Hello Monday

Hi friends, it’s great to be back for today’s Hello Monday link-up! I’d love to say my weekend was chock-full of fun, but it was another quiet one. I was mostly home by myself while Steve and Sam were at work, which actually turned out to be a good thing – it meant I could wrestle Cluster 3 of my diploma course, take it down, and smash it. Yes, I got it done. Yay! Saturday Even though I went to bed late on Friday night, I still woke up early for a Saturday. I don’t know what’s going on, but I just haven’t been able to fall asleep easily the last few nights. I know I’m not getting as much sleep as I probably should, but funny enough, I don’t feel tired. At night, I lie in bed with a preschool song looping in my head: “It’s time to pack pack pack, pack away the toys….” I end up planning my trip, thinking about my course, and then a bunch of random thoughts pop in too. But honestly, it’s all good because I feel so excited about everything! I’m really loving this season I’m in right now. It’s so different from a couple of years ago when I would lie in bed catastrophising and then wake up anxious. Back then, I had a lot going on, taking care of my mum and watching her grow weaker every day. I was also worrying about my thyroid, and I think I must have been going through menopause, too. I was feeling extra loopy back then! Seasons of life, hey? No Procrastinating This Time! Anyway, back to my quiet Saturday recap. I jumped straight into working on my course because I didn’t want to procrastinate like I did last weekend. It’s funny how you can procrastinate doing “good” things. For example, last weekend, I tackled a whole bunch of household chores before I finally sat down in front of the computer. Sure, it was stuff that needed to be done eventually, but I definitely didn’t need to rearrange some kitchen drawers or reorganise the shelves in the garage/office. I knew exactly what I was doing—keeping myself busy to avoid getting started on my assessment tasks! This time, I started at ten and worked until five. I had two more questions to answer, but by then, I could feel my brain was fried. Also, the right side of my neck hurt from sitting with bad posture for too long on my pretty but non-ergonomic chair. I made chicken curry for dinner—well, my version of it, anyway, with zero heat! I took a photo of the handsome vegetables but forgot to take a photo of the curry. It was a cool Saturday night, so it was the perfect meal for the weather. TV Time Steve was at work, and Sam went out with friends. So I ended up eating in front of the TV while I finished watching Fool Me Once. Even though I mentioned, I wasn’t sure if I was going to finish the series. I picked it back up again on Friday night since I already knew the plot and felt committed to pushing through. It wasn’t the most relaxing show, but I did like it. This one is based on a novel by Harlan Coben, and I’ve watched a few of his limited series on Netflix. There’s always a good twist at the end, and this one didn’t disappoint. It was late, but Steve wasn’t due to come home until 3 am, and I felt like the kid from Home Alone, able to do whatever I wanted! So, I snacked on whatever I felt like since I didn’t have to be a good eating example and watched Mystic Pizza with Julia Roberts. Have you seen it? Ahh, don’t you just love the ’80s? I sure do, and this movie had all the ’80s feels. A while ago, I did a post on Cozy Solo Movie Nights, and I am very slowly working my way through it–five down and five to go. Sunday I decided to give myself a break and just relax for most of Sunday. The three of us hadn’t sat down for a meal in ages, so we made sure to have lunch together. After that, Steve and I caught up on a couple of episodes of Survivor. Sam joined us, and we watched an episode of My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist before Steve had to head off to work. Later, I finished the last two questions of my cluster, and Sam and I watched a couple of episodes of Death Note—another anime. We started watching it with Steve, but he wasn’t loving it since the topic was a bit too dark for him. Not so for Sam and me, we’re continuing with it. And that was my quiet weekend where I only took one photo. It may not have been terribly exciting, but I feel better starting the week with another cluster ticked off. I’m still waiting to hear back about my Cluster Two results, and I keep checking my phone at work for emails from the course facilitator. All day, nothing—it’s like waiting for a call from a guy who’s just not that into me. Happy Monday and thanks for stopping by! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

