Well, how about time at home to catch up with a hobby? Calligraphy has kept me sane. I miss my garden so much. But there are benefits to apartment living. I would never have had time to spare if we had kept the house with a big garden. And what about a holiday? Now we … Continue reading Two good things out of Covid
Category: IELTS
Lessons for IELTS
Last week I bought some vegetable stock from Maggie Beer's range. It was delicious in a stew but it cost $8. Here is how I usually make vegetable stock since reading Simplicious. It costs nothing but the gas to cook it. I got this tip from Sarah Wilson's Simplicious book. It is a really simple … Continue reading Make your own stock for nothing!
Where will you live when you are old? What are the options? This article gives my perspective on some Australian options. You can live independently, in your own home. This is possible as long as you stay physically and mentally well. In Australia you can get help with showering, shopping and cleaning, and you can … Continue reading Growing older
Specialized Como electric bike The bike I am test riding is a pedelec- it only gives power when the bike is pedalled, and the harder you pedal the more help you get. Up to a maximum speed of 25 kph., that is. After that speed, you get no more extra power. This is fine for … Continue reading Turbo speed on the new ebike
These little creatures are called echidnas /ekidnaz/. They are (or were) plentiful in the bush, or country areas. I fear the fires will have killed many because they cannot run. They eat insects, and are great in a garden, because they eat ants. Echidnas often used to come to my garden when I lived by … Continue reading Too cute. How did they go in Victoria’s bushfires?
Noosa Main beach Best place to eat in Noosa? It depends who you ask! Kids thought this was a cool eatery... We preferred El Capitano for pizza, or the Surf Club at the end of Hastings Street for a great serve of fish and chips. Expect to pay just under $25 AUD for a main … Continue reading Glimpses of Noosa
This week I went to an exhibition in a beautiful old building that was built during the Gold Rush (about 1880). It is beside the Melbourne Museum, and you can walk there from the city centre. If you walk along Nicholson Street from here, you can find some cute old houses. This is a pleasant … Continue reading More Melbourne
A horse drawn carriage ride for anyone?The Yarra River flows close to the main train station. You can sit or walk and watch people stroll along the walkways. Southbank has some good bars and restaurants, where you can watch the world go by. In summer (December-February), it is sometimes very hot, so you might like … Continue reading Melbourne on the Yarra
Our old buildings are not old by world standards. Fremantle, or "Freo" as the locals call it, has some buildings dating from the early days of white settlement. This is still a busy market, and a great place to buy fruit and vegetables. The sweetest, juiciest mangoes I have ever tasted were from here. It … Continue reading A little bit of history
It is hot. Nearly 40 degrees Celsius. So hot heavy food does not sound good. A barbecue on the deck sounds good though. Potato salad, Cypriot grain salad, cold roast vegetables, and cold meats, with some bubbly. And then a swim in the sea, at Mount Eliza beach maybe. Or Sorrento, but with a wetsuit … Continue reading New Year in Australia 2019