Love you mum. Lots.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about the need to be social versus the need to be solitary. As an only child growing up, I learnt to be very content with my own company. While I had friends and always enjoyed the company of adults, I also thrived on days spent in my bedroom, just tinkering. I believe alone time is very important. How else can we have the opportunity to hear our true thoughts, fears and desires? Recharge? Be creative? Slow down? My diary has several social get togethers marked in every week because I love to foster strong, genuine bonds with our friends and go to cool local events. But in the blank spots on those pages are allotted times for quietness. I can’t function without those. It is also a time for my body to refuel as I work so hard to cope with my diminished senses. As I don’t work a normal 9-5 job I can also allocate one day of the week where I don’t answer the phone – it is me taking back time for myself and pushing against the trap of constant connection and noise.

I’ve deduced that I am 50% social and 50% solitary. I need and want both just as much. What is your ratio?

Snail mail from beautiful women who live far far away.

My dog’s night time bed. Yes, there is a pillow. It fell off our bed one night and became his. He’s always been accustomed to the finer things in life you see.

My husband made these sliders for a weekend lunch. So cute. So are the sliders.

Nightly online scrabble playing with loved ones around the world. Have a look at this crowded board!

Flowers from my husband in the morning light.

We didn’t take our dog to this party as we weren’t sure if it was appropriate. Boy, did he sniff me when we picked him up from my mum’s. I found myself apologising again “It was just a fling with a puppy, it meant nothing. You’re still my number one dog”.

I haven’t gone crazy for them in their trendiness as I am more savoury than sweet. But my commitment stretches far enough to buy them from three different places in Paris last year in the name of a taste-testing experiment. Unfortunately I didn’t like any of them, even the famous ones. I think there might be a difference in the sugar that tasted strange to my tastebuds?

I set macaroons as April’s Cooking Club task so that I could face my fear that I might not be able to make them all by myself. Making macaroons are set to be forever linked to memories of a former flatmate. She was the one with whom I made them for the first time when she visited last year. Admittedly, I was quite prepared that I may not succeed without her baking skills. But I was determined to try my hardest. Some chilled music was playing, the mobile phone was off and I was in the moment.

For those of you who are minimalists and/or irregular bakers like me, you might find the trick she showed me very useful – a large zip-seal sandwich bag to pipe the mixture. Next time I would cut off a smaller hole to allow full control of the outflow. I would love to show you straight rows of uniform sizes on the cooking tray. But I was hunched over the bench focusing my eyes intently on each one I was creating, unable to see if I had aligned it with the previous one. As I stood back to examine my handy work I found the gaps in which to fill with the mini macaroons. Ah but the minis are kinda cute!

Did they bake perfectly? No way! But wow, they were much better than I thought they would be. A few were sticky and fell apart as I peeled them off the baking paper. Perfect for taste testing samples. My ganache was also very runny and messy but solidified into a lovely texture after refrigeration. Perhaps I should have cooled it more before spreading?

Finding the magic pair in the baked macaroons is rather a sweet affair. It’s nice to think that despite the haphazard creation of sizes that there might be the perfect other half for each one. Kind of a nice metaphor for life, isn’t it? My other half got to choose the recipe from the book. He was a very happy husband. I ate my first ones with some green tea. Afterwards I sat back and wrote to a couple of gorgeous girls on my postcards.

Pop over to Quiet Paws to see her mocha macaroons! If you want to join the cooking club for May, please leave me a comment and I will email you the details. It’s very casual, non-competitive and about inspiring and supporting new adventures in our kitchens.

- a sleep in (as best as this early riser can) – morning walk & ingredients acquisition – old men in suits with medals whom I want to hug – that haunting trumpet song – baked & wrapped anzac biscuits – read philosophy – created a delicious sauce for mexican lunch – tv show on olive oil in spain – a long walk as the sun dropped – husband to a spontaneous boy’s night at the movies – a night in for me with my dog, gossip girl & hart of dixie – a deep, sound sleep in a wonderful nation -

Change is happening and I’m working to adjust. The flood of thoughts and feelings are being addressed as part of my Project Mind Declutter.

We are surrounded by many couples having babies, getting pregnant and planning to embark on that journey. I’ve been privileged to attend 10 baby showers to date to celebrate their next chapter. Amidst my joy for them I feel many other emotions given we’re not at the same point in our lives. Concerns of how friendships evolve and survive with new priorities. Fears of having an empty dining table in the future. Wishing there were no judgements or assumptions of any woman, especially when the full story is so rarely made public. Struggling with my disabilities around fast moving kids, talking toddlers and fragile babies. An occasional tear.

