and happy first day of Summer (& nearly Winter). The weather here is gorgeous today and I’m enjoying the cool breeze from the air con.
Lots going on here this month
end of school shenanigans. Pool parties, presentation assembly, big finding out if she’s made student leader in 2022, getting end of year reports and finding out class placements for 2022.
Summer holidays. No big plans as yet. A few day or weekend trips around the state so be on the lookout for some new posts in our Travel Tasmania series.
Christmas and all that entails.
Summer solstice, thinking we might beach it this year.
I’ve got a few blog posts scheduled on different topics, the first will be up tomorrow.
That’s about it at this stage. Hope you all have a great month.
I keep trying to do a full year of this. Don’t think I’ve made it yet. Maybe this year??
Anyway here’s January’s list
1. THIS IS ME 2. PAPER 3. A CAR 4. SO COLOURFUL 5. A PET 6. FLOWERS 7. THE SKY 8. I ATE HERE 9. A CLOSE-UP 10. SOMETHING NICE 11. SHOES 12. TECHNOLOGY 13. SOMETHING IN NATURE 14. HOLDING SOMETHING SMALL 15. I LOVE THIS SMELL 16. I CAN DO THIS 17. IN MY CUP 18. I LOVE THIS FOOD 19. MORE THAN ONE 20. A FRIEND 21. WATER 22. ON THE FLOOR 23. SUNSET 24. THIS IS FUN 25. A SWEET TREAT 26. WHERE I STOOD 27. A PATH 28. THIS IS MINE 29. LUCKY 30. SUMMER/WINTER 31. THIS IS ALSO ME
15 days in and I’m only just changing my blog theme. Oh dear. Oh well it is 2020
What’s been happening here over the last few months? Lots.
Work has been busy. I’m busy planning to add some new services next year and do some New Year/Back to School specials.
The kiddos finish school for the summer break on Thursday. Today is their school pool picnic. I feel sorry for their teachers. Behaviour at home has been pretty shocking but they are tired and over the whole year. I know I am.
Mum’s first anniversary passed quietly. We spent the afternoon with Dad. Did some cleaning out in the garage (nearly all the craft stuff is boxed up and ready to come here – I’m getting a craft room again!). Had a BBQ. Dad & the kiddos played a bit of cricket. Mum would have loved it.
I’ve been doing lots of crafting but that will all be over at Nightwolf Scraps
We’re still fostering cats. We now own 4 cats after one has become a permanent foster due to her stressful nature. Slowly becoming the crazy cat lady, haha!
I’ve enrolled to do some study next year. Waiting to hear back more details after getting offered a place.
That’s about it really. Will be back later with our recipes for the last few months. Some really yum foods.
How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? 30ish
Which is worse, failing or never trying? Never trying
If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Peer pressure, the need to keep up with everyone else
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? I hope not.
What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? Get rid of all forms of cancer
If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? Crafting
Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? I’m not sure
If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently? I would have spent more time with family
To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken? Pretty much most of it.
Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Doing the right thing
You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do? Speak up and defend them.
If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Be yourself.
Would you break the law to save a loved one? Most likely yes
Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? Yes
What’s something you know you do differently than most people? Can’t think of anything
How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? Because everyone is different
What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back? Travel. Money.
Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Yes
If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? New Zealand or Canada.
Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Joyful simpleton
Why are you, you? Because I am
Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? I hope so
Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? loosing touch with a good friend
What are you most grateful for? Family & Friends
Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones? Never be able to make new ones
Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first? Probably not
Has your greatest fear ever come true? Yup
Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now? No. Obviously not
What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special? Spending time with mum & dad. Mum’s not here now
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive? Can’t think of one just now.
If not now, then when? That is the question.
If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose? Nothing
Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever? Yes
Why do religions that support love cause so many wars? Power and money
Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil? No
If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job? No
Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing? Depends on the day.
Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before? Sometimes
When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in? When we started our business
If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today? Mum if she was still here. Otherwise I’d spend it with hubby.
Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous? Hell no.
What is the difference between being alive and truly living? Truly living is doing.
When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right? Not sure
If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake? Part of being human
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? More tattoos
When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing? Last night
What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love? Family. Yes
In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that? Most likely not, unless I look back at my planners
Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you? Mostly for myself. Some are out of my control.
I’ve gone through my list (which you can check out here) and thought I’d list what is left. Then I thought about it some more and a few of those items aren’t on my radar any more, aren’t of interest or not doable by April.
