Thought you all would like to see my lastest grocery store purchases!!!! Simpson Cup A Soup and Paul Newman ranch dressing!!! I was told before I came that there was no ranch dressing here but I found this at least–not Hidden Valley but it will do!!! Haven’t tasted it yet but I am sure it will be yummy!!!
It has rained and rained the past couple days but the sun is out today, thank goodness! With the rain comes the shut down of the sugar mills because the farmers can’t harvest the cane. I think Chris said most of the mills will be down at least a week while things dry out and the farmers wait so the rain is not a good thing at this time of the year. I didn’t mind it but I do need to buy a couple of umbrellas. I had an itty bitty one packed in my briefcase but it is not for torrential downpours and it was coming down pretty hard yesterday for awhile.
I decided last night that I needed to conquer the convection/grill/microwave! I have been using the microwave and our two little tiny burners but I really wanted to do some oven stuff so I think I figured it out. It is hard for my tiny little mind to bend around the thought that this thing can function as 3 different types of cooking machines and that I can put metal in it!!! I made some ravioli last night in my two llittle pans ( it boiled over….) and made garlic bread in my combo oven thingy and it worked great!!! There is also a tray called the “crispy tray” which I did not use but I bet it would have made it better! Oh well–next time!!! I am trying to figure out what else I can make in the apt.—-I don’t want to buy a bunch of stuff to have it in here but I may have to get a few more cooking things. The can opener here has a plastic blade if you can imagine and I was about ready to go out and find a rock to beat the lid in the other night in order to get to my beets!!! Thank goodness I did ship my Pampered Chef canopener. I think I am going to wish I had sent more of that kind of stuff.
I got all excited because I went onto Amazon.com and found out that they will ship to Australia. I put in a trial order of a set of $29 pots and pans so I could figure out what the shipping and handling fees would be and guess what…..it isn’t cheap!!!! Big surprise but the total cost of the order would have been $124!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I don’t think I will be doing that! I am a member of a Yahoo group called Americans living in Australia and I have asked them if there are any good online ordering places in Australia and so far no one has much advice on that—-they say it is not a big thing to do here which makes me sad! I think I will have to change that!!! Somehow!!!
Today I am doing the ironing since the little washer/dryer combo has one setting—wrinkle—and then Lorrae is picking me up for a lunch out so that will be nice. Chris says it is my Lorrae Day Play Day…..
Speaking of Chris—-he is off to the mills in the Burdekin today. He is amazed at how far behind these folks are in things and how they just need some common sense things put into the system so even though the process will be slow I think he thinks he can make some pretty significant changes along the way. But it is going to take some time–that is for sure. He feels good about the folks who work for him so that is good! But it is certainly a different culture!!!
I haven’t given you a word of the day for a bit so here you go!!!! Know you are waiting on those!!!
Bathers–swimsuits (though the admin assistant in Chris’ Townsville office calls them “togs”)
Whacker–someone you have no patience for
Tickety-boo—-good, ok
Tasty—cheddar cheese
knock shop–brothel (where all the pilgrims who were here for the Pope’s visit went I guess)
hob—stovetop
