I LOVE MY POSTWOMAN!!!!

When she rings the door bell its like a celestial "ting".

I am beginning to see my postwoman in a different light!   I see this soft pink hue around her as she comes towards me while I wait in the doorway...she knows me now too ....she calls me Amanda and she says good morning to me. I've noticed recently her intonation has changed as she says the countries my parcels are from ...there is a questioning tone as she says from the UK? or USA? and the other morning a very clear query as she said another from Australia.... a big one this time!!!

For those of you who do not know what the the jar of love swap is pop over to Katie at Booty-ful things  she is the instigator (in the nicest sense of course ) and the hostess of this swap.
My Swap partner is  Sandi who lives in Melbourne Australia....yes..... just a little way away..... over the pond!!! LOL!

and I received my jar of Love from Sandi on Wednesday morning 17th July!!!!!!

 and I've been dying to get in here to tell you about it.

I am amazed at how Sandi got so much in this medium sized jar and just look at the presentation.....you just know there has got to be something special inside......and there was!!!

Isn't it great!!! Sandi had this wonderful idea of winding crochet cotton around the jar and there is lots of it ...and I'm going to use it of course. That isn't all ,a lovely Navy blue ribbon too!

and here you are ALL the things that were in the jar...hard to believe that all this fitted in that jar but they did and also a bar of dark chocolate butttt that disppeared very very quickly I'm afraid...it was just too nice!

Where to start:

There were 25 items in all!!!.....

• a lovely lacy bookmarker and crochet dish cloth that Sandi made herself.
• a felt rose
• a crochet heart...of course..why didn't I think of that!!!(which Sandi made)
• a bar of dark chocolate (ancient history now!!!)
• Lychee flower Body butter and skin conditioning oil......uuuuu I'm going to pamper myself!!!
• a little pink book with lots of flowers,glittery bits and lace to decorate it myself
• an emery board in its own box (brill! that's gone in my handbag already)
• nice smelly candle "dusk Parisan" ........oh lá lá ... best keep that for the right moment
• beautiful lace in a creamy beige colour with 4 fantasy pins
• Embroidery floss
• fancy tape measure...rather a nice one actually
• a filet crochet pattern
• and....hold on to your chairs.......TREASURE...diamonds,pearls,sapphires, exotic jewellery and the Kohinoor  of the whole treasure trove was this beauty!

and its all MINE!!!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!THANK YOU SANDI at this moment you are my favourite person!

I'm convinced that Sandi is a SURE candidate to win Katie's competition connected to the swap....Sandi don't forget to enter I think you stand a very good chance of winning it! :-)

Welcome welcome to my new followers Fiona at KnitKnatKnotUK, Barbina at Little things made with Love , Alessandra at Homemade at my place and Melissa at Lazy Daisy Crochet ....thank you for joining me here and don't be a stranger, I love to hear from you :-)

Happy weekend folks

Amanda :-)

Hippity hop off it goes off to OZ

and there it was gone!!!!

Finally got my jar of love filled and sent to my swap partner Sandi...over there across the pond.....crossing my fingers it arrives safe and sound!!!

image from www not my one!!!!

 BUT surprise surprise I received my giveaway prize yesterday from Sally at Lavender Attic .....how exciting I couldn't get the package open quick enough:::

and this is what was inside :

and it smelt absolutely wondeful!!!!

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells....oh! sorry a bit early 'aint it!!!!


and this was what was inside:

 including my fridge KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON magnet which is already on my fridge door.

THANK YOU SO MUCH SALLY IT IS ALL WONDERFUL....and now to hide the tealight candles before my daughter calls in.

       
                                     *************************************
                                             MERLUZA A LA VASCA 

                                                                 (Basque Hake)

Sr P always deals with the seafood side of cooking in our house and last Saturday he made Basque Hake served with clams which was really delicious which we ate accompanied by a  very but very cold (the frosty type) glass or glasses of Jose Pariente white wine....lovely to come home to after work and all set out and ready. Bless him! Mind you he is still finding it rather difficult that I hover with a camera when he is cooking and I have tried to explained to him why but blog and bloggers just hasn't sunk in yet.

INGREDIENTS
80 ml extra virgin olive oil


8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced


clams, scrubbed


6 small fresh hake steaks


 dry white wine


8 Tbsp chopped parsley 
and the personal touch which Sr P found on rummaging among my tubs of herbs. One bouquet garni sachet which my sister sends to me form the UK. You can't get them here.


shrimps


half glass of water


tinned asparagus


2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce
salt and pepper


1 low-sided casserole dish with lid


METHOD
Heat the oil
Pour the oil into the casserole dish and place it over medium heat.
Cook the garlic
Add the garlic and cook until it turns slightly brown.
Add the shrimps and white wine
Add the hake, clams ,bouquet garni sachet and the white wine and continue cooking with a lid on.
Cook for 8-10 minutes
Leave it to cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the clams have fully opened. Season with black pepper.
After this time, also check the texture of the hake. It should be "flaky" rather than bouncy.
add parsley
Season and serve
(some people slice up a hard boiled egg add before serving with the tinned asparagus.)


don't forget the glass of cold cold white wine :-) enjoy!!!! 




Hello to my new follower Susan at My mother's apron strings welcome and glad you could join me here 

Amanda :-)