Easter Show 2013

On Easter Saturday 30/03/2013, Lily, Janet, Kaylene, Evan and I caught the train to the Easter Show. I'd purchased the tickets from Vanita for $15 each, normally priced at $37.50 for adults. Got there around 10.30am

I didn't realise that it's been more than 5 years since I'd last went. Only seems like last year. Anyway, we started off with a group photo at House Rules, a new show coming to Channel 7. The queue was short enough that we didn't have to wait long.

Then we headed to the Woolworths Pavilion, to taste some food and see what was selling. Got sidetracked and stopped to watch a cooking demo by the Sydney Fish Markets, which we got to taste. When that finished, we moved next door to watch another cooking demo on chicken curry, which we got to taste and how to make a steak sandwich, which we didn't get to taste.

Checked out the District fruit and vegie exhibits. They were selling apples for $3, pieces of watermelon for $4, pineapple for $4. The we managed to jump into some lines for tasting of olive bread, tomatoes and lamb - found that if we went around and collected all the food, we could make a little sandwich. This turned out to be our appetiser along with some chips, frozen cocktails and other offerings.

From the food hall, we made our way into the Arts and Crafts section to check out the decorated cakes. So crowded, we had to inch along the display. Took us the rest of the morning to check out the pictures and sculptures.

Then we cut our way through the Fashion and Style pavilion, just long enough for Lily to try some floppy hats, towards the Flowers and Floral display pavilion.  Took in part of the floral fashion show of bouquets and headpieces.

By this time it was 2.30pm. So we headed to the main parade route to catch the Main parade which was to start at 3pm. Ended up outside the main arena where they were selling the dino ribs, but didn't end up buying any. The parade consisted of some young dancers, baton twirlers, an emu, people dressed in star wars outfits, some characters and an old fire truck...hmm..was that it? No big band?, no brazilian dancers? it was let down. It was over before it had even begun.
Lily bought a large fresh lemonade to share and we made our way around the arena heading to see the racing pigs. Checked out the changes to the main arena, the grass area is now all seating.

We could see that the racing pigs arena was already full of people, so we gave that a miss. Instead we went to check out the animals. Went to see the wool and sheep shed, as we were on the way to the poultry section, I decided to buy corn on the cob for all $4.50 a corn, at least they were pretty long corns. We sat to eat the corn, then Janet also went and bought a dagwood dog, a hotdog and chips which we shared.

Skipped the pigs and goat shed and moved onto the Food Farm which led into the Animal nursery - lots of baby goats to feed and pet. Ducks and ducklings, then through to the cow milking and alpacas. All Lily could say was "shit, shit shit"  and you just had to watch where you were walking.

Had enough of the animals, we walked towards the Showbag Pavilion through the adult carnival area. Lots of games and rides.  But how many coupons do you need just for one ride and how much is a coupon...too expensive. We just looked. Got to the Showbag pavilion and went hunting for the Hello Kitty bag for Fiona. But when we found the stall, there were lots of other bags with goodies too, having looked and compared, we eventually bought the Hello Kitty bag. Looked some more, Kaylene just couldn't see one she liked. So it was out and onwards.

By this time it was approaching 6pm, should we stay for the Main arena shows, we walked back into the Arts and Crafts and through to the food hall. Finally I saw 2 showbags for the price of $15 - lots of food and goodies, also spied a mini nutella. Sold - Kaylene saw it and immediately paid and bought it without even seeing what was in the bags. It was the Taste and Good Food bags. Took some more photos of the District exhibits without the crowds and by then it was coming on to 7.30pm so we decided to make tracks to the train station, little did we know that a football game with the Swans and ?? had just finished and so we joined the hoards of footie fans in red and white waiting on the platform. Managed to get on the train, first stop Strathfield.

Got home and by then our feet and legs were so tired. If we sat down, we weren't going to move. Waited for Darren to get home and then we all went out to Canton Noodle House for dinner. Darren shouted us dinner.

Lynn's Easter Egg Hunt

Good Friday 29 March 2013, Lynn and Mark had hired Evan to take photographs of their 2nd annual Easter Egg hunt. I asked Lynn is it was ok for me to tag along, so on the day, Evan dropped by early at 7.30pm so that we could get to their place nice and early to take photos of Mark setting up and hiding the eggs.

We got there just after 8.30am and out the back in the alcove behind the pool house, Lynn had set up a table with baskets of chocolate eggs, empty colourful baskets for the children to put their eggs in and each of them had a rabbit ears headband.  No sign of Lynn or Mark, so we took some photos, and then Casey and Shirley arrived with their kids. Still no sign of them, until Lynn popped up from out the back, she and Mark were hanging yellow pom poms and stringing rabbits to trees as a guide through the "enchanted" woods. Their gardener had cleared the path and they had asked their visitors to drive and park around the back.

