praawwnn on the baarbieee?

Last year I was quite excited to get back to Oz, to my little kitchen, and start making yummy meals. This year, argh, it feels like a drag to get back into the swing of things. I've been surviving on one-dish meals and eating out (thanks to the generosity of friends). Definitely feeling like I'm lacking in inspiration. I guess everyone goes through patches.

I did try to make a triumphant return with what I thought was going to be a fab salad - first step fry little bits of bacon, add in some baby octopus (you can chop these up to make them a managable mouth-size). While that is sizzling, assemble sliced fresh mango, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, olives. The dressing is lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, olive oil (my ex housemate used to say EVO, like it was the name of a car, which it is). Plonk the cooked octopus and bacon and all the juices on top of the salad. It was almost complete as I went to sprinkle some pepper as a finishing touch as the whole bottletop came loose.....

It was a very peppery salad. Cue Marlon Brando saying "I could have been a contender."

Which reminds me of people who write short stories (memoirs) only six words long...