tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-155086542011-08-08T16:53:48.138+10:00......everyone's welcome in the Ladies Lounge, even gentlemen.Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-69717391632782768072007-07-02T11:26:00.000+10:002007-07-02T11:29:13.414+10:00

I've got a new blog. Pass it on.I'll email the link to anyone who sent me their address when I shut down here earlier this year, but if you don't receive that message and you want to know where I am now, email ladies_lounge@optusnet.com.auSee you there.mtcBec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-2403731398295362972007-06-15T18:52:00.000+10:002007-06-15T18:55:05.245+10:00

As my Pea Princess said to me from behind the front door tonight...Scared the bejaysus out of me.maybe mtc -Bec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-31280040241267391602007-02-26T20:56:00.000+11:002007-02-26T22:55:01.070+11:00

Yes. Time to go.I had thought I would finish up on the 12 month mark for the Ladies Lounge but I trust my feelings and it is time to go.It’s been wonderful playing around here in the blogosphere and I can’t be sure I won’t return in some way in the future, but I’m calling a halt for now.There are a number of reasons.The most tedious, although certainly not the most important, is a benign stalker.

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-18039959062582268382007-02-21T21:11:00.000+11:002007-02-21T22:17:04.975+11:00

Sometime very soon this blog will get its 10,000th visitor. That's going by my most conservative sitemeter (I have quite a collection if you've ever adventured waaaaaaaaaay down to the bottom of the screen here)... other jazzier and possibly virus-bearing sitemeters set that target way earlier.But I trust the old conservative one. It reminds me of me.Wonder who number 10,000 will be?A friendly

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-80983901525915948822007-02-19T06:39:00.000+11:002007-02-19T23:10:59.525+11:00

I've always admired in others the ability to run.(No, that's not a weird thing, we're getting to that, enjoy the ride). (Ok, maybe it will turn out to be a weird thing but I don't know yet - I haven't written that part).Not to run like the wind, not to win races, but to be at least competitive and not trail along at the end like an idiot who's lost his village.I was not (can you tell?) a runner

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1338134222509688242007-02-18T21:20:00.000+11:002007-02-18T22:38:08.904+11:00

Two weekends ago we had a 'finisher' weekend. You know the kind? We'd had a number of projects on the go, for several weeks, and The.Time.Had.Come.So on Saturday I dug out and replanted a large triangular garden bed while the Prof and the Gorgeous Boy finished this:Being the first stage in our grand plan to Destroy the Neighbours via Greenery.These trees are Flowering Ash, for the horticulturally

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-34709948973494449662007-02-14T22:55:00.000+11:002007-02-14T22:55:36.223+11:00

White or black?Sugar? How many?Personally I'm a skim milk and none kind of girl.But I like a LOT of coffee with that skim.How about you?Enjoy this cuppa while I think about the next post. My mate Tony recently gave me a lot to think about, with the writing and such. And now I'm thinking, but not really writing.I don't expect that to make sense to anyone else.That's why I'm serving coffee.mtcBec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-51695327065696079642007-02-11T21:22:00.000+11:002007-02-11T23:09:09.777+11:00

You know, I'm not so good on actual recipes. You need to see Joke or Kim for that, because they are very good at it indeed.I'm more of a technique gal. I know enough to know what works, and usually have that sort of channelly feeling in my head when trying something new: sort of an internal humming that says "yes, sumac," or "the powdered oregano, not the fresh, you moron" (yes, my inner

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-75267237700268328972007-02-09T20:51:00.000+11:002007-02-09T23:40:45.148+11:00

There are enough bookish people who visit here that I can say this without feeling weird.I cannot find my Morte d'Arthur and it is making me twitch.It's not a special edition, and I imagine it would be easily replaced, but when I went to look for it to check the quote that was stuck in my head for this post (see title) I. Couldn't. Find. It.Not anywhere.Twitching. No, seriously: twitching now.So,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-80731550190974560292007-02-07T22:16:00.000+11:002007-02-07T22:37:44.639+11:00

There have, as some of you have pointed out to me, been many days since my last post.So what have I been up to, one wonders?Well, as mothers of small children everywhere do, I have been looking at shapes.And since pictures say - well - more than a lot of words, here are some of the shapes I looked at on a day recently in one of Sydney's oldest bits, lovingly known by us lucky Sydneysiders as "The

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1169327128567210492007-01-22T23:03:00.000+11:002007-01-23T12:36:01.890+11:00

She of the sparkling wit and flashing feet.Very appropriately, since she had such a hand in this week's RSM.If anyone felt genuinely tortured by the riddle back there, the odd one out was indeed Hugh Laurie by virtue of his uprightliness.As promised, a small and colourful prize will be winging its way to Stomperland tomorrow. I leave it to the lovely Carolyn whether she wishes to share with the

