We call it Chelsea

He loves it so much, it had to be placed in time out. There is only tug of war one girl from the yellow house in the U can manage in one night. He kept tapping at me to bring it back, and the only way to make him stop was put the heater on. He loves nothing better than curling up next to the heater.

Thank you Lucy. Love Barney

Yellow House fruit salad

Pickled figs

I boiled some figs. I made some syrup out of vinegar and brown sugar, cloves and some spices. I put them altogether in a jar, and now I eat them with ham and cheese.

I don't even really like figs

I'm about to post a whole bunch of blogs about the wonderful bounty of fruit my garden has been producing.

Don't be fooled.

Due to an overabundance of figs, I have a fruit bat plague. They swoop down into the fig tree and make big batty noise with their creepy batty wings.

There are about 278 apples which are close to dropping on my lawn. Everyday I go out the back and there is a random apple about 7 meters away from the tree....how did it get there?

I only ever got one pear.

I have a glut of olives about to need picking. I am still eating the olives I painstaking preserved two years ago. They are too salty, but I eat them anyway.

I don't really like figs.

My dog is covered in some weird sticky goop. I suspect it is apple sap. It is like he has used hair gel. Maybe he is moving the apples?

The one useful tree I have (lemon) has one lemon. Just one. I bet I forget to pick it and we get a frost through the week, and it will be bye bye lemon.

The figs have also meant I now have a pack of possums living in my roof. They pause only to reach out through the gutter to snack on figs.

So that is the truth, but for the first part of the week, indulge me in my smugness and my middle class semi self sufficientness... The reality is I am living a nightmare, and I'm dragging my unsuspecting dog down with it.

Biutiful

Biutiful is a harrowing film and Javier Bardem just can't be faulted. See the softness return to his face during the second half of the film. A wonderful story about life and fatherhood.

Help Kate McCarthy on Pozible

Kate McCarthy is tops and she needs to raise some funds for an upcoming exhibition. She did that beautiful, massive painting in my tiny house that everyone loves.

Have a look at this site and if you donate and you'll get a Kate McCarthy original on paper.

help my arty bits by Kate McCarthy on Pozible

Parcel!

Well that was a very unimpressive week, with a very impressive highlight.

Timing is everything, and Verity you are a champion at that. Thank you for digging me out of that hole.

The plate sits in my bedroom xx

Couldn't resist

Happy Harmony Day

Harmony Bird in Gold

Overheard in Cromer Heights

When discussing drinking the odd glass of wine with dinner on your own:

'I would never do that, I'd be too scared that I would turn in to a wardrobe drinker'

Ajisen Ramen

In Adelaide and hankering for some ramen - go to 23 Leigh street. It is amazing!

Adelaide - you're okay

Kind of. Some parts of you are really cool, and some parts just plain weird. And just between you and I... I am a bit overawed that you have an American Apparel store, but Melbourne doesn't.

Enlighten Festival

Best thing about the Enlighten Festival - beautiful buildings as canvases.

Operation Frick Off Possum

About to commence....

If I don't make it out of there - was great while it lasted and could someone come over and feed the dog?

When you went away by Barney

I took Jhys and Rulia* for walk and encountered a stupid woman walking 3 dogs, 2 of which were off-leash, one of the off-leash ones was an ugly white boxer. I was worried about Jhys and Rulia because they seemed a bit on edge but nothing happened but it was annoying. They kept on turning left, left, left to get away from all the dog walkers. That meant we ended up walking in a square and got home pretty quickly.

They went and got Vietnamese from Griffith for dinner but forgot to take me with them. I sat outside and waited.

When they got back I spent most of my time sleeping under the bed. I was tired because you got up at 4.50am to go the airport. By the way, what is with all these early starts? I don't like it. I was so tired Rulia had to practically had to drag me out from under the bed to give me dinner.

She left the backdoor open for me for ages while I ate, but then she shut it before I was done. Maybe she thought I was back under the bed?

I wasn't.

I barked for a while and I looked through the window. They were watching TV. I barked some more and Julia went to look in the bedroom and called my name. I yelled out that I was outside, but she couldn't hear me. Eventually I stopped barking. About 30 mins later I started scratching at the back door. I was missing the good bits from TV - I like Man vs Wild. Rulia opened the door eventually to find me staring at her. Surprise! I am outside where you left me....I kind of glared at her but she mistook it as a sad look and gave me extra food. I didn't really want it, but it seemed like the polite thing to do, so I ate it. I just made sure I ate it whilst inside. Didn't want to go through that mix up again.

I went back under the bed. It is a bit of a squeeze these days. Did you lower the bed? Maybe it was the extra food she gave me. They went to bed a bit later. After about 30 mins, I shuffled out of there and tip toed to the lounge. Those kids deserve a bit of privacy, plus I didn't think they would let me on the bed, so I cut my losses. I'm growing my nails so when I say tip toed I mean I kind of click-clacked my way out and there and jumped on the couch. I don't think I woke them...but it is hard to tip toe on floorboards when you are a dog who is growing your nails.

I spent the night feeling like I wasn't really asleep but it turns out that I slept through the possums partying. At some stage I woke up and wanted to stretch my legs. Jhys was nice and he let me out. I just made sure I wandered around the yard for a bit longer to make it worth his effort, you know, in getting up in the middle of the night. I think he appreciated it and even called me a doofus.

I really like Jhys and Rulia.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of certain individuals

Rothko Sky - Adelaide bound

Overheard Sydney airport

Two girls studying a map before boarding the flight. One said to the other in all seriousness "Oh look-Madagascar. I didn't realise that was a real place!"

The day I took every ball he owned away

He turned up with this. I have never seen this before. Ever.

Toast!

Moet Chandon - Vintage 2003

This is not the vintage champagne that we didn't get for free as part of no-ones grocery shop.

I did not drink the vintage champagne that we didn't get in a childrens cubby house.

Mayer Hawthorne

Anyone else think this is weird.

My ex gave me the Mayer Hawthorne CD for my birthday. I didn't listen to it.

And then he said he was going to see him play live. With the girl.

And then I did listen.

And it is all kind of schmushy love songs lounge style.

Ick.

Within without 2010 - James Turrell

Have you been to the National Gallery lately? Amazing new wing, and an wonderful outdoor installation - Within without by American artist James Turrell.

I think it would be really interesting to see how the light changes at different times of day. These photos were taken just before midday. Imagine it in the early dawn light! Actually, maybe I should gun for the evening.