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Why The 80s Was The Best Decade-12 Reasons

I thought that it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane. And look at my all-time favourite decade- The 80s! If you grew up in this decade then you will know exactly what I mean. The 80s was a time of interesting fashion and hairstyles. Amazing pop culture, epic music and the best TV shows. So let’s have a look at why the 80s was the best decade ever. As I share some of my favourite things about this wonderful time. This post features some sponsored content. I believe in transparency and only collaborate with brands aligned with my values. You can count on me to share my honest opinions. Your trust means the world to me, and I appreciate you being here! 12 Reasons Why The 80s Was The Best Decade The Music I love music from all the decades, even today’s music. Except not that angry rap stuff, that I will never understand or like. But it would be probably accurate to say that I am head over heels for 80s music! From the catchy pop tunes of Madonna to the rebellious rock anthems of Bon Jovi, there was something for everyone. Remember the lure of the synthesisers that made the melodies come alive and created memorable electrifying music like the soundtrack to ‘Beverly Hills Cop’. And who can forget the new wave explosion that took the whole world by storm? Bands like New Order, Talking Heads, A-ha, and Duran Duran to name a few. These bands helped to define the new wave genre with their unique sound and blend of punk, pop and electronic music. The Mix Tape Haha, the good old mix tape that took so much effort and perseverance to create! Firstly you had to wait (all day) patiently hovering around the radio ready to catch that favourite song. And then with ninja-like reflexes as soon as you heard the song you had to press the record and play buttons at the same time. If you were very lucky you would catch the whole song without the DJ’s intrusive voice at the beginning or the annoying tail end of a commercial. The struggle was real but the victory was sweet! The Fashion The 80s would have to be the decade that brought us the most memorable styles. The 80s were all about big shoulder pads, leg warmers, neon colours and oversized t-shirts emblazoned with bold eye-catching inspirational messages like Choose Life Be Yourself Dream Big It was also the decade of acid-wash jeans, scrunchies, ra-ra skirts and multiple layers of rubber bracelets. The 80s was a fashion adventure for sure! If you love 80s fashion, you should definitely give this style a try! Small accessories like necklaces, earrings, or custom patches from Patches Co. can have a fantastic impact. Customising patches with unique 80s fashion elements to embellish your outfit will add a unique and unmistakable retro vibe to your outfit. The Hairstyles The best word that describes 80s hair is excess! From big hair to gravity-defying creations, the 80s really did push the boundaries of hairstyling to new heights. Not to mention how the sale of hair spray and gels must have skyrocketed through the roof! Big hair was all the rage and almost everyone’s motto was “The higher the better”. Oh, how I envied my friends who could rock the big messy Madonna-style hair with the glorious standing-up fringe. I was never allowed to leave the house looking like this. God knows I tried but my mum would always catch me and send me back to brush my hair out. She would say “Why do you want to look like a cockatoo?”. I just did Mum…..I really really did! TV Shows Television in the 80s was a cultural phenomenon. There were epic cartoons like ‘Inspector Gadget’, ‘The Smurfs’, ‘Voltron’ and ‘Super Friends’ which featured the ‘Wonder Twins’- “Wonder twin powers activate!”. Back in the days when streaming services didn’t exist, the wholesome family TV sitcoms were the best and I always eagerly anticipated their airtime. I remember waiting and fiddling with the darn TV antenna praying for a strong signal to watch some of my favourite shows like ‘Family Ties’, ‘Growing Pains’, ‘Full House’, and ‘The Facts Of Life’. The Movies The 80s gifted us some of the most iconic movies of all time. From the unforgettable dance moves in ‘Footloose’ and ‘Dirty Dancing’ to the action-packed adventures in ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’ and ‘Top Gun’. It was also a time when The Brat Pack ruled the screen with movies like ‘The Breakfast Cub’, ‘Pretty In Pink’, ‘St Elmo’s Fire’ and ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. The decade delivered countless classics and introduced us to exhilarating experiences leaving us craving for more. Arcade Games The ’80s is also the decade when arcade games like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Street Fighter and Donkey Kong were all the rage. The colourful graphics, iconic sounds (pac-man dying), catchy soundtracks and addictive gameplay kept us totally hooked. We were also introduced to portable gaming with handheld devices like Nintendo’s Game & Watch. Oh my goodness, I remember the very first time that I saw one of these. I felt like the cavemen must have felt when they discovered fire for the very first time. Memorable Toys I think that the 80s was a golden age for toys. This decade introduced us to toys like Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake, Transformers and the iconic Rubik’s Cube to name a few. These toys sparked our imagination and provided endless hours of entertainment. Video Stores The 80s also gave us video rental stores where we would spend ages trying to decide what movie to pick for that special weekend movie night. The giddy anticipation of finding the much-awaited new release added a real sense of excitement to the movie-watching experience. Phone Conversations Before smartphones and texting, talking on the phone was a social event. The 80s teen years were all about spending hours on the phone sharing secrets,

