clearing my mind

How's the serenity?

Do you have a spot in your home that just sighs with serenity? I do, well, when the house is tidy...

Today's aim is to reveal them, to have them looking super-spesh. So we'll keep ploughing through our Happy Home List of things that we just really need to do. Today's plan is to get the living room and bedroom in tip-top shape, and to move the planter boxes I re-planted with geraniums the weekend before last back to their spot on the living room window sills. Might even clean the windows in the living room so the view is even more stunning.

image: housetohome.co.uk

meal planning monday

Bags the comfy chair! Excuse me, but why have I never thought about having a cozy couch as a banquette in my dining room? What is even wrong with me? I swear, if I can find one the right height I am just going for it.

Also, need to add painting my chairs in gloss pastels to my Happy House List. And tick it off.

It's been a few weeks, and lots of scrappy meals without meal planning. So I'm back into it.

Here we go:

Monday: gal child is back at ballet then home to study for a math test the next night. I'm going to make a salad of flattened, grilled chicken breasts (marinated in garlic, oregano and lemon zest), grilled proscuitto, boiled eggs and baby cos lettuce. So good.

Tuesday: to reward gal child for doing her exam I shall make spaghetti and meatballs. It's funny, some meals she complains we have ALL THE TIME if I serve them more than once a month, others, like this, I reckon I could serve daily.

Wednesday: I'm just going to do a bbq tonight. I've ordered some meat from Aussie Farmers so I'll grill it and serve it with a salad.

Thursday: pork cutlets, potato cakes and greens.

Friday: we are going to go out for dinner as a family. Perhaps to Scotties to have a picnic under the palms. I think that's a plan, Stan.

Saturday: first weekend with nothing planned in yonks. We might do some planting and some painting. So a bbq will be in order. Or paella. I'll see what I feel like.

Sunday: roast on the bbq. Perhaps lamb shoulder. With a greek-style-salad.

image from housetohome.co.uk

cycle newcastle

My new aim is to convince people how easy, and wonderful, it is to cycle around our city. It really is the best way to see the place.

I've yet to start timing it, but I am quite positive that it is quicker and way cheaper to ride into the city than drive. Parking costs in Newcastle are getting crazy-expensive - and who wants more cars in a city? (Not this little black duck!)

A few weeks ago I went on the Spring Fling vintage bike ride and it was a joy to ride en-masse with other cyclists. Newcastle's pretty flat, with some lovely wide streets for cycling - and some dedicated cycle-walking paths (nowhere near enough, but hey, we can lobby for more).

There's so much you don't see if you don't ride. For example, look at the lovely harbourside poetry I snapped last weekend out at Nobbys breakwall. Stunning.

Riding also gives you time to gaze adoringly at our historic architecture - particularly through Cooks Hill and the East End. What's not to love?

Because I live in an area annoyingly unserviced by Public Transport, my aim is to cycle as much as I possibly can. I've even worked out a way to get to work - cycle to Civic Station, then catch the train to uni and back again! Just in time for Ride2Work day on Wednesday October 22. There'll be a free breakfast at Wheeler Place in Newcastle from 7am - 9am - and there's one at the uni too (for Ride2Uni Day!) Hurrah!

Where will you #CycleNewcastle this week?