Pauline's Rants and Raves

I am going on a Vacation again!

2012-01-22T00:54:00.000-08:00

I am going to Bangkok for a week from the end of the month. My husband left today for a business trip and I am following him later.

I have never been to Thailand and unfortunately I wont get to go to one of the islands like Puket but I will have fun shopping and relaxing. I am very excited about going and have already started packing. Don't worry I am leaving lots of space in my bag for extra weight coming home hehe.

All this traveling I do gave me enough frequent flyer points to get there so this is a very affordable vacation if you don't count the shoes and handbags I will buy.

There has been a terrorist alert on there but nothing has been said for a week now so I think it has all settled down. I will post some pictures when I come back.

Till then, have a great week and stay safe.

Oh and I nearly forgot to tell you that I have been doing well with my Crock Pot Recipe Books on Kindle so if you have one or and iPad or iPhone go and have a look at my Author Page which lists my books at
Pauline's Amazon Author Page.

Bowral Tulip Festival 2011

2011-10-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from my trip to Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW for their annual Tulip Festival which is held the end of September and early October. It is Spring in Australia and the gardens are starting to look very pretty.

I went this time with my mother and sisters for a girls long weekend and we really enjoyed it in spite of the weather which ranged from raining to overcast to a few sunny periods. Luckily we decided to go to the main garden, Corbett Gardens in the afternoon that we arrived and enjoyed the time there amongst the tulips.

We were fortunate we did as it rained on and off all the next day. We spent the time talking and catching up though so we still enjoyed ourselves. We stayed at a B & B and as one of the rooms was very large so we hung out there most of the time. They also had a lovely common lounge room with a fire burning which was very inviting but we decided we were a bit loud for the other guests and had more privacy to talk in our own room. You can see my review of the B & B called Strathbourn House (coming soon).

My Mum & Sisters (I am on the right)

We still got out and around the town the day it rained but it was more difficult for my elderly mother with her walking frame so we limited ourselves a bit and so we took her back to our accommodation for a rest and explored the town again ourselves. We bought some lovely earings at one of the boutique type shops in Bowral.

The tulips were good this year but many had already flowered and after the rain a lot were damaged. There were beds of tulips though that were just glorious and some were very big. Overall they were a lovely display. The only negative really was the admission fee of $8 which I thought was a bit much for a public garden that size. I realize though that tulips are expensive but they do sell the bulbs off afterwards so that should recoup some money and the area does great business during the festival. Anyway that is my own whinge of the day.

We had a lovely time at the Bowral Tulip Festival this year but we would have had a great time anyway because we were all together to spend some quality time with each other which we did. I treasure all the time I can get with my mother now as she will be 88 this Christmas time.

If you haven't experienced a Tulip Festival wherever you live then you must go next Spring.....you will love it.

I have been busy publishing on Kindle

2011-06-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have been busy lately publishing my crock pot recipe books on Kindle and it has been an experience I can tell you. I am sure if I was publishing these books the old fashioned way it would be more complicated than Amazon make it with Kindle but for me it was still a bit of a challenge.

I did a lot of searching on the internet for the best ways to do this and I must say I got a lot of good advice from people at Warrior Forum. I took points from each of those who offered it and started my own folder for reference.

Not everyone had the answers I needed but together I got a good picture of what I needed to do. Probably the best advice came from Jay Boyer with his Kindle Cash Machines which includes a template to help you get the formatting right.

The next step was promotion as it is nice to have your book published but you want people to see it too. I also have to recommend his follow up Kindle Sales Crusher which addresses all the promotion you need to get to the top of the best sellers list.

I would love you to see my Author Page on Kindle so follow this link to it.....My Author Page. My books are Mexican Crock Pot Recipes and My Soup Recipes. If you have a Kindle I suggest you grab them as they sell for less than a cup of coffee.

Please leave a comment here or on Kindle as it would be greatly appreciated especially as the soup recipe book is new. I also plan on publishing a casserole book next.

I saw this funny sign.....

2011-06-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

so......don't read it just look at it hehe

Hi again, remember me?

2011-05-03T05:14:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy since the end of last year. I got married to my soulmate in December in Las Vegas, had a lovely honeymoon in the US and also started a new job here in Australia.

I wish I was more organized and then I would have been able to do all the things I wanted to do.

I really miss blogging here and posting my photos so I will be doing more of that now that I have settled into married life and the new job.

What I found out though which surprised me was that at 57 years of age I don't learn new things as fast as I did when I was younger. Starting a new job in a different field has been very stressful, challenging and I found out how much confidence can desert you when you need it the most.

Here's a lovely picture of my garden in early Autumn (fall). I have posted this part of the garden before at different parts of the year.

I will post some photos from my short vacation to Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo, NSW in my next post.

Las Vegas - Shocking Santa

2010-12-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

Once Santa has come you can then get back to being
a little naughty but nice.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Melbourne Cup

2010-11-02T04:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the running of the Melbourne Cup and most people in Australia will stop to watch the race which is held at 3 pm. The Melbourne Cup is run on the first Tuesday of November. Today as I was not working I took the opportunity to go to a luncheon with my partner and watch the Melbourne Cup. People get dressed up at these functions and so I wore a hat.

Many people get dressed up even when at work by wearing a hat while watching the Cup being run and most businesses will allow people to stop work to watch it. Some companies even have lunches or snacks so it becomes a fun activity for their staff. In Victoria it is a public holiday but in other states we work, but stop for the race.

For a few years we would go to Melbourne the Saturday before the Cup was run on a day called Derby Day and I enjoyed that even more than the Melbourne Cup itself. Here is a photo of me dressed up for the day. One year I would wear a hat and the next I would wear a fascinator. It was a fun day at the races and I always enjoyed it whatever the weather was like. This year the Cup was won by Americain watched by 120,000 people at the racecourse.

