Nice Life Reminders Pip-Life

Pip’s Holiday Diary | #03

April 28, 2019
Holidays

So my holiday diary is coming to an end as I’m back at work tomorrow. My holidays were very nice and consisted of:

  • 4 days holidaying around my city
  • 2 days waiting for/sorting stuff with landlord and fridge delivery gents
  • 4 days being sick

I mean. What the actual goodness me heck? Seems unfair, but I pushed on regardless and am very happy to have had a bolstering change of routine, even if several days of it involved staving off sickness and trying to stay awake.

What else have I been doing, during this long-awaited break?

The Split

I have watched a VERY GOOD SHOW on Hulu (here is how) called The Split. I loved it so much. It stars Nicola Walker and a bunch of other brilliant actors and you will LOVE it if you can work out how to watch it. I’ve already watched all of Unforgotten (excellent!) and River (great!) with Nicola, so I moved on to The Split and now Spooks/M-I5. I think Babylon will be next.

I taught Ari to make risotto and he made a perfect batch with chicken, thyme and mushrooms. And white wine.

I also realised I like cheap wine more than more pricey wine. I don’t know why. I am just a bloody heathen, but look it’s very good for me in the long run, you have to admit.

Holiday diary

* splutter *

During the hols – when I was having a non coughing day – I visited a great craft shop in Mooroolbark that sells lots of different brands of yarn and it was brilliant. I got 4 balls of neon pink acrylic and 2 balls of white acrylic for the blanket I am working on.

Next, we stumbled across a bunch of great new-to-me op-shops. There are three giant ones all in a row on Canterbury Road in Kilsyth – and they are ace. A Salvos, a Vinnies and a Brotherhood. I got some really good foodie and crafty books which made me totes happy, plus some Pokemon cards for my nephew and niece.

Books: The Seed Savers’ Handbook (Free from the dumpster at back of op shop), The Agrarian Kitchen ($3), Rosa’s Farm ($3), My Fun To Cook Book ($3), Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater ($2), Seasonal Living ($2) and I Like You by Amy Sedaris ($5).

After that we went to a record shop called Captain Stomp and it was really, really good too. We had a pretty great run, to be honest, with the wool and the op-shops and the record shop.

I know it’s bad to go out when you are sick but I did it and I swear I used hand sanitiser and didn’t cough or wipe my nose on anyone. Scout’s honour.

Last night Ari and I had a long and very serious chat about Yum Cha Strategy which resulted in an excellent yum cha visit today, followed by a speedy coffee at the David Jones Food Hall.

Yum Cha Strategy – in case you were wondering – involves balancing waiting for your favourites to roll around with trying new things and not over ordering, all in a fast-paced environment surrounded by the sound of clacking chop sticks. It’s not easy to get right, but today we nailed it.

Duck, fried rice, various dumplings, sesame toast, spare ribs, prawns wrapped in beancurd … yum!

They accidentally delivered us a huge platter of Peking duck, which we sadly waved away because honestly we were already a) at our budget limit b) at capacity and c) not the sort of people to steal an order of Peking duck, despite what you may think.


home is a snuggly jumble

While we were at David Jones, we noted an older lady with a neat grey bob eating a roast lunch for one. I think it was roast lamb and she had pumpkin, cauliflower cheese, broccoli and gravy too. It makes a lot of sense to do that, doesn’t it? I mean if you live alone, by the time you made yourself a whole roast you could have gone to DJs and eaten a very nice one that someone else made for you and not even had to do the dishes. In fact she looked so pleased when she just got up and pushed her chair out and wandered off, leaving the dishes for someone else.

Also? I listened to a podcast with Matt Haig the other day, too. It was this one and I think you might like to take a listen if you often find yourself wondering how to balance modern life with mental wellbeing.

I had planned to read a lot on my break, but because I was getting sick and then actually sick my eyes were a bit sore and tired so I didn’t get to that. But I have Reasons To Be Cheerful and The Erratics started, at least.

I had planned to make a quilt top, but being sick slowed that down, so it’s on my autumn/winter to-dos now … and I did make a tiny start on it. Mostly I have been resting and watching telly and crocheting a simple granny stripe blanket.

I’m going to make a blanket for my pup this winter too, in block stitch, with a full photo tutorial here as I haven’t done one of those for a while and I think it’s about time I did!

But now … I am going to make a cup of tea and try and stop coughing. Le Sigh.

See you back here very, very soon, champs. Hope you are not coughing like me!

x pip

* Random photo of Kylie and Nick for absolutely no good reason except that it’s hilarious.

9 Comments

  • Reply Kellie April 30, 2019 at 12:24 PM

    What a perfect (apart from the sickness!) holiday! Sounds like my perfect, staying at home, break! I was only thinking the other day, when did staying at home become staycationing?? 😉 We have been staying at home a fair bit this year and our kids (all little – 6, 4 and almost 2) have really appreciated the time to just relax and absorb, rather than being shunted in and out of vehicles, cafes and other people’s homes or motels/campsites all the time.
    Don’t get me wrong – we love going away for holidays, but staying home can be very special too and has lots of benefits!

  • Reply Karen April 29, 2019 at 8:21 AM

    I hope you’re feeling much better soon Pip. Nigel Slater for $2 – great work! I love his recipes. Your neon granny looks fabulous too.

  • Reply Anorina Morris April 28, 2019 at 8:21 PM

    I’ve really enjoyed reading about your holiday and all the lovely things you’ve been up to. Hope the coughing stops and that you feel better soon x

  • Reply Nicole April 28, 2019 at 7:50 PM

    Hi hi! So sorry you’ve been poorly. So annoying when on holiday.
    Your lady with a roast for one reminded me of a girl who lived in the same wing as me when I lived on campus at uni. Some of us took turns cooking dinner for each other, but this girl cooked for herself. She’d often cook herself a little roast in a cake tin, just like you would in a baking tray. A mini roast. We all thought it was such a great thing to do

  • Reply Shona April 28, 2019 at 7:12 PM

    What a lovely holiday! Although I am sorry you were sick 🙁

    I’ve been looking for a good neon pink everywhere! Would you mind sharing the brand name, if that’s ok? Please and thank you!

  • Reply Rae April 28, 2019 at 5:09 PM

    Hi Pip
    You have cheered me up
    Whenever I see your post it seems just perfect timing for me . You are an inspiration for me. Keep it lovely lady .

  • Reply Catherine April 28, 2019 at 4:25 PM

    Thank you for sharing your lovely homey holiday with us. I hope you are feeling better soon and Le Cough goes away. I loved your story about the lady at David Jones and her roast lunch – what a lovely afternoon out to give herself! And no washing up, either.

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