Totally phoning this post in from my tablet in bed.
Stopped using instagram in maybe August. I was pretty pleased with most of these – about sums up my year (need moar running though).
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EDIT: Aieee! Apologies for the ENORMOUS photo – now fixed (stupid mobile device).
deconstructed kitty tower
Woke with horrific headache which kept me home and completely out of action for the day. First time I’ve had a sick day in forever.
Now feel like I have a hangover – which assuredly I don’t because it’s been 401 days of not drinking.
Not a lot in reading and nothing I was particularly jazzed by – I’m very much in need of something cheerful and engaging.
Marcia Muller: Edward of the Iron Shoes (Sharon McCone)
I’d not heard of Sharon McCone until the excellent anyresemblance mentioned the series in a comment of the also excellent ganching’s blog. Published in 1977 and don’t think it has dated particularly well. Possibly should have picked one of the later novels!
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Joan Didiion: The Year of Magical Thinking
I’d never read any Joan Didion before. I’m a little conflicted about this one. Quite harrowing story, but I don’t know that I necessarily connect very well with her writing. I liked it enough to start reading the white album, but abandoned it. Likely heresy, but we don’t really gel.
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Clive Cussler: Typhoon Fury
Read on my birthday glamping adventure. I think I’m done with Clive. I adored his books because of their sheer and utter ridiculousness, but the latter books have really lost their unintentionally hilarious spark.
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David Lebovitz: L’Appart – The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home
I adore David Lebovitz’s blog and newsletter. This was an account of the purchase and renovation of his apartment. While reading this I wanted to shake him and shout “What are you doing? Listen to Romain!!”
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Tim Ferriss: Tribe of Mentors – Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
Exactly what it says on the tin. Some good stuff in here, some baffling stuff in here, some underwhelming stuff in here, some awful stuff in here. I didn’t get a huge amount from it, but worthwhile reading.
There’s a question in the book along the lines of “what is the book you most gift to people?” Is this a thing? This is so far outside my experience that I’m dazzled by the idea that “This is Jack, who gives everyone he meets a copy of Who Moved My Cheese”, “This is Fabrice, well known for gifting the Da Vinci code”. I can understand recommending a book you’d enjoyed, but wouldn’t you just buy a book to suit someone’s actual interests if you were giving a gift? Clearly this is why I’m not a mover and shaker.
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And in audiobooks: Wallander #4 | #5 | #6 | #7. Good company while on leave.
It drives me quite bonkers when there are continuity issues in book series – and there are a few scattered throughout this one (no you have met her husband before – in the last book | you’ve been 49 for the last 6 years, etc). Hasn’t stopped me continuing to listen though!
Just completed #8. Likely will stop here as the last book is apparently quite bleak and I’m not in the right mental state for that!
Have WAY too many audible credits – need to use them up by downloading a bunch of books before I put the membership on hold!
Because we are now grownups I’ve had it in my head that we should only put Properly Framed artwork on the walls of ThePalace(OfLove). This means there is quite a bit of “we should frame that one day” stuff in various stashes about the place.
I’d bought two different sizes of cheap white IKEA frames for the Kitty Xmas decorations, but the larger frame was too large for what we had in mind and was sitting about unused.
Hmmm, what would the map of our Tokyo bike ride look like shoved in that frame?
Pretty decent actually!
It makes me very happy to look up from my bed and remember our travels (plus, maps!). Makes me think I should do more with our various holiday mementos.
Things spotted on our walk to Addison Road markets this morning.
mangy street kitty
tiny street library
giant rosemary street tree
it’s a big world
Bought corn to accompany the amazing brisket Don smoked this afternoon; plants (curry plant, rosemary, kitty grass, Japanese greens); wonderfully tasty nectarines and biltong (for Don).
All very pleasant and unstressful.
My plan for SML tomorrow is to not to be dragged into the Hysteria.
Added another batch of items to the 60before60 list – though there’s definitely still some [something]s to be fleshed out.
Only 10 more items to come up with! Goal is to have the list finalised by the end of the year. Of course there’s likely to be some revisions over the 10 (10!) year period.
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First 38 can be found here.
Last night I’d had a pretty rotten sleep (mostly due to SML-filled dreams) and woke pretty early this morning with a head full of SML-filled thoughts.
I’m still not back to cycling to work and decided to catch the train in because Don wanted to leave at a less ungodly hour. On my way out the front gate, I checked the mailbox and discovered a letter addressed to me. “Oh!”, I thought. “This must be the confirmation that my mammogram was all good!”.
Except it wasn’t.
It was a letter from BreastScreen NSW, but …
“We would like you to return to have further tests to complete your screening. An assessment appointment has been made for you on [mid-Jan date | hospital location]”. And lots of further information included about what tests they’d likely perform and what I could expect generally. And liberal use of bold, CAPS and highlighter. And stats, like 5% of women who have a mammogram need further tests and of those only 10% will have breast cancer**. They advised that the appointment will take between 2-4 hours, but that I should set aside the whole day.
Well, fuck.
I called up to confirm and managed to snag an earlier appointment because of a cancellation – but still have to wait until early January.
This is so NOT what I was expecting (no family history, no observed issues) that I’m still quite dazed by it all. And to be honest just a little nervous | frightened. The upside is that my SML-filled thoughts have rather faded into the background.
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** which is like, what!? that’s 1/200 – way more than I’d assumed!
The end of week two already?
I’m loving arriving home and trying a new tea|tissane|infusion each evening.
Day eight: sephora pomegranate sleeping mask
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Day nine: T2 ruby red rosehip
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Day ten: T2 southern sunrise
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Day eleven: T2 spring
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Day twelve: T2 citrus punch (briefly featured in day 4)
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Day thirteen: T2 fruitalicious
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Day fourteen: T2 liquorice legs
Since returning to SML I’ve been slow to get back to my formerly excellent habits and have been driving in with Don and buying my lunch. I suspect this will probably continue for the rest of the week – next week for sure!
What has returned pretty rapidly is that horrible between-the-eyes headache that seems immune to drugs.
And I’ve been told I’ve lost the sparkle I had on Monday. This is of no surprise as the big project I’m tangentially involved with is in a pretty perilous state (what a difference 3 weeks makes!). The mud-slinging and hysteria has already commenced and it looks like it will be a super-fun January!
Recently I’ve been spotting all sorts of anarchist posters (A4 size) about the neighbourhood.
if you liked school … you’ll love work. work: a prison of measured time
It’s shockingly patronising of me, but I think it’s adorable and admire the enthusiasm (and often the sentiment).