MP, You KNOW WHY he took the coffee maker! Men can be such children some times. Treat yourself to a real nice coffee maker, you deserve it!

We'd have to demo the old countertops, first, and there's two layers of them and two layers of cement board too. At least they'd be the right height when we're done!

What brand pod are you using? Some roasts are stronger than others, like Italian roast. When I use a Keurig I like a mild blend like Breakfast blend or Nantucket.

I'm using the breakfast blend, I think it's Starbucks. No, that's not right, I haven't tried the Starbucks yet. Oh, ok, it's Green Mountain. Decaf! So at least I'm not bouncing off the walls!

Bobbi, could you make 2 mugs of coffee out of the one and reheat one later? I know for some purists reheated coffee is a no no, I'm so used to forgetting to drink mine, mine constantly get reheated........ but then I'm not a purist. All your talk of coffee is making me want one, but it is just too muggy and hot to even consider it, quite turns my tum in this weather.

We have a fabulous chain of tea shops here that make the most amazing blends of teas, many herbal. They have selections to sample in the shops and I found a delicious one last time I was there that contained peach flowers amongst other things. Decided to splurge but then found out it was $30 for 100gr. It stayed there, however their tea bags are so strong that you can keep a used on in the fridge and get 3 cups out of it easily.

mp - I was under the impression bamboo was super tough and scratches weren't an issue. It is becoming big here for kitchen benches. However I was reading a comment here the other day that there is bamboo and there is bamboo, imported stuff contains formaldahyde (sp??) and other nasties, you really have to research the brand you buy.

ok so who's going to win best picture, best director, best actor, best actress etc this eve? I have not seen most of the films for this past year. :(

That's pretty mild, I guess you really don't like strong coffee. I've been meaning to try the new Starbucks blonde roast ( their regular stuff is way too strong for me) but I'm always closer to a Dunkin Donuts if I'm out running errands, so that's what I usually grab. At home, my husband has some fancy machine, grinds, filters the water , makes cappucino. Funny thing is I have tea more often than coffee. Men and their toys!

great roo, that floor was put down 2 years ago....i am not ripping it up now!!! lol

The moon looks mighty full tonight!

Well, time for me to escape from the computer; my eyes are getting teary.

Judy M - definitely men and their toys, BH has a hand pump thing that froths up milk for his coffee. Of course he can never do anything quietly and makes one hell of a racket doing it.

No idea who is up for Oscars except for Jacki Weaver. Love to see her get one, she was interviewed on TV last night, (funnily enough by one of her ex husbands) she has been acting since she was 3 but disappeared from the scene for many years and has only just emerged again at 65. OLLDs rule!!! She is pretty iconic here from early Aussie soapies and mini series. She isn't expecting it, if Lincoln gets all the awards they predict then Sally Field could get it (love her) and I also really like Anne Hathaway.

Roo, I'm making a 16 oz cup out of what should be a 10 oz cup just so I can drink it! Do you like iced coffee? I love it! I'll drink it hot or cold but not hot gone cold. Weird.

Judy, I haven't tried the blonde roast yet, let me know if it's good?

MP, pics???? Please????

Seeing we come from all over, I just happened across this and thought it good for a laugh

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/ask-a-stupid-question-tourists-dumbest-requests-20100121-mnft.html

Ok! I guess I won't feel bad about all my dumb questions anymore!!!

And this for a good dose of Aussie humour. BTW we do have poisonous snakes here and Kings Cross is our Nightclub/Red Light District.

Australian Tourism: questions answered

These questions about Australia were posted on an Australian Tourism website. Obviously the answers came from fellow Aussies.....just trying to help:
Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? (UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water...
Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?
Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
Q: Which direction is north in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.
Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
Q: Do you have perfume in Australia? (France)
A: No, WE don't stink.
Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK)
A: You are a British politician, right?
Q: Can you tell me the regions in Tasmania where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.
Q: Are there killer bees in Australia? (Germany)
A: Not yet, but for you, we'll import them.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegan hunter gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees.(USA)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
Q: I was in Australia in 1969 on R+R, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Kings Cross. Can you help? (USA)
A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.
Q: Will I be able to speek English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first.

