QUEENSLANDER!

This is how excited I am too. (Source: Courier Mail)

Obviously you can tell I'm pretty excited about the outcome of the first State of Origin. However, I don't think the game had the same kind of magic as other State of Origins.

Yes, QLD fielded a very similar team to last year. There were talks that Queensland would not be the same without Cam Smith, but I think Matt Ballin and Cooper Cronk did amazingly well. I also thought that the team would miss the experience of Karmichael Hunt (why, oh why, did you go to AFL?) but the combination of Boyd and Folau on the wings, with Tonga and Inglis as the centres worked really well.

I was looking forward to seeing some big hits - where were they??? I thought with Dave Taylor on our team we'd see some NSW players go flying but he was extremely quite when on the field. Sam Thaiday, on the other hand, was playing all over - directing plays that resulted in tries, tackling, and having a high number of hit-ups - and was playing extremely well.

I will reserve my comments about the refereeing.....no, can't be done. It was atrocious! Tony Archer and Shayne Hayne - what were you thinking??? I'm also incredibly annoyed at Bill Harrigan, the video ref, for giving Ben Creagh's try all the confidence in the world, but only giving Billy Slater's the benefit of the doubt - what the hell?? I don't think OPSM did a very good job of checking their eyes....or maybe they didn't check their colour blindness, and they can't see blue when blatantly doing something wrong.

I am definitely looking forward to the next game in Brisbane.....come on, Queensland! I suspect NSW may move some players around - I don't think Gidley will keep his spot as fullback. For Queensland's sake, I hope he does; otherwise, we'll have to deal with Jarryd Hayne in his pet position.

0

Poor Kurt, his position doesn't seem to be guaranteed for the next game. Boo Hoo! (Source: Courier Mail)

What did you all think about the game?

State of Origin 1

When people look at me, most of them don't realise I'm a mad sports nut. I am completely obsessed with rugby league. I know that the sport is in disarray and has come under scrutiny after many a transgression/crime. I definitely don't condone that. What I do condone is the hard work that the rest of the players have put into the teams, and the work they've done for communities and charities. Also, I really love a good game of footy!

My team is the Brisbane Broncos (of course!). This year, we haven't been going so well...but I'm optimistic that we will still make the 8 at the end of the normal season. Due to this, there aren't as many Broncos players in the QLD State of Origin team this year.

I'm extremely glad that Israel Folau was named as part of the squad. I feel sorry for the guy - he's young and having to make an extremely difficult decision about his future. According to media reports, he hasn't made up his mind about which way to turn - rugby with the Melbourne Rebels, AFL with the new western Sydney franchise, or stay in NRL with the Broncos. If anything will help make up his mind, it's the Origin series! Plus, we need all the help we can get now that Cameron Smith has been ruled out. Jarryd Hayne is going to be trouble (does anyone else dislike him as much as I do?)

I've only got one thing left to say.........

GO QUEENSLAND! MAKE IT 5!

Books!

I may be completely behind the times with this, but I'm currently loving "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. This is the main reason I haven't posted in a few days - I've been locked in the book!

My friend, T, has been urging me to read this series ever since she finished it. I bought the three of them from Book Depository (American site here, and English site here) for $24....for all three! (If you haven't been to this site, RUN, don't walk, as the prices are so much cheaper than Australia).

It was hard to get into at the start, which I knew about since T warned me. Once you get into the mystery, it is extremely hard to put down. Parts of it are a bit gruesome, and had me triple checking that I'd locked all the doors, but well worth reading.

You'd like this series if you like:

• Minette Walters (another of my favourites)
• James Patterson
• Alexander Mcall Smith
• Elizabeth George
• Agatha Christie
• Peter Hoeg (another Swedish writer who wrote "Smilla's Sense of Snow")

It got me thinking about what books are on my wish list to read.

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld (since I read Prep - I wanted to see if he/she was as bad a writer as I thought!)
• Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (I don't particularly like his writing style, but I like a good soppy book every once in a while).
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding (I can't believe I got through high school without reading this one).
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (since so many Voguettes have recommended it)
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

What books are on your wish list?

Stacks on!

So you can tell I'm being very unproductive on this Friday. I like to think of it as unproductive in terms of work, productive in terms of finding things I HAVE. TO. HAVE.

Dear Stackable Oven-to-Table Trays,

I was introduced to you by your friend, All Things Cool (you know, the one whose blog you appear on often).

