Solved, work hottie, relaxing

This is the first time in more than a year of playing the nine letter word game that I have found every word. Woohoo! This is also the only time there's only been two words to find, but whatever. I'm still pleased with myself. 

I took a hot water bottle to work today to help ease my back ache. I was also cold despite my many layers of clothing, but the hot water bottle kept me nice and warm. I didn't want to leave my desk. 

My boss was interstate again today so I had a nice relaxing day. 

Tense knee caps, fungus, Fitzroy wanderings

Awesome Collingwood ghostsign (or is it Fitzroy?)

At pilates today, while I was executing a bend over hamstring stretch thingo, the instructor told me to "relax my knee caps". I laughed instead. 

There's a crop of little mushrooms in the garden out the front of my flat. There's more of them today than there were yesterday. I'll check again in the morning. (I tried taking photos but they're too small and too far from my reach to get a decent one.) 

Luke and I had lunch over in Fitzroy today then wandered the streets and alleyways, looking at street art and ghostsigns. 

 Inward goods

 Manufacturing chemist

Mesmerising eyes

George Costanza

Then we went home and I napped for hours.  

Soo-pear warm, no waiting, many steps

Heart of bark

I remembered yesterday that I bought fleece-lined tights last winter. I wore them them today (even though it wasn't quite as cold as yesterday). They're very cosy; my legs weren't cold at all. I also wore my super-warm parka that's like going out with a doona wrapped around me.  No part of my person was cold. 

I was in a shop this afternoon filling in time before an appointment when a shop assistant approached and asked if I knew about their special deals. She had a French accent and she was utterly gorgeous. When I said I did, she replied, "Super", but it sounded like "soo-pear". I fell in love with her instantly. 

I went to Medicare and the post office today around lunch time and barely had to wait at all.  
Two buses went by one after the other as I was walking to the bus stop late this afternoon. I expected to have to wait a while for the next one, but then another one appeared almost straight away! That never happens. 

It's nearly 10.00pm and I've racked up 19,145 steps. That's A LOT. I was up a little earlier than I am on a work day and had appointments in Hawthorn, the city, Carlton and then Richmond so I sure got around (on foot, tram and bus). 

Dark and drizzly, golden hour, even better best

Sunset is over there ---->

It was dark and drizzly when I got up this morning. It doesn't raise the spirits like getting up to a flat flooded with sunlight, but there's a coziness - or something - about it that appeals to me. I like having a shower in the dark. (I should note that my building is always warm in the cooler months so rising on cold mornings isn't such a shock to the system...and I don't get up until around 8.00am).

It was cold and drizzly all day. The sun only showed up as it sank towards the horizon. I can't quite see the sunset from my office at the moment, but I get to enjoy the golden hour every afternoon. Around the time I took the photo above, the bay was a calm icy blue and a container ship was lit orange by the rays of the sun. It looked very serene. 

I've had an aching back for a little while and today I remembered I had a heat pack in my drawer, so I gave it a spin in the microwave and stuffed it down the back of my skirt, which was fine when I was sitting down, but when I was walking to the kitchen it fell out the bottom of my skirt onto the floor as if I'd laid an egg. 

Speaking of my skirt, it's one that I haven't worn in a year or more. I held it up to myself and didn't think it would fit, but it did. 

I was wrong about my bed-to-desk personal best! I'm down to 50 minutes now, not 52! I predict it will never be bested.  

Wintry, warm, speedy

My new winter coat got its first outing today. Its the first time I've worn any winter coat all year because I haven't been feeling the cold (until I get to my office and then I'm always cold).  There's a few wintry days ahead. so no doubt my new coat will get out of the closet again. 

It's wintry outside right now, but I'm warm inside on the couch looking out at it. 

I got from bed to desk in an hour today. It's not my personal best, but I still got a little kick out of it.  (My PB is 52 minutes, which I think will be very hard to beat.)

Leftovers,postponed, free massage,

I had leftover corned beef and potato salad for lunch today, mixed in with boiled egg, avocado, sweet cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and spinach. Delish. 

I had an appointment at lunch time today that I really couldn't be bothered going to but then it got postponed. I'm going tomorrow instead now. 