Comfort from discussions with those who relate. Relishing my nurturing side as a loving wife, dog mum and good family member and friend. Free of guilt after asking my mum if she is ok not becoming a grandmother beside some of her peers. Feeling honoured when we are given Auntie and Uncle titles. Grateful that my husband and I are on the same page and communicate openly. Overcoming challenges of my own with determination and support. Acting on our priorities and pleasures.

While we all forge our own paths to happiness, may we always find opportunities to come together to share moments along the way.

gourmet grocer haul – just figs – breakfast with figs & an e-book

My husband and I were doodling on paper. He drew a fig.
I wrote “I figgin’ love you berry much”.
He wrote “Ha ha, you’d make a grape comedian”.

Love him. And figs.

While so many other blogs have come and gone from my reader, Miss Minimalist has always remained a firm favourite. The beautiful author Francine inspires with practical and philosophical posts on minimalism. I am butterflies-in-my-tummy excited to be this week’s Real Life Minimalist. It’s like having a hot chocolate with cream on top (something I only discovered in California in 2010) – sweet. Yes this moment is real sweet. There is a goofy grin on my face.

We explored the quieter areas and had breakfast in a garden where I had a chat to a local. As we headed towards the market a man fell into step beside us and said something about our camera. It was then my husband saw signs stating no photography is allowed in the Pusher Street area. Away went the camera.

The dog psychology nerd in me was very impressed with the off-leash behaviour of the many large and uncastrated dogs. The swap corner looked like an effective application of sharing and re-using items within a community. Also interesting is their concept of collective ownership of the land, buildings and gardens. It can’t be denied that this is indeed a unique and fascinating social and political situation.

Have a look at Tora’s photos. I stumbled across her gorgeous blog and I’m convinced we both photographed the same dog. What do you think?

I wonder what the difference is between muesli and granola? A Google search tells me that granola is toasted in honey and oil, which this recipe is. Does anyone know the answer?

Honey & oil pre-heating. Spices spilt on the bench.

Baking, blogging & apple eating in the kitchen.

Golden, crunchy, toasty stuff fresh out of the oven.

Making muesli always takes me back to when my mum made toasted muesli each week. Being very active, we needed a lot of fuel and I have fond memories of the simple, wholesome food we ate and sitting on the kitchen bench while mum retrieved the muesli from the oven.

As I made this, I also thought of Tracey. Would Jones and Baxter be nearby as she pottered in the kitchen? (Follow her on Instagram and you will find that Jones is surely the most smiley cat you have ever seen and Baxter looks super chilled and cuddly.) What does her kitchen look like? I know it has a big clock in it. Where would she get the recipe from? It was fun to be virtually sharing in this experience together.

To celebrate, I set  myself up with a lovely date-for-one of green tea, a jug of almond milk, fresh figs and blueberries. Yum. Don’t forget to click over to Quiet Paws to see her homemade granola/muesli. Also, leave me a comment if you would like to join us for the April challenge and I will email you details.

Ta dah!

One hand pouring, the other photographing. I is tricky.

In the spirit of decluttering the mind, I have pushed myself to initiate a couple of hard conversations lately. I felt weight lift off my shoulders knowing that I tried my hardest more than once and that the ball is not in my court. I have also been relieved of guilt and sadness that I actually didn’t need to feel (Ah, how well we women do guilt!). It feels freeing to try make a relationship the best it can be, or to realise that it’s through no fault of my own that it will never strengthen, or to learn of wasted emotions based on incorrect assumptions that can now be let go. I hope you can muster the courage to have a difficult conversation and clear out more mind clutter.

The days are getting a touch shorter, the breeze crisper and more fervently blowing. The air conditioner is off, windows wide open, the curtains in the living room billowing. I cuddle my dog who is enjoying the wind on his face as he sleeps. He snuggles into my arms. I decide to join him. I grab my laptop, a notepad and a cup of green jasmine tea. Sitting outside within arms reach of my dog, my freshly watered plants nearby, I too am covered in the soothing caresses of the breeze. I raise my head and squint my eyes as I take in the patches of blue sky and white clouds. There is grey too – rain may fall this afternoon. Soon I will wash and iron clothes, clean the floors and prepare a cooking plan. Later, my dog and I will walk to the park. We will raise our noses to the breeze again and we will feel that indeed there is still some heat left in the atmosphere that cannot be felt at home. I will feel the muscles in my body remind me of the workout we did in another nearby park this morning – the three of us out together as the sun was rising. Then home again, I will switch on music and make my darling husband a delicious, healthy meal. I may happen to look up at the right time to see the colours of the sunset. I am happy.

