Currently... May

Reading:

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker. This is an unsolved crime (duh!) of five women who went missing from 2007-2012 and whose bodies were discovered in Long Island. All five worked as escorts who advertised on Craigslist, so there is some discussion around the police not acting fast enough (or at all) when they were reported missing due to their line of work. That angle is interesting, however I must say this isn't the best book I've ever read. The first part takes a look at each of the five girl's life growing up, and then again about their lives as escorts. I found it difficult to keep track of the girls as the author uses their real name in the beginning, and their fake escort name later on. There are also a lot of other characters introduced that go along with each girl and it all got a bit confusing. I found a helpful list of everyone mentioned at the back of the book when I was nearly finished that I wish I had discovered sooner. Anyway, I don't recommend this one.

Watching:

Game of Thrones is getting goooooood. As is House of Cards, I'm nearly finished Season 3. We watched the movie The Big Short which is about the housing crisis and collapse of the American economy in the mid-2000s. The movie is not a documentary but is quite factual and follows four people who predicted the collapse but no one believed them. I really enjoyed watching it as it gave me a better overall understanding of what happened at that time, however it is completely outrageous that there has been no real consequence to the banks that contributed to millions of people losing their homes and the Global Financial Crisis.

Listening To:

Well, I finally started using Spotify. Yes, I know, welcome to 2008. I'm not listening to anything in particular at the moment though, everyday I just pick a new popular playlist to follow from the homepage. I need some recommendations of new music.

Cooking:

Nothing! Except this cacao and tahini porridge which was pretty delicious. Chocolate for breakfast can't ever be a bad thing. Other than that my cooking skills have been pretty basic this month. 

Looking Forward to:

Three weeks until England - Andy's best friend's wedding, seeing both sets of grandparents, and Ella's first birthday!

Loving:

My yoga practice - I can't get enough at the moment. I wish I had felt this before having a baby, when I could have gone to the studio everyday if I wanted to! But now I do cherish my three weekly classes more - it's my "me time" that I hate missing for any reason. 

Also - Ella is starting to give us hugs. It is soooooo amazing. I love it. I wish she could just hug me all day!

Hating:

Our freezing cold house. The nights are getting cold here and so it is quite chilly in the house in the morning - the heaters are being used more and more frequently. Gearing up for another winter of huge electricity bills!

Wearing:

My Uggs around the house to keep my feet warm - see above.

Enjoying:

Playdates now that Ella is a bit older. We love meeting up with friends at the park or for a walk along the river. Ella seems pretty good around other babies and is also happy to play without me right by her side. I think I have daycare to thank for that.

Needing:

A cleaner. The house is a mess. When will Ella be old enough for chores?

Wanting:

A new iPhone. Mine sadly died when I threw my water bottle in my bag... the top was loose and it leaked all over everything, including my phone. I'm very sad. My friend Adam has generously lent me his old phone and I am working on how to get a new one for the least possible cost... using our credit card points seems like it will be the best option. Andy thinks he should get the new phone and I should just get his old one as I am so careless... but I'm not sure I agree with his logic.

Considering:

What we can do to make our flights to London as smooth as possible. I am not looking forward to this AT ALL. I think it is going to be a lot harder than when she was younger. I'm thinking she will need a few new toys and lots of sanitising wipes as no doubt she will be crawling all over the place and trying to put everything in her mouth as she goes. We are flying with Etihad who have an "onboard nanny" to help with children so hopefully that helps.

Working On:

Happy to say I can scratch driving off this list! I've done a lot of driving this month as Andy had to go away for school camp and a conference so I've been single parenting a bit. And I'm happy to report that I am pretty comfortable now driving on the left side of the road, woohoo! (Still not a fan of parallel parking though...)

I've started a 6-week online course called Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance by Monash University. I've completed week 1 and it's pretty interesting, looking at the science and research behind mindfulness, along with practical tips for being more mindful in everyday life.

Grateful For:

Friends that have watched Ella for me when I've had to attend random meeting this month. In the absence of family it is nice to know there are some people to call on here that I trust with Ella. 

Pic of the Month:

This picture was taken by Andy at Sk. Kilda beach, after Wanderlust. It was a beautiful autumn day and I was so happy walking along the sea in the sunshine with my family.