The Rules of Chocolate

If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

The problem: How to get one kg of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal.
It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

Money talks. Chocolate sings.

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

Why is there no such organisation as Chocoholics Anonymous?
Because no one wants to quit.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

Chocolate is a health food. Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived either from sugar beets or cane, both vegetables. And, of course, the milk/cream is dairy. So eat more chocolate to meet the dietary requirements for daily vegetable and dairy intake

I love Easter

What do I love about Easter?

Where do i start, the chocolate, the chocolate or the chocolate? Hmmm dilemma!

While I decide we can chat about the Bunny.

He has so many good memories for me, like the time I disgusted my children by arriving at Primary School in full Bunny Suit. Little did they know I had to borrow 3 pillows from a friend to pad it out and then scale a 1.3m high fence with my, now reduced to, 30cm legs, Hopping over it was not an option as I would have spilled my overflowing basket of eggs, I really don't know how the dude does it, but there must be another way to transport 200 odd eggs!

Birthdays (or mine at least)

As there are so many births and birthdays going on this week I thought I would take a look at mine. Self indulgent, maybe, but if I don't indulge me who will?

I was born at Hillcrest Hospital, Merewether, NSW AUS, nearly didn't make it as the ambulance got a flat on the way and the corridor was looking good to me.

With the loss of my sister my parents wanted a girl and had not picked out a name for me (just in case) so I waited until a visitor came to see Mum who had a daughter that was good at Math, voile, problem solved (freaky bit is, I am too)

A bout of Golden Staph Pneumonia nearly ended my short life but I survived that drama and went on to live a happy life

http://www.mrsa-staph-infection.com/articles/golden-staph.shtml

Not that it was all peaches and cream as I did like to keep my parents on their toes.

An accident at Toowoomba in my Uncles truck, while still in a bassinet, he lost his leg and I slept through it all.

Later, when all seemed a bit too normal I decided on Epilepsy as my next option to stress out my parents.

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/g/grand_mal_seizures/intro.htm

So onwards to the rest of my life, which if I had the opportunity ,would not change a day.

All that I did, saw, experienced and enjoyed along the way has made me the person that I am today and I happy being me

So off I went to see what I could find:

Well there is some good news and some not so good news

but all of it interesting to me.

As of 3/28/2011 12:27:23 AM EST
I am 52 years old.

 I am 632 months young.
I am 2,751 weeks young.
I am 19,255 days young.
I am 462,120 hours young.
I am 27,727,227 minutes young.
I am 1,663,633,643 seconds young.

Wow, from now on I will state my age in months or weeks,

Years is just not on as I am not old

Forever young, yes

Only as old as I feel, yes (that may be when the years kick in)

but old, No

Chinese Year of the Dog
Star sign is Cancer (the crab of course)
  My birth flower is Delphinium
and my birthstone is Ruby
Ruby is said to open one's heart to love.so I approve of that

 

My birth tree is the Fir Tree, the Mysterious

(Extraordinary taste, dignity, cultivated airs, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to it,rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious uncontent lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable.)

not too sure about all of that!
In 1958 there were approximately 222,504 births in Australia.

I met 5 of those, so still have a lot to meet in life

Celebrities who share my birthday include:

Fred Savage, Courtney Love, Tom Hanks, Jimmy Smits, Kelly McGillis , 

John tesch, Nicola Tesla, OJ Simpson, and Ed Ames

have you ever wondered about looking into yours?
Linda has and is highly recommended to pop over for a look

http://linda-linspirationandlindulgence.blogspot.com/2011/03/being-thoroughly-indulgent.html?spref=fb

Thursday is a day for a friend

My thoughts and wishes go to all my friends but today one , in particular.

a lady through and through always who is having a procedure done today in hospital

http://www.gesa.org.au/leaflets/ercp.cfm

For those who know her, I need not mention her name, for those who don’t look for a shining light from a lovely lady and that is most probably her!

Take the time to say Hi and you will be very well rewarded

Just some of many other things I have learnt from this lovely lady is to smile at a stranger, be good and kind to myself and others and to treat our world and its inhabitants with respect.

Life isn’t always fair, but we must continue and learn and grow from the hardships and heartaches no matter how hard at the time. Treasure your friends and help them when they stumble, dust them off and support them, as a true friend is a gift indeed

I have learnt even more about the importance of organ donation, as this friend is a testament to how one person’s tragic loss can become a true gift. I thank all donors every day of my life and know that this family members gift of life is treasured in a wonderful person.

Please visit the link below to see what a difference you can make to lives

http://www.transplant.org.au/

Register to become a Donor and discuss with your family now, not later, tell them your wishes and I hope you do agree to share the gift of life whether it be organ and/or tissue.

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/services/aodr/register.jsp

I have also found out many fascinating, and humorous, things but the gift of sharing has been the catalyst in learning these, so share your knowledge and experiences as someone like me may not know of it. A prime example is Stevens Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis:

Never heard of it? Either had I!

