Pip-Life Taking Stock

Taking Stock for April

April 22, 2017
duchess of devonshire

Da-nah! It’s nearly the end of the month. We are nearly a third of the way through the year. Whoa. What. Gosh. Here’s some things that have been happening in this neck of the woods.

Taking Stock for April

Making : Tea cosies and blankets.
Cooking : Things from my childhood. Corn, bacon and potato chowder is my comfort-fave at the mo.
Drinking : A lot of tea. A lot. Like so much.
Reading: Just finished The Handmaid’s Tale and moving on to Wait For Me! (With War and Peace on the slow drip, too.)
Trawling: Abe Books for $4 books. One a week and they come in the post from far-flung corners of the world like a little (slightly bumped-up) present. I got this one the other day.
Wanting: A crystal ball so I can see into the future. Or a little bit of bonkers Alison DuBois (hold the eCigarette thingy).
Looking: Forward. Always forward. (With a nostalgic dose of comfort snacks to fortify!)
Deciding: Whether to go to the market tomorrow or not.
Wishing: This was in my kitchen.
Enjoying: The idea of this.
Waiting: For Saturday, when Max turns 21! Gasp!
Liking: Shameless (US) – such a great show! Bawdy and real and full of funny and tender moments.
Wondering: How it can be 30 years since Steel Magnolias (thanks Jenny!)
Loving: These. People are clever, right?!
Pondering: Privacy and FOMO and social media. Did you listen to this podcast yet? (Ep. 68: Schadenfacebook)  I deactivated my personal Facebook for a week, just to see how it felt, as a result.
Listening: To the Big Little Lies soundtrack on Spotify.
Considering: If my boots can last another Winter.
Buying: Vintage Puffins from the op shop.
Watching: This documentary about Chatsworth House.
Hoping: The Handmaid’s Tale is on Hulu soon. Let me check. Yep. April 26th.
Marvelling: At this piece about The Duchess of Devonshire – esp the Joan Didion book signed by Madonna!
Cringing: At how anxious Facebook has been making me. Doh. You never know what is going to get people outraged or snippy. I am not liking it much at the moment. Hence the break.
Needing: To pay my car registration. So exciting! And a Swiss cheese and salami sandwich. That’d be nice too.
Questioning: What is next for everyone, in this information saturated world… and the different ways people are going to begin filtering, slowing and sorting the flow in ways that suit them.
Smelling: Freshly cooked jasmine rice
Wearing: An old dress I bought on Etsy last year – vintage Indian cotton with little bells strung from the yoke.
Noticing: My wrists are a bit creaky from crocheting.
Knowing: A hot bath is in order. “There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” (Sylvia Plath)
Thinking: It was good that I bought a new hot water bottle today because cooler days are just around the corner. It is a nice vanilla colour, if that is even possible.
Admiring: Joan Cusack. She’s such a marvel, isn’t she? And also Katherine Langford. Amazing!
Getting: Weirded out about some of the Mitford sisters and their horrendous support of monsters.
Bookmarking: Minka homes in Japan – how beautiful.
Opening: A tab with this piece about the importance of nature in it.
Closing: A tab with this piece about artist Rosson Crow. So good!
Feeling: Embarrassed about how much time I spend on this Reddit sub-forum. ADDICTED.
Hearing: Radio National on in the kitchen. Ari coming up the stairs.
Celebrating: Max. Of course.
Pretending: Not to be thinking about food.
Embracing: Cardigan weather.

 

Joan Didion book signed by madonna

 

Here’s a list for you to copy and paste, if you feel like doing your own list.

Making :
Cooking :
Drinking :
Reading:
Trawling:
Wanting:
Looking:
Deciding:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Waiting:
Liking:
Wondering:
Loving:
Pondering:
Listening:
Considering:
Buying:
Watching:
Hoping:
Marvelling:
Cringing:
Needing:
Questioning:
Smelling:
Wearing:
Noticing:
Knowing:
Thinking:
Admiring:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Opening:
Closing:
Feeling:
Hearing:
Celebrating:
Pretending:
Embracing:

Happy pondering! Hope you are well.

xx Pip

14 Comments

  • Reply tunemunk February 26, 2018 at 6:42 PM

    I’m looking forward to listening to the podcast as well Pip!

  • Reply Kizzy May 10, 2017 at 3:43 PM

    Great to catch up on what you’ve been up to. I did start these posts ages ago, my have to restart them as not only are they interesting as a reader, they’re a great reminder to look back on.

