What’s Up Wednesday

Hi friends, and welcome to the June edition of What’s Up Wednesday. Time to share a little about what’s been going on in June. Thanks so much for stopping by! What We’re Eating Monday – Roast beef and veggies. It’s the perfect winter meal! Tuesday – Leftover roast beef Wednesday – Steak, chips and salad Thursday – Dinner at Allawah pub, so I’ll most likely order a chicken schnitzel with two lots of gravy. Because it’s winter, we’ve decided that if we want to eat out, we’re going to keep it local. Allawah pub and Lilong Chinese restaurant are our local winter hangs. In the summer we’ll venture out to Newtown and the city. Friday – Spaghetti and meatballs. I went to Ikea last Sunday and left with home organisation things and frozen meatballs. The weekend is full of surprises because I have no meal plan. What I’m Reminiscing About Warm weather! What I’m Loving I was thinking about this prompt and came up with a whole list of things I’m not loving because it’s winter. So that’s not great. Hmmmmm……I really had to dig deep, and I came up with winter fashion. Yes, I think I do love winter fashion because you get to wear more clothes. Haha, that sounds weird. What I mean is that you get to wear a variety of layers, mix and match outfits, and accessorise. In summer, especially in Sydney, it’s often too hot to wear much beyond the basics. Winter gives you a lot more options, and I do enjoy putting outfits together. What We’ve Been Up To At the risk of sounding boring, nothing particularly exciting is happening right now. It’s the usual work and home routine, as well as cosy nights.But I’ve realised that sometimes the ordinary weeks, when everything is just moving along as it should be, are actually the good ones. I’ve come to appreciate the “boring” seasons because they usually mean everyone I love is okay and life is steady. What I’m Dreading Whenever I dread anything, it’s usually medical-related. If you’ve been reading along, you’ll know I have major anxiety about anything to do with going to see a doctor. But yay to me, I still show up for the usual tests even though the stress of them probably takes years off my life (dramatic much). I got some blood test results back today. A few things were a bit low or high, nothing serious, but it does mean another follow-up test in four months. I really need to stop leaving every appointment feeling like I’ve been given a dramatic life sentence when, in reality, it’s all manageable. What I’m Watching Oh my goodness, I binge-watched Gavin and Stacey in June, and I absolutely loved it! It’s a British comedy written by James Corden and Ruth Jones about two families from very different parts of the UK whose lives get connected when Gavin from Essex and Stacey from Wales fall in love. I love every single character, and I’ve told everyone I know that their lives are not complete until they watch this series. So far, only one coworker has taken my advice, and now her life is so much better for it. Every morning she greets me with, “What’s occurring, Miss Ruth?” Haha. IYKYK. What I’m Listening To This month it’s all about 90s music… Whoomp! There It Is! What I’m Wearing I bought this jacket from Zara, and I’ve been wearing it a lot this season. I’ve also been wearing my very bright Onitsuka Tiger sneakers I bought in Japan. What I’m Doing This Weekend It’s a no-plans weekend. What I’m Looking Forward To Next Month The July school holidays! Woop woop! I’ve got some fun outings planned with friends, and I also have tickets to see Disney on Ice. Gotta get a Disney fix! That’s a wrap for June! We’re halfway through the year already, and I’m still convinced we had Christmas about five minutes ago. Time is wild. Hope your June was a good one — here’s to an amazing July!

