Rice Krispie Squares and a BIG SPIDER (yuck)

So, based solely on the title of the blog, you know I didn't really do that much today. I spent a good chunk of the day chatting to family and friends over the computer and working on photos for Woolsey. I had also planned to maybe go out in the afternoon for a bit of a tour around the neighborhood. A couple of weeks ago our trampoline coach gave Jen and I an old bike. We finally managed to get it all fixed up and I was going to take a ride around the neighborhood to see what I could see.

Well.

When I went downstairs this afternoon to get the bike, I noticed that there was a spider web all around the front fork. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that a BIG spider had taken up residence inside the metal frame of the bike! It's a rather decrepit bike and where the frame splits to make the front fork, there's an open hole that should have a cap on it but doesn't. This is where the spider is living. Now the thing is, there are a number of very poisonous spiders here. Many of the bad species are funnel webs - i.e., as far as I can guess, the type of spider that's now living in the bike (funnel webs usually make themselves silk-lined tunnels to live in, and ambush prey at the entrance). Of course I am also not exactly the world's biggest spider fan. So for now, the bike is sitting in our front hall and I sure won't be going anywhere NEAR it until we figure out how to get rid of the spider!

The only other major excitement of the day was making Rice Krispie squares for my housemate Yo's party. Yo officially finished his teaching degree this week and tonight he's celebrating with a bunch of his classmates by hosting a BBQ in our backyard. Our contribution to the party was a tray of Rice Krispie squares - or at least, as close as we could make 'em! You see, there aren't any Rice Krispies here in OZ. The same cereal is sold here, but it's called Rice Bubbles instead. And apparently the Rice Krispie (Bubble?) Square thing isn't known here. Every Australian I've described this snack hasn't had any clue what I was talking about. So earlier this week Jen and I had decided that we'd make Rice Krispie (excuse me, Rice BUBBLE) Squares for the party.

The next problem was the marshmallows. The marshmallows here are different from the ones we get at home - they're smaller (about 2/3rds the size) and have a different texture. Don't ask me why. On top of that, it appears to be impossible (at least in our part of the city) to get bags of just white marshmallows. They are only sold in mixed packets of white and raspberry marshmallows! There was no way I was going to buy 3 bags of marshmallows just to be able to pick out all the white ones for the squares (what would I do with all the raspberry marshmallows??), so Jen ended up making the squares with a combination of white and pink marshmallows. The resulting squares have a definite pink tinge and taste... odd. Not bad, just... odd. Different. However, the other Canadians at the BBQ were certainly very appreciative of the treat!

I am hoping to actually get out of the house tomorrow. I really need to buy some prizes for those folks who won the "Name That Sculpture" contest. Plus I must admit I'm feeling a little guilty at having spent so much of a beautiful day inside - although the day started off cloudy and cool, by 10am this morning the sky was brilliant blue and the weather was just fine. Here's hoping tomorrow brings more of the same!