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1169290721896026982007-01-20T18:44:00.000+11:002007-02-11T22:58:32.647+11:00

Ah, another weekend, another Root Shoot Marry. And, since I'm still on holidays and can't think too hard without bleeding slightly through the ears, I'm very grateful for the inspiration for this week's boys AND girls.Yes, folks, you can all thank Stomper for this one. And all those other lusty lasses who pined for Hugh Grant in last week's Fops session for RSM.This week you have three Hughs and

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1169036589419420222007-01-17T22:21:00.000+11:002007-01-18T00:38:16.646+11:00

First take your lamb leg. This one is about 2kg. We'll call it dinner, shall we?Remove from your mind all memories of Hannibal Lecter.Make sure your knife is very sharp.Stick it in at the top of the leg around the boniest part and make a nice long cut down the length of the bone.With your very sharp knife, slide the blade along the bone carefully to gradually open up the leg with as much meat

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1168867869000856862007-01-15T23:57:00.000+11:002007-01-16T00:42:30.790+11:00

The Pea Princess made a special garden. Plants purchased with pocket money. Soil lugged from back of house to front by bucket. Decorated (although they're under mud in this shot) with gigantic oyster shells from the beach.*******************************************Did anyone else other than Stomper Girl notice what Velcro let slip in her latest Root Shoot Marry entry via comments? You should go

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1168686801589917532007-01-13T21:29:00.000+11:002007-01-14T07:24:15.110+11:00

Oh.Be.Still.My.Almost.Officially.Middle-Aged.Heart.These two are simply too pretty to have only one showing this week.So, themewise, you're stuck with it this sunny Sydney Saturday (ok, the weather was shitty here most of the day but the alliteration is irresistible).You can blame half of it on Jane Henry, (Comment:Actually I think Jeremy has aged better then Anthony... AND I would definitely

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1168576715084746222007-01-12T14:33:00.000+11:002007-01-12T15:38:35.153+11:00

I have a confession.Remember my slow-down resolution back here?I fucked up.At the start of this week I gave the verandah, stairs, outdoor table and some of the chairs a double dose of decking oil*; baked bread - twice; sewed a new dress for the Pea Princess to match the one I made for her little sister last week** and to add to the curtains, pillow, other dress and nightgown I sewed for PP over

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1168340777600925302007-01-09T21:49:00.000+11:002007-01-09T22:11:10.660+11:00

I cannot help but love this:I know.It's so wrong.But I can't help it.Anyone else with a soft spot for Sebastion and his teddy?mtcBecps - playing on the Ovation Channel. Heaven in non-ratings season.pps - oh crap, last edit, I promise for those with bloglines: it's Brideshead Revisited in case the pic doesn't do it for you - Evelyn Waugh's second best book (after Scoop).

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1168035843244521992007-01-06T06:42:00.000+11:002007-01-06T10:02:10.766+11:00

If there were any advantages in growing up in this town:it was that the limited resources, opportunities and aspirations of its occupants meant that some traditions were maintained for longer than in other, bigger communities.I've tried to write that as positively as I can.Those of you who have been reading since Glamorouse days might remember that my real feelings are more along these lines...[

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1167914782864261692007-01-04T22:56:00.000+11:002007-01-04T23:46:23.186+11:00

I know, I know: it's been a while.I'm back in the blogosphere, I think. And yes, I'm even tut-tutting myself.But I've been having a lot of fun back here in the real world.Work got quiet, as expected. And now I'm on holidays for The Entire Month of January. But there will be more on that later.Right now I have to fill in some of the gaps since December 16...So, we have been doing a LOT of

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1166212612313136372006-12-16T06:21:00.000+11:002006-12-16T07:30:43.296+11:00

fish pond rocksThe rocks from our little fish pond. There is a constant and amiable battle waged between me and the kids to keep the rocks in the pond. As you can guess from the water-less state of the above photo, I usually lose.************************************************Back here I mentioned there were two beyond-busy seasons for me at work?Observant types may have guessed we're in the

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1165752902821841822006-12-10T20:41:00.000+11:002006-12-10T23:15:03.286+11:00

Out of the nightWhen the full moon is bright,Comes a horseman known as Zorro.This bold renegadeCarves a 'Z' with his bladeA 'Z' that stands for ZorroZorro --The Fox so cunning and freeZorro --Who makes the sign of the 'Z'Party was great, thanks for asking, but what wouldn't I give to have superpowers?Not technically a superhero, I know, but with Zorro's sword I could have sliced carrots and

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1165581279396547312006-12-08T23:10:00.000+11:002006-12-08T23:34:39.613+11:00

