I’m Taking a Break
Just a quick not to let you know I’m taking a break. Sadly, not a vacation, but a surgery.
This Month’s Free Short Story
September’s free short story sees a return to mystery with Alan Ackerman is still missing. It’s free on this website for the next month. Not your cup of tea? ...
Life Altering Experiences
I’d planned a different post, but life, and life altering experiences, have caught up with me. In particular, I haven’t shaped or trimmed my fingernails for a while, and recently ...
2023 Summer Wardrobe Plan
As I sit here writing 2023 Summer Wardrobe Plan, it’s still winter out there, (just like last year), and Summer seems a long way away.
August 2023 Progress Report
Here in August 2023, I’m back to cartoon head spinning as the month whips past me, leaving me wondering where it went.
Blundering About Like a Caffeinated Spider
You just need to read a couple of posts to know I like to be organised. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone I feel like a caffeinated spider.
The Problems of #GirlMaths
I recently heard about #girlmaths, and it doesn’t make me happy. It involves specious calculations to reduce the cost of clothes/shoes/accessories to free…
2023 Winter Wardrobe Update
As usual, my 2023 winter wardrobe update shows an overspend, though at least I’m not overspent and underdressed, so that’s something at least.
The Phantom Chicken
Haley Joel Osment may have been able to see dead people, (The Sixth Sense), but seemingly, I see a chicken that isn’t there.
A Tale of Two Stones
According to popular wisdom, rolling stones gather no moss. In the ancient days, the saying signified someone shifltless, who avoided their responsibilites. Perhaps a vagrant with no family ties.
July 2023 Progress Report
July 2023 was a much better month than June. A happier, more productive, and mostly more settled month.
Making Space
I’m not getting rid of my house, husband or dog. The change I’m looking for is simply making space. I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks back on ...
Failure is NOT an Option
The last couple of months have been so brutal I’ve come close to admitting failure. So brutal I’m not going to mention them. (Aside from saying my health is ...
Tidying the Garden
With a spot of sunny weather, and an empty skip replacing the full one, we spent a littel time tidying the garden. And ended with a daffodil on my desk ...
Q2 2023 Review (so-so) & Q3 Plan (hopeful)
Close up of a recycle garbage bin logo at Pershing Square in Los Angeles, California by Gary Chan on Unsplash I was hopeful for the Q2, and rest of year ...
Life Worth Living Project, Friendship, Wealth
Change is Good or Better
A change of wind. The Australasian Sketcher February 11, 1882 by Alfred May & Alfred Martin Ebsworth, via State Library Victoria As it turns out June 2023 sucked. It sucked ...
Utter Chaos
Photo by Motoki Tonn on Unsplash There’s a saying, or perhaps it’s a proverb or idiom about planning. I know it as When man plans the devil laughs… But I’ve ...
May 2023 Progress Report
May 2023 was a weird month ranging from laid out after my Covid vaccination to up and about, posing for a photshoot for new headshots. (Which went swimmingly, and you ...
Life Rafts
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash I’ve been considering life rafts recently. For some reason, my mind turns to Titanic style life boats, along with the cutting edge cork life ...
More on Labour Exchange
Aside from redeveloping the new look site, I’ve been thinking about labour exchange again. In Holistic Personal Finance, I posited a direct relationship between time, money and health. Creating an ...
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty, Pleasure, Wisdom
I’ve Got a New Look Site!
Even though I’ve been quiet out front, behind the scenes, I’ve been busy developing a new look site! The old one’s been around for more than five years now, so ...
Three Types of Beauty
Photo by Mateusz Raczynski on Unsplash According to my loosey-goosey blog schedule, today’s post is supposed to be about Beauty, but I really have very little idea what to write ...
April 2023 Progress Report
April 2023 was a very social month, dominated by friends stopping over during their whirlwind visit to Australia. Highlights from April 2023 It was exhausting! First clearing up and getting ...
Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wisdom
What to do next?
Lately I’ve been finding myself tired. There’s so much stuff going on I have no idea what to do next. For one thing, they’ve started constructing the granny flat. In ...
Q2 2023 Plan
Hands drawing a website/app wireframe flow on a notebook Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unspl Moving onto the Q2 2023 plan, I feel more hopeful about achieving something by the ...
Q1 2023 Review
Photo by Marco Bianchetti on Unsplash My Q1 2023 review has mixed results. Q1 is supposedly the time of Great Excitement. When you load up with your new goals, and ...
March 2023 Progress Report
March 2023 was a weekly mess of ...
The Quest for Peace
A quest for peace often sends you away. Sometimes to a forest or jungle retreat, sometimes to a spa, and sometimes to a city depending on the kind of peace ...
2023 Winter Wardrobe Plan
Given how blah the weather was through Summer, it feels wrong to be working on my 2023 winter wardrobe plan, but here I am doing it anyway.
2022 Summer Wardrobe Update
Here in Melbourne, 2022 Summer was more like winter than summer, but none the less, here’s my 2022 Summer Wardrobe Update! 2022 Summer Plan Recap After trialling “barefoot” shoes, I ...
February 2023 Progress Report
February 2023 was a month mostly devoted to rebranding and redeveloping my websites. Not that there’s been a great deal to see on this site. Some of it was even ...
Read an Ebook Week 2023
Read an ebook week (2023), runs between Sunday March 5, and Saturday 11th. Read an ebook week was “invented” in 2004 by Canadian Rita Towes and her cat Lola. Her ...
Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Expectation
Expectation is a way of thinking about the future. You’re expecting a particular outcome from the actions you’re taking. Maybe you’re following a recipe expecting for a delicious meal. Or ...
Alexandria’s Adventure in Leather Soled Shoes
Inspired by a conversion with Toseland (the cobbler) I decided to give leather soled shoes another try. The weather we’ve been having (four seasons in a day) hasn’t been the ...
Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
What’s a Good Book Like?
I’ve been reading a lot about book marketing and branding lately, asking the question, what’t a good book like? I even asked friends and colleagues, “how does a book make ...
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty, Friendship, Wealth, Wisdom
More Morning Routine
I’m not sure whether it’s because this is already an unusual year, but I’ve been thinking about more about my morning routine. Perhaps because there’s been so little else to ...
January 2023 Progress Report
January 2023 has been difficult for me without a plan to be going on with. I know I posted something towards planning 2023, but there weren’t any goals – not ...
Injured My Hand
I injured my hand gardening over the Christmas/New Year break – couldn’t type, hold a pencil, paintbrush, or mouse for several weeks. It started out with a weed related muscle ...
My Ghost Best Friends Books
Many of you know I like writing stories about people with ghost best friends… Well, I was recently invited by Shepherd.com to share my favourites. The hard part was narrowing ...
The Cairn at the Dog Park
I noticed this cairn at the dog park today… I don’t know who left it. Or how many people added to it, or why it’s there, or in fact, anything ...
Agatha Christie
I’ve been watching Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen, in which Dr Lucy Worsley OBE tells us that Mrs Christie is not the person we all thought she ...
Planning for 2023
I’m a bit stumped when it comes to planning 2023; there’s a great deal of uncertainty and unpredicatibility coming up for me this year. Each year when I start planning, ...
2022 Year End Review
My 2022 review almost didn’t happen; I received reviews from every single company I did business with during the year, and I could care less. But when I was working ...
December 2022 Progress Report
So. December 2022. Last month of the year. Supposedly the time you close out the year, ready to start afresh the very next day. I’m fairly certain I didn’t get ...
I’m Not Ready!
Happy Holidays 2022!
Lack of Focus
Recently, I’ve been feeling a lack of focus, so I read Stolen Focus, by Johann Hari. And judging by the wait list at the library, I’m not the only one ...
November 2022 Progress Report
What can I say about November 2022? I finally got my sauna! And while getting it unpacked and put up almost killed me, along with the fencing, I’m really happy ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
The Smell of Wood Smoke
The other day, a rare for this year sunny day, we took Clever girl for one of our longer weekend walks around the neighbourhood. There was a beautiful blue sky, ...
