Taking Stock – April

Taking Stock April 2017

Now, I know it’s not quite the last Tuesday in April but it is the last Tuesday I’ll be down under in April so I thought it was an appropriate time to take stock  like Pip did. April has shaped up really rather nicely!

Baking: All things Anzac! I totally outdid myself this year with the Ultimate Australian Anzac Blondies.

Ultimate Australian Anzac Blondies

Snacking:  On olives. The spicy ones.

Cooking: Pulled pork for Easter.

Drinking: A never ending supply of coffee from our Nespresso machine. The novelty hasn’t worn off yet.

Eating: Our way through the archives. This super healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie was a huge hit.

sweet potato shepherds pie

Bookmarking: All the yummy food I’m going to make for my mum when I’m in situ. I’ve always wanted to be a personal chef.

Filling: The freezer with all our favourites  because otherwise David will try to  live on cheese on toast alone while I’m away.

Making: Lunch boxes and loving it!

Sharing: Ideas on how to pack a yummy and healthy grown up lunch box and  a 10% discount code on Yumboxes – you can find all the delicious details here. 

Easy and healthy lunch box ideas for grown ups

Feeling: Anxious about the 24 hour flight ahead. The older I get the less I enjoy flying.

Wishing: England wasn’t quite so far away.

Buying: A case load of Tim Tams to take to the mother country. I hope they survive the journey!

Wondering: What else to pack. Apart from a snack box… Because airline food dislikes me as much as I dislike it!

Booking: The last bits and bobs for my trip. All the fine tuning!

Taking:  Selfies at the Big Merino. I didn’t feel a bit sheepish about it either!

10 on 10 April 16 The Big Merino

Discovering: New places to eat and drink in Canberra.

Staying: At the QT Canberra. It’s quirky plus!

Enjoying: A wonderful weekend in Canberra.

Running:  Rings around Canberra in the Australian Running Festival 10k.

Taking Stock April - Australian Running Festival 10k

Realising: That the older I get, the slower I go. But going slow is better than not going at all. Amirite or amirite?

Loving: Our capital city, and not just because of the donuts.

Coveting:  More Bombolini Donuts. I will run for donuts. True story!

10 on 10 April 17 Bombolini doughnuts

Losing:    My nose ring. My nose is naked for the first time in 21 years.

Wearing: Winter clothes! We seem to have fast forwarded through autumn to instant winter.

Hoping: That the weather will be warmer in the mother country. (I believe in miracles.)

Finding: Photos from my modelling days. Did you know I was a  baby model back in South Africa back in the day?!

Taking Stock April - baby model

Marvelling: That I’ve wanted a dog since I was knee high to a grasshopper. This photo is proof of that.

Wanting: A dog. But looking forward to sharing my mum’s for a while.

Missing: My nana. Even though we said goodbye on an April day 23 years ago, I miss her as much now as I did then. I light a  memorial candle that burns for 24 hours on this day every year.

Taking stock April 2017

Needing: To make Nana’s Best Ever Bread PuddingIt’s not called “best ever” for nothing.

Thinking: That if Tom Kirkman from Designated Survivor was the real president of the US, what a wonderful world it would be.

Following: Along on Instagram stories. I’m totally addicted.

Remembering: Our favourite things to see and do in Vancouver. The bears, the bears!

Taking Stock Vancouver bears

Enjoying: The Easter long weekend. I think every weekend should have four days, don’t you?!

Trying: Lots of new bars and restaurants near and far.

Opening: Up my books. I am all aboard the study train.

Seeing: Beauty and the Beast in Gold Class. It was absolute magic.

Taking Stock April - Beauty and the Beast

Listening: To The MinimalistsThey just make perfect sense.

Liking: Saying hello, goodbye, not so much.

Disliking: The news. In fact, I dislike it so much, I refuse to read or listen to it.

Getting: My hair did. Nothing feels like fresh hair does.

April TS 5

Admiring: My hairdresser. She’s genius!

Reading: Just finished  Notes From a Small Island  by Bill Bryson. It was pure gold. Next up Lion, but not before I gather a lorry load of tissues!

Watching: Grace and Frankie. Best!

Celebrating: My friend’s 60th birthday… the perfect excuse for gold plated dumplings at Mr Wong.

Looking forward to: A month in the UK, canine cuddles and some quality mum time.

How’s your April shaping up? Tell me all about it!

Linking up with Kylie for IBOT

* Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click to buy the item, I make a little commission but you don’t pay any extra.