16 April 2015

A fine day for my birthday

 Sunny's sushi buffet.

We had a lovely day yesterday. It was my birthday and, as usual, I was made feel like the queen of Sheba.  Sunny and Kerry invited us all over for lunch and when we arrived Sunny had their new home looking beautiful and some delicious food waiting to be eaten. She did up two huge sushi platters for us as well as Korean fried chicken and some tofu-like acorn squares. The acorn from an oak tree had been dried and cooked into this delicious side dish.  Sunny is such a fine chef, whatever she cooks is superb.

Tricia sewing the covers.

After lunch Hanno, Tricia and I went to Spotlight to pick up a few extras for our sewing bee today. We're sewing for the new book, I hope you like what we're making, I think you will. This book is full of practical projects that suit simple lives. So today Hanno is out all day and Tricia and I are about to set up for sewing. I hope to get a few hours of writing in later. We'll be eating leftovers today so the food is taken care of, now we just have to get a wriggle on and start our fabric work.

Every year I do a birthday photo. This is from yesterday, after lunch.

I got a few spectacular birthday gifts this year and I want to talk about two of them. Tricia took me to the shops and asked me to pick out some fabric to cover the seating and cushions on the front verandah. Then she made them up!  It's looks absolutely fabulous. I'll show you some photos soon.  And the other gift was from Hanno, who gave me a French ironing press. If you've been reading here for a while, you'll know I hate ironing. Well, this press is so easy, I've been enjoying ironing! Wonder of wonders.  I'll write about it next week.

I have the best family. Every year on my birthday I marvel at how lucky I am to have the family I'm in the middle of. They see me at my worst and still there is love, appreciation and warmth. I'm one lucky woman.



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56 comments

  1. I love that those the top two photos show the result of two womens' skill. Excellent b'day present Hanno!

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    1. Just wait till you see the verandah now Rose. It's beautiful and calm.

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  2. Happy birthday dear Rhonda!

    The recipe with acorns sounds interesting. I've read that during the occupation, in parts of Greece where people were starving, they ate acorns to survive - who would have thought! They used to soak the acorns for ten days to remove the bitterness, then dry them and grind them into a flour. I've been tempted to try this as during Autumn thousands of acorns fall from the trees where I live.

    Madeleine.x

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    1. Thanks Madeleine. That's very similar to what this acorn dish was. The acorn was ground up,then dried to a powder, then cooked. It's quite gelatinous but delicious.

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  3. I don't comment often but had to wish you a Happy Birthday!

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    1. Thank you. It's good to see you here again, Brenda. Just like the old days.

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  4. Happy Birthday, Rhonda! How interesting to have acorns in one's birthday dinner. And your sister is such a sewing whiz - I think about things too much, and so I don't sew fast as a consequence.

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  5. Happy birthday Rhonda ,of Sunny has done an awesome job of the lunch it all looks amazing xx

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  6. Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns, Rhonda. Cannot wait to read about the French press, and I love that lipstick you are wearing!

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  7. Happy Birthday Rhonda. Hope you Tricia have a lovely time sewing.

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  8. Happy Birthday, dearest Rhonda! So glad you had a wonderful time celebrating with your family. The world is a much better place since you were born xoxo
    -Jaime

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  9. Happy Birthday! Sounds like a wonderful day and the food looks delicious!

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  10. Those platters look so yummy, and your day sounds delightful. What wonderful gifts too. I love it when someone makes or does something for me that I've been putting off doing myself.
    cheers Kate

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  11. Happy Birthday!!! Glad you are enjoying your day with family all around you.

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  12. happy belated birthday Rhonda! XXX
    glad to hear you had a wonderful day! all that seafood, makes me envious, as i can't eat it & it looks so delicious!
    can't wait to see the finished veranda either!
    looking forward to seeing more photos
    enjoy the rest of the week
    thanx for sharing

    selina from kilkivan qld

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  13. Happy birthday Rhonda! That sushi platter looks wonderful. I can't wait to see

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  14. Happy Birthday! You are lucky, but somehow I think you have made your own luck and well deserve it!

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    1. Yes, indeed! Happy birthday, Rhonda, and I completely agree with Kristi!

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  15. Happy Birthday Rhonda!
    Did I read on your blog that Sunny opened a restaurant? I'm hoping you can tell me where it is. I'm on the Coast too.

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    1. Thanks everyone! :- )

      Team Taylor, Sunny owns the sushi bar at Woolworths in Caloundra. It's the one opposite KFC, just after the turnoff to the hospital. She's doing very well because all her produce is top quality (I've seen her weekly food orders) and it's absolutely fresh every day. Nothing is ever sold from the previous day. Those two platters are a sample of her work there.

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    2. Thanks Rhonda. I'm up Peregian way but will definitely make a trip south to try some of her delicious food.

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  16. Happy birthday Rhonda, oh my that Sushi Platter has me drooling....!!!!

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  17. İyiki doğdun Rhonda (It's a good thing that you were born Rhonda)... Odd translation but that's how we celebrate people's birthdays in Turkish. Lots of love and many more birthdays ahead...