Boundaries
I live on the edge of a creek that has no boundaries. We decided to fence it off partly because Clever Girl has shown more of an interest in getting ...
October 2022 Progress Report
October 2022 is over already! A day seems to take forever, but the month seems to have flown by. As usual. October 2022 has been one of those months you’d ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
Christmas is coming
I saw my first Christmas decorations recently, and I suddenly realised Christmas is coming. It came as quite a surprise – even though I’ve just done my quarterly plan, (or ...
Beauty, Life Worth Living Project
2022 Transplantiversary
It’s that time again – the 2022 transplantiversary. Eleven years and counting – officially past the nice, neat, predictable transplanted lifetime. I’m feeling weary, and that makes it feel like ...
There’s been a Data Breach!
“There’s been a Data Breach!” (please imagine the grizzled voice of Taggart’s Detective Chief Inspector Burke). Here in Australia, we’ve recently endured a data breach or two (that we know ...
The Wisdom of the Crone
One of the major fictional archetypes is the crone. She may be the grumpy old woman you want to steer clear of in case she curses you. Or, on the ...
Christmas Gift Idea
Today, for something a little different, I’d like to share a Christmas gift idea for you to consider – an advent calendar of 39 different holiday stories edited by Hugo ...
Q3 2022 Review & Q4 Plan
Well, Q3 may have gone a lot better if I hadn’t missed the first couple of months, but with a new spirit of get-it-done-ishness, my Q4 plan can only make ...
September 2022 Progress Report
September 2022 was notable for a deluge of stationery shop emails inviting me to pre-order my 2023 diary. Which was also handy for remembering to start my Christmas shopping list! ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Little Seal Pup
We managed to get away and took Clever Girl for a long walk along the beach. While we were there, we saw a little seal pup. As we walked, we ...
Is Your Home Your Castle or Prison?
Recently, I’ve been wondering whether your home is your castle or prison – does it keep you, or do you keep it? By now you’ll be aware of my thoughts ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Too Late Now!
I admit it – now and again; I get annoyed with Clever Girl and want to send her back. But I recently realised it’s too late now. We can’t let ...
Leaving a Legacy
Just recently, the notion of leaving a legacy keeps coming up again and again as I research and write blog posts and stories. For example, during research for a recent ...
Daffodils in Bloom
The other day, I happened to notice the daffodils are out. It’s not as exciting as when I lived in the UK – one day nothing, the next masses of ...
2022 Summer Wardrobe Plan
At the beach in corfu, Photo by Tamara Bellis on Unsplash It’s cold and raining outside right now as I start thinking about my 2022 Summer wardrobe plan. I’m well ...
July-August 2022 Progress Report
This is a combined July-August 2022 report, because quite frankly I’ve no idea why I didn’t do one in July. And I’m not going to bother this late. I suppose ...
2022 Winter Wardrobe Update
As it turns out, my 2022 Winter Wardrobe Update is a tale of two sides of a coin – had to buy more than expected, but enjoyed in-person shopping.
Coming Soon! Australia Felix
I’m so excited! Australia Felix, my passion project is coming soon – set for release at the end of August. I hinted at the work on this in May 2021, ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
In Case of Doubt
I recently came across an emergency alarm – “in case of emergency, break glass”. A clear and simple instruction, along with a clear and simple action – break the glass. ...
Climate Change in the Garden
We’ve seen climate change in the garden recently, because we took the first step toward our extension by cutting down some of the trees and shrubs, most of them weed ...
Q3 2022 Plan
I can’t help but feel more positive about my Q3 2022 plan, there’s just enough change to make me feel like I might be getting somewhere. According to Dean Wesley ...
Q2 2022 Review
So. Q2 2022 Review eh? Pffffffffff! For those who don’t know, that’s how you write the sound of someone blowing a raspberry (a very long one). Which coincidentally, is pretty ...
June 2022 Progress Report
June 2022, was pretty much missing in action – I went out to visit a doctor and came home with a lurgy or two. It seems I need to build ...
Latest Release! Taipan vs Brown
Today I want to share my exiting new latest release with you – a private eye mystery! It was great fun to write, and I hope you enjoy it. The ...
May 2022 Progress Report
What can I say about May 2022, except that it came and went way too quickly. And I discovered there’s a world day for bees! Clever Girl and I visited ...
Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
The Greatest Ever Haiku
I wrote the Greatest Ever Haiku this morning, and I was so excited to share it with you. But there is a thing that sometimes happens to writers. It’s distraction. ...
Inflation and You
I’ve been watching the inflation rate with interest. And the local commercial tv stations running around like headless chickens talking about how disastrous inflation is and how we’re all ruined, ...
When Enough is Enough
Recently, I’ve been a bit short tempered and snappy. Prone to watering eyes at the oddest of occaisions. Thinking enough is enough! But not long ago I read an article ...
World Day for Bees!
I recently discovered there is a day for bees. World Bee Day was created by Slovenia and endorsed by 115 UN members. It aims to create awareness of the “significance ...
Signature Wardrobe Warm Outfit
In the midst of energy price increases, we’ve had a cold snap, and my thoughts are turning to the kind of warm outfit you can wear when working from home ...
The Virtues of Leadership
Way back when I was studying for my Masters in Project Management, one of the core (compulsory) units was Leadership. Mainly because Project Managers have to unify short-term teams of ...
April 2022 Progress Report
So, April 2022 marked the start of the second quarter, and my second 12 Week Year, the first using the 12 Week Year For Writers. And started with a sense ...
Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Life With Dog
Check any dog owner’s instagram, tiktok, or whatever feed, you’ll see any number of cute life with dog pictures of dogs doing adorable things. But life with dog is not ...
Time, Time, Time!
Did you ever wonder how it is that time seemed to last forever when you were young but now you’re old it’s gone before you know it? Well, your not ...
What Was the Question Again?
So much of life involves answering a question, usually presented in an either/or situation. You can choose the red pill or blue pill, not both. And no variants of purple, ...
Q2 2022 Plan
Hopefully my Q2 2022 plan will build on the lessons learned in Q1 and turn out more successfully. In the universe according to Dean Wesley Smith, the second quarter is ...
Q1 2022 Review
My Q1 2022 review tells me I haven’t stuck to my plan. Though, to be honest, we all knew that already. In the Dean Wesley Smith universe, the first quarter ...
March 2022 Progress Report
The end of March 2022 marks the end of the quarter, and I can’t help feeling the year is over. Though I suppose my first 12 Week Year is. It’s ...
Pleasure, Beauty, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Who are you?
I had my hair cut today. And not for the first time, as I looked in the mirror and nodded approval at the hairdresser, I wasn’t really feeling it. That ...
2022 Winter Wardrobe Plan
There’s a lot to consider for the 2022 Winter wardrobe plan; 2022 Winter Wardrobe Plan Budget It’s a new year, with a new budget, and I’ve slimmed down, so I’ll ...
2021 Summer Wardrobe Update
Once again the weather is changeable, even for “Four Seasons in One Day” Melbourne, and it’s time to look at the 2022 Summer wardrobe update. 2021 Summer Wardrobe Plan First, ...
February 2022 Progress Report
Now that it’s February 2022, thanks to the 12 Week Year, I have the uncomfortable feeling the year is half over. And it kind of is. My minor surgery turned ...
Filing Cabinet
Bold and Beautiful
Having been out of action for a few weeks, I’ve had plenty of time to look around me at my home. The one we bought and did up twenty years ...
Money, Time, Health
As far as I am concerned, there are three aspects to wealth: money, time and health. As I say in Holistic Personal Finance, the value of money comes from the ...
Wisdom, Life Worth Living Project
Fail to Success
Given my Q1 plan has been massively derailed by the unexpected difficulty of recovering from a minor surgery. Technically I’m failing, not succeeding. But what to do about it?. I’ve ...