Another picture of my garden now its full into Spring

2010-09-27T23:54:00.000-07:00

I really love Spring and its now much warmer during the day here in Australia while the nights are still a bit cool
My garden has come to life and I have the most beautiful pink Azalea flowering at the moment that I would love to share with you. My orchids are still out but finishing now.
Getting outside into the sunshine really lifts your spirits and I am so glad it is Spring here now.

Are my cattle dogs susceptible to human flu?

2010-09-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

We as humans are prone to the flu virus but can we give it to our cattle dogs? The answer is no. The flu virus is a type of disease that is transmittable from animals to animals (zoonosis). Zoonotic diseases are broken up into two aspects - those that humans catch from other animals (anthropozoonoses) and ones that other animals catch from humans (zooanthroponoses). There is no evidence that humans can pass the flu to their Aussie blue heeler. The form of flu found in dogs comes from horses. Similarly, dogs do not get the strains of flu that humans are vulnerable to.

In today's world with flu pandemics such as Swine Flu, White Pox, FMD or Foot and Mouth Disease, and Influenza Virus it is easy for us to ignore the fact that our cattle dogs can also catch their own version of flu. Much like in human flu, the main symptoms of this illness in Aussie blue heelers are nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing and fever. In some cases, however, cattle dogs can get real sick.

If you notice your cattle dogs start to cough regularly, you should visit your nearest vet clinic so that they can assess your Aussie heeler dogs and provide an appropriate treatment. If left neglected, the biggest problem with dog flu is that in some cases, your dogs may develop pneumonia, which is considerably more dangerous.

How can I protect my cattle dogs from having flu?

Protecting your Aussie blue heeler dog from getting flu virus is very easy. Always clean their environment to help minimize the risk of being infected by flu. Keep your cattle dogs away from populated dog areas. Keep your dogs away from street dogs. Most of all, visit your vet clinic to know more about the precaution you need to do for your pets.

So don’t be alarmed, if you feel like coughing or sneezing with your cattle dogs around then feel free to do so. Don’t worry about having your dogs hang out with you on your next sick day – they’ll be fine.

Orchids in late Winter

2010-08-31T01:23:00.000-07:00

I have some lovely native orchids out in bloom at the moment in my garden and I thought I would share one of my photos with you. Hope you like it.

I hope to have some more lovely photos from my garden now that we (Australia) are approaching Spring.
All the best to you and your family from me and mine.

Persuading other people using your Charisma

2010-08-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

People have different personalities that makes them unique. It’s a bit hard dealing with every individual since not all of them are the same; some are easy to deal with, others are not.

Charisma makes a lot difference when dealing with other people. Charisma is like a magnet that attracts people and inspires them. It is like an aura that surrounds a person and makes them wanted. Charismatic people have the ability to persuade not only other people but also his/her surroundings to be able to bring their dreams alive. The influence should start within themselves and they should act on it in order for those people to think and do things the way they expected.

You should not give up once a person is not acting in the way you wanted or believe on the ideas that you want to convey with them, because each of us has different points of view and we never get easily influenced by other people’s insights and actions. Remember, we have our own power to act on the things that we consider, and no one can control us. We’re not like robots, we are human and we want to be free… free to express our mind and act on it.

But once you get their trust, they are willing to follow everything you desired them to do. They hand over their faith and depend upon you to take important decisions on their behalf. They look for direction and are willing to be driven. Charisma gives a power to take such responsibilities and work towards the benefit and for betterment of other people. Charisma is equivalent to leadership, which provides direction with purpose in the life of others.

There are certain things that coerced this world, and charisma is one of them. It is a quality of a person that builds over time by obtaining the knack that are admired and trusted by other people. You need to work on it and learn to value it. Most of all, learn to respect others opinions. Show them respect, and they will respect you in return.

Surviving a facial peel

2010-08-06T05:43:00.000-07:00

I had to have a chemical face peel lately to help me get rid of skin cancers on my face. Having a procedure on your face is difficult because you feel like you want to hide yourself away afterwards. What you look like to others does affect you. For about a week I didn't even look like me.

I am lucky that it is temporary and even 3 weeks on I have still a lot of redness and itching to part of my face. I hope I don't have to have that procedure again but realistically I probably will have to in around 7 years and then there may be advancements in the treatment of skin cancer.

Here is my photo.....giggle....you didnt think I would post one until I have my face all healed did you? This is me though ...just call me the masked woman.

A Real Marketing Help

2010-07-27T01:33:00.000-07:00

Marketing Online is a bit hard.…that’s a fact, especially if you’re only just started and you’re not savvy when it comes to the internet. I admit it, at first I thought internet marketing was so easy to do, you just need to write articles, well I love writing so it’s not a problem to me, go to social networking sites and post a video on Youtube. But as time goes by, I realized I was wrong. Being an internet marketer needs a lot of experience and expertise. Marketing help can contribute a lot to achieving your goals in the internet business world.

Trial and error is very vital. You must prepare extra approaches in case you’re first approach doesn't work, and try it until you get the right rhythm. So patience is a must! As any other business, internet marketing is much more complex. Remember, you don’t see who your customers are. You need to convince them well maybe through emails, e-newsletters, twitter, facebook and so on. You must make the most out of it with those approaches.

Another thing that I learned is to get marketing help to guide you on what to do and how to do online marketing, the right way. It’s better to ask someone who has already established a successful internet business. Get advice from them, or you can research the internet and try to look for some methods that will help you on your marketing strategies. List them all down and apply it to your own internet business and observe which one will work and which ones don't.

Most of all learn from your customers. The things that you need to consider first are the feedback of your customers about your product and whether they are satisfied or not. With that you may take necessary actions or apply another marketing approach until your customers are happy and pleased with your products or services.

Lazy Slow Cooker Meals

2010-07-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't been well lately so I suppose I should call this post Crock Pot Meals for sick people. Ah maybe not!

I love slow cooker meals but when you aren't well you want something that doesn't need much preparation as well as cooking itself. Yeah well it can be done and I have done it. I found that McCormick and Maggi and I am sure other companies have brought out a range of crock pot/slow cooker recipe bases which are just perfect for this time.