Hello friends, and hello, Monday! I’m back today with Holly and Sarah to share a few highlights from my weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by 😊 Friday I had a couple of hours of accrued time, so I used it to go for a hairdresser’s appointment on Friday afternoon. I was meant to go way back in August, but I got conjunctivitis and had to cancel. Then, my lovely hairdresser took a month off to go overseas, so the first available time was last Friday. It felt so good to sit down for a couple of hours. Normally, I’m impatient and don’t love spending too long at the hairdresser, but I really like this salon and the lovely team there. Plus, who doesn’t need a good sit-down on a Friday afternoon, haha? I had a soothing chamomile tea, and it went perfectly with the relaxing ambient music. This salon is great, and I really like it! The hairdresser is so lovely, and she genuinely listens and offers great advice. I never feel awkward there, unlike at some other salons in the past. My hair was so long! I got quite a lot chopped off the back and treated myself to a keratin treatment. The last one had actually lasted quite a while—I got it done back in March. But I knew it was all washed out when it rained a couple of weeks ago, and my hair started to go pouffy. Yikes! I’ll show you my hair in a couple of weeks because the thing with keratin treatments is that it’s a process. I didn’t walk out of the salon with freshly cut and blow-dried hair. Instead, the keratin makes my hair go slightly orange—hmph! My hair is also flat ironed super flat, and I can’t wash it until tonight. Otherwise, the treatment won’t last—it has to stay in for 72 hours! Seventy-two hours of flat, orange hair—nice! Oh yes, and I can’t colour it for two weeks. Still, I love keratin treatments because they mean I don’t have to worry about frizzy, pouffy hair. It takes hardly any time to dry, and my hair looks healthier when it’s smooth. Saturday and Sunday The rest of the weekend was kind of uneventful, but that’s ok. Fun times are coming soon– 10 weeks, 0 days, 5 hours, 28 minutes, and 51 seconds until our USA trip! Yep, I spent most of Saturday and all of Sunday working on my course. Blah! I broke up the monotony of being in front of the computer screen with a slice of pizza for lunch and an episode of 9-1-1. What’s going on with that show? I’m sure I’ve seen the same plot in The Poseidon Adventure when I was a kid. It traumatised me then, and I felt all the panic I always feel whenever I watch a disaster movie. Why do I do this to myself when I’m only weeks away from getting on a plane? Cruise ship or plane—same thing!! Berries for dessert. I started feeling unwell over the weekend with tiredness, a dry cough and sniffles. At first, I thought it was allergies, but I felt really yucky on Sunday night, so I didn’t go to work today. I always feel bad calling in sick, but I know I did the right thing, and I’ve learnt from past experiences. It’s a good idea to listen to your body when it’s saying enough! I never felt guilty about missing school when I was sick as a kid. It was fantastic because I got to watch all the morning cartoons, along with Mr. Ed, My Three Sons, Another World, and The Richard Simmons Show. I still remember the TV viewing lineup! And that wraps up the last few days! Now I’m off to blow my nose and take some Panadol. I hope you have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be!

Hi friends, it’s time to join Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. I’m recapping my weekend, and spoiler alert — nothing much happened! Haha. But that’s totally okay because sometimes you need a little bit of nothing happening in your world. Saturday Saturday morning, I spent some time catching up on a bit of life admin. Then, in the afternoon, I had an appointment at Specsavers. Ever since I can remember, I have always needed glasses for distance because I was always squinting at the blackboard (no smartboards or whiteboards in the olden days). My eyesight had been stable for years, but last year, I had to get reading glasses as well.  Now I’m one of those ladies, like my mum, who has to juggle two pairs. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit because I can still get by day to day without glasses–everything just looks a bit blurry. I have also embarrassed myself a bunch of times while out shopping. I’ve seen someone I thought I knew and started waving at them, only to realise, as they got closer, that it wasn’t them at all. At that point, I had to pretend I was swatting at flies instead of waving at a stranger–oops! So, yes, I clearly need glasses for distance if I want to see properly. At my appointment, the optometrist performed all the usual tests and even a few extra ones because, well, you know—ageing. Blah! Plus, there’s a history of glaucoma in my family. The good news is that everything looked good. Yay! This time, I asked about disposable contact lenses because when we go away in January, I would love to be able to see everything crystal clear without the hassle of putting on and taking off glasses. I want to catch every detail on every ride at Disneyland, Universal Studios, and everywhere else we visit! The optometrist put the contacts in for me and took them out. Then I had a go myself, which wasn’t easy because dealing with squishy eyeballs is just ewww! But I did it, and I’m sure with practice, I’ll get better. I don’t think I will wear contacts all the time, but I think