November – all wrapped up…

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

So that was November…I’m finding it difficult to believe that next month will not just be next year, but a new decade. I have a round-up of the decade that was scheduled for next week, but for now, let’s round-off November…

Travel

I spent a few days in Sydney for the day job – just happening to coincide with the office party. Lucky that. Unfortunately, it also coincided with a few days when Sydney was blanketed in thick smoke and the air quality was abysmal. It did, however, make for a really weird light – especially in the early morning.

Excess Baggage

I finished October 5 kgs lighter than I started it. I’ve now lost a total of 10 kgs since July. Crossing the 10 kg milestone meant that I got to buy a new cookbook – yes folks, that’s how I’m rewarding myself for every 5 kgs lost.

In case you’re interested I bought Rick Stein’s “Secret France”.

I’m thrilled with that first 10 kgs, but at the same time know there’s a lot more to go – about another 15-20 kgs…which I’ll think about in January when I’m back from England.  

For the next month be prepared for photos of food that absolutely hasn’t been on the menu for the past 5 months!

Oh, and so far no one has noticed. I’m only 5 ft 3″ so surely someone should have noticed by now! I was, in fact, questioning whether my scales were breaking at the rate of a few hundred grams a week, but apparently, they haven’t.

Instagram

There was quite a bit of frangipani spam last month as my enthusiasm for the frangis in our front yard bubbled over. The pic below was my most popular pic on Instagram for November.

followed closely by this one.

With this one rounding out the top 3 in November.

Reading

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I read nothing but festive novels in November – and devoured 9 of them. Other than one slight disappointment, I’ve loved them all.

Just like a Hallmark Christmas movie, you expect a little cringe and the occasional too sweet for words scene, but somehow, at Christmas, all of that is forgiven.

I’m hard-pressed to choose a favourite but have to give a shout-out to my friend Nicki Edwards for her set-in-Canada offering. Plus, there’s a chef involved…

Watching

Speaking of which, I watched a few Christmas movies during November – a couple of those Netflix originals that have just as much schmaltz as Hallmark, but also, for (unbelievably) the first time – The Holiday, my new second favourite Christmas movie.

Also in November, I inhaled the third series of The Crown. A different cast, a different era, but Sarah and I loved it. Now, of course, I can’t wait for series 4.

I really enjoyed an Aussie political series on the ABC, Total Control and, also on the ABC, the return of Grantchester and The Good Karma Hospital.

When you consider that I’ve been watching Great Australian Bake-Off as well, it’s no wonder I haven’t done as much writing as I normally would. Which leads me neatly to…

Writing

Okay, I was supposed to be doing Nanowrimo again this month but it sort of snuck up on me and I was even less prepared than I usually am. As a result, I bombed out at around the 20,000-word mark. And of those 20,000 words, there are about half that I think will still be in the novel when I finish it.

It’s not like I haven’t had a lot on though, so am totally cool with it. In other news, I did finish the rewrite for Careful What You Wish For.

Careful is the 2nd book in a mini-series that I’ve had the first finished and waiting to go for some time – I Want You Back. Do you know how frustrating that is? I’d made a deal with myself though that I wouldn’t release the first until I’d finished the third. That means that 2020 will be a big year for publishing for me.

Sitting on

I’ve been sitting on some big news – well, big for me. If I thought 2019 was a big year work-wise, 2020 will be busier. In addition to my day job and my writing, I’ve stepped up to take on the presidency of the RWA – Romance Writers of Australia.

It’s a big role, but one that I believe in whole-heartedly and the opportunity came up so I put my hand up for consideration. To be honest, I’m at the point where I want to “give back” and this is a volunteer position and one where I can use my business skills to help take the organisation forward. 

Of course, there’s something in it for me too. Of late I’ve felt as though I’ve been dwelling in my comfort zone for a little longer than I normally would, so am ready to shake things up (personally) again and am excited about the challenge. 

Thinking

About the direction of this blog next year. 

I’ve absolutely decided (I think) to step back from all astrology writing in 2020. I’ll keep the website going but my heart isn’t in it – and, to be honest, hasn’t been for some time.

As for this blog, I think I’ll go back to basics. The tag-line is “the rambles of a hungry writer” so that’s what I’ll write about – food, travel, and writing and nothing else. I have a few ideas that have been percolating in my brain for some time, but I’ll tell you about them when (or if) I’m a little clearer.

Looking forward to

Spending the next 4 weeks in England and our very first cold-climate Christmas!

Okay, that was my November. How was yours?