“Almost any DRUG can cause SJS/TEN, including over the counter drugs. SJS & TEN do not discriminate against anyone! Everyone should be aware of allergic drug reactions.”

Quote  from: http://www.sjsupport.org/

Thank you to an amazing lady who I am now off to visit spiritually and support her through today, please feel free to join me 

A few pickies of places I like

The Simplest Occasion Cake Ever

To those who have requested the recipe, well there isn't one, it's that simple!

Ingredients:

2 Mud Cakes (make if you must!)

Frosting

Chocolate to melt (or those kids chocolate bars if you prefer even easier)

Decorations for the top

A length of ribbon (enough to go around cake and make a bow)

Directions:

Trim top of one cake, place this on the bottom and use frosting to hold them together, 

Measure around cake and mark on a piece of baking paper

Coat the outside with chocolate frosting (never have too much chocolate)

Melt chocolate over a double boiler and spread on measured baking paper between 2  sticks (I use Chopsticks)

Cut while still soft into strips to go around cake, tempering is an option for special occasions

Set in fridge

 Put chocolate strips around the cake and attach ribbon or decorations of your choosing

Decorate the top however you want but more chocolate is always welcome, so are cherries soaked in alcohol 

VOILE, easy peasy!

Chocolate balls, my fave

Stacked square cakes

Mixed Berry


And I am very pleased to show off Linda's cake!

Linda's Variety




"it is a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, flaked almonds and chocolate covered nuts. the Cadbury chocolate bars are stuck on with the frosting. easy"

Another variation!
Poco's around the outside and malteezers int the middle. Too easy and 
NO COOKING REQUIRED!

Our OnLine Karaoke Night

Now who would  have thought that a social networking site could get a bunch of friends singing and bopping across Australia to the variety of our favourite songs.

I could say, I guess you had to be there to understand

but

instead you should have been there! 

It was a hoot and the joy was infectious.

Thank you to all who joined in tonight and hope we have more with an invitation to our Karaoke Queen next time

• Take it easy-Eagles with lyrics
• Alan Parsons Project - Don't Answer Me
• Styx - Boat On The River
• Boston- More Than A Feeling
• Gary Wright - Dream Weaver
• The Beach Boys - Surfin' USA
• Guy Sebastian - Taller, Stronger, Better
• Sea Cruise - The Delltones
• Billy Joel -This Night
• Phil Collins - I Can't Dance
• Kris Kristofferson- I may smoke too much
• George Michael & Lisa Stansfield rehearsals of TATDOOL
•  Kris Kristofferson - Me and Bobby McGee
• Lisa Stansfield and Barry White - All around the world
• Barry White - Just the Way you Are
• Barry White - Never Gonna Give You Up
• Lisa Stansfield - The Real Thing
• Fleetwood Mac -Rhiannon
• Susan Boyle: I Dreamed A Dream
• Bread - Guitar Man
• Dirty Dancing - Time of my Life
• The Highwaymen - Highwayman
• The X Factor Auditions - Rodrigo Alvarado
• Billy Joel -Leave A Tender Moment Alone
• Sally Chatfield- Hurt
• Ritchie Valens - La Bamba
• Grease - You're The One That I Want
•  Don McLean- Crying
• Kenny Rogers - The Gambler
• Stevie Nicks - Landslide
• Cold Chisel - Flame Trees
• Carpenters Close To You
• Don Mc Lean- Castles in the  Air 
• Willie Nelson - On The Road Again
• We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel
• Willie Nelson - Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
• Simply Red - Holding Back The Years
• Billy Joel - River of Dreams  
• Mamas and Papas- Monday Monday
• Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
• Billy Joel- She's Always A Woman
• Peter Paul & Mary - These times they are a-changing
• Carpenters -We've Only Just Begun
• Peter Paul and Mary- 500 Miles

A read through the list we got through last night , I hope, brings back some memories in your lives

How many of you are prepared to admit you know the words to all or some?

Chelsea's adventures

Well. 2 doors for her to come in and out of, enough? Apparently not!

Scratching at the front door for 20 minutes and instead of taking the hint, went for another walk down the golf course.

Darn, only have 3 exits and 2 are open, so I am not letting her in!

Okay, gone again! Sheesh

Ooh, hang on, no scratching, could be a good sign and YEP, in she bolts, straight round to the laundry for munchies. I think she is too much like me and loves her lollies!

I might not eat cat food for a snack but a bar of chocolate that I can do, so good an idea, I am going to eat a family block with me and my family photos,

Some things are just too good to share!

Lets hope I don't lose another pillow tonight

The Day the wind blew

I didn't see it coming and I didn't hear it's roar.

I did see the aftermath and how things are no longer as before

Nature has taken her revenge of late

with no news seeming to ever be great

But I hadn't counted on the human tide

that rocked my world from deep inside

It takes all kinds to make our world and I will try to be more tolerant