Outfit #129 - Free Time, Anyone?

I had a lot of free time today.  At school for 8 1/2 hours, I taught for a whole 3 1/2 hours.  I was meant to have only a half hour break.  Ha.

Skirt: Sunny Girl (op shop).  Top: Regatta.  Shoes: Girl Xpress.  Leggings: ? Earrings: from Mombasa.  Necklace: (op shop).

In my spare time, I organised an accompanist for a girl with an exam soon, organised a catch up dinner with a friend (and, hopefully, the next chamber music project), sorted out performance dates for my string quartets, found some people who were born today (for trivia), and I practiced.  Because I practiced so much, the necklace was actually hardly worn. 

These shoes are getting better with every wear.  And this top received compliments galore!

If you desperately want a close-up of these rather sweet, bling-y beetle earrings, you can see them here

The Room Redo, Stage 2

Over the Easter holidays, I started trying to make my room a bit nicer, more Me.  In Stage 1, I made the 'other' bedside table prettier and not so 'other'.  This has resulted in me reading in bed a whole lot more.  This is good.

Stage 2 I just had to Do.  An imminent visit from the parents finally spurred me on.  My cane chair was a gift from them for my 10th birthday, and very much loved.  However, when I left home (really the other way around, but I won't go into that here) the chair went with the parents.  In their current residence it was languishing, so on one visit when mum asked if there was anything of mine I would like them to bring down, I asked for this.  Ah, the nostalgia!  And then it sat in the spare room for a while.  Which was nice for the spare room and anyone who stayed there.  But I felt this corner of my room could do with a chair.  A cane chair.  From my childhood. 

The cushion needs a new cover - hence the black and white bedspread.  Perhaps Stage 2a will be a new cushion cover, and washing the other cushion covers while I'm at it.  I do rather like having the cheerful Fergus smiling at me, too.  Now I am really looking forward to Sunday afternoon when I'll have a chance to curl up and read. 

Flight Mode

Flight mode, or How To Get a Good Night's Sleep.  You see, I have my phone on silent, permanently.  But various notifications will cause my phone to vibrate or light up, and not everyone sleeps (or wants to sleep) at the same time as me.  So when, after struggling to get to sleep for a little too long, and just about to fall off the edge into sleeptown, and someone decides to send me a message or like an Instagram photo, I'm then wide awake again and rather irritated.  (Hint: I'm not going to respond to gig requests after midnight).

The use of flight mode only came about because I kept approaching my internet usage limit at home.  I suspected using my phone's Wifi was partly responsible, and started switching to flight mode when playing games.  I don't know if it made that much difference... But one night I forgot to switch off flight mode before going to sleep and I slept so well.  And when I returned to normal in the morning, I had several items come up that would have disturbed my sleep. 

Obviously, no one really contacts me for emergency purposes.  My responsible side is aware of this very small possibility, so I'm going to try the Do Not Disturb option as well. 

My Best Anzac Biscuits

You have to make Anzac biscuits on Anzac Day.  Tradition, y'know?  Although I have stuck to this tradition for as long as I can remember, I've not made successful Anzacs before.  This is despite me following recipes, I promise.  I like a chewy biscuit, not too soft, but definitely not in the hard or crunchy classification.  My previous Anzacs have been either too hard for my liking, or so ... Well, soft isn't the word I'm after.  They've turned into one baking tray of something resembling brandy snaps.  Yes, I must have been putting them too close together, and yes, something else must have been wrong for them to spread quite so much.  Edible, and yummy, but not really what I was after.  Every time I had that style of Anzac biscuit disaster I would remember the Anzac Day spent in the U.S. where asking for golden syrup scored us that look of "... Er... You want what now?" so we substituted molasses.  It's not the same.

