Friday 13 September
Friday the thirteenth? This is an outrage. No wonder there was a weird atmosphere when I was out and about in the morning. But I’m jumping forward, aren’t I? Let’s go back to the start …
I woke up late – at eight – with no nightmares that I remembered, so that is excellent. I got dressed first thing, then made myself some cheese on toast and a cup of tea and watched a bit of YouTube to set the day’s mood.
Getting dressed: Op shop jeans, striped shirt, old blue jumper, Birkenstocks
After that? Some tidying and then a trip to Vinnies and Kmart (for a phone holder for the car – my other one broke after the sun shined on it too much). I picked up things to make Macaroni Cheese and Tomato for dinner and swung past the Salvo’s before I headed home. Nothing much to report in terms of finds except …
- A Peanuts ‘Amy’ cup
- A 1975 vintage tea towel
- A copy of The Skeleton House (the book I was trying to read on Borrowbox! I am so glad to have the actual book!)
Then I chatted to one of my kids and generally tinkered about doing bitsy things.
Saturday 14th September
Sicker than usual. In bed. Blerk.
Getting dressed: Nope!
Sunday 15th September
Still feeling rubbish but going to see if I can trick my body into perking up by doing non-sick things and hoping it catches up. Note that this rarely works, but I dont want to rest again. I’m tired of resting. I want my life back. Or at least the energy parts of it from before stupid old ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia showed up.
Coffee … then a bit of gentle YouTube to set the tone for the day, I think.
Getting dressed: Tracksuit pants, Yale sweatshirt found at Salvo’s, flowery socks
In surprising news, I spent the day resting. Sigh. When will I be better again, universe? I did some knitting and watched an ep of one of my favourit old shows (Inspector Lynley) and then watched half of Hope and Glory (so charming and funny and food-for-thought-y) and fell asleep early. Then I woke up intermittently throughout the night, so that doesn’t bode well at all.
(I did make a big pot of chilli at lunch time, so it wasn’t a complete write off. Max had some mates over and they tucked into that and played cards and drank drinks. Nice.)
Good Things
Beautiful stamps featuring endangered animals.
Gosh! This Jodi Levine and Margaret McCartney book – Mousetown – looks so gorgeous. It’s featured in a House of Lars profile on Jodi.
A beginner’s guide to knitting a cowl at PurlSoho.
Crocheted hats helping to record cats’ brain activity.
A review of ‘Emily Gilmore’s’ new book here.
A new brownie recipe to try?
Bolstering fiction by Japanese and Korean authors.
This pumpkin risotto looks very comforting.
Brilliant photos of Joan Jett and The Runaways.
Monday 16th September
I dragged myself out of bed and tidied the kitchen while my coffee hummed, then spattered, then bubbled. Then I headed to my desk to watch this video and drink my coffee and do a few rows of knitting. I’m trying to add at least one mitred square a day to my blanket. It’s an easy goal and it’s fun to do. The blanket is starting to feel weighty already.
Getting dressed: Same as yesterday. Whoops.
I’ve also been playing around with a longer-term project (because I have so many things on the go already) which is a V-stitch crocheted blanket. It’s super easy and a super fun one to do when you need a project that doesnt require too much concentration. And it’s coming along nicely.
After the video I spent some time looking up narrowboats that are for sale. I quite like this one for my imaginary narrowboat adventure. It’s so adorable, right? Or even this one?
I watched the rest of Hope and Glory, one episode of The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency and a new crime docuseries on Netflix (Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter).
Tuesday 17th September
Up at half seven for coffee and a bit of a news update online. Then I watched this video and heard the word ‘sitouterie’ for the very first time. To think I could have gone my entire life without hearing it. What a word!
I made a big breakfast because I missed dinner last night (too tired to bother). It was an egg scrambled with chilli oil, on toast with avocado and some cherry tomatoes. Then I got dressed and went out to water the pot plants. On a whim I pushed some sunflower seeds deep into the earth at intermittent intervals. Hopefully the birds wont get to them before they have a chance to stretch up and out, all green and sprouty.
Getting dressed: Jeans, Woolf t-shirt, favourite squishy blue jumper, flowery socks, Birkenstocks.
I”m going to see Ari this morning, so I best get it together and get going. But first? I am going to buy a ticket in this raffle to win a fully equipped narrowboat.
