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 | Ceramics |
| Cooking |
| TV Shows |
| Work |
You can also check out our favourite recipe menu and find out about our Sopranos dinner party.
I recently acquired a new hobby in ceramics painting. I have been going to classes now for about 9 months and in that time have made a number of pieces. In fact, most of my Christmas presents last year were of my own creation. It’s great fun and very therapeutic. I can become totally absorbed in a piece and can spend quite a few hours perfecting it.
I attend classes run by Jane Godbold in her home in Chatswood. She’s a brilliant artist and has helped many a pupil save a potential masterpiece. E-mail me here if you would like her contact details.
I start with a piece of greenware - plaster pieces bought from a supplier that has been poured into a mould and then dried. It is very fragile and has to be treated with care to avoid breakage - and after preparing the piece by sanding and smoothing, draw a design using a normal HB pencil. This is then painted using special ceramic paints and then fired. This first firing is known as Bisque firing and it helps to “cook” the paint into the plaster. Once fired, I then apply up to 3 coats of glaze. This is then fired again which produces the finished gloss effect and also brings out the beautiful colours. The greenware is magically transformed at this stage.
Click here to see the pieces I have painted.
Another one of my favourite pastimes is cooking. Warren and I both enjoy entertaining and discovering some new and interesting recipes. A favourite cookbook is Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef, and the current Marie Claire food + drink which has wonderful hors d'oeuvres and fantastic cocktails which we have taken a particular fondness to.
My most recent contribution to the collection however, is The Soprano's Family Cookbook which is a wonderful collection of photographs and exposés on the characters of the show. It is filled with delicious Italian cooking and we have decided to host a special Soprano’s dinner for a few friends in June. Any excuse for a theme party!
Some great recipes from each cookbook can be found by clicking on the favourite menu link.
OK, probably not so enthralling, but I like to include some of my favourite current shows. We don’t watch a great deal of telly, but some shows are a must. Click on the title to visit each show's website.
Whilst not currently being shown here, we are up to series 3 and are eagerly awaiting the screening of series 4. Warren and I purchased series 2 on DVD and friends of ours, Mark and Caroline, purchased series 1. They lent it to us about a year ago, and we were instantly hooked. Consequently we bought the second series and will buy series 3 in the near future. It’s addictive stuff and if you haven’t already seen it check out the website. Click here to find out about our Sopranos Dinner Party.
May not be great acting or great scriptwriting, but I find this show utterly compelling. The absolutely absurd antics of some loud, egotistical Americans and how they Outwit, Outplay and Outlast each other – or not, is must see TV. If you love to people-watch this is great fun and thoroughly addictive TV. I’ve tried the Australian version, but I’m afraid the production is just not the same nor as interesting.
For a real laugh, check out the winner’s audition tape from the previous series in Thailand. He is truly the most vile, smarmy bastard ever seen.
Love this show. Hilarious and so not true to my life!
Maybe this show has lost a little bit of gloss over the years, but I still enjoy it. Dylan McDermott probably has a lot to do with it, but I’m a bit partial to (some) American law shows.
Warren and I have now been a company fulfilling contracts for the past two years. Thought Croft is now well and truly established as a consulting firm specialising in desktop training solutions and management consulting.
Over this time, I have accumulated a number of clients in the training field and most recently have been working for a large corporate organisation in the city that has upgraded to Office and Windows XP. I also deliver standard 1 and 2 day courses in Microsoft Office tools.
My aim is to work 2 days per week whilst Harry is in Long Day Care. And although this has certainly been the case most of the time, I have had on occasion to work more days. Warren and I both try to manage this between us and the kids are pretty happy with the situation.
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