Just make sure you have all the ingredients and add it all to the slow cooker. Easy. I like Chicken Chasseur with chicken pieces, an onion, sliced mushrooms and tomato paste and the recipe base of course. Add the base with some water and pour over the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot. Cook for 8 hours on low and you have your meal.

Next you have a sick house then make up these bases and presto you have dinner. No one needs to leave the house to go get it. Just serve with bread, toast, rice, pita bread or pasta or mixed vegetables.

AboutMeMovie and introducing my other blog

2010-06-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

A new venture in giving marketing help

2010-06-08T01:48:00.000-07:00

Hi I am back from a bit of a rest from posting. I have to fill you in about my weight which has been going down but little by little. I have lost about 3 kgs. I am not worried about that as it means I will be able to keep it off and my skin has a chance to adjust hopefully and I wont go too saggy - yuk.

I have started a new venture in internet marketing and have got myself a mentor. He is a a young guru of internet marketing called Alex Jeffreys. I joined his mentoring program and doing great guns. I am studying hard and following his direction so that has kept me pretty busy.

I have built a blog to help others who are starting out and by giving marketing help I can really help others on my goal and theirs towards financial success. I want to be able to retire in the next few years and have been worried about how I was going to manage financially. I am also going to be displaced at my workplace in the next 6 months so this training has come at the right time.

I have always wanted to help other bloggers like myself make money online and I have been lucky that Alex has given me a FREE WEBINAR for my readers to watch. He is a great trainer so you can benefit at no cost from this webinar. There is no catch, just click on the link and I will send it to you or just click on the banner below.

Here's to our success for the near future!

Weight loss so far and new toy

2010-05-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

Image by ifranz via Flickr

My weight loss is going well!

I have lost about 3 kilos so far. That is not bad for me and I would prefer to lose it slowly so my older skin shrinks back. I have a plan to lose the weight over 7 months so I am ready to be tortoise rather than the hare haha.

I have a new toy and its called a bloggie. Its a small video camera by Sony so maybe in a few weeks I will post some I have taken.

My bloggie is dark purple and real cute. It will be perfect for travel which I love to do. It even takes still photos. I have to work out a lot about it though so I am now going back to play with it so until next post take care and stay safe.

I hope you have missed me

2010-05-20T04:30:00.000-07:00

I have been offline for nearly 2 weeks because my computer crashed. I have a netbook but it's not easy to use for more than a short time as you have to scroll a lot, and I mean a lot hehe.

After having to spend a small fortune I now have it back and running well. Actually it's running faster and I now have Windows 7 as well. Windows 7 is a bit different but feels a bit more sophisticated, more organized, if you know what I mean.

It's very stressful for a blogger not to be able to blog :( I hope I don't have to go through that again for many years to come.

One good thing came out of it and that is that I had time to write about my new blog on my marketing online experiences and it is now online too at PAULINE'S INTERNET WEBSITE MARKETING. I would love you all to have a look at it and please make suggestions in the comments if you can.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

2010-05-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Image by turtlemom4bacon via Flickr

I would like to wish all my readers who are Mothers and Grandmothers a wonderful and happy MOTHERS DAY.

I am a mother and a grandmother myself and I will be spending my day with my children and grandchildren. We are going to the beach where we will have a brunch nearby and then a long walk along the beach. To me that is the perfect relaxing day.

I would also like to wish my wonderful mother, daughter and two sisters a great Mothers Day as well. I saw my own mother yesterday and I will see my daughter today.

So, if you a mother, have a wonderful day, spend it how you want and enjoy!

Can anyone tell me what plant this is

2010-04-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

I have many of these plants in pots, as you can see below, and we don't know the name of the plant. We divided the original one about 2 years ago and this is the first year they have flowered. I can't remember buying the plant so maybe someone gave it to me but it sure looks beautiful now in flower.

Can anyone tell me it's name please? Remember though that I am in Australia so it is Autumn (Fall) here and not Spring.

Crunch time for my weight problem

2010-04-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

I have finally come to the realization that I have to lose weight if I want to remain healthy. I am in my mid 50s and my feet and legs are complaining about the weight they are carrying.

Before I get to the point where I start to have health issues which I can see are just around the corner I have decided to do something about it. The weight has come on gradually so that is how I plan on losing it as well.

I don't want to go on a diet as such but want to go on a new eating plan that I can continue for the rest of my life. I have been on diets and some of them have been good but I don't want to be obsessed with food like I have been before on these diets.

The eating plan I have chosen and researched is THE DIET SOLUTION. I watched their video, I looked at their material and I think this eating plan is for me. You download the plan so that means I can start on it straight away.

I will keep you informed how I am going and about the program in another post but for now I am moving forward this week to be a more healthy and lighter person.

Friends are important

2010-04-12T01:41:00.000-07:00

I had some girlfriends over for a luncheon on the weekend and we had a relaxing time together. I don't get to see them that often now but when we do get together we have a lot of catching up to do.

Friends to me are important as they make me a more rounded person. I am not only a partner, mother, grandmother but I am also a friend.

I love this verse that I have on a tile trivet on my desk. I don't know who wrote it but its very true.

Friends are like diamonds precious but rare
False friends are like autumn leaves found everywhere

One of my friends bought me these lovely flowers pictured below and I had gifts of chocolates as well.

I am very lucky to have such precious friends.

Preparing for Easter

2010-04-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

Image by Stitch via Flickr

I have been doing some spring cleaning (although it's not spring here) and wonder why I wait till the house looks like a bomb hit it before I decide to give it a good spruce up.

I am tired now and I have only really done the kitchen, cleaning everything down and making the benches look uncluttered, even throwing things out and that is saying something.