they’ll make things easier especially on our trip and for special occasions. I wore the contacts the optometrist gave me to try out and it felt good to walk around the shops and see everything so clearly. He also gave me two free pairs and now I just need to order more online with my prescription. Sunday I spent the whole day working through my very long list of assessment tasks. Then today, I got a phone call from the college telling me to ignore that list. The course facilitator said to forget about the college portal too. She gave me a new list of things to submit, and it looks nothing like the original one I spent HOURS on! Apparently, most of the students are struggling to make sense of the instructions and the portal, so the college decided to change everything up. If I still had my thyroid, I would have cried! So I’m going to sign off and go stick my head in the toilet. Just kidding. I’m going to submit what she requested from the new list and brush off my frustration. Aaaarrrgh!!!! Before I go, I just realised I haven’t shared any photos—mainly because I only took one over the whole weekend! But it’s always good to end on a happy note, and there’s nothing that makes me happier than food. So, here’s a photo of Sunday night’s dinner: chicken schnitzel with vegetables and gravy. Yum! And I’ve got leftovers for tonight too! Happy Monday, everyone. Here’s hoping for a better rest of the week!

Hey there, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It’s great to be back on this warm and sunny Monday (hooray, it finally feels like spring again!) with a little weekend recap. Saturday I didn’t have any big plans for Saturday, just catching up on a few things here and there. It was so nice not having to wake up to an alarm! I always sleep better when I know I don’t have to get up for work the next day. Lately, though, falling asleep has been a bit tricky. My brain just won’t switch off! I’m either thinking about my diploma course, planning our trip, singing new nursery rhymes on an endless loop, or stressing about why I’m not asleep yet—then panicking about how many hours I have left before the alarm goes off… ahhhh! But once I do drift off, not even an earthquake could wake me! (well, maybe an earthquake would). Saturday afternoon, I got busy working on my trip planning. I’ve gone completely old-school, reviving my 80s teen self with a notebook, fluoro sticky notes, highlighters, and gel pens. If decorating notebooks had been a subject for the HSC, I would have blitzed it back then! My cousin, who we’re going on the trip with, must have been vibing on the same frequency. She called and asked if they could come over in the afternoon so we could book the accommodation for our three nights at Zion National Park and three nights at the Grand Canyon. Saturday evening turned out to be so fun! I was happy that my cousins could stay for dinner. I made – ravioli with meatballs, salad and garlic bread. My cousins brought doughnuts, and we talked about the USA trip for hours. Now that everything is booked, we’re all excited, ecstatic, over the moon, and every other word in the dictionary that describes elation! We’re also relieved to discover that booking most of our accommodation way back in June was a smart move, as prices have since increased significantly. Go us!! Sunday On Sunday, Sam turned 20! Wow, that’s a big number, and I just don’t know how the years went by so fast. Luke came over, and Steve had to work in the afternoon and evening. We sang a quick ‘Happy Birthday’ before he left for work, but we didn’t cut the cake until hours later, after dinner. Sam had asked for his favourite cake- a cheesecake with blueberries and whipped cream (from a can) on the side. Haha, he loves canned cream! Then Luke, Sam and I went to Sam’s favourite burger truck, Chebbo’s, and had some burgers with fries. They serve amazing burgers and fries! The fries are sprinkled with a delicious seasoning that I haven’t tasted anywhere else—yum! It was a sunny day, and I really loved spending time with my big boys, chatting and catching up. As they get older, it’s harder to find time together, so these moments are pure gold. We came home, and even though I was completely full, I made dinner because there was no way I’d feel like cooking later. Once dinner was done, we did what we always do—spend ages trying to find a movie that none of us had ever seen before. Not an easy task! In the end, we chose Gladiator because neither Sam nor Luke had seen it, and I watched it 24 years ago when it first came out in theatres. I assured them that I wanted to see it again, and I really couldn’t remember it very well. Twenty-four years is a long time! Then, because it was a long weekend and we’re all night owls, Luke picked another movie called Role Models. It had a type of humour that made me want to block my ears many times, but I have to admit, it was funny—crude but funny, sort of. Then Luke went home, and we went to bed. It sure was a relief knowing that I could sleep in the next day! And that was our weekend. What did you all get up to? I hope it was a good one! Thanks so much for being here, and I look forward to being back on Wednesday. Life is pretty busy at the moment with study, work placement, and everything else. I’m trying to keep up with blogging because I love it, but if I’m not here, it means I’ve been inundated with ‘all the things’! I’m giving myself a bit of grace on the days when I don’t get everything done—hello, pile of washing; I see you looking at me! Happy Monday! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