I was happy to make your acquaintance and would like to offer you a role in my kitchen. You could be working as my roasting tray, my baking tray, and my serving tray ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

I offer good benefits (you will be washed by the dishwasher, G) and a nice home for you to live in (the pot/pan/tray cupboard that is spotless since getting my FF decluttering on).

I think we will be very happy together.

Your friend (and hopeful employer),

Miss J.

ps: I have enclosed a photo of how you can bring your family. They will be very happy.

Dark and stormy

View from my house this morning. Please excuse the old market umbrella - we can't find any new covers for it!

Arghalsdjf. That is what I'm like this morning. Very unmotivated to do anything.....including work. Pretty sure I have to do that.

Inspired by Kiki Chaos (blog here) and Faux Fuchsia (super fabulous VISIONARY blog here) who manage to see positives in a day/month full of negatives, I have decided to write a note of gratitude to help me see the sunnier side of the day despite the grey and rainy clouds above Brisbane.

Dear Coffee,

Thank you so much for making me pleasant in the mornings. You know how much I hate getting out of bed, so you help me to it. It's very nice of you to let G make you for me every morning when he gets up - this shows proper breeding. I'm sure my friends, family, and co-workers sing your praises every morning because you make me a much nicer person.

We should do coffee soon.

Miss J

xxx

ps: you're actually making me eat less food which is helping me to fit into the DRESS TO END ALL DRESSES. Very lovely of you.

What is everyone else grateful for today?

A post from the kitchen

BREAKING NEWS (do you get it? HA!): I now have a replacement Microstoven and G has returned the memory card reader so I now have photos!

Photo from Maxwell Williams.

Isn't she beautiful?

Sooo I was going to do a post about how much I love my new Microstoven pot by Maxwell Williams. I was going to write about how good it is to be able to brown meat on the stove, then put it straight into the oven. I was going to show you how I made soup for G and I the other day while still suffering from the WORST. COLD. EVER.

But I won't. Because it broke.

Yes, that's right. The pot I have had for precisely a week has broken. All over the floor. Chicken stock everywhere.

I'm hoping to get a refund and change it over. Because I loved the pot so much before it broke. Surely it can only be a dodgy one....right? Microstoven can be bought here

I did, however, manage to get some photos before the mess occurred so you can see how I like to make my soup.

Miss J's Asian Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• Chicken (always good to have in chicken soup)
• Assorted vegies (I always put corn, onion, broccoli and cauliflower in mine...unless I forget to go to the markets, then I have whatever's in the kitchen and not locked down)
• Chicken stock (or stock powder and water)
• garlic
• ginger
• soy sauce
• sweet chilli sauce
• Japanese mirin
• Chinese Master Stock - BEST. THING. EVER. If you can't find this, don't substitute - NOTHING can substitute for this.
• A glass of wine. For you

Step 1: Add chicken and garlic to pan. Brown the chicken on both sides.

Step 2: Add chicken stock, corn (if using a cob), and ginger to the pan and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked. Cut chicken up and return to the pot.

mmmm chicken! Cooking this way makes it taste like BBQ or roast chook...without all the fat! Win win!

Step 3: Add vegies, a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of sweet chilli sauce, a lot of master stock. Notice how we take a relaxed approach when it comes to measuring. Mainly because I don't have measuring cups/spoons.

Step 4: Let simmer for 5 minutes while you have your first glass of wine. Mainly so you can drink and think about how awesome this will taste/how pretty your shoes look/that you need to repaint your nails etc etc. Have another glass.

Step 5: Serve preferably before you become intoxicated.....Or not, whatever floats your boat.

EDIT: I would attach photos to this post now, but G has run off with the memory card reader, making it impossible for me to get my photos from point a to point b. He says it's because he was sending the photos from the wedding to M & E (brother- and sister-in-law), but you know, he looks dodgy. You can't trust him.

Hi G! Bring the card reader home. I love you xxx

I've changed my mind...

I've changed my mind. I now want THIS wedding.....

Say what you will about Americans (hi J!), they sure do know how to throw an awesome wedding.

Photos from Southern Weddings website here

THEY HAVE A JUMPING CASTLE!!!! You know how I much I love them (although they're probably not the right idea after all the food and alcohol we're serving).

ps: Instead of a traditional cake cutting, they had a....wait for it.....CUPCAKE. EATING. CONTEST.

Enough said, really. Yes, it's an unfair fight between us as I would definitely win. I do eat a lot more cake than you.