a blurry month

Hard to believe January is almost over. It's been a bit of a blur all told.

We've been house hunting for a new place to rent these past few weeks and, much as I love a sticky beak into different, interesting places, I'll be glad when we are settled in our new digs. I'm excited for a change, to try out a new suburb, a new space and especially to cook in a new kitchen!

In amongst all the property inspections and general business we have managed to grab some down time to:
catch up with our friend Sophie for afternoon tea
dance up a storm at The Whitest Boy Alive,
scoff down lamingtons on our national day off and
eat red grapes like they're going out of style.

The seedless red grapes have been a saviour this month and I can highly recommend them, whether mixed through plain yogurt, chopped up in a salad with nuts or just a handful grabbed and eaten in between paint coats on the way passed the fridge.

...

the island pt 3: food memories and the beauty of less

It's beginning to feel like a while ago now but whenever I look through the photos from our trip I feel myself momentarily transported back to the island.

One of the things I love most about going on holiday is that, whilst broadening your horizons, it also temporarily shrinks down your world, making you simplify and enjoy making do with less.  This is something I'm thinking a lot about at the moment as we are planning to move house in the next few months.

Some of my favourite memories from Lord Howe Island have to do with simple food, especially the meals we cobbled together from what we had bought that day from the local shop, or picked from the vegetable garden - the salads, barbeques and cheese plates we prepared for ourselves, enjoyed with many a glass of red or sparkling wine.

A salad we prepared most days, with rocket and everlasting lettuce from the veggie patch, tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and parmesan.

Cheeseplates to snack on whilst we played cards at night.

An impromptu pizza picnic with my family, overlooking the water.

Amusingly named and gut-bustingly good burgers from the local store.  Ned's was the fish burger, Future was Kristian's favourite - a burger featuring pretty much everything.

And then in a moment of unforgettable joy and simplicity we enjoyed the best meal of the trip - a spontaneous breakfast picnic at Lover's Bay overlooking the ocean, with vegemite toast, Lindt chocolate and grapes, a ring, a question and a resounding yes!

And then coffee and cake to celebrate.

...