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Snapshots From My Week

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Hi, friends it’s great to be back today linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favourites. I’ve got a few favourite snapshots from my week to share and I’m so glad that you have stopped by today! Food Snapshots I had lunch with one of my favourite people and we tried a new cafe called Urban Jungle. I thought this was a cool sign for a Jungle-inspired cafe. I was in one of my indecisive moods and was so unsure of what to order when I looked at the menu. In the end, I chose the fish tacos which tasted amazingly good! Fish tacos have gained popularity here in Australia in recent years but they are not as widely known as the good old regular beef tacos. Australian cuisine is a real fusion of flavours from all over the world. All sorts of delicious food from other countries eventually makes its way to us. But I’m still waiting for lobster rolls to become popular!!! Here’s a pic of the menu so that you can see what I mean. It’s no wonder that I took forever to decide with so many interesting choices! My lovely friend ordered the salmon topper scrumpet Colourful Drinks The fresh Watermelon Crush was however an easy decision. It was so refreshing and those popping pearls were the best! They were full of berry-flavoured juice, so good! My friend chose the pretty looking Pink Lemonade, Lychee and Rose Tea A delicious, creamy and very sweet taro latte is always a big favourite. Have you heard of tarro latte before? I hadn’t until a couple of years ago. It’s made from taro root and it’s got a really lovely purple colour with a nutty kind of flavour. I hadn’t had one in ages and so it tasted extra delicious. More Sweet Treats Steve brought home a sweet pastry treat for me on Tuesday. A Fun Movie Wednesday Steve and I caught the 6.00 pm session to see Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 3. We decided that for my sake it was better to see the earlier screening and have dinner after instead of the other way around. This way I could almost guarantee that I would stay awake! No matter how fantastic and action-packed a movie is. If you put me in a dark cozy movie theatre any later than 8.00 pm then it’s nighty night for me. Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 was absolutely brilliant and we loved it! But it was quite long so when we walked out of the cinema, all the restaurants and food outlets were closing for the night. The only one still taking orders was KFC, so chicken it was! I didn’t mind, I mean, I would have preferred to eat at a cozy restaurant. But chicken, chips and gravy are delicious any day! And that wraps up a few favourite snapshots from my week which were all mainly food related. I’m keeping it short today because it’s been a week, folks! I am so glad that it’s Friday night and I have big plans to eat all the carbs and binge-watch some favourite shows. I hope you all have a great weekend and I look forward to being back here on Monday! Happy Friday! I didn’t blog much this week but I did blog yesterday. It’s all about some simple things we can do to make our homes comfortable and happy! Here it is in case you missed it. Ten Happy Home Essentials

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Pet Peeves

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Hi friends it’s so great to be back here today with Shay and Erika for this month’s edition of Let’s Look. And today we are going to talk about some pet peeves! This is such a relatable topic, isn’t it? We all have those little things that drive us nuts and some pet peeves are pretty funny. But of course, there are other pet peeves that are just plain annoying. So let’s vent, relate and explore the funny (and sometimes frustrating) world of pet peeves together! Pet Peeves People Who Talk During Movies- My husband is one of them and so now we call him ‘Captain Commentary’. When the last of the toilet paper gets used and doesn’t get replaced or gets replaced like this. People who are constantly unpredictable and hard to read- I get very stressed around moody people. Especially those who are friendly one day and then give you the cold shoulder the next day. People who bring down the energy of a room with their negative mood- I get it that some days are hard but I’m a glass-half-full kind of person and constant negativity is such a drain! Not covering the mouth and nose when sneezing- This happens every day with the kids at preschool. Thankfully I have developed some pretty good ninja skills and can usually duck for cover. People who drive with their high beams on and blind me at night. People who constantly sniff- blow your nose already! Stepping on or kneeling on a Lego brick ….ouch! When I do a load of laundry and someone has left a tissue in their pocket that then goes all over the clothes-that someone is usually me and I want to yell at myself. When you say a bright sunny good morning to someone and they totally ignore you. Dealing with rude people makes me sad. Cracking knuckles sends shivers down my spine Stating you look tired- when someone says that to me I want to wear a paper bag over my head for the rest of the day. People who lick their fingers to turn a page-ugh! When customer service says” Your call is really important to us” but you still have to wait forever. Shampoo always runs out before the conditioner so I have tons of bottles of conditioner and sometimes I forget to buy the shampoo. Why can’t they run out at the same time? When kids pick their noses- I usually tell them that their legs might fall off if they keep doing it but they know I’m joking so they still keep right on picking. People who spit in public places- I’m heaving just thinking about it. Opening a door to come into a room and then leaving it open when they leave- I always want to yell out” Do you live in a tent!” But I don’t because I don’t want to be rude and rudeness is one of my pet peeves. Being unkind to others is one of my biggest pet peeves. Choosing kindness is the way to go and it can make a world of difference! When you let a car cut in front of you and they don’t say thank you. Hair in the drain-It’s always my hair but it still makes me gag every time that I clean the shower drain. Bleh!! Gee, I didn’t know that I had so many pet peeves! But it sure feels good to get them off my chest!! Thank you so much for being here today. I really appreciate you guys stopping by to have a read. And I hope that you have a fantastic Wednesday!