Yes, this week's Root Shoot Marry will appear on Sunday: not just any Sunday, this will be a SUPER Sunday.I've had this RSM in mind for a while and want to do it justice, so you're going to have to wait till the most underprepared party SINCE TIME BEGAN is over. Please bear with me.This groovy fellow is the party's mascot. Isn't he jolly?*********************************Blogger just offered me

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1165402007258541992006-12-06T21:34:00.000+11:002006-12-06T22:52:24.476+11:00

Oh dear.Well, at least I know where I went wrong.It wasn't the recipe, which came from my grandmother, from her mother, and possibly unto the middle ages by the look of this piece of paper.It did have its challenges.And its moments of fun...Translation: "Sprinkle extra brandy or sherry over cake while hot - keeps moist. (Also an excuse to have an extra nip!!!) "So the fruit was found and the soak

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1165269250666345082006-12-05T08:47:00.000+11:002006-12-05T08:54:10.706+11:00

Things in my blogger drafts file: Christmas tree pics, the hall shoe trail, an Australian version (under construction) of a Christmas meme.Things in my fridge: lamb mince waiting to be pre-made koftas for Saturday's party, drunken fruit and nuts waiting to be Christmas cake for same party, bottles of cleanskin chardonnay waiting to be drunk.Things by my bed: Temeraire, Cloud Atlas, a pile of

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1164978514822595882006-12-01T23:03:00.000+11:002006-12-02T06:38:12.706+11:00

You know what?I told you it wouldn't be pretty this week.And it's not.(Cue: thunderbolt, wild organ music)Mwah ha hah!!(Cue: lightning crashes)You've all had it too easy for too long. Time to face the music (more wild organ chords) and meet this week's villains.Darth Vader. You might want to think of him as Liam Neeson Ewan McGregor ummm Hayden Christiansen (see combox for edits). I can only say:

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1164626481388202722006-11-27T22:03:00.000+11:002006-11-28T17:49:14.920+11:00

I just don't have much to say.I could do a meme.Nah.I could post another in the continuing series of Sydney by cameraphone.Nah.I know!I'll give you a hilarious account of recent hits on my blog via crude and bizarre search engine terms caught by my sitemeter!Cos, like, I bet no one's ever thought of that to fill blog space before...*You will not be surprised to know that The Ladies Lounge gets

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1164323371812608182006-11-24T10:08:00.000+11:002006-11-24T22:08:00.820+11:00

Have you ever wanted land? Lots of land? Under starry skies above?How about a ride to the ridge where the west commences, where you can gaze at the moon until you lose your senses? If you can't look at hobbles and you can't stand fences*, you're in the right place to play Root Shoot Marry #15 - a game where even cowgirls with the blues can get a little steamy under the stetson.Yippee-yi-yo-ky-yay

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1164167714808964742006-11-22T14:19:00.000+11:002006-11-22T14:55:15.156+11:00

Got your attention?I'll tell you straight up, this isn't about Johnny DeppBut that was a fabulous excuse to go find a picture of him...************It has been mentioned once or twice here and in Glamorouse that I spent a year in South Africa as an exchange student.When I first found out that was where I was going I admit I was a bit disappointed. It seemed too similar to Australia and I had

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1164106145760016702006-11-21T21:37:00.000+11:002006-11-21T21:49:05.910+11:00

My favourite window in Sydney.A little menswear shop next to the Wentworth Hotel on - is it Phillip Street at that point? Opposite Chifley Plaza.No idea what the shop's called.Look closely - can you see what they use on the shelves?Is it not beautiful?Do you not love those socks? Even though they would be completely hideous against any other non-striped background?I should go for an analogy

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163934280855930002006-11-20T21:41:00.000+11:002006-11-20T21:21:00.016+11:00

And so it was that Another Nutter came into town, almost from the city limits...It's so odd.There's an empty chair.And then it's not.And no matter how many emails and phone calls you make, you still don't know what to expect.Instead, suddenly, the chair is chocka-block full of ideas and reasoning and jeepers creepers...Did we tell anyone yet that it turns out we lived in adjacent country towns

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163807588256735202006-11-18T10:43:00.000+11:002006-11-18T23:11:48.780+11:00

There is an excellent reason for the late appearance of this week's Root Shoot Marry. My Friday night was spent elsewhere. With someone you know in a bloggerly way, but, unlike me, have never met... And unless she blogs it first, you won't know more until Sunday: stay tuned or scout around the blogroll, maybe she'll publish first? I, however, have the photos! (Updated to add - she's blogged it!)

