Tails’ Blography

For CANNOLI’S!!

Yup, the Community Chest Carnival is back again this year (their 62nd I believe). It opened last night and I’m visiting it tonight with my fiance, sister and some friends.

We dont usually go there to drink (anymore, highschool was a different story), but I hope tonight we can park off at a stall and have a drink of few. Usually its the only place I drink Grolsch beer (Irish tent FTW), and sometimes there are oysters (mom and I usually indulge here).

This year, I think I’m going to seek out the cheese stand (Switzerland, I think) to try find the cheeses we chose for our wedding cheese stack! I’m dying to try those cheeses again cos they’re omnomnom!

My sister loves the rides, so she usually spends some time on those, and we take pics and video for them of her and her bf on the rides. Fairground rides give me the heebs so I dont ride them though. If there is a Ferris Wheel this year, I might attempt it, though it scares the shiz out of me (afraid of heights)! My thing is the book tent!

But, as I said, the main thing I’m looking forward to is the Cannoli! I make a beeline for it as soon as I arrive (and usually I buy two!)

Or is it?

Who here, dear readers, owns a crock pot? Otherwise known (if I’m not mistaken) a slow cooker.

This has been in my thoughts for a while, and I’m sure I’ve hinted before at the fact I love appliances – ice cream maker, ice maker, soup cooker, donut maker, coffee machine, and even a pizza maker are all things I’d luuurve to own. I’m sure though that some are unnecessary as for example, the slow cooker could make soup as well, but the idea of a dedicated soup appliances (and it can even blend the soup to puree so you dont have to use a hand held chopper or use a blender cup by cup so it doesnt explode from the heat!) appeals to me quite a lot.

Anyway, so, back to the question. Who owns a crock pot/slow cooker, and bonus question, but equally important, are you ok leaving it on all day while you’re at work?

The thought of doing that makes me a little nervous, but I understand this is what slow cookers are for, right? I’d never leave my oven on all day, of course, but maybe a slow cooker is ok for that….

Help!

PS: Extra bonus question, which slow cooker do you own and what do you think of it?

Also new poll added in the sidebar –>

Wow its been a long time since I’ve posted, hasnt it? *checks date* Wow last post was Dec 12th. Hmm and I havent yet seen one of those movies lol!

Anyway, what’s been happening? The wedding planning is still goign ahead, dress alterations are booked for next month, but there is still a lot to be done. The venue is giving me grief but thats another story for another day, hopefully with a stiff drink in hand.

Nothing else much to report, but I thought I’d pop in and let you all know I’m still around. Hope your Christmas and New Years was a great one!

I always say I’m going to watch movies, but I never get around to it. I only just managed to watch War Horse the other day!

These are the movies that I vow to make time to watch next year as they come out:

(credit: Channel24)

  The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Emma Watson’s fun and feisty new movie. Opens in SA cinemas 4 January 2013

  Les Misérables: Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen sing their hearts out in this highly anticipated musical. In cinemas 18 January.

  Lincoln: Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Abraham Lincoln in a historical epic directed by Steven Spielberg. In cinemas 1 February.

  Zero Dark Thirty: Kathryn Bigelow’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker chronicles the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011. In cinemas 15 February.

  Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters: In this dark spin on the fairy tale, siblings Hansel and Gretel are a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. Starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton. In cinemas 22 February.

  The Impossible: The devastating 2004 tsunami as seen through the eyes of a family who got caught up in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. In cinemas 1 March.

  Oz: The Great and Powerful: James Franco stars as the man who would become the Wizard of Oz in Disney’s grand adaptation. In cinemas 8 March.

  Carrie: Chloë Grace Moretz stars as the bullied teenager with destructive supernatural powers. A horror remake not to be missed. In cinemas 29 March.

  Iron Man 3: Robert Downey Jr is back as Tony Stark in Marvel’s latest instalment in the hit franchise. In cinemas 3 May. (Photo: Zade Rosenthal. Marvel)

  The Great Gatsby: Baz Luhrmann brings his unique brand of glitz and glam in a lavish production starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan and Tobey Maguire as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s narrator Nick Carraway. In cinemas 17 May.

  The Lone Ranger: From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski comes the story of Tonto (Johnny Depp), a spirit warrior on a personal quest, joins forces in a fight for justice with John Reid (Armie Hammer), a lawman who has become a masked avenger. In cinemas 12 July.

  The Hobbit (might be this year which is why it isn’t on the list, but I still want to see it!)

Having just been in a helicopter this week, I was reminded about my 101 in 1001 list. So I found the list and lets see how many I’ve done (long time out of my 1001 days I’m sure):

Personal Growth:
1. Go to a movie alone – dont think I did this yet, but I did go to a rock concert alone lol maybe that counts?
2. Do volunteer work
3. Get published (letter/story/photograph) – I wrote a novel, not yet published but I got a proof copy, that counts, right?
4. Plant a tree – planted a blackberry cane, does that count?
5. Buy a worm farm (or shares in a worm farm) – no and I gave up on this idea. Its actually rather complicated to keep one haha!
6. Try a new restaurant – done this, a few times. Messopotamia springs to mind.
7. Take each member of my immediate family out to lunch (0/3)
8. Read a biography
9. Write a short story – I wrote a novel, I think that works for this one, dont you?
10. Finish a YOU magazine crossword
11. Frame & hang 10 photos I’ve shot (6/10) – I’ve got 6 framed shots around my house (well, 5 framed, 1 canvas)
12. Get MagMark bookmarks made – nope, given up on this idea too lol
13. Get professional photos taken of myself – done! I won an engagement shoot last year!
14. Make my bed every day for the next 2 weeks (14/14) – I do this all the time now, arent you proud!
15. Train myself to do the splits – LOL! ‘Nuff said, I’m sure.
16. Go shopping alone 5 times (1/5) – I’ve probably done this a few times, but I can remember once, recently.
17. Get Gizmo’s lumps removed – RIP Gizmo
18. Travel out of South Africa – honeymoon…?
19. Get car bonnet fixed/replaced – how about I bought a new car? That trumps it, right?