Hi friends, I hope you’re having a great day. I’m time for the April edition of What’s Up Wednesday. Thanks so much for being here. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK My meal planning has gone out the window, and I’m just winging it every day. But so far so good, and now that the new season of MasterChef is on, I’m more inspired. Not that I make anything nearly as creative as they do. But still, I like watching it as I cook. Anyway, back to what we’re eating this week. So far, I’ve made Mediterranean chicken, and we’ve had plenty for leftovers. We aren’t fussy at my house, and we are more than happy to eat the same meal two nights in a row. I did make a big pot of hearty soup just for me to take to work for lunch, and I have divided it up and frozen it. I like my soups thick and chunky with plenty of chicken and vegetables. This time I made it with some soup mix, and it has beans and barley, which makes it extra filling. It’s a nice change from the summer salads that I was taking to work during the hotter months. Although we haven’t really hit any autumn weather, soup is a nice change from salad and tuna on repeat. My son’s friend’s family owns a farm where they raise cattle for beef, and they generously gave us some meat, so we’ve been eating more red meat than usual. I think I’m rambling now. There is clearly no plan here. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Trip planning! I’m not in a funk like I was when we got back from our USA trip, but I am missing that excitement of planning a trip and counting down the days. That’s one of the best parts! WHAT I’M LOVING It’s autumn, but it’s still so warm, and I sure do love warm weather. I’ve probably gone and jinxed everything now, and next week it will be cold, and I’ll be complaining. I wonder what the weather forecast is. I’m too scared to look! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We are all coming down from the high of our trip to Singapore and Japan. It’s back to work for all of us, and it’s always a bit of a shock coming back to reality. If you’d like to catch up on the trip recaps I’ve done so far, you can find them here and here. WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing I can think of, which makes me very thankful. Well, I guess there is one tiny thing. I’ve shared before that I’m not great with anything medical. Yes, I do the essential lady check-ups (ugh), but I tend to put off other things. I’ve got a referral for a blood test, and it’s been a few years since my last one. I should probably check things like cholesterol, but the last time my white blood cell count was a bit low, I immediately thought the worst. The doctor said everything was fine, and I was probably just run down or fighting an infection. But after that, I kind of went, “Who needs this kind of negativity?” And I haven’t gone back. So I’m trying to get myself together and just do it. I’m not even scared of needles; it’s more the results. And I know putting it off is silly, but here we are. WHAT I’M WATCHING I went to see Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you must! I loved it so much, I want to go back again. I had to hold myself back from jumping out of my seat and dancing—it was that good! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Michael Jackson hits! Mama say mama sa mama coo sa – wooooo! WHAT I’M WEARING Autumn layers! I have been starting the day with a denim jacket or light jumper, and then, as it’s still lovely and warm during the day, I peel off a layer, and it’s back to T-shirts. Yay! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND Zero plans WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I was just saying to a friend today that May is usually a very quiet month. Well, she actually said that, and I agreed. But it turns out there are a few things happening. First up, one of our friends from our monthly Monday catch-ups is organising girls’ adventures, and we’re kicking off the first one on the 9th of May with a trip to Manly. Then we have a work dinner on the 22nd. I’m having some friends over on one of the weekends, I think it’s my turn to host cousin connect, and there’s Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. It’s nice to have a few things to look forward to in May. Well, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I’ll say what I always say. I can’t believe how fast the time is flying! It’s already time to say goodbye to April. It was a great month, and I’m sad to see it go. But fingers crossed, May is good to all of us. See you on Friday. Linking up with Shay

