Howdy readers!

It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon, and I’m sucking down free wifi at the library. Thank you council!

Spring has really hit its stride, now that we’re in daylight savings again (yay!), so it feels like a good time for a bit of reflection and taking stock. I love this exercise of Pip’s, it always makes me stop and think about what’s happening in my life.

Here we go!

Making: a lot of noise in the echo chamber that is the foyer outside the library, I’ve suddenly got a frog in my throat.

Cooking: chicken, bacon and new potatoes, which I shred and smash, then mix with crunchy celery and creamy mayo for an easy weekend dinner, the eat again for lunch. I love cooking that stretches across a couple of days of eating.

Drinking: Soda water and lemon cordial. So refreshing. It’s been almost a year since I gave soft drink the flick, though lately I’ve have the occasional can of fizzy stuff.

Reading: The Anti Cool Girl by Rosie Waterland. What a book! Rosie’s writing is sublime, and her honesty about what her life has been to this point really moved me. I’m almost finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’ll definitely be going back to the start with my highlighter in hand, there’s so much good stuff in that book. And FYI, Elizabeth Gilbert thinks I’m gorgeous! Here’s the proof.

Wanting: more inspiration in my painting, I often want to grab the brushes but sometimes I lack focus and don’t know what to paint. Got any tips for me?

Looking: Up. Often. All that spring sky. It’s so good for my heart.

Playing: David Bowie’s Greatest Hits

Wishing: That Auckland was a titch closer. I’d love to be able to pop over to my friend Rachel’s with a bottle of wine on a Friday night.

Enjoying: that hands-on creativity has become part of who I am. I draw or paint almost every day and it brings me so much quiet happiness.

Liking: My Ruby & Lilli – Inspired Life Tee. It was a present from my friend Rach, and I adore it.

Loving: knowing people online who genuinely support and encourage each other. I’m grateful to have found a happy crew to hang with, and be inspired by. Step away from your keyboard if you’re cranky, those are real people you’re firing your missives at. Just stop it.

Pondering: why some people refuse to see a link between the number of guns in the US and the insane frequency of mass shootings there. I will never understand this notion that ‘freedom’ equals a carrying deadly weapon. And the paranoia and illogical arguments around the issue – so infuriating!

Considering: moving to bigger canvases in my painting adventures. All that white space, hmmm, maybe not quite yet.

Buying: avocados, bacon, soda water, Lurpak butter, chocolate. Just the necessities of life.

Watching: Blue Bloods, Nashville, Rock The Boat, House of Cards, and Gilmore Girls. I’m nothing if not eclectic in my viewing tastes.

Hoping: that this summer won’t be crazily hot. I just cannot deal with those icky overnight ‘lows’ in the mid-20s.

Marvelling: at the way some people face adversity and then fashion it into a crown. I’m looking at you Styling Curvy. You are creating something beautiful with your life.

Needing: nothing really. I could list off some wants, but couldn’t we all. Satisfaction is a practiced habit.

Questioning: what’s next, not in a major way, but I wonder what 2016 might have in store.

Smelling: flowers in bloom. I noticed as I was walking down the street after work the other day, that the air was heady with spring fragrance.

Wearing: one of my new Ruby & Lilly tees – coffee rings! So hot right now.

Following: Blogs that inspire me and make me smile. I loved being along for the ride on Baby Mac’s recent Italian adventure, and there are always nice happenings on fellow Melbourne gals Bird & Fox and Iris and Edie‘s blogs.

Noticing: clouds, sunsets and light. Every day, I see beautiful shapes, colours and tones in the sky

Knowing: my youngest sister’s life is about to change forever. Baby’s coming soon!

Thinking: about ways I can support her once ‘Barry’ arrives. Already, there are so many opinions! I want to be a big sister who helps her trust herself as she becomes a mum.

Admiring: so many ladies I’ve met via the keyboard. Ladies who create, who write, who cook, who build others up, who tell it like it is and most of all, ladies who use their platform to champion others. There’s no shortage of them, I guarantee you.

Getting: to the point where I really need to vacuum my house. I hate vacuuming!

Bookmarking: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook page. This lady is wise and funny and all about inspiring others. I’ll have what she’s having. The fact that she thinks I’m gorgeous has nothing to do with it, I swear!

Coveting: creative inspiration. The desire is there, but I’d like to channel it into a project of some kind.

Disliking: Internet trolls and cranks. Go and do something positive with your life. Why waste the days you’ve been given destroying another person? You were made for more than that. So much more.

Opening: too many emails I don’t care about, must be time to get my unsubscribe on.

Laughing: with my hairdresser. We have such strange, funny conversations when I’m in the chair.
Feeling: good, but slightly restless.

Snacking: did someone say salt & vinegar chips? Yum!

Helping: by being a sounding board, just recently it’s been great to do more encouraging murmuring than instructional speaking, and it works. People get there in their own time.

Hearing/sensing: that people need encouragement. The end of the year is coming, people are tired. To you I say, you can do it! And if there’s someone you can ask to help you carry the load, do that too, please.

So that’s what is going on with me.

If you’d like to get on the Taking Stock bandwagon, head over to the original source of inspiration (credit where credit’s due, it’s easy and nice to do!). Just copy and paste the list at the bottom of Pip’s post and away you go. It’s a great exercise for your journal, blog, Facebook wall, Instagram feed or even as a family activity.

Stay grateful friends. Tell me what’s going on with you? What is catching your eye and making you smile?

Big love,

Annette x