I have lunch to cook on Easter Sunday for the family so I need to start on that tomorrow. I can see I am not going to get too much done before then. Maybe I can start on the dining room and have that in a half decent state by then. It is not a big mess really but I hoped to get everything gleaming before then. I realize now I didn't allow myself enough time.

I started all this as I have 4 days off work over the Easter break so thought it would be a good time to get things done I never have time for otherwise, but I can see I will go back to work exhausted. Maybe not such a good plan!

Oh well, these things have to be done and I am the person to do it.
Happy Easter everyone!

Happy St Patrick's Day

2010-03-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

Image by Loci Lenar via Flickr

I wasn't born in Ireland but neither was St Patrick. He was Romano-British and was captured by the Irish and taken as a slave for many years. After escaping he returned to Britain where he entered the Church and as a Bishop returned to Ireland.

I am from Irish ancestry like many Australians are. My great grandmother Bridget and her sister Catherine came to Australia from County Clare in Ireland and married my Great Grandfather Patrick (who was also Irish) in Brisbane in the late 1800s. He was a Railway Fettler by trade. They had my Grandmother, Mary and she had my mother Eileen, all very Irish names.

Today in Australia many celebrate St Patrick's Day by wearing something green or a green ribbon. It isn't a public holiday but the hotels/pubs serve Guinness and sometimes green beer and many restaurants serve an Irish lunch. There is a street parade but for some reason it isn't held on the actual day. We had green cupcakes for morning tea today at work to get into the mood of the day.

I will wish you "top of the morning" and hope you have a nice St Patrick's Day today.

My favorite travel pic of me

2010-03-08T21:25:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you one of my favorite photos. It was taken in Cabo San Lucas on our cruise of the Mexican Riviera. I loved that cruise and enjoyed the ports we called at. It was a Carnival cruise for 7 days from Long Beach return.

Excuse the hat (I dont suit them) but I wasn't going to have an iguana sit on my head without one.

I love traveling and when I feel a bit down I look at this photo and smile. I hope it makes you smile too. For those who ask....yes they are real live iguanas and I was careful handling these lovely creatures so as not to hurt them in any way. They didnt seem to worry at all about me.

My Darling cooks for me

2010-02-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

I love cooking but during the week when I am working I would rather leave that task to my darling partner/fiancee/best friend. He cooks our dinner about 3- 4 times a week and makes some great meals.

I would like to thank him publicly here for all he does to make my life easier. He is a gem. I work full time, do a part time course and blog in my spare time so I really appreciate that he cooks dinner those times.

He has his favorite meals like steak and salad, pork chops with apple sauce, and my favorite being spaghetti with seafood marinara (see pictures). He is retired now and so he can produce a great dinner at his own pace, that is, when he can drag himself away from work in the garden or a good book. He even cleans up after himself.

As it is summer here in Australia we like to eat outdoors and we have a small balcony that overlooks the lake so we sit out there with a glass of wine and a nice meal and relax.

Thanks Darling for all the meals you have cooked for me.

Another pictorial memory from my Cook Island vacation

2010-02-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

Thought I would just share another memory from my vacation last November.

If you are cold from the snow, wet from the rain or just sun deprived from winter, then spend some time to look at this picture and imagine you are there....that's exactly what I am doing now. The imagination is a wonderful thing. Although it is summer here in Australia I miss those lovely days in The Cook Islands.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T02:31:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

To everyone who is loved or who has loved - Happy Valentines Day to you.

To be loved by someone is very special and we all want that for ourselves. Today I told my partner (fiancee) that I loved him and to love someone is special too.

We had a lovely breakfast out this morning and spent the day together quietly until we looked after my grandchildren while my daughter and her husband went to the cinema.

Have a lovely day whatever you do and spread the love around.

Our dreams

2010-02-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

We all dream but most of us don't know their meaning, that is, what our dreams are all about. We just take more notice of them when the dream is disturbing or out of the ordinary in some way. The dreams that we enjoy are also often remembered but not as much as our 'bad' or disturbing dreams.

Your unconscious mind comes out every night to sort through your daily thoughts. Wow I am glad no one else see this :) What goes on in the day will get reviewed and filed away again. A good idea is to have a dream diary beside your bed. I have one myself with a pen and a spare pair of glasses nearby just in case I have a particular dream I want to remember. If you wait until later you forget it believe me!

So what are dreams? They are your unconscious sorting through the days events, unresolved problems surfacing or they are messages from angels/spirit guides. Enjoy your dreams and listen to the message. You can check out other articles like this on my DREAM TOWN blog.

Australia Day 1010

2010-01-25T22:42:00.000-08:00

On Australia Day, Tuesday 26 January, a public holiday, many people have a tradition of the good old Aussie BBQ or as we call it a barbie. We love this tradition so we invited the family around and fired up the barbie for a relaxing lunch.

It is mid summer in Australia and today the temperature was around 30C (86F). It was a perfect day though to sit outside and enjoy the garden, the company of family and have a nice BBQ lunch. We cooked lamb chops, sausages and onions on the BBQ and had assorted salads and herb bread. I also made Anzac biscuits to have with coffee.

It was a great day, and we celebrated it the way we wanted, but many communities started with breakfast in parks all over Australia today. There are many activities on all over Australia, for example there will be a concert in the Domain and Fireworks at Darling Harbour in Sydney tonight. There is nothing like a fireworks spectacular over beautiful Sydney Harbour.

We celebrate today the landing of the First Fleet by Captain Arthur Philip although aboriginal communities have lived in this land for over 50,000 years. People from all lands have come here to start a new life and today we also celebrate Australia as a great place to live and our pride in being Australian.

Please see video below which has lovely images of Australia and the song "We are Australian" explains perfectly what it is to be Australian.

My summer garden

2010-01-16T18:44:00.000-08:00

It is summer in Australia and the garden is looking lovely with all the flowers. I thought I might share some of the pics with you especially those who need a little color and light in their wintery, snowy lives.