I got a free massage at work this afternoon. One of the (rather infrequent) perks of working for a large firm.

The Dressmaker, dinner, laughing

A two-in-one ghost sign on La Trobe Street

I enjoyed The Dressmaker last night. It was funny and sad, and the scenery and cinematography were stunning. And the costumes! Gorgeous. 

We had another tasty dinner tonight, partly because I made potato salad and cucumber salad again. I reckon I could eat both every night. I have a very high boredom threshold for food I enjoy. We also had corned beef and curried cabbage. 

Dylan Moran is doing stand-up on the telly as I write this. I love listening to Luke chortling and guffawing. It's my favourite sound. 

Street art hotspot, Sausage Saturday, lean and pointy

This little guy looks quite Seussian, no?

A few months ago I discovered an amazing street art hotspot in Windsor called Artists Lane, which runs parallel to Chapel off Green Street. I visited again today after my pilates class. 

 

Don't mess with this sword-toting woman

Hippo, birdy, giraffe, oh my!

Sausage Sunday has come early this weekend. It's Sausage Saturday! As well as potato salad, I made a German-style cucumber salad with dill and sour cream.  T'was yum. *pats belly* 

Now it's time to watch The Dressmaker.   

No post from me yesterday. I felt lousy most of the day and the high point was when I got home and crawled into bed to sleep. And this photo. I'm so lean and pointy! 

Exceeding expectations, superfast, spooky

I had my annual performance review this morning. It went very well. I'm exceeding expectations. I showed my boss the email from a senior associate I used to work for in which she said I was the best secretary she'd ever come across, and he said to attach it to my review form to go to HR, so I did. If I don't get a pay rise after they see that, I'll be rather cross.  

Today flew by superfast (even though I spent most of it doing the same things as yesterday) and now it's my weekend! 

I arrived at the tram stop just as my tram home arrived (I was too sore from yoga to walk tonight, I'm so out of shape).

The moon was shining through light clouds and looking very spooky as I walked from the tram stop. 

Yoga, that boring job, a fast/slow week

Today I did a yoga class organised by the social committee at work. It's the first of four classes I've signed up to do, for a mere $20 (in total). I enjoyed it, although I felt like the least flexible and most wobbly one there. Something to work on... 

I spent most of my day sorting out my boss's Outlook contacts, a job that's been on my to-do list for ages. There's a lot of duplicate (and some triplicate) contacts, and about half are incorrectly filed by first name (seriously, who does that?). Not a particularly stimulating job, but a good one if you're too tired to do much else, and it's almost as therapeutic as having a physical clean out. 

I can't believe the last day of my week is almost here already. The days have dragged this week because I've been sleepy and not very busy, but now it's almost the weekend!  (Have I published any posts lately that don't go on about how great working four days is? I don't believe I have!) 

I walked again

I didn't want to walk home tonight because I'd been super sleepy and cold all day, and I just wanted to get home to my couch as quickly as possible. But then I just walked anyway. Go, me. 

My week is half over. Hurrah! I don't have a hump day anymore; the hump arrives when I leave the office on Tuesdays.  

Imagine the old book smell in these centuries-old libraries! 

I'm walking, trivia, tooth fancier

I walked all the way home after work today for probably only the second or third time this year. I've been walking half way home quite often, but I've decided I need more exercise, so I'm going to walk the whole way more often. It's a 40-minute walk at a brisk pace.  

I've actually missed the walk - seeing the reflections of the city lights on the dark river, keeping an eye out for water birds and, of course, avoiding crowding on the tram. 

I only caught a glimpse of a bird on the wing tonight, but I did see a few patches of mushrooms on the river bank. 

My firm is having another trivia night in a few weeks. Yay! I love trivia nights. My team came fourth last year, so our aim is to better that. Or, you know, win. 

Are you gomphipothic? The meaning is as amusing as the word itself - to be excited by a lovely set of teeth. Whatever floats yer boat... 

Big sleep, sausage Sunday, parrots

The beginning of the golden hour this afternoon

I had a very big sleep in today. Very big.  

Today is Sausage Sunday! That's sausages, potato salad, sauerkraut and dill pickles for dinner, for those who have just joined me. 