Today, I found numerous recipes for chewy Anzac biscuits.  I chose the more recent recipe that also used less sugar and coconut.  Success!  These are soft and chewy.  You can find the recipe here, or below:

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats (mine were quick oats, thanks to the most recent Queensland floods)
1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup dessicated coconut
125g butter, chopped
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Method:
Preheat oven to 160C.  Line 3 baking trays with baking paper (I really spread out my biscuits this time, so used 2 trays twice).
Combine oats, flour, sugar, and coconut in a bowl.  Place butter, syrup, and 2 tablespoons cold water in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir for 2 minutes or until butter has melted, then stir in the bicarb soda.  Stir the butter mix into the oat mix.
Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls, place onto trays 5cm apart, and flatten slightly.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

I found that at the 10 minute mark I had to swap the trays - the original bottom tray then only needed another minute, the other tray another 4. 
Putting away ingredients while the first batch was baking, I transferred my coconut to a slightly-too-small jar.  So the 2nd batch scored a bonus tablespoon or so of coconut.  This worked.  They didn't spread as much but are still soft and chewy.
Before I tasted these, I was thinking I should just keep baking Anzac biscuits until I come across a recipe that works to my satisfaction.  However, I think I found it!  I'll be transferring this recipe to my trusty old recipe book.  Of course, a few more batches before next Anzac Day just might be in order...

Outfit #128 - 50/50

This outfit was comprised of elements that, each on their own, would feel business-y (as much as a creative type like me would get, anyway).  Yet, altogether, I felt I was approaching Crazy Town.  Again.  I actually laughed when I looked at myself in the mirror.  And the photo (singular) here is the slightly less crazy version - I wore a 3/4 sleeve white top under the jacket, plus a scarf, to get to work warmly.  About half the time, then, I was feeling put together.  The other half, more like a crazy lady.  And I'm liking this feeling. 

Dress: Hot Options.  Jacket: Miss Cherry (from Jeannie).  Shoes: Target.  Leggings: Ambra.  Earrings: made by me.

When I told one of my students I thought I was looking a bit crazy she assured me I looked the opposite (she's one of the Fashion Police, and it's one of her quotes today on my other blog).  She did then look at my ears in that way, so I had to check the earrings were actually a pair.  They were.

Outfit #127 - Happy Birthday Shakespeare

Today is, apparently, Shakespeare's birthday.  At least, I am told he was both born and died on St George's Day - which is today.  You learn all sorts of things with trivia.  As it turns out, I know not much about St George or Shakespeare.  I think I need to rectify the situation.

Dress: Kinki Gerlinki.  Top: Ambra.  Leggings: ? Shoes: Target.  Earrings: The Silver Shop (I think).  Scarf: Atmosphere (gift).  Jacket: Hot Options (from Jeannie).

I was trying hard to find a Shakespearean outfit.  This was the best I could do.  My logic is that the dress is a bit like an old tapestry sort of thing.  My alternative involved a very short skirt.  Due to workplace dress requirements, the jacket was only actually included as a 'just-in-case' for the evening's trivia at the cathedral.  My team didn't come last - in fact we were winning for the first half of the evening.  And I'm pretty sure we had more fun than anyone else!

The scarf was only worn to school.  And then for photos.  But I do love it.

The New Hand Cream

So I'm a teacher, right?  This means that at Christmas I am often inundated with body lotions and soaps and bath products.  (Did I mention I love being a teacher?).  I very rarely have to buy any luxury body products for myself.  Last year, I even realised that if I had a bath every night for 3 weeks, I would make merely a dent in my supply.  It was tough.

I wouldn't consider my skin to be sensitive, but I know there are some brands that make me itch.  Some I try and then find I'm not feeling all moisturised but a bit itchy or dry or whatever.  All those I give to others with less sensitive skin than mine.  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed my hands were quite dry, most of the time.  And then the heel of the palms went really dry and flaky, like a peeling sunburn.  (I bet you're glad I didn't add photos to this one, right?!).  This was not helped by going to Melbourne (my skin never appreciates dry weather) or doing push ups during PT on the rubbery stuff in the park.  Looking for my facial care products, I came across a hand cream and it is amazing.  Burt's Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream, all-day moisture with Baobab Oil.  3 applications to the rather unattractive skin, and it was all clear.  My arms are also appreciating the dose of essential fatty acids and antioxidants, especially as we are in some very dry (relatively) and cooler (relatively) weather.