i see food

So we are finally here!
This is Xmas Eve.
I was up before 6 to go to the Vic Market. I think I only go because I love the behind the scenes bustle, looking through the backdoors into the seafood stalls. The Prosser boys were going crazy in the laneway with hoses and plastic troughs and prawns sloshing about, back in my cooking days I used to love buying from these strapping lads! I bought some cherries, apricots and grapes and sleepily headed back to the car. I dropped by de Chirico and picked up some bread on the way back, the girl was grumpy because people kept knocking on the door an hour early... hell, it's Xmas Eve!
So back home and back into bed with iced tea and an almond croissant. Of course my crazy neighbour decided to do a huge 'clean' out the back this morning (and last night at 10pm) but I wasn't in the mood for another argy-bargy with him. Our plans for a restraining order has to wait for the new year when we are all less time consumed. Good will to all men....
I'm opening the shop at 10 today and will close once the street empties later in the afternoon. The house is a mess, crap from one end to the other, boxes that need sorting and dust bunnies that need sucking up. I even need to get the couch quilt and cover washed, yesterday would have been perfect had I been more organised!
Is there a storm due this afternoon? I remember a huge Xmas Eve a few years ago when a friend and I got stuck in the shop right on close as rain bucketed down. We had the old front windows then and there was water pouring in everywhere. It seems like Xmas is always good for a downpour.
Anyway enough drivel from me.
We are open todya and then the Cottage will be having a short break and will re-open on the 2nd of January 2013.
I hope you all have a lovely Festivus and eat way too many cherries (I know I will be!). I plan to have a quiet one lolling about and reading the day away.
Much love to you all and thank you for your support!
Pen
xxxx

twas the day before the night before xmas

Random studio shot from when I was testing the light up there.
I'm opening the shop at 11 today. It's going to be hot hot hot but the shop is usually (relatively) lovely and cool on days like these. Jethro is hiding under the cushion bunk at the moment, he loathes Xmas as the shop is open everyday and it cramps his style somewhat. He views Sunday as a relaxation day, I am promising him a whole week (and a bit) of 'shop closed' as of 5pm Monday afternoon.
So today is 11-4 and tomorrow 10-4 0r 5 depending on when everyone disappears off the streets or I get bored.
I need to get the box of cherries in for the Xmas. The plan is bed, books and cherries, awash with buckets of tea.
OK better go and vacuuming.

it's not the end... but we are getting very close

This is going to be quick....
Just about to open the shop for the day (keep getting sidetracked by early customers).
I'll be here until 5pm and opening again in the morning (will confirm time...).
Eating Beatrix brioche doughnuts to keep me going (bad I know but oh so good).
You can phone if you want to enquire about anything, email if you have lost your voice, FB if you are that way inclined or just drop in (you will have to decide how you would like to interface with us.... ha ha).
Must dash.
The world hasn't ended so retail goes on.

i am beautiful, you are beautiful, let's be beautiful together

Jethro and I have just arisen from a nanna nap.
Whoa, the day was ON before we were ON! I didn't manage to eat breakfast and it took me until after 3pm to get it, stone cold, down my throat. I need to be much more prepared tomorrow let me tell you. Jethro is looking at me here disappointed at my lack of organisation. Perhaps I also need a thermos of tea prepared. Better snacks.
I am wondering when I will get a chance to make gingerbread. I tend to do it while I float about as shop reinforcement. Oh well, perhaps I will post it out after Xmas.
On the mail front.... if you are after something I can still Express Post out tomorrow but you must place the order by 2pm so I can wrap and get it to the post office. No promises it will arrive by Monday but you might be lucky.
Our scarves arrived yesterday and I hung them on the wall where we normally have the blanket quilts hanging. The scarves are beautiful. The colours amazing. Jethro thinks they make a worthy backdrop to his posing.
As you can tell I am still deliriously tired and can't string words together, might be best if I sign off now before I dribble on the keyboard.....
I'm attempting to get the shop open by 10am  (11am on Sunday) which means I better get some snooze in and remember to set my alarm.

