Hello Taking Stock

:: Taking Stock: February

February 16, 2015

defah grannies

Hullo there. How are things with you?

Things are good with me, I’ve been doing some fun stuff and feeling the year gather momentum. Can you believe that we’ll be into March in a couple of weeks? I totally CAN NOT. I thought I’d write a taking stock post, before February whizzes by.  There’s almost nothing better than slowing down to think about the things we’re loving and doing and not loving and thinking about…

Making : plans to buy this book (also making two crocheted blankets – one, two!)
Cooking : Sunday night family feasts. My favourite part of the week! This week we had chipotle braised chicken, spicy beans, guacamole, chorizo and potato fry up, Mexican style Hasselback potatoes, green salad, chipotle mayo, roasted tomato salsa in corn tortillas (and meringues with raspberry cream for dessert!) LAST WEEK we had dry-fried fish curry, ginger braised chicken, potato and pea curry, ikan bilis, green bean curry and rice with coconut pancakes for dessert!
Drinking : cups of tea. Like, heaps of them.
Reading: this book and this (long-time favourite) blog
Wanting: to trust my own capabilities and instincts a little more
Looking: at a bunch of tuberoses I bought yesterday (they remind me of Ubud!)
Playing: Belle & Sebastian
Deciding: on a menu for NEXT week’s Family Feast
Wishing: more people sought skills/knowledge over fame/popularity
Enjoying: a Frosty Fruit in the car (on Saturday, admittedly!)
Waiting: to hear when my friend is moving house because I wanna help her!
Liking: Steve Wide on 3RRR Breakfasters!
Wondering: how Chrissie Swan is feeling in the jungle! (I really want to be in Andrew Daddo’s Craft Club!)
Loving: spending time with my kids and their friends
Pondering: how beautiful the fashion of the 50s and 60s was
Considering: some fish and chips by the beach sometime soon (maybe a chiko roll… judge me! I don’t care!)
Buying: second-hand books (by Australian authors, of course!) and cards to mail
Watching: Time In Between (so far I’m loving it!) also Magic City (much nudity/sex/fashion/bad guys, so entertaining!)
Hoping: I can fit all the things I want to do this year into this year
Marvelling: at how much I need a haircut
Cringing: at how much I need a haircut
Needing: a haircut, dammit!
Questioning: why more people in the online publishing community don’t think like Alice Marwick : “Let’s think about the voices who get heard and who doesn’t get heard. Who do we want to hear? What do we want to happen? Who do we want to be? Rather than just fueling a cycle of novelty, I want to see microcelebrity use these techniques of accountability, feedback and personal relationships in a transformative way. If this is the culture we’re creating, that we’re building, as internet nerds, let’s make it a culture that matters.” (More Alice)
Smelling: chicken soup cooking on the stove
Wearing: a comfy dress that Cam bought me
Following: my own advice and fighting CPA
Noticing: the mail for #52hellos has slowed down, but feeling optimistic!
Knowing: work is going to get really busy, really quickly
Thinking: the weekends are super precious
Admiring: people who are humble and talented
Sorting: my big collection of books
Getting: tired early today (I woke up at 2am and couldn’t sleep!)
Bookmarking: This list, although some of the movies don’t seem that good to me?
Coveting: a piece of chocolate or two
Disliking: people who keep tagging our front door (graffiti-like)
Opening: a little package full of cherry tomatoes (someone pushed it through our letterbox today)
Giggling: at Tomato Mail
Feeling: I need to buy this book : The Joy Of Missing Out by Christina Crook
Snacking: on corn thins, like edible polystyrene, I can’t stop eating them
Comforting: myself with avocado (and corn thins)
Wishing: I was in Andrew Daddo’s craft club
Helping: Ari with the things he’s doing and needing
Hearing: snippets of conversation from the street ‘Oh my god! She’s so cooool!’

And here’s a blank list for you to copy and paste (in case you want to join in)

Making :
Cooking :
Drinking :
Reading:
Wanting:
Looking:
Playing:
Deciding:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Waiting:
Liking:
Wondering:
Loving:
Pondering:
Considering:
Buying:
Watching:
Hoping:
Marvelling:
Cringing:
Needing:
Questioning:
Smelling:
Wearing:
Following:
Noticing:
Knowing:
Thinking:
Admiring:
Sorting:
Buying:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Coveting:
Disliking:
Opening:
Giggling:
Feeling:
Snacking:
Comforting:
Wishing:
Helping:
Hearing:

Hope you have fun taking stock, or just enjoy reading my list (if you can be bothered!)

x Pip

17 Comments

  • Reply deb @ inner compass designs March 4, 2015 at 6:18 PM

    doing my feb taking stock for tomorrow Pip and came back to get the prompts again – seeing how many people dropped theirs in the comments I was wondering if you would be open to adding a linky each month so those of us who love seeing into everyone’s lives with this snapshot can find each other. xx deb

  • Reply Gemma February 28, 2015 at 12:28 AM

    Just added my list, http://mycraftyadventure.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/taking-stock-february.html
    I really do love taking the time to think about these things, life passes by ever so quickly and I don’t even notice! Thanks as always for the inspiration lovely Pip x

  • Reply Trish February 20, 2015 at 3:23 PM

    Thanks Pip, that was fun.

    • Reply Trish February 20, 2015 at 3:24 PM

      I linked back too but Taking Stock doesn’t show as my last post on the previous comment.

      • Reply Meet Me At Mikes February 20, 2015 at 3:44 PM

        Haha! I think it does now! xx

  • Reply RebeccaHJ February 18, 2015 at 11:13 PM

    I just did my Taking Stock post and linked back to you. It really is a wonderful little ‘snapshot’ exercise. I am also giggling at your ‘tomato mail’ and thinking about your 52hellos letter writing… xx

  • Reply Amanda February 18, 2015 at 8:52 PM

    I did the list too, here’s the link. Thanks for that, I really enjoyed it and it stretched my brain a bit.