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Fashion Mistakes To Avoid

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Fashion is all about fun, self-expression and of course, creativity! It’s a wonderful way to showcase your incredible personality to the world. Fashion is a great way to enjoy experimenting with different styles and looks. However, there are certain fashion mistakes that can make even the most stylish person look frumpy or outdated or even both! In this post, we will be looking at some common fashion mistakes to avoid, so you can look your best and also feel confident in the fashion choices that you make. WEARING CLOTHES THAT DON’T FIT PROPERLY One of the most common fashion mistakes is to wear clothes that just don’t fit properly. Whether it’s clothes that are too big or too small. Clothes that don’t fit can really make you look unpolished and sloppy. To avoid this make sure that you try your clothes on before you buy them and pay close attention to how they fit. A top tip is to go for a larger size if you find that you are in between sizes. That way you have the option of getting it tailored to fit perfectly. WEARING TOO MANY TRENDS Try not to get too excited about current trends and instead be selective about what you wear and what really suits your personality and body shape. The last thing you want to do is look like a fashion victim! Consider choosing a trending style that you can incorporate into your current look. This is a subtle way to stay on trend yet still maintain the look that you feel comfortable in. NOT DRESSING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE We all have unique body shapes, so it’s important to dress for our individual shape. If you find that you are uncertain about what shape you are then take some time to do a bit of research and learn what styles work in your favour and flatter your body. NEGLECTING YOUR ACCESSORIES Accessories are a major component of any outfit, and neglecting them can make your outfit look incomplete. Therefore make sure to carefully choose accessories that will complement your outfit. WEARING CLOTHES THAT ARE TOO OLD OR TOO YOUNG FOR YOU It’s important to dress for your age and choose outfits that are appropriate for the occasion. If you wear clothes that are either too old or too young for you. Then you risk looking and feeling awkward. If you find that you are uncertain about how a certain outfit looks on you. Then it always helps to ask someone you trust for their opinion. WEARING CLOTHES THAT DON’T MATCH YOUR PERSONALITY The wonderful thing about fashion is that it is all about how you can express your personality. So it’s important to choose clothes that match who you are and clothes that make you feel confident. If you are bubbly and outgoing then you will probably be drawn to bright colours and bold prints. But if you are more of a minimalist then you will feel much more at ease wearing simple neutral pieces. WEARING CLOTHES THAT ARE TOO REVEALING It’s always much more tasteful and classy to avoid revealing too much. DON’T NEGLECT YOUR UNDERGARMENTS It’s important to make sure that your underwear fits properly and doesn’t show through your clothes. After all, underwear is the foundation of any outfit and the last thing you want is to have unwanted lines, creases or bumps. It can really make or break any outfit! NOT TAKING CARE OF YOUR CLOTHES If you invest in clothes then the most sensible thing to do is to take good care of them. Make sure to follow the care instructions on the label to make them last longer. NOT BEING CONFIDENT Confidence is the most important fashion accessory to any outfit. Therefore it’s important to wear clothes that make you feel good. WEARING TOO MUCH MAKEUP Makeup is a fun way to express yourself, just make sure that you don’t overdo it. Because wearing too much makeup can make you look tired or older. It’s safer to stick to a natural look that will enhance your features without overpowering them. NOT DRESSING FOR THE WEATHER Make sure to take a minute to check the weather forecast before you plan your outfit. The last thing that you want to do is wear clothes that are either too heavy or too light. Because you will feel totally unprepared and uncomfortable all day long. NOT EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW STYLES Be careful not to stay stuck in a fashion rut with the same styles on repeat. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new styles and trends to keep your wardrobe fresh and exciting. You might surprise yourself with how much you like a current trend and then incorporate it into your ‘look’. OVER ACCESSORIZING Accessories can add interest to an outfit but it’s always a good idea to not go overboard. If you wear too many accessories it can look overwhelming and the accessories can become the focal point of your outfit instead of the outfit itself. Remember to choose a few pieces that complement your style. CHOOSING QUANTITY OVER QUALITY Try to see clothes as an investment and opt for buying fewer good quality pieces. Fast fashion can be very tempting as it is so cheap but you will find that these pieces won’t last. They are generally made from lower-quality fabrics and may only be on trend for a season. Furthermore, fast fashion is also terrible for the environment. NOT TAILORING YOUR CLOTHES Whether it’s shortening a hemline or sewing in a cinched waistline. These small alterations can make a world of difference in how your clothes look and feel. NOT CONSIDERING YOUR SHOES Always choose shoes that complement your outfit and that are appropriate for the occasion. Make sure that they are in good condition and not dirty or scuffed. The wrong shoes or shoes that are in poor condition will undo any nice-looking outfit. DON’T FOLLOW TRENDS BLINDLY It’s great to keep your wardrobe fresh