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One of my all-time favourite books is The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton. As strange as it may seem coming from a legally blind person, surroundings are very important to me. But I suspect it is because of my disability that environments are more crucial as I navigate my way through urban life. I am deeply affected by light, colour, shape, design for pedestrianism, the whole vibe of a cafe, shop, park or building. How the design elements make me feel (and of course practically, see and hear) determines where I eat and which route I walk. At home, it is all about pleasant light, uncluttered spaces, collectibles in one place, a little plant life, less “stuff” and clear walkways. My friend and I were discussing these issues as she ponders her home and if she still wants to live there. Now working from home, she finds little details that were not apparent as she came and went from an office-based job. But when you live, work and create in your home, suddenly things are highlighted. I think it is also a side effect of being an observer of all the little daily snippets of life. It makes you acutely aware of all aspects. And drives you to create the best architectural happiness you can.

I have been reading about plants that are shown to have better air-cleaning capabilities for the home. It’s quite fascinating and helps to narrow down the myriad of possibilities. Of course, they must still pass the other tests for inclusion in our abode! I’m considering another peace lily, a couple of ferns, and a spider plant, corn plant or florist’s chrysanthemum. I’m also trying to decide what to do with this chair on which my peace lily sits. It is from my childhood and ridiculously cute. Ridiculously. (It lives in our study with a box of things for my shop next to it.) I’m entertaining the idea of painting it white or even just putting a protective coating on it so that it can go outside. Little things to ponder in my little urban garden!

In other news, the orchid I received on my 30th birthday last year is back in action. I put the pot outside in the summer heat and occasionally watered it, subconsciously projecting my black thumb history upon it so that expectations weren’t too high. Lo and behold, it has surprised me with another flowering!

How are you going with your gardens and pot plants?

A Passion for Place – Gardens of the Blue Mountains

 
Living Architecture – Green Roofs and Walls (so excited this is becoming more common in Australia)
Four Seasons with a Grumpy Goat (made me think of my friend who dreams of having a goat farm)

The Foodies’ Diary

Sure, there are noises we’d like to turn off, like the garbage truck that comes twice a week at 4.30am or the commercial air conditioner nearby that gets so aggravating. I remind myself to focus on the joyful sounds. Not surprisingly those annoying ones become quieter with this change of mindset.

The dishwasher. It makes such loud gurgling sounds as if to proudly proclaim “I’ve finished washing!” Followed by “And now I’ve finished rinsing!” Gurgle. Gurgle. Such a happy dishwasher.

Keys in the door. When my husband puts his keys in the door it is the best sound ever. I still get excited each time. Naturally, so does my dog. We’re a pretty enthusiastic greeting committee.

My dog shaking. One of those vigorous full body shakes that sets the ears flapping against his head and now his paws slipping across the new floors. So cute.

Music. Awesome Brazilian sounds in the movie Woman On Top with Penelope Cruz, some mixed music of jazz and lounge on pay tv and old favourites like Xavier Rudd.

Quietness. I love urban life and all the movement, lights and excitement. But I also embrace the quietness on the weekends when there are less cars and no commercial vehicles. Just the sounds of people laughing, walking down the street to the cafes and shops.

Opera, skateboards & burps. An unlikely combination indeed. But one that made me giggle when a guy was skateboarding outside, a lady nearby was practising her opera and my dog burped after finishing dinner. Which is really hilarious when the vulgarity comes out of such a regal looking dog.

What sounds do you enjoy in your home?

Skies, white picket fences, Italian yumminess, urban greenery, breakfast dates with my husband and summer flowers. Good times.

I’m not one to like wishing away time, but summer was hot, long and hard on my sensitive skin with its reaction to sunscreen. I am looking forward to consistently cooler weather and longer photo walks again.

Bikes in Europe and New York that make you want to take to two wheels and slow down to enjoy your commute. Sans Cyclist is available in greeting cards and postcards format, with a choice of off-white or brownkraft envelopes.

Rustic, wooden vessels from Europe. You can choose between off-white or brownkraft envelopes.

Lately my mind has been overactive on issues of self-esteem, blogging, small business, creating, fears, changes, babies, my eyes, great friends, average friends, family members getting old and health. It reminds me of the times as a teenager when I’d go to sleep with my arm hanging over the bed scribbling notes in a journal or laying there staring at the glow-in-the-dark stickers on my ceiling as I pondered life. I am pretty happy with my physical pursuits of minimalism at the moment. I’m turning my attention to the mental and emotional side of decluttering. Slowly the mumble jumble is sorting itself into little concepts or actions to be dealt with. I’m working on sweeping away all that clutter in my mind.