  • Reply Jane @ Shady Baker February 18, 2015 at 1:10 PM

    Love this Pip…and YAY I found your comments. Seriously, I must have been blind when I was searching last time x

  • Reply Jac February 16, 2015 at 9:44 PM

    Making : a ripple blanket to calm my panicked heart
    Cooking : honey soy chicken ribs and microwave frozen veg because I had to
    Drinking : champers whenever I can
    Reading: old messages from Pat
    Wanting: Pat back
    Looking: at family photos
    Playing: Words with Friends
    Deciding: what do I do now?
    Wishing: Pat could tell me what to do next
    Enjoying: champers with supportive friends
    Waiting: for the pain to end
    Liking: champers
    Wondering: how he could just die like that
    Loving: Pat and my kids
    Pondering: how f#$%ed life can be
    Considering: the emptiness
    Buying: stuff to fill the void
    Watching: The Good Wife
    Hoping: it’s all a bad dream
    Marvelling: at the grieving journey
    Cringing: at things people say to widows
    Needing: my Patty back
    Questioning: life
    Smelling: paper
    Wearing: whatever is clean
    Following: my instincts
    Noticing: my kids’ pain and resilience
    Knowing: I will never hold Pat again
    Thinking: of him constantly
    Admiring: widows who keep going
    Sorting: paperwork
    Getting: on with it for the kids
    Coveting: complete families
    Disliking: the direction life has taken
    Opening: letters to Pat’s estate
    Giggling: at the kids’ memories of their silly funny dad
    Feeling: guilty for giggling
    Snacking: on leftover chicken ribs
    Comforting: the kids
    Wishing: Pat’s heart had been stronger
    Helping: babysit sister’s kids – cousins are great
    Hearing: silence

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes February 17, 2015 at 6:43 AM

      Oh no. I am so sorry to hear about Pat. Love to you Jac. Sending squeezes from afar. Thanks for sharing your list with us. x

      • Reply Jac February 18, 2015 at 10:16 AM

        Thank you Pip. I felt bad sharing such a horrible list, when I get so much out of your bubbly blog, so I appreciate your response.

        • Reply Meet Me At Mikes February 18, 2015 at 10:56 AM

          Oh no, don’t feel bad. You are welcome to share what you need to ANY TIME. Thinking of you. xx

  • Reply Anissa Ljanta February 16, 2015 at 8:12 PM

    I did it!
    http://growmama.blogspot.co.nz/2015/02/taking-stockfebruary.html
    I always wanted to do one of your lists. I do love a good list!
    x

  • Reply Claire Atkins February 16, 2015 at 7:48 PM

    Thank you Pip, your list made me smile and makes me think that I should slow down for a sec and take stock too 🙂

  • Reply Reannon @shewhorambles February 16, 2015 at 7:27 PM

    can you pop back & tell me how that book is please Pip? It’s on my list 🙂

    And I just want to say thanks for doing this challenge this year. I’m almost back to reading at my usual speed but best of all I’m reading books I wouldn’t normally pick up. I popped into the library today & grabbed three more books ( I’m being ambitious but that’s ok), & I’m really excited to read them. I started a new book the other day but it’s slow going. Not sure if I should stick it out or just give up….

  • Reply Michelle February 16, 2015 at 4:37 PM

    I always love your taking stock posts. And really those family feasts just sound so good! x

  • Reply Jo Jo February 16, 2015 at 4:35 PM

    Making : a top for myself from the Tessuti fabric people, great patterns!
    Cooking : fish and chips
    Drinking : orange, carrot and ginger juice
    Reading: The Long Road to the Deep North, takes a while to get into it though
    Wanting: more clothes!!
    Looking: at Facebook too much
    Playing: The Frozen soundtrack over and over and over for my littlies
    Deciding: Whether to take my son to the cattle show this Friday or not
    Wishing: I could teach what I love
    Enjoying: That show last night on ABC, Fortitude
    Waiting: for my ebay purchases to arrive
    Liking: my new steer
    Wondering: if my new steer will get champion on Friday
    Loving: guilt free air conditioning (solar panels yay!)
    Pondering: whether to take my new steer to Sydney Royal
    Considering: whether to accept my mum and dads offer to buy their property
    Buying: nothing 🙁
    Watching: mostly kids tv
    Hoping: we win champion school this Friday
    Marvelling: at my students passion and enthusiasm
    Cringing: at my terrible teaching efforts last week 🙁
    Needing: to not teach something I’m not good at
    Questioning: why I agreed to teach outside my subject area
    Smelling: the last of the roses
    Wearing: work clothes
    Following: my dog around the place as he is always trying to escape
    Noticing: how fast my children are growing
    Knowing: how much I love them
    Thinking: will I ever find my dream job
    Admiring: the neighbours beautiful garden
    Sorting: washing washing washing washing ahhhhh
    Getting: old 🙁
    Bookmarking: not much at the moment
    Coveting: lots of clothes I can’t afford
    Disliking: my son’s aggressive behaviour since starting school
    Opening: endless yoghurt squeezies!!!
    Giggling: at the funny book my son brought home called “Felix” about a cat who gets his head stuck in a jar
    Feeling: tired
    Snacking: on blueberries yum!
    Comforting: my son when he doesn’t want me to go when I drop him at a school
    Wishing: He was still at home with me
    Helping: My daughter make a horse “Clop”
    Hearing: my husband’s car coming down the road!!

    Thanks Pip, I enjoyed doing this!

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