The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that I’m no longer calling this a wrap-up post.
My mother – she of the “put a jumper on, I’m cold” wisdom – taught me that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Or talk about the weather. She also used to say that if there’s someone out there who you think is being super nasty to you behind your back then be extra nice to them – it makes them feel guilty and makes you look like Pollyanna. Well, she didn’t say Pollyanna, but you get the idea. Plus I truly believe there are some people who don’t feel guilty, but that’s a whole other story.
So, instead of wrapping up my week I’m looking resolutely instead at things that make me feel cheerful – and please, don’t take from that any hint that the week has been bad. Sure, it hasn’t been great, but we’re not going there. This is about smiles, not frowns…and a little wrap-up as well.
Okay, five things…
Autumn…
Or what passes for autumn here in South East Queensland. Last Monday, which just happened to be April 1, was cooler overnight than it had been for months. Cool enough that I almost needed a jacket for our 6am walk. Okay, we’re only talking a few degrees and overnight temps of about 18 or 19C, but when you combine that with the fact that the humidity also left on that day and we haven’t seen a cane toad all week, I’m thinking that autumn has arrived.
As an aside, I love this Instagram post I saw this morning from @debs_world
Sunrises…
They’re back. Well, strictly speaking, they never stopped, it was just that they were too early, but now the sun is rising at 6am I’m getting to see it again. That means more sunrise photos on Instagram (sorry…).
Also, daylight savings has ended down south so I’m now on the same time zone as my work colleagues – which means a shorter working day for me. Wins all round.
Sunshine Plaza…
The final stage has now been completed on our local shopping mall and it feels as though we now really do have the best of the city and the coast. David Jones has opened, as has Sephora and a massive new Mecca – plus heaps of other new stores. We don’t have to go to Brisbane any longer to buy the tea I like – I’m so fussy about my tea – or to buy Bobbi Brown make-up or Jo Malone fragrance…not that I buy these things often (hello, budget) but I do like to know that if I wanted to I could. And now I can.
Plus our favourite purveyor of pho has opened a new store – and I love love love the murals.
Cooking…
As usual, quite a bit, but my fave for the week was Kra Pow Chicken. It’s healthy, it’s tasty, it’s ready in the time it takes to cook some rice and after a long day of whatever it is that I do in the day job it’s satisfying to pick herbs from the garden and do some chopping and stirring. You can find the recipe here.
Fairy circles at the bottom of the garden…
We’ve had a lot of rain over the past couple of weeks. A lot. On the downside, it’s made it difficult to get out for morning walks, but then on the weekend, this appeared – a semi-circle of mushrooms and toadstools at the bottom of the garden.
Okay, maybe there weren’t any fairies in there…but then again, who knows for sure?
And Anyways... 
My Mother always says “You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar”. So, yeah, similar to your Mum saying be nice to someone who is being nasty to you. Quite empowering really. Love that sunrise! I’m not a morning person – more of a sunset person by nature – but I absolutely love it when I do drag my night owl butt out of bed in the morning and breath in those beautiful sunrises. Something to be grateful for indeed. (Visiting from Denyse Whelan Blogs site. Thought I’d say how to some linkers.) 🙂
That should read thought I’d say ‘hi” to some linkers (insert my eyes rolling – trigger happy post finger)
Lol…I got the idea, and thanks so much for dropping by. Have a great week.
Love this slight change in focus Jo and hope all is well! Thanks for sharing my photo from Instagram, I just love the change of seasons 🙂 . I love your beach photo and wish I lived nearer to the sea sometimes but then I’d miss the cool crisp mountain air too much. All the best for your week ahead #lifethisweek
Thanks Debbie. That’s the only thing I miss here – the cool freshness of a country morning when the seasons change.
I don’t think autumn quite got the memo in Sydney – it was 31 degrees today! I love that Instagram post too – it’s so true and I for one will be looking forward to more sunrise posts – there’s no such thing as too many!
Yeah our daytime temps have been hovering around 26-28 but at least the humidity is gone. Phew.
I do like autumn but I am missing summer. And I am definitely not liking the end of daylight savings here as I’ve had to say goodbye to my after-work swims for the next six months. That Instagram post is cool. Also, I do like a weekly wrap up and as you probably know, I do mine on Sunday with a focus on the good things. It has made a definite change to how I tend to view things most times . Have an awesome week ahead!
I love your gratitude posts. It’s a fine but distinct mind change, isn’t it. It irritates me that we don’t have daylight saving in QLD – causes havoc when your job is in Sydney.
I too like this focus… it made me smile too.
I also love a good “chopping and sautéing” dinner prep… i find it quite soothing. I might need to plan one this week!
I like your positive attitude, Jo….and your Mom’s wise sayings.
Your Kra Pow Chicken looks delicious. (Yes, as usual, I have a one-track focus when reading your posts)! 🙂
It’s super quick & easy Donna…& tasty.
I love you new approach Jo and this week I appreciated you mentioning fairies. At my grandson’s school they have a fairy garden. Now it is the school holidays we are going to build our own fairy garden at his place. A lovely way to spend time together and bring some magic to our lives. Have a beautiful week! #lifethisweek.
How cute is that? Hope your week has been great so far too.
I like your change of pace. Lovely read. As for the fairies having visited, it reminded me of my 4 yo GD (back in 2014) when we cared for her and her little sis. Miss R LOVED imagination and fairies were top of the list, so she was allowed to get some petals off the roses and make a fairy ring!! Her Papa also made her a fairy house and more and truly it was the best fun. She would dress up in the tutus we had and watch fairies DVDs. Fun times!
Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek 14/51. Next week’s optional prompt is 15/51 Share Your Snaps #3. 15/4/19 Hope to see you then. Denyse.