Ari and I did some stuff at his house and then we went to Saver’s where I snaffled a few good books. They were …
Ching’s Fast Food by Ching-He Huang
Milk Bar: All About Cake by Christina Tosi
Gardener Cook by Christopher Lloyd
Ottolenghi: The Cookbook
I also found a knitting pattern book called McMahon’s Farm Perendale Fashion Knitting Book which looks rustic and great. It’s honestly brilliant. I will take some photos of the pages to show you.
Then I came home via the shops (I bought a water filter jug as my water filtering drink bottle broke, some veggies, some cat food and some chicken.) When I got home I made a quick chicken and veggie soup which was DELICIOUS. Then I did some reading and walked around the block. The moon was giant and glowing in the late afternoon. It hung above the oval watching over a bunch of children who were practising sport and running about and things. So many lovely flowers are coming out in the neighbourhood too. All of the sweet-smelling air and prettiness kept me company on my stroll.
Wednesday 18th September
I woke up with a headache which I guess is par for the course. I made tea and sat outside in the sunshine to drink it while the pups cavorted and shot me testy looks as they extended paws into the Mother’s Day garden bed. They will never quit. They need to be where they are not allowed to be. Why are dogs like this, I wonder?
I’ve got a bunch of study to do today, and a study meeting later on, and then more again tomorrow. Once my headache vacates I think I’ll go for a walk before I dive in. It’s all part of my ‘determined to feel better’ push which might work and might not work but I’m going to try regardless.
Getting dressed: Same as yesterday. Whoops.
…
ALDI for supplies, then library to pick up a reservation and then home to get stuck in. I still have a headache, so I am saving my walk for later on when it’s abated. Wish me luck with that!
Thursday 19th September
So yesterday’s headache hung around all day, but I still managed to do some study and have my Honours supervision meeting. Today I am feeling a bit less headachey, which is brilliant. Still feeling pretty unwell in general, but on we soldier, right?
Getting dressed: PJs
I made some tea and settled down in front of the computer to do a quick scan of the news. After that more tea and something diverting on YouTube.
(I ended up going back to bed because I felt so crappy. Chalk today up to the illness. The illness wins!)
Friday 20th September
I woke up early and had a cup of tea and watched some cute clips in my cosy room. After that it was time to get dressed and head over to Northcote for a doctor’s appointment. There are two op shops nearby, so I popped in on those and grabbed a few supermarket things too. While I was walking through the shopping centre, I saw a group of older people sitting in a cafe area. They were laughing so much the water in their glasses was trembling and shuddering. Such a small but uplifting thing to witness. It put a spring in my step.
After that, it was back home for a bowl of tomato soup and a some oven-heated fresh rolls … and then some catching up on computer-focused things (applying for assessment extension, adding things to my Etsy shop – awaiting my first sale with bated breath).
Getting dressed: Op-shopped Supre cargo jeans, old blue striped button-down shirt, Fair Isle socks, pink Converse Chuck Taylor’s
This week has been a bit of a mess and I am seriously considering taking a leave of absence from study and starting up again next year. I’m just not feeling well enough at all and it’s very blinking annoying trying to do good work when I don’t feel good. I will decide in the next few days, I think. I am GUESSING I will push through because we finish in November and it seems silly to be faltering now. Hopefully I can sort myself out and make myself proud. Gawsh, this is annoying, pals. It truly is.
Anyway. At the op shop I found …
A plate with a ‘Repatriation’ marking on it.
A t-shirt for Rin.
A cute craft book called All You Can Knit and Crochet for Toddlers and Children
A gardening book – 1-Minute Gardener by Mat Pember and Fabian Capomolla
Saturday 21st September
Breakfast was tea and toast and a video or two to set the tone for the day.
Getting dressed: Supre Cargo Jeans, Striped shirt (old), fair isle socks and pink Merry People boots.
I did some errands in the morning but by lunchtime was feeling unwell so it was home to rest again. The errands involved going to Sacca’s for some veggies, going to Bunnings to get some flea treatments for the pups and also picking up a couple of books at the op shop.
The books were:
The Wonderful Weekend Book by Elspeth Thompson
A Man and His Meatballs by John LaFemina and
Picnics: Picnic Recipes from Summer Music Festivals by Sharon O’Connor
At Sacca’s I met one of the kids and their partner and we had a coffee and then did some shopping together. Then we all went on to Bunnings and they got some veggie seedlings and compost and things. I got a tomato seedling and the aforementioned flea treatment.
I started watching the new Menendez Brothers drama on Netflix (gosh … so graphic … ugh) in the evening and did a bit of knitting too.
Sunday 22nd September
Just resting and sleeping and some videos. Poorly again.
