Sunday 1 November 2015

Taking stock: October 2015.

I don't know about you, but the later in the year it is, the faster the time seems to go. (Unless you're 10 years old and waiting for the jolly old man in the red suit to visit and drink all of your dad's whisky in exchange for a new bike/Playstation/guitar/my little pony/whatever 10-year-old kids are into these days.)

So, with this in mind, my grand plans to regularly write here have taken second (or seventh) fiddle behind Little Red, work around the house and garden, work at work, and family and friends' functions, and the finite amount of time we all have in each day. But I'm getting there slowly, along with:

  • Making: New Year’s Eve plans for Hong Kong.
  • Cooking: Organic apples from the market to freeze for Little Red’s breakfast. Frittata for dinner. Beetroot from the garden to pickle for my boy.
  • Drinking: A big, big mug of strong, proper caffeinated chai to stave off my inclination for a nap. White tea. Green tea. Cider (it’s getting a wee bit warm for whisky).
  • Reading: Buddhism for mothers of young children (I bit the bullet and started reading this after I’d finished Don’t you forget about me, a pretty good trashy chick lit novel). I fell asleep two pages in. Not because it was boring, but because I am so very, very tired and couldn’t keep my eyes open.
  • Wanting: More sleep. More tea. More writing and reading time. Someone to pay me to sit on my deck and drink tea, write, read and garden.
  • Looking: Forward, ever so much, to hanging with my UK family. My cousin has set up this chat thing on Facebook for us all to update each other on important things like whisky drinking, what's for breakfast and tea, party plans, what we’re watching and so forth. It’s pretty fun (and pointless). My uncle and aunty have learnt to send pictures, videos and emoticons, and they’ve all ganged up against me not wanting to watch the new Star Wars movie. My brother also told me he’s all over making our Christmas booze (homemade bramble whisky, raspberry vodka and sloe gin). And we’ve planned to eat takeaway for Christmas lunch and dinner (a traditional Christmas feast at his place). I think I’ll need a good dose of St Mary’s Thistle (a liver tonic) when I get home.
  • Playing: Bubbles. Endless bubbles. Little Red’s fave thing to do right now.
  • Deciding: What posh hotel to book for New Year’s Eve.
  • Wishing: We were billionaires and could stay in the super posh hotels with stunning suites and harbor views that I’ve found online. (Not really. But they do look amazing.)
  • Enjoying: Little Red’s sleep time. She’s full of beans at the moment. My boy and I are completely exhausted.
  • Waiting: For the storm that’s due today, so I don’t have to water the garden.
  • Liking: Sitting here quietly on the deck, not too hot, not too cold, slight breeze in the trees, birds chatting, a hazy light over the treetops and across the land. It’s rather pleasant. Quiet and peaceful.
  • Wondering: Whether I’ll still be in my job at the end of the year (they still haven’t finalised or publicised restructuring plans). Ah well, it reminds me of this song I love.
  • Loving: 99 monkey’s hazelnut cacao spread. Nutella-like heaven and chocolatey nutty bliss in a convenient jar!
  • Pondering: Whether or not to refinance our home loan. All the experts say you should review it at least every five years, but it seems like rather hard work.
  • Considering: Whether or not to bite the bullet and start freelancing and clinical work.
  • Buying: All sorts of goodies from the market, including a big bag of apples and lemons, broccoli, eggs, 99 monkey’s peanut butter and hazelnut cacao spread, Lebanese and long cucumber seedlings to grow for Little Red, and a large soy chai latte for me. (That’s what happens when my boy leaves me to solo parent on market day!)
  • Watching: An array of trashy new US crime- and spy-related shows, like Limitless and Quantico. Also still loving 800 words and HYBPA. Actually, the latter are still my current favourites. Wanting to watch Indian summers and Home fires. They look right up my alley.
  • Hoping: Little Red has a big, big, big nap.
  • Marvelling: At my good friend’s new baby. She’s three and a bit weeks old, and so tiny and beautiful. I don’t remember Little Red being that small and fragile.
  • Needing: Motivation to do stuff (other than drink tea, eat chocolate and nap).
  • Questioning: Whether or not I need to fill in ALL of the points in this Taking stock template (I think the answer I’m looking for is: no).
  • Smelling: Like rosemary still, I'm sure (I whipped the hedges into shape).
  • Wearing: Happy pants and a singlet top (seriously, it’s almost summer – this is my standard uniform on any given day I’m not at work. And some days I am at work).
  • Following: A new Deepak meditation series starting in November. I was in the middle of one when I had Little Red, didn’t finish it, and haven’t done one since (they are a bit time consuming). Wish me luck!
  • Noticing: I can actually function relatively well if I go to bed before 10pm. Duh.
  • Knowing: I should go to bed before 10pm.
  • Thinking: It’s not long til our trip and I need to get a million things done beforehand. (See Needing above…)
  • Admiring: People who have the willpower to not eat everything in sight. 
  • Sorting: Out my tax return (finally).
  • Getting: Excited about the long weekend (in Melbourne). We’re spending it with my folks in Wodonga, which means I get to forget the mess here for a few days (see Disliking below).
  • Bookmarking: This four ingredient no bake banana bread blondie recipe and tourist guides on what to do while we’re in Hong Kong on the homeward leg of our trip.
  • Coveting: Child-free people’s spare time.
  • Disliking: All the weeds in the garden and how untidy the house is. I remember the glorious (pre-child) days of spotlessness, cleanliness, organisation, structure and spare time. Sigh.
  • Giggling: At the randomness of stuff Little Red does every day.
  • Feeling: Grateful. And hayfevery.
  • Snacking: On 99 monkey’s hazelnut cacao spread by the (multiple table)spoonful.
  • Hearing: A lot of birds out here. And people revving cars. It’s like I’m in a zoo or bird park or something at Phillip Island.

2 comments:

  1. I need to make a time to see the tiny beautiful one very soon - i can't wait. Wouldn't mind catching up with Miss Full of Beans and her mum and dad too before they leave on a jet plane!

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    Replies
    1. Oh she's so very beautiful, Camille! And so tiny! We're not going anywhere for about five weeks, so let's lock in something soon :)

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