I give you pics tomorrow night bob...i gotta go get in the shower. never made it. And my sinuses are driving me crazy. all of a sudden last night it started happening at my friend's house?????
i'm with you on the hot coffee going cold...but love iced coffee too!

Hahahaha - Bobbi I thought you WERE the blonde roast!!!!

Yeah, love iced coffee but not the kilojoules. Iced green tea with lemon is nicer in hot weather though. When I know we are in for a stinker, I make up a jug of it and keep it in the fridge.

mp - if your floor was locally made you have no problems. Hmmmmmmmmm full moon ......... wonder if that was what set J off!!!

Judy M…you and I are the only ones who know the Nantucket Blend, Green Mountain?

Look for "New England" brand coffee, the donut shop blend. Delicious.

I hate hot tea. The smell of it reminds me of when I was a kid and sick. Yuck. Surprisingly, I love it iced. I brew it, let it cool a bit, and then pour over ice. Lemon or not it is a winner.


roo, interesting about health care cost. My husband worked through the court system (State of Ma). At retirement, he received a great health care package, which we could not, I bet, take with us to Sydney. Janis, maybe has a different plan or maybe she and her husband do something else. It is a consideration, to move, either to another state or another country, should benefits not be transferable.

bobbi, how is R? He has been on my mind for some reason.

Astraea, rain, rain, rain. Need sun for a morning walk. Last night, in bed, I keep the slider open a crack, I could hear a baby coyote wailing. I want to get up, go find him, and give him something to eat. At the same time, he will grow and kill all the bunnies and kitties . Nature is wonderful and mean.

mp, I am still packed and ready for our week.

Nancy Reagan, emphatically.

Judy, my mother was a HUGE tea drinker, she couldn't do a thing without a cuppa before and after, I always reckon she drank so much when she was pregnant with me that that is why I heave at the smell of tea and have never been able to even think of drinking it. Can't remember now who introduced me to green tea some years back and I was surprised I liked it and with all the supposed health benefits I kept on with it in summer but revert back to my coffee in winter. I have found though that not all green teas are the same, Sencha just smells and tastes like ordinary tea, so I gag on that, but there are even variations in brands. I have Twinings all the time, which I think is a pretty international brand, and it comes with the lemon flavour, not strong, just enough.

Your health care is structured a lot different to ours. The Federal Govt covers a lot of public health care which is in a bit of a shambles should you need surgery, especially elective surgery. There is a surcharge in taxation that covers that but then we also have dozens of private health insurance providers who vary in what they provide from doctors, hospitals, dentistry, optometry, physio....... some even cover things like gym membership, the list goes on, you can elect the level of cover and package you want. I know there is some reciprocal insurance between the Govt and some countries, like England, but otherwise we need travel insurance to travel o/s. Don't know what the time limit would be on that, maybe depends on the insurer again.

Trouble is as we age, unfortunately, more things go wrong.

Bet your hubby and I could have great long chats, I was in the Court System here for 20 years. Loved it.

Bobbi - are you still talking to me?? Remember the other day you bought some stuff for your kitchen cupboard shelves? How did it go and can you tell me more about what it was like? Need something for my linen cupboard. BH has just gone down to our Church of Bunnings to look around but be good to give him something more definite to work on you know how males lack imagination.

PAINTER IS FINISHED!!!!! Yeah!!!! Can't stop looking at it. Carpet booked for laying next Tuesday so can't do much till then, not even going to clean for a few days so I don't accidentally bang the timber till the paint really hardens. Going to be frustrating just looking at it for a week, but I can plan.

ROO RULES! Tears streaming down my face as I choked with laughter!

