Taking Stock – December 2016

It’s December and time for my last Taking Stock post for 2016.  This year I’ve been ‘Taking Stock’ quarterly.  The first one was in March, the next was in June, and the third was in September.  In 2015, I published a ‘Taking Stock’ post every month except January.  I quite like Taking Stock quarterly as I’ve done this year, so I’ll continue with that in 2017.  Thefore, you can expect the next Taking Stock post to be in March 2017.

The Taking Stock concept and its prompts is the brainchild of Pip from Meet Me At Mikes.  If you’d like to play along, you can grab a blank list here. 

Let’s go!

Making:  Time to get some of those little jobs done around the house that you always tend to put off – like cleaning out the linen cupboard or filling in a fish pond.  Yep it’s been done.  It was looking ugly and leaking.  A water feature will take its place.  Anyone want some fish?  We have heaps in a large pot – common orange goldfish.
Cooking:  Again after being waited on on a cruise is a very, very hard thing to have to do!
Drinking:  Bailey’s and Ice – courtesy of Duty Free shopping on the cruise.
Reading:  The cruise program each night to plan my next day was a joy and something I truly miss!
Trawling:  Online shopping sites on Boxing Day – the only Boxing Day sales shopping I will do.
Wanting:  Not much. I’m pretty content, and even more so after seeing how happy the people are in Vanuatu who really do not have much at all but they do live in a beautiful place!

Looking:  Forward to going on another cruise one day!
Deciding:  Where I would like to cruise to next time.
Wishing:  I could afford an Alaskan cruise.
Enjoying:  My new car!
Waiting:  With excitement to go and see Adele in concert here in Brisbane in March – thanks to tickets from my kids for Christmas!

Liking:   My air conditioning at the moment!
Wondering:  What 2017 will bring for me.
Loving:  Special friends.  They make my world a better place.
Pondering:  What my goals are and what I would like to achieve during 2017?
Listening:  To raindrops on the pergola roof on Christmas morning was lovely! 
Considering:  Where to hang ‘A Creed to Live By’, printed and framed and given to me by my Mum.

Buying:  Christmas gifts has come to an end for another year! Phew!
Watching:  Netflix!  Just got it and am loving it. I watched the new Gilmore Girls series. How could it end like that?!  We need another series. What do you think – will there be another?
Hoping:  They make another series of Gilmore Girls! Doh!
Marvelling:  At how much I enjoyed the South Pacific cruise I went on!
Cringing:  At how much food I ate on the cruise.
Needing:  To get back into regular exercise.
Questioning:  Why do humans have to eat EVERY night? 
Smelling:  Nothing as usual (refer ALL previous Taking Stock posts).
Wearing:  Swimmers at the time I first started putting this post together.  It’s a hot day and I’m in and out of the pool.
Following:  My instincts – I trust them.
Noticing:   That there is not much of interest to me on regular TV at this time of year. Not a cricket fan – sorry!  So glad I have Netflix now!
Knowing:   That it’s time to embrace my curly hair for summer. Straightening it is turning out to be a complete waste of time as it’s curly again within minutes.  Humidity!!
Thinking:  Too much obviously because I still can’t concentrate long enough to get absorbed in a book like I used to.
Admiring:  The talents and creativity I see all around me! 
Getting:  Excited about seeing Adele in March.  Oops – did I say that already?  Oh yes under ‘waiting’. Never mind!
Bookmarking:  Still not bookmarking enough actual books.  Still need to slow this brain of mine down enough to concentrate to read and get absorbed in a book.  I blame the distraction of my phone and social media!
Disliking:  The amount of celebrity/music legend deaths there have been in 2016!  Make it stop now please!
Opening:  Lots of lovely Christmas presents recently. What fun!
Giggling:  During those times I forget I’m a 52 year old and instead feel 15.  I should giggle more when I’m consciously 52 too shouldn’t I? 
Feeling:  So lucky to have been on a cruise and have a new car and a newly refurbished home office.
Hearing:  So much incredible live music on the cruise was something I enjoyed thoroughly!
Celebrating:  New Years Eve soon. My sister and her kids will come over and possibly some other siblings.  We will swim in the pool, have a barbeque and battle to stay awake until midnight!  Yay!
Pretending:  A friend and I pretend a lot – it’s a game we do and we crack ourselves up.  Whatever makes you laugh is a good thing!! 🙂
Embracing:  New found friends and a looming new year!
Gasping:  At the heat and humidity in Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Woah – and I thought Queensland was humid!

That’s all for 2016.  See you next year!

Ciao for now,

[ This post is linked up with Denyse Whelan Blogs for #LifeThisWeek and Vanessa of Bloggers and Bacon for #ArchiveLove ]