Category: Wednesday W’s (Page 12 of 13)

What’s top of my mind: The mystery will be revealed today.

Yes, today is payday. By the time I get home, I’ll be able to log on and see how much money I’ve earned over the last two weeks. I hope the grand reveal will be worth it…

Where I’ve been: in the garden!

Yesterday I wasn’t called into work, so after breakfast I grabbed me some secatuers and went out to the garden. The tomato plants were in crying need of decimation, so I listened to a few podcasts and chopped and dropped. Over winter the shreds of the plants will rot away in the soil and the nutrients will be able to be accessed by the new crops I’ll plant in Spring. It’s not quick, but over time to creates the best soil.

The kids next door had some friends over so they were out in their yard, playing with their dog. It was lovely to hear their happy little voices as I worked. The sky was overcast at first, which was why I decided to go out there – less chance of sunburn. By the time the sun came out I’d cleared 2 wicking beds and was sporting a big blister on my finger, so it was definitely time to come inside.

Where I’m going: to a Maths class.

Yes, after lunch I’m down to ‘teach’ a Maths class.

We all know there’ll be no teaching going on from me… pity the poor kids if I tried!

What I’m watching: angelically good children in a music class.

They’re doing some quizzes about chords on their chromebooks. I know I’ve said it before, but the kids at this school are terrific.

What I’m reading: The second book about a gated community.

I finished one of the books I spoke about last week over lunch yesterday, so now I just have one to go. ‘Dirty Little Secret’s by Jo Spain was good – I enjoyed it. This other one? Not so much, but I’ll knock it over. I still have to ‘earn’ my rates back from the library, after all!

What I’m listening to: Casefile, The Other Half, Welcome to Nightvale and Mum’s Boppin’ Bangers.

It was a lovely day in the garden and sewing room yesterday. I was able to knock over lots of poddies. On the way into work this morning I was listening to Casefile, about the case of a cannibal in Germany.

(omg)

What I’m eating: Last night’s dinner.

It’s so nice to know that tonight’s dinner is already cooked. I made a Chicken Tikka Masala from Skinnymixers last night, knowing that I was going to be the only one home to eat it. I love this curry – it’s like having a party in your mouth. Tonight, there’s enough for all of us. I can take it easy when I get home.

Plus curries always taste better the second day. It also has a red capsicum in it that I grew with my own fair hands. Very satisfying.

Who needs a good slap: No one so far today!

The day is still young, though.

What I’m planning: Nothing.

Of course, I still have my long-term plans in place, but short-term? Nothing much. I have vague plots and pans for the veggie garden and how on Earth I’m going to get the crazy quilt with the 5,000 squares done, but that’s about it.

It’s nice to have free days ahead. It’s the very definition of freedom.

What has made me smile: Scout sleeping in the cat’s bed. (Photo at the top of the post.)

Many years ago, when we still had the cats, (Daphne and Maris, named for Niles’ wives in ‘Frasier’), I bought a dog bed and a cat bed. The dog bed is still used by Scout every night, but for years the cat bed just sat there. It was too expensive to throw away but not worth so much that it was worth the bother of trying to sell it.

Until I washed it and, as I was bringing it in off the line, I thought that Scout would probably use it if I put it on the couch.

Dachshunds love being burrowed under and into things, unlike Cavaliers who just like to pile up together. Daphne’s bed has been on the couch for 4 days and Scout loves it. She’s so happy, climbing into her nest. She’ll love it even more as winter sets in.

I remember Daphne curled up in it. Scout and Daphne were friends. It makes me smile.

Dad joke of the day:

Never buy flowers from a monk. Only you can stop florist friars.

What’s top of my mind: Phew!

The principal of the school is showing a group of dignitaries around the new campus. They came into my room, where naturally I’d written a Dad joke, (but not the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria – oops), and she read the joke at the bottom of this post aloud.

“I should have known I’d come into this room and you’d have a Dad joke on the board!” she said.

Then one of the men in the group asked if he could tell a Dad joke.

“Where do robots go for fun? The circuits.”

Where I’ve been: McClelland Park.

See my previous post.

Where I’m going: To my sewing room.

