Emma's Photo a Day 2018

Trying to make the space a bit more useful.

This essentially sums up the year. I did nNy things today, out and about, activities, friends, but I have not a photo of one of them so it’s another late night find the closest thing situation.

I can’t believe in a few days I’m no longer going to be doing this! I’m sure you’ll be sad not to see walls and ceilings in my life. Tonight I dug this up for my dinner but good thing I wasn’t relying on it as the 5 potatoes were quite petite sized. 

Family brunch in the morning, Charlotte not really appreciating her first fluffy, half of it being flung across the floor . . .  And the evening back in Auckland with some delicious drinks and food with friends.

Only after I’d already slept on this a night did I hear there was a blow up mattress option, even if it deflates down I’ll still take it over this thing.

Pretty happy with the look of my pavlova but I think the outside was a bit too crunchy and there was nowhere near enough cream. Mum also could have presented the parfait a bit better . . . . 

What else is there to do when it’s wet outside and I’ve made the pavlova and the parfait.

Food is here and ready to roll. Although someone was a bit ambitious and got the large size when we will only have 5 adults, one of which, me, doesn’t eat either of the proteins so I’m going to have to make something extra. Food for days . . .

I’m sad that this was my only photo of the day, but it was delicious so it’s not all bad.

Last day of work for the year! And I had to be there for way too long, just waiting on one person to get back to me on something. Home for some Xmas baking, mmmm melting moments. 

It’s been quite a few years since I’ve got a food Xmas gift for work. The last one was 5kg rice, two chickens, tinned tomatoes and fish, so on the whole this one with snacks and chocolate is looking good.

Good thing for my emergency “photo of anything near me when the last photo a day email comes through” Unfortunately there was nothing at all around me . . .  I did have good intentions of another plant update but the chives are still not cooperating. 

Basil is off to a flyer, parsley showing something there, chives no where to be seen . . . .

Hopefully I will finally get some answers now about how to fix my knee with the MRI images. So hard to stay still when all you can think about is having to stay still. 

When for a wee walk, however it was quite a warm day and 2.5 hours later I was dying a little. I had a back up plan to bus back at the halfway point but didn’t realise these buses don’t seem to run on the weekend . . . A delicious lamington did help sustain me for the return a little bit.

So I’m at Sylvia Park and this bus apparently goes to Royal Oak and Point Chev beach. On a bus that seems a loooong way away!

Is there even a way to say no to a Xmas themed donut in December

Just making sure everything is to standard.

No doubt the audience have been holding out for a follow up to my thrilling series on mushrooms earlier in the year and now I give you Herbs. It will be sad if I don’t see any growth before the end of the year :(

I’m sure I only first saw these last year, are they diseased or did someone do a golden kiwi fruit type experiment here?

Ever since you mentioned it Sarah, they’re everywhere!

I have gone apartment size for my tree. But I didn’t get the packaging properly and it was open and the base feet were not in there . . . So improvise it was.

I feel like I fit a lot into this today yet also spent a lot of it doing nothing so that’s a win. Morning starting at Ambury Park farm then walking round the coast, more of a cycle track than walkers it seemed but maybe because it’s too long to do a return trip and we had a car at each end, and there’s no dogs because of the birds.  Followed up by a delicious strawberry ice cream before heading to the plant centre of which I can highly recommend this one. It’s organised chaos and the owner rings up each sale while spouting a running commentary on various things.  Didn’t get around to actually planting my plants but I have ambitions of doing it. I did pot some herbs though so go me.  Guests over for dinner where we trialled another Vietnamese restaurant, not bad but not needing to return any time soon.  They then introduced me to the wonders of Rick Steves Europe which while entertaining probably won’t become go to for travel tips and suggestions....

The knee fixing journey continues. Swung into Mt Eden for a specialist appointment but really the only achievement was the need for another appointment, with the MRI machine to actually see what’s going on. So another wait and another trip into Mt Eden in a weeks time. At least that won’t be dealing with Friday traffic.

This could be tempting fate but I’ve managed to keep this alive so far with very little input.

This really does taste like apple crumble, which I think is a good thing as that’s delicious but maybe it’d be better warm?

I know it’s normally Throw Back Thursday but mine happens to fall on a Tuesday. In what is one of my better passports, helped by the fact it was 10 years long, although the last 5 year one also got decent use, there is a stamp that shows I arrived in Ghana 10 years ago today!!! W. T. F. Time flies . . . .  I also added a Dramatic filter in honour of the crazy thunder storm this morning. 

It’s another shared lunch at work, this time French theme so I went with Profiteroles with Craquelin on top, which annoyingly got a touch burnt but when filled were delicious and you couldn’t even tell. I’m still full now from everything that was eaten. 

There’s been quite a few good related posts the last few days so I do wish I had something else for today but sadly not. Got a free voucher for this otherwise would not have gone, but they now seek to have a breakfast version which wasn’t actually too bad. 

Tried out the food court again and pretty happy with this choice even though my photo doesn’t necessarily so it in the best light. But the Japanese place was a delight to eat from.

Driving through Mt Eden at dinner time, it’d be rude not to stop and get food. I’m just impressed I had the will to not get some Banoffee Pie.

Although there weren’t actually any noodles consumed at the Night Noodle Markets, the food that was was delicious.

Reading my tea leaves for a look into my future? Although not so many leaves seeing as it was a tea bag

The final buildings are rocketing along it seems.

With the BBQ called out from the terrible forecast, the baking got put in the freezer and lunch plans were confirmed instead. It was wise table picking by us as when the skies opened the indoor outdoor section had a slight mishap and there was a lot of water pouring inside.  So we just had to stay for another drink and another few hours. Amazingly by the time I got home it was blue skies. Auckland . . . 

In anticipation of shared lunch doing a practise round with a BBQ of testers. The washing up is such a boring part.

Got to show the new place to some out of town passers through. No time for photos it seems except the empty bottle once I got back home. Thought I was being smart by going with Sylvia Park for dinner but coming against so. much. traffic. Later realised it was probably mental Black Friday shoppers. 

There would be some great people watching if only I could look out and no one could look in.

I shouldn’t really be complaining about cake, and this one would be much more delicious without the raisins. But the icing more than makes up for it, sooooooo good!

Potentially taken on an angle cos in my putting them up I didn’t take that much care into if they were level or not . . .

Last minute again. Random assortment of stuff on a shelf that is sort of an unpacking attempt that really needs to be done better.

Tragedy struck as I tried to make my mango smoothie as I realised my Magic Bullet was broken :( Thankfully the stick blender came to the rescue. 

They really should have timed the opening of this boardwalk better for when it wasn’t low tide and the mudflats are in full view. It was quite nice though, even if the whole place is a bit creepy with its Pleasantville vibe, but also quite lovely at the same time. 

The highlight of my nap, having a 30min nap after getting home from work. Probably would have stayed asleep if I didn’t put an alarm on to open my eyes again.

This was intended only as my back up photo but I did not realise at the time that I somehow got this creepy green glow added to my tea.

Is that a tuk tuk? Why yes it is. Secret dining in Thailand in the middle of Otahuhu.

They’re quite pretty flowers. Pity I want to tear them out.

Someone needs to mow their “lawn”