While we are on the subject, one to work out -

Before you leave the subject completely, Starbuck's Blonde Roast is very good, but my favorite is their Christmas Blend. I found Starbucks is better when I make it at home, because they definitely make it stronger just in the ratio to water they use. But, it certainly does the trick toward making us great coffee addicts. So much so, that when I go anywhere else I feel like I am drinking coffee water yuck!

I am not crazy about green tea so I always make a pot of green tea with orange spice, or Earl Grey with Orange Spice. In fact the whole world is easier to confront with Orane Spice Tea, or sometimes Mango Passionfruit.

Astraea I am happy you like my name, it makes feel good about it. Thank You :o)

Sweet dreams guys! I gotta hit the hay! Sped over to boo mappin's with pups in hand. I got a message that she was expecting me all day long, so i had no choice. My head is not feeling to swift and the nose is just running like a faucet. I have no idea what this is, but it came out of nowhere! Must be that full moon! I do love a good full moon though....it's so light outside, and I love the mysteriousness of it! If I wasn't feeling like crap, I would go take a walk! Boo, me, Dali & fooey sitting in a chair at her house together.....her dad is standing there looking at us and says, "well, this is your heaven, you have fooey, a puppy and your GG all around you!". She said, "yep." She wants us to make mermaid outfits next time she comes over....that WILL be fun!
nitey zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ooooh, Mary-Peggy, orange spice sounds delish, sounds a bit warming too and I will eat Mango and Passionfruit in anything. The tea shop does a lot of jasmine in their tea, but I can't handle that, it quite turned my stomach, but the peach flower was very soft and really nice. I'm not a strong coffee person, I only ever use granules in jars and decaf. Probably quite a joke when I say I even drink coffee........ to a purist that is. We don't have a lot of Starbucks around so haven't even tried their coffee.

It takes a bit to get used to and it definitely will make an addict out of you! It is so strong, that you go up and down like a roller coaster all day. I really have to watch my intake, but there is nothing better than hot coffee and pastries, my weaknes, especially if there is chocolate on top. Good nite Roo :o) Sweet Dreams

I was looking out my kitchen window as I was getting dinner and saw the huge full moon, a little blurry with another storm coming. I'm so used to me being in day while you are at night and vice versa, I never gave a thought to the moon, but it does make sense that we have a full moon at the same time.

Mary-Peggy go away with your pastries and chocolate - you are talking to an out of control chocolaholic here - I seem to have inherited all the BAD family genes.

Night mp, night Mary-Peggy, sweet dreams to you both too.

Wow! A lot to catch up on! Let's see now....

Judy, R is fine, did a great bbq today, weather in the 70's all week. Thanks for asking! And YES! Nancy Reagan, all we have to do is try to remember it!

Roo, of course I'm still talking to you, why wouldn't I be? The shelf liner? It's a very stiff, thick vinyl but can be cut with scissors. It comes in a 4' x 8' sheet and is supposed to be kept laid flat. Textured on one side, smooth on the other. We just measured the shelf, cut the vinyl and stuck it down with hot glue. Think vinyl vertical blinds, same kind of thing just one large sheet. Does that help? OH, and I love peach flavored anything! Especially tea! And next time you make iced tea, add some fresh squeezed orange juice - delicious!

MP, I hope you're feeling better and what you have is just an allergy attack, not something worse!

Mary Peggy, LOVE Starbucks! At home, or at their store, it's all good! Especially like their iced sf vanilla latte's. Have you tried their spiced vanilla yet?

That's ok bobbi, just making one of my wisecracks, you must have skimmed over.

