Friday Favourites

Hi friends! It’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share some recent favourites. Well, it was back to work for me on Monday. Even though I had an amazing break, when Monday morning rolled around, it sure felt like it had gone by in a flash. Fun, relaxing times always seem to go by so fast!

I shouldn’t complain because my winter school holidays were pretty terrific. I got quite a lot of things done around the house that I wanted to do. Things like painting and reorganising which I never have much time for when I’m at work. Plus, I spent time with friends and family and a fun time away in Gosford was also a highlight.

Our first day back at work was a pupil-free day. We started the morning with a team meeting, followed by morning tea—fruit bun, strawberries, and blueberries, compliments of the preschool.

Then it was time for a workshop called “Understanding Yourself and Others.” This session was all about getting to know different personality styles and how these differences can either lead to conflicts or foster cooperation. We also did a personality self-assessment, which was very insightful and reminded me of all those quizzes I loved as a teen from “Dolly” and “Cosmopolitan” – “Are You His Type, Take This Quiz and Find Out!

We also explored practical ways to encourage respectful communication and teamwork.  And it was honestly one of the most interesting workshops I’ve ever attended. I’ve been to so many that are a sure cure for insomnia, but I was wide awake for this one and learned so much.

After the workshop, it was time for lunch, again kindly provided by the preschool. We had delicious BBQ chicken with salad, pickles, and chips. I added a big dollop of garlic sauce—enough to keep the vampires away for the rest of the year!

I’m back to walking to and from work, and it feels great. It’s definitely a huge favourite. Another big bonus this week has been the amazing weather. With temps hitting as high as 23ºC, it almost felt like spring on Thursday and Friday. I’m so excited that soon we’ll only have one more month of winter, then it will be spring, and all will be right with my world again.

I’m so happy with my SILVTJÄRN glass jar from IKEA (I wish I spoke Swedish). I swapped out the pineapple container that you can see at the back of the photo. I used to keep my hoop earrings and a few bracelets inside the pineapple container, but I never loved it as it looked a bit odd on my dressing table. I’m much happier with this new container; I think it looks much nicer. It was only $8.00!

My lovely cousin flew in from her holiday in Switzerland, and her mum picked her up from the airport so they could join us for our Cousin Connect Christmas in July. Since it was her birthday while she was away, we had a surprise birthday cake waiting for her. My aunt baked it, and doesn’t it look nice with the macarons on top?

Another recent favourite is dessert! It’s a special treat since we don’t often have dessert, but this week, I made caramel bananas for Wednesday night.

We’re all still enjoying homemade garlic bread over here.  I’ve been buying bread from the fruit shop near my place and making my own garlic butter. It’s a bit of extra work, but it tastes great, and I split it in half and freeze it for later—win/win!

I used to steam my zucchini because, you know, we need to eat veggies for health. But they never tasted great. These days, I roast them in the oven and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top. Mwah! Delicious!

Even though the days have been warmer, the evenings are still cold. Dunking these almond biscuits from IKEA in my steamy cup of tea is a winner!

Olive oil is so expensive right now! The European heatwave and drought have sent prices through the roof due to a significant drop in production. We use a lot of olive oil, so I was excited to find this bottle at a slight discount.

My mum always used to say, “Use all your special things whenever you can and don’t save them only for a special occasion.” I love this thinking and try to follow it. So yesterday, I pulled out this Corningware that my mum and I brought back from our visit to see my uncle in New York way back in 1984. We carried the set as part of our hand luggage, and I still don’t know how we managed it—it’s so heavy! But back then, this Corningware wasn’t readily available here in Australia, and it was quite the sensation at our dinner gatherings.

Fast forward to yesterday, and I used the big dish to make a pot roast. I had heard a while ago that this set was going for thousands, and I didn’t think much of it. I just Googled it, and— no way, that can’t be right, can it?

 

By the way, the pot roast turned out delicious, but it made a bit of a mess of the dish. Don’t worry—it came out perfectly clean in the dishwasher. Now I’m wondering if we might be sitting on a gold mine. Who on earth would pay so much for a Corningware set? Seriously?? That’s a whole lot of trips to Disneyland! Hmmm…

On that note, I’m going to list my Corningware on eBay – just kidding! I’m having a shower and getting ready to go out for dinner. Hooray for the weekend!!

Happy Friday, and thank you so much for stopping by!