I forgot to mention a strange sight I saw at the market yesterday - a woman walking along with one parrot sitting on her hand and another on her shoulder (no, she wasn't a pirate.) I wonder why they didn't fly away?  

Sunshine, sausages and sleep

Grapes

It was a gloriously sunny day today. I went to pilates and then to South Melbourne market to buy sausages. There's a butcher there that sells about 100 varieties of sausages and they are almost all free of onion and garlic (which upset my belly). Sunday night dinner is sorted. 

I bought a single mandarin to snack on on my way along Chapel Street after pilates and it was perfect. Deliciously sweet. 

I have nowhere to be tomorrow morning (unlike the last two days) and I plan to have a big sleep in. 

No work, no squinting, no fillings

On my way home late this afternoon

When I first work up this morning I briefly thought I had to get up for work, but NO! I didn't! Wooh! I have a moment every Friday morning when I think I should be at work. 

I picked up my sunglasses with new prescription lenses today. So happy to not be squinting anymore. 

Guess what time my dental appointment was today? Two-thirty, of course! No fillings for me. I have tough teeth, Mrs Marsh. 

Faux Friday

Yay, it's my weekend. That's all I've got.

Grey skies

Some great clouds seen from my boss's office

this afternoon 

Still dry, new stuff, crescent moon

I managed to avoid the worst of the weather again today. It rained when I was on the tram heading to work, but stopped just before I got off. 

I wore a new skirt and top today - well, not new to my wardrobe, but today was the first time I've worn them due to my recent shedding of kilos.  

I enjoyed my boss-free day in the office today. I spent most of the day completing the self-assessment for my performance review on Monday. I'm glad that's done. 

There was a yellow crescent moon above the city as I crossed the river on my way home tonight. 

Good timing, goofy laugh, no boss

This morning

There's been more wet and windy weather about today, but I timed my comings and goings perfectly. I arrived at an appointment this morning just before heavy rain pelted down, and I got home tonight after pilates minutes before the wind whipped up again. 

My pilates instructor has a goofy laugh that makes me laugh too. 

My boss wasn't interstate today - dang! -  but he will be tomorrow and Wednesday. Wooh!

Sunday dinner, bed, no boss

Fungus in the grass

Luke and I have a new Sunday night dinner - sausages with potato salad, sauerkraut and dill pickles. Yum. 

I spent a lot of time in bed today. Words cannot adequately express how much I love my bed. I can't wait to get back into it. 

I think my boss is going to be interstate tomorrow and Tuesday. That's a nice way to start the working week. 

Cool cat, new hair, berry delight

How you doin?

I have been without my sunglasses for a week while new lenses are being fitted. As much as I'm enjoying our unseasonally warm weather, the sunshine is killing my eyes. I'm a giant walking squint.  My face is one big crow's foot. So today I bought some cheap sunglasses to tide me over.  Of course I can't see properly, but look at me! I'm so cool! *laugh* 

I got my hair cut and coloured today. It was looking pretty faded and shabby before. It's like I have a brand new head now. 

I had strawberries and raspberries with whipped cream for dessert tonight. Yum. Raspberries are my favourite berry. They creep me out a bit with those tiny hairs and that hole, but looks aren't everything. 

Warm, 1800, surprise chip

Coming home this evening

We had another warm autumn day today, a perfect day to be free of the office. I was out and about for most of the day getting sh!t done and getting some vitamin D along the way.

I've done just over 18,000 steps today, which is considerably more than my average. I don't feel as if I've walked that far, which is unusual; most of the time I feel as if I have traversed a much greater distance than I actually have. 

I love that moment when I'm at Hunky Dory on a Friday night and think I've eaten all my chips, but then I find one hiding under a piece of lettuce (no, I shouldn't be eating chips on my modified diet, but I'm only human...). 

New dress...sort of

A bumper sticker  I saw in my street (thong = flip flop in Australia) 

I wore a dress today that I haven't worn in about two years because I got too chubby to fit into it. But now I'm not so chubby, it fits me well - probably better than when I first bought it. This pleases me.  