My partner has been working in the garden and has planted many pots of flowers as well as herbs this year. Gardening is his hobby now he has retired, and the garden is thanking him for it. It really is a pleasure to sit out there now and we even bought ourselves a large umbrella so we can spend more time out there in the middle of the day.

We tend to spend more time in the garden now and enjoy having a BBQ on the weekends when we really can enjoy it and eating out of doors. My grandchildren love to go out and look and smell the herbs and pick flowers to take home to their mother.

The garden is a lovely place to retreat to, just sitting under a tree to read or just relax. I hope you like my summer garden. The only thing missing are some fruit trees especially a lemon tree and I will try and plant one this year. The front garden is a disaster so that is due for a makeover before winter.

Cooking with Nana

2010-01-09T23:20:00.000-08:00

My granddaughter likes to come visit and cook with me. She also likes to shop with me too :) She has been doing that since she was about 2 or 3 years old and she is 6 now. It's our time together and we enjoy it.

I bought her an apron last year so she brings that with her when she comes over. She had been wearing one of mine and it was just too big. Now she has her own pretty pink one and it is the same style as mine.

We like to make slices and cakes as well as helping me with cooking my Crock Pot Meals. She doesn't seem to tire from helping me in the kitchen and I love to have her there with me. It would be nice if she grew up to be a good cook and is making a good start so far.

Yesterday we made a cake in the crock pot and as she was staying for dinner that night with her parents and brother, we had the cake as dessert while it was still warm. See the picture in this post for an action shot of her mixing the cake. Note thought she is not wearing her pretty apron as she forgot to bring it with her.

Time with grandchildren is so precious and I am so happy I can spend time like this with her. I wonder if my grandson will want to cook with me too when he gets old enough?

7 rules to keep healthy and happy

2010-01-07T00:19:00.000-08:00

These are my 7 rules to keep healthy and happy that I will try to follow this year. I want to stay healthy so I can keep on traveling, and when I am traveling I am happy :)

Some are easier than others eg learn to relax is always going to be something I need to practice as well as getting enough exercise.

If you have others to add to list then let me know but until then I will stick with these. Now I should get off to bed so I can say I was following rule no. 6. Here are the rules:

Laughter is one of the best things for your mental and physical state
Recognize that stress is a killer
Dont worry
Get plenty of exercise
Eat healthy foods
Get proper sleep
Learn to relax

Dont leave home without the following

2010-01-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

I saw this sign in the Cook Islands and had to take a photo of it to share with you. It was outside the Women's Health Center and on the side of the main loop road of the island.

A very visual sign to remind women especially that they need to stay safe and be responsible for their own health. This looks like a sign for the modern woman of today except for the mention of cash instead of keycard but then it was an island. :)

Good intentions for 2010

2009-12-31T05:15:00.000-08:00

Image by jelene via Flickr

I was thinking about my New Year's resolutions for 2010 as a lot of us are when I realized I didn't make one for 2009. I thought I had, I was sure I had, but it seems I was just going to adopt the 2008 one and try and achieve that. Are you good at achieving goals?

You guessed it, I didn't do so well achieving much in 2008 or 2009. I looked at those resolutions again and decided why change things, so I will just adopt 2008 again, but this time I am going to really make sure I achieve at least 5 out of the 6 and I will add one.

Here they are:

Increase my income, online or offline
Get some house improvements completed
Work less hours
Take a vacation
Do a fun course or hobby
Join a club or community group
new Lose some weight, actually lose a lot of weight

Out of these I have been working on nos. 1, 2 achieving a little, and did do no. 4 this year by traveling overseas to the Cook Islands. Next year I am going to achieve all of them if I can, and so I will have to have a plan. No. 3 is the one that may be my biggest challenge.

What techniques do you use to achieve your goals? Would love to hear from you so I don't have to do 2008 again in 2011.

My Mother's Cooking

2009-12-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

My mother was born into a society where women didn't work after they were married. She was also born into a large family and lived through the depression and war years.

She had permission to stay at work until she had her first child and then became a stay at home Mom, or Mum, as I call her. She had learned to cook from her mother and grandmother and is what you would call now a traditional cook.

My mother was a good cook though and as the family grew to 8 she was adept at making good nutritious meals on a budget. I learned a lot about cooking from her and gained the love of it as well. Cooking for my family is one of my favorite things especially in winter when the kitchen is warm and the aromas inviting and comforting.

My mother has just turned 86 years old this Boxing Day 2009 and she doesn't cook as much as she used to but she still cooks for herself. She still has her original hand written cookbook from at least 40 years ago and still enjoys her own cooked meals.

This Christmas just gone, with a lot of help from the family, she still made the traditional pudding which is wrapped in a muslin cloth, boiled and hung to dry. It was excellent as usual and enjoyed by everyone.

Mum you are a legend!

My Christmas Tree

2009-12-12T22:43:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas trees but I don't have a real one anymore for various reasons including the sadness I feel when it dies. I could have one in a pot but I tried that and it didn't last from one Christmas to the next.

I now have a small artificial tree I call my travel tree. I collect decorations from my travels and then when I decorate my tree all the memories of that trip comes back to me. I love that feeling and I love the tree for that reason.

You can see the picture on this post to see my tree. Why don't you start a travel tree too. Start collecting on your next trip away. I prefer collecting decorations for my tree than filling up my display cabinet with shot glasses :) although I do that in the past.

Have you finished shopping for Christmas yet? Check out these gifts ideas for the home. Merry Christmas to everyone and stay safe and happy.

Some photos from my vacation to the Cook Islands

2009-11-19T20:49:00.000-08:00

I am back from my vacation to the Cook Islands and had a wonderful time in Rarotonga. The days flew as they do when you are having a good time and I am now back to the reality of daily life again.

I could have stayed on that beach and swam and snorkeled for at least another month :) but alas work expects me to go back next week. I shouldn't complain as if I was not working I would never been able to afford to go there in the first place.

The Cook Islands are really beautiful and unspoiled and I look forward to going there again someday.