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163619222910496702006-11-16T06:17:00.000+11:002006-11-16T06:33:42.933+11:00

Remember I mentioned it was this time of year for me?Two days left to go.I bring you this picture, the latest in an occasional series from my camera phone.It's the path through the park just before I get to my house when I walk from the station.I like it today because, if you look closely there appears to be a light at the end of the road...Only two more days.I remember when the twins were babies

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163505144672459992006-11-14T22:38:00.000+11:002006-11-14T22:52:24.690+11:00

Next to my bed.My favourite photos (some of).My laptop.My phones (can you spot the second one? Hint: photo two)The stack of books was too blurry to publish - but trust me, it's there.Inspired by babelbabe's stones.mtcBec 

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163420355033241332006-11-13T23:02:00.000+11:002006-11-13T23:23:58.733+11:00

Recognise this?If not, you've never seen The Matrix.Sorry I couldn't find a lady in red. Grey will have to do.And this? You might not know.It's the interior of the Martin Place Commonwealth Bank.Is it not glorious?And the Old GPO (General Post Office)It has the most incredible facade, including what appears to be about seven different faces of Queen Victoria from girl to old woman.But does anyone

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163327929741040752006-11-12T21:08:00.000+11:002006-11-12T21:40:03.466+11:00

How do I tell the kids they're about to lose a beloved aunty to my equally beloved brother's separation?I don't have to do it yet.But the decision is final, so the telling will have to come some time.And I'd really like some ideas of how to go about it, other than: "It doesn't mean she doesn't love all of you very much".You know, and I know, that no matter how much she loves them, she's very

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1163155376662189852006-11-10T21:21:00.000+11:002006-11-11T07:47:53.423+11:00

Would you do anything for love?Have you ever gone like a bat out of hell?Do you think two out of three ain't bad?(And would you - O! On a hot summer's night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?)I bet you say that to all the blogs.Got it yet?Meatloaf, ladies and gents, is our first victim in this week's Root Shoot and Marry - or Shag Shoot Marry - or Cliff Shag Marry - and

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1162898762639889002006-11-09T15:55:00.000+11:002006-11-09T16:01:37.943+11:00

Back in April we had a family holiday.You can scroll down and get straight to the good bits or dawdle and read my whinge first.I had a great time taking pics and when I came back Blogger rejected the whole bloody lot.No reason.Just Blogger bastardry.Suse kept saying 'Get Ye To Flickr' and I couldn't make that work for an extra-specially-long time.Then she explained it to me again. And finally I

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1162813099605006022006-11-06T22:22:00.000+11:002006-11-06T22:38:19.636+11:00

First they took away Desperate Housewives.Then they took away Grey's Anatomy.So I cast my net wide.I considered alternate pay tv plans.THERE WAS STILL ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ON MONDAY NIGHT.NOT EVEN IF I UPGRADED US TO PLATINUM.I mean, come on! Monday night is my night. Ever since the days of Buffy and Angel, there has ALWAYS been something on Monday night. Even if it meant staying up to

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1162695239469167752006-11-05T13:04:00.000+11:002006-11-05T15:55:27.493+11:00

As tagged by Suse.Completed as a break from a cooking marathon in which I have made about a square metre of lasagne,baked a lemon and fennel pork shoulder roastand - because the oven was on - an organic chook that called to me from the shop yesterday... Also pre-made broccoli and cauliflower au gratin, up to browning stage, and par boiled the spuds ready to go into the roasting tray. Oh, and

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1162555360859968472006-11-03T22:39:00.001+11:002006-11-03T23:24:09.046+11:00

"Unfortunately for the 6'3 macho man, he will probably be most remembered for being hit in the face by a 15 lb goose, while riding a roller coaster during a publicity appearance."Quick! Hands up if you can Name This Man!Ok, I can't actually see you so there won't be a prize, but I tell you what: if you get the answer without scrolling down to the pictures you can give yourself a prize, ok?

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1162206855355920122006-11-01T07:30:00.000+11:002006-11-01T07:42:25.196+11:00

People talk a lot about the Balancing Act. It seems to be the defining phrase for life in the Western world in this part of the century.And sometimes as I’m falling, flying, tumbling in turmoil, I say “Oh, so this is what she means.” Paul Simon, Graceland.I often think about writing about my work and family: I have three kids under eight, I have a full time job and a partner who works full time

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1161959937364590912006-10-27T23:29:00.000+10:002006-10-28T00:53:07.516+10:00

Dudes.I love and hate this time of year.There is something about being part of a hard-working group of people, with common cause and common drive, with a sense of greater good, with care and consideration and wit and intelligence; it simply makes you feel more alive.I love this job more than I have ever loved doing anything in the world of work.But fuck you feel dead at the end of this part of

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1161144337003382902006-10-18T13:38:00.000+10:002006-10-18T14:08:59.546+10:00

