Another Hump Day

I struggled to fall asleep on Tuesday night and it was 2am the last time that I looked at the clock.

This morning it was 5.08am the first time I looked at the clock and I was unable to slip back to sleep.

Running on 3 hours of sleep does not lead to energised productivity, that’s for sure!

I played with Harley, lay in the sun for 30 minutes, got a fish and vegetable pastie out of the freezer and reheated it in the oven, then sat in front of the TV to watch two movies.

“Madam Webb” with Dakota Johnson - it was ok.

“He’s All That” which I’ve seen quite a few times before, but it’s an easy watch.

I checked my  “clothes to donate” and figured out which ones I want to use to decorate my white jeans. I don’t know when that’s going to happen but my imagination is very busy!

Tonight’s dinner was Chicken and Vegetable Pastries …

Which I served with roasted tomatoes and zucchini slice and followed up with a slice of passionfruit and blueberry vanilla cake with coconut vanilla bean ice cream …

It’s only 9pm but with only 3 hrs of sleep, I’m winding down fast.

Tomorrow is lunch with the art girls, so I definitely need a good nights sleep.

Nite all

A Touch Productive

On Monday I finally cleared my art table.

It was still covered with all of the jewellery making paraphernalia from the time leading up to the market and the art and craft expo.

It took about 90 minutes to clear it all. Finding spots for all the beads, the charms, the findings, the chains, the tools, the measuring plates, the pins etc etc etc.

All the while, I was imagining a new sewing machine, fabrics, ribbons, laces, bindings, threads and my crafty imagination creating wearable art. It’s a possibility.

Dinner was chicken schnitzel with wombok salad, garden salad and zucchini slice.

Today was first day back at meditation, which was brilliant, followed by breakfast at Goody’s (yuk) and a day in the bay including a small grocery shop.

Dinner was chicken curry with rice, mini papadums and tzatziki …

Vegan Chickie made a chicken pie (not so vegan) which looks sooooo delicious!

Now it’s after midnight and I need to sleep!

Nite all.

A Good Day

Today, I made that vanilla, blueberry and passionfruit cake. It was just a vanilla cake mix with one passionfruit and a handful of blueberries stirred through it. The icing was icing sugar, cream cheese and 3 passionfruit.

I watched the Ricky Gervais movie “Ghost Town” which I’d seen before but couldn’t remember it. I enjoyed it.

Watched the football. 

Played with Harley.

Spaghetti Sunday.

That’s it.

Nite all.

Cookfest Again

On Friday night I had a lovely 2 hour phone call with Bubbles for her birthday. We had lots of laughs and because we only talk on birthdays and Christmas, I thoroughly enjoyed the call. There is always lots to catch up on.

I declined an invitation from BGWLBH to accompany her into the Bay on Friday.

Instead, after Harley play, I showered, washed my hair, made myself presentable and I went for a ride on my trike.

My plan was to drop a birthday card into The Motivator and to catch up with another friend. I very briefly caught up with that friend, did NOT see The Motivator, but did run into two other friends.

One of them lost his wife (also my friend) a week ago and understandably, he is looking much the worse for wear. I spent a good quantity of time with him and he had plenty to get off his chest.

The other friend has recently had some surgery to remove a grapefruit sized cyst from her abdomen and she is looking very well for the experience, so that was pleasing.

I was pretty tired after two hours out and about and was happy to make a snack and rest in my room for a while.

I don’t even recall what I made for dinner.

Today (Saturday) after Harley play, I headed straight for the kitchen for another marathon effort to fill the freezer.

I made:

• 6 x Red Chicken Curry meals
• 5 x Spag Bol Sauces
• 1 x Lasagne Sauce
• 10 x Crumbed Chicken
• 1 x Zucchini Slice
• 8 x Hamburger Patties

I was going to bake a raspberry vanilla cake, but after five hours in the kitchen, I was well and truly done.

For ‘fend for yourself’ dinner, I made myself a schnitzel and vanilla thick shake. What a combination eh!?

Earlier, I’d had a small piece of zucchini slice as well.

I was very happy to sit down in front of the footy and promptly fall asleep. I might be getting too old for kitchen marathons.

While I cooked, I watched a three part series of Mayim Bialik interviewing Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from Friends) on her YouTube channel. It was interesting and funny and eye opening!

Adoring Husband spent the day at a free training session about emergency first aid which he enjoyed.

I’m now in bed watching the last football game of the night between Cowboys and my beloved Broncos. Thirty minutes in and Cowboys are winning 6-4.