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  18. Happy birthday Rhonda, I don't comment very often, but I always read and enjoy your blog. I love your birthday photo, you look like your having a great time.
    Susan.x

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  19. Good to hear you had a great birthday! Can't wait for your new book!!! I've started to learn so many things thanks to you and I'm looking forward to learn some more!
    Hope you have a fantastic year!
    Frances

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  20. Happy Birthday! What a delicious spread Sunny made and what a lovely picture of you. Look forward to see Trish and Hanno's present. Have a lovely day ( or night l suppose, as it's morning in Norway :) ) Pam

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  21. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Rhonda,
    wünscht Gudrun aus dem Schwarzwald in Deutschland :))) und noch eine gute und schöne Zeit mit Tricia.
    Gudrun :) von Baustelle "Leben"

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  22. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday, Rhonda. How blessed are you to have such a giving sister to help you update your furniture. I've been thinking of making a slip cover for my chair but haven't been brave enough to tackle it. I already have the fabric, and I keep pulling it out to try to motivate myself. It looks similar to yours. Can't wait to see what it looks like.....maybe that will encourage me. Hugs Sue xx

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  23. Happy Birthday Rhonda, hope you had a lovely day :)

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  24. Happy Birthday Rhonda spending time with family and getting some hand made things and yummy food sounds like a great way to spend celebrating, Regards Kathy A, Brisbane

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  25. Belated birthday wishes!

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  26. Happy Birthday for yesterday Rhonda - I'm so pleased that you had a lovely day.

    Can't wait for your new book to be published and I hope it will be available in the U.K.
    xx

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  27. A super happy birthday to you Rhonda! It seems that your friends and family made sure it was a special day. :)

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  28. Happy Birthday (a day late) You are right, those are both great gifts. My sweet husband gave me a French press years ago. He had seen me borrow one from another quilter friend and knew it was something I would use. My quilting is not something he understands at all, he calls it "taking big fabric, cutting it into small pieces, and sewing it back together" but he does support me in it and I think he is really proud of my work.
    Right now I have put my quilting aside for a while to work on making doll clothes for 12 dolls. Our church has an orphanage in Africa. They send gifts to the children there for Christmas every year. Because the gifts must go so far we are asked to have them ready by Sept. So I am doing a race to get the dolls dressed. For each doll I make 6 diapers, 3 dresses, a pair of pajamas, and a pair of pants and a shirt. I also make a "diaper bag" for each doll and send along 2 bottles (a store called Dollar Tree) here sells doll bottles 2 for $1.00. I use old clothes and sometimes scraps to make the clothes. Example, all the doll diapers are from an old sheet. I got the patterns from the internet. I set a budget of $150.00 for myself to do this and I think I will come in under budget this year. I get a discount on the dolls because I buy in bulk (I am a day care teacher) and I do consider it to be doing something for the Lord's children.

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  29. Happy birthday, Rhonda! Wow, that spread looks phenomenal! Lucky you. You look amazing, by the way. Very glam!

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  30. What a touching post...and a hearty happy birthday to you!

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  31. Happy Birthday Rhonda! You have a wonderful family, and you have helped make them that way! Love your birthday picture. I think I should start doing that, even at my age of 62. It would be fun to see me "back in the day"!

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  32. Happy Birthday, Rhonda! It sounded like a lovely celebration. The ironing press has me intrigued, as ironing is one of my least favorite chores as well. I look forward to your sharing about it.

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  33. Happy Birthday! The platter of sushi look so yummy and beautiful. Sunny really is an artist. I hope this year is just as lovely and wonderful as the last!

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  34. Happy birthday Rhonda! Sounds like a lovely day!

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  35. Happy birthday Rhonda! Glad you have been spoilt - you deserve it!

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  36. Belated birthday wishes from across the big pond, lol. Good to see and hear that you enjoyed your special day. Can`t wait to see what your new cushions will look like. Such a thoughtful gift from your sister!

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  37. What a perfect way to spend your birthday. Such wonderful presents and that food, you are making me hungry!

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  38. Looks like a lovely birthday, what a feast, and what perfect gifts! xx

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  39. Happy Birthday Rhonda, a little belated. Looks like you had a lovely day, and your birthday lunch looks absolutely delicious.

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  40. Happy Birthday! It is so nice that your sister is there with you. Enjoy your time together!

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  41. Happy Birthday, Rhonda, and many more! Sounds like a lovely day.

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  42. Happy Birthday dearest Rhonda. I love your selfie. You look so beautiful on your special day. What a wonderful feast and Sunni is so talented. You and Tricia make a good team. All the best xx

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  43. Happy Birthday, dear Rhonda... God Bless.. xo

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  44. Happy Birthday Rhonda -- you deserve to be treated like the Queen of Sheba !!

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  45. Belated birthday wishes Rhonda. Glad you had a wonderful day.
    Jak x

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  46. Many happy belated birthday wishes Rhonda, I see that you had a wonderful and special day with your family,
    Love Lorraine xx

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  47. Hope you had a great day Rhonda! Happy birthday and many blessings!
    Vicki
    Trinidad & Tobago

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