Hey friends welcome !

Thanks to a public holiday mid week (a very welcome reprieve that included a dip in the ocean) I’ve spent the best part of today thinking it was Wednesday. Doesn’t take a lot to bamboozle me these days but a nice surprise all the same. Hope your weeks held a few surprises too.

Anything lovely planned for the weekend ?

Whatever your doing here’s a few good things to  keep you company – – –

A Good Word

A Good Look

This pic reminded me that in Mid December to make room for the Christmas tree, I pushed the big lump of an armchair that usually sits in the corner of the loungeroom into my bedroom. It was a a tight squeeze to say the least but it was one of those “it has to go somewhere for now” situations The upside that I didn’t count on  is that nothing invites you to take a load off, drink your cuppa slow or sit and read a while than a big old comfy chair at arms reach. If it’s close enough to the bed to put your feet up and in a part of the house where everyone pretty much leaves you alone it’s even better. I took that invitation up more than a few times over the Christmas New Year period and now that the tree is down I’ve no plans to put it back.

Pic from Martin Morrell Photography. See more here (lots of gorgeous outdoor shots)

A Good Idea

from Nikki F Thompson

I wonder how many areas of our life we’ve made too harsh assumptions about ourselves in …or worse cordoned off as we think we don’t deserve or belong in them.

I am not known as an *outdoorsy* person You won’t find me doing adrenal sports (I’ve got enough adrenaline going on internally for twenty bungee jumps, thank you very much); I’m least likely to be found on a surfboard even though I live in Australia [though I may have feigned a causal knowledge of all things beachy and surfy when I travelled o/s many years ago. I was 19, what can I say? ). And I have never run more than the length of a few laps of a local oval (hey, I admire all you running types, immensely, but it’s just not ME).

For a long time I’ve felt a low level simmer of shame around these issues, and others. Especially when it’s summer and I live in Queensland. Beach is practically a denomination here.

BUT you know what? I actually love the outdoors, just not in the way I thought I SHOULD like it. I love the beach when it is quiet and soft in the evening, when the dog walkers and families and retirees appear—and the space is less riled by the young and strong and more a level field. And I love sitting out by our pool when the light starts to shift on the leaves and the surface of the water shimmers. There’s something about a light breeze across your skin that is just so reassuring. Like everything is being refreshed and simultaneously put to bed. Expectations and ambitions feel less pointy in the pastels of a setting Sun-sky.

So….it’s possible that I do in fact love the outdoors, but I’m not *outdoorsy.* I wonder how many areas of our life we’ve made too harsh assumptions about ourselves in …or worse cordoned off as we think we don’t deserve or belong in them.

These days I’m less inclined to avoid the spaces I think aren’t for me, and more willing to take up space in the bigger, broader panorama of life. These days, I’d rather walk in the breeze with mad curly hair than not. I’d rather celebrate the sun on the water from a distance than miss it altogether.

A Few Good Reads

From Apartment Therapy

Now that having a friend or two over for dinner is a thing we can do again, these tips might come in handy.

7 Little Things I Stopped Doing for Dinner Parties — and 3 Things I Always Do

When I host a dinner party, I want my friends to get that fancy feeling — like they’re being taken care of and treated like the special guests they are. That means putting a lot of thought into getting everything ready. I’ve learned, however, that not all preparation has a great return on investment.

From Cup of Jo

There are some great reader comments at the end of the post worth a read. If  your inspired feel free to leave a pro tip here in the comments section down below

WHATS YOUR PRO TIP?

When we are driving together, my dad will often say…‘ Pro tip!’

And then he will tell me that you should turn the steering wheel without crossing your hands or take your foot off the brake while going over a speed bump.

The phrase ‘pro tip’ always makes me laugh — the confidence! the conviction! #classicdad

But during dinner with friends the other night, I caught myself doing the same thing. We were eating under heat lamps at Frankies Spuntino, and I announced, “Pro tip: It’s not written on the menu, but you can order the cavatelli with cauliflower instead of sausage.”

Pro tip! Ha. Everyone has them.

This weekend, I also read a Twitter thread by writer Helen Rosner about 14 things she learned by age 40, including “Be the friend who makes a decisive call when everyone else is waffling about what to eat” and “Sure, everyone’s body is beautiful, but a much more liberating realization is that, also, everyone’s body is disgusting.”

Inspired, I thought of 14 more I’ve developed over the years:
— If you’re not sure what karaoke song to choose, Eternal Flame is always fun.
— Every kid and adult should read this book, then discuss it for the rest of their lives.
— Love is a great band to play at dinner parties. Alternately, play ’80s greatest hits on Spotify.
— Put mustard powder in scrambled eggs.
— Be on time when picking someone up from the airport; it means weirdly a lot to everyone.
— If you want to make kids laugh, do a prat fall or fumble whatever you’re holding. Seeing an adult be awkward is the greatest thing on the planet.
— Then, for a bedtime story, tell them about a time you broke a bone, crashed a bike, or got in trouble at school.
— You’ll never regret an evening walk. Or a morning walk. Or a lunchtime walk.
— You are much more beautiful than you realize – – – keep reading

from Laura Wifler

Some Days

Some days I never think about it. I automatically cut her food into tiny pieces because her aortic valve blocks her esophagus by 30 percent and I don’t want her to choke. I don’t think about the surgeries and therapies and tests while I put the medicine in her sippy cup. After lunch, she chases our dog and tries to catch a purple balloon while I do dishes and she laughs and jabbers at me the whole time. She’s wearing a bright red bow she demanded I put in her hair that morning. It is bliss and I am soaking in every second of it.

Some days I close the door and crawl into my bed. I’m just sad. And a little bit angry. 

Some days you tell me that you are sad too. I’m always surprised because you don’t admit it often and you don’t seem to be sad—ever. Is it strange that your confession makes me feel better? Is it wrong? I don’t like being the only one sad. 

Some days I watch her while I weed the front garden. She’s off by herself just walking around in her white Nikes and blue fleece while 8 kids play a game together nearby. She doesn’t seem to mind. But I do.

Some days we listen raptly to her singing in her car seat, her big breaths filling up strong lungs. In the front seat we smile at each other as we pick out the words of songs. Does she really remember them? Sometimes you whisper to me what you hear to make sure I don’t miss anything. They said she’d never talk. Just listen to her sing – – – keep reading

That’s all for now friends. Have a beautiful weekend. Rest up. Do something you love xx