Taking Stock – June 2018

Well here I am, on the eve of the beginning of the kitchen reno.  Tomorrow the new cabinetry and appliances are delivered, the old 90’s kitchen gets taken out, plumbing and electrical are disconnected, and the new cabinetry will be installed.  It’s going to be a big day! 

This will be the last Thursday post until 19 July (see more details in this post), but my Skin Care Saturday posts will continue as usual. 

So I’m due for my next quarterly Taking Stock post and here she is.  The last one (and the first for 2018) was in March 2018.  The next Taking Stock post after this one will be in September 2018.

Making:   Plans for how to survive 2+ weeks with no functioning kitchen
Cooking:  Lots of meals in the slow cooker – one of my favourite winter things to do
Drinking:  … up the new baby feels at the recent baby shower I went to for my friend’s daughter. Yes my friends are becoming grandmother’s.  I miss cuddling a newborn baby.  Love them! 
Reading:  Blog posts only.  Still haven’t found time to read more of my current book (The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly)
Next read:  Can’t go there – need to finish my currrent book before I can plan the next
Wanting:  Another getaway very soon.  Last one was the holiday at Mooloolaba in February.
Looking:  Forward to seeing my new kitchen when it’s completed
Playing:  Words for Friends on my phone helps me to unwind and zone out
Deciding:  On kitchen benchtops, cabinetry doors – style and colour, tapware, appliances, splashbacks, etc was difficult but I am so excited and thrilled with the decisions I eventually made
Wishing:  I could click my fingers and shazam … be picnicking in the Smoky mountains, or pop over to Kyoto for tea, or meet a friend for lunch in Paris, or be cruising down the Seine River in Germany, or camper vanning around New Zealand, etc. 
Enjoying:  The yoga classes I’ve been going to every Friday!  I’ll become a yogi yet!
Waiting:  For tomorrow when the kitchen reno begins has taken a lonnnng time but here it is at last!
Liking:  The beginning of my orchid collection – three to start with!  One I bought myself, one was a Mother’s Day gift from my children, the other was a birthday gift from my Mother.  I’ll stick with three for now till I know I can keep them alive!
Wondering:  What my purpose is?  What am I meant to be doing?  I still don’t really know.
Loving:  The new kettle and toaster I got for the new kitchen – matt black with rose gold trims – how delish!
Pondering:   Time, and how it seems to speed up the older we get.  Why is that?
Considering:  My dislike of mess and chaos, my need for privacy and time alone, and my anxiety over Ava escaping (if she sees a way out she just bolts – no sense at all), I’m doing all I can to lighten my load to help me cope with the kitchen reno without being a pain in the butt to all!
Buying:  Pendant lights for over the island bench in the kitchen and a new dishwasher cos our current one decided to half die (half die because it’s a two drawer one and one drawer decided to kark it!) and um … a whole brand new kitchen!!
Watching:  My sister told me about The Handmaid’s Tale series on SBS on Demand and OMG I was obsessed from the first episode. I watched 7 episodes in my first session!  I’ve finished watching Season 1 (Season 1 is only available on SBS on Demand until 30 June just so you know!) and have started on Season 2.

Next watch:  A friend suggested heaps of movies I should watch, so I’d better make a start on them next (if I can hunt them down)!
Hoping:  My leg improves soon.  I had a fall and hurt my fibula and hamstring.  Thankfully no fracture or break!
Marvelling:  At the talent out there!  I saw a video of a 13-year-old girl on ‘America has Talent’ in my Facebook news feed and I was blown away!  It’s at the end of this post for your enjoyment.
Cringing:  I kid you not, a mobile mechanic came to my house to service my little car …. sweetheart.  Grrrr!  Yes there are still men out there that think they can talk down to women like that!
Needing:  What my heart wants
Questioning:  My choices all the time. I have some birthday money to spend. I fill carts all the time but never proceed to checkout. What if there is a better choice just around the corner?  Am I the only one who does this?
Wearing:  My heart on my sleeve.  That’s me!
Following:  My instincts
Worrying:  About Ava and her escape artist ways while I have tradespeople coming and going in my house. 
Noticing:  That I’m now 54. I had a birthday on 31 May.  I still cannot believe it.  It’s like one day I was 35 and blinked and now I’m 54.
Knowing:  That it’s about time my camellia’s grew more and flowered so beautifully … and they finally are!
Thinking:  About my Dad every single day
Admiring:  My daughter – her confidence, her determination, her bravery
Sorting:  Through my kitchen has been time consuming, long overdue, and quite cathartic!
Getting:  So much enjoyment out of my waterfront walks now the weather is cooler. It also means I can walk at any time of day rather than being restricted to early mornings or late afternoons.
Bookmarking:  Slow Cooker recipes!
Coveting:  An overseas holiday – so many places to see, experience, explore!
Disliking:  How fast this year is going. I mean really … how can it be nearly July already!
Opening:  Lots of cards and birthday presents on 31 May was lovely and heartwarming!
Giggling:  With a friend who I do pilates with 3 times a week and yoga once a week. We laugh a lot!
Feeling:  Nervited.  Exvous.  Nervous crossed with Excited (with regards to the kitchen reno starting tomorrow).  I’m a bit of a weirdo like that!
Snacking:  Ok it’s still cruskits. I am addicted to rye cruskits! 
Hearing:  Ava (my dog) snoring as usual! lol