I doubt it will be long before I’m asleep.

Nite all.

Changing Energy

A day in the Bay.

Had to stop at two sets of roadworks.

Breakfast at Arkarra Tea Gardens.

A stroll around Stocklands.

After tossing out 7 old t-shirts, I replaced them with four new ones from Suzanne Grae’s.

BGWLBH picked up a top that she’d ordered.

On to Pialba for Coles and the butcher and juices.

Final stop at Farm Gate for a big shop of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Home by 1.30pm.

A happy welcome from Harley.

A late lunch for me.

An early dinner for everyone of GF pies with salad.

Straight to bed to watch more GAIA episodes followed by the football.

A satisfying day.

I feel the need to find some energy. Not sure if it’s through sunshine, food, activity, meditation or something, but my energy levels feel very low. Gotta get proactive.

Time to sleep.

Nite all.

Some Days

I didn’t realise how many days had passed since I was here!

Monday was a day in the Bay (I think) and I don’t remember what we did or what we had for dinner or what the weather was like or what was on TV or anything else that may have happened on that day!

Yesterday (Tuesday) was an entire day in bed. I mostly watched episodes of a GAIA series called “Transcendence” which is online. It’s only available until 25th July so I still have a few to squeeze in during the next couple of days.

I ordered and sent a gift voucher for City Chick to Bubbles for her 42nd birthday on Friday. She then sent me the photos of what she’d ordered. It would be lovely if they arrive by Friday.

I didn’t even play with Harley.

Adoring Husband brought me coffee in the morning and took Harley out of the room when he left.

I did get up to make dinner of mini lamb roasts with roasted vegetables of potato, sweet potato, tomatoes and zucchini plus leftover mash with baby spinach chopped through it.

Today was another lazy day, some of it alone, because BGWLBH had to work and AH had a dental appointment to receive his quote for the extensive work that he needs doing on his broken teeth.

I rose late, played with Harley, made my breakfast and watched a Netflix movie.

Dinner was home made sausage rolls with salad.

I watched some more of the GAIA series tonight and now I need to sleep because I’m off to the Bay tomorrow with BGWLBH who has an appointment tomorrow.

Nite all.

Sleep Relieved

Last night, I slept soundly for about ten hours.

I still remained in bed until 10am and even though the weather was blowing a gale, Harley got to play for over half an hour.

Fresh tomato from the garden on toasted sourdough was my decision for breakfast while Adoring Husband drove down to purchase a small, lactose free latte for me.

My plan was to do some much needed washing, but the gale force winds put me off, so instead, I sat down to watch a replay of last nights golf! I already knew the results of the days play, but it was good to watch without worrying about lack of sleep and how it might affect my mood the next day!

The footy started at 2pm and Manly disappointed everyone by losing to the Titans. The Dolphins pleased everyone by defeating the Cowboys. I am still coming 2nd to my sister in the footy tipping by 4pts. Ugh.

Dinner was easy - Spaghetti Sunday, but I used my last container of bolognese sauce out of the freezer, so my mission this week is to make up another big batch and perhaps do a lasagne at the same time.

Right now, I’m watching the golf but will very soon snuggle under the covers for another (hopefully) sound night of sleep.

Nite all.

Sleep Deprived

I stayed awake for most of last night watching the golf live.

Sleep took control from just after midnight until about 2.20am which is when I switched the golf back on for the rest of the morning. 

It was slow going, but I climbed out of bed at about 10.15am and took Harley out to play for about an hour.

I crumbed some prawns for my lunch and then plonked myself on the couch to watch a movie called “Roommates” with Sadie Sandler. It wasn’t bad.

It finished just in time for the football. I’ve tipped one game incorrectly so far, so I’m happy about that.

I made myself apricot chicken wings for “fend for yourself” dinner.

Understandably, I am feeling very weary tonight.

Mine and Adoring Husband’s AFL teams are playing each other tonight (Carlton and Collingwood) and Collingwood are currently in front by 8 points.

Bulldogs are annihilating Wests Tigers in the NRL.

The golf has already started.

So I have 3 channels to surf between, but I seriously believe that I’ll be asleep inside the next hour.

Dean Martin and Bob Newhart

Nite all.

Friday with a Flourish

The challenge has been set.

To try every coffee available in our area. 

That is Hervey Bay, Torbanlea, Howard, Burrum Heads, Craignish, Dundowran, Toogoom, Nikkenbah and Takura.