I finally started the quilt with over 5,00 tiny squares. It’s not difficult sewing, but I do need to keep my mind on the placement of each and every square. If I’m able to do 5 blocka a week, I should get it finished in a few months.

I’m already up to 3 blocks. Only about 87 to go. I’ll be finished in no time!

What I’m watching: Netflix.

I just finished season 2 of ‘Bridgerton’ and now I’m diving back into ‘Peaky Blinders.’ I had no idea that Peaky Blinders is based on real events. Ryan27 remarked that they cast the actors as looking very much like the real people, so I googled them.

I noticed that Netflix has released yet another season of ‘The Black List.’ I started watching this about a decade ago as my silly, junk tv secret pleaasure. I guess I’ll sign up for yet another season. I’ve been seeing what Raymond Reddington has been up to, right from the start. Can’t turn back now!

What I’m reading: 2 books with the same beginning.

I’ve borrowed an ebook and a regular book from my local library and I started both of them in the last couple of days. Both begin with a suspicious death in a gated community in prologues, then when the chapters start they backtrack to a few weeks before the murder/s.

I hope I’ll be able to keep the two plotlines separate in my head.

One is called ‘The Girl Beyond the Gate’ by Becca Day. The other novel is at home so I don’t know what it’s called.

I also read a thought-provoking piece on Strong Money Australia about the new laws in Australia regarding financial advice. It seems that there’s been a whole can of worms opened here.

What I’m listening to: Aussie Firebug.

I tend to only listen to podcasts when I’m either driving or gardening. Aussie Firebug has a monster-length poddie episode with the Motley Fool guy. This’ll keep me going for a while!

This morning I was listening to it and he had a number of things to say about the property market. David28 and Izzy are looking at their options at the moment, so I found this interesting.

I couldn’t help but think that, given the post I referred to above, that this poddie ep was even more interesting…

What I’m eating: Red Leicester cheese in my bread roll.

Normally I just slice off some tasty cheese, but I saw the Red Leicester in the fridge this morning ad thought, ‘LUXURY!’

So today at lunch I’ll feel just a little but fancy.

After all, it’s the litle things in life that give you a buzz.

Who needs a good slap: The teacher who gave her year 8 class a DOUBLE lesson in grammar when she was away.

I’m good, but no one on Earth can make that lesson appealing.

Ugh.

What I’m planning: Nothing at the moment.

Just living my life, baby, the best way I know how.

What has made me smile: Dad’s Surprise Birthday Party.

My sister organised us all to pop in at our parents’ place at 3 PM Sunday for champagne, scones and birthday cake. Mum knew it was going to happen but it was a total surprise to Dad.

It was lovely to see the brothers and their cousins catching up. Dad was in his element.

Dad joke of the Day:

Prison may be just a word to you, but for some people it’s a whole sentence.

What’s top of my mind: It’s like riding a bike!

I’m in a year 9 class, writing this while they’re doing their work. I’ve been having a lovely time, running into year 9 kids who were my wriggly puppy classes in year 7 and catching up with other teachers.

“I NEVER thought I’d see you here again!” said one woman. I laughed and said that it was Tom30’s wrestling videos that have driven me to it.

I’m at the new campus, which has just under 1,000 year 8s and 9s. It’ll take a few days to work out where everything is, but it’s a nice place to work. Everyone seems really happy.

Where I’ve been: in the Staffroom.

It was lunchtime. I caught up with a few friends and heard how everyone was going. There was even a spare desk to put my bag on. Luxury!

Where I’m going: Mum and Dad’s place.

After work I have to drop in on my parents to pick up some medical stuff that they hired after Dad has his hip replacement. I’ll return it for them.

It’s nice that I’m in the area already instead of having to take an extra trip.

What I’m watching: a boy trying to drill a hole through his ruler with a pair of scissors.

Yeah, I don’t know why, either.

What I’m reading: Gwendy’s Final Task.

This is a Stephen King novel in a collaboration with someone else. I’m enjoying it, though I’m sure I’d be ripping through it faster if I’d read the first two in this trilogy. Annoyingly, the library has the first, but not the second one.

Just… why? Ugh.

What I’m listening to: A couple of boys playing Fortnite instead of reading through their slideshow on circuits and electrical currents.