BH went down to the Church of St. Bunnings today and had a good poke around and found they sell wallpaper starting at $30 a roll up to $60. We would only need one roll and he said the $60 ones were all embossed so wouldn't be practical. We are going back down tomorrow to check on light fittings, didn't plan on getting new ones for the hallway and toilet except the problem with the existing ones is that the glass cover is on a spring system that is just too hard for me to cope with to change a light globe. The vinyl you got sounds great, our shelves are chipboard (I think you call it) and they are starting to break down, the reason I would like something really solid to extend the life of them, except the size of the sheet wouldn't work, we wouldn't fit it in the car for starters and we would have too much waste. I will have a good poke around though and see if I can find something similar, otherwise the wallpaper might have to do it. The present one has been there 45 years and is still in good condition, it doesn't get a lot of heavy wear.

Hi Roo, the vinyl can be rolled for the ride home, but if there's too much waste there's no point, right? You couldn't use the left overs for your kitchen cabs? What about peel and stick vinyl tiles? You could buy only what you need and there'd be no waste at all.

I definitely have kitchen envy after seeing MP's pics! Hers looks grown up and sophisticated and makes mine look juvenile! I'm so limited because of the blue tile floor and there is NO WAY I'm digging up all that tile, so.....can't wait to see more pics from her.

I'll open 2/25.

Oh, ok rolling it works but our shelves are 6 ft long so I would lose 2 ft off each shelf. Have to get two sheets too (4 shelves). Bobbi, you would die if you saw my kitchen cupboards, they are 10 years past their use by date and I kid you not are falling apart. A bomb is the only appropriate thing there - probably don't even need that, this wind we are having would even be enough. Don't think I would like the vinyl tiles.

I vaguely remember you posting a photo of your kitchen way back when we first met up - or was it your's or someone else's that had a similar floor to yours. Does the floor match your dining room floor?
I would have no aversion to the blue at all, it is just a matter of making it work for you. Sometimes overkill can give a fab result, so you could be on the right track thinking painting your cupboards blue and white. What colour did you paint the tile benchtop??

Take some photos and let the OLLDs loose!!!

Well, you're planning to replace your kitchen cabs, right? Let the wind take them away and maybe your insurance will cover the new ones!!

Yes, the blue tile floor is throughout the kitchen and dining room. It's very limiting. I think a stronger, darker blue would work better for sophistication, probably a gray blue would work as the tiles do have some dark gray in them. The benchtops I painted copper, remember? You know, I have a bunch of pics but I have so much trouble attaching them on this site. Facebook, no prob, but Houzz, big prob!

Well everywhere else with these storms there are trees across houses and roofs blown off - sometimes I live in hope but with my luck all the new things would be trashed.

Yes - copper - of course!!! My brain is so addled. I always hated blue for decorating as I felt it was limiting but lately since I have been on here, and fell in love with blue, it is no more difficult than any other colour. If you have the photos downloaded on your computer, you shouldn't have a problem - hell even I can do it. Click on attach images below your comment, then click on Browse. Mine usually comes up with word documents and such but I go to the side and click on Pictures and all my photos come up and from there I select the one I want, click "Open" and voila!!!!

You know your kitchen but I wonder if a darker or greyer blue would be dull and depressing. Mp's kitchen is white and lets the backsplash take all the bows.

Yes, I know HOW to do it, but the pics never stick! My cabs and walls are white too, I was going for a cottage look but now it feels so unsophisticated and juvenile. I'll try attaching the pics, hopefully they'll stick and you can help :))

Yep, I knew they wouldn't attach. I'll have to reboot, I'll do it later, thanks!

Roo – There are so many good ones in that article about tourism! My favorites were the questions about what beach is closest to the ocean, why they built ruins in England, and what time the Loch Ness monster was fed, and if someone could get to Holland, by driving into Manhattan’s Holland Tunnel!
Just loved the Aussie Q&A .. people deserve the answers they got! What sort of area is “Kings Cross” .. red light district?

Whenever I watch British TV shows, they seem to treat tea as a panacea to anything that could possibly be wrong in the world!

