An opening worth savouring

Ahh the joy of reading that first page of a new book that tells you, this is going to be a good story. Really there is nothing like it, I simultaneously want to rip on in, but at the same time want to eek it out as long as possible.

I'm always slightly saddened when I finish a great story. When the tale has been told, the characters finished with. I know I can read it again (and I often do) but there is just nothing quite like that first time, when the story is new, the outcome unknown, it is all just so exciting.

Today while waiting for an appointment I started reading "Water for Elephants"by Sara Gruen. People have been raving about it for ages, so on a weekend away I bought it and promptly lent it to my Mother. She assures me I will love it and while I managed to read less than a chapter she is right. The writing is beautiful, I'm already compelled by the characters, in short, I can't wait to get home and reading!!!

A new taste sensation

Trying out a new recipe, it is fraught with both danger and anticipation. Will this be a new favourite or something that is so terrible you have to bury it in the garden (it has happened)?

Over the years I've been witness to many a memorable failure, plenty at my own hands. Among the most infamous in my family was Mum's 7 hour leg of lamb. Yes, 7 hours worth of cooking. It wasn't that the result was terrible, but it certainly wasn't good. It was awfully bland and my extremely fussy Dad and sister just pushed it around their plates. Certainly not 7 hours that Mum would say was worth spending.

Tonight Mum invited me over to try a new recipe she had read in the paper. Paprika chicken with new potatoes and spring vegetables. Sounded great and it was! I think we have discovered a new favourite - what a joy.

Honey Toast

What is going on with the weather? Hot and humid one day, cold and clammy the next.

I've spent the last few days eating loads of salad and fruit with all the hot weather but as today went cooler, I knew what I wanted - hot buttered honey toast. Mmmmm, honey. Did you know it is the only food that doesn't spoil? It will literally never go off.

Anyway, today's afternoon tea was two golden slices of toast, dripping with honeyed perfection. What more could one ask for on a rainy afternoon?

Sharing the love

Today I had the privilege of being a witness to a naming ceremony for my friends' baby boy. Surrounded by family and friends, he was officially welcomed into the family, had given his name.

It was a lovely gathering, many of us brought contributions to the afternoon tea. I brought these apple custard tea cakes and a bunch of roses from my garden. We sat around with children running wild, eating, gossiping, laughing.

Joining together to celebrate a new life is a wonderful thing. The love and good wishes heaped upon that small boy should see him have the most wonderful life.

Free Stuff

Do you know what is even better than ice-cream and a movie? FREE ice-cream and a FREE movie!

Today I've been truly spoilt. It started with the opening of a new gelato bar where they gave free scoops to everyone. I had a scoop of delicious blackberry gelato.

Then tonight, Mister M took me to Koko Black where he had a chocolate ice-cream martini and I had a blood orange sorbet martini. It was so very good. Deliciously sweet with the piquant edge of an orange, complemented by chocolate wafers. Mmmmm.

Then we headed to the movies with tickets Mister M's lovely girlfriend, Gorgeous A, had given us a few weeks ago as a surprise present. We saw "Wild Target" and it is fab. That brilliant dry, dark English humour had the whole cinema laughing aloud.

What a particularly excellent day, filled with freebies.

The first taste of summer

Today is the first day when wandering around it actually feels hot! Not just warm, hot enough that coming inside to the air conditioning is a real relief. The heat hints at all the summer fun to come and there are other signs pointing the way to a rapidly approaching summer.

Summer by the senses for me equals:

Smell - dusty dry, eucalyptus scented, those days when you can smell the heat before you feel it.
Sight - a hot hard blue sky. That cloudless sky so blue and bright you have to squint to look at it.
Taste - a mango dripping with juice.
Sound - cicadas singing their lungs out, amazing me with the ability of such a tiny insect to make so much noise.
Touch - the sizzle of bare legs on overheated car seats, or those few searing steps on the sand as you sprint into the cool of the ocean.

Along with that heat, today another of those signs of summer arrived - I heard my first cicada!

But even with all those signs of summer, our wet spring still has Canberra the most glorious shades of green. The city mowers are working like crazy trying to keep up, but in the unmown patches wildflowers like Canberra Royal Bluebells have popped up. I can't remember the city looking so wonderful for years.

Anticipation

I have a lot of great things coming up over the next few months, concerts, get togethers, special events (not to mention Christmas, the best time of all). Today, I've spent a bit of time lining up the ducks so that all these varied activities can happen and it has got me so excited with the anticipation of great times to come.

You can't beat a surprise for that immediate joy, but there is something particularly special about the anticipation of a special event. The planning, imagining, expectation - it is a special part of enjoying an experience.

So while I'm sure I will be writing some happy blogs about great events soon, right now I'm enjoying the anticipation of great times to come.