Monet's Garden

Oh My Goodness so excited....have just purchased my ticket for Monet's Garden!!!!!

2 weeks and 3 days to go.....

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

Here is the little box I am keeping my blocks in complete with 'French' labels

Well so far so good with keeping up with my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler blocks

the aim was for one a week and so far I have kept up

One to do this week still

I've joined in with Fiona over here so pop on over and see how she is doing along with a few others

Her blocks are starting to look so much like a quilt

All made out of lovely reproduction fabrics

Chimneys and Cornerstones

Bright Hopes

Chinese Coin

Ribbon Star

Children's Delight

Don't know how much more I will be able to keep up with them

but that's okay I allowed for that.

My trip is looming closer and my time is filled at the moment with lots of incidental details, caring for JoJo and Mr Armchair retiring, JoJo's birthday, DS's birthday

Lots of appointments at the moment also

Packing, unpacking, refining

Hopefully this weekend I will be able to properly sort all the clothes out

I haven't been able to get around much to comment on all my favourite blogs but I make sure I visit when I can

19 days to go

I still can't believe it

PARIS and Latvia here we come!!!!!!!!!!!

~Movie......The Hundred Foot Journey~

I have just seen the most Delicious movie (twice)
After the second time I straight away went and bought the book written by Richard C. Morais

There was a brochure available at the screening which had some recipes in it

including this one for Beef Bourgignon a las Hassan created by Chef Floyd Cardoz

The Hundred Foot Journey
Starring Helen Mirren as Madame Mallory
Om Puri as Papa
Manish Dayal as Hassan Haji
Charlotte Le Bon as Marguerite

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
Produced by Steven Spielberg
Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake

Filmed in France in the village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val
and then The Netherlands and Paris

I just had to blog this movie as I know I will come back here and check out the links again
and don't be surprised if I see it again.

I guarantee you will walk away wanting a delicious meal after seeing it
I might have to go to our local Indian Restaurant one of these times!!!

Bon Appetit.......Dzintra

~Girls Days/Nights Out~or It's All About The Food and ~P A R I S~

Friday morning we went up the Clyde Mountain and into Canberra
The weather was wet......cold......bleak

even some melted snow I spotted

but that didn't deter this group of girls from catching up!

This bunch of schoolfriend gals have been friends since we were under 10 years old

And a couple of us since babies......Hi Kerrie!!!!!!

In the pice above is Angela......me......Kerrie......Lynn and Kathryn

And what did we do

We ate......talked......laughed

The next day we did it all over again 

Started off with Breakfast

Went shopping at Canberra DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) and I happened upon Provincial 

Of course I stopped when I saw this sign P A R I S

You see......my Son had offered me a trip to New Zealand next year for my B I G birthday

and then also gave me the choice of  ~P A R I S~

Holey Dooley!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where to start????????

First up the obvious.......yes of course, let's pack!!!!!

Then the reality......what to do with JoJo

There is no centre based respite here

Perhaps she can go to DS and be helped by his Partner's Mum

but they have full time jobs...

So much to think about

It may not even happen at this stage due to the logistics of it all

but then again I can keep dreaming......can't I?

If you look at my side bar the essay by Emily Percy Kingsley (a Mum of a child with a disability) describes it all beautifully!!!

Emily Perl Kingsley is a writer who joined the Sesame Street team in 1970 and has been writing for the show ever since.

Her son Jason Kingsley was born with Down Syndrome in 1974.  Her experiences with Jason inspired her to include people with disabilities into the Sesame Street cast, including an actress who uses a wheelchair, Tarah Schaeffer, and even Jason himself. Jason's story was the topic of an hour-long NBC television special in 1977, titled "This Is My Son," and with co-author Mitchell Levitz, Jason wrote the book "Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome."

source ~Wikipedia~

Back to Provincial

a white dresser for crockery

the same in black

and then timber

We went back to our room and sipped some bubbly with strawberries

Went out again

and ate some more

Sunday saw us off to the fabulous Kingston Markets where I had a Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Check out the size of the Cinnamon Bark for the Hot Mulled Wine

Yep, that's right......more eating......Breakfast

lots of wool on sale

Got talking to the lady of this gorgeous stall Provencal Chic

Check out these gluten-free Florentines made by Divine & Delicious

Mr Armchair and JoJo came to pick me up  

and of course trust JoJo to find the musician playing at the Markets

Jazz Latin Guitarist Gavin Rene Libotte from Urban Gypsies

Thanks so much Gavin for your time and we love your CD!!!!!

Now back to the real world for me

A one where people our age are contemplating retiring/kicking back/travelling

we are still doing bedtime and bathtime
 Having said that we wouldn't have it any other way as JoJo teaches us so much and continues to do so

And like Emily says in her essay
There are also beautiful things in Our World!

A Trip Up To The 'Big Smoke'...

Mr Armchair commutes to work and one day a couple of weeks ago JoJo and I went with him up to Canberra for some shopping and a dental appointment...

We left the Bay...some of the scenes just before we crossed the bridge...

and headed up the Mountain...

One of my favourite shops...The Essential Ingredient at Kingston and not far from the Dentist and when we come up here we always call in and get a little something...

Beautiful timber boards...

Colourful tagines...

French cheeses on offer...

and Cornichons...we bought a little cheese and 2 jars of these Cornichons!!!

Later on JoJo had a chocolate biscuit...

and I had the best breakfast

Home made Hash Browns...the best scrambled egg...and tomato topped with rocket lettuce...

just perfect on a cold winter's day...

This is the cafe...as you can see not much action outside due to the cold day...

but lovely and warm inside...it will probably be busier later on in the day!!!

After that we headed off in to town to meet my Daughter and 

Grandson who both had a ride on the merry go round ...

a must do while up here!!!

The original organ, the hand-carved woodenThe merry- go-round started life in Melbourne in 1914. The fifty two hand carved wooden horses and two elephants were specially imported from Germany. 

The twisted brass upright poles came from Scotland. 

After extensive restoration work, the merry-go-round began operating in Canberra's Petrie Plaza in 1974. TTTThe ed wooden horses iand the two elephants were imported from Germany, while its twisted brass poles came all the way from Scotland.

And here's a big wave from Ryan!!!

After that we wandered around for a bit and then headed off to have a coffee...hot chocolate and chat before going in different directions and then finally back home again...

A Great Day!!!

It's been quite cold here this Winter although not as cold as where we came from inland...

Keeping warm and cozy inside and not venturing out too much is what's happening here...

Getting JoJo off everyday on her programme and being here when she comes back...

and of course too many stitching projects to do...

How come I keep wanting to get more!!!

A litte bit of baking and cooking been happening here too this week...

All good for the Soul!!!

Keep warm...Dzintra