The Little Drummer Princess


She's ours! Not for sale at any price. Although kidnap attempts have been made by some less than savoury families of the realm, the Princess is staying put. No ransom will be paid by H.R.H. or her Consort. Lord Noalot and the Cryptic Mother said during their recent visit to the Castle "We have hardly seen you at all, Princess."
To which the princess replied, "I have to keep moving, so no-one knows where to find me."

Leaving on a Jet Plane.....

Or rather in the Avalon..... The Cryptic Mother and her Lord-in-Waiting, Lord Noalot, have embarked on their homeward journey. The Cryptic Mother holding court as per usual, giving directions (unneeded) to her Lord. The man has the patience of a saint and listened carefully to the Cryptic Mother. They took off in a blaze of glory, waving and singing. Stops along the way are to include Mistress Caza's in Langy to collect the latest in 'not using legs' technology. This rare and expensive form of transport will be tested by the Cryptic Mother in her home town of Barham. Watch out all you sidewalk users in that little town! H.R.H. and the Consort sincerely hope the Cryptic Mother and Lord Noalot enjoyed their short visit at the Castle. It was a rare one indeed, but hopefully will be repeated in the not too distant future.

Do we need a crisper in our fridge?

Apples: According to the Purdue Horticulture Dept., apples are best stored in plastic bags with air holes in a 30-32˚F refrigerator. They recommend putting them on shelves instead of the crisper drawer to permit proper circulation and humidity. Do not freeze.
Bananas: From Chiquita Banana, “To slow the ripening process once bananas reach your preferred ripeness, put them in the refrigerator. Even though our original jingle warned consumers not to refrigerate bananas, it’s really OK. The skin may turn dark, but the fruit will be just right for several days.” (It doesn’t say anything about them having to be stored in the crisper drawer.)
Corn: Being from a family of corn growers, I know this one without having to reference anything. In husk, use it the day you buy it. If you’re not going to use it that same day, remove the husk, vacuum seal it, and store it in the freezer.
Bell peppers: According to the Texas Produce Association, bell peppers can handle short-term storage for seven days or less at 45-50 degrees with 85-95 percent humidity. If you store a pepper below 42 degrees it will suffer from chill injury. (Which means that I need to use peppers the day I buy them. My refrigerator sits below 42 degrees.) Additionally, don’t store next to apples because of a chemical reaction.
Tomatoes: According to the Penn State Agriculture Dept., tomatoes should be stored in an aerated basket on your counter, out of direct sunlight. Putting them in the refrigerator will cause them to lose their aroma and flavor.
Potatoes: According to the Delicious Organic website, “Because their starch turns to sugar in the refrigerator, they should be kept in a dark, dry, cool area like a cellar or a brown bag. However, out of sight, out of mind, and our south Florida temperatures cause them to sprout too quickly and we don’t have cellars so what to do? Store them in the refrigerator but let them come to room temperature for a day (take them out in the morning) so that their sugar can return to starch.”
Herbs and lettuce: According to the Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension, “Lettuce should be rinsed under cold running water, drained, packaged in plastic bags, and refrigerated.” The refrigerator should be at least 40˚F or lower, and you should eat the greens within a week. Do not freeze.
Onions: According to the Foodservice Guide, “Store your onions in a cool, dry ventilated place–not in the refrigerator. Lack of air movement reduces storage life. Chopped or sliced onions can be stored in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to 7 days.” Do not freeze.
After looking at all of the research, I couldn’t find a single reason to keep my crisper. So, my refrigerator is now crisper-drawer free. I’ve pulled out the drawers and have deep shelves where they used to be. Rotten food is the epitome of clutter, so hopefully I’m starting out the year on the right foot with my refrigerator’s organization.
This information was found on my delicious site. Hope you find it helpful.

Bathing the Cryptic Mother


Allowing her Lord - in - Waiting to shower, bathe, dress and generally pamper her, the Cryptic Mother is finally ready to begin her day out. Lord Noalot began his day many hours earlier, checking their many holdings at the race track, and bank. He is always up and around to prepare for the Cryptic Mother's day. Breakfast and coffee is prepared, then served. The papers are delivered and the Cryptic Mother is wheeled into position at the head of the table. She is waited on hand and foot by her Lord. Lord Noalot remains cool, calm and collected under the duress and sometimes pressing duties. H.R.H. thanks Lord Noalot for his patience in dealing with the Cryptic Mother and her demands. The Crown appreciates the savings to its pockets.

