star light star bright...

Once upon a time I used to wish for prince or a white knight on a beautiful black horse,  for love and happiness,  for the absence of conflict, for money and a beautiful house, or a thin beautiful body. These are the things I would wish on stars, cut birthday cakes and blown candles on stray eyelashes, in wistful moments.
Now I wish for good health and contentment.

Here comes the bride

 
My Mum is getting married. Last week she told me that she and Ron had decided to get married- officially, they had a commitment ceremony a couple of years ago in Bali, they have decided to actually get married. They had decided to elope in a fashion. Just them and their 2 closest friends as witnesses and a marriage celebrant. Then they would go out for dinner, just the 4 of them. Mum and Ron both didn't want a fuss. Fair enough.
Then a couple of days ago mum rang to say that she had changed her mind and that they had decided to have a very low key wedding for immediate family and closest friends about 40 people.
That day she had been to have coffee at a little cafe near her work..New people have recently taken over and renovated a little kiosk that had been on the riverfront.

Mum chatted to the owner  and she found out that they are open during the day until 3pm but they will have functions there in the evenings...funnily enough it's called Lo Quay. Mum took this as a bit of a sign, so now in a matter of days the date and venue is set and the invitations printed for a cocktail party in 4 weeks. I have been put in charge of table settings - low key of course, mostly for the sake of lighting outside, with the river view there is little need of much else.

I'm thinking lanterns or monsoon jars and flowers because when mum and I went there today for morning tea the owner told us it can get pretty windy if the sea breeze comes in in the late afternoon.

They had planned to wait for their house to be built on mum's block on the hill, it was supposed to be ready by now but with the usual building delays it looks looks like this.

It's a shame really because with views like this it would be a perfect venue (Actually it was where I had my wedding reception 24 years ago, when the old house was still there of course. My grandparents owned half the hill in the 1930's. They sold bit and pieces off over the years. Now mum just has a small sliver of land there)

(playing with the panoramic function on my new point and shoot digital camera! I had to buy myself a new one as Chicky Babe pinched my red one- she loves red.)

Environmentally friendly???

To all those people who have argued nuclear energy is a good option...
Have a look at this.
I'm totally not convinced. (Actually I am convinced.  It's not a good option!)

Chicky Babe not my baby any more

While the cat has been sleeping on the couch, bed, chair like this....

I have been very busy with work and then last weekend I was quite sick and had a couple of days off work. I am feeling much better now, but still fed up with summer I've had more than enough of warm balmy nights!

I didn't sell my pears or my crow painting but my small little painting sold in the silent auction. The proceeds of the silent auction went to the children's hospital.

It was my little chicky babe's 18th birthday yesterday. She's all grown up- well mostly. She is having a picnic in the park tomorrow to celebrate and I had to make her a cake in the shape of the Tardis. It reminded us of all the cakes I made for them when they were little. I made so many different cakes including elephants, bananas in pajamas, furbies, dinosaurs, Mario riding on Yoshi, roller skates and even Harry Potter. The lead up to birthdays were an exciting time deciding what shape cake mama would make. Bantam Boy once requested a blue dinosaur picking daisies with a orange gorilla. When I said I wasn't sure if I could manage that he replied "I have faith in you mummy you can do anything you put your mind to." Ahh don't you love the absolute belief your little children have in you!

Because my oven is broken (yep! it no longer bakes things, the stovetop works but the oven is cactus! A very sad state of affairs, ) I had to buy a plain sponge cake in a packet to make her cake.

 1:Trim the bits off the side, use these to create the roof of the tardis and the light on the top.

 2:Put a thin layer of icing on the cut sides first to stop the cake crumbs from making the final layer of icing all crumbly. Using an old bone handled butter knife dipped into hot water makes the job much easier and gives you more control of the icing ( I use a packet of pure icing sugar with a couple of tablespoons of butter whipped up with just enough milk or water to make a fluffy icing that will get a slight crispish layer on the outside as it sets making further decoration easier.)

 3: smooth over the icing layer with a butter knife dipped in hot water, mark out drawing lines with a wire cake skewer or a bamboo one these lines can be swept clean with the knife if needed.

  4: Add final details. I used to use a piping bag with a fine nozzle but now days they have outlining 'fudge' in little squeezy tubes you can find them with the cake decorating things in the supermarket. Very easy to use!

Chicky Babe was very happy with the result and was inspired made a dalek cake with the left over cake and icing, she did quite a good job.

I can't believe  that I now have two adult children. One of the women I work with said well that makes you old then.Thanks a lot! I don't think old even though my eyes are beginning to refuse to focus in poor light when trying to thread needles and I am starting to get grumpy with stupid people and wonder where manners got to. 

I have to confess that as I stood choosing a card for my darling daughter I started reminiscing as I read all the mushy cards and I began to cry at the card stand! How embarrassing! 

PS:

Chicky Babe says I can still call her my baby girl. :)