the american, the brit and the rest of australia

rubbing, porking … Sunday roast.

the american — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:12:22 +0000

I consider myself a pretty good cook but I just don’t get the dry rub. how do you get it to stick to the sides of a roast? do I just make a thick crust on the top and let it slide off as it cooks?

sidebar: my sister once got dry rub mixed up with dry hump. (she’s a bit sheltered living in the bible belt of michigan). it caused a bit of confusion when I asked if I could help with dinner and she told me to dry hump the steak. i saw the bowl of herbs next to the steak so I knew what she meant so I didn’t bother to correct her because I might’ve had to explain dry humping.

so anyway, we’re having pork roast for dinner with a half ass rub on it (most of it fell off). but my crackling turned out perfect.

and braised cabbage

and polenta chips.

I’m a bit disappointed that I forgot about dessert but I think we enough food. I love Sunday roasts!

Sunday and early birthday pressie.

the american — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:33:03 +0000

i currently have an obsession with red nail polish. bright red. not sure why but I can’t seem to have enough shades of red. (I promise this story has a point). so when the Brit mentioned walking up the road to get some coffee beans I insisted on accompanying so I can get a new bottle of nail colour. he tried to convince me to stay home but I didn’t relent so he acquiesced. I soon realised that he was going to the coffee place to buy one of my birthday pressies. he said I could pick it out since I was with him. so I’ve resigned myself to not getting a puppy but now my coffee station is complete. I got a new grinder.

now I want to spend the day making lattes but I have to spend the day instead working on this guy’s brochure. love the Brit. now he’s making me some breakfast. how good is he, eh? to be honest, all I really wanted were some space bags to store some clothes in. yes, pretty lame but I can be practical too. but I’ll take the grinder and whatever else he wants to buy me. I told him there’s still a few days for him to get me some space bags.

australia day.

the american — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:43:13 +0000

day off! yay! well, kind of. I had to meet with a freelance client and do some work for him. it actually wasn’t as painful as i imagined and he wasn’t quite the philistine I thought he would be. we spent the rest of the day lazing around, watching movies. we watched a disappointing BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre from 2011. I heard this was better than the 2006 one so i had high hopes. it wasn’t very good at all. I’m reading the book right now. I am all of a sudden remembering why I found any of the bronte sisters tedious to read. it’s hard to imagine that people actually talked like that (especially children). I’m going to stick with it. I’ve been buying a lot of books lately. I’m going to be throwing a few books out to make room. I just ordered hardback penguin editions of all the austen and dickens books. they have pretty artwork on the covers. I can’t wait. I’m feeling so nerdy again … now I have to make the time to read.

American idol is back on (can I hear a woop woop?). I watched the first one last night. some annoying kid, when asked what he was going to sing, said “have you ever seen Shrek? I’m going to sing the song from that.” the song was hallelujah by Leonard Cohen and I was annoyed that he referred to it as “the song from Shrek.” maybe I felt old … my birthday is coming soon. many moons ago I went to a David Bowie/nine inch nails gig. Bowie was on stage and the man who sold the world started and these teeny bopper chicks behind me were like “ohmigod! he’s totally covering nirvana!” i really felt old then and i think i was only in my twenties at the time. I wanted to turn around and smack them but I was afraid the sudden movement may have broken my hip. so anyway, this Shrek kid didn’t make it to Hollywood and I was able to sleep peacefully.

and in other news …

my new job is really great. I’m really enjoying it.

the Brit is still REALLY nerdy

I’ve been campaigning hard for a puppy

my only plant is now dying which may negate the whole puppy thing

AND… are any Americans who love me reading this?? I need a magnet from obama’s website that has Bo on it and says “bark for Obama.” they don’t ship here. I’d ask my parents but I’m afraid if they touched any sort of liberal/Obama swag, it’d be like matter and anti-matter colliding. tragic.