Adulting, Accountability & Responsibility
Not long ago, Katy asked for adulting tips, and I made a smart comment about social media. She scornfully suggested no one plans to waste an hour on social media, ...
January 2022 Progress Report
January 2022, the first four weeks of my first attempt at a 12 Week Year. With mixed results. January 2022 got off to a fairly slow start, despite my high ...
Isn’t That Odd?
Revisiting Just-in-Time Delivery
The concept of just-in-time delivery is essentially having ZERO stock on hand, ordering it when when you need it. In 2015, when I was long-term unemployed, I wrote a post ...
Q1 2022 Plan
Right, so the Q1 2022 plan is a good time to tell you I’m not going to wite a 2022 plan as such. But, before we get started on the ...
2021 Year End Review
As 2021 draws to its close, it’s time to look back and take stock in a 2021 review. Because if you don’t, what will you learn, and how can you ...
2021 Q4 Review
Q4 2021 for me was definitely a Big Fat Restart, coming as it did with the return of my inner dialogue. For clarity, Dean Wesley Smith calls Q4 the The ...
December 2021 Progress Report
Ah, December 2021, when the year that was FINALLY ran out of steam and ground down to the end. I thought we’d never make it. I got all the important ...
New Life Emerging!
Happy Holidays 2021!
Ma’aming Me Elderly
Only weeks after my Woman of a Certain Age post, I’ve reached a new miletstone in the race towards elderly, and I thought I’d share it with you. When is ...
November 2021 Progress Report
November 2021 was like when someone (e.g., your recorded meditation) tells you to set your mind free and let it go anywhere it wants to go, but you don’t know ...
Tidy Desk Tidy Mind
Does a tidy desk really equal a tidy mind? Or is it just that the open, expansive space feels more relaxing? Rife with possibilities. A few weeks ago I read ...
Small Business Saturday
I recently heard about Small Business Saturday. It’s an event in November taking place between the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales to encourage people to shop locally. This year ...
What are They Fighting For?
Here in Melbourne, recent protests have carried punching bag cariacatures, gallows and guillotines, suggesting the Victorian Premier should resign his position by reason of being dead. I don’t mind admitting ...
Where did all your friends go?
One of my friends asked me what happened to DB, Katy and Toseland. And as it turns out, it’s a good lead in to a post I’ve been trying to ...
October 2021 Progress Report
October 2021 marked the lifting of restrictions and the end of Covid lockdowns. We were watching the vaccination rate increase, and I felt like a kid again, counting down the ...
The Smell of Fresh Laundry
I LOVE the smell of fresh laundry – hints of lavender, mown lawn, and a little little bit of sunshine. So with the odd warm day we’ve had lately, I’ve ...
Beauty, Life Worth Living Project
2021 Transplantiversary
My 2021 transplantiversary marks the TENTH year of my transplant! It feels like a real achievement, and I feel like I should get it a gift to commemorate the day ...
A Woman of a Certain Age
Some where along the line, I became a “woman of a certain age.” That is, the age at which is becomes unnecessary, and possibly impolite to query further. It’s the ...
Time and Tide Wait for No One
Time and tide bring to mind the story of King Canute commanding the tide to be still. But tide is also an Old English word, meaning a period of time, ...
2021 Q3 Review
The third quarter, as Dean Wesley Smith calls it, is the Time of Great Regret. And for me, Q3 2021 was definitely that. As he explains it, you get to ...
September 2021 Progress Report
September 2021 is best summed up by Dickens. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age ...
I Got My Voice Back!
You may or may not know that when I had the stroke last year, my inner dialogue went missing. For a while I really missed it. But I got used ...
2021 Summer Wardrobe Plan
It’s time to start looking at my 2021 Summer Wardrobe Plan. As I write, the sun is shining, and I’m putting on and taking off my fleece. The shops are ...
Monk’s Evening Routine
Having been intrigued by the Venerable Nick Keomahavong’s morning routine, it’s only a small step to wondering what’s the deal with a Buddhinst Monk’s evening routine. Similar to morning routine, ...
Monk’s Morning Routine
Not sure what I was searching for on YouTube when I came across a new to me take on the morning routine – the Buddhist Monk’s routine as demonstrated by ...
2021 Winter Wardrobe Update
Winter has been a mixed bag in terms of clothes, weather and the pandemic, but now it’s time for my 2021 Winter Wardrobe Update. 2021 Winter Wardrobe Plan Recap Basically, ...
August 2021 Progress Report
Well, it’s August 2021, and ...
Some Things to Live By
After another few weeks in lockdown, I’ve been thinking about “things”. Both the physical some things and the mental some things we accumulate as the days go by. This time ...
The Joy of Freshly Mown Lawn
In a rare break of sunshine, we did a little yard work. A bit of pruning, and weeding, and lawn mowing. It’s amazing how much better the garden looks with ...
Thankful and Grateful
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on ...
The Significance of Sighing
DB commented the other day that I’ve been sighing a lot. I had no idea. But now that he’s mentioned it, I’m noticing I do it all the time! So ...
Princess Jellyfish
I recently watched a Japanese show called Princess Jellyfish, based on the teenage girl manga of the same name. Tsukimi Kurashita, has been obsessed with jellyfish since her mother took ...
July 2021 Progress Report
Is it July 2021 already? It’s almost not worth ticking the days off the calendar – my life feels like one long hump day. Groundhog Wednesday… And yet somehow, I ...
Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
The Day Seems Bleak
We’ve had FIVE covid related lockdowns. Full of long, bleak days. So many that even I, an introvert who works from home, has about had enough. I find myself staring ...
Do or Die
It feels like we’ve been in and out of Covid lockdown since before time began. But with so much time spent at home (where possible), many people have found this ...
Developments in my Lifetime
I had a gut ache the other day. And what with there not really being a pill you can take for gut aches… Assuming I could be bothered getting out ...
Serenity
I imagine you’ve heard of the Serenity Prayer, generally attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr? God, grant me the SerenityTo accept the things I cannot change… Courage to change the things I ...
Walking the Tightrope
It’s the time of year when I usually start to get a bit snaky. Walking the tightrope between the usual thing and the need for a break. For almost my ...
2021 Q2 Review
The first quarter has been and gone, and now we’re doing the 2021 Q2 Review for, as Dean Wesley Smith calls it the Time of Great Forgetting. Q2 2021 Review ...
June 2021 Progress Report
June 2021. I’ve no idea how to describe June. Or where it went. Though I know I wrote a new short story a collection… After such a massively productive May, ...
The Time Flew By
Have you ever lost yourself in some kind of activity and wondered where the time went? You say, “oh my gosh, the time flew by, I have no idea where ...
5 Tips for Updating Your Home Without Updating It
In April, I mentioned we had started a list of renovations for updating our home. I had even gone as far as short listing some builders to do the work. ...
Tell your fear “Silenzio Bruno!”
I recently watched Luca, a Disney movie about two young sea monsters meeting humans in search of a Vespa. Among other things, Alberto (one of the monsters) tells Luca (the ...
Liquidambar Leaves Falling
This time of year, liquidambar leaves are falling, though I only just noticed them. I mentioned before, that we take Clever Girl to the local park every day. With the ...
NBN Outages
Over the last few days we’ve seen been severe storms and power outages across Vicoria. Some people have been warned not to expect the power back on until June 17th. ...
May 2021 Progress Report
May 2021 turns out to be the month I broke, and then got my shit back together again. Struggling with bronchitis, but making progress. It feels bloody good to get ...
Silent Walk in the Park
We take Clever Girl to the park every day. We get up early, because she’s still young and active – if I want a quiet day to get things done, ...
Dating Spending Plan
I heard on the news the other morning that the divorce rate in Australia (and presumably other contries) has skyrocketed. The going theory is that we’ve spent so much time ...
The Nature of Pleasure
I recently read an article that suggested stoke survivors have a decreased ability to experience pleasure. As do those with depression, traumatic injuries, and chronic stress. So it made me ...
