
Not the most flattering photo of either myself or my daughter but it captures the excitement of the whole Harry Potter and the Cursed Child experience. This is us outside the Princess Theatre in Melbourne about to go in for Part 2. Absolutely loved it!
Well blow me down it’s that time again! I was contemplating what I would write about for this day when I remembered that I was due to do the next Taking Stock post! Seems like only a week or so ago I did the last one, Taking Stock – March 2019. How time flies! If you’ve been visiting here for a while you’d know I do a Taking Stock post quarterly. So this is the second one for 2019. The next one after this will be in September and then a final one in December.
So let’s go!
Making: Another crochet blanket is still in the works! I’m doing lots of willow squares that will eventually have to be joined together. I put it down for a long time but now that it’s winter hopefully I’ll make some major progress with it.
Cooking: Gorgeous winter warming meals in the slow cooker. This is one of the many things I love about this time of year!
Sipping: Delicious red wine at my friend Rita’s house in Melbourne on my recent trip. The wine was made by her father-in-law and it was superb!
Reading: Jo Tracey, guess what? I’ve finally got around to reading your first book – ‘Baby It’s You’ – and I’m really enjoying it!
Looking: Forward to 5 nights away at ‘Straddie’ soon with one of my sisters, her two kids (1 male tween, 1 female teen) and the teens friend! Gosh I need this break away!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Chicken & Vegetable Soup – leftovers for lunch!
Listening: To Mrs Woog and Mrs Berry on The Hot Flush Podcast always puts a smile on my dial!
Wishing: I had an endless supply of money! I could spend it … easily!
Enjoying: The cooler weather. Oh how I love it! I was born for a more temperate climate. I go into survival mode during summers in Brisbane. I thrive in our Brisbane winters!
Waiting: I’m not waiting for anything that I can think of. I don’t want to wish away time. It’s going by too quickly as it is!
Liking: The fact I’ve been to Sydney and Melbourne since the last Taking Stock post and Stradbroke Island coming up next and Cairns later this year!
Loving: The fact that I had some time with my daughter recently. Our birthday gifts this year was a trip to Melbourne to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. She had a week off work and our time included some time here at home and two nights away in Melbourne. Considering she now lives in Far North Queensland, this was wonderful!
Buying: I bought another pair of Dannii Minogue’s ‘Petite’ jeans, but in black this time. They’re just so fabulous for my ‘petite’ height (or lack thereof) and they were only $30!
Watching: The Handmaid’s Tales – Season 3. Praise Be – it’s been ages!
Hoping: That the cooler weather sticks around for quite a while yet. The break from summer humidity and heat is divine!

Happy Place – cosy and warm on the bed in my uggs with my best pal ‘Ava’, room lit by candle light, drinking a glass of Baileys on ice and reading a book in the Kindle app on my phone. This creates the ‘Hygge’ feeling in me (refer to my post on June 11 2019).
Needing: To work out dates and make bookings to visit my daughter in Far North Queensland. September might be a good time I think!
Wearing: Jeans and cooler weather clothes gives me much joy!
Following: The 7 Up series! At the time of writing this sentence the next one I’m to watch is 35 Up. It goes up to 63 Up so far.
Noticing: The sparrows in Melbourne that sadly we never seem to see anymore in Brisbane like we did when I was a kid!
Sorting: Myself out before I head off to Straddie. Lists and tasks to be completed and ticked off. I’m the Queen of ‘to do’ lists.
Getting: A massage in Melbourne while my daughter went shopping was a very good decision. I had so many aches and pains and it was enormously helpful!
Saving: Overripe bananas and making banana bread with them has become a weekly thing in this house. Great to avoid wastage and popular with the male folk! Lots of sugar (brown) though!
Bookmarking: In Facebook has become a thing for me. I ‘save’ things that I might want to post at a later date or recipes that I might want to refer back to.
Coveting: I’d feel too selfish and spoiled to covet anything again so soon, considering I got what I was coveting in my last Taking Stock post – the Uberkate Ruby Red Corundum Limited Edition Cocktail Ring – bought with birthday money.
Opening: Parcels that get delivered could become addictive. Don’t you think?! Oh boy!
Giggling: During Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Parts 1 & 2). There were funny bits, serious bits, scary bits. Gosh I loved it!
Feeling: Shocked but pleased that I’ve made it to 55 (birthday was 31 May), reasonably in tact and in reasonably good health *touch wood*.
Hearing: At the time of typing this sentence (Sunday afternoon), I can hear activity in the kitchen (clanging and banging, water running, the microwave oven banging shut). Someone getting lunch for themselves I suspect!
Obsessing: Over Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts 1 and 2. It was just so fantastic! If you can get to see it – do it!
The βTaking Stockβ concept is the brainchild of Pip from Meet Me at Mikes. You can go HERE to grab a blank list of the word prompts to copy & paste and take stock yourself if youβd like to!
The next Taking Stock post from me will be towards the end of September 2019.
Three days till I head off to Straddie – yippee! Keep watch on my Instagram feed and Facebook page as I’m sure to post some photos and it’s so pretty over there.
Please note that I won’t be publishing any blog posts next week or participating in The Lovin’ Life Linky, as I’ll be taking a bit of my own advice and apart from posting some pics to Instagram at times, I will be making the most of my time away at Straddie and all the beautiful nature it provides to be mindful and present and soak it all up and of course to use the time to rest and revive and come back feeling rejuvenated and great!
