Hey, hello, howdy!

Welcome to my first blog post for 2019 – will it be one of barely a dozen, or one of many? Nobody knows!

What I do know is that I am deep into my summer holidays, with another week to go.

So far I’ve done pretty much nothing except lob around at home, Christmas celebrations aside.

Isn’t it funny how Christmas seems so long ago already? Time is a such a weird bendy thing.

I received some fabulous books for Christmas, and an unexpectedly fierce summer cold and cough from my sweet nephews.

I’ve been coughing and spluttering for about 10 days, it’s been kind of gross. On the upside, I’ve been able to rest lots and take naps and drink loads of orange juice. I am still coughing as I type this, but my ribs don’t ache anymore.

Back to the great books – thank you to my sisters and sister-in-law – I absolutely loved Kon Karapanigiotidis’ The Power Of Hope. As you may know, Kon is the founder of the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC) in Melbourne and he is a human rights activist, lawyer, an amazing vegan cook and an incredible storyteller.

The things that stood out to me most in the book are Kon’s unquenchable passion and his vulnerability. He writes straight from the heart, detailing the sacrificial work ethos of his migrant parents, his lonely university days, how the ASRC came to exist, and his desire to be a father. I can’t recall a more candid book by a male author.

I highly recommend this book to you. Thank you Kon. You rock.

I’m not a maker of resolutions. Are you?

I don’t buy into the “new year, new you” crapola that absolutely saturates media around this time of year. I don’t see the need to start a new year weighed down with a list of lofty expectations as long as my arm. I figure I made it through 2018, no radical course adjustments necessary.

Things I definitely do NOT resolve to do:

Weigh less

Talk less

Be less

Take up less space!

Hmm, ever noticed that resolutions seem to have a diminishing theme? Yuk.

What I would like to have, just as I wanted last year, is more creativity. I’ve decided that Fat Mum Slim’s Photo A Day challenge is a simple way I can engage my creative eye this month. Four days in, and I’m killing it!

Holidays always means loads of TV watching for me. I unashamedly love TV!

I just binged the wonderful Marie Kondo’s latest series on Netflix. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

She has such a great spirit about her, don’t you think? I found, even with the language barrier, it feels like she’s really non-judgemental and genuinely wants people to live calmer, happier, tidier lives. She gets the undies folding a bit wrong, but one person can’t know everything!

That’s pretty much my holiday wrap up so far. I do hope I’ll get a few fun activities in before I head back to work, maybe some painting or sketching and a nice lunch out somewhere? We shall see!

 

Keep noticing the ordinary, extraordinary things won’t you?

I was bringing my rubbish bin in a few nights ago and noticed my overgrown lawn was putting on a show. Popped the bin away, grabbed my camera and spent a few minutes taking photos – of a beautiful weed. Glorious! Did you know that dandelion means lion’s teeth? Neither did I! I can see why though.

How does something so fragile hold its form? Hmmmm, maybe there’s something in that for all of us.

Here’s to those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, and to the coming of autumn!

Tell me how your summer is going.

What did you get for Christmas?

Favourite read of the summer so far?

Are you pro-Kondo?

Much love,

Annette

 

 

PS: This is an unsponsored, friendship based announcement!

I would like to give a shout-out to Bron of Real Mum Style, and promote her upcoming Body Confidence + Wardrobe Happiness workshop for Melbourne peeps. It’s coming up in March, and I think it’s going to be a corker. Bron doesn’t do formulas and rules for dressing, she does confidence and fun!

Bron is a wonderfully colourful, fully down to earth, positive vibes giving lady who decided she was sick of talking shit about herself and her mum bod, so she stopped!

I am pumped about this upcoming event, and there are only a handful of tickets left. More info on Bron’s Instagram (or if the effing link will work) here!