Things have been happening for me on the home and work front. Staff changes and absences at work have meant it’s been busy there. I’ve started setting up my own gig with the hope of one day moving into that more permanently. Probably. (Commitment isn't a strong point of mine.) I’ve been making plans for renovations (much to my boy’s dismay – his dream of a bar for downstairs seems to be moving further and further away). I’ve been writing other things and gardening and cooking and spending time with family and friends. I’ve been reading more and watching less TV.
The therapeutic gardening course I did was quite interesting – and almost all of the cuttings I made during it have lived to tell the tale. I'm planning on doing the advanced course when it's up and running. I’m not sure if it’s taking off as a 'new' industry or if it’s because I’m more aware of it now, but I’ve seen a few stories about therapeutic gardening and its benefits in the media and online lately. I like to think it’s the former and I can muscle in on it in its infancy.
I’ve also completed a magazine and newspaper writing short course and a how-to-become-a-freelancer short course, in addition to:
- Making: Slow progress on the freelance/herbal career front. (Slow progress is better than no progress…)
- Cooking: Potato and leek soup with cannellini beans; pumpkin, carrot and quinoa soup; lentil soup; ANZAC biscuits; dahl; silverbeet and zucchini frittata.
- Drinking: Lattes of the matcha, turmeric and chai varieties, green tea, lemongrass and ginger tea, and matcha white hot chocolate from Raw Trader (oh my!).
- Reading: Just finished The Lake House and The Beast’s Garden. I've just started The Lightkeeper's wife and How to do it all. My boy also bought me a book about women going out on their own in business (the name escapes me right now). I don’t think I’ve opened Buddhism for mothers of young children since I last posted. Eek!
- Wanting: Less murder and rape and abuse and violence in the news and other media (actually just less murder and rape and abuse and violence in life, full stop).
- Looking: At the big, fat raindrops clinging to everything outside, the orangey yellowy red autumn leaves, grey sky. My kind of day!
- Playing: More music.
- Deciding: What to do with the bathroom and laundry downstairs in the way of renovations.
- Wishing: Offspring would hurry up and start already.
- Enjoying: Reading – I've started reading more at the gym and in the evenings instead of watching trash. I missed it.
- Waiting: For a tradie to arrive to give me a quote on said bathroom and laundry downstairs.
- Liking: Peanut butter and honey sandwiches on Alpine spelt bread.
- Wondering: If I’m cut out for freelancing/running my own business.
- Loving: Winter.
- Pondering: Holiday locations for New Years’ Eve.
- Considering: Braving the rain to pick some silverbeet to add to the lentil soup.
- Buying: Chocolate, bliss balls, lots of organic winter veggies.
- Watching: Have you been paying attention? and the original NCIS.
- Hoping: The smoothies and raw vegan cakes are as good as ever in Byron when we head up there in October.
- Marvelling: At Mother Nature (still).
- Cringing: When Little Red calls ladies men. Loudly. Repeatedly. In the supermarket queue.
- Needing: Another cup of tea (as always).
- Questioning: My intentions when I say I buy bliss balls for Little Red (and I scoff them).
- Smelling: Lentil soup.
- Wearing: A hoodie, t-shirt, skinny green jeans, socks and a blanket. Nothing flash. My leggings, tracksuit pants and alpaca jumper have also been getting a work out of late (not when I'm at work, obviously).
- Following: Veggie Mama more and more. Love her work.
- Noticing: How quickly Little Red is growing up.
- Knowing: I’m pretty blessed with all I have.
- Thinking: I should really be working on setting up my freelancing/clinical work instead of writing this.
- Admiring: My lavender bushes out front – they’re smothered in gorgeous purple blooms and smell divine.
- Sorting: Out flights and accommodation for our Byron Bay holiday.
- Getting: Excited about hopefully getting some renovations done at last. And raw vegan treats and smoothies and Byron.
- Bookmarking: How to make a no-dig garden bed.
- Coveting: A house and garden that is in tip top shape. A thriving freelance business. (I’m working on it…)
- Disliking: Bad and sad news.
- Opening: Many, many bags of manure and compost to make our new front garden.
- Giggling: At Little Red’s attempts to delay bedtime. One favourite is her repeated requests for ‘big cuggles’ – which equates to a big group hug between my boy, her and me. Too cute.
- Feeling: Peckish.
- Snacking: Bliss balls, raw vegan cakes, ANZAC biscuits, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, the entire menu of smoothies at Nutrition Station in Wodonga last weekend (almost).
- Helping: Little Red dress herself. (I am probably the least patient mother in the world.)
- Hearing: The heater working hard to keep it toasty in here.
