MY FABULOUS JUNE
June in Australia is the beginning of Winter - when it (finally) starts to rain. I love the cooler evenings and falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. I don't even have to worry about getting wet on my morning walks this year because I'm not walking as much with my limp - due to my dodgy hip, but this too shall pass. So, with a little singing in the rain, here's what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of June....FAMILY-ING
Another quiet month without seeing the family - the grandgirls are
down for a school holiday visit with us in a couple of days - so
things will be busy at our house with little voices and lots of
action. I've missed seeing them over the last two months, so it will
be good to be able to spend a few days with them doing fun stuff
together. In the meantime we make do with video chats and photos -
so here's a few from June - they're colouring-in is certainly coming
along nicely.
BLOGGING
Things on the blog have been as steady as ever. My favourite post
this month was on discovering that I have Aphantasia - it was so
weird to find out that I was missing a vital 'skill' that others
take for granted. If you missed it and don't know what aphantasia
is, I've linked it below.
I'd also like to say a big thank you to Denyse for all her work
over the years with her Monday link party that ended last week.
I'm going to miss catching up with all the bloggers who popped in
and out of her party, but I also know it's good to stop before
something becomes a burden. That being said, I'd also like to
pause for a moment and thank each and every one of you who stops
by to read my blog, and to those who take an extra moment to
comment or to share my posts somewhere - I love the connections
that come from blogging.
WORKING
I'm now a couple of months into
the new job
and things are smoothing out nicely. My work day has gotten a bit
shorter and more manageable - which makes my decision to
"un-retire" for one day a week so much better. I was really
starting to question whether I'd made the right call to go back.
The day was super long (10 - 11 hours from leaving home to
arriving back again) and it was a steep learning curve with nobody
to train me. My brain felt fritzed by the end of it.
Now I know the basics and can figure out most of the new stuff
that arises each week, and working a shorter day.....well, it just
feels like a good fit. It's nice to challenge myself a little, to
have my brain work a bit harder, and to be a little more social -
and I have a lovely boss (which makes all the difference!) So I'm
tracking well in this new twist on retirement.
CREATING
I've done a few less collages this month, mainly because I've been reading a dystopian fantasy series by Ilona Andrews (a husband and wife writing team) that has sucked me in big time and I'm turning pages rather than cutting them up at the moment. There were still a few I made during June and I've put them together into Part 2 of my Book 5 video, for those who enjoy seeing what I've been up to (and thank you to those who tell me they like what I do - it's such a boost for someone who doesn't see themselves as being 'creative'.)LOVING
In honour of my six "F" words for my Fabulous 60's, this is what I've been loving lately....
Family - My lovely mum was down visiting for a week or so this
month. It's always good to see her and to spend time chatting. She
was complaining about her hip being sore, so after two knee
replacements, I think she might be wanting to join me in the hip
replacement queue! I told her she needed to wait her turn because
I can't nurse her and myself at the same time (my poor husband
would go crazy!) I think she's in the earlier stages of hip pain,
so she has some alternatives to try before going under the
knife.
Fur Child - We had a trip to the vet with our Scottish Fold cat, Luna, a
week ago. She'd managed to get herself a bladder problem
(wee-ing a little blood and increased frequency) that had us
worried. A nice dose of a long acting antibiotic and a change to a
better quality (and more expensive) brand of cat biscuits, and
she's back to her happy little self. She also has a penchant for
putting herself in places that are off limits and thinks her
sweet face will save her from being ousted (she's wrong!)
Freedom & Flexibility - I'm so grateful that I'm not working much anymore - with
my hip being such a problem
atm, it's good to be able to manage my days at my own pace. I can
choose how much I move, how much I get up and down, whether I need
to rest, whether I need some extra pain management. It would be so
hard to get through the week if I was working for most of it - so
this is another benefit of retiring early.
Fabulosity - No purchases (big or small) this month to fill this
category, so I'll have to work harder on it for July. Although I
did get to buy (and set up) a new mobile phone for my mum - that
was a challenge in itself and probably used up all my shopping
mojo for the month!
A FABULOUS QUOTE TO FINISH WITH
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| Image courtesy of Collene |
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We saw Maverick too and really enjoyed it! So glad to hear the new job is working out well and that the adjustment period is finally behind you; sometimes I think that's the hardest part to stick through. I hope you have a fabulous visit with your granddaughters.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne - I'm glad you enjoyed Maverick too - I was surprised how much I liked it. And yes, those early weeks of the job where I was thrown in the deep end were definitely a struggle and I wondered what I'd done to myself, but now my brain is working less hard and the headaches have eased off - and I'm really finding my groove - it's been a great choice to fill in some time while other activities are on the back burner.
DeleteGlad to hear that things are working out for you .Your collages are beautiful. You're so fortunate to have family around. That sweet little kitty 's face is too precious I call him/her a cat-owl (the eyes) like my precious little Évangéline who is no longer with me.. Have a great time with your grandgirls... love their beautiful colorings. One disagreement (I can't believe it LOL) I hate rain, probably because it rains practically every day here. I love SUNSHINE! Here, in Canada, Summer is just beginning but I also love the cool days of Fall.
ReplyDeleteHi Yvonne - I'm not a lover of rain, but after several long, hot, dry months, it's been a relief to have some moisture back and to see things green up. By the time it's raining in your neck of the woods, I'll be wishing for the sunshine I'm sure. And yes our owl/cat has the sweetest face that lets her get away with a lot of naughtiness!
