WHEN YOUR NUMBER COMES UP….

http://alvey.com.au/fishing-information/beach-and-surf-fishing/

Alvey Reels, in my opinion, are the best reels for surf fishing.

You've Gotta Have Sole!

Map of Peregian Beach/Coolum Beach and Yaroomba

As far as my Lotto numbers are concerned one number once in a while bounces out of the barrel; most times, however, none escape. I think they take one look at me and leap back into the barrel!

On rare instances a couple of my numbers exuberantly pop up like toast out of a toaster, but all my numbers never come up in the one draw; not yet, anyway. I live in hope!  I might be the one who is toast!

Years ago I erroneously registered my numbers. You know…the usual…birthdays, street addresses, that sort of thing. It wasn’t a well-considered decision for anyone as superstitious as I am. In truth, I’m not overly superstitious, but I am when it comes to looking at the winning numbers when I’ve not placed an entry.  On such occasions I never check the winning numbers. What would be the point? It’d be my luck that would be the time all my numbers spun out of control, and spewed forth from the Lotto barrel; then I’d be the one spinning out of control! The agony would be too much to bear. Being the quavering coward I am, I’d rather not know. 

My sparse winning history is…

In 1979 I won $300 plus change. I spent my winnings on a new, you-beaut 12-foot surf rod for myself, along with an equally-new, you-beaut shiny side cast Alvey reel (both of which I no longer have). When in my possession the rod and reel served me well. They helped me catch a lot of fish…a lot!  On the scale of things, I mostly caught bream with a quite a few tailor, flathead, whiting and dart thrown into the esky for good measure; and then, on one bright early morn, to my surprise I landed a flounder when surf fishing at Yaroomba.

Yaroomba is about 3kms (1.8 miles) south of Coolum Beach.  After we left Brisbane to live and work on the coast back in early 1979, my husband and I lived at Coolum for the first six or so months until we bought our house at Sunshine Beach. Sunshine Beach is about 15kms (nine miles) further north of Coolum; close to Noosa Heads.

On the particular morning I refer to, my husband (now ex) and I had been surf fishing from around 4 am.  We were packing up, ready to head back home for hot showers and a hearty breakfast when I cast out my line for one last try while Randall, my husband gathered together our gear. I started to reel my line in, when, right at the water’s edge where the water was shallow, I felt something on the end of my line. At first I thought my hook and sinker were stuck in the sand as the waves were rushing back out to sea...but lo and behold….I’d picked up a nice-sized flounder, probably around 30cm, just as my rigged line was about to hit the shore. 

We enjoyed fresh flounder cooked gently in butter and lemon juice for breakfast that morning.  It was the first and only flounder I’ve ever caught.

The last time I won a semi-reasonable amount in Lotto was in 1985. Once again, my windfall was three hundred dollars plus change; and then, a couple of weeks later I won a similar amount.  

Back then $300.00 was nothing to scoff at; neither was it a bag of peanuts; it still isn’t.  A pattern formed for a brief moment in time. It became apparent I had something going for me with the number three, but it didn’t last. It fizzled out like a candle in the wind, and never reignited. My luck is no match for Fate. Since then I’ve only won the change; here and there; once in a while. 

In 1967 I won a chicken in a raffle; the first and only time I’ve ever done so. Chicken trays are safe when I’m around.  As for meat trays - I’ve never won a meat tray, either. And, of course, to keep my clean record, I’ve never won a seafood tray from a Lions Club or a Rotary Club raffle; or from any other raffle run by an organisation, for that matter. I wouldn’t want to be starving, would I? With my winning history, or lack thereof, I should be skeletal. Thank goodness I’m an adept hand at food shopping. 

I may have mentioned somewhere along the line that I won a mountain bike in 1994 when I was living and working in Townsville; but as there is only one hill in Townsville, Castle Hill, and the fact that I wasn’t, and still am not into bike riding I gave the bike to a friend, a local 4TO radio announcer, and asked him to give it away to a worthy child listener by whatever method he saw fit, leaving my name out of the play. 

It was a Coca-Cola competition. I bought a ticket when fueling my car at the service station down the road a bit from the restaurant in which I was cooking at the time.

From memory that’s about it as far as my winning streaks are concerned.  I can’t even win an argument these days. Things are bad.

Taking all of the above into account, I must be due for a big win soon.  Perhaps, it’d be easier to buy a bag of raw peanuts.  Some I’ll roast; others I’ll boil; and the rest I’ll eat raw. While watching the Lotto draw - one I’ve entered, of course, I can throw peanuts at the TV screen when my numbers don’t come up.

Eggplant-Peanut Salad: Peel 2 eggplants, about 700g each; cut in ½ to 1-inch cubes. Put in colander; salt liberally; set aside 30mins. Rinse, drain and dry cubes.  Heat 1/2tbs oil in large pan; sauté 2 onions, cut in ½-inch cubes, 1-2mins; add 2 chopped garlic cloves; cook 1min; remove from pan; add eggplant in one layer; add more oil if needed; cook 5-7mins. Remove while eggplant still holds shape, soft but not mushy. Whisk together 1/2c red wine vinegar and 1tbs Dijon mustard; slowly drizzle in 3/4c olive oil while whisking; continue until emulsified; stir in the still warm vegetables; cool; cover and chill. About 30mins before serving add 1/2c raisins (plumped in water 10-15mins, then drained), 1/2c halved or chopped peanuts, chopped fresh thyme, and/or basil or marjoram to taste.  

Nut-Crusted Salmon: Place rack on baking sheet; put salmon fillets on top of rack; drizzle with a little oil; gently rub it in; season lightly; set aside. Process 1/3c unsalted peanuts, 1/4c cashews, 2tbs breadcrumbs, 1-1/2tsp Dijon mustard, juice of ½ lemon and some fresh parsley; pulse a few times until coarse. With processor running, drizzle in about 2tbs olive oil. The mixture should remain somewhat coarse. Press mixture onto top of salmon fillets; press down; cook in preheated 204C oven, 20mins, or until tops are golden.  

Kale-Cabbage Peanut Salad: Combine thinly-sliced bunch of kale with 1c chopped red cabbage, 1 carrot, julienned, 2 thinly-sliced shallots, and ½c roasted or raw peanuts. Dressing; combine 2tbs rice or cider vinegar, 1tbs lime juice, 1tbs soy sauce, 1 minced garlic clove, 1tsp honey and pinch of chilli flakes. Slowly drizzle in 1/4c sesame oil while whisking; add to salad; mix well. Garnish with chopped peanuts.