Hi friends, and happy Monday! The weekend (as usual) sped by in a flash, but I’m excited to be back on this bright and sunny Monday to share what we got up to. Can you believe it’s the last full week of September already? My head is spinning with how quickly the months are flying by! I saw this on Instagram and it is so true!!   The weather is all over the place over here and some days we seem to get all four seasons in one day. The last week of August was so hot and it felt like it was the middle of summer. Then we went back to cooler weather and now according to the IG post, we are in Spring of Deception. Yep, that sounds about right! We’ve also hit swooping season, where maggies swoop down and scare the living daylights out of us! I know they’re just protecting their nests, but they can be quite terrifying. I once saw a poor cyclist get attacked by a magpie, the poor guy nearly fell off his bike. Yikes!! So when we went to the Ramsgate farmers market on Saturday, we took note of the sign warning us of swooping magpies. I got swooped last magpie season, so this year I made sure to be extra vigilant and waved my arms around over my head until I got past the danger zone. Haha, I must have looked a bit ridiculous, but better safe than swooped! Steve wore a hat, so he didn’t have to worry about his head. The market was busy with people and stalls—such a contrast to the cooler months when it’s never quite as crowded as it was this past sunny Saturday. The plant stall is always so tempting! A selfie on the way back to the car. A few things I picked up included the delicious honey that we go through so quickly! I made some lunch using the cherry tomatoes I bought—toast with avocado, tomatoes, feta, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. So fancy, hehe. Steve went to work in the late afternoon and I did a few things around the house. Then it was time to get ready to go and see my cousin perform at the Spring Gala Dance Fest. Before the performances, we joined in a fun salsa class. I warned every one of my poor, unfortunate partners that I’d definitely be stepping on their toes and apologised in advance —I’m no good at partner dancing! My cousin was amazing and nailed every performance, and I’m not just saying that because I love her—she really is a fantastic dancer! We enjoyed some bubbles and a cheese platter while we watched the dancing. It was such a great night! Sunday Sunday was very low-key. We had a late breakfast, and then I spent most of the afternoon and evening working on my Diploma RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) course. I’m not loving it, and I’ll be ecstatic when I finish! Next week, I’m giving up my preschool break to start a two-week placement at a long daycare centre. This will cover the course requirement of 80 hours working with babies and toddlers. After that, I’m determined to smash through the rest of the modules and finish by the end of the year. I’m using our January trip as my carrot on a stick because a giant reward is always a huge motivator. Plus, I really don’t want to come home with this course still hanging over my head! And that was my weekend! How was yours? I hope it was a good one! Thanks so much for being here today, and I look forward to being back on Wednesday. Happy Monday! Linking up with Holly and Sarah      

Hi friends! It’s great to be back on this sunny yet chilly Monday. I’m still a bit croaky, but feeling a whole lot better than last week, that’s for sure! Thanks so much for stopping by as I share a few weekend snapshots. Last week, I lay in bed without a single ounce of energy, and I remember thinking, ‘Will I ever feel like doing anything again!’ Haha, everything felt like such an effort! Thankfully, my energy levels began to climb back up again on Friday afternoon, and I got out of the land of the zombies and made dinner. Go me!! It felt good to be up and doing everyday things like cooking. The creamy chicken and mushroom dish tasted great, and my tastebuds were back to normal. Food no longer tasted like tin, and I could enjoy my dinner. Saturday We went to vote in the NSW local government elections, and voting was a no-brainer since our friend was running for re-election as an independent candidate. He’s a great guy and does incredible work for the community, including being a big part of getting our local pool rebuilt when the council wanted to turn the land into apartments. That campaign is actually how we met and became friends over ten years ago. He’s the guy on the right. In the afternoon, I walked