I’ve given them the death stare, then mentioned that Fortnite “is so two years ago.”

They’re back on task now.

What I’m eating: Home-made bread roll with home-grown lettuce, ham and cheese.

The ham and cheese aren’t home-grown, just to be clear.

Who needs a good slap: The neighbours who are complaining about theachers parking in their streets.

The Government, in their infinite wisdom, assigned 9 car parking spots to a school with over 50 teachers. I was warned to stay away from certain streets, which meant that I probably got my 10,000 steps before I even entered the building.

What I’m planning: which Dad joke to put up on the board when period 6 starts.

So many options…

What has made me smile: Max.

Max walked in late and stopped, staring at me.

“Where do I know you from?” he asked. To be fair, I’m wearing a mask and I’ve stopped dying my hair.

“I taught you English in year 7, you doofus!” I said.

He asked if I’d been to Antarctica, then when he went to his seat I heard him say, “She’s only the best English teacher ever!”

Dad joke of the day:

What is it called when you have Grandma on speed dial?

Instagram.

What’s top of my mind: The Pivot.

Oof. I love the freedom of retirement. God, how I love it. I wrote about how I knocked back a tutoring job a few weeks ago and it was absolutely the right decision.

Well, yesterday I went into work and filled out all the forms to apply for work as a CRT (casual relief teacher.) I KNOW!!! What’s going on? Have I run mad?

Am I filled with the joy at the thought of being around the kids again and enabling them to gain education?

Not particularly.

But I’m not hating the idea either. This deserves its own blog post on another day, so I’ll tell you in more detail later why I’ve decided to pivot and earn a little extra money.

Where I’ve been: Costco.

When I take the car out, I like to layer several trips in one – especially now that petrol prices have gone through the roof. So I did a big circle, going to Spotlight, my parents’ lace, the school, Costco and the library.

It was a Tuesday, so I didn’t think CC would be busy. When I drove up, the petrol section was jammed with cars, the queues spilling out onto the street and going way back. I’ve never seen it so packed, even on the days before public holidays. Inside the warehouse, it was very busy.

I went there because I was running low on the raw meat patties I feed the Little Woofs on top of their grain-free dry food – also from Costco. The dry food comes from the States, the patties from Queensland. What with the war and the floods, I thought I’d better make sure that we had enough for a while.

Ryan27 asked me why. I said, “Global supply chains aren’t an issue – until suddenly they are.”

While I was there I picked up 2 big bags of flour, some mince, a couple of slabs of tinned tomatoes and some sugar; all of which we’ve been warned we may be running short of in the coming months. Costco didn’t have any Bakers Flour, so I had to settle for Plain flour instead. After I got home I went to Aldi and picked up more pasta and rolled oats – again, because wheat products etc will be getting very pricey, thanks to Putin. The pasta packets had gone up 20c, I noticed. There were significant gaps in the meat section.

Cauliflowers were $8 each at Aldi. Yikes! Toilet paper was very limited at both Costco and Aldi, with gaps on other shelves being common. Someone on the Simple Savings forum observed that electrical goods such as washers, dryers and fridges would probably be in short supply due to the floods in Queensland and NSW. Imagine the thousands of appliances that would be wrecked and would need to be replaced? I was so thankful I bought Evan25’s new washing machine when I did.

Pandemic, floods and Putin. What a brave interesting new world we live in.

Where I’m going: To the beach.

The Little Woofs deserve a treat.

What I’m watching: Shameless season 11.

My sister put me onto Shameless years ago. I can’t believe they’re up to season 11. I’m still enjoying it.

Of course, I’m also watching Killing Eve, Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Survivor (both the US and Australian seasons) and I have many far more worthy shows waiting in my watch lists. I guess I’m in a frivolous frame of mind right now.

What I’m reading: Catriona Ward.

Stephen King recommended Catriona Ward on Twitter a few days ago, so I jumped online and put a couple of her novels on hold. I’ve read her first novel, Rawblood, and her third, The Last House on Needless Street.

Wow. I’ve been blown away by how original these plots are. As, you know, I read a lot of books, but these two have been living on and on in my mind. I loved them – couldn’t leave them alone. Highly recommend.

What I’m listening to: Jeffrey snoring.

