Some photos from my vacation to the Cook Islands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.