What’s top of my mind: The quilt I need to finish.

It’s sitting right beside the sewing machine and has been for weeks.

I just can’t seem to get into the zone.

Where I’m going: nowhere.

I’m loving just pottering around the place, gardening,reading, watching tv and playing with the dogs.

And not quilting.

Where I’ve been: the nursing home.

Last week was quiet, and this week is shaping up to be the same way.

Mum’s quality of life has fallen so far, and she’s now totally incapable of feeding herself, walking, or even standing by herself. Her brain is still fine, but her voice and body have let her down badly. The people at the nursing home are great, but they still need someone to keep an eye on them. We want them to be on their toes when walking into Mum’s room, so we’re the squeaky wheels.

Hazel and Scout love going to see their Gran. They get treats when they sit quietly.

What I’m reading: The Secret History – Tartt.

This is one of those “way famous” novels that I’ve vaguely been thinking of reading. I had no idea what it was about going in, but I dived in anyway.

I loved it.

What I’m watching: The Diplomat. (Netflix)

I finished The Americans (Netflix) – what a great show… and now I’m bingeing The Diplomat. I’ve just about finished the first series, and I’m LOVING the relationship between the two main characters.

What I’m listening to: The Poisoned Wife (podcast.)

Hedley Thomas is back with yet another cold case of a young wife and mother who was killed by, presumably, her husband. This one is a poor woman who died of strychnine poisoning while her toddler daughter was there with her. I can’t imagine a more horrible way to die.

Honestly, it beggars belief how these men were able to get away with things. Oh, and just like The Teacher’s Pet, the husband also had an infatuation with a teenage girl. Lovely.

What I’m eating: Homemade soup and a homemade bread roll for lunch.

One unexpected benefit of living alone is that there are so many leftovers. I make a meal that would once have fed 4 or 5 of us, and now I have dinner for that day, plus lots of meals to go into the freezer.

This is especially handy when I come back from overseas, jetlagged, but it’s also fantastic for those days when I simply don’t feel like cooking. Unlike takeway, which is always a gamble, these meals are all meals I like. I’m loving the freedom from having to cook every night.

What I’m planning: Egypt.

In a little over 2 weeks’ time, I fly off on my 20th trip in my crazy 3 years of travel. Yesterday I spent an infuriating couple of hours applying for my Egyptian visa. You can get the visa at Cairo airport, but I like to have my ducks in a row if I can.

Next job is to go and buy cash.

Who deserves a fistbump: The man who fixed my aircon.

Apparently, a gekko was living inside the outside unit, so damage was done to the motherboards. Anyway, I now have aircon for summer!

What has made me smile: Flowers on my seedlings.

Food gardening has its ups and downs, but yesterday I wandered out and saw flowers on my Lazy Housewife beans and on my transplanted chiili.

It really makes me feel good, especially when the plants are ones I’ve grown from seed.

Dad joke of the day: