Heirloom Silver Cleaning

I  recently dug out all the family silver from storage and was dismayed to see how much tarnish  had accumulated. I was using the trusty Silvo Silver Polish to clean it and it was taking for ever; so I went to Google and found the BEST and QUICKEST way to polish everything.

It was so simple.

I lined the kitchen sink with Aluminium foil and filled it with extremely hot water and a bag of Bicarbonate of soda and then just put the pieces in and left them for a few minutes. After a rinse in warm water and a wipe with a linen cloth all the pieces were sparkling.

Before

After

Iceberg cake

Chelsea's class has just completed a term topic study on Antarctica. The kids were paired up and had to research four topic questions and then present the results to the class in a fun and informative way. Chelsea and her BFF made an iceberg cake to tie in with the theme of what early explorers ate in the Antarctic.
One child in the class has an egg allergy, so they created an egg and dairy free cake and transformed it into an iceberg floating in a sea of blue jelly with cute little penguins frolicking.
They had heaps of fun, and although we definitely won't be winning a cake decorating contest, it was a huge hit.

The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King

I love books, always have.
I can't live without a stack of them surrounding me.
I so am pleased that the kids have inherited the love of reading from me.

Just before we left Australia a new book shop opened close to us, they constantly had a table filled with bargains. I picked up the first three books in Stephen Kings, The Dark tower Series for about $4 each and never got around to reading them.

I can not believe I waited nearly 3 years to read them.......

It took me many bookshops (across 3 countries lol) to find books 4-7 and oh, it was worth it!!!!

Stephen King wrote the books between 1970 and 2004......Thank goodness I started to read them once the series was completed...can you imagine having to wait 34 years to get to the conclusion!

I haven't read Stephen Kings books for years, I am not usually a fan of the horror genre, but I really enjoyed this series (I would not classify this as horror at all). Many characters, including himself, have been woven through out this story. I am curious now to go and read some other books to find more of these links. I have read on the web that TV/movie rights have been picked up:

IGN Movies has reported that a film adaptation is in the works; whether it is for a movie or a television series is unknown. J. J. Abrams, who has been behind shows such as Lost and Alias, is supposedly attached to produce and direct.[5] Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, also affiliated with Lost and J. J. Abrams, have optioned the Dark Tower series from King for a reported nineteen dollars, a number that mysteriously recurs throughout the Dark Tower series of novels.[6] According to issue #923 of Entertainment Weekly, King "is an ardent supporter of the desert-island show and trusts Abrams to translate his vision" into a film franchise with Lindelof being "the leading candidate to write the screenplay for the first installment."[7]


In April 2009, both Abrams and Lindelof revealed that they would most likely begin adapting the series when Lost concludes in 2010.[11]

In May 2009, rumours emerged that Christian Bale was the top contender to play Roland.[12]


The creator of Lost doing The Dark Towers....I'll be watching it!

I have a new addiction...(one that I find time for and not feel guilty about LOL)

Monday Nights on the Australian Network channel I HAVE to watch Outrageous Fortunes.

I think I saw one episode in Australia before we left (I don't think it presently being shown on Australian networks).

This is show about a New Zealand working-class crime family where some family members are trying to go straight and some are still very criminal.

The family members are so trashy and I love them!

Sex and the City movie

OMG I loved it.

Tan and I went to see this movie and we laughed, cried and snorted all through it.

We then went straight out and purchased shoes......as you do!

I can not wait to get to the DVD shop this week and buy a copy so I can watch it again and again and again.......

Torchwood, BBC Wales.

I have just finished season two of Torchwood.

Oh it was so much fun....I can't wait for the next season!

It definitely isn't my usual genre, I first watched the pilot on a flight to Singapore in 2006 and was instantly hooked. I found season one at the dvd shop a year later and was so pleased to find season 2 last week.

If you ever see a copy grab it , it will be worth your while, I highly recomend it!

In Australia, Network Ten has bought the rights, but is screening it at the ridiculous time of midnight every few weeks.

Kecipir, in Gado Gado

GJ asked Sarinah to cook Gado Gado this week...mmm yummy!

On the platter there was a strange green vegetable that I had never seen before. It is called Kecipir and was grown in our garden!

It is similar to a green bean and was delicious.

I have this great book called A Jakarta Market by Kaarin Wall; it is available at AWA as well as ANZA. This book has black and white sketches of common Indonesian fruits and vegetables as well as a short description. The book has the local name as well as overseas names which makes it easy for Sarinah and I to swap recipes as well as write out the shopping list.