Hi friends, it’s great to be back linking up with Shay for What’s Up Wednesday. The last time I joined was back in September last year. Then everything got on top of me with work, and I had to put a pause on blogging. After a lovely summer break, I’m excited to be back and hoping for a much better year at work. We’ve had two staff development days, and tomorrow we meet the new children starting preschool. Not going to lie, I’m a bit traumatised after last year, but it’s going to be okay, isn’t it? Anyway, I’ll stop the nervous babbling and let’s get onto sharing a little about January. Thanks so much for stopping by. January What’s Up Wednesday WHAT WE’RE EATING One of the best things about staff development days is getting to enjoy a catered lunch as a team. This time, we had salads, mini chicken schnitzel burgers, and fruit. My insides are already thanking me for all of these fresh, healthy choices. Last night, my husband cooked Veal Chasseur with mashed potatoes and green beans. Tonight he made a chicken stir fry with vermicelli noodles. Tomorrow night we’re going out for dinner, and after that I have no idea what we’re eating on Friday or over the weekend. I think I’m taking a break from meal planning this year. With Steve cooking three nights a week, we just chat about those nights, and the rest of the time, I’m winging it. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I’ve been missing the days when my kids were little, and we all lived under one roof. Wow, those days flew by so fast! There’s an eleven-year age gap between my boys, and when they were younger, I often wondered if we had rocks in our heads for waiting so long before having another baby. It wasn’t always easy having a teen and a toddler at the same time, and they weren’t always the best of friends back then. Thankfully, that all changed. Even though my eldest has moved out, they love each other, are in regular contact, and my youngest looks up to his older brother for all things life advice, world political news, and, of course, anything to do with gaming. WHAT I’M LOVING Sitting on the verandah in the warm sunshine. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We kicked off 2026 by booking a trip to Singapore and Japan. Yay! I painted the living room with a fresh coat of white paint. Over the summer holidays, we enjoyed eating out at our favourite places and tried some new ones too. We tried Jimmy’s Kitchen, a Greek restaurant at the rocks, and I think this was one of our new favourite discoveries. The food at Jimmy’s Kitchen was delicious, and walking around Sydney Harbour at night was magical. Seeing the Opera House lit up never gets old. We enjoyed a small Cousin Connect at our place in January, as most of the cousins were away. WHAT I’M DREADING Sam’s off to Bali for 7 days with his friends tomorrow. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m dreading it, but I know the worrier in me is going to be… well, worried. I know he’ll have an amazing time, and he’s doing what young people do—enjoying an adventure with his friends. It’s all part of life, and I’m really happy he has this opportunity. But I’ll be so glad when he’s back home. WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve been watching The Nanny, and now I’ve got my husband hooked. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m back to listening to Lovefly podcasts to get ready for our Cousin Connect adventure. Did I mention I’m scared of flying? Probably only about a million times. WHAT I’M WEARING Now the holidays are over, it’s back to work clothes for me. I have a capsule summer wardrobe made up of comfortable pieces from Uniqlo. It’s usually a black, white, or green t-shirt with linen pants or shorts… and then repeat. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I have zero plans at the moment. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH It’s birthday month for me, and I’m keeping up the tradition of doing something special every week for the whole of February. Just a few spontaneous things I wouldn’t normally do, nothing big. I started this after my work buddy, who celebrates her birthday the day before mine, told me all about how she does it. She shared it with me after I was complaining about getting older. And just like that, January is almost over. How was your January? I hope it was a good one 😊

Hi friends, and welcome to What’s Up Wednesday. It’s time to share some of the things we have been up to in September. Can you believe how fast the month went by? WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Creamy chicken and mushroom with rice Tuesday – Chilli Wednesday – Leftover chilli Thursday – Barramundi, wedges and salad Friday – Turkey burgers Saturday – Cousin connect dinner at my aunt’s Sunday – Steak sandwiches and chips WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I miss my mum every day. September was her birth month, and she would have been 97. I’ve been getting teary every time I think about it. There are also some things I really wish I could talk to her about, nothing major, just ordinary things that only she would understand. I miss her reactions when I shared things with her. She was funny. WHAT I’M LOVING I’m loving the warmer days, flowers blooming, longer daylight, and wearing lighter clothing. I’m also excited to see Halloween costumes and decorations popping up in the shops. I love the months from September to February; they are my absolute favourites. Right now, I feel like finding a mountain to spin around on and sing ‘The Hills Are Alive! