May Round Up

Making: stewed apricots because what is summer without them?

Cooking: lots of no-knead focaccia

Drinking: water. And coffee. And iced tea

Reading: 'Twelve Kings' by Bradley Beaulieu

Wanting: a few more books to read

Looking: at new bathers

Playing: the RC #1 Spotify playlist

Deciding: what treat I'll cook this week...

Wishing: that lockdown lifts in the next couple of weeks enough that we can start travelling locally again

Enjoying: smoothie bowls

Waiting: to book more travel

Liking: how many new recipes we've been cooking up 

Wondering: how long til the pigeons break the bird feeder

Loving: our tea cupboard

Pondering: where our first day trip will be - Loch Lomond? Edinburgh?

Considering: whether to do one or two yoga sessions tomorrow 

Buying: groceries because today was grocery day

Watching: "Community" - one of the best TV shows!

Hoping: more birds will visit the feeder

Marvelling: well. Just Marvel. We watched 'Black Panther' on Friday and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' on Saturday

Cringing: I rewatched 'Widget' the other day - very few cartoons from your childhood can survive outside of your memory!

Needing: to get out my handsteamer so I can get rid of some creases in a skirt

Questioning: whether our tickets for the Jacobite train will be honoured or cancelled...

Smelling: my shampoo - Garnier ftw

Wearing: gym wear. Again

Following: #blacklivesmatter and educating myself :(

Noticing: that Cameron is getting sucked into watching 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' with Sarah and Daniel :P 

Knowing: that I need to cut my nails if I want them to grow strong but I am enjoying having longer nails so I don't want to >.>

Thinking: that I need to finish the book I'm reading. I've not read it in .... over 3 weeks?

Admiring: people who can work from home

Sorting:a cupboard that I keep throwing stuff into

Getting: ready for bed

Bookmarking: recipes. Still

Coveting: willpower

Disliking: the lack of fly screens on our windows

Opening: the window for a breeze

Giggling: at our flatmates' antics

Feeling: like we're getting a bit more freedom to do things

Snacking: on stewed apricots!

Helping: Maddy make a nursey sign for their little boy

Hearing: Daniel pretending to have his arm twisted by Sarah to watch another episode

A Week In Online Shopping

Monday

*crickets*

Tuesday

• Coffee grinder, handheld

Wednesday

• bubble tea straws...that ended up being too narrow for bubble tea >< 
• Wrendale mug and Christmas coasters
• FeelUnique skincare  - moisturisers, facemasks, travel kits...I want to try things that I can't get as easily back home, or as cheaply.

Thursday

• Card from Brooke!! Absolute delight :D Sarah received a book from Amazon and a care package from home from the lovely Vicky and Michael.

Friday

• A selection of health foods including a lot of stuff for baking... homemade cherry ripe bars were made on Sunday with success! We got molasses, pomegranate green tea, dessicated coconut (surprisingly hard to find over here), freeze fried raspberries and cherries, dried lavendar for cooking (because why not), some sweetener for Sarah, and fish oil. 

This is by far not a normal week for us, but it makes each day a little bit different that's for sure!

Small joys

Biscoff spread on sliced apple. Basically a sweet biscuit got turned into a sweet spread and WOW

Coffee. Especially if we have to walk to a cafe and get it, then it's even better. 

Candy Kittens - the best semi-sour gummy lollies we've found over here.

Finding new Youtube videos/creators and watching old faves (justanotherada, Cheyenne Barton, Frannerd, Leigh Ellexson, Furry Little Peach, Zoe Sugg, Inthefrow).

The satisfaction of a tidy kitchen and an empty laundry basket. Even in lockdown I still enjoy this lol.

Watching my nails grow. No better reason to stop biting them than to avoid catching Covid-19!

Wandering down back lanes.

Lisetning to the birds every day and foxes in the middle of the night.

The length of day filled with daylight.

Seeing spring in action - we started with a wave of daffodils and tulips, then moved on to daisies and bluebells....what will come next?!

Being able to do puzzles without needing to purchase one - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/games/photo-puzzle-jigsaw/

Big windows facing south letting in all the amazing sunlight that is slowly becoming more and more dappled as the trees grow their summer coat.

Chatting with the other ladies who came over with thier partners to work for BAE and discovering new parks / coffee shops / bakeries / supermarkets to visit during iso.

April Round Up

Making: myself wait before making another cup of tea

Cooking: Anzac biscuits and banana, blueberry & strawberry loaf

Drinking: T2's Earl Grey tea

Reading: The Burning White by Brent Weeks

Wanting: to make Korean roasted potatoes 

Looking: Out the window

Playing: lots of Youtube videos and finding new peeps to watch

Deciding: when to try the foot peeling socks I bought yesterday

Wishing: that things go back to a travel-allowed sort of normal before the summer is up

Enjoying: Spring turning all the trees green

Waiting: to be able to drive anywhere that isn't a supermarket

Liking: Tea and Tim Tams. There's nothing quite like a TimTam Slam

Wondering: what questions to choose for our quiz night tomorrow

Loving: the smell of coloured pencils

Pondering: how soon is too soon to have dessert?

