November: day 5

The rain hits the city (again)

We had some crazy weather in Melbourne today. Even a (thankfully wimpy) tornado! The photo of the CBD above (excuse the dirty windows and reflections) was taken a short time after the tornado moved through the northern suburbs. We got a pretty decent downpour. I love it when it rains, but isn't cold (mostly when I'm under cover). It was sunny again when I went out for lunch and when I walked home. Crazy, but convenient!

Luke and I bought a mirror to go over our mantelpiece a while back and today a handyman came to hang it up. I found him through Airtasker and he did the job (as well as hanging two other pictures) for half the price as the guys recommended by the mirror shop. Wooh!  (I was going to take photos of the mirror to show you, but now I can't be bothered getting off the couch. Another day.) 

The place we bought the mirror at - Mirror Mirror on Hoddle Street - is pretty awesome even if you aren't looking to buy one. It's wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling mirrors - little ones, gigantic ones, sleek modern ones and super ornate ones, and some gorgeous art deco ones. (My absolute favourite was a huge art deco fan-shaped mirror, but it was waaaaay too expensive and too big anyway.) The shop is all so sparkly and shiny and silvery and golden. And you can check your hair looks OK whenever you want. 

Me in the mirror shop

Glee in excess

I went to the osteopath today and arrived - unintentionally - 45 minutes early for my appointment. I thought it was 10.00am, but no. Early is better than late, but WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY BRAIN?! (I initially typed BRIAN instead of BRAIN. Heee.)

I went for a wander along Chapel Street in the sunshine and poked around a couple of the op shops. I saw this old sign on the window above the door of vintage store Shag.

When I went in for my osteo treatment, there was a new framed print on the wall: 

Where can I get some of this for my brain troubles, I wonder?

After the osteo, I met Luke at Hellas Cakes in Richmond so I could have the delicious blueberry pancakes again. They were just as good this time.  *drools*

I went back to take some photos of the 70s-style moustaches on the mannequins at the strange barber shop a few doors up from Hellas, but the blinds were drawn as they usually are. There was a gap in the venetians on the door, and I managed to get this crap shot.

The one on the right is more Fu Manchu than 70s style. 

We walked back home by a different route, along Cremorne Street, the former location of the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens back in the mid-1800s. 

There's a shop there selling custom made motorcyles, including this modified postie bike.

There's also a large Matt Blatt furniture store which wasn't there the last time I walked down Cremorne Street. We were greeted by a horse with a lamp on its head. 

I sat in this ball chair. It was very comfy, and much less expensive than I expected. I kinda want it, but I don't really have room. I liked this couch too. 

Luke finished assembling the bookcase while I was at the osteopath. We've 3/4 filled it with our books and DVDs, so there's room for new books. Luke's books are one side and mine are mostly on the other, except for my set of Anne of Green Gables and one or two other books. He joked that he wasn't sure he was happy having Anne on his side. 

That corner where the bookshelf is looks so much less cluttered without the desk and its piles of the detritus of daily life.  I meant to take a photo earlier but forgot.  

Tonight I opened the bottle of Hendrick's gin Luke got me in duty free on his recent trip to the UK. I'd not heard of the brand before (I like gin, but I'm hardly a connoisseur), but I think he made a good choice. It has a cork stopper instead of a screw on lid. It makes a pleasing 'pop' when you pull the stopper out. 

And the label reads thus: 

This handcrafted gin is distilled from a proprietary recipe which includes traditional botanicals such as juniper, coriander and citrus peel.  The *unexpected* infusion of cucumber and rose petals result in a most iconoclastic gin. IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Please enjoy the unexpected responsibly. (Their emphasis, not mine)

I don't know why exactly, but that tickles my fancy. The text in the little recipe booklet hanging around the neck does too. It says (in part): 

Loved by a tiny handful of people all over the world...In our opinion there are far too many experiences that are so-called "normal", which is why Hendrick's follows its own peculiar path....A wondrous orchestra of 11 botanicals sets the stage for our piece de resistance: two rather unusual, yet marvellous, infusions...Hendrick's is made in miniscule batches by hand. It takes considerably longer but tastes considerably more wondrous. 

Humdrum limes be banished...Take a moment and consider the cucumber. It can be said with some scientific certainty that Hendrick's owes its distinctive flavour to the all important cucumber. Thus, little explanation is required to understand why etiquette dictates a cucumber garnish is to the served with a Hendrick's cocktail, rather than humdrum lime (whoopsie!).

