esmerelda in residence

my oh my - how we've changed

I've been thinking about what I want for christmas (besides the obvious things like having my mother here, or my kids, or my mother AND my kids with my favourite sister in law along just to make things interesting. Oh yea, and my best friend the kitchen pig cause I have a nice roomy kitchen for her to work in now.) 

I digress. 

I would like: 

1. a rolling pin 
2. a couple of good cast iron skillets. 
3. a wok 
4. one of those la creuset fancy schmancy dutch ovens  - you know - the kind that you can use on top of the stove and then stick in the oven.      

Previous requests to former husbands always included the proviso that no kitchen appliances were permitted for presents. In fact, I know of one former husband who would shit himself if he saw this list. However, those are things that I want, that I always mean to buy for myself and never seem to get around to buying. The new(ish) husband (FIVE years now - time flies!) has never had to operate under such restrictions. I could really use a cast iron skillet (mmmmm, corn bread...potato pancakes....fried chicken....mmmmmm) 

oh, and a i-phone

and a new i-pod.

I'm just sayin 

happy thanksgiving

As the pilgrims failed to extend their voyage and visit Botany Bay whilst they were out scouting for a new home, no getting up at sparrowfart for me tomorrow (self adjust for your relevant time zone)  to shove a bird in the oven and cook my arse off all day. I did celebrate with a pre-stuffed turkey roll from the local market.  I sure miss decent turkey though. Mr H did purchase a turkey for Christmas a few years back, it was expensive and drier than sawdust.  Thirteen cent a pound turkeys are few and far between here in Oz.  Anyway, happy thanksgiving to all you lucky folks eating yourselves silly on turkey and dressing. 

I, on the other hand, will be rising at sparrowfart to trudge off to work so I can attempt to get out papers in a timely manner and attend excruciatingly boring meeting. Wonder if I can pass off my attempt at a nap during said meeting by saying I ate too much turkey? 

obsession

One of the more exciting aspects of the past weekend involved moving Reg from his progressively deteriorating quarters to a new bird cage. For those of you who may have forgotten, Reg is the sole survivor of the failed lorikeet experiment (whereby Mr H said "let's buy all 3 of them") which followed closely on the heels of the less than successful love bird experiment (in which osama bin avian killed his cage mate). 

I digress. 

So, Reg is in shiny new quarters and relocated to the patio by the back door. I thought the relocation would induce Reg to become a bit more sociable. However Miss Scarlet, who previously ignored Reg when he was ensconced at the end of the garden, has discovered there is a bird in the cage. 

Indulge me while I translate Scarlet's thoughts on the move. 

"Did you see it? It's a bird!!! Right there!! A bird!!! My favourite thing!!! Did you know birds are my favourite thing? And you GOT ME A BIRD!!!!! WOW!!!

I assume that while Scarlet is keeping her eye on Reg all day, the other (wild and uncaged) birds heve been given free reign to help themselves to the dog food left out for her,  if the amount of bird poo and biscuits which have been flung about on the front porch are any indication. 

Did I mention we have an indoor bird (Basil) who resides in luxury and whom is ignored quite assiduously by Scarlet? 

ps

Does anyone have a method of keeping birds (specifically indian myna birds) out of dog food? 

onya barry

Having been on tenderhooks all day, when I read on the cnn website that Barack Obama had won, I cried for joy. 

Really, cynical old me. Who'd a thunk it?