Online:
20. Go one day a week without Facebook for 3 months (0/12) – Not as hooked as I used to be, more a YouTube addict lately but dont think I’ve gone a whole day without FB for 3 months, no.
21. Get 10 new blog followers (let me know if you’re following my blog so I can count you) (0/10)
22. Get three people to start a blog (0/3)
23. Sort my blog links in catagories – I took these out lol
24. Re-evaluate bracketed items in this list when individually completed
25. Get 10 other people to do a 101 in 1001 list. (0/10) – I think I inspired one other to do a 101 in 1001 list from my heli ride.

Health/Diet:
26. Go to the dentist – done, and another appointment pending for next year!
27. Go to gym regularly for at least three months (0/3) – I did this long ago, but have since stopped since I changed jobs. Travel time conflicts
28. Donate blood (this is a scary one for me!) – not yet…..
29. Get two other people to donate blood (0/2)
30. Incorporate three new meals into my diet – Yup we’re eating green beans, quinoa, and roast veg in our diet now.
31. Make an emergency kit
32. Learn CPR
33. Stretch every day (0/1001)
34. Take my pill every day for 60 days (0/60) – I’ve prob done this lol
35. Try a new food (ie snails) – I did try snails actually, they were ok.
36. Stop drinking fizzy drinks for 30 days (0/30)
37. Go to the gynecologist once a year (0/2)
38. Try the fruit of a Delicious Monster
39. Stretch every day (0/1001) – woah didnt notice the duplicate.
40. Find out my blood type – need to do still.

Hobbies:
41. Get my Sexpo photo printed on canvas
42. Do some fabric painting
43. Take three images in a series (0/3)
44. Get three images printed on canvas for my lounge (0/3)
45. Bring my bonsai back to life – my bonsai died, but M’s bonsai is still alive haha
46. Buy a bigger pot for my Delicious Monster – done!
47. Get fish tank looking and running great – dont have a tank anymore
48. Shoot a sunrise
49. Keep my bedroom floor tidy for 2 whole weeks! (14/14) – done
50. Complete a scrapbook

Random/Fun:
51. Ride a luge pipe
52. Watch Forest Gump
53. Fly in a helicopter – DONE!!!!!
54. Ride in a hot air balloon
55. Write to a celeb (and try get an autographed photo)
56. Walk into an elevator and don’t turn around, just face the other people. – done! and i even said, “I’ve gathered you all here today…” LOL
57. Win a competition – I won an engagement shoot
58. Get birds to visit the garden regularly – done, blogged
59. Build a puzzle
60. Take my dogs to the beach (and take pics)
61. Get a professional massage – done, I went to Camelot Spa and it was looooovely!
62. Get canvases and do rat painting art
63. Go to Build-A-Bear and build a bear.

Financial:
64. Keep a list of expenses for 30 days (0/30)
65. Save R3000 (R0) – I did, and then I spent it lol

Social:
66. Go to a strip club
67. Throw a party for someone – done! I threw M a surprise 30th!
68. Go wine tasting – done, many times! Why is this even on the list haha
69. Go grape stomping
70. Do a Township Tour – done! Went to Mzoli’s and got a tour as well from the Groupon deal.
71. Go camping
72. Host a board game night
73. Go cherry picking
74. Go to a Summer Concert – done
75. Throw another cocktail party
76. Do a girl’s night out with cocktails
77. Go gambling
78. Go to a Lesbian Bar/Club

Learning:
79. Learn to shoot a gun
80. Learn to pole dance
81. Learn to belly dance – I’m learning ballroom, does that count?
82. Learn to make three new dishes (3/3) – roast beans with parmesan (hardly a dish one needs to learn but its a new one I’ve tried), stuffed chicken breasts with mozzerella and spinach, warm quinoa salad.
83. Learn the harmonica
84. Learn how to change a tire

Work:
85. Shoot 5 weddings (5/5) – done
86. Get business cards printed – done a while ago, but want better ones done now.
87. Get portfolio book printed
88. Photograph at an animal shelter
89. Take a photography course
90. Shoot a wedding for free – Kind of, I shot an aftershoot for free for a friend who got married in court
91. Redo my dad’s website
92. Buy new camara equipment (lens/body/memory card/etc) – I got a nifty fifty lens from Taipei when M went there for work
93. Advertise my business (paid advertising)
94. Host a stand at a wedding expo
95. Backup my computer data – done
96. Get to work on time every day for a week (5/5) – done over and over again lol

Love:
97. Initiate romance once for every 3
98. Make love 5 times a week for 1 month (0/4)
99. Have sex blindfolded – lol, done
100. Snoo-snoo in a public place – done
101. Get engaged – DONE! Last year, 12 March 2011

Time to start working on one for Jan 1, 2013 eh….