Wow. I don't know how long this will last but so far Bitacle.org's mindless machines are busily uploading all my old posts under their republished "STOLEN BY BITACLE" headers.Here's what's happening:the STOLEN BY BITACLE posts are now linking directly back to my real blog. I'm not sure if that will last but I don't object to it at present.The older links for posts that I have now republished show

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1161141804083729502006-10-18T13:16:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:23:24.086+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLE Get the idea?My entire blog now appears in weird formats under awful banner and sidebar ads on Bitacle.org. I don't mind advertising the bastards this way because I have faith that some rich American lawyer will decide to take them on sooner rather than later and they will, I hope, crash and burn.In the meantime I am gradually adding the above line to all past posts - it may

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1161075272153938932006-10-17T18:54:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:12:06.626+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLEKim tagged me a, well, a while ago now. But finally, finally I am doing her meme; you might too, if you feel like it.Here goes ...Target or Kmart?I’m bucking the trend here and going Kmart. Target stores always seem to be dirty. Ditto Big W. Kmart may not have the best range but at least the staff seem to make an effort to pick things up off the floor.Beef burger or chicken

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160911341283560292006-10-15T21:22:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:11:07.296+10:00

STOLEN by BitacleWhat a day.I did a big one of theseBut without so many suits in the background. Who ARE all those people?And, of course, since Truman last stepped on the White House lawn there have been a few advances in technology, so mine looked more like thisWe got all state and national TV crews, and the two daily metro newspapers, and all Sydney radio, and it went off like a frog in a sock

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160739283092117582006-10-13T20:48:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:13:21.370+10:00

If you are reading this on Bitacle you are reading STOLEN CONTENT from my blog.... and we're, gonna get ma-a-ahried.Ah yes, Root, Shoot, Marry number 10 and why do I have wedding bells in mind?Well here in Australia it is Spring, the season of nuptials and all such frolic. Unless you happen to suffer hayfever, in which case I imagine Spring is the season of snot. Fortunately, the Ladies Lounge

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160600997719909962006-10-12T07:03:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:13:40.050+10:00

First Guide Camp Originally uploaded by ladieslounge.For the record, the Pea Princess had her first real Girl Guide camp recently. There was much to be organised.Long lists, with a very sensible check box to show that each item marked as packed to go was also marked as packed to take home.We were puzzled by the shower cap requirement. Can you even buy shower caps any more? The PP was greatly

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160549454059854772006-10-11T16:45:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:14:16.926+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLE I must be feeling better - I went virtual shopping and bought (free!) a virtual new blog dress from Zoot Designs. Now I'm a bit nervous about how different it looks and whether I have overstepped my very rudimentary blog template tweaking skills.Do you like it? I'm still tweaking and suggestions are welcome. And thanks for all your kind thoughts about the Gorgeous Boy's Scarlet

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160484553420410972006-10-10T22:27:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:14:42.400+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLEAmazing to me to realise Scarlet Fever was still around. I thought the doctor was joking. But doctors never joke around small boys on IV fluids, so I should have realised straight away she was serious.So we spent the rest of the weekend in hospital, where the Gorgeous Boy - once diagnosed - was put onto penicillin toot-sweet. If only it had been around for all those other little

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1160197071349738262006-10-07T14:14:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:15:10.550+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLE Some great suggestions from My Float, Nutmeg and Meggie about Where Are They Now theme (although, Nutmeg, I may need a little help striking the proper 'tone' for a groupie approach to taking on all the members of Duran Duran - let's work on it) and trust me, they will emerge in games of the future.Today, thanks to the Gorgeous Boy contracting some vile vomit/fever/rash virus

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158817479766409922006-10-04T23:49:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:27:04.916+10:00

BITACLE STOLE THIS BLOG - NEXT IT MIGHT STEAL YOUR BABYThe House of the Ladies Lounge has some very strict rules about animal behaviour.The rules are simple but tough. You might even say, black and white.For example, one rule is that it's okay to hang out under a table - as long as there's no food around.But never ON a table.Oh, no, no, no.But some of us think rules suck.Some of us say, "Listen,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159881637670144852006-10-03T22:40:00.000+10:002006-10-18T13:29:14.726+10:00

BITACLE HAS STOLEN THIS BLOG - NEXT IT WILL STEAL YOUR HARD DRIVEIt's been a little while, but it's time for a meme.(because crap yes I am tired and why on EARTH are my kids taking turns to wake up at somewhere between 10 minutes to and 10 minutes past FOUR A.M. for the past WEEK - oh, and yes, that secondment to VERY Busy and Important that I referred to HERE, well it happened and they've also

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159749473658892742006-10-02T10:33:00.000+10:002006-10-18T14:19:26.516+10:00