It’s a WHOLE lot better than hearing the stupid wrestling shows that Tom30 likes to listen to when he works from home. Kill me now.

What I’m eating: Pizza again!

My cousin is dropping by for lunch, so we’re having pizza. This new pizza oven has a definite learning curve on how to launch the pizzas in. I ‘accidentally’ made calzones the third time we used it, so we’re experimenting with different doughs and levels of toppings.

So far, using a bit of polenta on the base seems to be doing the trick. The polenta acts like little ball bearings and it helps to roll the pizza off the paddle and into the oven.

Who needs a good slap: Apart from Putin?

No one.

What I’m planning: when I’m going to give my cousin the quilt I’ve made for her.

Before or after lunch?

I hope she likes it.

What has made me smile: The dogs.

As I said before, yesterday I went out for most of the day, When I got home Tom30, who was working from home, told me that the dogs had spent the whole day waiting for me to get back. When I raised an eyebrow and said, “The WHOLE day?” he showed me a photo he took at midday.

Scout had the brains to wait for me on the couch, where it’s comfy, but the cavaliers stayed right at the door for the whole time.

I love my Little Woofs.

Dad joke of the day:

I don’t often tell dad jokes but when I do he laughs.

What’s top of my mind: The rhubarb.

Call myself a frugal gardener, yet I bought apples a week ago to make rhubarb and apple, but I still haven’t walked out to the back yard to cut the rhubarb.

That’s it! As soon as I press ‘publish’ on this post, I’m going out there to get this job done.

Where I’ve been: Mum and Dad’s place.

Yesterday I drove down to Mum and Dad’s to take Dad to his surgeon’s rooms for an appointment after his hip replacement 2 weeks ago. After that, I went to Aldi to do their shopping.

It’s strange to think that if I hadn’t have made the geoarbitrage move down here in 2015, I would have been in a classroom and he would’ve had to have taken a taxi there. Mum gets dizzy spells so doesn’t drive anymore, so until Dad’s hip heals, they’re essentially stuck at home.

It’s a strange thing to see your parents with their wings clipped.

Where I’m going: Apparently, to the back yard.

See above.

What I’m watching: The wind in the trees.

It’s a sparkling day today and there’s a beautiful breeze. I love how this house catches the wind – just open the front and back doors and the breeze flows right through. Luxury!

What I’m reading: Same as last week.

Yes – very unusually for me, I’m taking more than a week to read a book! I’m still on Cloud Cuckoo Land and I only have 20 pages to go. I’m loving how all of the different times are entwining together.

What I’m listening to: Mum’s Boppin’ Bangers.

I’ve started cutting up the fabric for the quilt with over 5,000 squares. I whinged about the cost of the specialised ruler I bought to help me with this, but now I’m absolutely LOVING it. $100 well spent! It’s allowing me to fly through this stage, because I can cut 3 layers of fabric with absolute accuracy at a time. That’s 163 squares at a time. Today I just have the ‘lights’ to cut up, and then I’ll be done.

I’m so appreciative that Ryan27 shared a Spotify account with me. Cutting squares can be tedious but being able to belt out a song as I work really helps. Every now and then on ‘Mum’s Boppin’ Bangers’ a song will come on that I swear I haven’t heard for decades, yet I still know all the words. Loving it.

What I’m eating: A homemade bread roll.

For breakfast, with butter and peanut butter. Yum.

Who needs a good slap: Me, for eating that breakfast.

What I’m planning: A road trip.

May as well.

What has made me smile: The homemade bread roll with butter and peanut butter.

So simple, yet it tasted so good.

Dad joke of the day:

What word in the dictionary is spelt incorrectly?

Incorrectly.

What’s top of my mind: Yoga.

Well, the situation in Ukraine is too, but I have nothing to say about Putin etc that will make the least bit of difference, so let’s go with the yoga.

I did 40+ days in a row of the ‘Yoga With Adrienne’ online classes but then I hurt my left wrist. I took 5 days off, then did a class and felt ok, but in the middle of the night I woke with a slight pain in that wrist again. I gave it another day off, then this morning I did another class.

