notsmokinjo

Polls are now open....yes it's completely pointless, well not really will interesting to see how much national pride plays into people's choices...so tipping the Commonwealth nations, cept Canada, will lean towards cricket and the Yankie Doodles will be voting Baseball...the south Americans and Canadians will probably go for the game with bases... And our non British Europeans won't give a fat rats clacker either way... Polls are now open until 15th....as all Aussie votes go they will be anonymous but feel free to chat below and defend your choice....you may just won you option some swing voters.

Um but it's Thursday? Waiting for Menulog to deliver my tea and trying to thing if a poll question to get some debate happening....

Never have I ever undone my pants while eating to fit more in.

So down here we are easing up some of the restrictions...well everywhere except my state...we are also looking at maybe opening the international boarder across the ditch to NZ..every state has schools opening again except Victoria and Tassie (I think)...I reckon we are waiting 2 weeks to see how bad the spike is in the other states truth be told. We locked down hard and early although never went beyond stage 3....we are fairing ok and the horrors in the Northern hemisphere are just heartbreaking...it's going to be an odd little mother's Day on Sunday.

Baking Bread - Chris and Kellie While What do you put on fresh baked bread?

I just made it and I got 6 about the size of a medium pizza, almost the size of a dinner plate. OMG @Cbdave this is a bloody bonza recipe...went perfect with our satay beef and coconut rice. Will defo make this again. Thanks...kid has ordered more to take for lunch tomorrow.

@Kermit....glad you still live under clear skies.

I really need to do a wee but I'm cost warm on the coach so I'm trying to hold on.

As an NRT quitter....I do suspect a certain (most) degree of the feelings of the pressure to go cold turkey or that cold turkey is better than our method comes from within rather than the words of others. There are a minority who take cruel to be kind to the nth degree but the reality is as a whole the negativity to NRT and feeling inferior is more an internal thing than external. Trust me I've been thinkin about this in depth and looking at it from all angles... See the longer we hang here the more we learn and we don't even need to hunt all the info is here...and we are not stupid, while we are proud to be smoke free we know, in our heart of hearts while using NRT we aren't really free, just dancing on the edges. We know we are still feeding our addiction and the shame and insecurities we feel are because we know this. We know we are tempting fate each time we use. Honestly, after thinking about it those feelings of guilt or inequality or whatever associated with NRT are more about being ready on one level to leave it behind and being too scared to take that final step. So those feelings aren't necessarily a bad thing...they show a growth in knowledge and awareness and are the final sign that nrt is on its way out...those feelings are really a bit of a positive, a sign that the end is near. I'd rather see a fellow quitter using NRT longer and not smoking than falling off the train...and I'm torn on starting NRT 3 days in ... I kinda think if it's the difference between having a smoke and not having a smoke is it really so bad...3 weeks in I'd be waving my hands no, stop, don't.

Oh @Sazerac ... I just stamped one square... tossed up between Aretha and Mahalia.... but for me Mahalia got the nod.

Didn't you realise that was my intention? (if her head don't fit through the door she has to hang around)

Don't you think she's the master?

Here is the ANZAC bickie's recipe I use.....(I popped it in the vegetarian thread with only 1 change and it's vegan) ANZAC Biscuits (These are crispy on the edge and chewy in the middle...and should never, ever be called cookies...biscuits or bickie's yes, cookies NO. More proof that Aussies make the best food in the world) 1 cup SR flour 1 cup desiccated coconut 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup sugar 60g melted butter (If you want a thin crisp biscuit you should use 125g of butter..but they spread heaps when cooking and the dough will be sloppy) 2 TBL spoons golden syrup* 4 TBL spoon boiling water 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda** Preheat oven to 160 C. A. Mix first 4 ingredients together on bowl, make a well in the centre. B. Mix melted butter and golden syrup in a seperate bowl (or the saucepan you melted the butter in) until golden syrup blends. Add boiling water, mix, add bicarb..mix. C. Add wet mix to flour mix, stir with wooden spoon until combined. D. Spoon dough onto baking sheets and bake for 10mins. (These can spread so I usually only do 6-8 per tray at a time...if you are making the thin ones, I'd use a tablespoon of 'dough' and do 5 per baking try...they will spread a shit load) Will harden as they cool. * Golden syrup is not easily available in the US....it's like a cousin to mollases except it tastes nice, kinda like caramel and about the consistency of honey. You could use honey but the taste won't be the same. Apparently you can get Lyle's brand online or at World Traders or Trader Joe's. Golden Eagle syrup is NOT the same. **I think the US call this baking soda.