I have my wonderful memories to keep me going until the next time I get a lovely vacation like this one was. I also have to admit my stress levels are the lowest they have been in a long, long time. Kia Orana.

I work to travel

2009-10-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Image by Daniele Sartori via Flickr

I love traveling and I will continue to travel as long as I have the money so I keep working. I try and have a vacation at least once a year even if it is a few days away only. This year my partner and I have been to Townsville in northern Queensland for a weekend and three days to Merimbula which is on the south coast of NSW, Australia.

In November though we are going to the Cook Islands for over a week and I am getting very excited. We haven't been there before and I love warm climate holidays. We plan on doing a lot of snorkeling and swimming and generally relaxing on this vacation. The Cook Islands are Polynesian and it has to be the best kept secret of the South Pacific.

There are no high rise hotels, it's a real unspoilt group of islands, and we are staying in Rarotonga at the Muri Beach Club Hotel which is an adult only boutique hotel. This should be a real experience for us and no risk of being knocked down by kids at this resort.

Diving, snorkeling, swimming, fishing, kayaking and other water sports are the main activities to do there besides sightseeing. We are going to take advantage of this relaxing time to unwind and relax before the Christmas preparations get underway when we get home.

I am now counting down the time when I can sit by the pool or the ocean with a marguerita in my hand and my feet in the water.

Gallahs at the workplace

2009-10-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm not calling anyone a Galah, especially the people I work with, and in Australia that would mean I would be calling them a fool. I referring to the Australian parrots that are called Galahs.

I saw them around work eating the grass seed so I thought I would take some pics of them as I had my camera with me that day. They are lovely birds even if they do eat everything including any wood on your house and verandah. Not quite as special as a Kookaburra or a Rosella but they are nice looking birds all the same.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

The focal point of your kitchen - the kitchen clock

2009-08-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

The humble kitchen clock is often the focal point of your kitchen so it should be placed in a prominent position so it can be seen from any angle of the kitchen. You might not realize that you refer to the clock often during the day as we run our lives by what time we have to do everything we need to in our busy day.

You can buy some beautiful decorative clocks for your kitchen depending on your decor whether it be modern, antique or vintage clocks and you can even get colors now that will compliment your kitchen instead of having only the choices of wood and metal.

The first step is to decide what use this kitchen clock will fulfill. Is it just going to be a decorative clock only and is it going to be a pivotal part of the kitchen. What space do you have for it and will it be hung on the wall or sitting on the bench. Decide these things and you are ready to buy one. There are some great sites online so start there or check out KITCHEN-CLOCK.NET for some great deals with a eBay auction.

Don't worry if when you buy the clock you don't like it because you can always change it right away or in the future as most clocks these days won't break the bank. A new clock will make a big difference to the kitchen and with a little paint and some other minor changes you can have a completely new look.

See the difference a new kitchen clock will make to your kitchen and stay on time.

Crock Pot Lids and other Parts

2009-07-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

I need a new crock pot lid and I have been searching online for one for my old crock pot slow cooker. It's not easy finding what you need and its time consuming.

I first did a Google search on 'crock pot lid' and really didn't get much except for a blog that has a targeted eBay auction for crock pots and parts. Mainly the others were for Rival and I didn't have that brand. The blog was CROCK POT MEALS and they had some good info on there about crock pots and recipes as well.

I like this site because it save me time and I have bookmarked it so I can go back and check it periodically. I know I might have to wait awhile to find the one I want but now I don't have to waste my time looking anymore.

Another place was Amazon that I looked and they have a good range of accessories for my crock pot slow cooker like cookbooks and utensils but no lids from old models. I was a bit disappointed but they did have a cookbook that I had been looking for so it wasn't a waste of time really.

I think I will stick to the CROCK POT MEALS auction site and hope that my crock pot lid comes up for auction soon. I would also be prepared to buy a whole one just to get the parts.

I will keep you posted about my progress. In the meantime I'll keep on cooking.

Apple Brown Betty Crock Pot Style

2009-05-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

I love my desserts and this recipe is no exception. Apple Brown Betty is a good recipe for the crock pot slow cooker and can be served any time of year. It's a very popular recipe because it is so easy and tastes great too.

Apple Brown Betty Crock Pot Style
3 lbs green apples, peeled and cut
2 tabs lemon juice
4 cups of sliced bread, cubed
1/2 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Place the apples in the bottom of the crock pot slow cooker and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Place the bread over the apples. Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and butter together. Sprinkle this mix over the bread and put the lid on and cook on high for 2 hours.

Serve with lemon sauce or whipped cream if desired. I like this Apple Brown Betty served warm with ice cream.

For other great crock pot recipes then go to my blog CROCK POT MEALS.

How to make a blog

2009-04-25T01:26:00.000-07:00

Starting out to make a blog is pretty scary really if you aren't a computer whiz. There is so much technical information to know about. There is some good news though on how you can make your own blog and learn as you go along.

I found the best instruction program was The Niche Blogger. There is step by step instructions, videos and screen shots on how to do everything you need to make a blog, one that makes you money by way of passive income. This program is perfect for the beginner especially.

Amy Bass runs the program and she is a mother of 4 and a successful blogger herself, who has changed her own family's life and now she wants to show how you can too. She has taught her mother using the same methods that she will instruct you so if a grandmother can do it so can you. Um, I must say here and now that I am also a mother and grandmother and I learned the same way so even I can do it so you can too.

I have used The Niche Blogger for a few months now and have already 3 blogs and counting. I should have another set up soon as well. You get great help from her and also from a forum where you can exchange ideas and help each other. Amy is very approachable so if you need help you can get it quickly to make a blog from scratch.

The cost is really low so why not find out more by taking up a 3 DAY FREE TRIAL which she has going at the moment. She is confident you will like the program and stay. Check it out yourself. I would love to hear your comments as I am sure you are going to be thrilled as I was.

I love blogging and now I get paid to do it.

