the year of magical thinking

I’ve decided to start posting about the books I read. I read a lot, and I read a fairly wide variety of books. I love talking about books and I love getting recommendations for what to read next, so feel free to join in the conversation in the comments below. 

much love, friends.

– e xx

I read much of The Year of Magical Thinking on the train. I did a lot of my reading on the train last semester. Filled with work and uni, my weeks were busy; the train is my time out. My deep-breath space. My no-obligations, can’t do anything about that right now wild card. My reading nook.

Usually I could get a seat, although for the 7.29 limited express via the city loop on Tuesdays and the ‘sometime during the peak hour’ Wednesday evening train I’m standing up all the way. I don’t mind, so long as I can face forward.

Sometimes I would close the book and stare out the window and the greenery rushing by and try not to sob, the heart-wrenching words of Joan Didion kicking me in the guts. Trains aren’t great for reading books like this. I don’t want to be around people when I’m reading something like this.

Advertisement

potato pumpkin soup with irish soda bread

hey.

If you’ve had a bad day

a bad week

a bad month…

If you’re too tired to go on, too frustrated to cope, too stressed out to sleep…

If you’re sad, lonely, heartbroken or heartsick –

soup and bread

soup and bread.

mint julep

This is really just my excuse to rant about The Great Gatsby [the movie] before it comes out. That way, I’ve got my ranting out of the way and I can just enjoy the movie when I actually go and see it, right?

Right. So, first up, I’m really excited about this movie. I know I’ve only read the book really recently (forgive me for not living in the US of A and being made to read it during an English class where I’ll be made to answer all the questions because no one else can be bothered to do the work and therefore hating it for the rest of forever because of all the negative associations) but I seriously feel an affinity with this book that means I will read it every year for the rest of my life. Or at least at regular intervals. The book is basically where the kings of metaphors hang out so getting to see those mind pictures in real life as depicted by Baz Luhrman has already made me into a tiny squealing fangirl more than once and I’ve only seen the previews.

new years day

Last year was a fun ride.

Last year was very interesting.

I deferred uni. I moved approximately fifty million times. I baked a lot of cookies. I turned twenty one. I moved into a really great place with really great people. I hosted a couple of parties.

I blogged some, laughed a lot, cried a little and went to two weddings.

Last year was a good one.

This year, I plan on studying, blogging, writing, running, sewing and baking. I plan on being kind to myself and others. I plan on having adventures and doing things that I love while making the world suck less.

I plan on reading a lot and thinking deeply about many things.

Happy New Years. May 2013 exceed your expectations.

merry christmas and another gingerbread cookie recipe

Sometimes, you just gotta make a magical Christmas scene out of gingerbread. Sometimes, cookies are the only answer. Sometimes, 22 types of cookies just isn’t enough. Sometimes, gingerbread is all you need.

Sometimes, Christmas is about these kinds of things. Of gingerbread, and ninjabread, of shortbread and yoyos and taking over someone else’s oven because yours stopped inexplicably stopped working in the middle of making a batch of the above biscuits. Or cookies, if you’re American. You know the word cookie most likely came from the Dutch koekje meaning “little cake”? This is especially cool for me since I have Dutch heritage.

But sometimes, Christmas needs us to find its roots again amongst all the commercialism and competition. And not only that, but we need to find the de-sentimentalised Christmas. The Christmas that isn’t just about family and togetherness, lovejoypeaceJesus. Christmas is about more than that.

buttermilk scones

I have been moving around a lot lately, I think I’ve mentioned it before. I counted recently and if you count all the times I’ve moved in the last three years, I’ve moved twelve times in the last three years.

Twelve.

Twelve is a lot of times. Twelve moves is twenty four cars packed forty eight times. Twelve moves is twelve times I’ve forgotten little pieces of my life, bits of me scattered all over eastern Victoria.

Twelve moves is twelve times I’ve had to say goodbye.

cupcakes, chocolate

I didn’t really know what to title this post because although there is a recipe for chocolate cupcakes at the end, it’s not really about the cupcakes. The cupcakes are a vehicle for me to talk about stuff.

I feel like lately life has been happening to me, rather than that I am actually living life. It might have to do with the fact that I’m living in a state of limbo and my life has been turned upside down this year. I don’t know what I want to do with my life or where I’m going and so I’m filling in time by working and baking and going to parties and weddings.

tomato onion jam

Hey guys. Hey. hey. (hey).

It’s been a while. Almost a full month, in fact, since I have graced the interwebs with the presence of a new post over in this here little corner. Hey. How are you? It’s been a hectic month, let us say the least.

just…relax

Hey guys on the interwebs. This is a little post to say hello! Hello to my new subscribers, numerous as I know you are, and even if you are not many, you are all wonderful. Thanks for checking out my little corner of the internet. I appreciate it!

It’s been a bit hectic over here because it’s summer! There is some amazing produce hanging around at the moment but it’s also hot and sticky and not always all that pleasant. There is work to be done but there is also something else that is happening in my life at the moment.

I am about to move house! I’m moving out of the hills and away from all the beautiful views. Away from this hectic house full of people to a new challenge, a new house with new people. So I’ve been packing and organising and getting slightly stressed trying to fit everything into my life. But it’s happening.

I have several posts in the line up, I just have to finish editing the photos which is proving difficult because my camera’s still playing up so look forward to those! They may be backed up but they will appear on your screens for you to read with your eyeballs soon. Sooner than soon. I promise. Because I love you. That is a true truth.

So instead of a recipe I invite you to simply pour yourself a glass of something, or a cup. It could be bourbon, bourbon with coke or another mixer, maybe some other type of alcoholic beverage. Beer would be nice, thank you. Perhaps you would prefer a cup of tea, and I totally support that idea. Hot chocolate, especially if it is winter where you are residing. Coffee. Lemonade?

Sit, with your beverage. Make it pretty. Use your favourite drinking vessel. Maybe you want a straw? Yep. A tea tray! Excellent idea. Sit. Take a moment. Relax.

With love, from my corner of the world to yours.

yoyos

At the moment I am currently sitting relaxing in the sun in Perth after a week of gorgeous sun, surf and hanging out with my amazing family. It doesn’t get much better than this.