DeletePardon me, Luna. I reread the post and you're a gorgeous GIRL.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying following your year of fabulousness. And the quotes you find are great. It's lovely to hear you are settling into the part-time work.... I cannot believe its been a couple of months already! June seems to have flown by.... maybe because I had COVID BrainFog for so many days. Ack. But luckily back to normal now... and thinking how I might try and take pictures of my crafts and do a slide show like your collages... which are wonderful. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, I'd love to see a slideshow of pictures of what you've been up to with your craft. The couple of photos you posted a while ago were great. Sorry about the brain fog and covid - I hear it's one of the more annoying symptoms and one that lingers around for a while - so it's good that you're over yours with no lasting effects. Work is settling into something I feel on top of now - I was a bit worried there for a while that I was going to be defeated by a tiny little job - but I won the battle!
DeleteHi, Leanne - I absolutely love that Singing in the Rain video clip. It's always been one of my favourites. Speaking about things that I love - your attitude is so positive (rain and all). That totally makes you fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - I'm holding onto positivity with a very tight grip atm. My new saying is "it is what it is" because there's so many little things that we can't control - and if we let them get us down then the circumstances don't change, but our happiness level dims significantly. I'm just back from a blood test for my parathyroid - if it's not one thing it's another - the 'joys' of being 60 I guess......
DeleteHi Leanne, it's so good to read how much you're enjoying your year of being fabulous, it makes me smile to read your posts. That last quote says it all, what would our lives be like if we weren't so fabulous?? Enjoy the girls visits, they are growing up so fast aren't they? All the best for a continuation of your fabulousity in July.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - my Fabulosity reminds me often of your Boldness - such a little spur to keep looking on the bright side and being positive about new things and changes. Life is definitely what we make it and I choose to make it Fabulous :)
DeleteLeanne, we saw Top Gun Maverick (Malcolm's pick) and Downtown Abby A New Era (my pick). I liked his movie, he didn't care much for mine. But he was a good sport about it. I loved the slide show of your beautiful collages. It looks like a relaxing as well as satisfying hobby. Luna certainly knows how to get away with being precocious. She reminds me of the 'Elf on the Shelf' shenanigans at Christmas time. I can only imagine the joy your sweet grands must bring into your home and life. You are truly blessed. Glad the job is starting to make sense and you are settling into the beginning of winter, rains and all. Take care. I've enjoyed our little visit.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne - I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Maverick - I expected it to be okay but it was much better than that. And yes Luna is the naughtiest cat we've ever owned and I'm sure her sweet face is the key! The job is coming along and I like that it gives me something different in my week that doesn't cause me any issues with my dodgy hip (sigh...)
DeleteThanks for the update, Leanne, and the adorable photos of your granddaughters and your cat. Both made me smile. I'm glad to hear that you are getting settled into your new job and happy with your decision. I've been wanting to see a movie in the theater since I retired, but wasn't sure there was one worth the effort and cost, but I may give Top Gun: Maverick a try. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteHi Christie - I think you'd enjoy Maverick - it was a fun return to the movie theatre for us. It takes a lot to make me want to sit in a confined space with other people these days! And yes, the job is coming along nicely - and still leaves me lots of time for family :)
DeleteIt does indeed seem very fabulous!! And what gorgeous little ones to spend time with....I'm not a cat person but those pics are very cute!! I really am becoming so sentimental at the moment. It has to be some weird menopausal side effect no one bothers to mention!
ReplyDeleteOh Lydia I laughed ath your 'sentimental side effects'! I always smile at cute kids and cute animals - I'm no longer a dog person, but give me an encounter with a cute puppy and I start questioning my decision!
DeleteHello July Leanne, and thank you for the kind words about my link up. I do miss the chance to read and comment but...am sticking to the plan. The plan where I choose what I do with my time more for me and about me moving forward. I am grateful of course to have my friends who blog, continuing and I can read & comment like here, and Natalie too for her link up which I join when I have a current post. I like the sound of 'balance' in your round up. You have touched on all the ways in which you have determined your life to be fabulous!! May the visit from your gorgeous grandgirls be fun. Denyse
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - I think link parties are definitely becoming a thing of the past because they do involve a fair amount of commitment from the host (especially if there are a lot of links). I'm glad Natalie is continuing so you can 'retire' from it knowing there's still a spot to meet up when you have something new to share....meanwhile I follow several of the bloggers who used to link up to #MLSTL so that I keep up with their posts.
DeleteLeanne, I'm glad you had a fabulous June and now feel comfortable with your job. I hope you have a wonderful time with your granddaughters. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie - yes things at home and in the new job are going well (despite the annoying hip). We've been having a lovely time with the grandgirls and there are sure to be a few photos in July's round up post :)
DeleteYour granddaughters are adorable, and so is your kitty. Glad to hear you liked Maverick - I think we're going to see it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHi Janet - I hope you got to see Maverick and it lived up to my recommendation. And yes the grandgirls and Luna are pretty adorable :)
DeleteLove this Leanne. I haven't seen Top Gun yet. haha! I'll probably wait til I can just watch it at home. I'm not much for going to the movies, I'd rather stay home and play games, or watch something on our own TV. Loved your catch up. Your granddaughters are so cute, and your cat too. I'm so glad the job is going good.
ReplyDeleteHi Kirstin - we've now been to the movies a grand total of twice since covid appeared on the scene. It's a bit daunting going into a crowded space and breathing other people's air for a couple of hours! Still, it was worth it this time and we both enjoyed all the flying and the action etc. We go out so infrequently these days that it was quite a treat to make the time to go to the cinema.
Delete