It’s funny. I thought that with such a long time off I’d never go back, but I’ve found that I quite like the morning rhythm of sneaking in a yoga class before breakfast. Poppy and Scout now lie on the floor watching me. They know not to come over until I tell them that they’re Very Good Girls. Seems a shame to forego the yoga when they’ve just learned to do this, doesn’t it?

So I might as well keep on the path to becoming more bendy.

Where I’ve been: Linacre Hospital.

Yesterday, at 11AM, when I would have been in a classroom in my previous life, I was able to quietly drive to Linacre Hospital in Hampton to pick up Dad. He’s just had a replacement hip put in. I felt really pleased that I was in a position to help him.

Then, I went and did a bit of grocery shopping for them and did my own at the same time. When I was at home unpacking, I saw a litre of lactose-free milk among my groceries.

Oops.

Luckily, my sister Kate is seeing them today so she said she’ll buy some on the way through, so Mum won’t have to go without.

Where I’m going: Evan25 and Jenna’s new place.

A little while ago Evan25 and his girlfriend Jenna moved into a flat over a pizza shop in a suburb in the west. Due to conflicting schedules, it’s been hard to arrange a time to see the place, so Jenna invited the whole family over for dinner on Sunday night.

David28 and Izzy are looking to move out on their own soon, so I’m sure they’ll be taking it all in. 🙂

What I’m watching: My solar torch shining.

A while ago I was reading a blog where the author was talking about preparedness. I was already doing a lot of the things she was talking about, but one idea that I liked was to buy a solar torch and just leave it sitting on a sunny window ledge. If ever the power went out, there’s always a light for you to scurry around with and find where you put away the candles and matches.

“But we have our mobiles,” Ryan27 said.

“Yeah, but what if the batteries are getting flat?” I retorted. Plus, unlike the phone batteries, the next day the torch will simply recharge itself by the sunlight on the window ledge. It also comes with a crank to manually recharge it should the battery run low before daylight.

They say once a month to switch the torch on and leave it running to empty the battery, then let it fill itself up again. I do this at the beginning of each month. I forgot yesterday, so today’s the day for March. 🙂

For twenty bucks, I think it’s a good buy. It’s one of those things, like insurance, that you hope you never have to use but it’s damned good to have when you need it. THIS IS WHERE I BOUGHT MINE.

What I’m reading: Cloud Cuckoo Land.

‘Cloud Cuckoo Land’ by Anthony Doerr is the latest from the author of ‘All The Light We Cannot See’, which I think everyone in the world must’ve read. Apparently, it’s been 7 years since the last one – lucky it was such a huge hit, hey? Otherwise it would’ve been hard to pay the bills!

I’m only 50 pages in, but I’m enjoying it. It has characters ranging from far into the future to way back in the past, with the theme of the importance of stories seeming to tie them all together.

What I’m listening to: Casefile – the Zodiac killer.

I’ve been listening to the podcast ‘Casefile’ for years now. Currently, the Anonymous Narrator is onto episode 4 of the Zodiac Killer. OMG – what a terrible person. He just killed people at random… and lots of them. His victims were absolutely in the wrong places at the wrong times.

What I’m eating: Pancakes.

When the lockdowns started, we began a Sunday morning tradition of having pancakes for breakfast. This morning I remembered that there was some leftover batter in the fridge. I thought it’d be a bit past it, but by some miracle it was fine. So pancakes in the middle of the week it was!

Waste not; want not.

Who needs a good slap: David28 parking in a Clearway.

Sometimes people have to learn the hard way. He visited a music shop in Brunswick st and came out to find that his car ad been towed.

Only cost him around $400 to get his car back and I’m pretty sure he’ll get a $180 parking fine as well.

What I’m planning: My day.

Hmmm. What to do? I have a quilt to finish, some hanging baskets to plant, some dogs to wash and (maybe) a nap to have after lunch.

Might get in some reading, too, before I decide what we’re going to have for dinner.

OH! The freedom!

What has made me smile: Hearing the baby next door.

I have young families on both sides of me. One has 4 kids and the parents have a slightly more ‘relaxed’ attitude to parenting than I did. Hence there are a lot of tantrums and getting to school late, etc.