STOLEN BY BITACLE - THE CRETINSJoke posted this a while ago. I'll wait here while you go read it because nothing else will make sense until you do.Are you back?Excellent.Now you know why I am showing you pictures of Shredded Cuban Granny Pants. Which, when I read Joke's post for the 17th time to check ingredients and technique, I realised was actually an Italian grandmother version of a Cuban

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159608682205458742006-09-30T19:26:00.000+10:002006-09-30T19:36:09.030+10:00

See below for the main game of Root Shoot Marry #8 - I tried adding the girl pictures into that post and almost lost the lot so here are the ladies for anyone who wants to give them a try too, this week.Carly SimonMarianne Faithful (is that spelled correctly?)Frida from Abba - sans the satin hotpants, sorry about that.Remember - this is a moment in time theme, so you take them just as they are

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159530884205651092006-09-29T21:21:00.000+10:002006-09-29T21:54:44.216+10:00

Choice is the very essence of Root, Shoot, Marry. You have to choose: sometimes the best of a bad lot, sometimes the worst of a good lot, either way, you have to choose.But something interesting I've noticed about participants in Root, Shoot, Marry, is a tendency to make choices within their choices: "Oooh, yes, I'll root him - but only if he's the way he looked on the poster I had in high

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159393507774422362006-09-28T07:29:00.000+10:002006-09-28T07:56:03.013+10:00

Meet The Punisher. A gift to the Gorgeous Boy for his fourth birthday from the sweetest great-aunt in Australia.The Punisher is a tough guy. Just look at that face. He can fight Spiderman, you know.But where's his gun? It said on the package he had a gun that fires real bullets.Could it be hiding behind the skull?We looked and looked.And finally we found it.Here.How handy.mtcBec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158807383561923452006-09-26T17:40:00.000+10:002006-09-26T18:17:45.656+10:00

Cute enough to make your teeth ache, right?Even cuter now!A little sugar-fix for all those mothers-of-boys out there!For the posterity's sake, and to fully explain the title of this post, I have to record that throughout the taking of these photos the Sparkle Twin was singing a little ditty of her own devising that went something like this: Tushie, tushie, bum, butt butt Tushie, tushie, butt,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1159079040932401132006-09-24T16:22:00.000+10:002006-09-24T17:22:37.540+10:00

It's Sunday morning, and you're going down, Dad.The old man should know better than to mess with a boy in Spiderman pyjamas.I think that's what the dog was trying to tell him.************I don't do asterisk posts. I wonder why? But I'm doing one today.************The Pea Princess went to her first Guide Camp this weekend and - despite a major fit of nerves as she drove away with her dad, and only

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158928956369420302006-09-22T21:07:00.000+10:002006-09-22T22:42:36.430+10:00

Right you lot. Time to get personal. No hunting down 007s or ogling the drugged out gazes of people who are too drunk to fuck, too rich to care.(and by the way, nicely diverse work on the mugshots dudes, even Nick Nolte scored a pity bonk.)This week, we're playing the same only different. Intimate, even. But rest assured, it's still within the rules of Root, Shoot, Marry as we're not being

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158823502107550412006-09-21T16:23:00.000+10:002006-09-21T18:22:01.110+10:00

What does it say to you when you get tagged for a meme that even the tagger found dull to complete?Hmm. Well I'm not complaining too bitterly because I was tagged by chance in a sneaky Joke-y way that I intend to repeat at the bottom of this post so I'm not telling you what it was. Yet.But, while I'll conform enough to comply with a tag, I refuse to follow the meme game so closely that I become

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158745033625280332006-09-20T18:49:00.000+10:002006-09-21T12:59:05.976+10:00

I have a confessionI've been keeping a secret, a special bloggy secret with a special bloggy name: MIRL.Yes. I had a Meeting In Real Life with the lovely Pea Soup in Sydney Airport last Friday night.Who knew there were good things about being close to the flight path? Here's the main one: when an un-met friend emails you on the off-chance that you live close enough to the airport to meet her

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158653930191655242006-09-19T17:56:00.000+10:002006-09-19T18:20:05.683+10:00

Readers of the Ladies Lounge have not heard so much about the Pea Princess lately. Those who travelled here via Glamorouse may remember some snippets, like, for instance, the reason she is known so aptly as the Pea Princess (in real life and long before Blogland).The eldest child, she comes with a manual. It's a large manual and requires constant and sometimes surprising updates. The best way to

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158620881982059002006-09-19T09:04:00.000+10:002006-09-19T09:08:01.990+10:00

Pre-school recently sent home the annual note for school photos. It seemed a bit more expensive than usual, but hey, what can you do? So we signed up and I expected the usual badly painted disney background and fake smiles.I guess you get what you pay for.For the record, are these not the coolest official pre-school photos ever? mtcbec 

