Pie

I love going to different cafes and trying their home-made pies! Last week in Auckland, husband and I decided to spend the morning of the end of the conference having breakfast at Verde - a cottage/garden/gift shop/cafe.

So my pie instict kicked in and I decided I was hungry enough to have one for breakfast. Chicken, bacon and leek it was - and boy - Yumbo!

Being inspired by the savoury delight I tried making my own version with short pastry.

Being smaller than the average 'guy pie', one is not enough! Ideally puff pastry would be better, but it has heaps of butter so I opted for the 'lighter' version. Like my crosses?

What pie fillings do you like?

Pasta Night!

So I've been wanting to make home-made pasta for ages, and since my amazing uncle Ray has a pasta making machine, we decided to make a night out of it. And what fun it was! I'm sure I'm half Italian as I could just live on the stuff.

We made two kinds of pasta. Ravioli, filled with basil feta cheese, pastrami and sundried tomato, and smothered in a Alfredo sauce (oh the smothering!), with cracked pepper and a fresh garden salad.

And with the left over pasta dough we made Tagatelli - which had to hang on our clothing rack overnight to dry! I knew that clothing racks had other hidden talents.

And believe me, once you've eaten the fresh home-made stuff, you will never want to eat the packet pasta from the shops ever again! I am now ruined. I was surprised to find that after eating a plate-full of home-made pasta, I didn't feel stuffed or bloated either.....mmmmm interesting thought.

So here are a few pictures of the night. Everyone had a go at rolling the pasta - and of course eating it!

The dough.

Preparing the filling.

The rolling.

Making the Ravioli.

Wa-La! Lets eat!

Thanks clothing rack.

I heart

It must be time to share again - about the things I'm loving at the moment. So here we go!

Nothing beats eggs on toast for brekkie, or lunch, or hey even dins! But if you're in a rush - make them in the microwave! Yes it only takes around 2 minutes to cook the perfect scrambled egg. No frying pan or cleaning up afterwards!

In a large microwave safe mug, beat two eggs and a quarter cup milk. Add grated cheese and salt and pepper if you like. On high microwave the eggs for 2 minutes. Stir and if the consistency is to your liking, then serve. (if they are still a little runny, microwave for another minute). So yum, for sooooo many reasons.

Oh and FYI, if you don't at least break the egg yolk, your eggs WILL explode in your microwave. Been there, done that.

I'm enjoying some delicious South African chocolates and sweets that came back with my uncle on his trip back home.

My utmost favourite are these delightful little treasures called Gum Chums. They are kinda like M n M's here except they are filled with a bright pink, chewy jelly centre, surrounded by a creamy layer of milk chocolate and a crunchy candy coating.

My bag is nearly finished....saddies :(

I'm finally enjoying my fringe. After a shocking experience at the Snip n Style, or the Style n Snip, whatever, I have now come to terms with my new look. Even if I have to straighten the fringe everyday, it is a fun doo to try.

I have of late been told that I need to lose a few kg's, needless to say I have been walking, thanks to an organisation that sent me a goal chart and some information about the simple, yet effective way of exercising. So here we go people, I'm eating Gum Chums and then walking - a losing situation? Maybe, but at least the Gum Chums won't be lasting too much longer....goodbye my sweet little darlings....

A friend gave me the new Katina's cd sometime last year, and while I'm not a huge fan, some of the songs on this album have crept their way into my heart. They have even written a second verse to the very much loved Eagles Wings, originally by Reuben Morgan. Might do it on Sunday morning. But I love listening to older songs that have been refreshed and brought back to life by just adding a new or forgotten verse.

And lastly but not leastly, fundraising has been FUN draising, if you know what I mean. Last week a bunch of us made waffles as RYM's first fundraiser and made $50! It was very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to doing more very soon. Anybody got any good fundraising ideas?

Peace out, munchkins.

Give it up for June!

Since this month is nearly over, I thought I'd share some of God's goodness that has happened to us.

We have been under some financial pressure for the last 6 months, buying a home at the beginning of the year tends to help in that department. But a lesson for us all to remember is that God blesses obedience, especially in the area of tithing and giving.

So things have been a little tight lately, with our car having a service, and some of those unsuspecting bills coming in the mail. But this month we decided to tithe none-the-less (what a funny word), and give in a couple of different ways.

God has blessed us in a few sneaky God-like ways.

I have been out with a couple of girl friends and both times they have shouted me coffee and yummies!

We got given a forgotten reimbursement check for nearly $80 from the school that Tim works at.

I have been summoned for jury service - and they pay you for each day you attend!

He's also blessed us in other personal ways not regarding money because He can.

