Apr 18 - Unexpected Pleasures

  I made a quick exit from Mr Smart's in the morning so that Mr Smart could sleep a little longer for a change.  Mr Smart Snr was aghast 'You haven't had any breakfast!' he called out to me from the lounge room, 'I have a muesli bar in my back pack!' I called back merrily.  He wished me a happy day at work and off I went to Preston station.  The train ride in to work was uneventful except for being stuck on the the rail bridge near Mr Smart's sisters house for five full minutes.
  When I got to Melbourne Central Station a chap was just outside the cattle gates selling Anzac Day pins.  I like to buy one each year in memory of the service of my paternal grandparents.  I plumped for the $10 model this year because it has a backing that stops it jabbing you in the flesh.
  As I sat down at my desk and got ready for the day ahead, a little blip came up on my Lync screen from Miss Mischief.  Oh no!  She had asked me to return her keys via the internal mail and I had completely forgotten and she needed them tomorrow.  I apologised profusely for my scatter brain and said I would drop them off after work.  Since I had not caught up with her for ages, I also made a suggestion of Japanese for dinner which was gladly agreed to.  It was funny to think that being such a slack, forgetful ditz turned into the unexpected pleasure of fine dining in good company.
  The day passed relatively well.  There was a cool article in the paper at lunch, the Collingwood Children's Farm has 14 new Berkshire piglets, which of course made me grin immensely!!  Must visit there soon I think!  Picnic time Mr Smart?

  In the afternoon I had another unexpected pleasure.  I had a visit from my QV predecessor, she wanted to drop me off some vouchers from her Entertainment Book that I could use at QV before they expire in June.  She and I have been friends for a while now, since before she left QV and I was training her in a few things.  We chat and play Words With Friends and she's such a lovely kind-hearted soul.  As if to prove my point, she arrived with not only the vouchers, she brought me in a cupcake all the way from Williamstown.  It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture and I've no idea what I did to deserve such kindness but I was deeply touched that she thought to do such a lovely thing for me.  I am saving it for morning tea tomorrow.

  Thursday's food was:

• Breakfast was a 35g Carmen's yoghurt, apricot and almond muesli bar.
• Morning snack was 10g Lindt 85% Cocoa dark chocolate and two dried peach halves.
• Lunch was 300g Asian-style chicken and sweetcorn soup with two toasted slices of Bürgen wholemeal and seeds bread spread with Devondale butter.
• Afternoon snack was a Red Delicious apple, cored and sliced.
• Dinner was at Asakusa in Malvern East.  Miss Mischief and I shared a serve of eda mame (fresh soy beans boiled in salted water), then I had an entree of six pieces of crispy salmon skin roll sushi with pickled ginger, I also tried one piece of Miss Mischief's entree, asparagus tempura.  For main course I had my very favourite dish there, miso ramen, which is a soup full of wheat boodles, roasted pork, egg, bean shoots and cabbage served with a pepper shaker that you add liberally.  We were both full before dessert, but decided to have just one scoop each of one of their fabulous house-made ice creams.  We both opted for the red bean on this occasion but generally I love the black sesame one best.

  After dinner it was home and quickly to bed, leaving yet another blog unwritten.  Oh well, at least I'm getting to them now!
  Jess