What?

Oh sorry, I had my ear plugs in.  I had the best night's sleep last night that I have had in ages.  The ear plugs took a bit of getting used to, to have them in properly and the feel of them in my ears, but it was the best thing I have done re the snoring.  I don't know if he snored at all, but when I took the plugs out he was sleeping and breathing quietly, could have been the lack of beer and the fact that he wasn't overtired.  I was wide awake before 6.30am so got up and made a pot of tea, my new discovery, Madame Flavour Grey De Luxe, which is Earl Grey with lavender and lemon myrtle.  I love to support Aussie entrepreneurs, if they are quality and this tea really is.  I also have Green with Jasmine and Pear, and Sultry Chai that I have been enjoying this week.  I got a sample of the green one in one of those magazine goodie bags and tried it and loved it.  I've been making my morning tea in my little teapot lately, even with teabags it just seems to taste better somehow.

It's so lovely to sit here in the quiet watching the pink flush of sunrise over the hills behind the town, listening to the birds, and yes even the distant trucks along the Junee road and the rumbling of a train far off down the line.
The old Catholic in me always looks for a fish meal on Friday, even now that I am not practising and I love salmon.  We got three tails for Phill, Josh and me.  My latest new thing to try is miso paste, a fermented soy bean paste which is just lovely.  I used it in my Japanese inspired salad that the kids and I had with our panko chicken and rice on Thursday night and it was great as a dressing mixed with some rice wine vinegar, a little soy sauce and some sesame oil.  Last night I found a recipe that was brown sugar, soy sauce and hot water whisked with the miso paste.  I spooned it over the salmon and grilled it (the Americans call this method of grilling in the stove, broiling).  It cooked well in the fan forced oven grill but Phill and I found it to be too sweet.  I prefer grilling to frying it on the stove and I found another recipe without sugar that has ginger and other stuff in it which I will try next time. 

It's Wattle Time here in Cootamundra.

Em's "Shark" painting.

"Africa" (top).

 This is a festival of all things Coota, the biggest thing being the art show, in which Em had two entries last year, the high school principal bought her excellent Africa painting and still has it hanging in his office, and we bought her other work, Shark, which is in her bedroom.  We're going to go down to have a look at the art show today, and I'm thinking I might even buy a painting if I see something I like.  I really want something with greys for the bedroom and it's good to support local artists.  And soon we will celebrate our town's Sesquicentenary, 150 years of settlement.

  Although we've only been back a little shy of two years this time around, I am starting to feel like it's home for us, really home, now we've decided once and for all to stay put at least until Josh finishes school. 
Em and Phill wanted to go away again this weekend, to Burrinjuck or Wyangala dam but I think a weekend at home is in order, and it's looking like rain, I can see the clouds gathering out there now through the big double doors here in the lounge room where I am sitting.  It will be nice just to chill and not have to be anywhere in particular after the fast pace of the last weeks and all the drama that went with it.
And down comes the rain as I type.  We need it, it's been too warm and dry.
Well sun's well and truly up, time to put on a load of washing and have some brekky.

I loved the warm weather this week and having the sliding doors and the blinds open to look out at our lovely view.

And this is what I saw looking the other way, out through the dining room to the outdoor area.  I love this house.