From the Front

Just had to take some photos to update what has been on the plate.  I'm working on the Winter 2011 collection but it's been difficult to keep the new design under wraps.  It will be launched at a big party at the end of March, all the details of which are yet to be finalised

Look out she's behind you.

So this will be the best place to get the news of whats going on in Shirleys' world & sneak peaks of the collection.XX

Dal Dahl Daal Dhal

I've never made the perfect one. There's always an ingredient missing so each one I've made is a little different but they are always popular.  In fact, I am known for it.  Delicious & so easy.  One pot cooking is my favourite.

I was initially inspired by the Hari Krishna one & they do not use garlic or onions & there's is a mung bean.
I will try & give an idea of measurements but I just guesstimate.  The great thing is you can vary it depending on what you have in the kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 -2 tins/cups lentils- there must always be lentils but sometimes I add chick peas as well
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin coconut milk
fresh ginger chopped fine or grated, heaps of it say, 1/3 cup & ginger powder
garam masala
cumin
coriander
soy sauce
chili sauce
sugar to taste(palm sugar is best)
oregano
1 x medium sweet potato
1 x potato
1/3 of a  large cauliflower
vegetable oil

Method:
chop veggies fairly small
Fry dry spices first with fresh ginger in the oil
add veggies & continue for a few minutes
then all wet ingredients & oregano & level desert spoon sugar(you can leave sugar out if you prefer)
Bring to the boil, then high simmer for 20 mins. than low simmer for an hour(you don't have to do it for that long but it' s better)

Serve with some basmati rice, you won't need salt because of the soy & season with pepper if you like.

Enjoy, I'm off to have some now. XX

The Dark & Light

It was raining in Brisbane non stop for a month & a half before the floods hit Every morning waking up to grey was getting old & everything felt wet & mould was growing.

I saw these flowers on Sunday (reduced to $4, gotta love a bargain) & had to take them home to have something sunny to look at.

Then on Monday it was raining so hard I could photograph it.
Tuesday morning I woke to the news of the floods & the water was heading this way.
I was evacuated in the '74 floods & the news brought back all those memories.  It was a little frightening.
It did flood badly in parts of my suburb but we were safe & dry as we're up quite high. Typical of hilly Brisbane.
Houses at one end of a street could be completely submerged & untouched at the other.  It's hard to fathom & this will affect everyone in one way or another.
Now everyone is so keen to just clean up & get things back to the way they were.
Unfortunately that's not possible for some as lives have been lost & families devastated.
Sadly it's brought out the worst in some but thankfully the best in others & thankfully, the latter is the majority. XX

Yes, we have bananas, yes it is wet.

Here is the result. XX

Post Haste

Well, that's done then for another year.  A lot of fuss & over so quickly.  I'm no scrooge however.  Usually I do love Christmas.  It means family (and I love my family), food & drink & pressies.  I may give a quick thought to peace on earth etc. but I'm not a follower of the bible & wish for peace on earth all year long.

This year was the third only, in the history of my family that we were not all together.  We've been spread out over the country & the globe before & managed to get together but not this year.  It's cool though, the first one was hard but I've got it now.

I did host a Xmas day breakfast though for a few friends & I believe they were all suitably sated.  Now to the point of this post...I've been holding onto some pics as they were for a Chrissie present for someone, a custom order, but now it's a done deal, I can share some more behind the scene pics from the recent photo shoot.

100%cotton hand dyed & painted by Shirley Fracture C.

Part 2

The second installment. It's a short story of just a day in the life of one accident prone woman who loves to shop.

'Shirley Fracture' cont.

Then nurses gave her a sedative shot  to calm her down.   The needle broke off in her vein, Shirley fainted.

Hours later, she was released from hospital.  Still somewhat anaesthetised, Shirley stumbles into the club.  There was a woman with a broken ankle.  Plaster foot wet, propped on a green velvet cushion.  Large woman rolling in jewels & skin.  People fell over each other to do things for her.  Then the boy with the broken leg.  Angel face.  Trapped by a woman who'd hidden his crutches.  She petted his plaster appendage then sat on his lap & squirmed.

All around Shirley could hear breaking.  Hear bones snap.  Shirley sat, the band played.  Friend sat beside her.  Elbow sharp jabbed her in the ribs until one broke.   Then she vomited in Shirley's pocket while mumbling something in Japanese.  You put up with a lot from friends.

The man with the broken heart was nowhere to be seen.  The heart breakers were there.  Tongues down throats all night.  A broken down diva wrapped in cobwebs sat in the spotlight & opened her legs wide so everyone could watch her cunt disintegrate. 

Shirley needed a break.  She found a quiet spot at the bar & devoured it.  She noticed the barman's bad   split ends.  They discussed conditioning.  It was becoming an intellectual evening.  When it became black, moonlight caught glass & chrome.  And as Shirleys' head smashed against the rickety wood bed head, silver skull fell from his ear.  She watched it twitching, spinning in the light & it smashed her in the teeth.  Now Shirley has a broken smile. 

Nervous Now

OK., as promised I shall tell you the story.  I thought it was a good idea & now I come to sit down to write, I'm a bit nervous 'cos I hope you all like it. XX


' Shirley Fracture' by Kathleen Dittmar

Shirley went shopping for something new.  Decided on a red & gold enamel coffee pot.  Took it home & from it's box.  Thought briefly about wasteful packaging.  Broken spout.  This always happened, two trips to the store for the same item.
 Shirley had a special outfit she wore for serious shopping.  Old blue air force uniform, wings on sleeves.  Black stockings & old black bata shoes from school.  Believing uniforms are respected, Shirley shopped with confidence.  She got caught once & was charged with the theft of a packet of dental floss.

Yes, Shirley shoplifted.  Thefts she'd got away with include a set of babushka dolls, a reversible cordless drill, gun powder scales, ten packets of instant noodles, a diamond ring & a sling shot. 
Items she stole were perfect.  Goods she paid for were faulty, always.  Shirley told people she was from a broken home.  This was one of the lies she used to excuse her criminal tendencies. 

Shirley arrived home from the second shopping  trip.  Housebreak in progress.  Intruders fled through the bathroom window.  She managed to catch a leg & bit it, breaking the skin.  She tasted blood.  It broke free.
Everywhere destruction.   Possessions smashed & broken.  But nothing taken. 

When the police had gone, Shirley realised she hadn't eaten that day.  Opened the fridge, it was empty.  All the food gone.  In it's place a pile of frozen faeces on the Royal Albert platter inherited from Great Aunt Shirl.  It had been a heavy day.  Shirley broke down & was taken to hospital by ambulance.

She could hear staff talking, laughing behind the curtain.  An accident victim lay there.  The nurses had discovered a salami in his jeans.  Shirley was  certain it was the salami stolen from her fridge.  Hysteria set in.  She insisted the police be called to question the accident victim about small goods. 

TO BE CONTINUED  I have a friend staying for dinner & the dog is harassing me for his dinner so must away for now.  I'll blog the rest of the story tomorrow & hope you are enjoying it thus far. XX

This photograph has nothing to do with the story but it's probably time I also shared, I am a massive Johnny Thunders fan.  I think the other in the photo is Richard Hell.