April 2021 Progress Report
April 2021 pretty much followed on from where March left off, and I ended the month still tired and needing some rest. I started with a flu jab and a ...
The Miracle of Rain
The miracle of rain is that it happens at all – drinking water just falls from the sky. It supports all life on this planet, and literally falls fall from ...
I’m not feeling well…
Taking some time away as I’m not feeling well. Back when I feel better. This photo of me and Clever Girl by DB. For more Haiku, click here.
Forgetting and Remembering
I find I’m forgetting a lot lately. And I’ve been thinking a lot about how to expand my memory, in part to recapture some of what I lost after the ...
2021 Q1 Review
Before we get to the Q1 2021 review, let’s take a quick look back at the planning. Planning 2021 So. According to my random, and tongue in cheek horoscope selections, ...
March 2021 Progress Report
Spent most of March 2021 feeling exhausted and napping. I am one of those people tend to sleep when times get tough, so I’m starting to feel the pandemic is ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Puppy has Sharp Teeth
It’s hardly groundbreaking news for anyone who owns a puppy (or is owned by one), but they have sharp teeth. They chew rocks, and twigs, and the skulls of things ...
Decisions Big and Small
Lately, I’ve been finding that I’m wiped out by about lunchtime. Sometimes I get as far as mid-afternoon. I put it down to all the decisions I’m making. It’s like ...
2021 Winter Wardrobe Plan
Maybe it’s just me and the kidney failure induced anaemia, but I’ve been freezing for what seems like ever. And therefore, thinking about lots of warm layers for my 2021 ...
It’s Not All Just Dumb Luck
I admit it. In fact, I proudly declare it. I am a “bleeding heart liberal.” It’s probably because I grew up poor. The seemingly dumb luck of it. I mentioned ...
2020 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update
Before I get into the Summer Wardrobe Update, let’s recape My 2020 Summer Plan. Which was basically to get a bunch of black clothes. And this was to help with ...
February 2021 Progress Report
February 2021 was mostly devoted to settling the new addition to our family in. There was a lot of dog proofing, though we found out fairly quickly it was mostly ...
Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
I’m Losing My Mind (I think)
I think as well as rats (of the flying and furry kind) we are infested with mischievous pixies. Either that or I’m losing my mind. I can never find a ...
Life is Short
Life is short. It’s over before you know it. Even without the Cult of Celebrity, most of us want to be remembered. Hopefully for something worthwhile. I’d prefer to be ...
The Cost of Money
Wealth is worth more than the cost of money. Wealth is an abundance of something, whether that’s time, money or physical wellbeing. And the relationship between them is illustrated below. ...
Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Something I’ve learned since becoming a dog owner again is that it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. When they’re sleeping they are quiet. They’re not tearing around with the ...
January 2021 Progress Report
January 2021 is off to a good start. And hopefully, I’ll continue to be a little kinder to myself, and remember not to think too far ahead, and to stay ...
5 Things I Learned From My New Dog
Clever Girl; photo by me. This morning. In between dashes across the deck. We recently got a new dog, and boy it’s been exhausting. Lily died at 16. And I’d ...
When the Sun Comes Out
Taking Pleasure Where You Find it
Taking pleasure is largely a matter of choice. Sometimes the things that bring you pleasure are the things you have to work for. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, pleasure is ...
Stop and Smell the Roses
Stop and smell the roses, ...
Planning 2021
Before we get to Planning 2021, let’s take a quick look back at previous years. According to global horoscope predictions… 2017 would be a difficult year full of turbulence (check). ...
2020 Year End Review
Right then. I’m just going to skip December 2020, because what’s the point? We spent most of it in lockdown. I’ll just move right on to the 2020 Year End ...
Time Passes Slowly
Happy Holidays 2020!
2020 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan
Due to unforeseen circumstances, my 2020 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan is the kind of extreme you get when you have to replace your entire wardrobe. 2020 Summer Plan As I ...
September – November 2020 Progress Report
Right. Well. Um. I had a stroke. The months between September – November 2020 have been crammed full of doctors appointments, with naps in the spaces. It wasn’t a big ...
Welcome Back!
Welcome, welcome back! It’s been ages since I wrote. I didn’t mean to leave such a long gap between posts, but I was quite sick (not Covid thank goodness). But ...
Taking a Short Break
This Will Pass (at some point)
I’m having one of those days when I look at all the “bad” shit happening all around me, and I ask, “what’s the point?” That’s not an actual literal translation ...
August 2020 Progress Report
I about reached the end of my rope in August 2020. For the most part nothing much has changed for me since January. I stay home, I write, I develop ...
2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Update
Let’s just say I’ve been cold, and skip to the rest of the 2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Update. My 2020 Winter plan was based on costumes for two characters: The ...
The Tiny Pretty Things
When you think about it, life is all about the tiny things. The tiny pretty things. Especially when there doesn’t seem to be much that’s positive going, say round about ...
The Three Wise Monkeys
Have you heard of the three wise monkeys? Hear no evil See no evil Speak no evil In the modern west, it’s often used in the sense of ignoring something ...
“My” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine is out!
Just a quick note ...
Friendship, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure
Beauty Excites Emotion
Okay, so we all know that the last few months have been hard, emotionally draining, and not very beautiful. Especially here in Australia, what with it being winter and all. ...
July 2020 Progress Report
July 2020 was a mixed blessing. One the one hand, the planet, and Melbourne in particular is a disaster. The State Government literally declared a State of Disaster. It sounds ...
Melody for Marbles
In a recent blog post, Dean Wesley Smith mentioned driving from Lincoln City, Oregon to Las Vegas, Nevada with a car full of marbles. Carefully packed to not “bang together.” ...
We’re Busy Doing Nothing
Many of my friends are marooned at home, busy doing nothing. For them the world has ended, but for me nothing much has changed. I’m busy writing and publishing short ...
Product Price v Quality
First island windows in Melbourne ...
Choosing to Make a Difference
This is a bit of a random post today, inspired by this cute photo. Which I unintentionally purchased in the middle of the night while I was packaging my short ...
My Trifecta of Thanks
There is a shed-load of things to be upset about at the moment, most of it we have no control over. But Toseland reminded me this morning there’s still a ...
2020 Q2 Review
Here we are at the 2020 Q2 review already. It seems the paradox of this year is that it seems like no time, as well as centuries, have passed since ...
June 2020 Progress Report
June 2020 feels like a five-minute disaster movie sandwiched in between a bunch of other disaster movies in a century long disaster movie marathon. And yet nothing’s really happened. Though ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
Times Are Tough and Getting Tougher
June has been another tough month under Covid restrictions has passed, even though they’re easing a bit. Even homebodies like me are starting to chafe at not being able to ...
Is the Old or New Normal Better For You?
It’s been a while since we went into lockdown, and restrictions are finally easing. We can eat out, go shopping and send our kids to school. Politicians have “won” the ...
How to Choose Appropriate Makeup
So. I mentioned last time I’d intended to talk about appropriate makeup. And this is the post I’m going to do it in. It’s a clown free zone, so don’t ...
Carlton the Human Hairpin
I have to start by saying this is not the post I set out to write, and if you’re not fond of clowns, you should immediately shut the page down ...
A Feng Shui Garden
With the change in the seasons and the whole social isolation thing, we’ve been working in the garden. Weeding, mulching, pruning. And having done a bunch of Feng Shui research ...
Friendship, Pleasure, Virtues, Wisdom
Henchmen
May 2020 Progress Report
Sitting here, preparing to review May 2020, it just feels like a sucky month. And this is, of course, the point of a monthly review – there was always more ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
The Joy of Being
It seems to me there’s a lot of sh*t going on right now. We’re busy worrying about disease, job security, and how to make sure we don’t run out of ...
I’m Fine Just Behind
It’s been a long and hard couple of weeks, so I’ve fallen behind. But bearing in mind my friend Katy’s concern about her favourite blogger, I thought I’d post a ...