Monday 23rd September
Up at 7 to make tea and toast.
I read a bit of this piece by Amy Liptrot. Amy wrote the book The Outrun which has just been made into a film and starts Saoirse Ronan. Saorise is playing a character (named Rona) based on Amy (The Outrun is a memoir). Of watching someone play her Amy says:
“After watching a few scenes of this mirror world, I decided that Rona is a better version of me than I am: she’s giving a more convincing performance, her emotions more authentic, motivations ore clearly defined, experiences more deeply felt. I was never as committed to the role.”
It got me thinking straight away, because I don’t think many of us could say they are clear on their role, their representation of the self, their best self. This sort of clarity feels like something we are fumbling everyday … like something just out of reach, parts of which are visible while others are obscured. To craft ourselves into a clear and contained self seems undoable, mostly because we are always adapting and reacting. Of course, it must feel so strange to see a version of yourself on the screen, played by another, but I’m not sure it could ever truly be a better performance. I think it’s just a rendering that we would rarely get to see. A flash of a mirror world granted to few?
Annnyywaaayyyy … How have you been, darling-face? Are you managing OK?
x Pip
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Hi Pip, hope you are okay.
Hello possum. I’m okay! Ish. Just exhausted and unwell, but feeling optimistic about better days being ahead. Thank you for thinking of me. You are always so steadfast and I am lucky to have you nearby. xxx
Hello Pip, just wanted to say I hope you’re doing ok xx
Hi Julie! I am okay. A bit of a health dip and a bit too much on my plate, but I am slowly surfacing. Thanks for checking in. That’s so kind of you. xxx
Hi Pip,
I’ve been closely following your blog for the last few months and am worried about you when you’re away. I really hope resting is doing the trick and that you’re able to entertain yourself with all the craft and listening to books and trashy telly.
Thinking of you from the other side of the internet,
Alice
That’s so nice of you, Alice … to think of me. It’s so appreciated. I am ok! A bit wonky, but pushing on. Thanks for thinking of me. Know that I am thinking of you too, you gem. xx
Hi Pip, I have been reading your blogs/books, using your recipes and getting crochet inspiration from you for years, and want to say thank you so much for your amazing content. I find your writing about your daily activities so reassuring and validating, and feel a sense of kinship too as someone who also is dealing with chronic illness, pain and fatigue.
Your narrowboat deep dive has made me smile – I started this a few years ago and watching YouTube boaters has become a weekly relaxing treat. I was going to suggest some to you, but you have already found some of my favourites, Kris Atomic being right up there!! I wondered if you had come across This Tiny Life, lovely gentle content. I also love Boat Time, not so calming, but such a sweet, funny couple. Also, not Narrowboats, but lovely and gentle, is Introvert & Dog.
Sending you best wishes for a run of better and brighter weeks ahead.
Susanna! Hello! Thank you so much for these suggestions. I have NOT come across them all, so I am going to get right onto that. What is it about the narrowboat life? Perhaps it’s the way they seem to be like a cosy cocoon, tucked into the canals with their occupants shifting and creating and changing … never the same, but always seemingly contained (with a Plan B or helper close by when things go a bit pear-shaped.) It’s so reassuring. And the countryside is so lovely to witness. Thank you for popping in, champ. x
I’m ok, thanks for asking.
I am so lazy when I am not working that I will often wear the same clothes. Or maybe not lazy, just comfortable!
Keep going with your study (if you can), you’re so close!! Cheering you on from here.
If I lived anywhere near you, I’d be knocking on your door asking if I could borrow the picnics and weekends books and ask if I could come in for a quick cup if tea (if you were feeling well enough).
You have an Etsy shop!!!!
I have not been great, with lots of hard things happening, & have mostly retreated from writing about myself & reading about others, but as always, your writing is peaceful & comforting,Pip. Thanks for being here xx
Yeah, Im doing Ok Thanks. Love your knitting pattern books!
Tania in Hawthorn
Wearing the same clothes is an efficiency, nothing to be ashamed of. Most weeks when I’m home I alternate between 2 pair of pants, 2 jumpers and 2-3 undershirt things. Rotate things a little and wash them all at the end of the week. No one cares. If I’m doubt, I cover everything with a classy coat when I go out ?
Pip I was thinking that to keep the dogs off the garden bed, maybe get some thin cane stick things from Bunnings to make a little fence – they are flexible so you curve them over, sticking each end in the ground. You then overlap them – sticking them in the ground at intervals – forming a cute little barrier. It has helped keep the dogs off my garden beds!