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Weekly Favourites

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Hello friends and welcome to Friday! As the week comes to an end, it’s time to link up with Andrea and Erika to share my weekly favourites. It’s been a long week but the great news is that we have made it to the end. And now it’s finally time to unwind, recharge and catch up on some much-needed sleep without that alarm going off! Thriving House Plants First up on my list of weekly favourites is my house plants. I am so excited that my lovely plants are not just surviving, they are actually thriving! Now I know that I have mentioned this before but in fact, I have not been great at looking after my green friends in the past. But since I discovered the magic of a weekly watering schedule everything has changed. I mean, it’s obvious, right? How could I have not done this in the past? Duh! A Fashion Game Changer On my list of weekly favourites is Hollywood fashion tape. See this top I haven’t worn it for ages and the reason is that when I bent over even slightly, you could see all the way down to my belly button. Not good! So the other day I used the Hollywood fashion tape and what a game changer! Now I can wear my top again without worrying about any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions. A Great Way To Start The Week Monday night my aunt invited us for dinner to welcome a friend who was visiting from Brisbane. It was such a great way to start the working week. I loved knowing that I had a fun dinner to look forward to after work on Monday. Zila A cute favourite was seeing my cousin’s puppy Zila. Apparently, she’s grown since we saw her two weeks ago. Haha, I’m not sure about that as she’s still so tiny! A Sweet Surprise Well, this beautiful surprise gift from one of my little preschool friends tops my list of weekly favourites. I absolutely love Baby Ruth chocolates, and it’s not just because my name happens to be on the label! Date Night Date night on Wednesday night was so fun! We were back at St George Motor Boat Club for some seafood and lovely views. Home Grown Dessert Eating the one and only mango from our tree with a scoop of ice cream was a big favourite. It was so deliciously sweet and refreshing. Crisp Autumn Mornings The mornings are dark and chilly now so the other day I had to snuggle into my favourite soft and fluffy robe. While the cooler weather is not a big favourite this beautiful sunrise was. I went outside to take a photo this time because my kitchen window is less than sparkling and I didn’t want it to mess up the view. Spring Fashion In Autumn Even though it may be Autumn where I am, I had so much fun joining the Monthly Musings linkup to chat about essential spring fashion pieces. I just love all things fashion and spring is such a beautiful season. In case you missed it you can read all about it here. And that’s about it for my weekly favourites. I don’t have any plans for the weekend ao I am really looking forward to doing things like catching up on reading my favourite blogs, getting on top of my own posts and spending time in the kitchen baking something. It’s that time of the year when the cooler weather makes me feel like baking or cooking up some comfort food. And of course, I want to spend some time resting-it’s the perfect recipe for a relaxing weekend! I hope you guys have a great weekend and I look forward to being back here on Monday. Happy Friday everyone! **Please note that some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I personally use and love. Thank you for your support!**

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Is Rest’s Silvercool Sheet Set Worth $300

