You're right, Cookie1 - especially when they ask such inane questions as ".. and how do you feel about what has happened to you / your house?" etc. etc.  It is so facile!!

I got an email this morning from my sister who lives in Queensland and she wrote this:

" .... there was some panic buying with bread, milk and petrol, but the roads are open now. 1 lady went to buy 6 loaves of bread when there was a limit of 3, when they stopped her at the checkout she tore open 3 of them, threw on the floor and stamped on them so no-one else could have them."

What a %&^*#@! person - I hope they made her pay for those three loaves and confiscated the other three.  Like the looters, there are very few like her, but they somehow seem to overshadow all the good folks.  I heard on the news that there were 12,000 volunteer helpers in Brisbane on Saturday and they were expecting the same on Sunday. 

We had some minor flooding in my husband's workshop (in Central Victoria) and we were so lucky to have wonderful neighbours who turned out to help us as well.  We were very lucky compared to so many others.  I suspect the really hard part for them will start now, once they can actually get back to their homes and come to terms with their own personal situation.

That's an amazing list, Sue, your children are very lucky to have a mum like you.

I'm afraid I can only just manage my good old favourite, porridge, of a morning.  When we lived in Asia I used to love a mixture of fresh fruit for breakfast, but I had more time then to prepare this each morning.  These days, eggs florentine is my favourite treat.

I Just got my kindle this week as well - an Xmas present from my wonderful husband - but had to wait until now for it as it wasn't ordered until late November and there was obviously a backlog of orders to fill at that time of year.  I also got the cover with the in-built light, which I think is a great idea.

I hadn't heard of a kindle until I first read this thread last year but it just seemed like a wonderful and very sensible idea to me.  I love reading - sci fi / fantasy mainly, but I have to admit my secret - I am also a romance fan - they are very formulaic but I am a sucker for a happy ending and they are such light reading and I don't really have to concentrate too hard on them so I find they are a great escape at the end of a busy day but have made a list of books recommended on this thread so am looking forward to checking them out.  I spend so many hours going to a fro between home and the library and often find it very difficult to get back by return dates (even when I renew) that I was becoming very annoyed with myself and was looking for a solution.

I'll be doing a lot of travelling this year and that was the clincher to make the decision to get the kindle - I am assuming that they are OK to read on planes - I hope so otherwise I am going to be so lost - travelling from Australia to Scotland to Czech Republic to Romania and back to Australia - the thought of so many hours on a plane without a book is overwhelming - I am sure the kindle will keep me occupied during all my flights.

I've just been hearing on the news that the flood levels in Brisbane (Queensland) have not peaked at the higher level they had anticipated - I guess that's the only good news to come out of the north so far.

Frozzie, I am of much the same opinion as you are. 

Many years ago we were on a truck safari through Mozambique and went in to one of the village markets only to see sacks and sacks of maize on sale - all clearly printed "DONATED FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE USA" (or words similar to that, but you get the gist).  Ever since then I have been very wary of making any donations because this is obviously wide open for scams of this sort and it makes you so angry to see it when the people are so poor and in desperate need of help.

I had a friend in Chad who did volunteer work in the schools and had arranged for free school books to be sent from overseas for the kids - but she was not allowed access to them until she "acknowledged" the help of an official by dipping into her own purse. 

This is all so disappointing and I am not saying that it is always the case other than in those two situations mentioned .... but it does make you think and hesitate!

I am sure I have seen the answer to this query somewhere recently, but cannot find it now.  If you want to add some oil to the butter, what quantity  or ratio of oil to cream do you use?  If it makes any difference to the answer, I would be using grapeseed oil.

Hi Linney - I know exactly how you feel - you are going to have a fantastic time with your TMX.  Welcome to the forum and enjoy your cooking and eating.