Month: December 2004

New Site “Feature”

I had a deluge of comment spam overnight; so I’ve added a little checkbox to the comments form.

It’s a kind of honesty based spam filtering. I saw it on another site; but I can’t remember where. Thanks for the idea, whoever you are!

So, as long as you click the “I’m not spam” box, your comment won’t be eaten (Oh, the horror!).

Orchids

I set up my darkroom for the first time today. This was one of my experiments beyond the bounds of the usual process of printing pictures.

Sunset

Cherries

Silhouette

Christmas Eve Photos, The Beginning

These are a couple of photos of the grazing course that I prepared for Christmas Eve. I’ll probably post a couple from the main course tomorrow; but I appear to have forgotten to take any pictures of the dessert course (Whoops!)

Oh Good.

I appear to have survived Christmas for another year.

Zzzzzz.

Righty.

I survived Christmas #1 [Barbecue at my house]
I survived Christmas #2 [Christmas with the in-laws]

All I have to do now is survive Christmas #3. Which begins at about 1:30AM on Boxing Day morning, when I will be rudely awakened to get my act together before I get picked up. To go on a boat. Which sails at 3AM.

The start of Christmas #3 is not looking good. The start of Christmas #3 is not far away.

Ergo, the end of this message.

[Oh! And Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it; Happy Presents Day for those a little more cynical; and Happy Gluttony day for those with a soul! (:]

Xmas Eve Dinner

I’m having the family around for a Xmas Eve Barbecue. The menu is looking like this:

Grazing Platter

Boursin style cheese (Made myself!)
Kirima (A camembert style cheese)
Kikorangi (Gorgonzola, by another name)
Muscat raisins
Dried mango
Dried cranberries
Cherries (Gorgeous, gorgeous red cherries. They commanded to be bought)
Macadamias
Cashews
Crackers
Baguettes

Then, for the main event..
Manuka smoked salmon (Cured with citrus)
Grilled mixed vegetables (Red onion, capsicum, broccoli)
Asparagus
Mushrooms with garlic oil
Rocket/Walnuts/Pear salad, with White truffle oil dressing

And for dessert..
Pavolva (It’s an Australasian thing. Like a cake sized meringue, with a marshmallowy center)
Orange blossom cream anglaise
Nectarine jelly
Brandy snap-style biscuits (Maybe.. depends if I run out of time..)

Photos will surely be taken as it all comes together, and will be posted tomorrow some time, most likely!

Head Sprout

I.. uh.. abandoned hair! It turns out that I’ve got a good shaped head; and I’m totally looking forward to some nice, low maintenance, cheap to keep, hair (or lack thereof) for a while.