Sparking Joy

A rare day off from casual teaching so I need to refocus on my decluttering schedule as inspired by The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.

During the first phase of this project I culled my clothing and accessories to about half.  This meant that I was able to demolish and get rid one of these wardrobes... which was a great feeling as they were falling to bits anyhow!  The increased space in my bedroom has certainly increased the amount of joy I feel now when in my bedroom. I have yet to reduce what I wear to what is currently known as a "capsule wardrobe" but I am still moving in that direction.  MariKondo recommends that tidying up should begin with clothing.  I agree that if you can make this the first domino to fall then the process will get easier.

Cooking on a budget during my first week in Austria (trip 3)

Rice puddings with sultanas, currants and caramelised homemade marmalade




Layered French style potato bake with mushrooms and Gouda cheese.




Potato hash browns with sesame seeds.




Pea soup with sour cream and fried Spanish onion.




Pumpkin soup with squid-ink bread croutons.

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Location:Graz

On My Way: My Third Austrian Adventure!

In transit: Sydney Australia - Vienna Austria

Flying Emirates for both legs of the journey. Pretty impressed with the console (pictured). Also the meals are very good. Made a mistake by not bringing my own bottle of water in the plane, got very dehydrated.









Today (December 8) is the first full day of my third stay in Austria. It's a public holiday so Alex doesn't have to work; he too needs a rest after driving up to Vienna and back to collect me from the airport. We both had a bit of a sleep-in then went for a short walk to the Spar supermarket to buy a few items. It was unusually foggy, the thickest Alex had seen in a while. I fell asleep quite early after a dinner of scrambled eggs and capsicum at about 8pm.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad


December 9, 2015






















**Day Two of my third Austrian stay**

Alex is working today so I've been cooking. First I made a marmalade using 3 small pieces of (uncertain) citrus from the fruit bowl. Then I made a rice custard using up sultanas and currants from a trail mix. I sprinkled nutmeg on top, drizzled with the marmalade and baked for about an hour in a steam bath. Thirdly I made a French potato dish using sprouting potatoes from Waldschach. I peeled and boiled them in chicken stock then - after cooling - sliced and layered them into a pie dish. I made a sauce using the chicken stock and thickened with flour. In between the layers of potato I sprinkled finely diced turkey pastrami and mushrooms. I topped with Gouda cheese and paprika then also baked for about an hour after the custards had been removed.


December 10, 2015



**Day Three**

My first challenge of the day was to go and buy milk (Milch) for my coffee before being able to have an actual coffee. I still don't speak enough German to confidently understand everything the Hoffer (Aldi) checkout person says to me so it's still an awkward fumble trying to quickly put the right change on the counter in a timely fashion. I can't keep handing over large notes and just waiting for them to give me change so while the queue waited patiently (they are very polite here at least) I managed this feat. Beats dealing with a 70 min period of year 7's when I haven't had time for a coffee though, hands down!



December 11, 2015







**Day Four**

A fairly lazy day at the Graz apartment. Alex didn't have to go to work so we had a long sleep in then I did some Cross stitching and cooked hash browns. At about 3pm I went for a walk to the toy shop and bought a German card game to help me practice my "opposites", a 3 minute timer and a cute little carved warthog to add to the collection.

Location:Grieskai,Graz,Austria

Post Trip Blues Have Set In Again....

.... but helped by my man booking tickets for Australia!!!



I wasn't as diligent about keeping my blog while I away this time but here are some high-light photos.

Flying Etihad for the first long leg to AbuDhabi.

Always something culturally interesting going on in Austria's third largest city Graz.

The view from my man's apartment... overlooks the river Mur and the Altstadt (old city).

The architecture in Graz still amazes me.

On top of the Schossberg (clocktower castle in the heart of Graz) there is an old bell with my name.

Nearby is a lookout with views of snow capped mountains ( river Mur in the middle distance).

Not having much spending money this trip I did a lot of window shopping.

The posters advertising exhibitions are artworks in themselves.

And after a week of illness (for me a cold, for Alex the 'flu - Gripe) I went for a walk in the woods.

And I worked on this trip's cross stitch project....

...and played my first roleplaying game with 3 of Alex's friends.

The river Mur and surrounds is so photogenic.

I rose early one morning to see the sun rise.  Alex's father also bought that lamp so I could draw.

Love snow :)

Hiking up the Schockl... that ice was sooo slippery we needed sticks.

Best apfel strudel ever!