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Recently I was sent the Silvercool Performance Sheet set from Rest Duvet to review. And let me tell you that after sleeping in them for a few nights. They have been a total game-changer! And I seriously doubt that I can go back to regular cotton sheets ever again. I have been struggling with the joys that come with getting older! Sometimes I wake up during the night and feel like I have my own internal furnace. I have to quickly throw my sheets off before I melt. And then a little while later I find that I am reaching for the sheets in the darkness because I’m cold. To top it off when it’s summer and we get those hot humid sticky nights. Getting a good night’s sleep is almost impossible. Silvercool Performance Sheet Set From Rest Duvet I was impressed the minute I saw that the sheets were beautifully packaged in a responsibly sourced box. And they felt so smooth, soft and silky when I touched them. I honestly couldn’t wait to go to bed that night! Perfect For Your Skin The Silvercool Performance Sheets from Rest Duvet feel so great against my skin. And they are just so lovely and cool to touch. I guess the best way to describe them is. That when I jump into bed I feel like I am in a relaxing cool swimming pool. And the gorgeous pale blue colour that the sheets come in just adds to the incredible experience. I can honestly say that the Silvercool Performance Sheets have helped me to get a really great night’s sleep. Because they just keep me cool all night. And it has been almost unbearably hot and humid recently. So I have been able to really put them to the test. I also love that I don’t have to turn my pillow over during the night because it’s become hot and uncomfortable. The pillowcases just stay cool and dry all night. The material feels so soft and luxurious against my skin and I find that I don’t have those creases that I get on my face when I sleep on my regular cotton pillowcase. This is perfect if you have sensitive skin and is also great for preventing wrinkles. No More Frizzy Hair Another huge and unexpected bonus is that when I wake up my hair isn’t frizzy. If you have been reading along you will know what a struggle I have with frizzy hair. And how I am always trying different hair products to cope with the frizz. I had never considered that changing my bed sheets and pillowcases could help so dramatically. But since I have been sleeping in the Silvercool Performance Sheets from Rest Duvet. My hair is smooth when I get out of bed and I don’t even have to use the hair straightener in the mornings. They Wash And Dry So Well The sheets also wash very well and feel smooth and soft. There is absolutely no sagging or piling. I have dried them on the clothesline as well as in the clothes dryer on a low setting. And they have come out beautifully. A Perfect Night’s Sleep I love sleeping in the incredibly comfortable Silvercool Performance Sheets and my husband can’t stop saying how amazing they are because he struggles with getting overheated at night all year long! I have also been recommending them to my friends and family. And I’m actually going to buy a set for my son as he gets uncomfortably hot and sweaty even during winter. So if you struggle to regulate your body temperature during the night, and you want to enjoy a cool and comfortable night’s sleep. Then I highly recommend the Silvercool Performance Sheet set from Rest Duvet. I can hardly believe what a difference they have made to the quality of my sleep and the way my hair is just so silky smooth when I wake up! Enjoy a wonderfully cool night’s sleep with Rest’s huge sale! Click here to grab fantastic discounts, and use promo code RUTH20 for an extra discount just for my readers. Don’t miss out on these incredible savings!

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Favourite Moments Of The Week

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Happy almost weekend, friends! I am beyond ready to recharge and unwind after a long week. The week sure does feel like it has gone by in a flash. Yet I remember waking up on Monday morning and Friday felt like it was an eternity away! Anyway, it’s great to be back again on this very rainy Friday. And as usual, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share some of my favourite moments of the week. More Birthday Surprises! Well, the birthday surprises kept on coming! I went to my cousin’s surprise birthday lunch on the weekend and I came home with some birthday presents for myself that her family gave to me! I totally didn’t expect that at all and I was so touched by their kindness. They gave me the most beautiful Swarovski rose gold bracelet as a gift. And I love that it goes so well with my watch. In addition to the bracelet, I also received a lovely candle and a luxuriously soft scarf. So many beautiful surprises! They also gave me this delightful card which made me laugh! It’s so cute!! Pork Knuckle Dinner The last time I went to Costco was almost two months ago. And I made sure to buy a couple of pork knuckles. They are such a deliciously simple meal to put together so quickly and easily. The knuckle comes pre-cooked so all I had to do was rub oil on the skin, add salt then pop it in the oven for about an hour. Once it was ready oh my goodness that crackling was something else! It was so crispy! All I had to do to complete the meal was to quickly chop up some potatoes and pumpkin. Then I just threw them all in the pan with the pork knuckle. And as they cooked they soaked up all the delicious juices. This pork knuckle is one of my favourite go-to easy meals. Wednesday Night Date Night Steve and I went out for dinner on Wednesday night and I decided to wear a black pencil skirt and my cute leopard print sling-back pumps that I hadn’t worn in ages. It was fun to dress up a bit after being at preschool all day in shorts, sneakers, a T-shirt and blue hands from the finger painting activity! The view was beautiful. And we both enjoyed our meals as we watched the pretty sunset. Favourite Moments At Preschool I have a few favourite preschool moments to share with you guys this week. Look at this amazing hairstyle from one of our little preschoolers. Her mum is so clever! Even though I tried I couldn’t quite work out how she managed to create this work of art! This week we also had another cute lunch box. And another one of my big favourite moments of the week was a really fun incursion at preschool. We had a lion dance show! And two young guys came in to tell us all about the origins of the Chinese New Year and why the lions are so important. Most of the kids were absolutely thrilled. A couple were a bit unsure and a bit freaked out by the big lion costume so they needed extra cuddles and reassurance. But on the whole, everyone loved it. The kids got to take turns playing with the cymbals and making a whole lot of noise! Which is always a big hit with the little ones. It was a great show and it was really good that the kids were able to learn about Chinese New Year in such a fun and interactive way. I guess that wraps up a few of my favourite moments from the week. I’m so excited that it’s the weekend. And I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. Because it’s my turn to host our monthly family dinner. I’m waiting for my shopping to be delivered so I can get started on some prep just to make things easier for tomorrow. I’ve planned a Mediterranean-style menu this time. And I look forward to being back here on Monday to share some weekend highlights. Happy Friday!

