the ten commandments

I received a review copy of the movie 'The Ten Commandments' a few months ago and am yet to watch it.

I might try and watch it tonight.

Check it out, it might be a good one.

stress relief

Thanks for the link Kristina!

Click here.

Ahhh. Feel Better.

britain's even got talented dogs!

costume fitting and filming

I wrote a few posts ago that I was going to be an extra in this movie. Almost two weeks ago I went to have my costume fitting. I was fitted for two costumes - one from the early 80s and one from the late 80s = NICE! Believe me I didn't get off too badly, I had seen some interesting costumes in the wardrobe department!

So this Thursday is now the first day I have to go and film, there are two full days filming altogether, the next is at the end of May and this first day will be in the city.

I will be taking a book (The White Gardenia), my Nintendo DS and my iPod as I imagine there will be a lot of waiting around. I also have to wear heels! Shock. Horror. I don't normally do heels. They tried to give me these really high ones and I was like - 'I don't normally wear heels can we go a little lower please' - they obliged thank goodness and I will be taking a pair of thongs (Flip-Flops) for in between.

Apparently you get fed well so that's good, I am excited to see how it all works and to be part of this adventure - I imagine though at the same time it will be quite boring at times. I have to get there to have makeup and hair done before filming starts at 7AM! I don't think I am going to finish until quite late at night either! Oh well, we shall see how it goes. Unfortunately I can't take photos or video so I can't do my own little document 'a day in the life of an extra', it would have probably been boring anyway!

Will let you know how it goes!

bye bye stone fruit.....

....hello mandarins.

Thank goodness for mandarins. I miss stone fruits other than peaches - yuck furry fruit! Nectarines and plums are so yummy and now they are gone until next season.

I was at the supermarket the other day and none of the fruit really appealed to me other than the nectarines and bananas - but I have even been a bit off bananas! Apples are OK but again I am not a big fan. I guess there are always pears.

What Autumn/Winter fruits do you recommend.

ruth and our god-daughter

Ruth and little 'E' came and visited me today in the city for lunch. It was sooooooo lovely to see them as it has been a while since I last caught up with them and I just don't get to see them as much since we have both changed churches and they have moved.

It was delightful to see them both, little 'E' is so adorable and cute and she is growing so fast. I managed to get some smiles which was just lovely.

I took some pictures on my mobile phone as I didn't have my camera with me. Not as good a quality but you can still see how cute she is!

It was also lovely of course to see Ruth who is such a great friend and godly women/wife. Even though it might be a while between visits we still just pick up where we left off, sharing life, the good and the hard and catching up on things we may have missed.

Thanks for coming to visit Ruth. Let's do it again soon. Love ya!

britains got talent again!

This had me in tears!

honesty

I was just walking to pick up the mail and to buy some envelopes for work. I took $30 out of petty cash and had it in my pocket. As I pulled something out of my pocket the money must have fallen on the floor. I didn't notice. A man come running up behind me holding the $30.

How nice is that!

I don't know why I am always so shocked by such acts of honesty and kindness - maybe because of all the horror stories you hear on the news and read in the papers.

It reminds me that even though there is a lot of hurt and evil in this world - there are also kind, honest and trustworthy people in this world too who want to do the right thing.

our 2nd wedding anniversary

It's hard to believe that it's been two years ago today since SP and I got married. In a sense a seems like yesterday but it also feels like we have been married for years. How quickly you get used to sharing your life, home, meals, bed and evenings with one person.

It's been 2 years of growing, learning, understanding and I am sure that will continue each year we are married. My hubby has been very lovely, he had a card for me this morning, he sent me flowers at work and we are off out for a lovely dinner tonight - I have no idea where yet but I will let you know, apparently we haven't been there before. I love my husband! note to self; buy husband a anniversary card asap!

How exciting!

Happy Anniversary to us!

the 'welcome' course

Last Thursday night, my new church started the 'welcome' course which is put together by Evangelism Ministries and a couple of wonderful women I know!

There weren't all that many people there but it was still really great. There is a lot of work to be done but it's exciting that the church is taking the necessary steps they need to to improve welcoming and make people feel loved and cared for.

It's always hard starting a new church when you don't really know anyone, I have struggled with this more than SP. I think because I am an 'out there' person I crave friendship and bounce of it, not having it has been tough. Now I know that this takes time and on Sunday I did get to meet quite a few lovely women- I just don't really know any of them really well yet. Hopefully we will be starting in a bible study soon, which I am sure will help with getting to know more people on a deeper level.

If you think about it please pray for us as we adjust to our new church and as we meet new people.