Vegan ANZAC Biscuits (These are crispy on the edge and chewy in the middle...and should never, ever be called cookies...biscuits or bickie's yes, cookies NO.) 1 cup SR flour 1 cup desiccated coconut 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup sugar 60g dairy free melted butter (If you want a thin crisp biscuit you should use 125g of butter..but they spread heaps when cooking and the dough will be sloppy) 2 TBL spoons golden syrup* 4 TBL spoon boiling water 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda** Preheat oven to 160 C. A. Mix first 4 ingredients together on bowl, make a well in the centre. B. Mix melted butter an golden syrup in a seperate bowl (or the saucepan you melted the butter in) until golden syrup blends. Add boiling water, mix, add bicarb..mix. C. Add wet mix to flour mix, stir with wooden spoon until combined. D. Spoon dough onto baking sheets and bake for 10mins. (These can spread so I usually only do 6-8 per tray at a time) Will harden as they cool. * Golden syrup is not easily available in the US....it's like a cousin to mollases except it tastes nice, kinda like caramel and about the consistency of honey. You could use honey but the taste won't be the same. Apparently you can get Lyle's brand online or at World Traders or Trader Joe's. Golden Eagle syrup is NOT the same. **I think the US call this baking soda.

Will @beazel come play in here?

(yay it's our @beazel come for a visit) Mad English navy.

NOPE....not on the day we honour those who have and are serving...or any other day.

Oh and here I was posting a poll and preparing a bingo sheet of alternatives Saz might post.

Hey @Sazerac....there is a Johnny Farnham version....here he is live with the amazing Vanetta Fields.... She was in the Barbara Streisand version of A Star Is Born in 1976 and sang backup vocals for including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, Barbra Streisand, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, and the Rolling Stones.....such an underated artist, best export we ever got from the US 😉 Oh and @Boo....didn't forget you...

So being nearly 250 years old makes it kinda hard to do an original or cover poll but there are about a bazillion versions of this, one of the he most recognised English hymns ever written. Did you know Amazing Grace was written an English minister who had previously been a slave trader but ended his life as an abolitionist?...well ya do now.... So polling rules are the usual...voting will be open for a week....votes are anonymous but your free to talk about your pick or post a version not listed here that you like too...or more...I've tried to give different takes on it....with a limit of 5...yep the Aussies get a look in...of course... 1. Mahalia Jackson... 2. Gurrumul & Paul Kelly..cos Straya mate... 3. Pipes n Drums.... 4. Mumford and sons...and their mates.... 5. The Dropkick Murphys Omg it's so hard to pick one....or I'd it?

NoWell now I'm wondering why @Boo forgot the lamb. Popping in to say to our favourite Aussie pusser @Cbdave...but thanks for your service mate. Having a cuppa to warm up after my front gate dawn service and feelin' a bit weepy cos this year I couldn't go out to the cemetery to visit the ancestors and spruce up their graves for ANZAC Day because cemeteries are closed to visitors.

This one's for my Grandad...

Feeling a bit shellshocked still after last night's tragedy at home. Wanted to give a shout out to all our boys n girls in blue (or whatever colour the coppers wear where you live)...you mob show up each day to do an often shitty job without much thanks to keep us safe. We don't realise (especially down here) how much they risk every time they go to work. I dunno how they do it, how their families do it. 4 highway patrol cops, to senior constables and 2 brand new probationary constables were killed at a routine speeding stop last night when a semi hit them all while they were standing in the emergency lane. So sad, all flags at half mast. Stay safe. Thanks for living your lives in the service of complete strangers.

3:49 am and I'm making ANZAC bickies.

Don't forget to glove up.....oh for the days when that meant something different. (In Victoria...you can't just go for a drive, it's against the iso rules...and a $1680 fine.