What have you been doing today?

[BeezeeBee]

Good stuff, CP.  We need more of such kindness in our world

[jeninwa]

Some people have no morals, good on you CP.

[Yvette]

Well done CP 

[Cuilidh]

This is more like “What have I been doing this week” as I have had such a busy time so you'd best sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and relax - or ignore this one altogether!

It all started last Wednesday when Chookie and Ral dropped in for a quick visit.  It was soooo good to see them both looking well, relaxed, happy and smiling.  It will obviously take Ral some time to fully recover from his illness, but he certainly looked to be well on the way.  Chookie also presented me with the nicest loaf of bread EVER!  I can see I have got some experimentation in front of me if I ever hope to come even close to her level of excellence.

Then on Friday morning Judy called in.  Sadly, there was little time for more than a cuppa and a natter, but it was so nice to meet her again and catch up on everything.  She kindly gave me a tin of Haighs chocolate hazlenuts – talk about addictive!  I haven’t been able to stop eating them and they never seem to get to the end of the tin – as the saying goes “magic happens” and it looks like I’ve got the magic chocolate tin.

In the middle of all that my SS present arrived – I am still hoping to successfully take a photo of it and post it on the thread, but I have no confidence in my ability to do that; I think I will have to wait for one of my younger colleagues at work to do it for me!  As it happens, I have figured out who my SS is – and she knows I know who she is – so thank you so much, I am very much looking forward to Xmas opening day and will enjoy the suspense in the interim, after all, the suspense is half the fun.

On Friday night DH and I set off on our first holiday in six years – we caught the ferry to Tasmania and had four wonderful days wandering around Hobart (Gert has posted some of what we got up to and saw on the Tassie Fest thread).  We did an adventure tour down the coast of Bruny Island and my stomach didn’t enjoy that at all.  The scenery was spectacular ... when you could see it beyond the waves ... perhaps I should have been concerned when the crew of the boat handed out sea sick pills BEFORE we left the harbour!  However, I survived – just!  Bruny Island itself (once you are safely back on dry land again, that is) has quite a lot of things to offer – great chocolate / fudge, oysters, etc. 

Hobart is a lovely city, in fact it reminded me strongly of Wellington, NZ, where I grew up.  It was very nostalgic.  I can imagine it really buzzes when the Sydney to Hobart racing yachts come in at Xmas / New Year’s time.

Got back home on Tuesday night and have now warmed up again ... did I mention how cold Tassie was?  All back to normal again now for an uneventful run up to Christmas time.

[Wonder]

Marina it sounds like you have had a lovely week, how great that three wonderful forum friends were able to drop by. I don't envy you on the Burny Island adventure but am jealous of the rest of the trip.

CP well done for approaching the driver, you really have to wonder about some people. I'm sure the car owner was very appreciative.

I'm working from home today hoping my David Lebovitz ice cream book and my two addiitional Tovolo containers are delivered.

[judydawn]

It was a different week for you Marina and I was so glad to hear you were finally having a holiday together.  It was quite scary catching a tram to somewhere I'd never been but the information you gave me was easy to follow.  It was lovely to see your shop and meet your DH as well, it's always a bonus meeting the man of the house. With you going to Tassie amd me heading to Ballarat with the kids we were lucky to have been able to catch up for a quick visit at all. Glad you enjoyed the chocolates, I have to thank Katie for picking them up for me and leaving the choice up to her, it looks as if she once again excelled in this matter.  I've been enjoying the lovely chocolates you gave me too but I'm taking it a little slower than you are by the sounds of it and just savouring each piece.

I also caught up with Chookie & Ral for a few hours. They collected me on the Thursday, we shopped at the Prahran market but spend more time in The Essential Ingredient store than anywhere, that was great fun.  The funniest thing that happened in that shop was when a young lady walked past us with her partner and we heard her say 'I don't want a Thermomix'.  I couldn't help myself - 'yes you do' I said.  I was surprised to see both Chookie & Ral looking so good after the ordeal they'd been through, obviously their energy levels are down a bit but they will be themselves again before too much longer.

It looks as if we will all have to pack warm clothes for our trip to Tassie next year, thanks for reporting back to Gert so that she could share how you found Hobart. Every positive report helps in deciding what we want/need to see.

[Wonder]

Well my book hasn't arrived, but imagine my surprise when the delivery man had two large boxes one of which was from my SS - so excited. I love surprises and love the wait until Christmas so really happy that my SS was so organised and got in well ahead of time.

[obbie]

busy printing recipes, for the weekend..
2 days home to cook, 4-6 kids to feed. so happy

[astarra]

The funniest thing that happened in that shop was when a young lady walked past us with her partner and we heard her say 'I don't want a Thermomix'.  I couldn't help myself - 'yes you do' I said. 

That is hilarious Judy - what reaction did you get? 

[Mama Fergie]

I amat DD's house and using her wifi so now I hope to be able to catch up on some of the threads that I have missed. No idea why our Internet has not been working since our return from Europe early October. Hopefully someone  will get to the bottom of it soon. We are having another technician here early next week. I still think its a Telstra problem.

Wow Cuilidh and Judy you have both been very busy and great that you managed to catch up with lovely forum friends.
Tassie sounds lovely and I can't wait to go there next year. So glad to hear that you both had a good time.

I meant to say so pleased to hear that Ral is finally on the mend Chookie 

[judydawn]

She said she wouldn't pay $2000 for one but I told her it was worth it.  They didn't stop walking, this was just a passing conversation I hijacked and said my 2 bobs worth - Chookie was having a good laugh 

[mab19]

Good on you CP.  I had that happen to me once and the other guy was more concerned about the fact that he had just had his car fixed the previous week.  Makes one wonder about his driving.

Sounds like you had a nice time in Tassie Cuildh.

Nice to hear that some members are meeting up for achat & cuppa.

I burst a blood vessel in my eye earlier in the week, so I have a very red eye and it is still bleeding a little so it was off to the optician this morning.  Fortunately everything looks fine and I just need to keep putting ice packs on it several times a day.  DH is full of pirate jokes and says he will buy me an eye patch and a parrot.

[Mama Fergie]

LoL mab I hope your eye heals  very quickly 

[judydawn]

I hope it heals quickly too Margaret, typical husband - bless him but I wonder if he would be so jovial if the boot was on the other foot 

[Cuilidh]

Take care of your eye, Mab, you only have two and if means a patch, well it's well worth it just to keep DH amused!