With 3 basketload of chocolate Easter eggs to hide, Mark enlisted Casey and I to help him "hide" the eggs.  They had to be low enough for the small kids to see, but not in the open where the sun could shine on them and melt them. With lots of hedges, bushes and play equipment, there was no shortage of hiding spaces, but with the many areas, it was going to make it hard for Evan to take photos, so a lot went into the Rose garden, some scattered around the play house area and others down in the back garden and around the edges.

Kids being kids cannot help themselves, especially where chocolate is concerned and so I would find the rogue child looking for eggs, some even eating them in secret, but their chocolate covered faces gave them away.

I was lucky to be given charge of Isabelle and her hunt for the Easter eggs. We had done a preliminary scout of the area, with her pointing out the eggs as she saw them, but not actually collecting them, as the baskets hadn't been handed out. The adults were still having their morning tea of cakes, and chocolate Easter buns.

The sun was getting hotter and the eggs were slowly melting, at least those that were in the sun when finally the hunt was on. All the kids had their baskets and there was plenty of chocolate eggs to go around. Isabelle took a while to catch on that she was suppose to put the eggs in the basket, but once she caught on that, that was how it was to be done, she would throw them in not gently, but with a thud. Matty who was older and had been through it before, was a pro and even helped Isabelle find some eggs. Their baskets brimming, Casey and I did a once over and pronounced that all eggs had been found, although a few that Casey had placed way above arms length, on the drainpipes and trees were also soon found.

With their goodies, some of the kids were tucking into them. Aidan got to have his first taste of chocolate, as did Isabelle. Matty was pretty good, I didn't see him have any at all, although his basket was so full. After the hunt, the kids and some adults played on the play house, swings and slides and Evan tried getting a group shot of the kids, which wasn't easy.

After most of the guests had left, Mark and Jo's husband went out to get some fish and chips for us stragglers as a late lunch. They came back with fish and chips, calimari, garlic prawns, sashimi and fresh oysters.

We left shortly after to make our way back home. It turned out to be the perfect day for an egg hunt.  After the previous days heatwaves, the day turned out to be cool, but with some sunshine and no rain.

Preparations for Fiona's 40th Birthday

Preparations are currently underway for Fiona's Birthday party.

On the 16th March, we had an 10am appointment with an event coordinator at WatervieW at Bicentennial Park to go over the details, ask questions, and check out the venue.

During the week, I've been designing the invitation and on Sun 24th March came up with the final version which has been approved and I'm now ready to print off and make around 80 invites and rsvps.  Except my colour ink cartridge is running out and I need to buy some colour ink cartridge.

Punched out 160 butterflies. Printed the invites, maps and RSVPs after JT and Lily went to Big W to buy the ink cartridge on Monday 1/4/2013. Printed envelopes on Tuesday, but didn't have enough in supply so will have to wait for my order to come in. Dazzling diamonds glitter added to the invites. Butterflies also stuck onto invites.

Invites were finished and delivered or sent out by 14/4/2013.

Swimming in Secret

So for the last 3 weekends: Sun 24 Mar, Sat 16 Mar, Sun 10 Mar, we've been swimming in Ken's pool.  The autumn weather has been kind to us, giving us 30 degree days, and although the water in the pool is cold, the sun's warmth eases the shivers.

10 Mar: Evan made beef kebabs, which were bbq'd at Ken's on the little potable bbq. I supplied the leb bread, salad, garlic and hummos. It was a late lunch as Evan didn't get the bbq hot enough, so by the time the kebabs had cooked it was 3pm. Lily, Janet, Kaylene and I attended. Kaylene, Evan and I swam after lunch. Lily and Janet helped weed Ken's garden. Dinner that night was left over kebab sticks, salad, snake beans.

16 Mar: Demolition works next door to Ken, meant that Evan did the cooking at home. This time we had chicken kebab sticks. I supplied the leb bread, salad, garlic and hummos. Although we thought he would have learnt from his previous experience, again we had a late lunch. This time, it was only Janet, Kaylene and I who went. Uncle David joined us in the pool. His equivalent of swimming a lap, was swimming the width of the pool. Evan also slow roasted a rack of ribs, which we later bbq'd and had for dinner, along with Bindy's pressure cooked ribs with vegies.

