Whisky live Canberra?

I have written before about my trips to Sydney for Whisky live and the other whisky fairs.

During the week, I got what would have to be the best news ever. There is going to be a Whisky live in other Australian cities apart from Sydney and Melbourne.

And best of all, they are planning on coming to Canberra too.

Roll on July.

Well, it happened.

Well, it happened.

Several months ago I wrote about the engagement of the old flame junior.

Well last Saturday, I picked up "the old flame, son in law". 

I have some photos, and I will update with better photos when they come to hand. 

Taph and I are very proud.

Wine Wool and Wugby tour - part 2

In July, Taph and I went on our Australian Wine Wool and Wugby tour of Australia. We managed to catch three internationals

The Australia v Scotland match in Newcastle

The Brumbies v Wales game in Canberra, and

And the Australia v Wales game in Melbourne.

After last years trip to New Zealand, I was reflecting on the number of times I had been at an international, and what team I had seen the most. In the 03 world cup, Italy had made Canberra its home base, and I had caught two of their games. I had also been to one of their games in the 90s.

That, with the two Italian games attended in New Zealand, meant it was a tie between Australia and Italy.

This would not do, so we caught to Australian internationals to keep Australia ahead.

Of course, now Wales are tied with Italy. 

Ahh, whiskey

Taph and I took off for Sydney for the 2012 Sydney Whiskey fair. 

 We met Rocky and Wobbly up there. 

Along with an old friend of Taphs, David. 

 They had about 100 different whiskies there, along with a number of other distilled spirits. 

 In keeping with the Scottish theme, they also piped in a haggis. The haggis was nice, the “ode to the haggis” was well preformed, but the bagpipe was played in a very small room. 

 At least there was only one bagpipe, unlike the Australia v Scotland rugby match that Taph and I went to in Newcastle.

* And some of these photos I have borrowed from the Sydney Whiskey Fairs website.

Many stop read. Part 2

A recent visit to Tinys, showed that there are many copies of Angels and Demons still in op shops. I am still trying to read it, without purchasing a copy. Currently I am up to Chapter 43

Taph tempted to buy a copy and keep in her handbag for when we can no longer find copies in op-shops. The only thing stopping her is that if book is found in her possession it will damage her literary credibility beyond repair. 

It’s been a while

I know it has been a while since I have blogged, but I blame my new ISP. Their service to my suburb is nothing short of atrocious.

In the interest of keeping myself out of legal problems I will not name them, or even hint at naming them, as hinting is giving an implied meaning, and that is the same as naming them.

Of course, off line I will quite happily (or should that be, quite bitterly) tell you their name. 

The Many Stop Read.

Over the Canberra Day long weekend, Taph and i went down the coast. Taph had to work on the Saturday, but got the Tuesday off in leau, so Sunday morning we packed the car and headed down the coast. Sunday Avo was a relaxing affair on the Beach.

Monday we had some work for I-op to do. The list of Coastal op shops is very bare, so we were going to see if we were able to expand this list, and an account to this trip will be posted on I-op, later. (ok, when i get around to writing it).

However when we look through an op-shop, i am usually finished and waiting for Taph to finish. Usually i find a book of short stories or similar and read while waiting, but on this occasion, we were planning on visiting many shops in the area, so i started reading a book that would be in most of these shops.

Yes, i started reading a Dan Brown Book.

I started it at the Narooma Vinnies, Found another copy and kept reading it at the Narooma United Care shop, and so forth over the rest of the Monday and Tuesday. Tee following weekend i read some more at the Lifeline book fair.

I now have a quest, and will continue to find and read shop copies of this book while waiting.

Free Steak Knifes

In my previous post I left a couple of things out.

While at Salvos Fyshwich, I also found a Vase in my pattern.

Ok, it’s not strictly in my pattern, but its close enough.

It is near enough that in the middle of a table setting, with flowers in it, you would not notice that the differences.

At Tinys tip shop, Mugga, hidden in the crockery we found a fair bit of my Pattern.

• 2 plates
• 6 side plates and
• 8 cups and saucers.

I have a plethora of cups and saucers. Mostly I use the coffee mugs, and I have only used one of the tea cups, once. So I left the cups and saucers behind.

After the Cricket

Taph and I made our annual pilgrimage to the prime ministers eleven cricket match. We spent a morning in the grandstand while it rained, and at around 2pm the announcement was made that the game was a washout.

“Yippee” we both said, “We have an afternoon of op-shopping in south Canberra”.

Our first visit was to St Pauls, where I picked up two shirts and a pair of florsheim shoes for the grand total of $9. Taph pick up a silk scarf and two vintage necklaces for $1 each.

Our next visit was Salvos where we got Xmas packaging very cheaply.

A visit to Vinnies Narrumbah found us four Tupperware pantrymates for $2 each.

Tinys tip shop, Mugga got us five Rutherglen Winery Walkabout souvenir tasting glasses.

Not a bad afternoon following a mornings washout.

And I will always love you.

Taph and I made our annual pilgrimage to the prime ministers eleven cricket game. This year they were playing the Sri Lankan team.

It did not stop raining, and at 2pm, the game was declared a washout.

We were unable to Kinear Julia Gillard, but we did spy Mike Whitney in the crowd.

It looked to us that he was having a chat with some old friends, and we felt it would be intrusive to interrupt him for a photo, however a number of other people were not so considerate.

With the events of Australia Day, it would have been funny to get him to reprieve this performance for Ms Gillard.

Embed link to youtube.

Gluten Free adventures

Happy spider had a birthday on Friday.

She is also a coeliac so as part of her present, we baked her some gluten & dairy free biscuits.

The recipe can be found in this Gluten and Dairy free book.

It was a happy gathering where all the food was gluten free, and many of the guests brought gluten free noms.

I took a gluten free date loaf (yes it was from a packet, but the biscuits were from scratch). I also took a homemade egg plant dip.

The Best of the Platters

I have had a good couple of weeks of hunting through op shops.

At Tinys, Mitchell, I found a platter in my pattern.

Yippe, this now gives me three platters in my pattern.

Taph picked up the first platter at Vinnes, I got the second at a salvos in Sydney. Now I have three.

But wait, there’s more, and that will be in a later post.

Mad Hatter - move over.

After Christmas, I was in the Vinnies at Dickson, when I spotted a teapot in my pattern.

So I had to get it. But there were many reasons why i should.

1. It was in my pattern and to leave it behind would be wrong.

2. It had $5 on it, and they were having a half price on Bric-a-brak sale, so it only cost me $2.50.

This presents me with a problem. I now have four teapots, and one coffee pot.

Is this too many, I hear you all ask? I say not, and Taph, says it’s no coincidence that they are in Hat Boxes.

It’s been a while

Hi all, it’s been a while since I have posted, so I figured I should start posting again.

You are all asking, what has been happening.

Well I have been away.

As I said in an earlier post, I went to New Zealand.

And saw some rugby games and met many interesting people.

The sole Georgian fan at Invercargill

Two Canadian Fans at Napier

The argentine prisioneros del rugby

I won’t bore you with too many photos. Just those above.