The Life-Changing Magic of Getting a Haircut
Somewhat related to my version of string theory is my hair theory, That getting a haircut can, and does change your life. And this year so far has been difficult ...
The Pleasure of Getting Things Done
Despite the hope of getting things done, we’re often better at starting than finishing them. Yet by definition, getting things done is all about the finish. Finish: A1. to complete ...
Stress Free Virtual Dinner Party
It’s hard to stay connected in lock-down. You can’t meet in person, but you can get online and host a Virtual Dinner Party. No, it’s not the same, but it’s ...
The Little Things I’m Grateful For
When times are tough (like now), it can help to acknowledge the good things we’re grateful for. Some days are harder than others, and on those days, I try to ...
April 2020 Progress Report
April 2020 just happened in between all the spaces. And there were a lot of spaces as (unsurprisingly) my appointments and meetings were cancelled or rescheduled one by one. I’m ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
It’s Weather for Ducks
I’m not sure why people compain about rain they call it nasty – weather for ducks! (Though I’m not exactly sure why it’s only weather for ducks, and not swans ...
How to Set up a Giving Programme
About a hundred years ago (February 2020), I suggested we think about setting up a giving programme. What with the Covid-19 pandemic, a great deal has changed since then, and ...
Wisdom, Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure
I Still Survive
Sometimes, the fact of being alive comes with a price. Sometimes you’re not thriving, sometimes it’s as much as you can do to come to a place where you can ...
Wisdom, Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure
It’s Not War, it’s Sickness
All these fat old white men talking about a war on Covid-19 is making me irritable. It’s not war, it’s sickness. Viruses don’t hide out in trenches, send out scouts ...
Dances of Death
Don’t know about you, but I’ve been preoccupied with death. Shouldn’t be much of a surprise to you, I’ve written about death and momento mori before. The lists of Covid-19 ...
2020 Q1 Review
Before I start with the 2020 Q1 review, let’s take a quick look back. As it turns out, those astrological predictions of a turbulent start to 2020 weren’t that far ...
March 2020 Progress Report
March 2020 was a horror month. There was/is all the Covid-19 shit going on, but more importantly for us, we had to say goodbye to Pretty Girl. She leaves an ...
2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan
Thanks to our highly variable Melbourne weather, I’ve been thinking about my 2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan for some time. And staying warm! 2020 Winter Plan Following the Summer 2019 ...
Do I Start Again or Start Something New?
Poor Pretty Girl is gone now, and I find myself not only orphaned but petless too. It’s been hard to start again. She’s left a large void behind her, literally ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
In Memoriam Maidenbelle Snow Lily (2004 – 2020)
On Not Perpetuating Sexist Language
I recently read an interesting piece by Alison Flood, who reports Oxford University Press (OUP) are replacing the sexist language in example sentences in the Oxford English Dictionaries (OED). If ...
2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update
I know that technically, Summer has just ended, and it’s time for the 2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update, but the weather has been cool and wet and I’m already thinking ...
February 2020 Progress Report
Made some progress in February 2020, but I feel the year has already run away without me and I’ll not be able to catch up. Maybe that’s because my to-do ...
Was that a Radio Conversation or Not?
The other day I was trotting around doing some chores before work, and I thought I heard a radio conversation. The kind of morning radio thing where a couple of ...
Wealthy is as Wealthy Does
There’s a proverb of sorts, Beauty is as Beauty does And according to Walt Disney (video has sound) at any rate, it means being kind and doing something nice for ...
Wisdom, Beauty, Life Worth Living Project, Wealth
The Pleasure and Pain of Healthy Habits
My last Transplant Clinic appointment was less pleasant than I’d hoped, and now I’m back to contemplating the nature of choice and healthy habits. And complacency. It seems that after ...
The What, Why, and How of Pleasure
When times get tough, one of the first expenses cut is pleasure. In the face of all other considerations, it becomes frivolous and wasteful. And yet, without pleasure, life can ...
The Weird Joy of Life with Wildlife
Since my post about my garden planning, people have told me how weird they think life with wildlife must be.
How to Design a Peaceful Garden
I’ve mentioned one of my major goals this year is to create a peaceful garden that’s lush and abundant, provides habitats, weather protection and a mystical threshold. And the goal ...
January 2020 Progress Report
January 2020 marked the start of the transition to Quarterly planning. It’s been both harder and easier than I expected. Virtue Dec Jan Notes Pleasure: AdventurePlan and take an international ...
Pleasure, Friendship, Haiku, Wisdom
Public Bathroom Benefits
A while back, someone told me that most people are too lazy to travel more than one or two cubicles in a public bathroom. And the longer the run, the ...
How to Respect All People
Respect politeness, honour, and care shown towards someone or something that is considered important Cambridge dictionary When I was young, all the people I came into contact with were “ordinary” ...
Planning a Life Worth Living 2020
Before we get to the 2020 planning, let’s take a quick look back. According to global horoscope predictions (if you believe in that kind of thing): 2017 would be a ...
2019 Year End Review – Project Life Worth Living
Now the year is done, it’s time for the 2019 year-end review. I wouldn’t say that 2019 was my best year ever, but I feel like I made some progress ...
December 2019 Progress Report
I’ve been so busy planning 2020, that December 2019 has become a distant memory. I’ve had to go back through my journal to see what happened. Virtue Nov Dec Notes ...
Welcome 2020, good to see you
It seems like no time at all since I was wishing you Happy Holidays, and now it’s all Welcome 2020. Last year I was feeling all optimistic, but this year ...
Happy Holidays 2019!!!
How to Solve the Time Management Mystery
I was chatting about the Time Management Mystery with some creative friends the other day Actually, we were whining about how we have so much to do, and not enough ...
November 2019 Progress Report
November 2019 was difficult as Pretty Girl has been very ill, and we thought we were going to lose her. Not that we’ll have her for much longer, but at ...
The Melodious Dawn Chorus Daily
One of the amazing things about birds and animals, is vocal group communications, whether that’s the Dawn Chorus, Twighlight Barking, or the alarm tones that signal mass evacuations. And time-based ...
Friendship, Pleasure, Wealth, Wisdom
Thank You Mrs Sparkle
A curious thing happened today. DB and I went to our local village fair, and among the things we do every year, we went into the Church to look at ...
Remembering and Forgetting
Not long ago, Katy got in touch. And I was remembering that she taught me one of the most important lessons that I have ever learned. At the time we ...
Stress Free Medieval Dinner Party
Turns out to have been a really long time since I wrote a Dinner Party, and for a while there I was really stuck on what to do, but then ...
October 2019 Progress Report
Is it my imagination, or did we skip right over October 2019? I mean I know there was stuff that happened, but I feel a bit like Speedy Gonzales whipped ...
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty
2019 Transplantiversary
It’s the 2019 Transplantiversary already – number eight. As I mentioned in the mid-year review, my transplant is deteriorating, and if I’m good, I’ll get at least another five years ...
The Joy in Matching Beanies
The other day, I saw a young couple wearing matching beanies on the train. He had his arm around her, and she was nestled into his armpit, leaning her head ...
Alice ‘mid the Starships
“Normal” people get caught in social media quagmires, but I run down a different kind of internet rabbit hole. When I first saw this image I was intrigued because it’s ...
The Joyful Memories from Gifts of Love
I took advantage of the recent gloriously summery weather to catch up on some washing, starting with the towels because they take the longest to dry. As I hung them ...
Understanding Choice and What To Do With It
A while back, almost at the start of this blog, I talked about a place for setting goals for choice. And when it came down to it, understanding choice – ...
Creating a Happy and Healthy Home
Recently there have been a lot of changes in the Blaelock Household, with the aim of creating a happy and healthy home. Mainly leading out from the transplant rejection scare, ...
September 2019 Progress Report
And that’s September 2019 been and gone. Is it just me, or are the days flying by faster and faster? Or is it that Christmas is in the stores already? ...
Stealing Kisses
2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan
We’ve had some lovely sunny days, and after some wonderful winter purchases, I’ve been warm enough to start thinking about a 2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan. 2019 Summer Plan This ...
