Monday Mural - Mexican Mask

I love murals and street art. If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme is for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  Once you start looking you will find murals everywhere.  The "Monday Mural" meme goes live on Monday at 12,01AM, Perth,Western Australian time. Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters. Looking forward to your mural finds this week. Thanks Sami.

There are 2 murals on the outside walls of Guzman Y Gomez Mexican drive through/restaurant in the suburb of Cannington, in one of the corners of Carousel Shopping Centre - 2 faces of probably Mr Guzman and Mr Gomez and another mural of a Mexican mask, hidden under the main facade mesh cladding.

Please note:  This will be my last mural of the year 2022, as our daughter and son-in-law will be visiting from Germany and the 4 of us will be in Bali for 10 days from the 23rd December to 1st January, so I won't be posting a mural on Monday 26th December and Monday 2nd January. 

To all those who have contributed with your wonderful murals and take the time to leave a few words every week, thank you very much.

Wishing all my readers a most wonderful Christmas and may the new Year be filled with happiness, peace and joy. 

Happy mural hunting :)

                      

December Wrap-up

December was very much a Christmas oriented month with all activities involving Christmas events.

Sunday 6th - Jose and I went to the annual Christmas picnic organized for the all Portuguese families that want to join. This year it was held at Point Walter Reserve, a beautiful area by the Swan river.

By the time we arrived there was already one table full of food and we set up another table that quickly filled up. By the time everybody left we had 4 tables full of Portuguese savoury and sweet foods. I had taken a pineapple cake and a tuna and potato cold salad.

Monday 14th -  our good friend Tony turned 80 and we were invited to a surprise birthday party at the Bull Creek Royal Air Force Estate where he lives. I left work early to be able to join the other 30 guests. When Tony and wife Kei appeared he was surprised to see all of us sitting down at two tables of the recently inaugurated restaurant at the retirement village. There was a choice of two dishes - Barramundi (fish) or Chicken, both served with vegetables and potatoes and Sticky date pudding for dessert. Some of the friends had brought other desserts and cakes, which were passed around the tables. 

Barramundi, Sticky date pudding, Tony and Kei, the golf cart that Tony drives around to ferry those who can't walk dolled up for Christmas and Biscuit cake.

The new and fancy restaurant at the Royal Air Force Estate in Bull Creek

After lunch we helped Tony and Kei carry the presents home to their unit a few hundred metres from the restaurant, and I took some photos of the beautiful flowers he's got in his garden.

Wednesday 16th - the last French class of the year was accompanied by Christmas goodies that we had all taken to share. Small gifts were swapped too.

Cathy, Sami, teacher Brigitte (standing), Suzanne and Jennifer

Sunday 20th - At 6pm Jose and I joined Maria, who I met and befriended through the "Buy nothing group" for Christmas carols and dinner that she had organized at the residential complex where she lives just 5 minutes away.

As well as 4 or 5 people from the "Buy Nothing Group" that she knows better, Maria had invited the residents from the 16 units in her complex, but probably only half of them showed up.  It was a fun evening, with her neighbour who had been an Anglican pastor leading us with the Christmas carols, and then we all shared the food we had taken. After dinner we sang a couple more songs, and then Maria put some Abba music and we danced. It was 10pm by the time we left after having helped her clear her carport.

After a couple of months of waiting for fabric, sewing, cutting up an Ikea mattress foam (much cheaper than buying foam from a foam shop), I finally finished the cushions for the patio furniture that our friend Idalia gave us when she moved into a retirement village in July this year. Finally ready for Christmas!

I only managed to paint two pieces of furniture this month - a bedside table in Fusion's "Divine Lavender" and two pine stools for my grandkids, painted in "Casement" and "Seaside". Those were gifted to them at Christmas together with with some books, and specially the 4 year old loved it.

Tuesday 22nd - We drove to the city at about 7pm, parked the car and walked around following the Christmas light trail, and returned home close to 11pm. 

We still made a couple of calls to Jose's brothers in Portugal and South Africa to wish them a good Christmas, before going to bed, and left the calls to my family in Portugal and South Africa for the 23rd.

Christmas lights trail in Perth

A couple of houses decorated for Christmas around the neighbourhood.

Jose and I under the decorated tree - you can see the bench and the house on the right

Thursday 24th - One of my colleagues worked my half-day shift and I was able to finishing preparing Christmas Eve dinner, for the family and friends that were coming to our house in the evening.

