Amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

It's very easy to get carried away with the hurly-burly of life, caught up in the necessities of earning a living, looking after yourself and your family, running around - forever chasing your tail.....not leaving any tine to really appreciate the loveliness of the little things around you.

This week was crazy-mad for me getting ready for a garage sale as we try and clear the decks of our life.
Some days I couldn't even think about taking any photos at all!
Let alone thinking of something that was rocking my socks!

So here is this week's round up - a few discoveries in store!

Cadbury's Rocky Road. Who knew?

Re-discovered a box of Barbies

Cat suddenly became cuddly (for a minute)

Amazing afternoon after-storm light

Re-discovered old 78's (my sister's)

I love sticking boxes together!

French toast with custard at Henri Marcs

How was your week?
Did you find something/someone to love?

Try and take time next week to enjoy, really appreciate something every day.

I still found time to appreciate things

I'm not finding much time for blogging generally but I'm still trying to find some joy each day.
Some little thing that pleases me, that makes me think "ah, life is good"

This week I bought a big bunch of basil to make some pesto to make this recipe.
Mmmmmm, I love the smell of fresh basil.
I have got some in a pot but it wasn't enough to make pesto....just enough to inhale every now and then.

Who has a love-hate relationship with shopping?
I do!
And dragging an enormous trolley around Costco it one of the hates....but there are several things I love.
Their organic cheese.
The smoked salmon.
Bagels.
And looking around the "others" section.
This week they has showers all sorts of home reno stuff including the kitchen sink!

I have been trying to do the fast diet or the 5:2 diet,
Some days it is hard.....but I love that dinner tastes so much more intense, more fabulous on a fast day.
This was (spicy) masala prawns on a bed of baby spincah.

Mr planet and I have a caravan.
We also have some old and grotty plastic cups that we have used for camping for the last 10 years or so.
Time for some new fabulous mugs I thought! Right?
Wrong?
Cannot find melamine mugs or plastic mugs anywhere.
All the usual suspects - Target, $2 shops, camping shops - zilch!
But I did find these spiffy melamine latte cups in the Leura Whisk, kitchenware shop in Leura.

So the sorting out continues, the decluttering, the moving around of stuff from one spot to another.
This week I tacked my sewing basket and found some forgotten treasures in the depths.

Yep, I was back at Henri Marc again.
What can I say? I just love that place.
Plus they have a great spoon collection.

And another foodie love.
Tofu burgers.
Yep, tasteless, bland old tofu mixed with walnuts, onions,carrots and various other tasty morsels makes yummy burgers that anyone would love.

That's all for this week folks.
You all have a great week and see if you can find some joy everyday....or most days.

Just some stuff that bought a smile to my face this week

Starting the week off with a little prosecco with my pasta.

Colours I adore, found on Design Seeds.

New favorite cafe, Henri Marc - this is their version of french toast. It was de-lish-us!

Something I love at home.
A painting we bought many years ago and had to scratch around in our purses to buy it.

Aw, the best valentine's day morning.

Sooooo looking forward to camping with friends, but the weather had other ideas.

After an eventful weekend it was good that there was something worth watching on TV.

How was our week?
Hope your face had a : )

Out and About - Henri Marc

It is a widely-held view that the western suburbs are a cultural and culinary wasteland.
OK, we do have The Joan*...and when I say "we" I mean "they" as I do not, strictly speaking live in the western suburbs (I am beyond all that), but it is my closest shopping centre and all that stuff.

But The Riff ** has never had a lot going for it......until now!

Henri Marc is in town!

They have the . best . coffee by miles.

It is a bit tricky to find and doesn't really jump out at you.
Can you spot the cafe here?

But once you are inside you know that it is not just your normal-run-of-the-mill place.
It's a bit hipster - yes?

Last time I went I had a muffin that was as good as mine! Home-made and really, you know, muffiny.
Not cakey.

(yeah, it's blurry....no, it's not your eyes.....yes, it's a shocking photo)

 Today I had the french toast with poached peaches and salted caramel.

Oh, my word! It was to DIE for. Seriously.
I would be happy if I had to eat only this for the rest of my life.

I was severely temped by the "caramel on toast".
Also by the "avocado, tomato, ricotta, pesto on sourdough", sounds ordinary.....looks amazing and I bet it tastes amazing too!

So if you are a westie or a bluey*** or you are travelling west anytime between 8am and 3pm Monday to Saturday go check it out.

Don't be put off by this -

Pst, I'll give you a clue it's near the war memorial.

*The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre.
** The Riff = Penrith to locals
***From the Blue Mountains