of picnics and oxtails

PMS-ing Melbourne weather is totally harshing my springtime mellow!
sheets of rain and gusty winds are not really great company for market-shopping and prety spring frocks.

but I had a great day at Vic Mart, despite my hole-y sweater and the wind blowing through it. (screw my 5-bucks-op-shop-retro-white-knit-sweater! lols. but i totally *heart* it)
and that is due to the fact that I found this awesomely cool stall at the meat section that sells all the unwanted parts of the goat and cow and pig.
seriously. I'm talking about goat brains, cow kidneys, ox tongue. the works.
no, I'm not a gourmand that knows how to cook all the different parts.
but heck, I managed to get my oxtails after hunting for ages! and that, I'm happy about.
and I was so tempted to get the goat brains, after seeing that episode on Masterchef that dealt with the brains and one of the judges described them as creamy and absolutely sinful!
*thinks hard* maybe I'll get them after I hunt up a few recipes! lols.

and I'm having a great few days, retail-therapy-wise. *winks*

and on a separate note, I so want to organise a picnic...
I wanna get a wicker picnic basket and red checked picnic cloth and a glass bottle full of sparkling lemonade and little finger sandwiches and chocolate fingers and a big blue kite.
too bad the weather is throwing a tantrum right now.

I have tons and tons of readings to do. both academic and... well, non-academic.
and it has been the most wonderful weather to curl up and read in an armchair/beanbag/lumpy bed. gloomy skies with periods of rain are meant for people to stay indoors.
just need a cup of chai latte and i'm all set.
I'm recently addicted to chai latte. that satiny finish of cream and spicy notes of cinnamon are absolutely sinful.

***

the parentals have left and it's been quieter, as expected.
finally, dad has seen the new apartment and I would like to think he loved it. lols.
after all, he is sponsoring it!
it's been a hectic, hectic, hectic one week when they were here.

chiong-ing my lit review draft right now.
but oh my oh my oh my, I keep getting distracted by images of KokoBlack's yummylicious choc mousse and homemade banana bread.
why a random banana bread?
because I came across this awesome-looking banana bread picture online and it's making me crave for banana bread.
and now, I can't stop thinking about Aunt Linda's helluva banana bread that was and still is the most heavenly thing I've ever tasted.

I shall go have me a banana now.