The other side has a young girl and they’ve just brought home a new baby in the last few weeks. As I’m typing by the open window, I can hear the baby cooing at her Mum on their verandah. Now, I’m not nearly ready to be a grandmother – I’m far too youthful and dewy for that! – but it’s lovely to hear, nonetheless.

Dad joke of the day:

I posted this to my FB page but it didn’t get the recognition it deserved…

What’s top of my mind: Finishing a quilt so I can start cutting out squares for another one.

I’m making a quilt for my cousin and it’s very time-consuming. I’ve been chipping away at it over the last couple of months, but then I saw a pattern and a ‘Quilt Along’ for the quilt pictured above. I saw the quilt in real life when I went on my Little Adventure back in June last year.

It’s made from 1.5″ squares and there are over 5,000 of them in the quilt. As Kellie says, “This quilt is easy to put together but it takes stamina to finish!”

I ordered a ruler that is hellishly expensive but will shave hours off the cutting time. I know I’ll be using it for years to come, so it’s not an expense – it’s an investment, right?!? It arrived today, so I’m planning to get Robyn’s quilt finished by the end of the weekend, so I can dive in and start getting organised. The quilt-a-long starts in the middle of March! There’ll be a lot of cutting of fabric between now and then. 🙂

Where I’ve been: on a Little Adventure.

With my sister. Stay tuned…

Where I’m going: Into my sewing room.

See above.

What I’m watching: Killing Eve.

I’ve been meaning to watch this show for a couple of years now and when I saw it was on Stan I was on board. I’m really enjoying it. There are 3 seasons so far (I think) so I have many nights of viewing pleasure ahead of me.

What I’m reading: NOTHING.

Yes, really unusual for me to not have at least one book on the go. I finished book #19 for this year and I have a couple of holds waiting for me at the library, so I might go and pick them up today.

What I’m listening to: The dishwasher running.

See below.

What I’m eating: PIZZA from my new pizza oven!!

Tonight is the night that Ryan27 and I fire up our new pizza oven and see how it performs. I bought this one along with all the extras. I bought a gas bottle, my sister Kate and Ryan27 put it all together, the pizza dough is proving on the bench and we’ve given the oven its first warm-up.

Tonight’s dinner is going to be EPIC!

Who needs a good slap: Putin.

What a wanker.

What I’m planning: to get my dining room table back.

Tom30 has moved back in, but he has SO MUCH STUFF. I said that every single piece of kitchen equipment he owns has to be put through the dishwasher before we pack it away.

There have been many dishwasher loads-worth of stuff and all of it is now piled high on my table. It’s doing my head in. I can’t wait until he has the weekend free to pack it all away.

What has made me smile: Tom30 trying to get Scout to drop the ball.

Dad joke of the day:

Will transparent coffins become a thing?

Remains to be seen.

What’s top of my mind: Should I take a tutoring job?

Argh!!! I was so prepared to do tutoring last year but then all of those lockdowns happened so nothing eventuated. Now I’m all fat and happy at home, a friend from a different school has asked if I’d be interested in some work.

Anyone who’s read my About page would know that it’s so difficult for me to knock back money. For many years since I left the boys’ father, I’ve been chasing it just to keep our heads above water. It’s difficult to get away from that mindset.

Plus, I could put that money towards Antarctica. Or Easter Island. It might be nice to spend some time with some kids and not have to mark 28 essays all on the same novel.

But then again… my glorious freeeeedom! And I don’t particularly enjoy tutoring. Though maybe I might like it better when I’m not doing it on top of a full teaching load.

It’d help some kids who really need it.

I’ve asked her to send me some information. I’m genuinely in 2 minds about it. I’ll keep you posted.

Where I’ve been: in the veggie garden.

I said to Ryan27 this morning as I came in from the backyard, “I’m glad we only have two people living here. If I was trying to feed five of us on what this garden’s producing this year, I wouldn’t be happy.”

We have millions of green beans and lots of silverbeet. We can produce enough squash/zucchini to make a zucchini slice each week. Capsicums are starting to form and we have heaps of cucumbers.

But the crops I REALLY want to have heaps of are tomatoes and pumpkins. They’re not doing at all well this year. Damn.

Where I’m going: Dromana, to buy lots of champagne.

Why? See below.