Considering: learning how to draw a Bowtruckle. Who am I kidding. Of coure I'll learn how to draw a Bowtruckle

Buying: skincare. Lots of skincare

Watching: Derry Girls

Hoping: that my plan to make bubble tea comes out as well as I hope

Marvelling: at how birds build nests

Cringing: at my nails catching on loose threads in the quilt

Needing: eye cream

Questioning: whether I really am a Gryffindor, according to the new Pottermore quiz?

Smelling: the burning PartyLite candle, Ambience

Wearing: Uggs and jeans and my Pink (not pink) jumper

Following: the squirrel as he jumps and leaps and clambers through the trees

Noticing: how fresh the air feels - when you stand in front of an open window wearing a tshirt

Knowing: I should probably do some more yoga shortly. Or at least go for a walk

Thinking: about afternoon tea

Admiring: people who can self-motivate

Sorting: my art trolley out and reorganising it

Getting: excited about cooking all the bready things once Sarah can have carbs again :D 

Bookmarking: more recipes to try - like Yorkshire puddings and French Custard Pies

Coveting: a Bard snuggle

Disliking: having to put foodscraps in our bin. I hate not being able to compost

Opening: more tabs and making more Google searches. This is where my day goes sometimes

Giggling: over made up words and ridiculous answers

Feeling: happy, listening to the rain and looking forward to a shower and a hot cuppa

Snacking: on Candy Kitens and baked goods

Helping: make dinner - sunshine salmon!

Hearing: cars and delivery vans travelling along our relatively peaceful road

Photo Essay Friday

Good morning!

A made bed makes me feel ready for the day

Vegemite crumpets ftw

Yoga definitely doesn't happen every day but I'm trying to do it more

A new habit - clean my face in the morning

Morning coffee and update my bullet journal

Mmmm coffeeeeeee

Cameron, Sarah and Daniel work from our lounge room right now

Going for a walk to the shops

Chatting to the fam - who were happy to see me, I promise :P 

Spring is such a vibrant season to watch

Still learning how to oven

Checking socials

Finishing the last chewy from home

Essential shopping

Social distancing and waiting our turn

Success! We eat this week!

The last Anzac

Banana, blueberry and strawberry loaf

Escape Room - we did not escape.

Catching up on some Youtube

Reading 'The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse'

Actual coffee. Made by SOMEONE ELSE.

Honestly, I can't even tell you how much of a highlight this was for the weekend just gone.

Well that's a lie. I can. I'm making a whole blog post about it, for Pete's sake.
Where did that come from? 'For Pete's sake'? Who is Pete? *Googles* Oooh St Pete. Or it could be a twist on 'for pity's sake'. There you go then. 

But the COFFEE. Admittedly, I started Saturday in a bloody great mood - I slept well, I woke up happy, and the weather was just brilliant. Clear and sunny and blossoms were out and birds were chirping and the world was contagious with happiness, not just Covid. (Too soon?)

I had been told about this place a couple of days prior by a fellow Aussie and had been wanting to try it out, so when better than the weekend?! Cameron didn't take much convincing (I say coffee, he says yes) so after breakfast, off we walked!

It took 20 minutes to get there and, as with all shops these days, there was a line out the front. Roots Fruits and Flowers not only does take away coffee but they're also a small grocery store that specialises in organic produce, freshly baked bread, flowers and deli-style foods. It's kinda amazing and I was only able to peer through the window.

We waited another 20 minutes, to both move through the line and then for Cameron to enter to join the takeaway coffee line in-store - only one person per household allowed, with a limit of five customers in the entire store. Another 5 minutes of waiting and then we were holding our beautiful, hot, perfectly brewed cappucino.

I am totally aware I'm talking this coffee up and that to anyone else it might have been too milky, not hot enough, not strong enough, etc, but right then, for me in that moment, it was perfect. The price was good (£2.50 for a regular coffee - which is $5AUD - in Glasgow is rare), it was an actual treat to go out and buy something that wasn't a grocery item, and it just made things feel NORMAL. And 4 weeks of things not feeling like normal....this was such a treat.

And that's all I have for you, folks. Lockdown is otherwise spent wistfully staring out of the window, realising how much I took for granted simple pleasures of going on public transport, window shopping, and having in-person conversations with people we don't live with. And now dreaming of next weekend, when we can repeat this adventure.

Iso-bservations

Cars are covered in far more bird poop.

The streets are busier with foot traffic, especially if the sun is out - it's really great getting to see all the dogs in the neighbourhood.

The kettle is forever being boiled.

The foxes seem more active at night - whether that's because it's spring or if it's actually because the road traffic has lessened, I actually don't know.

I am constantly charging my phone or my laptop.
Oh.
Wait. That's the same.

Emails about Covid-19 are arriving in our inbox slightly less than daily now - about new measures stores are taking, updates on opening hours, how to claim rewards, extended returns periods.

Online shopping is even more dangerous now than it was before o.O We're very familiar with all the types of delivery services the UK has to offer.

'Gilmore Girls' continues to be one of life's greatest televised comfort foods.

Cadbury Easter eggs, the small ones, are actually massive compared to ours back home. Like, one and a half times the size o.O MADNESS. Also no big packs of them exist. Also madness.

Time travels differently. With nothing to rush for and no pressures on my time, it's harder than ever to finish things - blog posts, for example. Sorry that this has been two weeks in the making.