Right now I am curled up in bed extra warm and cosy and nearly ready to close my eyes and start another great week of food, fitness, family, friends and books. This week has been good to me, and I have been given cause lately to look around my own life and realise just how lucky I am, and how grateful I should be, to be in such a good place in my life. Here is my Nourished Life Gratitude List 2014 – Week Thirty-Three:
Monday: Today Chris and I woke up and realised we didn’t have to go to work! The glory of a vacation Monday is not to be underestimated. My Monday started with a chair by the window, a book in my hand, and the sun streaming down on my back. After a lazy day and a great run, Chris took me to the movies! We saw Guardians of the Galaxy, and despite my loyalty to Captain America, I have to recommend it. A delightful superhero romp. I was grateful for my holiday Monday. I think a shot of this every now and again is the best thing to counteract the everyday type Mondays.
Tuesday: Today I woke up like I had jumping beans under my skin – we were off to SeaWorld! I felt like a little kid again and I couldn’t keep still until we finally arrived at the theme park gates. Mum joined Chris and I and acted as our expert tour guide and bag holder extraordinaire (thanks Mum!). We saw the polar bears, the penguins, and the sharks; Chris discovered a new talent in feeding sting rays (seriously they were charmed by him even when he didn’t have a fish to feed them); and on the way back home we decided to stop in at MovieWorld to ride the rollercoasters. I am so grateful that in the whole wide world I found Chris who loves rollercoasters just as much as I do. We whooped and yahooed like teenagers and felt our hearts leap in our chests with every loopy-de-loop. That night we had dinner at Mum and Dad’s place before falling into our bed exhausted by an adventure-filled day. I am grateful that Chris and I had the opportunity to buy year-long theme park passes, to spend a great day out with Mum and Chris, and see Dad and Molly that night. Such a happy day.
Wednesday: Today was our last day of holidays (shh! Don’t let me know). I went for a relaxing walk/run along the bay in the morning and then sat in the sun to read my book. I pottered around, finished another book, and did some writing before Chris and I had dinner and watched a movie. I was grateful for our midweek Sunday and that there are only two days of work before we get a weekend.
Thursday: The first day back at work after a holiday is always extra-tiring and this evening when I got home I was not in the mood for the busy, people-filled, fluoro-lit gym so I decided to do an intense workout video at home instead. I am grateful to have this chance to move my body in a different way and laugh at myself while I am working out. I look ridiculous doing plyo push-ups!
Friday: Tonight I came home after a good Friday night run to find candles lit in the house. Chris and I had a great dinner and I made chocolate fudge for tomorrow night. We stayed up late reading and watching television and just enjoying a night in while the rain fell slowly outside our window. I was grateful for a night of relaxation and candlelight dinner with my best friend.
Saturday: Today we skipped the markets because Mum wasn’t feeling well. It gave me the opportunity to sleep in late and then have a lazy breakfast before heading to the gym for a hard and sweaty run. Then Chris and I got down to preparing for the first dinner party we have hosted in Nanny’s house. Jess and Trent, and my other (work) Jess and Bruno came over for dinner. I made roast chicken and vegetables; we ate cookies, fudge, and Jess’s (sister) to-die-for peanut brittle; and drank wine while we played boardgames and laughed late into the night. I am grateful to have such wonderful people who surround me and to find new combinations of friends to share Saturday nights with.
Sunday: Today I didn’t wake up until nearly midday! (Why do three glasses of wine when you 27 feel so much more deadly than three glasses of wine did when you were 20?) Chris and I got stuck into cleaning up the remaining dinner dishes (grateful for all the help from Jess and Jess on the night before to clear most things away) and then I relaxed in the sun with plump ripe strawberries for breakfast before ambling down to the waterfront to meet up with Caroline for a coffee and a long chat. It was a Sunday where I didn’t do much, but I feel so relaxed and nourished after this weekend. I am grateful to have this time with not too many responsibilities and to be able to just enjoy the time with people around me.
Also this week:
- I ate a whole batch of these Peanut Butter and Millet Chocolate Chip Cookies and then shared the recipe so you would understand my predicament
- I made up for the cookies with this French Lentil and Tomato Salad - and celebrated my four year vegetarian anniversary too
- The whole dinner party enjoyed sweet squares of my Mum’s Sugary Chocolate Fudge (and the leftovers keep calling to me from the fridge)