up to our local Westfields and met my lovely friend. It was so good to see her and finally get a chance to sit down and talk because it had been way too long between catch-ups! We had sushi from a sushi train for lunch. There were so many choices that my fuzzy post-COVID brain needed a minute—or ten—to decide. After sushi, we moved on to a cafe and had a strawberry and banana smoothie. We left the café and walked over to the play and party centre, where our preschool was hosting a social event and fundraiser. This area was completely packed full of kids and families. Everyone had a great time; tears were minimal, and everyone enjoyed the pizza dinner and juice box. There was only one vomit incident, so all in all, it was a huge success! Sunday Sunday morning, Steve watched Songs of Praise on the ABC while our cat Sushi claimed my bean bag. Why do cats always seem to make it their mission to take over our favourite spots? I didn’t bother fighting Sushi for the bean bag. I was happy to sit on a cushion by the coffee table and enjoy raisin toast with peanut butter and jam. It was so relaxing to look at my pretty books while I had my breakfast. I can’t remember if I’ve shared these books here before, but my lovely bestie gave them to me earlier this year. They’re by Megan Hess, my favourite illustrator. Her work is so uniquely glamorous, and you can spot it instantly because of its stylish, elegant flair. I even have one of her illustrations as my phone wallpaper. Around midday, I called my aunt in LA, and we had a wonderful conversation, as always. She’s the sweetest, and I surprised her with the news of our plans to visit in January. She was so excited and even said she’d join us at Disneyland! Woohoo!! Oh my gosh, I can hardly wait—112 days, 4 hours, 48 minutes, and 19 seconds to go! In the late afternoon, Steve went to work, and Sam was still at work, so I had the house to myself again for the first time in months. I continued watching my favourite comedy-drama, Meaning of Life, and then I watched a movie called Tuesday Club. Both are Swedish and both are really good! I’m not quite sure where my obsession with all things Swedish things came from, but I’m sure IKEA played a huge part! And that’s what I got up to over the weekend. How was yours? I hope it was a good one! Have a wonderful day. Linking up with Holly and Sarah

Hi there and happy Monday! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and are ready to embrace a new week. I’m feeling extra chipper today because it’s so warm and sunny—though we won’t mention the 50 km/h winds that nearly blew me away on the way home! Anyway, it’s time to share some weekend highlights on today’s Hello Monday link-up with Holly and Sarah. Thanks for joining me! Saturday Spring is my favourite season! This year it seems to have arrived extra early and that’s more than okay by me!! I just love looking at all the colourful flowers and the bright blue skies. The novelty of going for regular walks with Steve hasn’t worn off and I’m loving it. Haha, he doesn’t completely share my excitement. But he has been a real champ about keeping up with his physio exercises which of course includes doing regular walking. So we hit the pavement on Saturday and walked around the neighbourhood for almost an hour and a half! We stopped for a sticky beak at an open house- we don’t have any plans to move but if I see a house that’s open for inspection, I’m in for a look! It was a nice house but I didn’t like the awkward layout or the quick reno job they have done to probably try and sell it fast. Gosh, I thought I was a messy painter!! We picked up some sourdough on the way home and made some sandwiches for lunch. The rest of the day I took full advantage of the sunny, windy weather and did a few loads of laundry. I’ve quit feeling annoyed about carrying household chores into the weekend. There’s that saying about laundry–that it’s a reminder to be grateful you have clothes in the first place. Yeah, I’m embracing that mindset–namasté! In the evening, we watched a few more episodes of Blue Bloods. If you’re a fan of the show and love food like I do, you might notice the delicious meals at their regular Sunday dinners. I tend to pick up on details like that. I also noticed a couple of seasons ago that the characters hardly eat anything! It makes sense, of course—if they’re filming a scene all day, they can’t be eating all day. But this is what I have seen and now I can’t unsee it!!! Erin always adds masses of salt to her food, Danny eats the cucumbers, Pop always butters his bread the whole time, Frank talks, Jaimie pushes his food around and Jenko chews nothing. Hahaha!! I didn’t share any of this with Steve as he loves the show as much as I do. But …well because it was the final season I couldn’t help myself! And now his Sunday dinners with the Reagans are shattered just like mine were. I kind of wish I’d kept my mouth shut! Now Steve sits there counting out loud how many cucumbers they eat! Sunday Sunday was Father’s Day, and while I always try to focus on celebrating