Your Hierarchy of Needs
In 1954, Abraham Maslow posited that all people are driven to fulfil a basic set of human needs. Essentially, you start from your most basic needs (at the bottom of ...
Electricity Humbug
The other day, our electricity went out, and I was a little surprised about how dependent on it we’ve become. Even though I’ve written about that before. Aside from the ...
2019 Signature Wardrobe Winter Update
The Bureau of Meteorology is already predicting a long hot Summer. The garden is full of Spring Bulbs, and there’ve been some slightly warmer sunny days. So it’s time to ...
August 2019 Progress Report
During August 2019, I took a few weeks off for some navel-gazing. And now I’ve started developing a new kind of normal. It’s been hard work. Naturally, it involved a ...
What I Need Right Now
The other day I was watching Men in Black: International, and among other things that made me laugh, were the red buttons. The “what I need right now” buttons that ...
Taking a Short Break
The Time of Great Regret
I generally call myself a forward thinker, but just lately I’ve been thinking backwards. It’s been a time of Great Regret. Especially given my recent transplant rejection scare, the last ...
July 2019 Progress Report
July 2019 featured the transplant rejection scare, the month when the Earth spun upside down on its axis and inside out. It was terrifying (and distracting) and isn’t all better, ...
Busy Bees Buzz Buzz Buzzing
I don’t know about you, but it didn’t really occur to me that bees exist in Winter, even if they aren’t busy. Well, not until I saw a couple the ...
The Building Blocks of Style
I’m fascinated by Harajuku style at the moment. At first glance, it’s a random collection of stuff screaming in your face, but take a closer look, and you’ll see all ...
5 Hints for Achieving Happiness
Happy days at ...
The Happy Benefits of Overcoming Fear
One of the 2019 Emerging Writers Festival workshops I enjoyed was Madeleine Dore’s Reaching the Finish Line, but it was mainly about overcoming fear. Overcoming Fear of What? I’m sure ...
2019 Mid-Year Review
Seeing as I revised my 2019 planning and combined my 2017 and 2019 goals and themes in April 2019, a 2019 Mid-Year Review hardly seems worthwhile. But I feel like ...
June 2019 Progress Report
Due to a recent transplant rejection scare, I’ve lost track of June 2019. It took up a lot of brain power and time, but thankfully was just a scare. Though ...
Being Alone But Not Lonely With Others
Stress Free London Blitz Dinner Party
Just recently I’ve read (and written) a few stories about World War II London. I’m inspired to write a Stress Free London Blitz Dinner Party. Food shortages not withstanding, it’s ...
Signature Wardrobe Conference Outfit
Conference Season is upon us. On the one hand, you’ll get a few days out of the office and maybe make some new friends and industry contacts. On the other, ...
How to Save Your Private Papers for Posterity
I’m working on a new book I’m hoping to release before Christmas, so over the last few weeks I’ve spent many happy hours snooping about in 150 – 175 year ...
How to Mind the Beeswax of Business
I’ve been thinking about minding the beeswax of business. It started when I was happily watching a period drama. You know the kind of thing – lovely clothes, beautiful houses ...
May 2019 Progress Report
May 2019 marks a small but significant change in direction for little writing business. It seems that April’s clearing out had freed some time and space for other concerns. It ...
The Bizarre And Confusing Logic Of Creative Pursuits
I don’t believe in writer’s block, I believe in the logic of creative pursuits. Generally, when I sit down to write, I just write the next sentence. I ask what’s ...
Do You Think You Have Control of Your Life?
Do you have control of your life? Most people would immediately say yes, but few bother to think about how. Or if in fact they do. Following on from Mother’s ...
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty, Friendship, Wealth
How to Choose What To Do First
It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I have so much to do that I’m not sure what to do first. Or second. Or last for that matter.
The Exciting Discovery of an Epic Library Catalogue
Sometimes it’s funny what you find isn’t it? You start an internet search with a clear goal, and this leads to that, which comes round to the other. And before ...
April 2019 Progress Report
April 2019 turns out to have been a big month for getting rid of junk, working on my business, and indirectly on personal goals. During which I created a colourful ...
The Joy of New Undergarments
Are Traditional Family Values a Good Thing?
Here in Australia, we’re just a couple of weeks away from the Federal Election. Like all elections, the bulk of candidates are campaigning on Traditional Family Values. Traditional Family Values ...
How to Renovate Your Life
It’s been about six months since my Jack died, and his sister Pretty Girl is experiencing a new interest in the things that make Labradors happy; cuddling, eating and walking. ...
Signature Wardrobe Funeral Outfit
It seems that just recently, a bunch of people have died. I know people die all the time and we barely think about it, but now and again there’s someone ...
How to Conduct a Rewarding Research Project
Today’s post is for Emily, who recently read about my Research Outfit and wondered exactly what kind of rewarding research project I’m tackling that risks my hair getting caught in ...
How to Plan a Bright Future
I’ve been reading Any Ordinary Day and thinking about what makes a bright future. In the book, Leigh Sales interviews people who’ve been through rare and shocking events and compares ...
March 2019 Progress Review
As March 2019 disappears into long-term memory, I find myself gasping and trying to figure out where the year went. Already. What I do know, is that my Programme Manager ...
Life is Passing Me By
2019 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan
I’m cold, it’s wet outside, and I’m wondering if I have enough warm clothes, so that makes it time to develop my 2019 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan. Outfits I’m still ...
House Deposit Holistic Spending Plan
We have this thing called “The Great Australian Dream,” which is basically to own a house on a quarter acre block. This dream has its roots in returning servicemen wanting ...
What Are You Really Made Of?
I’ve met someone new. We met on a warm sunny morning, in a pretty cafe I’ve not tried before. Outside a couple of dogs lounged on the sidewalk while their ...
2018 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update
We’ve had some cooler weather, the mornings are darker and it’s too nippy to leave the doors open. Daylight savings ends in a few short weeks. So, it’s time to ...
February 2019 Progress Review
And already February 2019 has passed. I mentioned last month that it would be interesting to see how the record heat/climate change would affect election campaigns, and the major parties ...
Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
The Benefit of a Good Night’s Sleep
Books: to keep or not keep?
Since I read Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, I keep falling over intense, library voice (whispered) bookish debates about whether to keep or not keep books. More often ...
Year of the Pig Perspicacity
If you hadn’t noticed, we’re just starting the Chinese Year of the Pig. I have a few words about pig perspicacity. Mainly because it’s a nice alliteration. Though according to ...
5 Ways to Make a Bad Day Better
Have you ever had one of those days where you spill your coffee, nick yourself shaving, or some other little thing? All of a sudden what seemed like a reasonable ...
Stress Free Bushfire Dinner Party
This Stress Free Bushfire Dinner Party is a bit of a cheat because if you’re having a Dinner Party and a bushfire breaks out, it’s time to abandon the party ...
January 2019 Progress Review
That’s January 2019 been and gone. I feel like we’re off to a good start, but I’m exhausted thinking about all the stuff I hope to get done should I ...
Back in the Swing of Things
Some Thoughts on Things
I’ve had some thoughts on things: The things we buy, The things we keep, and The things we throw away. That’s a lot of things. Things We Buy My thinking ...
Planning a Happy Life Worth Living 2019
Before we start planning 2019, ...
2018 Year End Review – Project Life Worth Living
So… I started 2018 with the vision of a happily married dynamic businesswoman who makes good money and lives in a beautiful house with a tranquil garden. And my mission ...
December 2018 Progress Review
Ah, December 2018 – gone almost before it existed. And pretty much good riddance too! December’s always such a drag trying to get stuff finished by the end of the ...
Life Worth Living Project, Haiku, Pleasure
Happy 2019!
Happy Holidays 2018!
November 2018 Progress Review
Admittedly November 2018 is almost a month ago, but it feels as though it never happened at all. I feel there’s no evidence it existed at all! Mind you, it ...