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Random Favourites

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Hi everyone it’s so great to be back today for Friday favourites with Andrea and Erika. This week feels kind of strange because today was my first day back at work. So yesterday felt like a Sunday and today feels like a Monday except that now it’s the weekend. It’s so confusing! But anyway, I am so happy to be here today sharing a few random favourites. A Few Random Favourites A Trip To Ikea I had a fun trip to Ikea with my lovely friend the other day. Going to Ikea with her is a big favourite because we both like to browse around at the same pace. Which is nice and slow, checking everything out and even going back if we have missed something. I noticed that they have some new furniture like this comfy chair which reminds me of the very expensive Eames chair. I could totally see myself relaxing on one of these. Walking around made us both really hungry so we stopped for lunch. I nearly chose the meatballs like I usually do but then decided on the healthy salmon. I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted so good because I nearly didn’t order it thinking that it looked a bit bland. For dessert, we had orange cake. I also had an iced mocha and my friend had tea. Tea My super sweet bestie went to Melbourne for a week and she brought me back this yummy tea. I really loved the flavour because I could taste the black tea (my favourite) but as I sipped it I could also smell and taste the vanilla and rose petals. I googled who Ruth Crow was and it turns out that she was a social activist who believed that people could go on to achieve great things when they met together over a cup of tea. How interesting…go, Ruth! Delicious Dip Another random favourite is this fetta and olive dip that I bought from the farmer’s market. It tastes so good with wholemeal crackers. Frozen Avocado Slices My aunt told me about these frozen avocado slices. I didn’t even know that you could freeze avocado. We love to eat avocados but they ripen so fast all at once and if we don’t eat them quickly. Then they turn mushy and I sometimes end up having to throw them out. So these frozen slices are perfect! The Last Day Of The Holidays Thursday was our last day of the school holidays and it was Australia Day. My sweet friend who I am very lucky to work with. We both decided to make the most of the last day by treating ourselves to a lovely lunch in the city. We had a look at the shops first and then we stopped off at a bar called Reign which is located inside the iconic Queen Victoria building. I love the decor it’s just so beautiful with great big windows and gorgeous chandeliers. It was so lovely sitting there enjoying some fancy cocktails. It almost made me forget that we had to go back to work the next day….almost but not quite! The cocktail I ordered was called ‘La Vista Azul’. The waiter recommended it to me but I was a bit unsure at first because it had jalapeño as one of the ingredients. He assured me that it wasn’t spicy and I was glad that I listened to him because it was really good. I just made sure to stay away from the big jalapeño garnish! My friend enjoyed a cocktail called Kyoto Rose which looked so pretty garnished with a big bright rose petal. A Long Lazy Lunch Then it was time to head over to the restaurant for our 2 pm lunch reservation. And we had such a delicious lunch while looking at some gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour. We both ordered the barramundi. And the apple crumble. Then we wandered around Circular Quay which was absolutely buzzing with people celebrating Australia Day. And there was so much to see as we walked along to The Rocks. We ended up at a pub where we hung around for a while listening to a live band. Some people were dancing and really getting into the celebrations and enjoying the public holiday. Back To Work Then just like that, our fun summer holidays were over and today I went back to work. During the holidays the carpets were all cleaned so when we walked in this morning. All the furniture was piled up like this! It was a pupil-free day and so we started the day with a very long and productive planning meeting. The meeting finished at lunchtime and our lovely director had lunch catered for us. After lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon moving the piles of furniture and organising the classrooms. This year I am in a different room because we rotate every couple of years. The classroom that I will be in is much bigger than the one I was in for the last two years. Getting The Classrooms Organised Our preschool building isn’t purpose-built. And it’s actually in an old heritage building which was originally the council chambers. So trying to work out the learning areas can be a bit tricky. But because we are starting fresh in different classrooms. We got creative and made quite a few changes. It meant a lot of moving furniture around but I quite like reconfiguring rooms. The classroom teacher and I were both on the same page and we wanted more space and less furniture. We ended up putting some furniture aside that was looking a bit tired. And we will decide on Monday if we are going to store it or give it away. We still didn’t finish setting up the classrooms but that’s ok because Monday we have another pupil-free day. And the children don’t start preschool until Tuesday. I’m so glad that we have an extra day because it means we can