  • Reply Jessie April 23, 2017 at 9:40 PM

    In total agreement with others’ comments here…and encouraged by those of you who have deactivated Facebook accounts. I’m looking forward to listening to the podcast Pip, and the article about the importance of nature was reeaallly interesting x

  • Reply PatrickC April 23, 2017 at 11:03 AM

    Pip, I was so glad to receive this blog post in my email. When your FB deactivated I thought my blog post had caused you upset. I understand now after reading why you have done it. I only rarely use Twitter now for the same reason. It was my place of activism and social justice, but it wore me out.
    I try and use FB for more personal and social matters and force my self as much as possible to not be political on there. I have to say that as a Kelpie owner and lover the FB Kelpie pages are fantastic therapy to put a smile on my face. I’m also a member of a number of historical aircraft and WW2 pages and have met some wonderful enthusiasts who keep me going with the work on my book when I get down.
    I haven’t a taking stock like yours but over the past few months I’ve felt my concentration returning in small doses and so I’ve been journaling and you read my first blog post in over a year. I’m going to adapt some of my journal pieces and post them. I picked up my camera a couple of times as well and taken some photos. I have a friend to thank for that. She pushed me to take plant and flower photos for her at The Geelong Botanical Gardens so she could paint things she had seen herself. I’ve restarted work on a model aeroplane that I started years ago. My reading has picked up a little and I’m enjoying that. My dogs walk me. I am enriched by the things you, Kerri S and Lana H and Min G share on your blogs and I often look at the bird cards. Oh and I am totally but totally taken by “The Moth” Radio Hour. I have difficulty sleeping and the companionship of ABC Radio through the night is wonderful. I discovered The Moth Radio Hour on Radio National at the start of this year. Its on at 1am on Friday mornings. I listen to the stories and then drop of to sleep. There is a web page and app and many podcasts to download but I have made a conscious effort to not do that. I only listen once a week as a special treat. I have come t realise that sometimes the waiting and anticipation is better than constant instant gratification. I have also rediscovered Maria Popova’s amazing webpage and blog called Brain Pickings. Its worth a look.
    When I saw that you were watching Shameless I laughed. The British series is fantastic. having worked in the social justice area I recognised a lot of my client types. And like you I cant believe that Steel Magnolias is now 30 years old. Its a grey day down here today I think I might have to get it out from the shelf and watch it. Perhaps after lunch, Perhaps after listening to JJ Cale’s Magnolia to set the mood.
    Thanks heaps Pip you always give me a lift.
    Be kind to yourself
    Ciao
    Patrick

  • Reply Kate April 23, 2017 at 7:57 AM

    I love these taking stock posts. Always, always I discover something new and interesting. Wow you have some interesting and diverse thoughts/readings. ?
    I haven’t had FB for a few years now, haven’t missed a thing but then I’m not needing to promote my business. I can see how that would be difficult every business has a “find us on FB” tag line.
    My boy turned 21 earlier this month gasp

    Cheers Kate

  • Reply Paula April 23, 2017 at 12:32 AM

    Joan cusack! Yes! Vastly underrated, as is her brother (or maybe not) both been in fab films, or maybe it’s them that made them fab.

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes April 23, 2017 at 5:28 AM

      Oh you are so right! I love her brother too, Paula. GOOD CALL! x

      • Reply Jessie April 23, 2017 at 9:43 PM

        Oh yeah, both the Cusacks rock!

  • Reply Reannon April 22, 2017 at 9:10 PM

    Always lovely to hear what you are up to Pip.
    I’ve been meaning to watch Shameless for ages but I got stuck on Chefs Table last weekend & then some stuff on SBS ( god they have great shows !) but I will get to it one day!
    And I’ve been FB free for nearly 18 months & deactivated my Instagram earlier this year. It was all just too much for me & you know what? I feel like my old self, a self from 10 years ago & that is a good thing! I thought I was pretty switched on to how the socials messed with people’s heads but I didn’t realise how much it was affecting me until I turned it all off. Can’t give up my blog reading though 🙂

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes April 23, 2017 at 5:29 AM

      I know, right? I need social media to get the best out of my work – or at least to help alert people to it… but I’m trying to find ways of self-moderating. Let’s see how THAT goes! Previous attempts have been QUITE patchy! xx

  • Reply Carolyn April 22, 2017 at 8:09 PM

    Oh my, that doco looks excellent! Enjoy Max’s 21st. My boy’s is later this year. How do they get so big?

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes April 22, 2017 at 8:25 PM

      It IS excellent! I think you will LOVE it!! And gosh yes – it’s very weird when boys become men! And also great! x

  • Reply Michelle Crawford April 22, 2017 at 8:03 PM

    I love these taking stock posts Pip, always filled with so many interesting things. I had to delete my FB account because I couldn’t stand it anymore. I hope you’re enjoying your break.

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes April 22, 2017 at 8:24 PM

      I have to keep a secret profile – so I can run my Meet Me At Mike’s page – but I am glad to be out of the firing line, at least for a little while, on my regular one. Thank you for reading, you champ!! x

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