Oh what a chilly winter.  I realise we're not even a third of the way through but I think our apartment, nicely situated directly above the garages, will remain the eternal icebox.  So, it's midday and I'm enjoy my hot chocolate with a nice dash of Kahlua.  Nothing wrong with that, is there?... Well, considering that we're in Winter Holiday Mode already, the bulletin is definitely crammed full of info for you all.  Read on....

Pfew! The end of another semester.  At least, the end of the lecture period.  Now it's on to all those lovely periods of pencil scratching on paper we look forward to so much.  Left all the readings to the end of the period? Mmm... join the club.  How hard is it to focus on pages and pages of small black print on white paper when it's finally sunny outside?  Today my procrastination activities involved baking an apple loaf and a cauliflower, pea and red wine risotto - not before covering my kitchen on 5 sides with red wine though.  What's that you say? Clean the kitchen? Why, don't mind if I do!  No time like right now before I get to Chapter 5...

A warm winter welcome to my wonderful woolly weaders!  I spoke to my Brisbanite sister this afternoon and she was complaining that it was too cold.  Mmm... yes... don't you hate it when it's a chilly 22 degrees outside!  Its my second winter away from Canberra and I still have the expectation that when I look out to a grey day in the morning I'll need to brace myself against the frosty air when I step outside.  Still a good time to start testing those soup recipes I say! 

Now, since my greeting seems to suggest I'm writing to sheepies, I'd like you all to follow me into the news...

Hello Readers!  Did we all survive the whipping winds from the North!!  I think half of poor old Maroubra Beach got blown halfway up the hill.  I was already getting perforated eyeballs (or receiving a free facial exfoliation) from high speed sand granules as I battled my way to the surf club before I even got within 100m of the beach.  I was headed down there for some yoga, as a result of which I am now suffering of overstretched hamstrings.  Or something.  Maybe I'm just a wimp.

Good Evening Folks!  In the spirit of MasterChef (which I'm watching for the first time tonight) I thought I'd write about food.  It's been a week of all new tastes for me.  Firstly, on Thursday, I picked up my loaf from the shop.  It's been two weeks coming and was worth the wait, although I've forgotten what is was that I ordered (I can tell you it was something to do with soy and linseed).  Every time we slice I'm still there picking all the crumbs off the bread board.  Can't let those tasty seeds go to waste.

Hello dear readers.  Firstly I'd like to apologise to Suzie for the incorrect heading for the Chai and Chat in last week's bulletin.  I wrote "This Weekend" and since it was actually on a Thursday I'm hoping I didn't lose too many readers with the incorrect line.  I know she sent out a reminder email throughout the week so hopefully it was a success.  My poor computer is struggling this evening trying to cope with the software I installed on it for uni.  It was already running in slow-mo, like a walkman coping with drained batteries, before I loaded it up with more work, so, to be safe, I'd better send off the bulletin.  Otherwise I might be left with a gurgling melted mess on the table and no way of spreading the short, but sweet, news for the week: