serendipity
my old soap guy arrived very early this morning and we eased ourselves into a full 1500 bar session, with copious amounts of cafe lattes, and later cups of tea…..brought over to the workshop by the one-armed barista. soap guy and i haven’t worked together for a long long long time, so it took all [...]
a regime for broken bones
i’ve been reading up on broken collarbones and it has alarmed me more than somewhat to learn that clean snaps (such as maurice has), have a 10% chance of non-union.ie, they don’t knit back together again on their own and require surgery and pinning and so on.nobody around here is very keen to see that [...]
serendipity
my old soap guy arrived very early this morning and we eased ourselves into a full 1500 bar session, with copious amounts of cafe lattes, and later cups of tea…..brought over to the workshop by the one-armed barista. soap guy and i haven’t worked together for a long long long time, so it took all [...]
first motorcycle accident
last night i got a really horrible phone call. no, i’ll go back a bit further. yesterday morning, the day dawned clear and perfect (and freezingly cold)….the first day without drizzle and lowering clouds in at least a month.maurice covered himself in leather and kevlar and took off for a glorious day of dry sunny [...]
first motorcycle accident
last night i got a really horrible phone call. no, i’ll go back a bit further. yesterday morning, the day dawned clear and perfect (and freezingly cold)….the first day without drizzle and lowering clouds in at least a month.maurice covered himself in leather and kevlar and took off for a glorious day of dry sunny [...]
macbeth
last night we watched a mark brozel film: macbeth (shakespeare retold).it was just marvellously clever.it’s a very cleverly-written modern macbeth, set in a fabulous michelin-starred restaurant.it’s a story full of ambition, debauchery, jealousy, insanity, hierarchy, ruthlessness and betrayal.we thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.the casting was extraordinary…..watch out for the three garbage-men….macbeth and duncan just shone.ella [...]
macbeth
last night we watched a mark brozel film: macbeth (shakespeare retold).it was just marvellously clever.it’s a very cleverly-written modern macbeth, set in a fabulous michelin-starred restaurant.it’s a story full of ambition, debauchery, jealousy, insanity, hierarchy, ruthlessness and betrayal.we thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.the casting was extraordinary…..watch out for the three garbage-men….macbeth and duncan just shone.ella [...]
midwinter daube of beef
the weather continues to be miserable here, and this type of ongoing drizzle and chill requires serious food.liam gave me a kilo of ox cheeks earlier, and shouted a recipe after me as i was departing. this is what i’ve done and it smells magnificent so far. 1 kilo ox cheeks2 brown onions4 carrots2 celery [...]
a bucket of roses
woofy and the panacea bar
recently, one of the ladies at the cairns market gave me a call.she works as a volunteer for YAPS (young animal protection society) and a truly horrendous case of abuse had arrived on their doorstep in the shape of a little pooch called woofy.she wanted to know if she could use my soap on him….he [...]
today’s little online oddity
Ars Moriendi- how to die in a propper [sic] way i discovered this quite by accident.as a soapmaker, i found “J is for James….” especially poignant. it reminded me instantly me of a ghoulish little book i’ve had for years: quake, quake, quake: a leaden book of english verse.same grim little B&W pics and same [...]
a bucket of roses
woofy and the panacea bar
recently, one of the ladies at the cairns market gave me a call.she works as a volunteer for YAPS (young animal protection society) and a truly horrendous case of abuse had arrived on their doorstep in the shape of a little pooch called woofy.she wanted to know if she could use my soap on him….he [...]
today’s little online oddity
Ars Moriendi- how to die in a propper [sic] way i discovered this quite by accident.as a soapmaker, i found “J is for James….” especially poignant. it reminded me instantly me of a ghoulish little book i’ve had for years: quake, quake, quake: a leaden book of english verse.same grim little B&W pics and same [...]
a special soap for brumalia
brumalia is the ancient festival to celebrate the return of the sun-god after the shortest day of the year.this is of course, the winter solstice, which occurs this year at 4.06am EST 22 june.looks like i’ll be getting up a touch earlier than usual….it’s my friday market day with a 4am start anyway.i think the [...]
summery pasta salad
we enjoyed this immensely this evening.it’s a sort of warm pasta salad, dressed with pesto and a little olive oil and red wine vinegar, with loads of vegies. firstly, make 1/2 cup of your favourite pesto recipe.i made mine with fresh basil leaves, fresh garlic, freshly grated parmesan, plenty of olive oil and a couple [...]
the singing oils
i needed to make some stuff for myself and a few others and early this morning i had some time to play. i’ve got a whole collection of certified organic fixed oils and essential oils and i just love being able to concoct serums and creams and other potions, using these vibrant, beautiful, pure substances.you [...]
still wet and wretched
will this weather never end? my brother was over here all morning and the three frustrated motorcyclists all sat around and looked out at the grim grey drizzly no-end-in-sight weather and moaned to each other.none of us ever really thought about the weather before we got motorbikes, and now it’s the only thing we think [...]
100 penetrating questions about your business
a useful questionnaire arrived today.it comes from the london school of business.i’ve spent some time pondering the questions and it has certainly been helpful.the questions are great starting points for discussion and then action. i’d like to pass it on for you to ruminate over. 1. I am achieving my financial goals for my company/business.2. [...]
vol de nuit
when i was a young pilot and motorcyclist, vol de nuit, or night flight, by antoine de saint exupery, was one of my favourite books. tonight i took a night flight of my own.it was time for a solo night time motorcycle ride across country.i waited until well after sundown, so i had fewer chances [...]
my first ever customer
my first ever customer is a local guy, named daniel.he stopped by my market table, as i was setting up at 6.30am in mid-december 2001, and bought a bar of soap.i told him: you are my very very first ever customer, thank you!he has used my soap exclusively for the last 5.5 years and he [...]
excellent telstra service
i know this may seem incredible, but i experienced wonderful service from the national phone carrier yesterday. i rang them about a fault in the line.i was on hold for less than a minute.i spoke to a guy for less than a minute.he told me he would test the line and i would be called [...]
excellent telstra service
i know this may seem incredible, but i experienced wonderful service from the national phone carrier yesterday. i rang them about a fault in the line.i was on hold for less than a minute.i spoke to a guy for less than a minute.he told me he would test the line and i would be called [...]
dinner party 6/6/07
we have friends coming for dinner tonight.we are doing some initial planning for our march 08 trip to india and getting riotous with the widow clicquot. three guys and me, so the menu is big and simple. we’re having veuve clicquot NV, rockford’s alicante bouchet, and st hallet’s faith shiraz. i got these truly amazing [...]
three lovelies and soap
blue moon bars top: telemachus.bottom: agapanthus and pukeko
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