Aug 22nd 09
Posted by Leigh in General, Kids
(you can clicky through all the pics and links for bigger ones)
This week, as part of the Renault Koleos campaign I have running at All for Women (have you entered the competition to win a new laptop?) we set off on a trip to Dubbo Zoo.
Will split this in to 2 posts, too many lame tourist family holiday snaps that no one is really interested for one post 
We took the long way there through Bathurst, had to do the full bogan thing and visit Mount Panorama. Course we both had to do a lap around each, the kids were most disappointed in the 60km/hr speed limit, but honestly, in places even that is way to fast. Looks nothing like it does on TV, how they do it without crapping their pants every lap I do not know!
Arrived in Dubbo with just enough time to wash the ginormous bugs from the Koleos before check in time for our Zoofari adventure.
The Zoofari lodge is tucked away right at the back of the park, by the time we drove round there we had just enough time to put our stuff in our “tent”, order our dinner and meet the bus for our first tour. You can check out the post on That’s Noice for more details on Zoofari.
First stop our behind the scenes tour was the Sumatran Tigers (I am so bad with remembering names) just as they were being let into their night dens. Wednesday was fasting day (maybe I need to give that a go?) but the keepers had left a new enrichment activity for them, so we got to watch them, from about 3m away attacking large plastic drums hanging form the roof to find the noms. Tigers are a big fav in our family, it was amazing to see them so close up.
Next stop was the Wild Dogs. Must admit, I had never seen or heard of these guys before. But there were really interesting, and such beautiful markings. Keepers waited for us to arrive for feeding time, so we could see the pack and their “peep rally” in full swing. WOW..noisy! Check out a short video clip.
Then we stopped by the Meerkats, damn those little buggers are so cute..love them! Our guide had some tasty treats for them to entice them over to say hello to us.
She saved the best for last for the afternoon tour, we stopped by the large savannah exhibit, with a toot toot of the mini bus horn and one of the 4 boys started to mosey on over to us. Isn’t he gorgeous?! I think his name was Jerry.
We all had a go at feeding him some carrots, and having our hand covered in Giraffe slobber. The kids couldn’t wipe the grin of their face for the rest of the evening.
Next was dinner, OMG the food was beautiful! Lovely 3 course meal. I even did the whole food blogger thing…I generally don’t have the guts to whip the camera out for food pics in a restaurant.
After dinner we went out on the night tour, stay tuned for part 2…..
Aug 15th 09
Posted by Leigh in Home Sweet Home
When we moved in, the front gardens were full of a bit of weed and that was about. So many things on the to do list, it’s hard to know where to start.
We finally got around to doing the front garden 2 weeks ago..and woo! nothing has died…….yet!
It was a nightmare just trying to decide what plants to plant. I couldn’t do a garden of a mix of different things, I have a thing about stuff matching.
Didn’t want to spend a fortune either, which after some shopping around seemed near impossible…damn plants are expensive!
I found myself taking a look on eBay…OMG you should see the plants there! 1000’s of them, who’d a thought. We ended up choosing some Purple Dazzler Cordylines, I got 20 of them for $115 all up including postage. That works out around $8 a plant, we had seem them as much as $19 in the nurseries! I also picked up some nandina..only for the manpet, cause I hate them. They were 20 for $30, another bargain compared to the nurseries. The plants faired really well with the postage, as long as you get a good seller who packages them properly.
Add with our soil, and the most expensive rocks there were. I tried to talk myself into the cheap ones, but there were just too ugly and brown, added with the brown house and roof, house would have looked a bit “emo” *hehe*
It looks a little bare at the moment, but once the $140 stick in a pot (weeping maple) grows some leaves, and we plant something in the bottom of it’s pot I think it will look really good.
All up, it came to just under $500. I think that was pretty darn cheap.
I am still of the look out for the perfect weeping Cherry Blossom, just love them, have always wanted one but the right colour and size is hard to come by and the price is heart attack inducing.
Aug 14th 09
Posted by Leigh in Kids
Last weekend we took the Koleos for a trip up the Central Cost to visit Jake’s sister.
While we were there, we took the kids for a bit of sand boarding, they had a ball. Tho I am not sure who had more fun, Daddy..or the kids. Of course I had a go…HA like I am going to show you those pics!
Jul 13th 09
Posted by Leigh in Alex, Caesar, Calais, kitteh
I have a thing for nose and toes close ups 
Jul 8th 09
Posted by Leigh in Alex, Calais, Gemini, Wordless, kitteh
Jul 6th 09
Posted by Leigh in Cooking
Have had this on the to bake list for quite awhile. Finally got around to it last week, when I was trying to coming up with goodies to give the new mixer a good work out.
I am the packet mix queen…yes, I can hear you gasping and fanning yourself. Packet mixes..the outrage! Was once even told (by a loon on AFW who has since been deleted) that you aren’t a real parent if you use packet mixes..pfft what a load of shit!
Up until about 2 weeks ago, I have never made anything from scratch before! And while yes, some packet mixes are utter crap. There are some good ones, if you use good ingredients and the proper steps they are just as good! Don’t go buying a cake mix that you just add water to..eeew, you’re asking for trouble! Mixes where you add some butter, eggs and milk are the ones I try to pick.
First we make the cupcakes. So for this, I used a Greens Vanilla cake mix. Mix the room temp egg and butter together, then milk..now you add the packet in. It does make a difference, so don’t be lazy and bung it all in at once! Then baked till..well, they are cooked..duh!
Once they’re cool, cut little holes in the top for the Lemon curd. I just used some stuff from a jar (not the cheap stuff eww) but you could make your own I guess..if you were so inclined.
Then comes the fun! I wanted some of that spiffy soft and fluffy meringue, not that boring regular stuff. So I found myself a recipe for Italian Meringue at Gourtment Traveller. Took awhile to track down a candy thermometer.
So you will need..
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 200ml water
- 5 egg whites
- Pinch of cream of tartar (which I didn’t have, asked google and it said i’d be still right without it. But I probably wouldn’t be taking my advice )
First, combine the sugar and 200ml water in a small pan and bring to the boil while continuously stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Then, Reduce heat to medium and brush down sides of pan with a clean, wet pastry brush to remove sugar crystals. And you’ve got your candy thermometer in there..right?
So you now cook until the syrup reaches 115c on your trusty thermometer, which takes about 15mins. Once you get there start whisking your egg whites with cream of tartar in a clean, grease-free bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Still cooking your sugar while your whisking away ( so you will need a stand mixer or a helper monkey) till your sugar reaches 121c.
Increase the speed to high and while it’s running, gradually pour syrup into meringue. Beat at medium speed until cooled to room temperature and meringue is thick and glossy (15-20 minutes).
You can pipe it or just spoon it on, which I preferred the rough look and you could fit more on.
The meringue is already cooked, but a little browning is nice. I stuck them under the grill for a bit. A blow torch would be ideal for a nice even brown.
Super nom-a-licious they were much better than those I have had else where!
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