Roy's bad hair day!

If all our 'bad hair' days could look this good. H.R.H. has a team of
people to help her look her best each and every day, but she never looks this good. Roy, who is your hairdresser? It was great watching Roy get excited at the match - no wonder he is one of the favourites of our Aussie test team.

The Baron at the 'G'


Engrossed in the 'goings on' at the MCG. The Baron kept his racial comments to himself to avoid being thrown out by security. But we did have a laugh at Bay 13, watching a few spectators being escorted out of their seats and then out of the ground. India were batting, Hogg bowling, giving the visitors a chance to get a decent run score. Hogg eventually gave them 80 easy runs. Nevertheless, the Baron enjoyed his Big Day Out with H.R.H. and her Consort.

The pool at the Castle

Progress as at Christmas Day, 2007. The recent heavy rains
have resulted in a 'pool' at the back of the Castle.
This is not what H.R.H. had in mind when the pool
construction was authorised. However, underground power not previously discovered by the swimming pool construction company stands (or lies) in our way.
Hopefully early in the new year, an electrician of qualified proportions will be able to reroute the wiring and construction can recommence. We are waiting with baited breath.

My Message


"In my experience, the positive value of a happy family is one of the factors of human existence that has not changed. "The immediate family of grandparents, parents and children, together with their extended family, is still the core of a thriving community."
The modern world could be a distant, hostile place where it was all too easy for people to turn a blind eye.
The birth of Jesus Christ was a tale of a family "which had been shut out".
"The Christmas story also draws attention to all those people who are on the edge of society - people who feel cut off and disadvantaged; people who, for one reason or another, are not able to enjoy the full benefits of living in a civilised and law-abiding community."

The Year at a Glance

H.R.H. turned 48
The King Consort turned 52
The Little Drummer Princess turned 16
H.R.H.'s mother suffered a severe stroke, she has returned home but requires 24 hour care.
Mac escaped from the compound on two separate occasions (My Consort suffering separation anxiety until Mac was found unharmed).
Princess Bee was voted Best on Ground at her school Ball.
Earl of Cornubia became engaged to Lady Jacqui.
H.R.H.'s niece, Lady Cookie, became engaged to her longtime sweetheart, Paul. Nuptuals planned for March, 2008.
Ladies Gillian, Ann and Barbara were able to visit H.R.H. whilst in exile.
H.R.H.'s P.A. became a grandmother again!
Geelong won the AFL grandfinal.
The Queen Mother once again held court at her lodgings in Mt. Waverley for the family traditional Christmas lunch.
The Consort's brother, Lord David has a new role, outside the education portfolio he usually runs. He also turned 50. This was celebrated with family and friends at a lovely Greek restuarant in Richmond.
The Little Drummer Princess has enrolled into VCE for 2008. She will attempt to rise above all presented challenges.
The new swimming pool at the Castle remains a bath size hole. H.R.H. is still struggling to get the required labour to progress this situation. All prayers gratefully received.

Sunset at the Castle

Christmas Day

Christmas Day dawned early at the Castle. The princess sent an sms from her suite to awaken the Consort and myself at the unmentionable hour of 6am. When asked to bring presents and coffee to the royal boudair (letting the servants have a lay in as it is Christmas), the Princess laughed and said 'NO! I am going back to sleep, I just wanted to wake you two and say Merry Christmas.' Aahh, it is nice to have things getting back to some normality after our exile.

Mac (guard dog) is very pleased to have his position restored.

Seasons Greetings

Greetings from the Royal Family at the most festive time.

End of Exile


Her Royal Highness is pleased to announce the safe return of the ENTIRE royal family. It is pleasing to be back at the castle among loyal staff and friends. Whilst our enforced exile (political reasons) had some interesting moments, H.R.H. is looking forward to resuming her important role and duties. As soon as good health and vitality is regained, there will be more news and recounts to share. The Princesses are excited to be back and looking forward to the waiting summer period to spread their wings a little further. My consort has already returned to his royal duties.

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