i have the best mum in the whole wide world

my gorgeous mum is over for a visit from tassie at the moment.

for me it's the best thing.

health wise i'm not doing so great the last few months and makes for perfect timing that she's here now to give me a bit of tlc.

this is how i left her this morning.

so cute.

supposedly my bed is way too comfortable to get out of.

i have to agree on that one.

she's determined to help me out today by cooking healthy soups and stews and cleaning around the house while i'm at work.

what a legend!

a dinner with the g's

just a relaxed dinner at clancy's the other night for cheri's birthday.

love the photo of me and sj (gorgeous, amazing, supportive friend) apart from my druggy, exhausted eyes look.

just on a LOT of medication for my back 'problems' at the moment.

bron's dinner recipe 'challenge'

"mandy's" chilli con carne

with bullet potatoes and avocado

right up, i'll admit i wasn't going to partake in this challenge seeing that cooking 'isn't my thing', but then i thought i do cook and i do have a fav recipe.

this is it!

i won't lie and said i made it up myself, the chilli con carne recipe is from taste.com.au.

i usually make a big batch and freeze it in zip lock bags for a simple lunch at work.

but the bullet potatoes and avocado bit is what i will call mine.

bullet potatoes: really, really easy. just rub potatoes with olive oil and sea salt and pick all over with a fork. place in a pre heated oven (220 degrees – that's celcius not fahrenheit bron – seeing that you're american now). takes about and hour to 90 minutes. they go crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

avocado topping: score halved avocados into little squares (don't know the correct kitchen terminology for that one) and scoop out flesh with a spoon. squeeze generously with fresh lime and season with a bit of sea salt and pepper.

put it all together.

that's it.

easy, quick and oh so yummy.

(note to bron: i usually put grated cheese on mine too, but without it i think it's pretty 'ellable'. obviously you'd have to omit the cayenne pepper and jalapeno's for kids. i just love hot food so i put in extra.)

Bron's blog party dinner recipe challenge link

inspiring spaces

i have a habit of collecting any kind of images that inspire me.

(this coming from a minimalist, non-hoarding kind of person).

how great are these rooms!

i think i'll be an interior designer in another lifetime.

1. bed nook (image from goodness know's where – I've had it for a while)

it's like a tent for gownups. i adore the concept.

2. stunning bathroom.

silver, white and lots of light – what more could you want?!

3. apartment living at it's best.

very much my taste, i even have a similar red rug.

4. the coolest kids playroom in a cupboard.

(i wish i could sew then i could make cloud pillows)

5. garage to tiny house conversion.

gorgeous muted colours and great use of space.

check this one out!

my thought for the day

via here

forgotten sunset

just a photo i found (forgot about) from a few weeks ago.

taken after a run down city beach post work (before my back/hip problems flared up again).

my super fast photoshop shortcut reflexes accidentally turned it black and white.

it was vividly blue and orange but i prefer this.

i'm a bit of a monochromatic girl though *wink*

oh sweet tooth

great girls night last night.

the highlight being clare's white chocolate mousse in a perfectly decadent chocolate casing with a gorgeous sweet raspberry sauce.

especially as i'd been thinking about sweet treats all day (see previous post)!

emma gets BIG points for cooking an amazing moroccan inspired dinner too.

oh and for assembling dessert.

yes, clare made dessert for us – on her birthday mind you – and she wasn't even there, but at school!

dear people that like to bake

sometimes i wish i was a wonderful kitchen whizz woman like sarah-jane or christine.

but i'm not.

i do cook (reluctantly).

i definitely DO NOT bake.

so sometimes i pretend i'd like to.

especially since i'm such a sweet tooth.

i pretend these are the kind of treats i would make:

double chocolate raspberry pavlova

rhubarb and red berry crumbles

smore brownies

red velvet cupcakes

cherry and pumpkin seed butter financiers

oh, i do love a good food blog, browsing through cook books and could watch jamie or nigella for hours. but i don't think the inspiration and actual action will ever truly align.

so hopefully your inspiration to action impulses are stronger than mine – 'cause how yummy would these be!

bozzie boys

i got to catch up with two of my favourite bozzie boys on the weekend.

it was wonderful to see my 'little' brother again.

and so cute to see him as a daddy now too.

he's the same old ben but so natural and relaxed with eamon.

katie is a gorgeous, perfect little mum too.

thanks for the catch-up guys.

and a special thanks to eamon for the big hugs i got.

love you all.

safe travels home again.

xxx

last days of autumn

...and perth has finally started to act like it just began.

not talking my garden up in any way, but a very lush green bush turned deciduous overnight.

i just love the yellow leaves.

(note: the thriving green you can see in the background of the second photo is the neighbours' doing)