Hello. 

Do you like this photo? 

I do. It’s kind of like my brain tonight, a bit fuzzy yet still pleasing to look at. It’s actually an out of focus photo of evening traffic. Loads of people in their cars, waiting at the lights, heading for home after a hard day at the office. 

Tonight, the Friday of our beloved Queen’s – long may she reign – Birthday long weekend (her b’day is actually in April BTW), I sat in the traffic feeling like the top portion of this photo, mostly blankish, and super keen to get home and go promptly to bed. I was in my pjs in bed at 6:37pm. Yep. Ace. 

Now it’s a few hours later and I’m cosy cosy cosy and I have been eating corn chips and avocado dip and listening to Stephen Fry talk about electricity, magnetism and Napoleon. He’s a very clever and entertaining man. 

I’m going to take a “pick and mix” approach to the classic Pip Lincolne Taking Stock post, if you don’t mind. I felt like blogging tonight, but because of my blankish brain, I thought her prompts might be helpful. 

Here we go! 

Making: I have plans to make bread this weekend. Baking my own bread means I can scoff toast with jam, or toast with eggs – never both – without worrying about all the sodium that’s in shop bought loaves. It’s a great thing to make your own. 

Reading: I’ve just started Reckoning by Magda Szubanski. I hope I’m going to get through it, it’s a BIG book. 

Drinking: A little beverage I call an Edna. It’s half lemonade and half orange juice. Edna was my grandma, and something about this drink reminds me of her. Did your grandparents get crates of Loy’s Lemonade delivered? All kinds of spiffy flavours, and wonderful glass bottles. It’s a nostalgic, happy bevvie. Do try it! 

Cooking: Lately I’ve been cooking with lots of lentils, couscous and chickpeas. Roast pumpkin and chickpeas, tossed with spinach and a little feta is a great quick feed. Lentils in a slow simmered tomato sauce with mushrooms is a recurring dish. And then there’s my beloved Jamie Oliver chookballs with beans, capsicum and coconut milk. Yum. 

Wanting: A little more spark in my soul. 

Waiting: To see if my very recently increased dosage of antidepressants brings some of the spark back. 

Watching: Farenheit 451, The Handmaid’s Tale, Sister Wives, MasterChef Australia. 

Wearing: Right now, jimjams, but during the working week lots of pants, boots and warm jumper combos. Winter’s here! 

Enjoying: I met a brand new human this week, my newest nephew Riley. I shared a photo of us on Instagram, he’s so sweet and tiny! I now have ten nieces and nephews. TEN! They are all lovely kids, even the ones who are young adults already. 

Snacking: Toasted pita bread and dip, when I’ve run out of the only corn chips I’ve found that are *almost* low sodium. I’m also getting into berry yoghurt with a hefty sprinkling of walnuts, seeds and dried cranberries. 

Getting: Tired. My blankish brain is conking out on me, so I’ll wrap up now. 

Whether you’re in regular or long weekend mode, I hope you get some good sleep, spend time with peeps you like, and eat some chocolate. I’ve got some milky hazelnut chocolate within arms reach, so I’m outta here! 

Be good to your brains, whether they’re blankish or frantic or blessedly somewhere in between. 

✌🏼️

Annette x