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A Fun Weekend

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Hi friends I hope that you all had a great weekend and are all ready to jump into a brand new week. It was so good to have the sun shining all weekend long. Bright sunny days and blue skies always lift my mood and make me feel motivated. The wind had a bit of a bite to it and it still didn’t feel quite like Summer. It kind of felt more like the beginning of spring or late autumn. Ha, I always seem to bring you a Sydney weather report every time! Anyway, it really was a fun weekend and I’m about to photo-bomb you with all of the Sydney sights I enjoyed. A Fun Weekend Friday Night But first up Friday night was our regular monthly ‘cousin connect’ as we call it. Our family meets up for dinner once a month either on Friday night or Saturday the first week of every month. We started this tradition in February this year and I am so grateful that we did. The weeks and months just roll by so fast and it’s so easy to forget to catch up with family. This had happened to us over the years. Our family all live pretty close by. But over the years we had let months slip by before we caught up with each other. Then when my mum became sick earlier in the year we were all so saddened and shocked. And truly rattled to our very core. We realised how disconnected we had become. And so we came up with the idea of monthly dinners and my little cousin gave our catch-ups the name ‘cousin connect’. So out of such a great loss, we have now started a wonderful family tradition. It was my cousin’s turn to host and she spoiled us with a most delicious dinner! We had ribs, wings, mac and cheese and salad. Very American! My cousin’s husband is from Ohio and I love hearing his accent. Their kids also have such a cute Australian/American accent. For dessert, we had a huge chocolate cake. It’s two of my cousin’s birthdays in December so we sang them a happy birthday. Their cute dog Amelia came up to me to say hello while we were eating. She probably fancied a treat. Saturday I spent the day with my lovely bestie in the city. We started off by browsing through the shops and admiring the lovely Christmas decorations. There were so many people shopping in the city. I think that everyone is just so happy to be out and about without any covid restrictions. But in saying this, my friend and I played it safe and wore our masks on the train and whenever we were around too many people. We stopped to look at the David Jones Christmas window display. But it was a bit underwhelming this year. It’s hard to see in the photos because of the reflection in the window. But it was just a whole lot of mechanical things and it reminded me of something out of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. We were feeling a bit hungry so we stopped for brunch. I had the bruschetta with a poached egg. My friend had smashed avocado with lots of rocket. Visiting The Art Galley Of NSW Afterwards, we walked over to see the opening of the new art gallery building. Here’s the original building. And next door is a very modern-looking building. The view from the back of the building was pretty spectacular. See that long grey building. That’s where Russell Crowe lives. I didn’t catch a glimpse of him though hehe. I thought that this big flower sculpture was bright and pretty. It was very spacious inside the new building and all the artworks were contemporary. This pic looks blurry but it’s not. The art was meant to be blurry! I think that this was the most interesting piece. It looks like a big skyscraper. But it’s just a whole lot of mirrors. I felt a bit dizzy looking down though. And then my friend noticed that all those colourful things on the levels were actually body parts. Hmmm………I’m not sure how I feel about contemporary art. It always leaves me feeling baffled and I’m not really a big fan. I felt the same way when we visited the MCA back in September. I did like these colourful windows. Then we got a chance to create some art for an exhibit. The instructions we were given were to roll out balls about the size of our palms. Then the best ones would be added to the middle of that huge table and that was the art! Look at our spectacular clay balls. Who knows? We may be commissioned to produce these amazing pieces of art!! It was therapeutic rolling our clay and we both agreed that we felt like we were at preschool (I’m lucky enough to work at preschool with my lovely friend). The Rocks Markets After the gallery visit, we walked over to the Rock’s “Christmas markets”. None of the stalls had anything Christmassy for sale which was a bit disappointing. We had a brief look and then stopped for a drink in an outdoor cafe. Saturday was such a fun day. I love getting out and about with my sweet friend and I’m excited to plan more outings for our summer holidays. Sunday I had a mini panic when I realised that I had not yet bought a single present for anybody. So I made a dash back into the city on Sunday afternoon. And I was on a mission to tick off some presents from my list. Luckily I found a few things and I even got the presents gift-wrapped for free. That’s one of the big perks of shopping at DJs. I feel a whole lot better now that I have started my shopping. I had every intention of doing this in November but November flew by in a flash