SO here’s what I still have left to do by April……
new jumpers for me
a set of oracle cards
buy a Linkin Park t-shirt (I regret never getting one in my 20s)
get our wedding scrapbook finished
Keep up to date with my ALP
Create a quilt from the kids’ old clothes (at least get them cut)
Create a blanket of our old band/tv show t-shirts (as above)
To put it into perspective, when the Amazon was on fire it was an area of approx. 2,2400,000 acres. Currently in Australia – approx. 11,300,000. I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
Fortunately where we are, there are currently no fires and we are not near enough the bush to worry but thousands aren’t so lucky. Thousands have lost everything. We’ve lost so much of our native wildlife and native flora. And they are saying the worst is yet to come with extreme fire conditions predicted for the weekend.
Our PM went on holiday to Hawaii during the fires and only can back when there was such an outcry from the public. Since then there have been meagre offers of help from those in power and lots of ‘thoughts and prayers’. Sorry thoughts and prayers don’t do squat when everything you own is gone.
What can we do to help?
Donate. Donate direct to either the NSW or Victorian Fire brigades. Donate to the NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) here Donate to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital here
To donate to the Salvation Army disaster appeal, you can call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58), donate at any Woolworths checkout, or donate online here.
The Australian Red Cross launched a joint disaster appeal with the ABC (Australian Broadcast Commission) to support communities affected by fires, so far raising over $2 million. You can donate here.
St Vincent De Paul Society are also running a disaster appeal. You can donate here or in person at any Vinnies store.
Here’s hoping for a cool change and some much needed rain.
and with that it’s time to do the final update for my list of 100 things in 2019. Honestly I’m not sure if I’m going to do it again in 2020 but I know I will be trying to finish off my list of 101 things which you can see over here.
On with the list……
(bold is started, strike thru is finished & red isn’t done ) (Tally – Started:30 Finished: 32 Not done: 38 )
Finally get gazebo up – it’s happening this summer. Finally!!!!
Replace the garage roof
Organise garage & office
New laundry storage (cupboard)
Redo my herb garden
Philips hue lights for kitchen
Arlo doorbell
Do Declutter 365 – got most of the way through. Giving it another go in 2020
Sort the kitchen
sort our bedroom
some kind of toy storage for the kids but going to revisit it now Xmas is over
Get a new tattoo
Get a massage
finish Holly McCaig course
Take 3 courses at DailyOM
take a cooking class
take a cake decorating class
read at least a book a month (I’m slowly adding them over to Goodreads as I finish them)
Hello? Anyone still here? I’ve been blogging over on my craft blog and thought about doing something planner related and remembered that’s on this blog. Opps. I’ve been a bit neglectful of my baby.
So……. time for an update post. Strap in, it could be a long one.
We’ve got a Christmas update to the look. I’m working behind the scenes for a new look for 2020. So stay tuned.
Family – the 4 of us are doing well. Miss K is in grade 3. Growing like a weed and will be taller than me soon. She’s turning into quite a good swimmer and represented the school this year in a swimming carnival. Miss A is in Kinder and has made some great friends. Still a fussy eater (so any advice? LOL) J & I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. J got his first tattoo. I added another to my collection.
Mum passed away in her sleep on the 6th of December. Her funeral was yesterday. The last week has been hard and tiring.
Planner wise. I made 3 years in a bound bullet journal. Still love it. BUT I finally bit the bullet and subbed to a planner subscription. Went with Planners Anonymous cause they are Australian and not super expensive (start at $45AUD). I am seriously in love. Each month the basic kit is 6 sheets of double sided paper, 1 sheet of Vellum, 1 sheet of Acetate, a pen, 3 rolls of washi (25mm, 15mm & 9mm), a full sized stamp set, feature die cut, a set of die cuts, a feature 6×8 print, a bookmark, 6 journal cards AND a sticker sheet set PLUS each month there is a mystery item.
The kit for November is That’s So 90s and it makes my inner 90s teen super excited.
Oh and they do awesome subscriber bonuses. Each month you get a printable insert, phone backgrounds, a digital copy of the cards and cute printable planner girls (& guys). There’s is also the option to buy a luxe version of the insert. That’s not all (but wait, there’s steak knives LOL) – they also make the most gorgeous B6 Travellers Notebook covers! Yeah I am a bit of a fan. You can check out what I’ve been doing with the subs over on my planner Instagram. (Want to sub and get 10% off your first order? Follow this link)
Craft wise you can see what I’ve been up to over at Nightwolf Scraps. I’m slowly updating it with my crafty creations for 2019. Lots of Awesome Ladies Project and The Reset Girl stuff.
Hopefully I might start sharing over here a bit more now and not leave it so long between updates.