Taking Stock: November

Above image by Veggie and Flower Garden Seeds.

I’m setting aside Dailies for a minute (mostly because I have been a terrible job keeping up with them!) and reverting to that old favourite, Taking Stock. It’s been a couple of months since the last edition and there is absolutely no reason not do be doing this monthly (apart from my usual scattered writing discipline!) I’m going to set that intention this very day, and try to commit to checking in each month with this list. Perhaps you might want to do the same – online or in a notebook? It’s such a fun and valuable way of tracking what we’re doing and how we’re doing it!

Taking Stock

Making: A big colourful granny square blanket. I started it last March, when Rin went to Japan and I was missing her. When she got back in April it was 2/3 finished and I put it aside because it was getting very heavy and also I was having health stuff happening. I’ve picked it up again and am determined to finish it this week. Fingers crossed! I got the idea from Jo at Through the Keyhole who made a beautiful One A Day Blanket back in 2013. I loved hers so much and wanted to make one too. Thank you for the gorgeous inspiration, Jo!

Getting: Tired more than usual. Why? Darn it.
Cooking: Last night I made a potato tortilla so we could have it for breakfast. I had mine cold with toast and spicy relish. Yum. Today I’m making a curry, a sort of throw it all in the pressure cooker and hope for the best kind. We will have it with rice and maybe some (ALDI) roti for dinner tonight.
Sipping: My favourite Yorkshire Tea cuppa on the reg. Actually I don’t drink as much tea as I used to. I probably max out at three (450ml) cups a day. Usually two. It used to be so many more.
Reading: In The Margins by Gail Holmes and loving it. If you love a historical fiction escape you might love it too.

Waiting: To have enough energy to start this course.
Looking: Forward to having a family gathering very soon to celebrate Ari finishing his course/getting a new job.
Listening: To No One Saw A Thing by Andrea Mara on Libby.
Wishing: I hadn’t accidentally weeded a bunch of straw flowers out of my garden bed. A few survived thank goodness. I didn’t realise what they were as they came up ages after I’d sown them. I pulled a bunch of them out thinking they were weeds, in the hopes of making room for … flowers! Argh. Next time I will know! Dork.
Enjoying: Watching June grow and learn. Rin and I spend a lot of time talking about the things June does and why she does them. Today we decided she needs a bunch more blocks, so those are on the top of the ‘to op-shop’ list now. She’s also obsessed with reading board books together. She particularly likes the ones illustrated by Sophie Beer (like Rainbow Pups) and/or Ingela P Arrhenius (like the Where’s Mr/Mrs series.)

Appreciating: Coola lime cordial (but not the new bottle design … why did they do that?!)
Eating: A couple of After Dinner Mints. Before lunch. So chaotic, I know. /s
Liking: A simple ALDI-ingredients dinner – a pack of chicken Maryland fillets, a jar of tomato pesto, 500g peeled baby potatoes, a slosh of olive oil, salt and pepper. All tossed together and then roasted for 40 minutes or so. Delicious with a simple salad and a crunchy, cool glass of wine or Prosecco.

Loving: That a bird family is living in the roof outside our bathroom window. Every time I go in there I can hear the babies chirruping for food and sometimes the flap-flap of a mum or dad bird zipping in beneath the rafters. They’re such a happy little squad.
Buying: A Madewell Transport Tote at Saver’s for $20.

Managing: To get used to being a one dog house. It’s so much quieter. Bean was quite a presence and the atmosphere changed a lot when he was no longer around. Peach is doing much better after many days of fretting and mourning. Thank goodness. I’m a bit the same, actually.
Watching: Some rubbish (Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Season 3) 
Hoping: To try out this stitch once I finish up with a few WIPs. The texture is so nice and it’d make a brilliant blanket, I think.
Wearing: Old op shopped jeans, a Yale sweatshirt, old yellow Birkenstocks … very cosy.
Following: Too many people on Substack. It’s so crowded there now isn’t it? But good … but crowded.
Noticing: That the birds gobbled up most of the poppy seeds I sowed and I only have a handful of poppies this year. I have lots of cornflowers to make up for that, though.

Getting: ideas about pressing some flowers to make greeting cards with …
Bookmarking: This gorgeous crocheted cardigan by Realm Designs. I want to make one for next winter.
Coveting: A big decorative bird bath of some kind for the garden. Have you seen any you like?
Feeling: Annoyed that the Legacy tributes website seems to have migrated all their content to a new platform and a bunch of heartfelt tributes for the boys’ dad have disappeared. What in the world? Why did they do that?! I’m sure lots of people have been impacted.

Hearing: James the Seventh on Spotify.
Anticipating: Christmas. Gosh. It’s coming, isn’t it? I am not ready. I’m trying to makes a few gifts because that fits my budget best. How are you handling the upcoming festive season (if you celebrate, that is.)

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Now, here’s a list for you, in case you want to copy and paste it to your Notes app or online journal or Instagram, even …

Making:
Getting:
Cooking:
Sipping:
Reading:
Waiting:
Looking:
Listening:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Appreciating:
Eating:
Liking:
Loving:
Buying:
Managing:
Watching:
Hoping:
Wearing:
Following:
Noticing:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Coveting:
Feeling:
Hearing:
Anticipating

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How are you going, dear reader? What have you been doing, thinking, wanting, feeling these days?

xx Pip