It was a small affair this year with a few of our friends having taken holidays at this time of the year... but it was still nice to have 11 people around the table. 

We had decided not to gift to adults, just to kids, but I still received a few gifts at work from our boss, from a few of the Doctors and from colleagues.                           On the 25th, we stayed home and had leftovers from the Christmas Eve dinner.

Our Christmas tree with the kid's chairs. Trifle my daughter in law made, our dessert table - a fruit tree salad, French toast, Fruitcake, Honey cake from Madeira and Milk pudding - the gifts I received

Sunday 27th - At about 6pm we drove to the foreshore of the suburb of Shelley,  a 10min drive from home, to watch the sunset (7,25pm). We took a basket with crackers, cheese, nuts, fruit and a small bottle of bubbly that had been given to me at work.

At Shelley's foreshore watching the sunset. The last photo (bottom right) was taken the following day on the freeway

The magpies that live in the park across the street come around to our front garden/driveway when they see us and we give them bits of walnuts. They take one or two pieces and waddle back across the road. Quite funny.

Fluffy sleeping on top of me while I was lying on the couch, and Fluffy and Twiggy by the Christmas tree.

Thursday 31st - New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance at the Portuguese club in Fremantle.

Dinner consisted of a platter of prawns to share per table of 8, the main dish was half a lobster, a steak with rice and salad. There were no desserts, so I took a platter of Rice pudding and one of my friends at the table took a Creme Caramel pudding.

Music and dancing started after dinner, and just before midnight each table was given a bottle of bubbly to toast. Unfortunately it was a Brut which wasn't really liked by any of us, so just a taste was enough for me! We left just before the party ended at 1am. 

New Year's dinner and desserts

Jose and I, our 87 year old friend Idalia (right) and our table behind, our table (bottom photos)

The hall with the singer on the stage at the far end- the bottle of bubbly before midnight

After a disastrous 2020 with devastating fires, natural disasters all over the world, racial tensions, riots, Covid19, economic setbacks, etc. etc., I'm hoping that 2021 will be a turnaround year for all.

Wishing you all a most wonderful, healthy, safe, peaceful and successful 2021.

Thank you for your continued support.

Signs - Signs of Christmas II

Wishing all my blog readers and friends a most wonderful Christmas. I really appreciate your visits and comments.

It will be a lonely and different Christmas celebration for many, others like us are lucky to be able to celebrate almost normally with our local friends and family.

Photos with some of the prettiest decorations of this year's Christmas lights trail in Perth.

I'll be back on Monday 28th with Monday Murals.

Linking to Signs at Tom's blog.

Clock - 3 sleeps to go...

St George's Cathedral had the best interactive display

Perth's city council also had an interactive display with various Christmas kangaroos in the garden which were a delight for the kids

My 2 minute youtube video of the interactive Christmas display on the facade of St George's Church in Perth.

July Wrap-Up

Flowers from my garden

This month I met up with 2 retired colleagues for lunch, and it's always nice to catch up with them. They were such great colleagues when we worked together.

I also met up with two current colleagues for breakfast one Saturday, and with the lovely Grace, for lunch at Ikea.

A neighbour who I met through the Buy Nothing Group, invited me to her house to give her a quote to paint her dining room furniture. She wanted a green colour and I took her all the greens I had. She chose "Lichen", but sadly due to Covid, the Fusion Mineral paint stock in Australia is quite low and I don't have enough of the chosen colour to start the project.  

They come from Canada, and I've just heard again from my supplier that instead of expecting them next week, they think it will be end of August!

The Buy Nothing neighbour gave me a Hall table/coat rack, and I've started prepping it to be painted hopefully this weekend.

I had already started on this cupboard I've had in the garage for ages, and wanted to paint a few stripes on the doors, and leave the rest in the original wood, but I haven't been feeling the love for what I did and put it back in the garage until I get some inspiration.

And I did a happy dance when I sold the chest of drawers Grace had given me a couple of months ago, so I could revamp and sell.

I went to the Optician because of a a cloudy sensation over my left eye. My myopia has improved, which surprised me. She put some drops in my eyes and a while later I went back in for further investigation, but she couldn't find any reason for the cloudy sensation. 

