That is a cat who is planning something subversive.

I defrost and yes, the cheese comes out very crumbly. Sometimes crumbly enough not to need grating. Not so good if you want slices but fine for most other uses.

May I recommend the aged tasty offcuts too. Best tasty cheese I have found. Cheap but average mozzarella there too. I buy these cheess and repackage and freeze.

Hopefully it will not be followed up with a trampoline.

Naturally I did a search to check but decided not to get pedantic about the fact that it appears to be of Pakistani origin, according to a National Geographic article. I have always associated it with Indian food adapted to western palates, usually ordered mild.

Not Shane.

I would like to think we have moved on from those days but it is clear that only some of us have learned anything.

I can remember when Chinese immigrants were the bogey men and Howick was referred to as Chowick. Now replaced by Indian phobia (although Sunny Kaushal has done nothing to enhance the reputation of Indian migrants).

I stand corrected.

A *butter chicken tsunami* is just 'colorful language'? Really? Not racist towards Indians?

Also, isn't there something about butter chicken not even being Indian but something devised to suit British colonial palates? Is that what Shane Jones orders when he eats Indian food?

I can't be doing with anybody like that these days. I am too impatient.

Well it would, were there any analysis. My recollection is that they were self-selecting people ‘telling their stories’ with no critical analysis.

Only one of her children has contact, none of her grandchildren. We exchange an email about once a year. Her children tell me that they can not fathom how their left wing mother morphed into a Trump admiring sovereign citizen. Huge disconnect.

8 or so case studies of women who have self-identifed as having healed themselves does not a strong case make. Or so I felt. But strong enough for Otago Med School at the time.

I read part of her thesis. It was on self-healing (!) nd even at the time, I described it to others as it reading like something from the Women's Studies Dept of Waikat Uni in its early days. (Soz, Waikato, but it was a bit flaky back then).

Ah yes. My sister has always used her Dr designation but also encourages people to think she is a medical doctor.

Our mother must be spinning in her grave.

Oh yes. Not much can surprise me about that sister any longer. Fortunately she has the grace to live in Perth so I do not need to engage with her anti immigration rhetoric. Even her daughters like to point out the irony that she holds 3 separate citizenship herself.

Even bleaker when I add that aforementioned sister has a PhD from Otago Med School in 'qualitative research' and is about as far down the anti vax/ sov cit/ anti fluoride rabbit hole as one can go.

My niece, of whom I am very fond, has not told her mother about a devastating diagnosis of severe MS in her husband, because she fears my sister's response will be to blame the Covid vaccine. Bleak.

The day has arrived for the first fire of the season. Our version of central heating in that it is in the centre of the house and takes the chill off both on the cold side and upstairs.

Feels like tornado weather here. I mention this so that should one make landfall here soon, I can claim to have predicted it.

Frugality as a lifestyle choice rather than necessity. Very different starting points and usually different experiences and outcomes.

Their approach to living is not so far from ours, BUT, and it is a huge but, this article fails entirely to mention that you need to be time rich (which very few working families are) and pretty rich in resources and equipment to get started.

I have a Royal Doulton as well. For 'good' occasions. Like Christmas and not much else. It is in mint condition.

All our glassware is op shopped. Vintage glassware suits us better than bs stuff.

I cleaned out my pantry and yet again I ponder whether having 5 different types of cooking oil and 7 different vinegars is affectation, privilege or necessary to our standard of living.

I don't think I have ever spent more than $150 on a vintage set but this one started life as a 12 place set so there are plenty of plates - even with a few missing - as well as all the extra platters, serving bowls, jug etc. All for $100.

Marketplace seems a good option. Not many people appreciate vintage china sets so they can go cheaply.

We live in a mid century art deco revival house and are somewhat vintage ourselves, so I like to think vintage dinner sets match our aesthetic, so to speak. Not that I care. Better than Briscoes or Mitre 10.