So the first night was good and it was good that as SP and I are newcomers we were able to share our experience of being welcomed into this church, we looked not only at what happens once someone comes inside the building but we also looked at the exterior of the building - is it welcoming - is it 'open', do people know you are there, etc.

We started the night off with a bible study from 1 John 4:7-20, I thought it was great to start off with the word of God and to be challenged on how we ought to love, it helped put the evening and welcoming into perspective - in light of the fact that God loved us, he loved us so much he sent his Son to die for us, that love comes from God, God is love, we love because he loved us first, that His love is made complete in us and that if we don't love our brother we cannot love God.

We can't meet again or a couple of weeks, but I am looking forward to engaging in more conversations and ideas in how we might make our church a people loving, welcoming place for people to learn about God and worship. Please pray for our churches that we might put others first, that we might be willing to step out of our comfort zones, that we might be alert to the people around who might be new or on their own and that God might lay it on our hearts to love as he has loved us.

i'm going to be in a movie

Well kind of, don't get too excited!

I am actually going to be an extra in a movie called 'Mao's Last Dancer' you may have read or heard of the book. They are filming the movie in China, Australia and America and I have two days filming in May - one at the beginning and one at the end. It's directed by Bruce Beresford who is an Aussie Director who directed movies like Tender Mercies and Driving Miss Daisy.

Anyhoo - as I said it is just an extra part and I might end up on the cutting room floor but I think it might be fun. I go for my costume fitting on Thursday so I guess I will find out what I will be then as I don't know many more details. I imagine it will be long days and a bit boring waiting around but it might be fun and I might meet some interesting people, if nothing else it will be a good experience.

I guess when the movie comes out if I don't make the cutting room floor then you might be able to pause your video/dvd recorder and see me. I will keep you posted on how it goes!

american idol

I have been watching American Idol and this guy is my favourite - I hope he wins!

can you find me?

Talking of Primary School, this picture was posted on one of my Facebook groups of our Primary School, it's part of the group picture which was taken in - wait for it - 1988, 20 years ago.

Can you find me? Tell me where you think I am.

autumn leaves

Talking of Autumn Leaves made me start singing this song that we used to sing in Primary School in England - do you know it?

It's amazing what our brain retains.

Autumn Days by Estelle White.

Autumn days, when the grass is jewelled
And the silk inside a chestnut shell
Jet planes meeting in the air to be refuelled
All these things I love so well
So I mustn't forget
No, I mustn't forget
To say a great big thank you
No, I mustn't forget.

Clouds that look like familiar faces
And winter's moon with frosted rings
Smell of bacon as I fasten up my laces
And the song the milkman sings.
So I mustn't forget
No, I mustn't forget
To say a great big thank you
No, I mustn't forget.

Whipped-up spray that is rainbow-scattered
And a swallow curving in the sky
Shoes so comfy though they're worn out and they're battered
And the taste of apple pie.
So I mustn't forget
No, I mustn't forget
To say a great big thank you
No, I mustn't forget.

Scent of gardens when the rain's been falling
And a minnow darting down a stream
Picked-up engine that's been stuttering and stalling
And a win for my home team.

So I mustn't forget
No, I mustn't forget
To say a great big thank you
No, I mustn't forget.

hello autumn

It is getting so chilly now in the mornings and the evenings, I left the house this morning without a coat and with my thongs (flip-flops) on. I was a little cold. Brrrrr.

It seems to pick up when the sun comes out but it is definitely a lot cooler in the mornings and evenings. Hello Autumn - hello layers!

I do love the Autumn when all the leaves change colour, it is a very beautiful time of year.

This weather shift is playing havoc with my skin.

Moisturise! Moisturise! Moisturise!

it's tough being me!

my personal 'domestic' barista

For Christmas I got SP a 'Domestic Barista' course, 2 1/2 hours of training and information on coffee and coffee making.

Finally last night SP got to go along to his course, he took along our machine so that he could learn how to make coffee on the one we will use at home. He came back and I wanted to know what I got for my $$ ;)

He made me a coffee and it was so different to the ones he was previously making - it's all in the milk apparently and of course the beans, and maybe the coffee machine you use. No they said it was all about the milk!

SP's milk used to be quite runny but now the whole consistency is totally different, creamier and frothier. He could even do coffee art on his froth (that's if he knew how to do coffee art - maybe that could be his next course?!?), whereas before there was no way he could have done art on his coffee. He had a good time and loved it, he had been practicing using our machine for a while now and couldn't quite get it - NOW he has got it.

So now I have my very own 'Domestic Barista'. How lovely.

I am thinking of doing a course myself - if any of you can recommend one that would be good. I would happily go along to the one I sent SP on but as I know some of you are 'coffee guru's' so I thought I would check with you first.