A few days later, the sensation was still there, and I consulted one of our Doctors at the clinic to ask for his opinion. He thought I should see a proper Ophthalmologist and gave me a referral and I've booked an appointment for the 10th August. They seem to be quite busy as the one the Dr first recommended was only for the end of August. 

The Portuguese Women's Association of Western Australia organized a Christmas in July event at the South Fremantle Football club on Sunday 26th of July.

The Committee ladies, of which I'm a part of, had to go to the hall on Saturday, to decorate it with Christmas things, set up a Christmas tree, decorate the tables, etc.

Table with gifts for the kids, table with gift hampers/door prizes, Christmas tree with gifts for Variety Organization, table decoration

We also had to contribute Christmas dessert, and another lady and I had to make "rabanadas" (French toast), which is typically only made at Christmas time in Portugal.

I had already bought 5 French baguettes and cut them up into about 90 slices so they could harden.

When I returned from the Fremantle club on Saturday, I set about preparing the slices, by soaking them in milk that had been warmed up with sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon sticks.

The slices were then dunked into whisked eggs and fried a few at a time.

It was a very lengthy process, with a few changes in oil.  After sitting in absorbent paper for a few minutes they were then sprinkled with a mix of sugar and cinnamon.

They were so moist and delicious, but after frying 90 slices I don't want to fry anything else until Christmas time....the real one in December!

Rabanadas (French toast)

On Sunday the committee ladies had to be at the club 2 hours before the event to set up the various desserts on the cake stands. These stayed at the dessert table until after lunch when the waiters would put a stand on each table.

Guess what? When I saw the "rabanadas" I knew straight away those weren't mine, and sadly they were quite dry. Jose was major disappointed, even though he had eaten 5 or 6 of mine the night before.

Later when visiting friends at another table they told me how delicious the "rabanadas" were and I told them they most probably had eaten mine.

But apart from this, the food served by the team at Benny's Bar and Cafe was delicious, the musical entertainment by a few Portuguese singers was very good too.

The kids were delighted with face painting, and later in the day Father Christmas made an appearance to deliver a gift to each kid.

A representative of the Variety Organization came by to collect kids gifts that everyone who attended had been asked to contribute.

Each table got a cake stand and a variety of cakes and a plate of Portuguese Custard tarts. Delivering the cake stands and the food  (photos on right by Juliana Braz, the event photograher)

Cleide and I in charge of checking the guests, the Committee members and our table. (all photos from Juliana Braz, the event photographer)

I have also started sewing the new cushions for my patio, but I've also ran out of fabric, as my local Spotlight only had 3 metres of the turquoise fabric. I visited the store again today, but they haven't yet received more, so it's all on standby. The cane chairs have all been oiled though, so just waiting on the new pillows.

And of course with the cold weather my cats can be found curled up sleeping most of the day, although the other day when I arrived home from work Twiggy was sitting behind the lounge blinds looking out to the street.

Fluffy sleeping, Twiggy at the window. 

And Friday as I arrived at my French teacher's house I spotted this beautiful sunset.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Monday Mural - Unrest & Christmas and New Year wishes

A colourful mural by AkaCorleone not far from Senhora do Monte Viewpoint, at Rua Damasceno Monteiro in Lisbon, an area which can be reached with the very popular Tram 28.

AkaCorleone is Pedro Campiche (born 1985), a visual artist of Portuguese and Swiss descent who started out as a graffiti writer in the underworld of his native Lisbon.
This piece was given the name "Unrest" and represents Fernando Pessoa, the Portuguese poet, writer, publisher and philosopher (1888-1935) in a psychedelic dream.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme is for you; 
Just follow the Linky steps below.   Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to your mural finds this week. 

Two other murals I've posted from AkaCorleone:

https://sami-colourfulworld.blogspot.com/2016/06/on-one-of-my-walks-around-lisbon-i-came.html
https://sami-colourfulworld.blogspot.com/2018/08/monday-mural-kaleidoscope.html


🎅Wishing all my readers, followers, friends and family a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2019🎅

I won't be posting the "Monday Mural" next Monday 31st December , but will be back to normal from the 2nd of January 2019.

I leave you with some of the dozens of Christmas decoration photos taken during my holiday to the Philippines.

At Perth  International Airport

At Changi Airport, Singapore

Manila, Philippines

Bonafacio Global City, Manila, Philippines

Bohol island, Philippines