How to celebrate your 100th birthday
A few days ago, Mary Beard asked; “How do you celebrate your 100th birthday?” Like her, I don’t have a fond hope for reaching 100 years, though in my case ...
Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
On My Way Back Home
Stress Free K-Drama Dinner Party
Still binging on K-drama, but wanting a Stress Free K-Drama Dinner Party to share some of the food I’m seeing. I’d especially like to try Haejang-guk (Hangover Soup), but that’s not a ...
Signature Wardrobe K-Drama Heroine Outfit
I’ve already mentioned my new passion for K-Drama, and one of the reasons I love it is the subtext. Particularly the way the K-Drama heroine outfit says so much about ...
How to Win in the Sales Season
It’s sales season again – that time of year when it seems everyone is trying to get their hands in your wallet. Preferably to empty it, leaving you (and their ...
October 2018 Progress Report
Well, October 2018 was easier than September, and that’s about all I can say for it. I imagine November will be easier too as we get better at living without Jack. ...
How To Care For Your Best Rooms
In days gone by, houses were much smaller. They generally consisted of Best Rooms like the parlour, where you received guests during designated visiting hours, and everywhere else. Best Rooms ...
Wishing on a Moon Balloon
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty
2018 Transplantiversary
Here I am at the 2018 Transplantiversary. Another year post-transplant – seven now. And as far as the transplant goes, it’s all good. There has been some deterioration, but no ...
About the March of Progress
A harbinger of the March of Progress knocked on my door the other day. She’s a Real Estate agent, and apparently, she’s “very good friends” with my neighbours, though she didn’t specify ...
Housekeeping Standard Practices
We had a “discussion” recently about the current quality of home care, and as I’m hard at work packaging my new book Minimally Viable Housekeeping, (thus the discussion) so I ...
Stress Free Steampunk Dinner Party
I’m laughing a little, because this Stress Free Steampunk Dinner Party, is an almost but not quite Stress Free Victorian Dinner Party, because Steampunk is a futuristic science fiction genre powered ...
2018 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan
Even though Spring is barely here, the shops are ready for Christmas so it’s time for my 2018 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan. 2018 Summer Plan I’m fairly well stocked for summer ...
September 2018 Progress Report
I did not have a very good September 2018. My poor Jack fell ill, got worse, and had to be euthanised. We humans are a bit shocked by its suddenness, ...
How to do a Holistic Personal Finance Annual Review
Here in Australia, we’ve only got another three weeks to lodge our tax returns, so it seems like a good idea to talk a little about the kind of personal ...
2018 Signature Wardrobe Winter Update
Before I start my Summer wardrobe planning, it’s time for the 2018 Signature Winter Wardrobe Update. 2018 Winter Plan The 2018 Winter plan was for a basic 8 outfit wardrobe: ...
In the Quiet Time
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
In Memoriam Maidenbelle Snow Tsar (2004 – 2018)
August 2018 Progress Report
August 2018 was a strange month. On the one hand, it was full steam ahead, and on the other full stop! It was one of those months where everything costs ...
Debt Reduction Holistic Spending Plan
Here in Australia, the major banks have increased their mortgage rates, and the “average” borrower (whoever that is) will be paying another $50 a month. I think that most people ...
What is Love?
I’ve been watching a few romances lately, and I can’t help asking, what is love? Bearing in mind the standard romance book/movie/song storyline where a person meets another person, falls in ...
Friendship, Haiku, Pleasure, Wisdom
I miss you so much
How to Overcome the Wardrobe Dieting Dilemma
I was recently reading Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, for whom making peace with food is one of the key steps of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. ...
How Big F Friends Are Better Than Small f friends
After a turbulent week in Australian politics, we are onto our thirtieth Prime Minister. The sixth in 11 years – it’s getting hard to keep up. Along the way, there’s been ...
Housework Survey Says: What You Really Think About It
A while back, I mentioned I was inspired to write a book about Housekeeping, and I asked if there was such a thing as minimally viable housework? Well, housework survey ...
Signature Wardrobe Event Outfit
The most common event outfit code today is Cocktail Dress; a semi-formal day/night transitional wear. It came about during the inter-war years when it was common to meet in the ...
July 2018 Progress Report
I spent a good proportion of July 2018 business planning and reviewing, and I feel like it’s almost Christmas because my head is so far in the future. Mind you, ...
How To Apologise Like You Mean It
There’s been another round of dud apologies, and I just don’t get why some people find it so hard to apologise. Perhaps they too have a mother who spent years ...
Start a New Business Holistic Spending Plan
It’s tax time here in Australia, and when people see their numbers in black and white on their returns, many start wondering about going into business for themselves. That makes ...
Yes, Love is Forever – No Matter What
Stress Free Dinner Party When You’re Not Hungry
While a Stress Free Dinner Party when you’re not hungry seems like a contradiction, it does sometimes happen that for one reason or another you lose your appetite. I find that ...
Coffee’s Place in the New Culture of Selfishness
Recently I’ve been pondering the culture of selfishness we live in. The one where people pull out in front of you rather than waiting a few seconds for you to ...
The Pleasure and Pain of the Stories You Tell Yourself
They say there’s a novel in all of us, but it seems to me that the stories you tell yourself on an average day could write a novel a day ...
Signature Wardrobe Public Appearance Outfit
Now and again there are times you need to be in public as yourself, only better. When you’re being a public figure, you need a public appearance outfit that makes it ...
2018 Mid-Year Review
There is absolutely no doubt that 2018 to date has been infinitely better than this time last year. Last year’s picture was hurricane devastation, and this year I’m turning a ...
June 2018 Progress Report
Ah, June 2018. All the drama worthy of a Hollywood epic. Something like the 1956 Charlton Heston epic The Ten Commandments. Yeah, okay, that’s probably a wee bit of an ...
Your Role as a Purchasing Agent
Have you ever thought about your role as a Purchasing Agent? Or are you like most people who just buy stuff? You might find it interesting to know that you need ...
Beauty, Haiku, Pleasure, Wealth
We Can’t All be Cats With Nine Lives
Stress Free Dinner Party to Comfort a Friend with Depression
Let me start by saying that a Stress Free Dinner Party to Comfort a Friend with Depression is not the end of what you can do. Beyond Blue recommends you ...
How to Make a Wild Monkey Contingency Plan
A wise man once told me that difficult thoughts are like wild monkeys. And I’ve discovered that now and again you need a Wild Monkey Contingency Plan just to get ...
How to Build an Outfit When You Want To Be Left Alone
Now and again, it happens that you don’t want to be bothered by other people. You want to focus, get things done, or are rushing. So today, we’re looking at building ...
May 2018 Progress Report
I’m not sure what happened to May 2018 – it’s all a blur. Still tired, and still under investigation so we’ll all have to wait longer to see what’s going ...
Five Easy Ways to Foster Your Life Energy
Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time in hospital wards and waiting rooms. There was something one of the doctors said that reminded me of a ...
How to Create a Savings Plan
While I’ve talked about Spending Plans, and how to rearrange them to accommodate your goals, I’ve not mentioned creating a Savings Plan. And when I say Savings Plan, I don’t mean ...
Pleasure, Beauty, Haiku, Wealth
The Sun Shines Brightly
The Happiness of Housekeeping Habits and Routines
Work on my new book Minimally Viable Housekeeping is steaming along – I’ve finished the first draft! There’s still work to go on the second draft, but I’m feeling a ...
Stress Free In-laws Dinner Party
I have to start by saying you can’t have a stress free event when your guests stress you out. That makes today’s Stress Free In-laws Dinner Party a somewhat questionable proposition. ...
Signature Wardrobe Movie Outfit
When I recently walked past my local cinema. It was dark and spooky looking, and I thought it had closed down. Which was a shame as I have always loved ...
April 2018 Progress Report
And that’s April 2018 done and dusted. Just like last month. I’m still tired, feeling stupid, and scratching my head over where the month went. Though there may be a ...