 Now make your way to hendricksgin.com and marvel at the endless multitude of garnishes than can be made from the GLORIOUS CUCUMBER! (*giggles*)

On the back of the booklet it beseeches: 

Be bold, dear reader! Enter Hendrick's marvellous curiositorium. Peruse our review of all things unusual. Make haste to hendricksgin.com and unusualtimes.com 

I made haste. As product websites go, hendricksgin.com is marvellous. Their events page - called Wondrous Affairs & Occasions - promises "glee in excess"! This gin was made for me!

I can't believe I've just written so much about a bottle of gin!

Shellacking, footy, shiny, tiny, stripey

I had my nails done again today, but this time I got shellac polish in a deep, subtly iridescent purple. Shellac is a new type of nail varnish that dries very quickly and lasts much longer without chipping. It's weird not having to be careful to avoid smudging or chipping it. Weird, but good. (I guess I can no longer describe myself as a not very girly girl.)

Footy

My (Aussie Rules) football team, North Melbourne, had a convincing and unexpected win over Collingwood, one of the top team in the competition, last night. I think this is the first time I've ever blogged about a football game (apart from the Grand Final). I'm not a particularly enthusiastic fan, but I've followed North Melbourne since I was a kid (despite the rest of my family barracking for Essendon) and it's gratifying to see them doing well after many years of mediocrity.  I think there's some Collingwood fans in my team at work. *digs out North Melbourne scarf*

Shiny

As well as watching the game last night, I shined some of my shoes. (Shone my shoes?) I polished a few pairs of work shoes that were scuffed and dull, as well as my biker boots, and then conditioned them with beeswax "leather balsam" (as it's described on the tub). Not the most exciting way to spend one's Saturday night, but also quite gratifying. Shiny, shiny shoes for me. 

Let there be light

Some of the light fittings in my flat are the screw-in kind and others are bayonet cap style. I never remember which ones are which, and I always forget to check first before going to buy a new globe. Today, in defiance of the order of the universe, I managed to buy the right kind for my kitchen light fitting. 

Tiny 

When I was walking home with my light globe and groceries, I spied a teeny weeny little mushroom in the garden that runs the length of the footbridge over the freeway. I reached for my camera, but I'd left it at home. Dang. Luckily it's close to home, so I went back later and took photos of it. 

I should have put something in the shot to show how small it is. It's less than 2cm tall. Eyes like an eagle, me. 

Spring is ready to...spring. 

 Hydrangea bud

Here's one it prepared earlier

Sripey 

I put my new bed linen on the bed this afternoon. It makes me go a bit cross-eyed, but I like it. The heart cushion usually lives on the couch, but I've moved it to the bed. I love black and white with red accents. 

I think Grover likes it too

Birthday and feng shui

Pink sky at night....

It was my adorable quasi-nephew's third birthday today so I travelled out to visit, presents in hand. Of course I was pleased that he played with my presents all afternoon  - a Bob The Builder chainsaw (with moving, whirring 'blade') and a purple car that makes revving and wheelie noises. ("Is it a Hummer?" he asked.) Still, I guess cars and power tools will always win out over clothes and books. Aunty Jayne rocks!  He chainsawed the furniture ("Why are you sawing the couch?" "It's my job.") and tried to chainsaw his cousin but she ran off.

My flatmate did a feng shui make-over of the loungeroom this morning. I'm very skeptical about the whole feng shui thing, but the place sure does look better. More welcoming and roomier. I likes it. It's fun changing the furniture around. It's a tiny bit like being in a new place.

Before the couches were in an L-shape, one with its back to the door which apparently is a feng shui faux pas.

If I do suddenly meet the love of my life or win the lottery, I'll know who to thank though...

Good news!

My building sold at auction two weeks ago, and I have been in a state of uncomfortable uncertainty since. But good news! I found out today the new owner wants to sign us all up to new 12-month leases. Hooray! I get to stay in my sunny little inner city haven!

It's such a relief and I'm thrilled to bits. The only thing that could possibly dim my joy is that the rent is going up (amount TBA) and I will probably be forced to rent out the spare room. But at least I have the option of getting a flatmate to share the rent, hey?

I adore living on my own, but the more I think about the prospect of sharing again, the more enthusiastic - or perhaps the less apprehensive - I am about it. There can be positives about sharing - including the potential for making a great new friend - but the benefit that appeals to me most right now is the extra $100+ in my hand each week.

Finding the right person to share with will be the key, but maybe that could be fun too. I want to share with a guy, so I might meet a lot of (hopefully not creepy) men...

The view

The photo above is the view from my lounge room window. When I look out the window from where I'm sitting now, the full moon is staring back at me.

More of 333

I dropped into 333 Collins Street Monday afternoon to admire the gorgeousness of the domed vault. Here's a couple of better shots of it than the one I posted on Sunday, with bonus Christmas tree top.