Steve as a dad, it’s a tough day for me. I don’t have a relationship with my own dad for many reasons I won’t go into. However, this year, after many years of working on forgiveness, I reached out to him about a month ago, and we had a chat. It wasn’t deep—just polite conversation and that’s okay. I’ve made peace with that and have stopped hoping for anything more. So, I called and wished him a Happy Father’s Day. I won’t lie—it felt a bit awkward, but at the same time, I’m glad I did it. After that, I visited my Uncle Bill at the cemetery. He was more than just an uncle to me—he was like a father, my hero, and my favourite person in the whole world. His unexpected passing ten years ago shattered my world. He was my mum’s youngest brother, and he was the best. I also visited my mum’s grave, which is nearby. It’s tough when the people you love aren’t around anymore. I got home around midday and Luke arrived with his lovely fiancee. She works most weekends so seeing her as well as Luke was such a highlight and an instant mood-lifter! We got takeaway chicken, chips and salad for lunch and got down to the business of celebrating. After lunch we watched Sonic The Hedgehog-we’re all big kids around here so we loved it! Sonic is so cute!! Sam got home from his part-time job and then it was time to order pizza and watch Aliens. Talk about a change in genre! The ‘kids’ loved it and all agreed that they made better movies in the olden days. Hahaha!! We finished the night with a big box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts delivered fresh from the Mascot store. They were incredible—so much better than the ones from 7-Eleven! I thought I was full after the pizza, but the doughnuts were so fresh and delicious that I ended up having two! And that was our weekend- a few lows but way more highs! How was yours, I hope it was a good one!  

Hi friends! Welcome to this week’s Hello Monday link-up with Holly and Sarah, where we share a little bit about our weekend adventures. My weekend wasn’t exactly adventurous. I spent most of it recovering from a yucky cold and a dose of conjunctivitis. I had already taken three days off work last week. But the extra time over the weekend was exactly what I needed. By Sunday, I was finally feeling like my old self again. Yay! I realised how run down I’d been before getting sick and how I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be truly well. Has that ever happened to you? Anyway, it’s great to be here on this gloriously sunny Monday feeling great! Thanks so much for stopping by. Saturday Strawberries and blueberries are back at reasonable prices again! It’s wonderful to see that we don’t need a bank loan to enjoy these delicious berries now that they’re in season. They were perfect to enjoy with our pancake breakfast on Saturday. I found a new Swedish comedy-drama called Meaning of Life on SBS. After loving Bonus Family so much I didn’t think I would find another one that grabbed me (I tried a couple). This one did and so I watched a couple of episodes on my iPad and now I’m addicted. The thing with foreign shows is that you have to sit and watch closely to catch the subtitles. But it’s a great excuse to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee too! I’m not sure why I love Swedish shows so much, but it might be because, according to Ancestry, I’m 1% Swedish—hehe. In the afternoon Steve hosed down the car on our front lawn and gave it a vacuum. He said it was a good way to water the garden at the same time. I’m not sure the grass appreciated getting squished. But I guess I could see his point, sort of. Anyway, it was good to see him being so mobile and doing everyday stuff. We enjoyed a short sunset walk on a warm evening. By the time we got home, it was time for dinner. I made steak sandwiches with mayo, mustard, and tomato sauce for me, and BBQ sauce for the guys. We might not share the same taste in sauces, but we all agree on one thing: a big slice of pickle in our sandwiches is a must! We spent the rest of Saturday night relaxing in front of the TV before calling it a day. Sunday I needed a couple of things from the supermarket and felt up to a big walk instead of driving. Steve joined me this time, and we walked about two kilometres there and back—something we wouldn’t have done before he got his new knee. Steve is still adjusting to enjoying walking since it used to be so painful. I can’t blame him for that! We made it home pain-free! I didn’t go to the supermarket for my favourite lollies, but they were half-price, so now my treat jar is full again! We also didn’t go for rosé, but we grabbed a bottle to celebrate the warm weather and toast to feeling well and a great weekend. We are having the best spring weather even though we haven’t quite hit September. But I’m still fully prepared for a change back to winter. So I won’t be storing away any of my warm jumpers just yet. For now, I’m loving the sunny blue skies, and on Wednesday, the forecast is a top of 28ºC—a heatwave in some parts of the world! I can’t wait!! Happy Monday!

