Do I Now Need To Extend The Kitchen?

Our kitchen here is not known for how big it is! It is certainly just a one person working area! It can get hot especially if using the oven. You just don't use the oven in summer here!

I have been saying to Trish, "Why don't we consider a convection microwave?" Carol in Melbourne has one. She is a great cook and swears by her convection/microwave oven.

On her recent trip to Melbourne Trish caught up with friends Pat and Graeme (as usual). Pat has just got a convection microwave oven and is extremely pleased with it. So Trish and I decided to look at them yesterday morning! Needless to say we bought a 42 litre Sharp Convection Microwave oven. We decided on the bigger one believing it is better to be too big than too small! I admit I was a little worried when we had trouble fitting it into the boot of the car to bring home.

It doesn't fit in to the 'hole' especially built for a microwave but we were never going to put it there. We had concerns of removing hot dishes from a spot above head high on safety grounds. This is where it has finished up! Do you reckon it is big enough?

A lovely day today with a top temp of about 28 degrees. I did get a bike ride this morning (about 12.5k's) followed by a swim in the pool ( a fraction under 26 degrees). I saw this magnificent tree while on my ride. I am not a tree person but it certainly brightened the street I was riding in. As nice as they do look, I guess they drop their flowers eventually creating a big cleanup job for someone.

Trish left the doctor's surgery fed up with waiting the other day. She was there to see about her knee. It seems to be getting better.

I had enough bottles to wash for my next bottling. The brew continues to bubble albeit slowly so I guess I will probably be bottling about Monday! The bottles and tops are drying out in the sun right now.

Yesterday afternoon we were around at Paul's having a quick meeting to discuss agenda items for the upcoming Community Association Public Meeting. Needless to say we enjoyed a couple of 'frothy tops' as well.

Later last evening Trish went to her weekly "Trivia Night" where she and another 5 ladies in her team had a great night. They came fourth overall, but being April Fool's day the results were reversed and turned upside down. Therefore they officially came second! (There were only 5 teams.) I stayed home and watched the Aussie Rules footy live on TV!

Our daughter Kate's car was belted in a severe hail storm down in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago, It went in for insurance assessment last weekend and the outcome is that the car is a 'write-off'. They are in the market for a replacement vehicle and have their eyes on a small 4 wheel drive. One of Kate's work colleagues Tamara has a boyfriend Kane whose Dad owns a large car yard. Through Kane, Kate and Arj have their eyes on a 2002 Nissan X-Trail TI. TI means it is top of the range, leather seats, sunroof etc. It has only done a little over 60,000k's. Though a little on the older side it has averaged a meagre 7500k's per year which makes it a good buy at under $20,000. They are still awaiting the final pay out price (and cheque) from the Insurance Company before finally purchasing. Looks pretty good doesn't it!

You can read a review on the 2002 Nissan XTrail TI HERE. Press on the yellow buttons to progress to the next page of the review.