they were only permitted to enter after each Act, it was still quite disruptive. A poor guy fainted about 3 minutes from the end of the show... it even threw the actors off! There was a moment of pause. Simon Gleeson - theatrical genius. Just.. wow.

And today, back in the old denim with the apron tied on for a day of baking. It's hard to bake when its cold. Temperature affects everything. Made a huge batch of anzacs and danish butter cookies and a Black Sesame and Green Tea layered cake for my grandma's 97th birthday. 97!!!

I must be out of shape though, was so tired by the end of it. I just want to crawl up in my bed and snuggle and re-watch White Collar. I am also disgusted that I have spent so much money in the first week on the month already. And I want to buy all these books but now debating if I should wait a month. Cause I also just randomly spent a couple of grand on a weekend away in October - soooo needed. Ms S and I (and maybe Ms G!) are going to do the 12 Apostles walk with luxury spa retreat at the end of it. We can't wait.

First weekend of the second half of the year and it is a gooooood one! As much White Collar that I can fit in around my days and nights (yes, I am in love with Matt Bomer). And wine, giggles, junk food and the annual Rusty Chef Cook off. Amazing day. And thanks to Veeda, we pretty much had a free comic show in the evening.

I want to reiterate that I would never voluntarily move further west because the traffic on the weekend is just horrendous. Given, I was going from South to North but bumper to bumper traffic. So not cool. So not worth it.

Anyways, it was late lunchtime by the time I got there with my cake and bag of ice and we got stuck right into it. 3 teams, 3 colours. A taste test to name the most ingredients let my team take the lead early on and pick the protein: pork cutlets! The second team got a whole chicken and the third team got veal roast. Hahaha.

The rule was we had to use the protein, the limited spices available, a few staple ingredients and the ingredients designated to our Orange box (carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, dried apricots and oranges).

Came up with sweet potato puree with a orange zest and apricot crumbed cutlet and pumpkin and kale ratatouille. It was soooo good!!!!! Although I will admit that we probably needed more texture - like sweet potato crisps (or pork crackling... which didn't work in an hour) to make the dish come together more. And it was the winning dish... beating the next team by an average of 0.3 points. Yay!

I think we all did a variation of very similar dishes to suit the protein - team yellow did shallot fried chicken with tomato relish and green salad and team red did roast veal with mashed potato and strawberry and mint salad. I think we all ran out of salt towards the end so some of the dishes were a bit bland. Tons of fun though, cause we were all drinking and playing boardgames and taking turns to do everything. And then we facetimed Janny for her birthday and ate her cake that I made. Delish.

Tiring day though, to cook and drink and laugh. Tough life. Haha. Veeda is the funniest when she is drunk (and we all knew that years ago). We played her charades game - everyone had to put three names into a hat and then we took turns guessing. We are so original. There were 3 'Terminators/ Arnold S', 2 Chris Pratt and a whole heap of Avengers characters. Too funny.

Christmas in July next... helllllooooo Turducken!!!!!

I actually can't remember the date. All I know it that one day this week, I am 2 years strong - or stupid? I can very confidently say that this week has been the toughest and longest week so far. A minimum of 12 hours each day and being absolutely fried by the end of each day. Only to repeat it again. Not get any fresh air and feel... shattered, mentally drained and unable to sleep. But not defeated, I will never feel as defeated as I was in the last few months of my last job.

I'm so grateful that I have my Kitchenaid & Oven. No matter how tired, it relieves some stress.

But what I was really thinking about today was email. Email etiquette and Email tone. Many years ago, probably in my first full time job, I was taught that there was no tone in email. So untrue. Just like every other communication style, sentences, choice of words, punctuation and structure can be interpreted.

Probably just overtired me speaking and overthinking things. Everything you see is only the tip of the iceberg right?

So so proud today. My little sister has graduated! Yeah! Onwards and upwards and I think I actually enjoyed this ceremony more so than my own. I think it might be the experience I'd gained since graduating - the truly wise words spoken by the Chancellor David Gonski and how I can reflect upon them

"Fight narrowness and be broad in your thinking."

Yes, many graduates specialise in a field and we are absolutely expected to be experts in these areas however I he was referring to the soft skills that are truly developed in the higher education system. We use these in the workforce and to help those around us who have not had the privilege to a University degree. Especially in this day and age where education is paramount. No longer are we in the factory and machinery age but in a century where knowledge and technology run rampant and are viewed as a necessity to succeed. These words really resonated with me today.

It also made me want to go back to a little. Masters? But it would never be the same as my Bachelors. Many times I've wondered what it would be like studying something else or spending more time at Uni or even just learning how to study better in my first two years. Would I have turned out the way I have? Would I be where I am today? Would the same fortunes have come my way?

So I had a lovely day walking around Uni (the drive in was insanely horrendous though) with family, a couple of aunts and uncles and very importantly - Grandma. Yes, she was well enough to go! Many things have changed and some things not so much (like the strange smell when you walk through Mathews and the horrible patterned lecture seats).

And this was followed by an amazing three course lunch at the Devonshire. Pork with crispy pancetta, King Salmon and a Chocolate brownie with milk sorbet. So good. So happy.