Author: Lisa

Unemployment feeling: bliss.

/ Lisa / 3 Comments

Well, it is done. My life is once again packed up in boxes. It took an entire van load to pack it all up.

It’s official: I have too much stuff. Once I get to Hawke’s Bay (August 31), I will be going through all those boxes and getting rid of stuff. Somehow I need to get it down to about two suitcases of stuff to take to Melbourne.

Although there will be a few boxes left at my parents because it is stuff that is not going to lose value over time and I will use it once I come back to New Zealand. Which I do plan to do at some point. It will be things like my kitchen bakeware, stuff that I can’t exactly take to Melbourne, but I don’t want to get rid of either. I love my bakeware. If I could take it with me, I would. But it will probably be cheaper just to buy some cheap stuff from Target or wherever it is you go to find these things in Australia.

But this probably is largely caused by another problem – shopping addiction. I have decided that I will not buy anything unless it is an “OMG THAT IS SO COOL I MUST HAVE IT I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT” item. These are few and far between, but hopefully it will stop some of my more extravagant purchasing (like putting $400 down at City Chic in one shop. Yes, it has been done.)

This will be hard, but it is all about minimilist living while I am in Melbourne. If there is a book I want. I can’t buy it in paper back. As much as I would love to. I love the smell and feel of a good book, there is nothing else like it. But I cannot build a collection like I have here, so the first thing that I will probably buy is a kindle or iPad. Just deciding which one to get will be the difficult part. Jebus.

Any ideas on how to cut down on the amount of stuff in my life is appreciated. Especially clothes. I don’t know how I am going to manage getting rid of the clothes. Or possibly the shoes. OH GOD. I will probably start a new form of income in the next few weeks and that will be coming from Trade Me sales. JOY.

But for now, I am in Wellington till Friday. Man Piece and I were thinking of a general catch up with people on WEDNESDAY starting at the Fork and Brewer from 5pm and maybe going for dinner somewhere.

Currently lazing at said Fork and Brewer with a cider. Unemployment is currently in it’s bliss stage, but this is subject to change whenever and however.

I’m one of THOSE people.

/ Lisa

I blame Facebook for everyone using the word ‘Like’ too much. It’s gotten into our subconscious. Well played, Zuckerberg, well played.

A few days ago, I discovered that I was one of those people that says ‘like’ a lot.

No, I am not a 16-year-old. Even though I may act like it sometimes.

I remember saying it a lot a few years ago, for no apparent reason other than to cause a break in my sentences. I slowly managed to wein myself off of saying ‘like’ as every second word.

Until a few days ago, when I noticed it has slipped back into my vocabulary.

Oh the shame.

I was talking to a colleague and noticed I had said it a few times. So I started to think, “Don’t say it”. So of course I started to say it more.

It was a weird moment, I was saying ‘like’ even though I was trying not to. I got quite frustrated.

I think this is why I don’t necessarily talk to so much. Words just seem to come out in mush, even though I’m trying my hardest not to do it. I prefer the written word. The thoughts in my head don’t seem to fall over themselves to make themselves heard when putting them onto paper (or screen).

And most of all, I’m not channeling a 16-year-old in my head. ‘Like’ is not part of my vocabulary in there.

Like, yanno, whatever!

Drum roll please…

/ Lisa

Once again, I have become rather slack on the blogging. This seems to be a recurring theme…

Anywho. I hope to try and blog a few more regular updates over the next few weeks, because, big news: Man Piece and I are moving to Melbourne!

Yip. We’re ditching the city of sails for the city of trams!

Weeeeeeee!

So in the next four weeks, yes four, we’ll be packing up our life in Auckland, fitting our belongings into two suitcases each and cross the ditch on one of those big things with wings.

We both finish work on August 24. That weekend we pack up the apartment (hopefully having sold most of our stuff) and head to Hawke’s Bay and Wellington to see family etc before flying out sometime that week.

But right now, I’m going to go through my shoes. Cause I have so many that they will not all fit in two suitcases… hard decisions are needing to be made.

Wish me luck!

Caramel mud cake with cloud frosting.

/ Lisa / 1 Comment

I discovered a new favourite cupcake. It’s delicious. I’m going to make it many, many more times. And it’s the best of everything – caramel mud cake. So here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

125g butter, chopped coarsely
100g white eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
2/3 cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (90g) golden syrup
2/3 cup (160ml) milk
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour
1 egg

Frosting
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) water
2 egg whites

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/15°C fan-forced. Line muffin tray.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, saucepan; stir over low heat, until smooth. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; cool 15 minutes.

3. Whisk sifted flours into chocolate mixture, then egg. Divide mixture among cases.

4. Bake about 30 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool.

5. Frosting: Combine sugar and the water in small saucepan; stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, without stirring about 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 116°C on a candy termometer. Syrup should be thick but not coloured. Removed from heat, allow bubbles to subside. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. While mixer is operating, add hot syrup in thin stream; beat on high speed about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and cool.

The original recipe didn’t actually put this cupcake with the cloud frosting, but I wanted to try something different. You could probably put whatever icing you want on them.

Orange means go faster.

/ Lisa / 2 Comments

I have a bone to pick with you Aucklanders. It’s to do with driving. Driving through red lights. Yes, that’s right. Aucklanders are notorious for running red lights.

Especially after the little green man telling me it’s okay to walk has appeared. On a daily basis, I begin to walk across the road because that little green man tells me to and at least three cars will still come through the intersection.

Sometimes I don’t even bother beginning to walk until he’s started flashing red.

Seriously.

In fact, today, I was about to start crossing the road, because the green man had said I could and three more cars went through.

Now, I might live on a ridiculous intersection, I will admit. It has five roads all coming to an apex. Yet people don’t seem to stop on the red.

At this particular intersection I have to cross twice. Once on Taharoto and then on Fred Thomas. Rather ridiculous, but in order to be safe and not get run over, I choose to use the crossings. (Even though sometimes that might not keep me safe.)

Sometimes when I am crossing Taharoto, cars coming from Fred Thomas and on to Taharoto decide, yes that green light and the cars next to me, mean I can go too.

EHHHH. WRONG.

You’re on a red arrow, buddy. You’re turning left into Taharoto, you’re not going straight through like the others. Which means that while I’m crossing the road, you’re on a red and shouldn’t be coming at me!

But it is not just this intersection that I have a problem with.

I was walking to the mall the other day and was crossing into the block where the mall is situated (my little green man had winked at me), three cars went through a red light. While a cop was sitting right there. I’m pretty sure he saw them too. Yet he did nothing.

Nothing.

What has our world come to?

Cops don’t stop red light runners, motorist don’t respect pedestrians, and people think the coloured lights mean nothing.

I means seriously people. This is what causes accidents. In fact, there was an accident at the very intersection by our apartment building the other night. Police, ambo and fire all turned up. The horn was blaring, etc, etc. I don’t think anyone was seriously injured, but I bet you, someone was running a red light.

The penalty for running a red light in New Zealand is a $150 fine and 20 demerit points, according to the AA website. Which the AA says is too low compared to the high potential danger

Disclaimer: I may use the word “seriously” too much in this post.

Disclaimer 2: I may also watch too much Grey’s Anatomy.