June Round Up

Making: terrible art and not caring

Cooking: nothing right now, but planning on making some Anzac biscuits tomorrow!

Drinking: all the water. I'm smashing my 2L-a-day lately :D

Reading: the same book as last month. I'm  actually confident that I've not read a page of it since then.... but I interrupted it to read Beth O'Leary's 'The Flat Share' and 'The Switch' which were both SO GOOD!

Wanting: another nail polish because nude is well and good but this girl likes COLOUR

Looking: forwar to our trip to Brighton at the end of July!!

Playing: some seriously great music in the background c/o Anita's Record Club Spotify playlists

Deciding: when to go visit Maddy, Martin and Mason :D 

Wishing: for a few more sunny days

Enjoying: the rainy weather even if it is meant to be summer

Waiting: for my sausage rolls to finish crisping so I can eat lunch already

Liking: Rise Against. Why haven't I listened to these guys properly before??

Wondering: if it's time for dessert. And what to have for dessert

Loving: this entire experience - even the bits that weren't forseen

Pondering: if I'll ever book any accommodation that isn't through Airbnb

Considering: trying on one of my face masks later so I can adjust the ear straps

Buying: art from local (UK local) artists who I've been following for years

Watching: The Dragon Prince - SUCH a great animated series!

Hoping: that the bird feeder I superglued back together yesterday actually holds >.>

Marvelling: at the power of a good outfit and a great hair day

Cringing: at the Australian government's reaction to the arts sector during Covid....and the rest of the time

Needing: some new brown boots. And probably some new brown flats. 

Questioning: dressing gown or Cameron's hoodie?

Smelling: one of my favourite perfumes, Miss Dior

Wearing: exercise pants. They're my uniform now

Following: more and more people on socials. I don't have time for all their lives plus my own!

Noticing: my arms getting stronger from all my downward doggs and chaturangas

Knowing: that I need to educate myself more

Thinking: I need to get my headphones so I can listen to my laptop on the couch

Admiring: my nails - I keep having to trim them!

Sorting: out the best way to get to London - cheap flights but frustrating queues, expensive train ticket but painless boarding?

Getting: excited about a trip to town tomorrow just for FUN

Bookmarking: all the airbnbs we're hoping to stay at for all of our upcoming (and hopefully still going ahead) travel

Coveting: a Bard snuggle

Disliking: racists, homophobes, climate change disbeliebers, Trump supporters, and idiots

Opening: tooooooooo many tabs

Giggling: about Cameron finding a bit of almond in my eyebrow today. HOW??

Feeling: itchy-eyed. Is this hayfever? I've never had this symptom before...

Snacking: on some Japanese mochi, red bean paste flavoured. SO GOOD

Helping: dry Cameron's (freshly laundered) jacket by wearing it. Mmmm fabric softener.....

Hearing: blackbirds and robins and blue tits sing.....and computer mashing from Cameron and Daniel

Cosy Summer Mondays

Listening to the rain.

Burning a candle.

Hot drink tally:

• Green tea
• Coffee
• English Breakfast
• Peppermint 

Emails about Bard's latest couch snuggle.

Youtube watch later list down from 75 to 63

And a little bit of drawing.

A Cheeky Excursion to Edinburgh

We couldn't help it. We just got in the car and headed to Edinburgh.

The M8 was lined with yellow and white wildflowers (or are they weeds? Or a bit of both?) 

The sky was overcast and glary, so our photos were either too dark or too bright.

GoogleMaps took us up into Old Town, along part of the Royal Mile, until Cameron scored one of the best parks not five minutes stroll from Edinburgh Castle.

We walked up and down the Mile, from the Castle to Holyrood Palace. We had a brought-to-you-by-Starbucks lunch because no other cafe was open, and meandered through the Canongate Kirkyard.

Our excursion was rife with photo-bombers.

We traipsed across Waverley Bridge and inspected the Robert Burns....and then headed home under clearing skies.

Finding Things To Keep Me Busy (that isn't shopping).

Isolation has definitely messed with my sense of routine. It was already a bit screwy without having a job or our dog, but this pandemic has definitely kicked it up to the next level. Prior to mid-March, I was getting up between 7 and 8 (and when we were home in Aus, always by 7 at the latest), heading out to explore, get groceries, visit art galleries, meet people for coffee, reserching places to travel ,,, the list goes on.

Fast forward to now and this weird limbo we're all in where our days are spent indoors. Everyone is working from home so they're all in the lounge, making that their office, and I've moved to the bedroom to give them privacy, space, and myself the freedom to watch videos or listen to music without headphones.

I have even less struture now. I  get up on average at half eight though admittedly, I go to bed a bit later. I'm not waking up tired which is quite good, but even though I have energy, I don't seem to have motivation. I'm able to spend days on end watching Youtube videos. I have plenty of things I would like to do or try, but absolutely zero ability to start.

This isn't new for me. I've always struggled to motivate myself but now it's a constant battle without any of the usual markers giving me limits on my procrastination. I don't have the excuse of having work or Bard to walk or people to visit. So, in slow steps, what have I actually been filling my day with?

I've been watching a couple of new shows - demolished them, actually. Normal People and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. I finally crocheted a pot holder. That was pretty satisfying because I did that while listening to the Wizarding World's audio version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone being read by a range of celebrities. 

***

I think I'm slowly coming out of this slump. I'm waking up at 8am now, if not earlier. I'm exercising everyday - whereby 'exercise' means yoga for 20 minutes. But it's becoming routine and that's what I'm loving. I'm definitely getting better at my downward dogs! That's care of the Home series by Yoga With Adriene, and a bit of the app, Down Dog. I'm sketching more often and constantly cooking things with Sarah. 

What changed for me then? I think I actually just underrated how much this whole thing affected me. All that time spent resting (that sounds nicer than 'being a lazy, no-good bum', doesn't it?) helped me reset and come to terms with everything (Covid, moving overseas, et al) and move on a bit. Plus, so many of the videos I've been watching by some of my favourite artists and creators revolved around how they're dealing with the lockdowns in their respective countries. Seeing how they are and aren't managing, and that it's okay to not be productive, to have the privelege of that option and be grateful for it. 

So here's to coming out of Covid-19, not with a finished book or a new hardcore fitness regime, not with a better diet or a sketchbook full of loveliness, but an intact sense of okay-ness because we got through an awkward, weird and unprecedented time.

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.