*COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK*

MOJITOS:

shredded/chopped ice
3/4 cup rum *white
12 mint sprigs,roughly broken
6 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp sugar
club soda
4 lime slices


Place ice in beverage shaker.
Add rum,sugar,lime juice & mint sprigs.
Shake well & serve in high ball glass.
Top off with club soda.
Garnish with mint & lime slice.

**SEA SPRAY ON MY FACE.....**

This morning I woke up after 8am-now that is a treat in itself!!!For a split second I forgot where I was but was gently reminded by the crashing waves outside.......

I had a loooooooong stretch & literally jumped into the shower!!

The boys ran along to breakfast 'cause *Mom takes tooo long to get ready*-lol......by the time hubby & I showed up the two munchkins have stuffed their bellies with sausages,omelettes & fruit......:)

We gobbled our eggs & toast with fervour......sea air will do that to you :)!!G has trotted off to work this morning(will join us again for lunch) & the boys & I are gonna laze poolside sipping on cocktails......well ME anyway.......*wink

HAPPY SUNNY DAYS......

**BREAKAWAY WEEKEND**

I've got my suitcase at the door........sunblock,hat & i-pod ready to grab,to get going on our break at the coast today...........

Time to leave the city behind for some much needed R&R by the beach......!!!If anything hubby needs this break much more than anyone of us-poor fella needs to kick back & leave the stresses at the office behind...

I tell you what leading a workforce of 5 000employees can't be that easy-especially not if they are lazy,so & so's.....*geez*Sometimes I wish I had a few extra bob-so I can whisk him away -maybe to Colorado or outback Oz-load up a trailer & just drive for days.........stopping everywhere,eating at lil diners & taking loads of pix........(maybe one day when I'm big :)

So I'm sipping my coffee...watching CNN & dreaming of my weekend at the coast.......!!!I can visualize myself chasing the boys on the beach & splashing in the ocean-eating crab curry & maybe a spot of market shopping......

Wake up with the waves lapping at the shore,clean crisp sea air & not a dirty dish in sight........:)

I HEART WEEKEND BREAKAWAYS......:)

**HAPPINESS IS........**

I am so happy-I think I just wee'd my pants a little bit........lol!!

My Dad just turned 60 and my hubby is flying them out soon for a long overdue holiday-6weeks long to be exact.........I'm not sure who's more excited??!!Me,the kids or my folks??!!......

It's been 15months since my parents saw their grandbabies.....the same for hubby-I was fortunate enough to see them in January this year-when my kid brother tied the knot.......:)

In my head I have already lined up all the fabulous dinners Mom's gotta cook first......Malay curry,chicken briyani.........her orange vanilla sponge,lamingtons & her yummy meatballs.......OMG-I'm salivating at the very thought........

We also look forward to all the roadtrips we're going to be taking-first stop the elephant orphanage........a quick stop in GALLE & maybe a breakaway to Kandy??!!......

I can't wait to see the look on Mom's face when I load her in a tuck-tuck & take her for a spin down Galle Road........oh the profanities.......hahahahahaha...

Anyhoo just another THANK YOU from the kids & I to my dahling hubby-you are simple THE BEST!!!

Off to book the tickets......Happy Hump Day!!

**AUGUST RECIPES**

CREAMY COLESLAW:

1 large head cabbage,shredded
2 small carrots,shredded
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 cup mayonaise
3 tbsp sugar/to taste
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup cream


Combine cabbage & carrots in large bowl-toss in celery seeds.
Mix other ingredients in seperate bowl.
Pour mixture over the cabbage & mix thoroughly.
Cover & refrigerate until needed.



MEATBALLS:

1kg ground beef
1/2 breadcrumbs
1/3 cup water
1/4 grated parmesan
1 medium onion-chopped finely
garlic
salt
pepper


Mix all the ingredients together.
Mixture should be moist but not so that meatballs falls apart.

Shape meatballs into desired size.
Wet hands before shaping each meatball-easier to handle the mixture.**

Broil until browned on both sides then add to pasta sauce & simmer for 20min/
Panfry in heated oil.