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A Low-Key Weekend

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Hey everyone it’s good to be back today linking up with Holly and Sarah for this week’s Hello Monday. I hope that you all had an amazing weekend and are all ready for a brand-new week. I’m happy to report that after a very low-key weekend I am feeling better. On Friday I shared with you guys that covid finally got me in a big way. Thankfully I feel that I am getting better each day. Even though I still have an annoying cough and my energy levels are still pretty low I’m slowly getting back to normal. But I guess it’s just going to take a bit of time before I feel one hundred per cent. Saturday I’m excited that next Saturday we are going to our friend’s son’s wedding. I decided that it would be a great idea to get a manicure and pedicure this Saturday because I knew that I wouldn’t get a chance to get one during the week. I’m planning to wear strappy silver heels so I really needed to get my toenails looking decent. I chose a very neutral colour with a bit of shimmer in a shellac finish which should last longer without chipping or peeling. Neutral colours are always my go-to. I considered something a bit more colourful but I’m always drawn to neutrals! I just can’t help myself!! After my mani/pedi, Steve and I went out for brunch. I had smoked salmon, smashed avocado, tomatoes, edamame, and fetta sprinkled with sweet potato crisps. It looked like a spring garden on a plate and it was very delicious too! I nearly finished it all but I left a bit because my appetite is still not quite there yet. Steve had a burger and fries and he commented that he should have ordered what I did. He always says that!! In the evening Sam was out with his lovely girlfriend and Steve was at work. I wasn’t feeling very hungry so I just made myself some chicken nuggets with tomatoes and cucumber for dinner. Then I had a fruit smoothie for dessert while I watched one of my favourite movies ‘Parenthood’ with Steve Martin. Sunday I went to church in the morning and even though I had lovely conversations with some of my church friends I was feeling pretty down on the way home. I’ve been feeling really emotional lately especially more so since I got sick. And as we are heading closer to the Christmas season it’s getting harder and harder to face the fact that my lovely mum will not be with us this year. Sunday afternoon my friend texted me this beautiful photo that she found while she was sorting through some things at her home. It’s a photo of my mum (in the middle) and my friend’s mum (on the left) with another family friend (on the right). These three were very best friends and they loved hanging out together. I have the most amazing childhood memories of the three of them chatting and laughing together constantly. They always had so much fun and their friendship was just so special. I can honestly say that they were the best example of what it means to truly be a good friend. Because while they enjoyed all the good fun times. The three of them also went through some tough and dark times in their personal lives over the many years of their friendship. But they were always there for each other both emotionally and in practical helpful ways too. They supported each other through things like life-threatening illnesses of their loved ones, separations and divorce. Always showing each other so much love and respect with never a cross word spoken between them. Sadly they have all passed away now. My friend texted me the photo along with these words…” Just came across these beautiful girls who now look out for us from up above”. Sigh……I miss them so much. I loved getting the photo but it also sent me into a flood of tears. I ended up calling my friend and we had a great chat. Good uplifting conversation is so wonderful for the soul. In the evening I was still feeling a bit fragile so I took it easy and spent a lot of time resting. I also treated myself to a face mask as my skin has been feeling so dry! Not sure if it’s a combination of the weather or my crying that is making my skin feel so dry. Probably both!! I also had a coffee and a doughnut with delicious pink icing and sprinkles to cheer myself up. Before I went to bed I spent time reading some of my favourite blogs. It’s so lovely to read about people decorating their homes and about some of their Christmas traditions. It helped to make me feel a tiny bit more Christmasy. I won’t be putting my tree up until the first weekend of December. And this year I’m really going to miss my mum saying what she said every single year “Ruthie…the tree looks lovely but it needs more tinsel” haha…..as far as my mum was concerned there was never enough tinsel in the world! I hope you guys have a great Monday!

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