Ciao for now,
Link up here at WOTM or with another of us in the Lovinβ Life Linky team:
Leanne of Deep Fried Fruit
Deborah of Debbish | Jo of And Anyways
It doesnβt matter where you link up as it will magically appear on all our blogs.
24 Comments
So much to love in your taking stock…especially your shout out to me and my book baby. Yay. Love that ring and I’ve been enjoying your slow cooker efforts too – it’s that time of the year, isn’t it? I’d love to see Harry Potter but my daughter doesn’t think she could commit to 2 performances – her words not mine. Maybe I’ll need to do a special trip just for it.
I’m loving your book baby Jo! You’re a clever thing! Haven’t read it for a few days but dying to get back to it. Should get heaps read over at Straddie. As for my ring – OMG I am such a dag about it – just love it so much. I put it on every day and don’t take it off till I really have to – bed time. You should SO go and see Harry Potter! Tell your daughter it’s so fantastic she will LOVE that there is two performances. One is at 2:30pm and then the next is at 7:30pm. You have dinner in between. You can see Part 1 one day and Part 2 another day but we both preferred to see them both on the one day for the continuity and I believe that is the best choice. It’s just fabulous – such a wonderful experience. We stayed at a hotel really close to the Princess Theatre too which was perfect. xo #TeamLovinLife
Great taking stock post and photos, Min. Have a wonderful trip to Straddie! Blogging can wait. P.S. I switched from Blogger to WordPress #lovin’lifelinky
Thanks Natalie! I hope your move from Blogger to WordPress went smoothly and that you’ll be glad for the move! π
We’ve been watching 7 Up at the cinema since about 28 Up. (watched the previous ones on video). I love it. Also mentioned it on my post. I thought the last one was meant to be the end. So glad it continued.
Yes just read your post not long ago – isn’t it funny we both mentioned it! π #TeamLovinLife
I love these Taking Stock posts Min and how lovely to visit Melbourne with your daughter to see Harry Potter. Lovely to read you have been giggling and yes I feel like Christmas when I received deliveries. Enjoy your time at Straddie and come back refreshed! xx #lovinlifelinky
Thanks Sue! Glad you enjoy the Taking Stock posts. The trip to Melbourne to see HP with my daughter was fabulous! I’m really looking forward to Straddie. I need the break away very much. xo
I’ve not yet caught up on the latest season of The Handmaid’s Tale. I think I need to rewatch parts of s2 first and I haven’t done that.
I’m not a soup person though going to have potato soup with my mum today and think that will be nice. It’s not something I ever make.
I’m with you on the spending money thing. I’m constantly seeing things I need or want and have to remind myself I’ve had no income for a very long time and so, nooooooo.
I’m enjoying Season 3 so far of The Handmaids Tale though it surprises me I can watch it considering how brutal and gruesome it can be at times! I love home made soups – yum yum! I see things I want all the time – at the moment there’s a pair of Frankie4 sneakers I’d like but I need to reign myself in!
Enjoy Straddie! I’ve only been there once for a work trip for a few days and haven’t made it back since π
Thanks Vanessa! I’ve only been to Straddie once and that was about 35 years ago! It was not a pleasant experience. We camped there for 1 night in a 2 man tent. It rained and the tent leaked and the blow up mattress deflated. I got wet and had barely any sleep. I don’t remember much else! LOL This time will be a much better experience I’m sure (and we will be in an apartment not a tent)! π
That ring is the bomb…β¦.and so is Handmaids Tale!
Thanks Nikki! I do love the ring and the Handmaids Tale Season 3 has been good so far!
I love taking stock posts and getting little snippets and pics of what my blogging buddies are up to Min. It looks like life is treating you really well atm with lots of variety and a bit of cooking and shopping (and massage) all thrown into the mix. Enjoy Straddie and I’ll look forward to seeing the pics xx
I love the taking stock posts too Leanne! Life has been busy and varied for me of late. Lots going on! I’m very much looking forward to the week at Straddie to unwind, relax and rejuvinate (hopefully). Lots of gorgeous nature over there and that always does me wonders! π xo
Love the look of that soup and your banana bread! I purposely buy extra bananas so I can store over ripe ones for my baked oats!
SSG xxx
I love winter for the slow cooker soups and stews – yummo! The banana bread is a big hit here. We love bananas (like you and for your baked oats LOL – good for you!) but always seem to have a few that look worse for wear towards the end of the week. This is great way to use them up! π xo
That was a heart-warming post to read Min. I am glad you got that special time away with your daughter. Have fun on your holiday. Denyse x
I’m glad you enjoyed the read Denyse! That time away with my daughter was lovely. I hope we get to do many more trips away together like that in the future. π xo
Hi Min, I love everything Harry Potter and I am jealous. I hope it comes somewhere relatively close to my neck of the woods. I am a big fan of slow cooker meals although right now we are relishing cool salad days. I am a fan of podcasts and I made a note of Hot Flush podcast. I will see whether I have access to it here. A fun, compelling post:)
Hi E/E – I love Harry Potter too! It’s a wonderful world to escape into. How clever is J.K. Rawlings?! I love my slow cooker meals in winter and love lovely fresh salads in summer. Hope you find and enjoy the Hot Flush podcast – a good laugh for midlife women! π x
I would dearly love to get to Melbourne to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child … hint hint to my family …. LOL
I hope your family see your HINT Janet! It is the best show I’ve ever seen. I’d love to see it again. So worth a visit! π