So yes, give it up for June! And give it up for Jesus, be obedient to what He asks you to give, and watch and see what He does.

Toilet humour...

So we've been living in our new house for just over a week now and I've discovered a few quirks about this old house:

-Our washing line squeaks like a rat coming off caffeine - probably cos it sits on a hill and is on an angle.

-Our front door likes testing our muscle strength - of cos Tim (the Nephilim) loves this cos he doesn't have a problem opening the door!

-We have this creepy downstairs basement, including a small hideaway which has been spray painted with Metallica and ACDC signs (don't worry I have great plans to turn this little room into a prayer room!)

-And this is the cruncher - our toilet has issues!

Yep our toilet has issues and it's turned into a blog!

Now this house is old and I was expecting a few little quirks but I'm sure that this toilet has a mind of its own. You flush, you go, and it decides to keep filling up with water and making that 'after flushing' noise (which in the middle of the night makes you wonder if someone in the house has the runs!)

So we called the plumber - cos plumbers fix toilets of course. He comes round, has a look, pokes a few things and flushes the loo. We both stand there staring into the toilet bowl waiting for it to do its thing.

Nothing...

He then looks at me (with that male "I know things that you don't cos I have a toolbelt" kind of look) and says that there's nothing wrong with our toilet and that the buttons might occassionally stick when we flush.

And of course the toilet was working cos the plumber was there. He walks out of the bathroom laughing and on his way out the front door he says "It's okay, I have to go to a place every Friday, cos their pipes only leak on a Friday."

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH......

So I go to test the loo and no it's not fixed at all! Back to it's naughty self all over again. It was just playing nice when the plumber was there.

I even tried to fix it lastnight after been given a washer from an elderely man who attempted to teach me all about the anatomy of toilets! (I'd rather be shopping honestly). Nope the old washer in the toilet was just fine and dandy and I could hear Mr Toilet (yep the toilet is a guy I've decided) laugh at me again! "You can't fix me, you can't fix me! Ha ha ha ha...."

Little does Mr Toilet know, that I'm going to call my dad in! Yep cos my dad can fix ANYTHING! Oh you wait Mr Toilet - you've got it coming to you!

So my lesson from this exhilerating experience is this my friends:

We have things in our lives that we can't fix. None of us are exempt here. Whether it's a hurt, a physical healing we need, an emotional pain or a relational issue - sometimes we can't fix these on our own. We call in a professional even like this plumber. And maybe it's a pastor, or a friend or even a counsellor or a doctor that comes to our aid - but to no avail.

We're left wondering. Will I always battle with this? Will this always be a part of my life? The enemy comes in with his lies and says "You can't fix this, you can't fix this! Ha ha ha ha...

But our father can fix anything! In fact I wonder why we don't go to Him first? Sometimes He allows us to exhaust every other means before we realise that it is only Him who knows how to fix us.

I love the words of that song we've been singing lately:


And I know that You're alive
You came to fix
My broken life...


Oh there's going to be a showdown in that bathroom - and I'm going to win!

Outta here...

So I was lying in bed a couple of mornings ago when I hear this, "OH MY GOSH!!!!!"

My darling was in the bathroom having a moment. I'm wondering what on earth is going on in there? All he's meant to do is take a shower. Nothing technical, nothing too dramatic, just shower that's all.

So his "Oh my gosh" episode continues and while I'm lying there wondering, his exclamations grow in volume and intensity. (Let me remind you at this stage that I am the calm one in the relationship. It takes a lot to rattle me, so I find amusement at my husbands expense!).

"What did you do?" I say, still wondering how a simple shower can turn into chaos.

"The towel rail has just come off." So I go to have a look, and sure enough Mr has somehow ripped the left side of the towel rail off from the wall. Okay here comes an instant flashback from our Waipu holiday. I thought we were only into breaking other people's things. Apparently not.

"The towel was all bunched up in the one side so I just pulled it, and it came off."

"Of course." I said, examining the damage.

So we can't fix it. We're musicians. (This was a thought I have had many times before we got married by the way. None of us are fix-it type people. At least we know people.)

Okay lets see. Well the broken towel rail can go along with the cupboard handle that has come off which goes along with the front door that doesn't open or close properly which goes with the toilet door that sticks which goes with the two rooms which don't have curtain rails which goes with the tv which doesn't have an aerial which goes with the fire alarm we can't reach which goes with the door which we can't fit most furniture through which goes with our garage which we can't fit our car into.......

Nice....I'm adding it to my collection of why I want OUTTA HERE!

Needless to say, it has been a rather nice area to live in. At least we have a roof over our heads, so thank You God!

Can't wait to watch the guys hoist our furniture off the balcony again. Yep I'm serious! Will have to take pictures of that one.