lordy

A right arse of a day yesterday. I really should have stayed in bed I think! Frazzled and fried and frustrating. Then my iPhone melted down and had to be restored and I lost a pile of messages and photos...... and, in fact, in the restoration a huge pile of old photos seem to have been put back into my phone. This is not a good time of the year Technology for you to play havoc with my brain space! I'm sure there is a built in chip that makes these things play up when you are least in the right frame of  mind to deal with it. I am currently attempting a HUGE phone photo download and scrub, fingers crossed it doesn't send the phone into further conniptions.
I've also had a shouting match this morning with the crazy neighbour from down the road who thinks he is garbage monitor. The Holiday Season, what fun thou art. Whilst I am all for peace and goodwill to fellow men/women/animals, around here things can get a little inner city/mental health challenged/challenging.
After this bad start I am trying to meditate and relax as we head into the Final Countdown! A stressed and annoyed me is seriously not a good thing to have about. I am well aware of this! We need laughter and lighthearted amusements! Mugs of tea and snacks! Jethro high jinx! And perhaps a bit of present wrapping.
I have to pop off now and get the shop in order, check what we might be desperate for and whether I need to go to the studio and do a bit of making. The cushions are in a right tumble and they need a good sort out before we open the doors this morning. Cushion re-arranging is a difficult job with a shop full of people!
Anyway sorry to have bored you with phone talk and neighbourhood tensions.
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This was written earlier today, about 8.30 in the morning.
Lets just say by about 1.30pm things had gone pear shaped.
On my way back from a meeting I ended up being verbally abused by the Crazy Neighbour (now spelt with capitals) and blocked from entering my own shop. I dialled 000, yep, police, the whole hog (so to speak). And out of their shops came the whole of the street, all my good neighbours, coming with support and reports. The police were great but I was, after all this, just a bit shaken and stirred. We are talking Restraining Orders and police reports.
People describe this time of the year as the 'Crazy/Silly Season', I've decided it's actually an understatement, it should be 'Right Bloody Nutcase of a Season'. Some years just seem worse than others. Friends have reported bad drivers, loony pedestrians, frayed tempers and general madness. Be careful out there on the roads folks. Look both ways crossing the street. And take it easy.

avoiding retailmas (unsuccessfully)

I've opted for a calming photo of Jethro the Cat today.
Lying in bed this morning I thought these posts were probably getting frightfully Xmas-centric and needed more cat-pics. So here's my housemate sitting atop a ladder after I closed the shop yesterday... argh trading on a Sunday, so uncivilised! Jethro knows the days of the week and loathes having the shop open on our usual day of rest. He sat on the other side of the screen door and mewed pathetically and later resorted to jumping on the mesh and hanging there staring at customers. We are looking forward to Xmas Day.
I am off to the studio shortly. There are some things to finish and some special orders for customers to do.  I must get to Officeworks too- remind me please! So here I am trying not to talk about anything Retailmas but to be honest it's just not going to work, life is centred on that at the moment. I'm planning which bills I will pay each day after the banking comes through, this is the way of the Xmas. And I am hoping to get some gingerbread baking in too although I am not feeling too hopeful on that front as it will involve the cleaning of the kitchen as well.
Ok better bust a move. I still have the shop to put to rights as I walk out the door.

scoffed

It was so dark at 8.00 this morning I could have crawled back under the covers, even the birds were doing their 'let's all hunker down' singing. I ventured out of course, got soaked in a tropical storm that only really lasted 5 minutes and came home to scoff hot Babka baguette lathered in butter, well worth the drenching.
I was a busy little mailchimp until 1am last night but finally managed to get the Xmas mail out down. It dawned on me this morning that I should have used 'socks' not 'jocks' in the subject line but it was late and I was tired. And I've just realised that all this will make no sense if you didn't get it via email.... duh!... it went out with that famous childhood Xmas carol with the doctored line of 'the shepherds washed their jocks/socks by night'. I've never been sure if it was a mondegreen or a result of sniggering childishness.
If you are feeling the need for a bit of Xmas crafting there is an article in today's Age newspaper that I submitted stuff for, 'Sixpack to spark creativity'. The fabulous Carolyn Fraser and lovely Kim Hurley from L'Uccello were also part of it. (The online links are a bit all over the place but I am sure you know where to find all of us.) I did two styles of market purses and there are some handy hints included in my instructions (hopefully surviving editing!) like not clipping corners when turning through the purses. They are simple but work out lovely and are great for kids to do with a little help. Let me know if you do them if the instructions were easy to follow.
So I'm ticking a few boxes. Mailchimp send out done, budgies unpacked, trade bead necklaces dyed and drying in front of the oven, shop floor mopped,  restocked the satchels that have sold, pianola shades picked up and in the shop, a few Xmas presents sorted, CWA Classics cookbook back in stock and we've also got copies of CWA Cake, Biscuits and Preserves now (they are the chapters on these subjects from the big CWA Classics printed as separate cookbooks, great for vegetarians who might get freaked out by the mutton bird stew recipes in the big edition).... there is a lot more to do this week.
Like make gingerbread biscuits.
And work in the shop.
And sit in front of the fan and curse the stupid humidity.