Monday.

the american — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:28:18 +0000

I’m starting to feel like I’m getting settled into my new job, mostly because I’m working on thing I know I’m good at. the senior graphic designer is back so thankfully I won’t have to much more of it and I can concentrate on doing long documents. I have to admit, the past couple of weeks doing graphic work has really improved my skills with the pen tool. you would be so proud of me (that’s directed to the Australian).

last night I had a dream that the Kiwi wasn’t talking to me because I haven’t been updating my blog. to make matters worse, I had a bunion the size of Texas on my foot so the only shoes I could wear were uggs. I woke up this morning and the first thing I checked were my feet. normal. phew. but yes, I’ll try to blog more often … and I’ll stop buying shoes (for now).

the american — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:03:47 +0000

here I am. rest assured. I’m just being my usual crap self.

the new job is going swimmingly though I REALLY hate being the new girl. I also have to work at winning everyone’s trust but that is coming slowly. I did some really impressive design work and my manager is now letting me deal directly with the client. that’s a good sign, eh?

i got paid for the first time and the Brit got his new salary so we went out today and had a massive shopping binge. I bought four pairs of shoes, four dresses, books, blu rays and all sorts of other crap. the Brit bought … a shirt. way to show restraint, dude.

volumes 1-100 of the sweet valley high series are on sale on eBay and I deliberated for a very long time. I looked at the picture, then over at the Brit, then back to the picture. what would he think? I didn’t buy them.

but I bookmarked the page. possible birthday pressie, I think.

Saturday.

the american — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:01:44 +0000

the first week at my new job was great. I had actual work to do which was good. I love it. traveling with the Brit is great. I’m sure he misses his reading time on the tram but I think I’m infinitely more entertaining than any old book.

last night we had mid eastern food delivered for dinner which made me really sick last night. it was horrible and disgusting and I’m feeling a bit yucky still this morning. the Brit is working out but I’m skipping it and instead I went on a massive shoe spree and ordered five pairs. I had second thoughts after I put the order through but too late now. my sense of will power seems to kick in after the event. it’ll be an early birthday pressie for me.

ah, I guess it’s time to call the parentals. I really can’t be bothered because I’m not feeling well but if I don’t call them, they assume things like I was kidnapped by rabid kangaroos or, worst yet, the Brit divorced me. neither has happened yet but my mom is convinced the latter will if I don’t do the laundry more often.

we have opera today at the cinema. I think it’s Handel or Strauss, I can’t remember. all I know is that I fall asleep during either of those. Strauss operas have that plinky plonky harpsichord music while people talk which I don’t like. it’s better than Wagner though.

okay. enough procrastinating. calling my mom now …

first day.

the american — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:08:38 +0000

I decided to go into work with the Brit which means I have an hour to kill before I meet my new manager. I’m sitting in a cafe drinking a latte trying to figure out why I’m so nervous. the coffee isn’t helping. I hate being the new girl. wish me luck!

first post of 2012.

the american — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:10:25 +0000

as per usual the Brit and i were in bed before midnight only to be woken up by the fireworks, have a cuddle and fall back asleep. we’re so lame. but it meant that we were able to get up early this morning and workout before it gets too hot. I am now sitting in front of our air conditioner trying to stop sweating. the workout was hard and I thought I was going to collapse but I feel awesome.

it’s been a great holiday so far- we’ve been eating delicious food and spending time with our friends. on Friday, we had a block party. we blocked off our little street and had a little picnic in our little urban oasis. it was great fun.

the Brit actually passed out before all of us which was odd. I thought for sure he would wake up super hung over but it was I who was hurting. after everyone left, I tucked the Brit in and I did the dishes … and decided to finish up the last of the port (you know, waste not, want not). bad idea. I passed out on the couch. the Brit thought I slept upstairs because he was snoring … I didn’t say anything to the contrary. I made us some lattes and bacon sandwiches and by eleven, we were well sorted but too washed out to even think about having a big NYE.

and here are. it is 2012. 2011 was great and I learned a lot about myself and I love the Brit even more which I didn’t think was even possible. my heart is full of love and light and I am looking forward to what this new year will bring.

no gifts this year.

the american — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:54:30 +0000

this is what the Brit means by that …

i stood there staring at it like “are you serious …. this is for me?!” i can’t wait to use it … i’m studying the A3 diagrams that were included in the box. i was a barista years ago so hopefully my skills are still up to par. i also got a bunch of games and a super Mario chess set. ooh, and I got star wars and lord of the rings blu ray box sets. the Brit thinks I’m such a dork.

the Brit loves his toaster.

we were both very happy but we felt unbelievably thankful to have such a wonderful day with our friends. another perfect day. it was also kind of white …. thanks to the hail storm.

happy Christmas!

the american — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:11:27 +0000

I’ve shaken all the pressies and I can’t wait to open them. hope you have a great holiday!