Living a healthy life in 2009 - Now is the time

2009-03-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Image by Claudio.Ar via Flickr

2009 is the year that I am going to really concentrate on living a healthier life for my own sake. I need to do this for me otherwise my health will deteriorate as I am now in my 50s and starting to feel it physically.

The following are the things I am going to do this year:

Laugh a lot and be happy. We have to choice to look on the positive side or the negative and this year I am going to be happy and thank God for what I have and laugh a lot. This also attracts people to you so maybe I will make some new friends along the way.

Stress less but use it only to challenge myself to achieve the things I want. I am going to meditate more this year and the iPod is coming out again regularly to listen to binaural beat music as this really brings down my stress levels dramatically.

Don't worry so much. This is probably my biggest hurdle as I am a real worrier. This I'm sure impacts on my health and especially my blood pressure. I will set aside some time to think about my worries to find solutions then I will put them aside in my mind. Some problems have no solutions and worrying about them doesn' make it any better.

Exercise more often. I must admit that I'm not keen on exercising but I will start to walk again and this will be the main exercise I will do. A beach walk will be nice to do each week so Ill add that in. Exercise also helps me balance stress levels.

Eating well. I really don't have a problem with this one, only that I like my snacks as well, so Ill cut those down and eat more healthy ones like raw vegetables.

I'm sure I could do more but this is a good start and if I can achieve these it will make a big difference to my health. Now the only goal I will have to really work on is keeping my job and with the economy as it is this will be my biggest one for the year.

Cooking the crock pot way

2009-03-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

I am a busy woman, working full time, trying to keep a house clean and be a wife and grandmother as well. I was looking for ways to save money and my time and I remembered I had a crock pot packed away somewhere. I finally found it and I have been using it ever since.

The crock pot is the best thing since sliced bread. I set it in the morning and I have a hot cooked dinner when I get home from work. For a complicated recipe I will cook on a Sunday and then reheat for Monday night's dinner. Serve with rice or potatoes and vegetables or in summer with a salad.

Winter and changing of the seasons are great times for soup and I have been making lots of soup lately. I have a blog with a lot of recipes which is called Crock Pot Meals and you can get the recipes there.

I have found that I don't spend as much time in the kitchen now and we have less take outs which saves me money (for my vacations). Have you rediscovered the crock pot?

Traveling in the off peak season

2008-09-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Traveling at the right time of year will cost you less.

If you travel in off peak (or low season) periods, or even in the shoulder season, you’ll find traveling costs a lot less. Saving money has to be a priority right now.

The seasons differ depending on whether you are in the north or south hemisphere. For example, the North America summer months are June, July, August but in Australia the summer months are December, January and February. You will need to research your destination to find out the low/shoulder season times to visit.

Positives of traveling in the off peak season are that air fares are much cheaper, accommodation is also cheaper and more readily available and eating in restaurants can be less expensive too as owners will be trying to attract patrons.

So what are the negatives of traveling in the off peak? Off peak usually means traveling in colder weather. Some tourist places close earlier or do not open at all in the off peak, so check up before you go so you are not disappointed. In some areas the public transport system does not run as often as in peak tourist season and some hotels and museums close down for the winter to re-furbish and get ready for the next high season influx of tourists.

If traveling in the off-peak doesn’t sound attractive to you, then you might like to try the shoulder season and still get some travel price reductions. Usually in this time you’ll get decent weather, less crowds and lower travel costs – not the great bargains you’ll get in off peak, but lower costs nonetheless.

This is my preferred time to travel as I get good weather and lower prices. For North America or Europe I prefer to travel in April/May or around September/October. There are less tourists about also so its more enjoyable.

When you are planning for your next vacation think about going in the off peak season and have fun and save money too.

The travel bug has bitten again

2008-09-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

The travel bug can bite when you least expect it. You see a great deal and you can't pass it by. You don't think twice you just know you have to go. This happened to me this week. A great deal came up with a cruise to New Zealand from Sydney and I just had to work out a way to go.

I love cruising as it's the most relaxing vacation you can take. Just add an unbelievable price and its just too irresistible and so I'm booked. The cruise is on the Holland America ship the ms Volendam, sailing from Sydney to Auckland leaving 5 December. If you are going on this cruise too let me know.

I have sailed on the Volendam before and she is a beautiful ship. The weather should be good that time of year and I hope the Tasman Sea is kind to us on the way over. I am not a good sailor but I take my seasick tablets and some ginger and Im fine. I get car and bus sick also so I never travel without them.

Im very excited about cruising again and I will keep you posted on my and preparations. You can read more about my previous cruises at Angeltraveler.com

Seven rules to keep you healthy and happy

2008-06-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

Hello again and hoping you are having a good weekend.

I have a few rules that I try and stick to that hopefully are keeping me healthy and happy and they are:

Laughter is one of the best things for your mental and physical state.
Recognize that stress is a killer and dont let it beat you.
Dont worry.
Get plenty of exercise or at least some exercise regularly.
Eat healthy foods.
Get proper sleep each day.
Learn to relax and unwind.

When Im troubled by something in particular I try and think of what could be the worst thing that can happen to me at that time and usually its not that bad, or is bearable, and I know that whatever it is it will probably pass. Let worry and stress wash over you.

Never worry about tomorrow until tomorrow comes.

Sleep is the best meditation....Dalai Lama

One should eat to live, not live to eat....Moliere

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone; ........Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Until next time....

Sydney made the top 10 best cities to live in

2008-06-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

News out today is that Sydney has again made the top 10 world's best cities to live in, coming in at 10th place. Mercer Worldwide Quality of Living Survey 2008 ranked Sydney down one spot from last year.

Cities are rated across 39 areas considering such 'quality of life' factors as political and economic stability, human rights and personal freedoms, pollution, crime rates, health standards and the cost of consumer staples.

Zurich came in again as first and the highest entry for the United States was Honolulu at 28th place.

Congratulations to the city I grew up in - Sydney, Australia. On a sunny day, looking out over the harbour there is no better place to be.