Hey everyone, I’m so excited to be back today! I’m joining Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. It’s time to catch up on a super fun three-day weekend that just flew by way too quickly! Friday I had Friday off from work because I had accumulated enough time for a day off. It was amazing not having to get up so early and I spent most of the day enjoying my time at home. I even got a head start on a few weekend tasks and it felt like I was winning! We went for a walk and saw some beautiful spring blooms that I shared on Friday favourites. Spring is coming! Surprise Dinner Destination Then in the evening, we went out for dinner to celebrate Steve’s birthday. I kept the location a surprise and didn’t tell him I had booked a table at Mr Wong’s a famous modern Cantonese restaurant in Sydney that we’ve both been wanting to try. He was convinced we were going to Hungry Jack’s which is our version of Burger King. Hahaha!! I assured him we were definitely not and to wear something nice! We caught the train from Allawah station so by then he knew we were going to the city. While we were on the train, he kept trying to guess where! He was like a kid and he was making me laugh so much. In the end, when I wouldn’t give anything away, he made me promise that if we didn’t eat enough at the restaurant “could we please go to McDonald’s as well”…sheesh!! It was a good 10-minute walk from Martin Place station and Steve walked like a champ! Before his knee replacement, we would have taken it real slow or even caught an Uber. So that’s massive progress and it makes the whole surgery so worth it! When we turned into Bridge Lane, Steve still had no clue. The alleyway was dark and mysterious—exactly the kind of place where you’d expect something shady to happen. He was completely confused! But as we reached the end, there it was, tucked behind a wall—the famous Mr Wong’s. Steve’s expression was priceless and the surprise was worth every bit of the secrecy. Mr Wong’s Before we went, I had spent some time looking at the menu and decided that the best option for us was the Banquet menu. There were just too many delicious dishes with incredible ingredients to choose from. Steve felt relieved that we didn’t have to make any decisions and could just sit back and enjoy a variety of dishes. He was still in shock that we weren’t sitting at a fast food joint—such little faith! Just like all the reviews said, the food and service were amazing! It was definitely a feast, and we loved everything from the delicate kingfish sashimi to the Angus beef cubes that melted in your mouth. One of the standout dishes for us was the Balmain bugs. In case you’re not familiar, Balmain bugs are a type of Australian slipper lobster with sweet, delicate meat. They were so good! We enjoyed ten dishes in total, including dessert, and no, we didn’t need to hit McDonald’s afterwards! I loved the little touches, like how they brought out the dessert with ‘Happy Birthday’ written on it. Palmer & Co After dinner, we decided to continue the celebration and head to Palmer & Co. A prohibition-style bar where all the bartenders were dressed in 1920s attire-so cool! There was also a jazz band playing some contemporary tunes. Steve had a cider, and I sipped on a glass of bourbon that felt like it would have been perfect with a cigar. I’ve never had a cigar, but the whole atmosphere really got to my head! I also tried straight bourbon with ice for the first time and was surprised I enjoyed it (maybe a little too much!) Cousin Connect Saturday We were set to host Cousin Connect on the 10th, but Steve thought he had shingles (it turned out to be eczema) and Sam had a bad cold. So, we rescheduled for this past Saturday, which was also Steve’s actual birthday. It turned out great that we could all be together to celebrate! Cousin S put together another one of his amazing charcuterie boards. I made pulled pork that we enjoyed with bread rolls and coleslaw. Oh, and I also made rice for my little cousin E, who, apart from my mum, is the biggest rice lover I’ve ever met! Cousin T made pigs in blankets, and my aunt brought guacamole. We played our usual board game and laughed so hard at some of the things the cousins came up with. Cousin J even suggested making Cousin Connect T-shirts featuring some of the hilarious one-liners! I think it’s a great idea! Sunday Sunday was recovery day after all the eating and fun. We watched a couple of episodes of Blue Bloods and then thought we better get started on our “homework”.  