What I’m watching: Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

I’ve decided that I’m going to pull out all the stops and, when Australian Survivor isn’t on, I’m going to watch the rest of the Ru Paul series. I’m up to season 12 so I only have number 13 to go and then I’ll be up to date and can go back to watching just 1 episode a week of the new season as a normal person does.

What I’m reading: The Psychology of Money.

I know I’m coming late to the party here, but I finally picked up this book. I’m really enjoying it. So many books about investing are written about HOW to do it – this one is about WHY people make the decisions that they do. It has nice short chapters full of anecdotes, which is a smart thing to do because everyone loves a story. It educates in a gentle, easy-to-digest way. Morgan Hausel is an author that I’ll keep an eye out for. I wish I’d read The Psychology of Money earlier so that I could’ve given it to my sons and nieces. Maybe I’ll compromise and just add it to the list of books I’ve given them.

What I’m listening to: Ryan27 talk about his job.

When Ryan18 left school, he enrolled in 3 uni courses one, after the other. None were a good fit. Then, with a little nudge from me, he decided to try Remedial Massage at RMIT. I thought he might like it because he’s the most chill person I know. Turns out that, as a gamer, he loves the problem-solving aspect of it. When someone comes in feeling pain, he has to work out what’s the root cause of it before he can treat it.

After he finished that course, he decided to stick around for another year and learn about myotherapy, (dry needling.) Now that he’s finally out in the workforce and earning a wage, he’s so happy. He’s already got return clients and the numbers of bookings he’s getting each day are steadily increasing.

It’s lovely to see someone who seemed to be spinning their wheels for years finally getting traction in their career. He’s loving the work and I’m loving hearing about it.

What I’m eating: Mashed potato.

Do you know how good mashed potato tastes when the potatoes are grown in your own garden?

They taste even better when they’re potatoes that have sprung up from a crop I first planted 4 years ago. Free food – my favourite flavour.

Who needs a good slap: Ryan27.

The dishwasher is empty. EMPTY. I emptied it first thing today before I fed the dogs. So why are there dirty dishes in the sink?

What I’m planning: an engagement party.

Finally, 6 months after David28 popped the question, he and Izzy are holding their engagement party. I was on the phone last Sunday with Izzy’s Mum. The party will be at her place and their family is huge. My Mum was an only child so our family gatherings are a lot smaller, so this one will be a huge Italian party with a few Skips wandering around. LOL.

As a joke, I said I’d cater for the Skips by bringing fairy bread. I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. Izzy’s Mum and brother got so excited that I now, as well as providing a dozen bottles of bubbly and a Costco tray of wraps, I also have to go and buy that awful white bread and hundreds and thousands, just to bring a plate.

(For those wild and crazy Americans who apparently don’t know what fairy bread is – look at the picture at the top of this post.)

The trouble is, I haven’t had fairy bread for a decade, at least. I know that once I start making it, I won’t be able to resist that sweet, delicious crunch.

What has made me smile: Yoga.

I completed the free 30-day program called ‘Move’ that Yoga With Adrienne offered at the start of the year. Didn’t miss a day.

I’ve continued on with last year’s program, called ‘Breathe’, which is located on her website. It would’ve been pretty easy to let it slide, but I’m liking the routine I established during January. It’s nice to think that by the time I have breakfast each morning, I’ve already completed a yoga class.

Dad joke of the day:

I wasn’t sure how comfortable the new couch would be. But sofa, so good.

What’s top of my mind: How natural the retired lifestyle seems.

Teachers went back to work last Friday and now all of the kids are back. Of course, I can’t help imagining what my days would look like if I was still working, but do I miss the job?

Noooooo.

Usually, when in previous years I’d be parking my car in Hall st and walking into work, I’m unfolding my yoga mat and lifting the Little Woofs into my bed to keep them out of the way. Whereas last year it felt a bit illicit and naughty to be lounging around in my pjs when the 8:50 AM period 1 bell would be ringing, now in my second year it feels natural to be in a whole new routine.

I can – and do – picture what the days would be like, because I know the rhythms of the school day so well. But my current routines and rhythms are so carefree and relaxed; there’s no way I’d want to go back.

Where I’ve been: Morning tea at my sister’s.