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO Apart from the usual routine of work, in September, we also enjoyed a trip to Ikea to buy things we didn’t know we needed. Dinner at our local Chinese restaurant, called Lilong. Our monthly catch-up with friends at the RSL. A fun lunch with great friends and a wonderful view. A whole lot of preschool prep. We enjoyed some sweet treats for R U OK Day. At work, our parent committee also spoiled us with cakes and a lovely pen for Educator’s Day. We celebrated Father’s Day a week late. I made a trip to Bunnings to buy some pretty plants for our front garden. As well as some things we needed for our preschool class to make Cress Heads. A delicious dinner out with colleagues for our once-a-term catch-up. It’s funny, I always think we didn’t really do much, then I scroll back through my photos and realise we did all the ordinary things and also enjoyed a few little highlights sprinkled throughout the month. WHAT I’M DREADING I love it when I can answer this one with a big fat nothing. WHAT I’M WATCHING We’re definitely late to the party on this one because I know it was really popular when it first came out. But we started watching Designated Survivor a couple of weeks ago, and we’re enjoying it so much. Kiefer never disappoints! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO SBS Chill, and it plays chill music that doesn’t stress Steve. He intensely dislikes chill music, but he doesn’t mind this digital station. WHAT I’M WEARING We’re still in that in-between season phase; some days are warm, others chilly. Some nights I’m in the full winter pyjama outfit with bed socks and everything, and other nights it’s just a T-shirt and shorts. I love the days when I can wear a T-shirt and have my arms out. When Sam was little and saw someone barefoot, he’d say, ‘Look, Mummy, they’re wearing feet!’ It always cracked me up. I guess now, since some days my arms are bare, you could say I’ve been ‘wearing arms’. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND It’s the first weekend of the school holidays, and so far it’s looking like a relaxed one. All we have planned is our Cousin Connect dinner at my aunt’s house. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I’m looking forward to warmer weather, and October means my two boys have birthdays coming up. One’s turning 21 and the other 32, so they’re not exactly boys anymore, but they will always be my boys. And just like that, September is almost done. I hope your month was a good one. Thanks for reading along, and I hope October is good to all of us. 😊 Linking up with Shay

Hi friends, welcome to What’s Up Wednesday! It’s that time again to share a few highlights from August. Thanks so much for stopping by—I always appreciate you being here. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Chilli con carne with rice. To jazz things up a bit, I added some turmeric to the rice to make it yellow. It doesn’t change the flavour, but it makes the dish more colourful Tuesday – We went to Allawah Pub for dinner with friends. I had the chicken schnitzel with chips, salad and gravy, but after seeing my friend’s chicken and leek pie, I knew I should have ordered that instead. I had major pie envy! Wednesday – Roast chicken with mash and vegetables Thursday – Spaghetti bolognese. Friday – Roast beef Saturday – leftovers My husband convinced me to let him cook today (and for the rest of the week!). I’m not sure why I’ve never taken him up on his offer — he’s really helpful around the house and actually enjoys being in the kitchen. Part of me loves zoning out while I cook, but another part of me is starting to think… why not let him take over more often? He’s cut back on his work hours and could even look at retiring, but after watching the Netflix documentary The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner, we both decided we’d like to keep working. I’m happy doing full-time, and he’s happy to scale back, and it’s working really well. We get to spend more time together. That said, it has definitely shaken up my little evening routine, where I used to be home alone with my own schedule that included cooking. I’m enjoying having him around more, but it’s a change — and even good change takes me a little while to get used to. Do you get what I mean? Anyway, my weekly meal planning turned into a bit of a therapy session — thanks for letting me get that off my chest! 😅 In a nutshell… I think I might have a few control issues — yikes! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT To be honest… I can’t think of anything. WHAT I’M LOVING I’ve spotted some flowers blooming in my garden and in other people’s gardens on my walks to and from work. After what feels like an eternal winter, I’m so happy to see evidence of spring starting to peek through! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO The highlights in August have been Cousin Connect. We celebrated Steve’s birthday with a lunch at home, just the four of us. Then, on his actual birthday, we had breakfast at The Boat Shed and walked around exploring La Perouse–such a lovely spot! We had lunch at The Opera Bar last weekend. Those were the fun moments, and then for the rest of the month, it was just the usual work routine. WHAT I’M DREADING Tomorrow I’m leading an evacuation drill at work. This time, it’s a bigger scenario, and we have to evacuate to the local park. Hmph, just thinking about it stresses me out! First of all, this group of children are very lively, so rounding them up will be ‘fun.’ Then it’s roll call, grabbing all the necessary things (medication, etc.), getting them onto the walking rope, we’ll be using the walking rope with loop handles (sometimes called doughnut rings) and crossing a busy road. We practised a drill on Tuesday that was led by another educator, and I made the mistake of directing one of the boys to “hold on to the doughnut.” So he started chewing on it: “But Miss Ruth, you said it was a doughnut!” Lord, give me strength! WHAT I’M WATCHING The Gilded Age– it’s so good and reminds me a little of Downton Abbey, which I loved so much. I also finished watching Friends Like Her, a series from New Zealand. I’d never watched a show from New Zealand before, and I enjoyed it so much — lots of drama, but not the stressful kind I can’t handle at the moment, just entertaining drama. Then on Sunday night, we started watching Hostage. We’ve only got two episodes left, and I’m wondering if it’s a limited series or not. We’re really into it and can’t wait to see how it ends! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO This is part of my Music & Movement Spotify playlist. Most of these songs are new to me (except A Ram Sam Sam), and I’ve been practising the actions so I can get them right before introducing them to the preschool kids. WHAT I’M WEARING Still in winter clothes, BUT the good news is I’m down one layer this week. Spring is coming! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND Coffee and Portuguese tarts on Saturday morning. Then I’m catching up with some friends I haven’t seen in ages in the afternoon. Sunday looks like it’ll be a stay-at-home day. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH Spring! Hooray for spring! And that’s a wrap on August! I can’t believe how fast time is flying by. I have to admit, my favourite months are coming, and I’m so excited! From September onwards, it’s spring, the fun festivities are on the way, and everything just feels brighter and more upbeat. I hope you all had a great August, and here’s hoping September is good to all of us! Linking up with Shay

It’s time for the July edition of What’s Up Wednesday. Oh my goodness, isn’t the year flying? Here’s a quick look at what we’ve been up to this month—what we’ve been doing, eating, watching, wearing, and everything in between. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK My meal planning days are almost a distant memory (I need to get back on track), and these days, I’m mostly just winging it. I have a vague idea of what I’m going to make each day, and I know we usually have fish on Wednesdays—but that’s about it. For inspiration, I sometimes ask the kids at preschool, “Hey, what should Miss Ruth cook for dinner tonight?” They usually come back with ideas like chocolate soup or chicken nuggets. Hmm… I guess they’re only four and five, so they’re not exactly culinary experts just yet. On Monday night, I made chicken and mushrooms with a creamy sauce, and we ate it with rice and vegetables. On Tuesday, we finished the chicken from Monday night, and I also made some battered cauliflower to go with it. Tonight, we’ll be having barramundi with chips and salad. I’ve got a staff meeting on Thursday, so I’ll be making a quick chilli con carne with guacamole on the side. We’ve still got plenty of avocados from my aunt’s tree. I’m thinking Friday will be turkey burgers. As for Saturday… hmm, it’s a mystery. So, meal planning is now done thanks to this post! WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT When I was 5 and my saddest moment was when Lassie finished, and I had to wait until the next day to watch the next episode. WHAT I’M LOVING A few weeks ago, I popped into Priceline and, by pure luck, found a lovely sales assistant who gave me so many great makeup tips. These people are absolute gems! She knew exactly what I needed and pointed me in the right direction with products that actually suited me. I’ve been to high-end makeup counters before and sadly walked away with products that made me look like an Oompa Loompa. So when my lovely work colleague commented the other day, “Wow, your makeup looks really nice—what are you using?” I knew I’d finally cracked it. I’ll share a post soon about the changes I’ve made and my five-minute makeup routine—for people like me who have no time, no patience, and still want to look a little bit glam (or at the very least, not scary). WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO A spontaneous staycation at The Rocks during my winter school holiday break. A visit to the Christmas in July markets. I did a big overhaul of my office space—and now I actually love it! Christmas in July with my cousins. Date nights. I got a haircut during the holidays, and I’m pretty sure my hair grew two inches the very next day. WHAT I’M DREADING I’ve got to put my big girl pants on because I’m off for a breast screen on Monday. Just one of the many joys of being, ahem, over 50. While I’m at it, I’ll also finally get that yearly blood test done. The last time I did one, they told me my white cells were low, so naturally, I did the most “Ruth” thing ever and didn’t go back for three years. Who needs that kind of negativity? But really, I should get on top of these grown-up tests and stop walking in expecting to be told I’ve got three months to live. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Four weeks till spring! WHAT I’M WATCHING As many Swedish shows and movies as I can find! I love the sound of the language, and I’m also keeping up with Duolingo. Every time I catch a word in a scene, I feel so proud. Subtitles are still very much on—but I’m working on it. I’m also watching MasterChef Australia, and it’s nearly finals time. All of the contestants are very likable. So I don’t mind who wins. Bit of a funny—my family always say I cook better when MasterChef is on. I’m not about to temper chocolate or cook over a hibachi, but it does get me thinking about balancing flavours and getting that umami happening. Look at me using MasterChef words like I know what I’m doing haha! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I’m typing this during my lunch break, and the noise from the playroom is wild. So, I’m listening to pink noise. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until I searched for white noise on Spotify, and this popped up. I can’t hear any pink—it just sounds like white to me. Curiosity got me, so I Googled it. Turns out, pink noise is like white noise but with more low-end rumble. People say it helps block out noise and helps with sleep. Mystery solved (though I still think it sounds exactly like white noise). WHAT I’M WEARING During cold winter nights, I often wear my cat to keep me warm while I’m watching TV. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND No plans WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH Cousin Connect and my husband’s birthday. And that’s a wrap for July, which turned out to be a pretty good month (despite the cold). Fingers crossed August is kind to us all! Linking up with Shay

Hi friends It’s time to link up and share a little of this and that on today’s What’s Up Wednesday link-up. Thanks so much for stopping by! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Steak sandwiches and chips Tuesday – Woolworths BBQ chicken Wednesday – Dinner out Thursday – Cottage pie Then the rest of the week is a mystery. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I think I said this last time — and I’ll probably keep saying it until the warmer months roll back around… summer. I’m reminiscing about summer. WHAT I’M LOVING We went to Ikea the other day, and I was so happy to see that Princess Cakes are back! It’s been years since they’ve had them — I thought they were gone for good. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We went to see my cousin perform at her Winter Gala Trips to the Farmer’s market. I’ve noticed that if I go later in the day, the prices drop, and I can score some great bargains, like three bags of avocados for $5.00 and bunches of herbs for a dollar each. Avocados usually cost $5 to $6.00 a bag, and the herbs are $3.00 a bunch. I wrote two trip recaps this month — one about visiting Aulani, the Disney Resort, and another all about Kualoa Ranch, where we went on the most amazing movie sites tour. I had never heard of Kualoa Ranch before our trip, and I had no idea that so many films and TV shows had been filmed there. WHAT I’M DREADING I’m trying so hard not to dwell on this, but I’m flying to Melbourne tomorrow. It’s a quick one-and-a-half-hour plane ride, but it’s still a plane ride — way up high in the sky. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT I’m going to Melbourne to see Footloose the musical with my cousin. She planned this fun little overnight getaway just for the two of us, and I’m so excited. I’m determined not to let my fear of flying stop me from enjoying adventures. But it’s funny how I can feel nervous (sick, terrified, cold, clammy) and excited all at the same time. Yay! I flew across the Pacific Ocean from Australia to the USA in January this year — I’ve got this! (gulp) My sweet friend sent me this the other day, and it made me laugh. It also made me feel very reassured that there are many of us out there keeping those planes up in the sky. Phew, where would the aviation world be without us! WHAT I’M WATCHING We finished watching The Amazing Race and Survivor the other day. I think both seasons were great, and I really loved the way the contestants played Survivor this year. We also went to see Mission: Impossible last Tuesday and loved it. Of course, it was way over the top and totally unrealistic — but so much fun to watch! All the action scenes were fantastic, and was it just me, or were there even more Tom Cruise running scenes than usual? I’m not complaining — those scenes are iconic. Let the man run. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO A bit of a mix depending on my mood. I really like Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra at the moment. WHAT I’M WEARING This is the latest jewellery creation designed especially for me. It’s a gorgeous purple heart bracelet made of the finest preschool paper and smoothest markers, attached securely with Bostik glue that also found its way onto my arm (ouch). WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND No plans for this weekend, I think it’s going to be a quiet one. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH It’s unusual for June to be busy with it being winter here, but I’ve got a few catch-ups planned with friends I haven’t seen in a while, spread out over a few weekends. We also have a fun work dinner coming up on the second-last Friday of the term, which I’m really looking forward to. And of course, there’s our usual cousin connect — though I’m not sure who’s hosting this time… maybe it’s my turn? And that’s a wrap for this month’s What’s Up Wednesday! Can you believe that next month marks the halfway point of the year? I sure can’t. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I’ll be back here on Friday to share all about my Melbourne adventure. See you then! Linking up with Shay  

Hi friends! It’s time to link up with Shay for What’s Up Wednesday. Thanks for stopping by today as I share a little about what’s been happening in our corner of the world this April. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Bacon and spinach quiche Tuesday – Chili con carne Wednesday – Chicken and vegetable soup Thursday – Barramundi with chips and salad Friday – Butter chicken Saturday – leftovers WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Summer! It’s been rainy and so cold today. I’m not complaining because I promised I wouldn’t. Just saying. WHAT I’M LOVING Peanut M&M’s! These are so good, and I might have to start counting them because I’m starting to suspect someone else might be enjoying my treat jar—even though it’s on my desk with my name on it! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO It was great having two weeks off for the school holidays. We didn’t do anything too big, but it was so nice just being home during the day. Here’s a little of what we got up to this April. We had a lovely night out at Bistro George. I enjoyed some bubbles when I went to listen to a community choir at The Gasoline Pony with a lovely friend. Towards the end of the school holidays, I caught up with a fun friend, and we went to the city to shop, have lunch, and laugh! She’s so funny, and we just bounce off each other all day long! We got so caught up shopping and trying things on that we ended up having a late lunch. We both ordered the same thing—club sandwich with fries, and it was so delicious. Our cat Mochi put us through some major chaos when we had to take her to the vet to get spayed—she was not a fan of getting into the carrier and turned into a psycho cat! But she’s all healed up now and back to her cute, cuddly self. Sam started his four-week placement in the emergency department at a hospital. It was nice staying up late to hear some of his stories when he got home after his afternoon/evening shifts. I started back at work this week, so I haven’t seen him since Sunday—I’m already in bed when he gets home, and by the time I leave for work, he’s still asleep. But we’ve been texting each other. With some spare time over the school holidays, I also managed to write three more trip recaps. Here they are if you want to relive the adventures with me: Page, Arizona and Utah The Grand Canyon and Desert View Watchtower Las Vegas WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing–yay! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Hot chocolate! One of the upsides of the colder weather is having an excuse to enjoy all the cosy treats. I ordered a big tin of Swiss Miss from Amazon the other day, and today I got a delivery notification while I was at work. On the way home, I popped into the shop to pick up some marshmallows. As soon as I’ve done all the things tonight, I’ll be enjoying my first hot chocolate of the season. WHAT I’M WATCHING Lately, I’ve been into Harlan Coben’s limited series on Netflix. After finishing all the English-speaking ones—Safe, The Stranger, Stay Close, and Fool Me Once—I’ve now moved on to the international series. I watched The Innocent(Spanish) and just started the Polish one, Just One Look. Same twisty plots, different languages, and still completely addictive—once you give them a bit of time. They don’t always grab me straight away, but if I stick with it, they get really good, and then I can’t stop watching. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO At the moment, I’m listening to the loud hum of the rangehood in the kitchen while my chicken and vegetable soup simmers away. Quite annoying and not very relaxing, but it’s doing its thing, I guess. WHAT I’M WEARING My trusty denim jacket–perfect for those crisp autumn mornings earlier this week. But from today, I think that I’ll be pulling out my puffer jacket. Brrrrr. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I’m going to see my talented cousin perform Bachata with her dance school. I think most of the Cousin Connect gang are going this time so it will be extra fun! WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I’m flying (yikes!) to Melbourne with my cousin J to see Footloose the musical, and I am so excited! And that’s a wrap for April! Woah, it sure went fast, didn’t it? I look forward to being back here on Friday to share some favourites. Hope to see you then. Happy Wednesday!

Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe it’s the last Wednesday of the month, friends! Today’s been a work-from-home day spent writing up children’s developmental summaries. With term one nearly over, parent-teacher interviews are coming up soon. But first—summaries. Working from home always sounds so good to me, but in reality, I don’t think they’re all that great. Haha, it might even be harder than a regular day! My shoulder is sore from sitting at the computer all day and being at home makes me feel like I’m being naughty and skipping school. So, I didn’t even give myself a lunch break. Crazy huh? I also nearly decided to miss this fun link-up, but I had a shower to shake off the sluggishness, poured another coffee, and jumped back on the computer. Now, I’m here to share a little of this and that about what’s been happening for us in March. Let’s go! WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Monday – Chicken thighs marinated in garlic, ginger, and soy sauce with fried rice. My boys loved it and asked to have it on the menu regularly. Sure, no problem—such an easy meal to make! Tuesday – Teriyaki salmon, rice and Asian salad. The salad comes in a bag from Woolworths and it goes perfectly with the salmon. Wednesday – Pesto fettuccine with prawns. Thursday – Pot roast. Friday – Leftovers. Saturday – Chicken schnitzel with baked potatoes, salad and gravy (lots of gravy). Sunday – Steak sandwiches. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT March marks three years since my beloved Mumma passed. I miss her every single day, and there isn’t a day that goes by without thinking about her. Sometimes, I even catch myself thinking, ‘Oh, I have to tell my mum…’ and then I remember. Loss sucks, and grief never goes away. You just get better at carrying it with you, and you learn to live alongside it. The 19th of March was the actual day, and on that day, I went about getting to work without thinking about the date—until a kind, well-meaning lady from the church I used to attend texted me to see if I was okay on such a hard day. I got the message mid-morning, and it kind of unravelled me. One, because I remembered, and two, because I felt bad that I had forgotten. So, I had to remind myself that grief doesn’t care about the calendar. Some years, anniversaries hit hard, and other times, they pass quietly. And that’s okay. The love, the loss, and the missing her—it’s there every day, not just on one marked date. I still felt bad for the rest of the day, though. WHAT I’M LOVING Even though it’s nearly April, the weather is still warm over here. We’ve had plenty of cloudy and humid days, which are making my hair frizzy. Despite that, I’m still loving the heat and enjoying wearing summer clothes. I’m also planning to get a keratin hair treatment soon to combat the frizz. In the meantime, I bought a heat styling brush from Amazon, and now I’m wondering if I even need the keratin treatment since this brush is doing such a good job at taming my hair. Decisions, decisions! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO In March, we took a step back in time and visited Lyndham Hall Historic House for their open day. We learned some local history and enjoyed a delicious lunch followed by a traditional Devonshire tea. We went to Ikea for a mid-week shop. This was an exciting March event for a huge Ikea fan like me! We hosted Cousin Connect. Played a hilarious new board game. Said cheers to a gorgeous sunset at a local rooftop bar. Another unexpected mid-week treat. Every Sunday in March, we made homemade brunch a thing. Yum! WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing–yay! WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT Term one is nearly over, and we break up for the autumn holidays on April 11th. That’s 12 more early morning alarms, 16 more sleeps, and 384 more hours. WHAT I’M WATCHING I watched Adolescence on Netflix, and WOW! What an intense series! I won’t spoil it, but it’s one of those shows that stays with you because it’s so raw and thought-provoking. As a parent, it left me wondering what it’s like to have preteens and teens in this digital era. My youngest is 20, so it’s been a while since those teenage years. But the pressures young people face today? It must be so tough. Each episode was filmed in one continuous take, and I’ve been reading about how they pulled that off. It took so much skill, coordination, and timing to make it all come together. The acting is incredible, and you feel everything the characters feel. It’s a must-watch. Please go watch it now if you haven’t already! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Teddy Swims. I just discovered his music the other day—what a voice! WHAT I’M WEARING I remembered to take one photo of what I wore in March. Go me! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND Another no-plans weekend for me. WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH The autumn break and Easter. And that’s a wrap for March! How was your month? I hope it treated you well and brought you some good moments. I’m looking forward to what April has in store and hoping it’s kind to all of us. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. Linking up with Shay and Sheaffer.