Taking Stock – November 2022

I’m a bit conflicted. I am not at all ready for it to be the last month of the year but I am totally ready to crack open my advent calendar and fully embrace all things Christmas. Actually, scrap that last part because anyone who knows me, knows that I’ve been embracing Christmas since the middle of the month!

Anyhoo, here’s my November in a nutshell!

Making: Soup in the thermie – Potato and Leek and Cauliflower and Leek have been on high rotation.

Cooking: Freezer friendly favourites like spag bol and pumpkin macaroni cheese.

Adding: This bad boy to my kitchen arsenal. It is a Ninja 15 in 1. It is huge and has many functions including…

ninja 15 in 1

Dehydrating: Yes, of course I made treats for Teddy Roosevelt first!

Baking: This Flourless Coconut and Almond Cake for my mother-in-law’s birthday. It’s my gluten free go to!

Drinking: Red wine – it’s definitely the weather for it!

Eating: All the roast dinners. Our local pub The Crown Hotel does a cracking Sunday lunch.

a plate of sunday lunch - meat with roast potatoes, gravy and a giant yorkshire pudding

Shopping: At our local market every Friday. The produce is such good quality and so cheap!

Marvelling: At UK Aldi – it really is a sight to behold. Such low prices and so much choice.

Comparing: Grocery prices in the UK to Australia – even with the rising cost of living it is SO much cheaper.

Trying: To do 10,000 steps a day with varying degrees of success.

Spending: The weekend in Newcastle with the fam bam for my mother-in-law’s birthday.

Exploring: Our local area and enjoying lovely long walks to beautiful Burghley House.

looking ahead to Burghley house in the distance

Discovering: A dog walking book about our town. There are actually 3 volumes!

Hoping: To walk our way through the first one, at least when the weather improves.

Answering: All your burning questions about our move in this post.

Cheating: A bit with this year’s gingerbread house (I was totally influenced by Joanna!)

silicone gingerbread house kit

Cheering: On England in The World Cup.

Watching: Christmas movies. So far, we’ve loved the new Spirited (Apple TV) and The Noel Diaries (Netflix).

Working: My way through last year’s comprehensive list of Christmas movies.

Laughing: Out loud at Fresh Off The Boat.

Coughing: And snotting for England.

Counting: My blessings that it’s a lingering virus and not Covid.

Trying: To rest my tennis elbows with limited success. For those following along at home, they’re still very ouchy.

Wearing: Christmas jumpers. I could not wait a minute more.

woman with blonde hair and glasses wearing a red minnie mouse christmas jumper and raising a pint of beer

Sourcing: Matching Christmas jumpers for the whole family. As you can imagine, David is thrilled!

Rugging: Up because it’s getting chilly, Billy.

Welcoming: D-Jean (pronounced Dijon) to the family. One thing is for sure, we will never lose our car in a car park.

a man wearing a beanie and a black puffer jacket standing next to a yellow peugeot 208

Unpacking: Our last few boxes… finally.

Chipping: My front tooth on a piece of soft bread. I am literally falling apart.

Finding: A lovely (but gold plated) dentist.

Opening: Gifts from (our old) home.

xmas koala earrings

Sorting: Out lots of life admin and feeling almost grown up.

Feeling: Settled and happy.

Needing: To get my act together and start posting some recipes soon.

Putting: Up the Christmas tree. I’m so happy the tree and all the decorations survived the round the world voyage!

christmas tree

Finishing: Off our spare room. It’s very tiny but now very ready for guests!

Hosting: Our first house guests.

Loving: Seeing our friends and family.

Knowing: That when we say goodbye to friends and family, we’ll see them again in weeks or months instead of years.

Liking: That it’s so Christmassy everywhere.

Disliking: Rainy days.

Enjoying: Cosy nights in front of the fire.

Going: To our first Christmas fayre of the season. It was very merry.

a man and woman smiling sitting under a wreath arch and a neon sign that says Burghley Christmas Fayre

Buying: A dog angel for the top of the tree. It would be rude to leave a Christmas fayre empty handed!

Realising: I forgot the blog’s 11th birthday this month. Ooopsie!

Missing: All our favourite Aussies – thank goodness for whatsapp.

Looking: Forward to a cold but cosy Christmas.

a cavoodle wearing striped pyjamas lying in a sleigh shaped dog bed under a white christmas tree

So now I’ve told you all about my month, I’d love to hear about yours! I’m all ears!

Finally, joining Denyse for her weekly Wednesday’s Words and Pics #WWandpics link up