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158366580455742372006-09-16T10:29:00.000+10:002006-09-16T10:36:18.206+10:00

Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do? Watcha gonna do when they come for you? Oops, they already did, didn't they Hugh, Robert and James? This is the post I couldn't quite get together two weeks ago after the four galloping schooners* with Tony, who is now safely (one hopes) ensconced with Mrs P in one of their hideaways in South Africa or Zimbabwe and no doubt swatting away elephants and

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158155649975852652006-09-13T23:02:00.000+10:002006-09-14T00:11:28.193+10:00

Dear Journalism Student,I love your enthusiasm and your interest in my agency's work. I am so glad you came to me - little old uneducated me of all people! - to help you with your assignment: "Write a News Article About Something That Interests You".I want to help you. Really, I do. But there are one or two tiny teeny little things you could do to make this arrangement between us just a tad

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1158065241029584972006-09-12T22:39:00.000+10:002006-09-12T22:47:21.036+10:00

Yes, I'm on blogstrike.No, I don't know if I'll get over it this time.Maybe, you'll get to play Root Shoot Marry this Friday. Can't be sure.Could I? Continue being a complete cow to the world? Very likely.Do you? Want to read the Other Post in my Draft Box about being on Blogstrike? Almost certainly not. Vile, evil stuff for the most part.In the meantime, please enjoy the above test pattern,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1157358508584009702006-09-04T18:09:00.000+10:002006-09-04T18:35:59.310+10:00

Ah, the Ladies Lounge. A quiet corner of an otherwise rowdy public house. A comfortable, tasteful room for ladies of refinement, and perhaps their gentlemen friends. In the Ladies Lounge, they can relax and enjoy a cup of Earl Grey tea and a generous slice of Carrot, Pineapple, Coconut and Walnut Cake, perhaps even eating a second slice before calling for the vodka shooters and getting legless

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1157285314541526582006-09-03T21:42:00.000+10:002006-09-03T22:08:34.546+10:00

So, yes, spring is sprung and while we're still making plans for the back gardens the front yard is taking a very cottage-y shape.The azaleas I thought were so hideous when we moved in have shown their true colours (bottom left) - but I don't know if I can live with 11 months of ugliness just to enjoy this spectacle once a year!We've gone large on daisies of all kinds: lovely, happy,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1157262747986982302006-09-03T15:46:00.000+10:002006-09-03T15:52:29.803+10:00

Breathe easy, internets, my Blogger/photo bitching is over. Being, in truth, a Bear of Very Little Brain, I realised last night that my pic problems stemmed back to the loss of Old Laptop and the use of New Laptop. Biggest difference? I hadn't loaded Picasa onto New Laptop. While all the other suggestions to fix the problem - from Firefox to Flickr to some really complicated ftp thing that a

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1157117771286642302006-09-01T21:29:00.000+10:002006-09-01T23:50:15.246+10:00

Tony, who has appeared in despatches here several times, is about to swan off once again to Africa to spend some quality time with his wife, his camera, and his next novel.While partaking of four galloping schooners of VB with Tony in a rl Ladies Lounge on Thursday night, we cooked up a truly brilliant theme for Root, Shoot, Marry this week. Sadly, the execution has proved more difficult in

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1156943205248824792006-08-30T21:53:00.000+10:002006-08-30T23:39:03.480+10:00

I thought I'd get away early from work tonight. But instead I ended up here.Have you ever walked in an underground railway tunnel?Sorry about the pic - my mobile phone doesn't have a flash, you see.The surprising thing, for me, was how populated it seemed. There was space to move around away from the tracks. There were doors and cubby holes every few paces.There was other evidence, of the

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1156506053506090472006-08-25T20:59:00.000+10:002006-08-25T22:45:50.826+10:00

This week was going to be TV police hotties, but then Tom Cruise lost his studio contract, proving rather shockingly that there are still some sane people left in Hollywood - or at least enough members of rival cults to over-rule the Scientologists. So, Celebrity Psychos it is.Also, it occurs to me that the Bonds and the babes and even the Billy Idols have been far too kind to you all. Root,

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1156419489813701982006-08-24T21:30:00.000+10:002006-08-24T22:54:47.286+10:00

...I'm not the only one who had a birthday recently.Now they are four. Yes.And here, when they were just one...mtcbec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1155728229388727242006-08-16T21:24:00.000+10:002006-08-18T17:35:59.686+10:00

Another week, another chance to indulge in fantasies of murder, marriage and mutual sexual gratification with Root, Shoot, Marry. You'll find the rules if you click here. This week's theme is 1980s popstars.Scroll down if you want to get straight to the game. Dawdle on if you want to know why I hate Elvis.Reasons to be late with the RSM this week (also, if you pay attention, reasons to hate Elvis

