~Cook Up With donna hay (No 20) Roasted Soy and Ginger Chicken and Nespresso Coconut and Chocolate Panna Cotta~

Mint from our little herb patch...

all ready for a Cook Up from donna hay magazine Dec 2012/January 2013

Irina from Gypsy In Me has joined me in these Cook-Ups......if anyone is interested all you have to do is cook something up from the latest issue and blog it.......easy peasy

Just let me know if you are keen to have a go!!!

On the Menu is Roasted Soy and Ginger Chicken (I also added some Zucchini and Beans)

Above is donna's version

Chicken, Chick Peas and Sweet Potato all set to go into the oven

and all ready now......

with the mint all chopped now on it 

Zucchini all set to go

Before anyone eats here I have to take lots of pics ha ha...

Above and below is the dish all plated up

and together with the extra veggies

this is a really tasty meal......we all loved it

and to finish off Nespresso Coconut and Chocolate Panna Cotta

The Panna Cotta was lovely and light and perfect for a summer's evening meal....

Now I better get my act together and do another one as the next issue has arrived

Happy Weekend and Bon Appetit......Dzintra

~The Beach and New Hair Colour~

Today I thought I would go down to the beach for a dip

The weather is just glorious at the moment here

Above is a pic of the beach front on 

looking to the left

and to the right

The water was just a little coolish but boy once I got in oh so refreshing......

and all without the January crowds!!!
These were just basically point and shoot as I couldn't see the image due to the sun shining!!!

On Wednesday I thought I would have a treat and freshen up my hair with some purple and chocolate and have a new style......and the result I am soooo happy with it

Best thing I ever did was to stop colouring every 6-8 weeks and just have some highlights put in once a season!!!

Thank you so much everyone for all your heartfelt comments

I love to read them all but sometimes I just can't get back to everybody due to commitments to JoJo and daily life but I do truly appreciate them all 

Now it's time for the weekend and who knows, perhaps another swim if this weather hangs in

Happy Weekend......Love Dzintra xo

~Vale...Louella~

(image source...thank you Renae)

I can't believe this...

2 Vales in a row

On Monday I was told by one of JoJo's Careworkers that Louella had passed away last week

Louella has played a huge part in our lives (since we made our Sea Change) as a Respite Care Co-ordinator for us

She was extremely helpful to us when I broke my arm

and helped us out with meals and much assistance in other ways while Mr Armchair was run off his feet caring for me and then JoJo

She went over and above to assist us how she could

Louella was one of our first points of contact here with services and she always made sure everything was just right and that we were happy

Thank you so much dear Louella for all your kindness and assistance

We will miss you........Dzintra and family xoxoxo

~ Vale - Inesa ~

It is with great sadness that I write this post...

My Friend from Orange, Inesa, has passed away...

Even though I haven't seen her for a few years I did think of her often

I first met her at The Owl's House.......a lovely little Sewing Shop in Bathurst back in the 1990's when I heard her say her name to the shopowner and of course it caught my ear as it was a Latvian name......

We started chatting there and then and I regularly saw her while we lived in Bathurst at that time...

Inesa was a very talented Craftslady and I remember when she bought her knitting machine and made me some woolen track pants......

Above is a pic of one of the trackies with her Nifty Label on it....

and here are both pairs......

For my 40th birthday she bought me these pottery items above

How treasured all these things are to me now as I don't have a photo of Inesa handy

I think I have one in a box somewhere

If I ever do come across one I will post it up

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind always be at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

And rains fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand

Inesa leaves behind her Husband Paddy, Amanda, Kevin and Aimee

Rest In Peace dear Inesa......I will miss you

Love Ingrid  xoxoxoxoxoxox

 (as she knew me before I started to use my Latvian name)

OPAM (One Project A Month) February 2013

I have 4 little thread catchers to show this month in OPAM

I did make one 1 little larger

and the same one with the top folded down a little (too much)

and here they are all together looking rather cute I think!!!

Thank you to Sweet Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM again this year...

I've been rather absent from blogging this week as I've been away to a 'Carerfest'...

all for Carers and I have experienced some wonderful uplifting programmes, met other Carers which was great as Caring can be quite isolating at times.....it was lovely to share stories for a while and then talk 'normal' things....... 

and I tasted a little bit of 'Freedom'

now I'm back to bedtime/bathtime and getting into the swing of it all again!!!

Thank you to everyone that reads my blog.......makes a comment....I do read them all and respond when I can and now have to try and catch up!!!

Happy Weekend.......love Dzintra