Weather

2008-02-28T03:09:00.000-08:00

Isnt it amazing how weather affects our moods. Lately we have had eratic weather with periods of storms then the sun comes out then it gets cold. All this and its still summer in Australia.

Im rugged up tonight writing this post and hoping that summer will return for at least a few more weeks. I hate the cold and the prospect of winter coming early is not one that makes me feel at all cheerful or optimistic for 2008.

Until another time...

Paulineh
www.angeltraveler.com

My website

2008-02-23T04:40:00.000-08:00

I just added some more content to my website and I would like to let you know.
I added a review on Banyan Tree Resort (see the picture from last post) and a travel voucher auction. Please check it out at
http://www.angeltraveler.com
Hoping you all have a great weekend.

Beautiful Bintan Island

2008-02-20T01:21:00.000-08:00

This is a picture I took at Banyan Tree Resort, Bintan Island, Indonesia in December last year.

My 'before you leave home' travel tips

2008-02-16T22:24:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you some of my favorite travel tips. Ones that I use when planning my holidays. I have used these all myself over and over again.

Make 3 copies of your travel documents (take one in your carryon, one in checked luggage and one to leave with a family member or friend).
Check out destinations online before you leave to work out a plan for the time you have there.
Take some money in the local currency (for taxis, tipping etc) for when you arrive. Often flights arrive at night.
Check out the voltage at your destination and take an adapter or voltage regulator if necessary.
Carry emergency contact numbers for your credit cards and email addresses for family and friends at home.
Take out travel insurance to cover medical emergencies, missed flights and other canceled travel arrangements especially when traveling overseas.
Do you need passports or visas? Work this out well ahead of your travel dates. Make sure your passport doesnt expire within 6 months of traveling.
Check with your doctor about 3 months before you leave (if possible) about any vaccinations you may need, if any, and for scripts for the medications you currently take (take your scripts with you).
Try and get flights that arrives in the morning and leave at night so you get two extra days for your holiday.
Take a photo of your luggage. Its easier than trying to describe it.

Follow the tips above and you will have avoided some pitfalls even before you left.

PaulineH

http://paulineh-angeltraveler.blogspot.com

http://www.angeltraveler.com

Working on networking

2008-02-14T21:56:00.000-08:00

I have been working on getting my website and blog listed with social networks. I didnt realise there was so many out there. I did find though that socialmarker.com was a good start so thats where Ive been.

This is a short post today as I have been unwell but Ill be back to normal in a few days and will post some more content next time.

Bye for now

Acting on New Years Resolutions

2008-02-13T00:41:00.000-08:00

Today I thought about what my New Years resolutions were and how was I going - towards them or standing still. The first was the website (Ive done that), the second was this blogspot (did that too obviously), third one was travel to a warm relaxing place with a white sandy beach to lie on, and the fourth was to do some home improvements.

Well its February and I have done two of the four which is pretty good really for me. I usually dont get anything done until around September then Im rushing to finish one or two if Im lucky.

Today I thought I would start on researching my third resolution, the travel one. I have a few places in mind to start and they are Tahiti and Cook Islands as land based destinations and Hawaii cruising. Ive always wanted to go to Tahiti and I was toying with a cruise but think that Ive only just come back from a cruise in November last year so a land based holiday may be better this time.

So if I want to do the Hawaiian and the Tahitian cruises at some time, maybe the Cook Islands is the best choice this year (I must check that there is no uprising going on there though).

OK so I have narrowed my choices to one and I will start from today. Anybody got some good experiences they want to share about this destination? Where did they stay, what did they do etc.

Home improvements can wait for later in the year (the house isnt quite falling down yet).

Until next time....

Pauline
www.angeltraveler.com

Tuesday, another working weekday

2008-02-12T02:12:00.000-08:00

My website is driving me crazy as I constantly see something wrong with it and I have to change it and it causes more problems and today I added some more contents as well. There is a lot of work in setting up a website but I am enjoying the final product now I think (well kinda).

But I came across though something while browsing today that was very interesting and such a great concept that I had to let you know about it. See this is going to be one of my Raves. You have to stop Ranting sometime dont you? Well the product is a a program that improves your memory by playing games.

I saw this and think this is such a great idea for people like me and my partner who are in our middle years to keep our brain up to speed and running on high. I dont want mine to slow down and they say that happens from the age of 30 so maybe Im only working on reduced speed already.

Thats not the best bit though, its that they have made it fun by playing brain games. They work out your level then increase the difficulty as you improve and the final best bit is that you can have a free trial. Check it out and let me know what you think. I know my partner and I are going to try this program. Check it out - Reclaim Your Brain: Fight Cognitive Decline with Brain Games. Free Trial.

I think this all got me thinking because all this week, so far anyway, I have had a headache (probably from late night computing) and I was noticing that when Im tired my memory doesnt function as well as usual, which I suppose for awhile now hasnt been that good. Maybe this program is going to help me.

Thats all from me today...

Today I start my blog and website

2008-02-11T03:50:00.000-08:00

Today I start my first blog but its also the first day that my own website was posted to the world wide web. Creating this blog was a piece of cake compared to the weeks of writing and searching for a good template (as Im lousy at html) and then filling it up with content, so I finally got both of these thing finished today and I for one want to pat myself on the back.

They told me these templates are easy and you can get one done in 5 minutes.......well I can tell you it didnt work like that for me. I must admit though I didnt know what I was doing in the beginning and that made it a big learning curve for me and took me longer than probably most.

Anyway Im here and my site is finished. If you would like to see it go to http://www.angeltraveler.com/ and leave a message for me on what you think of it. I still have content to add but at least it is posted and I have also started my first blog. That is two of my new year's resolutions done.

Creating this blog though was a 'piece of cake' and I did do it all in a few minutes. My blogs will be concerned with travel, health and making money. These three things are what Im passionate about.

More on this in my next post. Bye for now