How to Recognise and Take Advantage of Opportunities
I went into town the other day for my transplant checkup, and I noticed a lot of homeless people. It occurred to me that in the same way that you’re ...
Life Is All Too Short
Life is a finite thing. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Sometimes life is all too short, and sometimes it’s way too long. Australian botanist Dr David ...
How to Make Good Purchasing Decisions
Here in Australia, the Banking Royal Commission is well underway. And you may wonder what this has to do with good purchasing decisions, but at some point, we all chose to buy ...
Unbearable Silence
Doing the Damn Housework; Downton Abbey and You
It seems to me that the problem with doing the Damn Housework is that we’re all amateurs acting like professionals. Doing the Damn Housework Professionals take specialised training, sign up to ...
Stress Free Red Dinner Party
Today I’m tackling a Stress Free Red Dinner Party. Just because I’m curious about whether I can. And because red is my favourite colour. Food I’m going to try to make ...
How to Build A Signature Shoe Wardrobe
I’ve been preoccupied with shoes lately, or more accurately, the adequacy of them. And what a shoe wardrobe might look like. And what it would take to look after my feet ...
Signature Wardrobe Brunch Outfit
Today I’m looking at a brunch outfit. In case you don’t know, brunch is a late breakfast you eat around lunchtime. Sometimes you have brunch when you’re a bit hung ...
March 2018 Progress Report
March 2018 has been and gone, though I’m not entirely sure where it went. Still very tired and sleeping a lot. Toseland helpfully pointed out that people who are stressed ...
Memento Mori
For those who don’t know, the Latin phrase Memento Mori more or less means remember, you’re gonna die too. And perhaps coincidentally concurrent with my visit to the Vikings exhibition, the funeral ...
Alexandria’s Adventures in Asgård
Well, not literally Asgård; but the Vikings: Beyond the Legend exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. In Norse myths, Odin the all-father has two ravens Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory) who bring him ...
Get Moving! Holistic Spending Plan
Around now, when life settles back into its usual rut, many of us cry out “I wish I could just get moving again.” It’s not about weight loss per se ...
Changing Seasons Bring the Smell of Smoke in the Wind
Friendship, Beauty, Wealth, Wisdom
A Short Soapbox about Fat Old White Guys and Doing the Housework
I’ve been thinking about modern life. And how fat old white guys still run the world. And that they believe they know what is best for everyone else. Even when ...
Rabbit Lovers Stress Free Dinner Party
Having written dinner parties for dog and cat lovers, I cannot refuse a request for a Rabbit Lovers Stress Free Dinner Party. By which I mean a pet rabbit dinner ...
Signature Wardrobe Research Outfit
This one comes from Judy in Minnesota who sent me an email asking, among other things, about my research outfit. My research involves combing through old books and papers. The ...
2018 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan
As I mentioned in my Summer Update there have been some changes in my dressing requirements, so it’s time to plan out my 2018 Signature Winter Wardrobe Plan. Outfits I’m still ...
2017 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update
Let me start by saying there was no plan, but I thought I would do a 2017 Signature Summer Wardrobe Update anyway because I learned a few useful things in the ...
February 2018 Progress Report
I feel a bit like ...
Why You Should Joyfully Embrace Your Difference
Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time waiting. Waiting for public transport, medical specialists of one kind or another, and phone calls. It all becomes a ...
Quit Smoking Holistic Spending Plan
Sooner or later, some smokers will decide that it is time to quit smoking. It’s not a snap decision, it’s something that most of us think about for many years, and ...
Life Takes the Back Seat
Stress Free Dinner Party with Leftovers
Jenine has challenged me to write a Stress Free Dinner Party with Leftovers. There are two kinds of leftovers; planned and incidental. Planned are the kind where you make extra to ...
The Relationships Between Time, Money, and Love
I’ve been researching Life in the Great Depression, so I’ve been thinking a lot about the relationships between time, money, and love. There are Great Depression horror stories of kids ...
January 2018 Progress Report
The psychotic thing we all do is expect that January is going to be better than December simply because we have begun a new year. Which goes part way to ...
Signature Wardrobe Outfit for Hospital Admission
With my recent surgical visit fresh in my mind, today I’m offering an Outfit for Hospital Admission. This outfit is for your first day at hospital, whether that’s for a ...
Alexandria’s Adventures in Cataract Surgery
I had cataract surgery a few days ago, and it went really well. But I find reading, writing, and watching quite tiring, and it makes my operated eye hot and ...
Read More Books Holistic Spending Plan
I am quite often told, “I wish I had the time to read books.” And I understand that because I wish it too! But I think what we all mean ...
5 Tips for Surviving Your Renovation
So, if you’ve not been following me on Instagram, you may not know that we’ve been renovating our bathroom (among other things). It’s been what you might call interesting… With that ...
Stress Free Dinner Party During Renovations
I’ve found it surprisingly difficult to adapt to one bathroom while the other is being renovated. And given we’ve been talking about doing the kitchen too, it’s made me wonder ...
Signature Wardrobe Outfit to Inspire Action
With my new dynamic businesswoman vision, I’ve been thinking a lot about what she would wear as well as what and how she does. I could win gold medals for ...
Holistic Spending Plan for Christmas
Christmas at Macedon, 1909. Photo ...
Planning a Happy and Worthwhile Life in 2018
My 2018 vision, is of a happily married dynamic businesswoman who makes good money and lives in a beautiful house with a tranquil garden. And my mission is to entertain ...
2018 Vision, Mission and Virtues
Weirdly, all the global predictions I have read for 2018 are similar. Perhaps because there are a number of rare planetary alignments due in 2018. Or they are plagiarising each other! ...
2017 Year End Review – Project Worthwhile Life
It seems like yesterday I was writing my Mid-Year Review, and it’s already time for the 2017 Year End Review. So odd that time is infinite, yet gone all too soon. ...
December 2017 Progress Report
December 2017; the last vestige ...
Happy 2018!
Happy Holidays 2017!
Stay in Touch Holistic Spending Plan
Look at any given monthly report, and you’ll see that I’m always trying to catch up with friends. Just recently I was making a date with Katy and she mentioned ...
Great Depression Stress Free Dinner Party
The Great Depression has been on my ...
November 2017 Progress Report
With November 2017 gone, we’re on the downhill run to the end of the year, and if you’re not ready, that’s falling into the “that’s too bad” department. We can ...
Signature Wardrobe Christmas Party Outfit
I’ve been asked a couple of times now, what would make a good Signature Wardrobe Christmas Party Outfit. On the one hand, a perfectly reasonable request, and on the other, a ...
If a Tree Falls in the Forest
5 Ways to Plan for the Plateau
The other day Katy, Toseland and I were having coffee when Toseland said something quite profound. Somehow a conversation about The X-Files and the Lone Gunmen had morphed into running ...
Summer Fruits Stress Free Dinner Party
I’ve been indulging in a lot of lovely fresh summer fruit lately, so that makes it time for a Summer Fruits Stress Free Dinner Party. Food Ummm… Summer fruits! And other ...
Make New Friends Holistic Spending Plan
Something that has been on my list for a while is meeting new people, and I know it’s something many people add to their list of resolutions as well. So ...
Signature Wardrobe Dog Walking Outfit
The other day at the dog park, one of the other walkers asked me why I dressed so nice to take the dogs for a (muddy and sweaty) walk and ...
Site Renovation in Progress
Just a quick note to let you know that I’m about to start some site renovation, and it could be a little unreliable for a few days. Theoretically, email and ...
October 2017 Progress Report
That’s October 2017 done and dusted. There’s loads of Christmas stuff in the stores, so it’s starting to feel as though the rest of the year only matters in so ...
My Dog Snores Gently
Life Worth Living Project, Beauty
2017 Transplantiversary
Well, that’s the 2017 Transplantiversary gone – six years now. And the transplanted kidney is still doing well; there’s no sign of the rapid degeneration I feared after my 2016 ...