As I shared in another post, we’re heading to L.A. next January. Along with Disneyland, we’re also planning a visit to Universal Studios, which I’ve heard has an incredible Harry Potter-themed area. The thing is, none of us have ever watched or read anything Harry Potter-related. So, we figured it was high time to start! We watched Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and we loved it! I was surprised to see The Dowager from Downton Abbey in the film! We’ve also realised that we better get started on watching The Simpsons, as Springfield is also such a big part of the Universal Studios experience. I know, I know—clearly, we’ve been living under a rock because we must be the only ones who haven’t watched these two major pop culture hits! And that wraps up our very fun three-day weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by today, I’m jumping off the computer to go have dinner and catch up on some more homework! Happy Monday!

Hey friends! It’s time to link up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday and dive into our weekend moments. I hope you all had an amazing weekend and are feeling pumped and ready for the last week of July. Can you even believe that it’s the last week of July? The days are just flying by so fast! Friday Night Friday night, Steve and I went out for an early dinner at our local club. We ordered the seafood platter, which was delicious, although a lot less generous than the ones we used to enjoy at the Motor Boat Club. It seems times are tough in the restaurant world these days! The generous platters we used to enjoy have now doubled in price, so we thought we’d try this new venue. We are mindful of the fact that we are planning a big trip next year. So we are eating out less these days and trying places that offer better value. This place wasn’t one of them, but we enjoyed the night anyway and may have stopped off at McDonald’s on the way home for a burger and fries. Haha! Saturday Saturday was a day for pottering around, getting this and that done. One of the tasks was a sewing chore. Sam bought a Sloppy Joe online, and when it arrived, it had a gap on the sleeve where the overlocker must have missed. He emailed the clothing company for an exchange, but they refunded him the cost price and he got to keep the sloppy Joe. A few stitches later, and it was all fixed. I caught up on some blogs, and in the afternoon, my cousins came over to book more things for our trip to the USA next year. Steve put together a quick cheese board for us to munch on while we bought Disneyland and Universal Studios tickets. We also scoured the internet for accommodation. I’m giddy with excitement about our big adventure, though I can’t help but feel a bit nervous too (especially with my fear of flying—gulp!)! While we were sorting out the details, I had to face the fact that the exchange rate wasn’t in our favour. It seemed much better when I was doing ‘girl maths’ in my head. But we’re still super excited and looking forward to our trip! 23 weeks, 5 hours, and 23 minutes to go! Sunday Sunday, I went to my aunt and uncle’s house for lunch. I hadn’t seen them for a few months, and it was so good to catch up with them. We were so busy chatting and eating, and I forgot to take any pics. My aunt is an amazing cook, and we had the most delicious tender and juicy roast pork with vegetables and other sides. In the evening, I went to my other aunt’s house, and we watched some of the Olympic events. This time, I’m just not as into them as usual; I usually get really excited about the Olympics. Steve, on the other hand, watched the four-hour-long replay of the opening ceremony on Saturday. I only saw a few glimpses and wasn’t particularly impressed with some aspects of it. Did you guys watch it? What did you think? Some of my cousins were visiting as well, and I caught up with our fur cousin Zila in her fancy outfit. That wraps up our weekend! And of course, it was back to work today. I had a feeling that last week’s spring-like temps wouldn’t last long, and I was right. It was freezing cold today, and I’m sure it’s snowing somewhere because the wind is strong and the chill is biting, brrrrrr! Thanks so much for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful Monday morning or evening wherever you are! I look forward to being back here on Wednesday for What’s Up Wednesday. See ya!