Around Here - October 2026

It's mid October already and only 11 weeks left of 2026 and as of today that's only 80 days.  I will be coming up to my 2nd Christmas at my town house and it seems like I only moved in yesterday.

I finally got around to ordering curtains from Spotlight which will take 6-8 weeks until they are ready and I think it's been 4 weeks now so they will be in before Christmas.  The curtains are for the living/dining/kitchen area which currently have roller blinds and these will be behind the curtains. I have 3 windows on one side and a large set of sliding doors which goes out to the back courtyard.  Speaking of out the back, look how much my plants have grown in one year making it nice and green and cosy. 

                                                                This was August 2025

This is Sept 2026

Here's some more photos of what's been going on lately.

Eumundi Markets for my Birthday and I bought a new hat off this lady's stall.

At Eumundi Markets.

Can't beat having some lovely dutch pancakes also known as proffertjes.

Chickpea Coconut Curry, haven't made it for ages so it was very enjoyable.

Homemade Sourdough Bread using my new Dutch Oven from Kitchen Warehouse.

If you aren't into Sourdough but want to make bread try this recipe for No Knead Bread.

Ricky [my bird below] and my sister's bird are staying here for a couple of weeks while she is on holidays.  As my back outdoor area is small I don't have room for Ricky and his large cage so both Ricky & Charlie [my sisters Cockatiel"] live at her place but when they are away they both come here.

Teddy enjoying a cuddle.

Thought I would post a link to the Chocolate Coconut Slice blog post from 2014.  The recipe is the from The Organized House Wife.

I like to post the recipes on my blog as so often I link to a blog and then they may shut the blog down and I loose the recipe so for my own benfit here is the recipe.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT SLICE

• 150gms butter - melted & cooled
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup self raising flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut

ICING

• 1 and 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 20gms butter finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160c [fan-forced]
2. Grease and line with baking paper a 20x30cm lamington pan.
3. Place butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl, stir until combined.
4. Sift flour and cocoa into the bowl.
5. Add 1/2 cup of coconut.
6. Stir until mixture has combines.
7. Spread mixture evenly onto pan.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until just firm.

ICING

1. Sift icing sugar and cocoa into bowl.
2. Add butter and boiling water, stir together.
3. Spread warm slice with icing.
4. Sprinke remaining coconut over slice.
5. Leave to cool.
6. Put in fridge to firm up before slicing.