I have a lot of clothes in my wardrobe bought over the past year or two that I haven't been able to fit into for a while and I'm excited by getting to wear them again. It will be like going shopping without spending money. 

I had a long day today and didn't leave the office until 7.15, BUT NOW IT'S MY WEEKEND! Hooray!  I have a busy day of appointments tomorrow, but no plans for the rest of it, apart from getting my hair done. Oh, and mothers' day with Luke's family on Sunday.

New boots, not so busy, Friday

I wore my aforementioned new boots at work today. It felt good. I love the angled heels and the square toes. I forgot to take a photo of them, but here's one from the site I bought them from (massively discounted too - the best kind of shoes).

I thought I was going to have a crazy busy day today (end of month billing), but it was quite laid back. Phew. 

It's my Friday tomorrow. Wooh! 

Dark and stormy

There was some wild weather in and around Melbourne today. We didn't get much, if any, the city, despite some ominous clouds. I love being able to see the changing weather out the window at work, especially when it looks stormy. 

 Looking east - despite appearances, these clouds 

only produced light rain 

Looking south - the bay is so dark!

We've had a very warm autumn so far, which I've enjoyed even though it feels a bit wrong to enjoy the effects of climate change, but I'm happy it's getting cooler now because it means I can finally wear my new winter boots. Yay!

Yummm

I mentioned in my previous post that I'm on a modified diet, but that doesn't mean I've been deprived of tasty, tasty things. This morning for breakfast I had homemade potato salad with bacon and boiled egg, avocado, cherry tomatoes and feta. So good. 

For lunch I had beef curry, which I made from scratch. I totally improvised the spice mix, but it was yummy. Go, me. I made a big pot of it, so I have tasty lunches for the week ahead. 

I had delicious sweet strawberries for an afternoon snack, but I can't take any credit for those.  

(If you're wondering what I'm not eating, I've cut out all added sugar and most carbs because bad gut bacteria love that stuff.)

  

I'm baaa-aaaack. Yet again.

OK, it's the first day of May - MAY, I TELL YOU! - and it's high time I got off my butt and wrote a damn blog post. You might wonder why I didn't just throw in the blogging towel since I've been doing such a lousy job of it for quite some time now. I did consider it, but decided instead to do the exact opposite: post every day, like I intended when I started writing Gleeful all those years ago. But I'm not just going to do it for a month this time. I'm gonna do it for-EVAAAH. Yup. 

So here goes. 

I've been having a pretty good year so far. My highlights reel includes a splendid Christmas/New Year road trip with Luke up to Mum's place. We stayed with Mum for about 10 days, eating lots of pavlova and tripping about the nearby rainforests, beaches and national parks, then drove home via the Tamworth, the Blue Mountains, Bathurst, Orange and Wagga.  I'll post some photos some time (or check out em out at Frisky_Librarian on Instagram).

We've ventured out of Melbourne quite a bit - day trips to the little town of Birregurra and the Great Ocean Road, the Yarra Ranges and Dandenongs, as well as an overnight stay at Mt Beauty in the gorgeous Victorian high country last weekend for the Bright Autumn Festival. The high country is now my favourite part of Victoria.  

Another highlight is a significant (and ongoing) improvement in my health. I've been seeing a functional medicine doctor (like a cross between a GP and a naturopath) who put me on a program to heal my gut through diet modification and supplementation. It's costing me a small fortune, but it's the ONLY thing that's made any real difference. (I try not to think of all the money I've spent over the years on allergists, dieticians and gastroenterologists who charged me hundreds of dollars a go for basically nothing). Progress is fairly slow, but I'm finally making actual progress. Hurrah! (I've also lost about 7kg while still eating bacon, cheese and sausages. Suh-weet!)

Another really good bit about this year is that I have dropped back to working four days a week. Woohoo! I've been having Fridays off for about 6 weeks now and I love it. So far I've mainly used the extra day for running errands and attending appointments...and afternoon naps. Three days feels like a decent weekend and I'm more positive about work on the four days I'm there.  Of course I'm earning less, but I've made up for most of my lost income just by bringing my lunch and snacks from home (which I had to do anyway because of my modified diet).

That's not bad for the year to date, is it? I'm pretty happy with my lot.