Hey Jude (The Obscure) Why So Glum?

My new David Austin rose (and first attempt into the world of rose growing) - the curiously named Jude the Obscure -  has been going well so far -  progressing from a depressing bare rooted stick to a lovely leafy bush much faster than I expected (8 weeks!)

It's even popped out a promising bud, which has grown into a tennis ball sized bloom that I've been excitedly monitoring each day. I took this photo this morning.

So when I arrived home this afternoon - a mere 10 hours later - to find the lovely bloom looking like this....

... I was a little disheartened. It was pretty warm today so I'm hoping that it was just having a little sulk. I gave it a good drink this afternoon so fingers crossed she comes good tomorrow.

For Sale -More Vintage Goodies

I'm having another little eBay sale - check out these vintage goodies for sale here, here, here and here.

First Tomato of the Summer

Yes I know that technically it's still Spring - but if you were in Brisbane this last weekend you'd swear it was Summer too.

I picked my first tomato this weekend - remember these little seedlings? They're now fully fledged bushes with a respectable amount of growing tomatoes.

This ones a Zebra black (it was stripier before it ripened). I'm looking forward to gobbling it up.

Brisbane Roller Derby Bout

Guess where I went on Saturday night?

There were two highly publicised rugby matches on  - but I went to a sporting event of a different kind.

I went to my first ever roller derby meet! It was a double header - Northern Brisbane Rollers v Brisbane City Rollers and then Sydney Assassins.

It was totally amazeballs. As soon as we entered the crowded convention centre hall it was sensory overload - scantily clad women in fishnets and wheels, kooky referees, pumping music and market stalls.

It took more than a few laps of the court to get our bearings and figure out what the aim of the game is.

We were informed that there's actually a 45 page rulebook and it's extremely complex - however we were more than happy to just soak it all up and enjoy the atmosphere...

And the spills...

Luckily though there didn't seem to be any serious crashes - although I'm sure they got their fair share of bruises.

Maybe that's why the long socks are popular?

I tell you now - these ladies were fast! Photographing them was pretty difficult.

The next Northern Brisbane Rollers meet is on October 22nd at the Brisbane Convention Centre - I highly recommend going along for an awesome, and very different, night out.

I'll Take Your Hydrangeas, Madonna

I've written here before about my love of hydrangeas, and I'm an old school Madonna tragic - so of course I was distraught to discover the below video.

Although this video that Madge herself posted yesterday in response kinda makes up for having such terrible taste in flowers.

My Bridge to Brisbane 2011 Playlist

Mr Tchotchke and I woke up before sunrise this morning to take part in the Bridge to Brisbane fun run. I'm not much of a fun-runner, I'm not much of a fun-exerciser-of-any-kind to be honest, but I remembered the rush of satisfaction I got completing the 10km last year and I was tempted into giving it another shot.

I'd only done a few jogs around the neighbourhood in preparation over the past few weeks so I pretty happy with how I went this morning. 

Here I am grimacing at the finish line. I was careful to have a good stretch this time since last year I really struggled with sore legs all week.

Mr T is much fitter than me and great for encouragement - but what really helps me along is my ipod. There's something about a great up tempo song that can keep you bouncing along when your legs just want to give up. I love looking at other people's playlists - so in that spirit I thought I'd post my own. I think its a pretty good mix - and yes I know there are some pretty embarrassing songs on there so lay off the Britney jabs :) I love her.

Valerie - Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson

A-Punk - Vampire Weekend

Consolation Prizes - Phoenix Womanizer - Britney Spears
Reptilia - The Strokes
Sabotage - Beastie Boys
Pork and Beans - Weezer
Candyman - Christina Aguilera
Dog Days Are Over - Florence And The Machine
Gold Digger - Kanye West
Gimme More - Britney Spears
Survivor - Destiny's Child
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett
Run - Gnarls Barkley
Beat Of My Heart - Hilary Duff
Galvanize The Chemical Brothers
Hung Up - Madonna
4ever - The Veronicas
SOS - Rihanna
Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes
Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stronger - Britney Spears
Heart It Races - Architecture in Helsinki
Hear My Name - Armand Van Helden
Toxic - Britney Spears
Jump'n'Shout - Basement Jaxx
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
I Bet you Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
Super Disco Breakin - Beastie Boys
Take Me Back To Your House - Basement Jaxx
Single Ladies - Beyonce
Vitriol - Bluejuice
Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk
Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers
Fighter - Christina Aguilera
Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Lose My Breath - Destiny's Child
Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis
Hard to Explain - The Strokes
Body Movin' - Beastie Boys
Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives
Tarantula - Pendulum
Get What You Want - Operator Please
Who Do You Think You Are - The Spice Girls
Jump - Madonna
See You At The Lights - The 1990s
Pon De Replay - Rihanna

What am I missing? Do you have any favourite songs to exercise to?

Going Bananas for Spring

Look at what I spotted peeking out from under a banana leaf on the weekend..

Finally a banana flower! It's been about 20 months since we feasted on our last lot of bananas - that tree has since come down and this is the sucker that's popped up to take it's place. It's pretty slow progress - at this rate I won't be profiting from the high banana prices any time soon..

These are some other flowers I'm excited to see - it's the solanum potato vine that we've grown over the chicken run. It's been a vigorous grower and has done a good job covering the ugly steel mesh in a relatively short time, but it's never flowered! I've always wondered what it's lacking and why it wasn't flowering - I guess it was just biding it's time and maybe waiting for spring.