Well, I also sneaked in January’s Little Adventure on the last day, but yesterday my sister asked if I’d like to drive down and see Mum and Dad at hers. It’s been a routine for them that every Tuesday they drive down to the peninsula to have some time with Kate. The time of day varies, depending on what suits them all.

Kate says that instead of ‘Tuesdays with Morrie‘, it’s Tuesdays with Mummy.

I haven’t had much of a taste of this aspect of retired life, as most of last year we were in lockdown after lockdown. It was nice to drive down, listening to a podcast, and then spend a couple of easy hours with the family.

Where I’m going: Evan25 and Jenna’s new digs.

My baby and his beloved have taken the next step – moving out into a place ON THEIR OWN. No longer part of a larger household group; now they are the household. They’ve found a flat above a pizza shop, sadly in the west, which is miles away. Ryan27 and I are going over there on Friday to help them move.

What I’m watching: Australian Survivor.

I’ve been watching ‘Survivor’ since the very first episode of the very first season. I’ve watched Jeff Probst, the host, get older over the years and along the way we named our Jeffrey after him. In a nice surprise, Australian Survivor makes the US show look like they’re a bunch of babies. It’s far longer in duration and the conditions are harder. Jonathan LaPaglia does a really good job of hosting, so I’m happily settling into a new season. I’m watching it with a friend from work, so Alice and I text our thoughts while we’re watching. It’s fun.

What I’m reading: Go Tell The bees that I am Gone.

I wrote about this a few days ago. This is a long book with small font – I’ve been reading it for 5 days and I’m still only 628 pages in. I’m loving it though – I’ll be sad when I finish.

What I’m listening to: Shandee’s Story.

This podcast is from the same team that brought us ‘Teacher’s Pet‘ a couple of years ago. ‘Teacher’s Pet’ resulted in the re-opening of a cold case and the arrest of the missing woman’s husband for murder. Obviously, they’re hoping for a similar outcome with this cold case investigation. It’s interesting, though poor Shandee’s murder was pretty gruesome. I hope someone who knows something comes forward.

By the way, if anyone is struggling with how awful Apple’s podcast site is now, a few months ago I switched my podcast listening to Overcast. It’s free and it works beautifully. Hope this helps someone else. 🙂

What I’m eating: Pasta with home-grown ingredients.

Ryan27 is having a friend over for lunch so I decided to make a simple vegetarian pasta. It’s so deeply satisfying to have so many ingredients from the garden available to include – even frozen zucchini from last year! The only thing not pictured in the photo at the start of this post was a healthy few leaves of silverbeet. We’ll be able to feel this dish doing us good when we eat it – most of the ingredients were alive less than an hour ago, after all.

It’s cooking now and it smells so good.

Who needs a good slap: No one.

Apart from anti-vaxxers and incompetent pollies, of course!

What I’m planning: A new quilt. For me, this time.

I’ve made over 40 quilts in my time and I’ve kept only 5 of them. When I look at quilting blogs, I’m amazed by how many quilts people have made and then stuffed into cupboards, rarely to see the light of day. Seems like a waste to me.

If I put umpteen hours of my time and energy into making something, I want it to be used. Plus, I really enjoy the process of making a quilt for someone else. As I’m sewing, I think about them a lot and it becomes a deeply personal gift.

Let’s just say that I’ll never make a quilt for someone I don’t like!

At the moment I’m in the middle of making a quilt for a friend who lost her Mum, but when that’s over I’ll be learning how to build a design wall and then putting it to use with a quilt for my lounge room. I’ve seen a design and it’s amazing, so I’m looking forward to tackling it. It’ll seem strange to make something that’ll stay with me. The last time I did that was in March 2011 with The Reading Quilt.

What has made me smile: Talking to Evan25 and Jenna.

They picked up the keys last night and moved into their new space. So far they have a mattress on the floor and are surrounded by boxes. They gave me a ring around 5 PM and we talked for ages. They’re just so very happy, so much in love and are very excited to be starting this new chapter.

When you have kids, you’re aware that they’ll be moving out into the world without you and they have to make their own path. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see Evan25, (and David28, for that matter), so very happy.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Dad joke of the day:

I just swallowed a tin of paint.

The doctor says I’m okay, but I feel like I’ve dyed a little inside.