Chocolate fountain ............Chocolate volcano!

The kids were delighted the other night when the chocolate fountain exploded like a chocolate volcano.....
Someone let their skewer fall in and it got sucked into mechanics, the fountain was not impressed and went off.

Chocolate flew
EVERYWHERE
(except the curtains thank goodness!).

Ben caught most of it on his spider man outfit. It was just pure luck that I had the camera out as it erupted LOL

You can actually see the chocolate flying in the first shot.

The kids all want to know when we can do it again!

Thank goodness I had Samino here to help clean up the huge mess........

GJ did it

GJ managed to get all the pictures up, they look wonderful.
I couldn't get the angle right with the camera to show a true perspective, front on they do all look level and uniform.

At our home in Australia we were anal about arranging our collage of photos. The top edge of all frames , irrespective of size. were all exactly level as were the bottom row. Here we decided to be a little more relaxed.
We just picked a frame from the pile and hung it.
This was quiet a big job as all the walls in our Jakarta home are solid brick. GJ has to screw through the masonry and then insert a plug and a screw.

This room is the kids play room and is at the end of the lounge room downstairs.
I can sit on my lounge view my beautiful Indonesian batiks and through the door way see my wonderful photos.

There is honestly no more wall space to decorate downstairs.

It is like living in my own personal art gallery.

There is a much nicer view that shows it all, I just have to take the photo.
I will and I will post it!

GJ has a few things to do this weekend.......

GJ is going to be a bit busy this weekend.....
I collected all the photos I have taken over the last few months and had them framed.
The frames aren't too bad considering I went into the framers and asked for the cheapest molding they had.
Framing is definitely much cheaper here than in Australia.
There will be absolutely no wall space left downstairs after all these are up......

A review of The kite runner, a novel by Khaled Hosseini.

I was going to write a review of this novel which I have finally gotten around to reading.


Then I read this review and can not........


Wow..I did not know it was about the book at first.

I am pretty sure that the main character was not too popular with this reviewer.

Chillies by Nikon DX40

I am just loving my new Nikon.
Even GJ is getting into it.
I was always the one who took all the photos, now I have to ask for the camera while we are touring.

I would really recommend this camera. I do want the 18-200 mm lens though, it would be so much more versatile (I don't like changing lens while out, I am paranoid about dirt and damage).
Maybe for next Christmas.

Culture Shock! Jakarta: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Highly recommended reading!

If you are thinking of coming to Jakarta read this!

I have been waiting for this book to come out for a few months!

It has finally arrived in Jakarta.

I picked up a copy in Singapore in late October and devoured the book in a day, I wish it was available when we first arrived in Jakarta.

This book is a very comprehensive guide to life in Jakarta, it should be compulsory for all new expatriates as it makes life so much easier when you understand whats going on around you. Even after living here for nearly 12 months I learnt a lot.

The book was originally authored by Derek Bacon nearly 10 years ago and has just been thoroughly revised and updated by a renown Jakarta Blogger, Jakartass.

Some of the topics covered:-

• First impressions
• History, Geography and Politics
• Fitting into society
• Settling in
• Food and entertainment
• Culture and travel
• Communicating in Jakarta
  
• Doing business
• Fast facts

My copy of the book is up to the third person on the loan list, hopefully I will get it back soon as it is now available in bookshops in Jakarta.
It is also readily available from Amazon.

I was very impressed with this book and hope you will be too.

Sri’s Spectacular Salmon curry, Indonesian

Oh my goodness......you are going to love this!!!!!

My friend T has a wonderful housekeeper that loves to cook. We have now had this delicious dinner twice, and even the kids liked it. I have been asking Sri for the recipe for ages and have finally got it and translated it and then had it checked by Sri.
The photos are not good or artistic at all, as soon as it was on the table all of us were into it...it is that good!

Sri’s Spectacular Salmon curry

3 red chilies(size depending on how hot you want it)
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons pepper corns
2 pieces of ginger (size of a little finger tip)
2 pieces lemon grass
2 pieces turmeric (size of a little finger tip)

Grind all above ingredients together to make a paste

2 bay leaves
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 can coconut cream
400g salmon steaks.
Oil to cook with.

Cut salmon into 2 cm squares
Heat oil in wok until hot and cook paste until smells good.
Add lime leaf, lemon grass, and coconut cream (can add I/2 cup of water if too thick).
When bubbling/boiling add salmon and fresh basil. Cook until just done (approx 2 min). Too long and salmon will crumble.


Please let me know how good it is if you try it...

A naughty little angel face.......