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1155042929066729682006-08-08T22:54:00.000+10:002006-08-09T21:03:01.090+10:00

I know Tony and Pete and all will be terribly disappointed, but since I can't find the camera's usb cable to upload gardening and knitting pics (sorry Suse!) we're just going to have to play Root, Shoot or Marry once more...If last week's theme was 'best of a bad lot', this week the theme is Bond, James Bond.Your choices will be drawn from 007s and his/their ladies - pick from the boys, pick from

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1154492049346175102006-08-02T12:04:00.000+10:002006-08-02T18:43:44.616+10:00

Back to blogging I come, did you miss me? Well Suse did, and sent me lovely messages so I knew it was worth the return! Also, various real life friends complained they were sick of looking at my woks and jugs and wanted something that more accurately reflected the life of a Ladies Lounge: in short, drinking games.Now it's all very well to say let's have a drinking game online, and if anyone can

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150976418669378362006-06-22T21:10:00.000+10:002006-06-23T10:50:38.296+10:00

Revised: Belatedly it occurs to me that I could yet again cheat on a Blackbird Show and Tell by classifying the below post as 'baggage' of both the physical and emotional kind... Much of it will shortly be in packing boxes and moving house - does that count?Internet is running slow tonight and it may drive me ever so slightly mad to do this but these corners kept catching me when I was home

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150408070509993552006-06-16T07:11:00.000+10:002006-06-16T10:11:49.680+10:00

First up this Friday - an early Sunday confession: I knit.Furthermore, I thought it would be such a good incentive to knit something for myself this year that I joined the Pearl Buck Swing Jacket Knitalong.After lots of delays, include a few days of stage fright when I finally had all the goodies together, I finally got started this week and have been perfecting the art of bus knitting.For anyone

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150318868890672872006-06-15T06:42:00.001+10:002008-05-03T08:45:15.823+10:00

Men should be dying to do houseworkHad to laugh - I hope Surfing Free can use this article about men and housework/childcare to back up her domestic campaign!*****A Thursday morning dilemma: my 3 year old Gorgeous Boy is, in the way of 3yo boys, besotted with superheroes in general and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in particular; the TMNT are on at 7am weekday mornings on Cartoon Network; the

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150236653737973752006-06-14T07:57:00.000+10:002006-06-14T08:12:55.403+10:00

Found on the web: I wouldn't have thought of combining lemons with bougainvillea but it's a beautiful contrast, isn't it?I am looking for different possible lemon and orange layouts in the garden, something like a small grove but without taking up too much space. I'm toying with the idea of putting citrus trees around the clothesline area - maybe counterproductive for fast drying but Oh! the

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150079505603728562006-06-12T12:06:00.000+10:002006-06-12T12:33:52.253+10:00

A bit late, as usual, for Blackbird's show and tell.This is our main house plant at the current house, a Valencia orange tree that's probably close to 40 years old. We built our deck around it so it's really a part of our house - that makes it a houseplant, yes?The fruit is quite bitter to eat, but not when juiced - how does that work? It's so prolific that we have more than enough for juice in

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150074407217041432006-06-12T10:50:00.000+10:002006-06-12T11:32:19.716+10:00

As Vickee says, the major plantings must go in first. The order will be hedges, trees, borders, fillers.As to the hedge, we have two areas needing screening plants - the front fence and the long southern side fence between us and the two storey place next door.The side fence will be planted with lillypillies, probably this highly recommended acmenia smithii. Apparently it is a fast grower, has

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1150013848493375502006-06-11T16:29:00.000+10:002006-06-11T21:03:43.846+10:00

I'm not so fretful about the front yard because I know almost exactly what I am going to do.Here is what it looks like now from the house ...... and from the street..... and here is the first part of my plan - a small Secret Garden...It won't be so rocky, and the fountain and pond won't be so big, but this is something like what you will see when you walk down our driveway - a path through a

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1149999742917833142006-06-11T14:07:00.000+10:002006-06-11T14:39:31.306+10:00

This is what we've just purchased. Hideous, isn't it?It looks a little better from this angle, with the one and only tree on the entire property.what I want it to look like is a bit of this ...... and a bit of this...... and a bit of this...... not too ambitious, surely?mtcBec

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15508654.post-1149982115650172942006-06-11T09:28:00.000+10:002006-06-11T13:52:46.946+10:00

Welcome to the Ladies Lounge.Once, every Australian hotel, railway station and golf club had a separate ladies lounge, ostensibly to protect the ladies from the rough and ready behaviour of the blokes in the public bars.Then along came equal rights and equal access and - while that was all important and wonderful - a part of the deal was giving up the "ladies" in ladies lounge. Most Australian

Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10219854307291147169noreply@blogger.com4