24 Mar: Only Janet and I went to the Seeto's. With no menu in mind, Janet whipped up 3 min noodles which we had with Costco wontons. Again it wasn't until after 3pm that we went swimming. This time, Bindy, Uncle David, Evan, Nathan and I went swimming. Nathan joined us later in the day, with just enough warmth left in the sun. For dinner that night, we feasted on pan fried fish (tailor which Ange and Bindy had caught that morning) with oven roasted chips and salad.

Isabelle's 2nd Birthday

On Sat 23 March, Casey and Shirley organised a birthday party for Isabelle at Yamble Reserve, Ryde.

Shirley asked if I could help out with decorations and Evan with photography, and if we could get there earlier than the invite time of 10am. We drove separately, so I got there just after 8.30am, and Evan arrived a 1/2 hour later around 9am.  The reserve has only been recently constructed and opened, and turned out to be a popular place for locals and others.

Shirley and her mum were already at the reserve.  Casey had gone earlier to try and secure a shelter with tables and seating, but missed out. Turns out it is the early bird that gets the worm, early like 5.30am OMG!. Anyway, he'd made do and set up a portable shelter.  All I had to do was decorate it. Lynn and her mum had helped make the pom poms which just needed to be hung.  I supplied a Happy Birthday banner and some bunting.

I helped slice up some food and plated up.  There was fairy bread, chicken sandwiches, zuchinni slice, store bought sushi, Casey made salsa eggs, jello for the kids and popcorn and there was watermelon, woollies cupcakes, malyasian sago cake (by Shirl's mum) and a big Spot the Dog birthday cake.

 

It turned out to be a hot day, temps in the 30s, so most of the kids just wanted to drink, play in the park, eat jello and drink.

 

I gave Isabelle a Hootabelle hoodie (Shirley posted a pic of her wearing the hoodie), Peppa the Pig mini books (Shirley will exchange), summer hat and bag and handmade beaded bracelet and necklace.

Evan's Pool Party BBQ

Sunday 10th March

Blessed with good weather, sun shining and high temperatures, Evan had invited us over for a bbq lunch and a swim in Ken's pool.

He had marinated some rump steak which we threaded onto kebabs with onions, capsicum and mushrooms. he had also made a tsatziki which was overpowered by the garlic.

I made bruschetta, and salad and bought some leb bread, garlic dip and hommos to go with it.

He had a hard time trying to get the bbq heat beads hot enough, and finally Lily stepped in and tried her hand in lighting it up. They finally resorted to kerosene to get the heat going.

Janet couldn't help herself and cleaned up the front garden, while Lily weeded some of the back section.

After lunch, Evan, Kaylene and I went for a swim, and utilised the pool which Evan had put so much effort into cleaning and making it swimmable, whilst, Janet and Lily continued gardening.

After our swim, we had a shower and cleaned up, removing all traces that we had been.

We had dinner at their place. We provided the honey soy chicken wings and snake beans to accompany the meal of left over salad and kebabs, salted eggs, lup cheong and cauliflower.

Mar Mar's 80th Birthday

On Sat 9th March, Janet and I were invited to join the Chan's celebration of their mum's 80th birthday. 

So much drama led up to the dinner. First of all there was the hoo ha over who would pay. It was decided that all her children and respective partners would pay for the meal and subsidise the guests too. This didn't seem fair to some as not all wanted to eat the chinese banquet. Why pay for something if I'm not going to eat it? Lily rsvp'd for Mark, Justin, Sophia and Kaylene. So initially they had 5 going, when the final email was sent out, only Lily and Mark were included in the numbers and Justin, Sophia and Kaylene were left out. What a mess.  Janet and I decided we were going just to make it fairer for Lily and Mark in terms of paying for the meal. Janet and I gave her $40 as a gift.

Nathan, Sylvia and Darren had previously purchased tickets to a music festival in Randwick, so could not attend, although they had considered selling their tickets.

In the end, when we arrived at the restaurant, there were 2 tables for banquet (26) and 1 for non-banquet (14). We were seated at the main table as we were guests with Mar Mar, Raymond's dad, Mr Chan, Gordon's parents Mr and Mrs Soo, Alan's mum, Mrs Chow, Carl and Joy, Mark, Lily and Kaylene, Veronica.

Although the invitation stated Fook Lam Mun, the restaurant turned out to be the Fortune Palace in Carlingford Village. Feature wall was nice, but that's about all. Food wasn't fantastic. Prawns and scallops didn't seem to be fresh, but lobster was good and the sauce was very thick. Noodles didn't have any other ingredients besides the noodles and the fried rice, although it had fried scallops, prawn pieces and fish roe topping, it didn't have much else.

Frank and Jane provided the cake and decorations, the cake was a Mango mousse cake which although wasn't overly rich was sliced up into huge chunks and didn't look very appetising.