BANANA BREAD:

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter room temp

2 bananas mashed
2 tbsp milk
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda



Preheat oven to 180C
Cream together butter,sugar & egg until fluffy
Add mashed bananas & milk into the mixture.
Add the dry ingredients-gradually-mix well.
Pour into greased loaf pan & bake for appx 1hour
Test the cake with a clean knife to see if cooked through(I use a chopstick:)
Serve warm with cream & jam.....or as is!!

**GIRLFRIENDS**

Earlier this morning I had a *chat* with a friend,Aurelia-we met maybe 7 years ago-online -in a webGROUP for black woman......we sporadically stayed in touch through the board with maybe the odd mail over the years-until she found me on FB & we have been in touch almost EVERYDAY since......it's funny because we've never met in person,shared a drink on a Friday night or even chatted on the phone-yet I feel like I've known her FOREVER........it got me thinking about the importance of having girlfriends....

My life thus far has been a great ride........I've lived in several continents,holidayed in awesome places & seen many beautiful things-from the Louvre to the wild animals in Africa,from the amazing skylight in Hong Kong to the balmy beaches in Phillippines.......but the real highlight of it all was the AMAZING GIRLFRIENDS I've met along the way.......

What would we be without them??our sisters, not by blood but the ones we picked as family ourselves......?!

Whether you met in a grocery store,hotel lobby or simply through mutual friends.....that instantaneous bond you made......be it over the same taste in shoes,the love of art,travel.........or dare I say it-good food!!!....lol

With 4 children it's never been too difficult for me to make friends-you meet new people at school functions/meetings all the time......sometimes you CLICK othertimes you simply DON'T........& that's okay too......Like my wise hubby always say-*NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU & YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE EVERYONE *.....

As I sit here sipping my cuppa I can visualize a friend from my teenage phase to my current life phase.......take Charlene for instance-we met in high school,fell pregnant about the same time,I moved countries a few times but after 20 odd years we are still in touch-sharing in each others lives- time only making the bond deeper & stronger,

then there's Fifi-we met many moons ago in church,we both have an affinity to party & make things beautiful & happy.....:),

then there's Marie-we met when hubby took a job in China-she's a lass from Sunderland,me a kid from Cape Town-we formed a bond over a bottle of Jack Daniels for me & VODKA for her-less calories you see.......:)-we use to sneak away every Wed morning on a ferry from China to HK to go shopping......lol-our poor husbands.......

then there's Kenna-we met in MRU.....two african gals,married to two blokes from the UK,7kids between us.......instant friends.She taught me to be more calm & I showed her how to toughen up a bit.....lol-we talk on the phone as often as we can & the funny thing is we never run out of things to say.......

& then the most recent ones I've met in the past 8months........who continue to take me under their wings until I get truly settled...the ones who allow me to dance wildly,sing karaoke like I'm on tour in Vegas......& just let me be ME......:)

To GIRLFRIENDS........near or far.........the ones you have met in person & the ones you plan to....

**MEN........ESPECIALLY FATHERS**

I am very blessed to have 6 amazing guys in my life-my three boys,my lil brother,my darling husband & my DAD!!........

You see it's my Father's birthday today & we are seperated by deep seas & very high mountains......it would have been awesome to be there this morning as he woke up but it's not to be.......fret not we are connected in spirit.

That bond between parent & child,Father & daughter........it's a very special & deep bond.She will continue in her life searching for that man who are just as GREAT & AMAZING as her Dad........am I lying??or is there an element of thruth in there??!!

Take my hubby & Dad.......two different worlds it seems but not quite!?-both middle class citizens,incredible work ethic,quiet & reserved,LOVES their families unconditionally,ALWAYS put others first,easy to love & soooooooo down to earth.......They are very much ALIKE indeed......

So today I want to pay tribute to the SPECIAL guy who helped shape me into the WOMAN I have become...

BLESSED BIRTHDAY TO YOU DAD.....!!