I am a little Angel

But if you think for one second that I will play nice you are soooo wrong!

This is Ben sitting on the girls pulling their hair


200+ photos and nothing.........

I need GJ to help and a huge bag of treats for bribery......


Ben will be 4 in four days......

Pumpkins are not root vegetables, nor are they growing here.

Remember back here when I joyfully announced that we were going to be inundated with delicious butternut pumpkins.......

I got it wrong......lol

I kept looking out the window, drooling at the thought of baked pumpkin and creamy soup....
Now I can walk...well hobble.....I went to investigate......
Samino kept nodding when I remark on how good the "pumpkins" look.

Samino doesn't speak much English....

Sarinah finally let me now why the pumpkins aren't fat.....they are not pumpkins!!!!!!

Apparently the pumpkin died ages ago and Samino planted loofahs instead !

Loofahs are great , buy you can't eat them !

The rest of the shots are of the land next door which we cleared. All the plants are growing, the rains should start soon which will give everything a big boost as well.

Nikon D40X, 18-55 +55-200 lens

The girls and I had another practice session with the new camera.
I love the results.
I always like to do a practice run to see what background works best as well as to see how light is working.
Now I need Ben awake and in the mood to cooperate!

Nikon D40x verses Canon Rebel XTi DSLR

I have decided to get a new camera.....
I had at least 4 SLR's at home in Australia which I never used as they were film styles.
My Nikon f301 in particular was magnificent and I had some great lenses. But the lens were manual focus and besides who wants to shoot in film any more.

Its all about digital.

It is very funny that I should say this as digital is the reason that GJ and I don't work for Kodak any more......The Film Superstar company is now a washed up has been........You can read my post about it here

I also had 4 digital cameras before we left...we are down to three now.
My latest is not bad, a Casio Exilim EXZ60. The size is EXCELLENT as it fits in my handbag and I take it everywhere, but the quality is not as good as my Kodak DC 6490 (older version of this). The Kodak camera has a Schneider quality glass lens.....and 19yrs @ Kodak taught me that it is all about the lens. The lens gives you the clarity and colour. Cheap glass is like looking through grimy windows, you just can't see clearly.

Now that we are living in one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world I think I need a bit of an upgrade.

I have only got two in mine, unless someone else can suggest an alternative.

Nikon Dx40 probably upgrading to the 18-200mm lens....from experience I don't change lens.

Canon Eos 400/Rebel XTi


I started this post yesterday, and have spent lots of time researching and looking for links and am pretty sure that I have decided on the Nikon D40X with the standard kit of 18-55mm + 55-200mm, with an option to upgrade to the 18-200 at a later date.

The Nikon used a SD card, which I prefer over a compact flash card. My laptop only has a sd port, and this is an advantage when traveling.

I used Canon cameras many years ago when I shot studio portraits (before digital and even auto focus lenses had been invented) and used Nikon for outside work; I like the feel of Canons but the results of Nikon's. I have been outside the industry for too long and have not kept up with the technology; so I need some help.....I also don't take photos like a photographer any more, I take photos like a mom with a good eye...LOL
Please fell free to leave a comment or drop me an email with your opinions.




Edit: I got it...Its GREAT, FANTASTIC. I went with the Nikon twin lens kit. First photos here. When the first shoot is done I will link here as well

Bored...bored and even more bored, week 3 with a broken foot

I am officially sick of being house bound.
I want to go back to work.
I want to go shopping...even a supermarket would be great.
I want to use the stairs on my feet, not bottom.

Things I have watched to relieve the boredom

The Note book, why did I wait so long. A wonderful movie.

Georgia Rules, I picked this up for Georgia last month. She gave it back to me saying it wasn't suitable after five minutes.

Whoa...she was right.

It was highlighted as being from the makers of the princess diaries...which was a LOVELY movie. I enjoyed this movie, but is not a kids movie at all.

All the movies we purchase here have a R rating, even Thomas the Tank Engine, so I tend to go by the words etc on the cover. I am going to have to be a bit more careful.

Waiting to be watched:- it would take far to long to list, so some highlights

Half of latest season of

• House
• Grey's anatomy
• Brothers and sisters
• Dirt
• Ugly Betty
• Supernatural
  
• All of Micheal Moore's movies
• Borat

I can't even think of the rest of them...a DVD costs under a dollar here...so I have plenty.
I just can't sit/lie still enough to watch them.

Georgie....in Jakarta

I have had hardly any photos of Georgie lately...so I cornered her by the window and got a few....
None of these have captured the real Georgie..........I will keep on trying until I get the ONE.