My 47th Birth Day

Thur 7/3/2013

I invited the family and the Seetos to dinner at Rhodes Phoenix.  I figure, I may as well spend my money while I'm alive.

I had initially decided on going to the Thai Eatery in Concord, but as they make you order banquet menu if you have more than 12 people, I decided Rhodes Phoenix might be the better option and I can get value for money. I'll just have to try the Thai Eatery another day.

So there are 13 of us going.

The dishes I'm planning on ordering are

Deep fried soft shell crab $15.80 x 2 $31.60
Honey king prawns $
Deep fried fish fillet with sweet corn sauce $23.80
Crispy chicken with ginger and shallot sauce $21.80
Deep fried duck with mashed taro $24.80
Pork ribs peking style $19.80
Pork ribs with spiced salt and chilli $19.80
Beef fillet cubes with honey and black pepper sauce $24.80
Combination bean curd hot pot $20.80

Braised two kinds of mushrooms and vegetables $23.80
Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce $17.80

Phoenix fried rice $19.80
Shredded pork fillet fried noodle $18.80
Steamed rice $3.00 x 10 $30.00

Fruit platter - complimentary

Totaled up to $350.00 so I paid $370 including tips.

I'd bought a Mocha sponge cake with fruit $38.00 from Hello Happy on the way back home at Strathfield which we had at the restaurant and Sylvia also bought an Adriano Zumbo passionfruit cheesecake and some macarons from Cheeky Chocolate.

During the day, I went to lunch with Maria and Sue at a new Lebanese restaurant in Burwood called Al Aseel. We had:
Batata Kezebra
Pan fried diced potato mixed with fresh coriander, mild chilli paste, lemon juice and garlic $9
Chicken mixed plate
3 skewers of chicken served with tabouli, baba ghanouj, hommos, garlic dip and falafel $26
and drinks, 2 cokes $4 each and a coffee $4
Maria paid $47, so we paid her back $15 each.

For morning tea, Iveta bought some cakes from the cafe, a variety of cheesecakes and a banana bread. Had 3 leftover cheesecakes, so I took them home.

Gifts received

Sue and Maria: Susans Pajama set - had to exchange, but exchanged for pj set (brown and pink).
Bindy and Seetos: Scarf and pink bedazzled t-shirt
Lily, Janet, Kaylene: Marc Jacobs La Lola perfume, Bird cage t-shirt (Big W)
U. David: $55
Evan: $100
Daz: Kindle
Nathan and Sylvia: Seiko watch, Nanoblocks (combined Christmas and Birthday) Adriano Zumbo passionfruit cheescake and macarons
Justin and Sophia: Flowers
Kasia gave me belated bday: Recipe diary/book with scented candle.

Fiona sent a birthday card.

Mamaks

02/03/2013
Casey and Shirley had invited us to lunch at Mamaks at Chatswood. It was going to be a kid free zone, in the end, Matty also joined us for lunch. Final numbers were, Evan and I, Casey, Shirley and Matty.

Evan and I got to the Tham's place just after 12noon, and had to wait as no one was home. Casey had gone to drop Izzy off at the Grans, and Shirley was still working. Didn't have to wait too long when Casey drove up with Matty. Matty was eager to show us he could ride a bike with no training wheels. Shirley arrive home just before 12.30. Changed and then we headed off to Chatswood in Casey's car.
It wasn't a nice day, overcast and sprinkling with rain, so fortunately for us, when Casey dropped us out the front of Mamaks, there wasn't a queue and we got a table straight away. Once Casey had parked the car and joined us, it was decision time, what to have.

Shirley took charge and we agreed on:
Roti Canai $5.50 (The original roti, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, served with 2 sauces),
Roti telur $6.50 (Classic egg roti) and
chicken Murtabak $11.50 (a local favourite filled with spicy meat, cabbage, eggs and onions)
Chicken Satay $9 for 1/2 dozen
Kari ayam $16 (classic chicken curry cooked with freshly ground spices and chunky potatoes)
Sambal udang $19 (Stir-fried tiger prawns with fiery sambal sauce) Very spicy
Ayam goreng $14 (Malaysian style fried chicken, marinated with herbs and spices and full of flavour)
Maggi Goreng $11.50 (Mee goreng using maggi noodles - for Matty non spicy)
Rice for 3 $2.50 per person
Ais Kacang $6 (a concoction of red beans, corn, grass jelly, rose syrup and sweetened milk on a mountain of shaved ice.

A lot of the dishes were very spicy, but you can't go wrong with chicken satay and the roti was nice and fluffy.