We are down 2 months of Winter!
It may be cold and windy outside, and sure the air is icy at hell during most parts of the day, but you don’t fool me, weather!
August is upon us, so close, tomorrow. And we all know, though the days remain cold, one thing begins to change…
The sun shines more. Buds on trees blossom. The air begins to shift.
Spring begins to spring forth.
I for one, am sooo ready for this next stage.
BRING IT ON!
Finally! All of us together tonight, my family. ❤
There’s been a lot of crap lately. But now there’s only time for love, happiness, good vibes and looking forward, as was so evident tonight.
Abundance. Always a plenty. 🙏❤🥰🥰
Despite what life throws at you during the week, there is nothing quite as relaxing as watching a movie to wash away it all.
Even better when it’s preceded by dinner with your best friends, and the movie itself is about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Of course, we are talking THE KING himself, Elvis.
Dinner and chit-chat was amazing, and then the movie was too. Warning, it is long, at 2 and a half hours! But I was pleasantly surprised and engaged the whole way through.
Notes for new viewers/repeat screenings:
Bring trakkies and mocassins. You will thank me later.
If you can, go to a cinema with super comfy lounge-y, possibly reclining seats. It doesn’t have to be gold class, as long as you feel like you’re at home.
Speaking of gold class, it wouldn’t hurt. Having food and drink delivered to you throughout this 150 minute fest wouldn’t hurt, really it wouldn’t.
Lastly, go get yourself an Elvis CD/record. You will want to play him all the next day.
Just as well this film was entertaining, as I have promised to watch it with my sister and hubbie too!
I’ll just make sure to bring those super-comfy pants.
😉😉
Nothing says ‘home’ more than a bowl of this.
🥰💖
Sometimes, time creeps up on you.
Sometimes, shit happens, and delays everything.
Sometimes, the two COMBINE.
That’s what it’s been like this past month. A month or so ago baby girl’s birthday felt so far away. We had our shit together. We still had a long way to go.
All of a sudden, we are less than 3 weeks away. Covid happened, then again, and again, for what it feels like almost every member of my family. Stress, trauma, sickness. Weeks have been lost.
And now we’re here. Shit happened, and time flew.
But today was a good day. Hubbie and I got down to business. We had important ‘birthday planning’ chats. Wrote lists, planned food, researched stuff. Decided on times, games.
It felt good! Invigorating! Finally, planning something fun, thinking of something great that involves family, friends, happiness, great times.
Finally! We just need to get there first. 🙏🤞🎂💖
We’ve replaced our takeaway Tuesday recently with a do-whatever-you-want theme.
This usually involves either using up leftovers, making a super simple meal, or making a completely different one altogether.
I’ve really been enjoying making new things on these nights. Knowing that Hubbie and baby girl are catered for, either with creative leftovers or simple dishes, I feel free in the knowledge that I can make whatever I like for myself, and no one can WHINGE. 🤣
It wasn’t anything complicated, but I wanted pasta, and I’ve been craving mushrooms, so I made this garlic mushroom pappardelle.
It’s funny, I made it with me in mind, and yet everyone loved it, breaking away from their own meals (leftover pizza with egg, cheese toasties!) to get some of my dish.
Just as well I made loads. 😏
Baby girl on my left.
Hubbie on my right.
Kisses on my left.
Kisses on my right.
I was sandwiched in kisses tonight!
We aren’t taking for granted the fact that we can safely be around each other again… sans masks, sans 1.5 metre social distancing. We can hug, we can kiss, and we can sit right up against each other, just as we did tonight on the couch.
Feeling the love. 💞💞
Today was one of those surprisingly beautiful Winter days, where even if you weren’t feeling the best, you couldn’t help but feel good.
Hubbie did some home renos, while I pottered about, pruning, nay, HACKING the rose bush right back, and discovering that our transplanted rose that hasn’t had the best growth over the last year since moving, is actually sporting a whole new tiny rose bush at the base. 🌹
We had a beautiful late afternoon walk to the park, where baby girl let off some steam and energy. The sun was still and the sky was sparkling, it was just perfect.
And then at home, I punctured the quiet serenity by screaming my head off and giving myself a headache (not an exaggeration) while watching Collingwood play. It was absolutely rewarding, because they won, literally as the final siren rang. They won!
And now I have a headache and a very tired body to show for it. 🤦♀️
But all in all, a beautiful Sunday. 🌞
Finally, negative!
Day 6 and I’m already there. I had a strong feeling I would be before I tested.
And how did I celebrate this? Stay in and takeaway. Lol, #winterlife #covidsymptomsprevail
When you’re sick you don’t really have the desire to do the things that usually make you happy, because you lack all motivation for it. So when I put on a favourite CD tonight as I prepared dinner, I knew I was on the up again.
Madonna, Something to Remember. I love these slow, melodic, romantic and woeful songs, especially when times are slow and dark and cold such as this. They really allow me to be present with my thoughts, feel the songs properly, and appreciate them for the beautiful melodies and lyrics within.
I paused the album as we ate dinner, then hit play again as I went to wash up. A very familiar song started up, and I like, froze. I had to listen to it properly, no interruptions, and I said as such to Hubbie as he moved around the kitchen, telling him I was trying to appreciate the song.
It’s one I’ve shared here before in depth, and I will do it again for the strength of emotion it brought forth in me tonight. It’s not only one of my favourite Madonna songs, but one of my favourite songs of all time.
Rain.
There’s just something about rain for me. I can’t explain it. There is great symbology present for me, and it isn’t just that it’s connected to my novel in a big way. It’s been my fascination, a sense of curiosity, wonder, for as long as I can remember. I wrote about it before, and I feel the same, if not so much more about this ethereal element of Mother Nature.
I listened to this song, and I was feeling it. Every single word. I was quiet, my face distorting because seriously I was going to cry. Call it this past week, my body having gone through a wide range of physical and mental things, but I was seriously emotional.
The song finished, and I couldn’t help it, I had a cry. The last time I had listened to it I was different. The last time I had written about it I was different. Today, again different. I thought about life, the unexpected beautiful and difficult things that hit us in the face, throwing us off balance, I guess, a bit like unexpected rain.
But rain is beautiful. The song is beautiful. And I think if we learn to embrace all of life’s changes, good and bad, just like a well-known quote, we will be able to dance, no matter what.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
I’ll share the video again, just because it makes me so happy. 🥲🌧️💖🎶
carcrashgratitude 