So far we’ve tried;

• Burrum Heads Foodworks
• Arkarra Tea Gardens
• SIP in Torbanlea
• Goodys in Toogoom
• Cody’s Coffee Shack in Hervey Bay
• Salt in Hervey Bay
• Jam Jar Cafe in Hervey Bay
• Coffee Club in Stocklands Hervey Bay
• OCD on the esplanade Hervey Bay
• Avenue Cafe Bar in Hervey Bay
• Spotted Goat Hervey Bay
• Aquavue Hervey Bay
• Boat Club Hervey Bay
• RSL Hervey Bay
• 50s Diner Hervey Bay

There are probably more, but my memory fails me right now. 

There are probably 100 more to try in the areas that I’ve mentioned. 

So that is our challenge.

Today we did Goodys in Toogoom, with a pretty good view to accompany the caffeine.

We wandered through the gift shop that’s attached to the restaurant and I almost purchased a ceramic pitcher with an octopus wrapped around it, but I wouldn’t have a use for it and it would just sit in the cupboard with my fancy teapots.

We also admired the medieval helmets and gauntlet gloves similar to these …

But, you know, what the hell would we do with them? We don’t ever have visitors to even show them off to!

After we left the gift shop, we decided to get lost in Toogoom - actually, it wasn’t a conscious decision, it just happened. Toogoom is deceptively large and well spread out and once you take one wrong turn, it’s difficult to find your way out!

We eventually found our way into the Bay where we did minimal shopping, purchased our usual favourite juices and waited for the rain to ease so that we could drive home.

Lots of short, sharp, heavy rain squalls today.

I played with Harley this afternoon and reheated some of my home made sausage rolls for dinner. Adoring Husband made himself some prawn Tom yum goong soup. BGWLBH made a platter of fresh vegetables to dip into a dip.

Footy was on tonight and the golf.

Bloody Broncos defeated the top of the ladder Panthers last night and broke their 8 game losing streak - just because I didn’t tip them! At least I correctly tipped the next two games.

Now, I shall fall asleep to the sound of golf clubs smashing balls.

Nite all.

Busy Days

Wednesday was a working day for BGWLBH, so I caught a lift with her and she dropped me off at Tinkerbells.

I purchased 2 Christmas gifts, 2 x rose quartz rings, a rose quartz bracelet, a turquoise and clear quartz pendant.

I also visited the nearby newsagent to update my lotto tickets and I found 3 beautiful bracelets there. A rose quartz and silver, a turquoise and a white howlite.

These shops are a mere 700 metres from The Gypsy’s unit, so after I visited one more crystal shop where I purchased a ‘golden healer’ crystal for a friend of mine, I walked to her place for a visit.

We had two hours to chat, drink licorice tea and eat a yummy home made pumpkin soup 🍜.

BGWLBH picked me up after work and we got our usual juices and drove home.

I then spent over an hour in the kitchen making sausage rolls for dinner.

It was an expensive, productive, delicious, enjoyable, long and tiring day so I slept very well that night!

Today was morning tea with the art girls and we all were invited to Klocka’s new house for a viewing.

She made teas and coffees and she had baked macarons for the occasion.

Her home is just lovely and with lots of construction going on around her in a brand new estate, she has created a lovely peaceful space.

After 3 hours, we decided to leave her in peace.

I had pedalled my trike, JJJ had driven Billie the MG, Stylish one had ridden her motor bike and the Happy Hippy drove her dark mysterious vehicle.

The weather was pretty gross with gale force winds that had a real chill to them and it was quite difficult, even with electric power, to ride into the wind.

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to access my house because I’d left my keys behind! Thankfully, there was a door unlocked.

I started to make myself a late lunch and BGWLBH, who had driven into The Bay, arrived home with the fruit and vegetable shopping, so by the time I’d packed that away, my lunch was ready from the oven.

I sat down and watched the latest episode of Jet Lag The Game on YouTube while I ate. Straight after that I watched another Mayim Bialik interview which was incredibly interesting.

Dinner was reheated GF pies from the boutique bakery in the Bay. I made a wombok salad and a rocket salad to serve with the pies and I baked a potato for Adoring Husband who had been playing golf all afternoon.

Tonight, I’m alternating between golf and the football. I’m surprised at how close the football is because I expected the Panthers to annihilate the Broncos but with 18 minutes remaining, the score is 12-8 favouring Panthers.

Once again, I’m exhausted 🥱 and will sleep well tonight.

Nite all.