JudyG – Watch those comments about “hot tea”; I woke up with a painful throat, and have been guzzling cold-remedy teas all morning. (LOL) So far the weather’s very nice here today .. hope it lasts; big meeting tonight. You’re right about nature; there are red tail hawks that live around here & are beautiful .. but I know they catch the little birds & chipmunks.

Bobbi! I want to go on a blue redo adventure! I am crazy about it right now! It is like blue fever :o). But, I realize, when you have been living with something for a while, it is hard to get excited about it. But, one thing I noticed about all of you, you have great design chops. I see your suggestions and I find myself in agreement all of the time. I mean I am not, and we are not ( I get to say that right?) are not Stepford Ollds. HaaaHaaaa. I made myself laugh! (Very easy to do). Bobbi our own kitchen is always the hardest for us. On every thing else we are the universes foremost authorities...I humbly say.

Like Roo said just go to upload, browse, it goes to your computer and then find where you have it stored and click open.

Mary Peggy, you crack me up! Try not to get so excited, ok? hehehe Thank you for your kind words, it's so much different to look at a pic and say, 'oh, you need this and this' and look at my own space, and cringe. Stepford OLLDs! Funny and foremost authority, I remember that one, Professor Irwin Corey, right?

Don't know Bobbi, I just spew out thoughts sometime. I will look up Professor Irwin Corey and see if he is quoting me... Ha

Mary Peggy...I had to look him up as well...and I grew up with the Smothers Brothers. I was thinking Stepford Wives, Bobbi.

Bobbi - I remember Professor Irwin Corey!! (uh oh .. just dated myself, didn't I!) Incredibly .. he's still alive at 98 years old! I just thought of him as a funny double-talker, but his story is a lot more interesting than that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irwin_Corey

"featherweight Golden Gloves boxing champion"?? Who knew??? Wasn't he in that movie 'Car Wash'? They thought he was the mad bomber?

I guess you've got to be pretty smart to act nutty!

Acting nutty as that takes some smarts. ( I had to look him up too, but it was only a clip back in 2008, so I am concerned I can not remember back five years :-/ )

No worries, Mary Peggy, the real question is What did you have for dinner last night??? hehehe

I seldom remember dinner, I hate to say, I always remember dessert. Although, I actually do go out of my way to limit sugar, ie, I now drink my coffee w/o sugar. But, somehow, there has to be a time in the day for the 15 minute vacation where I access all the endorphines I can in one scrumptious naughty delicious dessert! Last night it was one of those small Hagen Daz's with sliced bananas and chocolate sauce. With coffe of course. The hot, cold, hot, cold, cold, hot, hot, cold thing can not be beat. Very satisfying. I use a very tiny spoon I found in my drawer because it takes so much longer to eat.

Ah....I remember dessert.....

Bobbi, I should admit I am a Toastmaster, or working to be a better one. We have a thing called Table Topics and that is when they ask you a question and you just have to start giving a 2 minute speech. Sometimes that sneaks into my everyday conversations. Sorry, You ask about dinner and I go on about a whole thing regarding eating dessert. So, I can be chatty as you might guess, but it might surprise you to know that when I was young, I was extremely shy, even in college.

I do enjoy learning more and more about all of you. I live in OC which can be a very plastic area. I enjoy real people, uniques people, who are also loving and kind. That really comes across. Something that is harder and harder to find.

Astraea - yes Kings Cross is a notorious area, it is all night clubs, strip joints, brothels, and drugs. Nice to walk through in the daytime, but a no-go zone at night.

Don't know what products you can get over there, but when I wake up with that sore, scratchy throat that tells me a cold is brewing, I found a Vicks Inhaler works a treat.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/lung-problems/medicines/vicks-inhaler.html

Even though I don't have the stuffy nose, it seems to get down and kill the germs before they start and many times I have stopped a cold before it even starts - within hours all the symptoms are gone. If I miss getting to it early I still start as soon as I can and it definitely shortens the life of the cold.

I've been drinking a "cold remedy tea", not very tasty, but my throat feels better!