These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things: MARCH 2021

This post is dedicated to my beautiful Grandad, who sadly passed away this month. May his watchful eye guide us from heaven as he rests in peace.

So, is this what loss feels like? A dark sadness in knowing you won’t get to have another conversation again. Relief knowing your loved one is out of pain and finally at peace. Joy that they’ve been reunited with friends and family in heaven. Existential crisis in knowing how much they shaped the person you are today, what does it mean now that they’re gone? I think these are some of the questions I’ll be asking myself over the coming months. Grappling with big questions, and hopefully, with my Grandad guiding me (as he always has), reminding me of what is important in the short time we’re blessed enough to have here on Earth.

Long story short, my Grandad had a full life. He has always been my inspiration for wanting to travel, make the most of every opportunity and come back with a good story to tell. So in true Grandad style, this blog, this monthly ‘favourite things’, is my way of reflecting on what I’ve done in a month, receiving it all with gratitude, thanking people for making my month so special and thinking about the direction I want to take my life. I’ve been doing these monthly recaps for years now and sometimes I’ve wondered why I do it. It’s moments like this, to be able to look back on all of the wonderful people and things I have in my life that put it all in perspective, that make it all worth it.

This month has been tumultuous indeed. The loss of my hero, navigating a new city, starting a new job, visiting friends and spending time with my boyfriend while everything is new… quite frankly has been exhausting. Mentally and physically. While I wouldn’t change a thing, I think it’s a reminder to protect your time and energy. To spend your time and energy with people who fill your cup, who make you feel special and loved, because spreading yourself thin will only leave you feeling sad and tired. If my Grandad taught me anything, he taught me that spending time with the ones we love, and investing time to create more friendships, is what it’s all about.

So as I look back on March, I’m so incredibly grateful for the people who supported me through what has got to be one of the hardest months I’ve experienced. In true Grandad style, let’s take a look back on the month that was.

Elly’s birthday

Little Elly turned 25 and we had a big old birthday bash to celebrate! We headed up to Newcastle for some fun in the sun. Little Elly had a bit too much fun and found a makeshift bed on a rather hard surface. It was such a great weekend spent with friends and family all to celebrate the fun, vivacious, gorgeous and hilarious Elly!

Yea the gals

Have you ever started a group chat with some of your closest girlfriend’s to organise a weekend away, only to realise that the only weekend you’re all available is 5 months away? Yea me too. Turns out that 5 months ago we chose to have our girls weekend away during a once in a hundred year flood. So while we didn’t exactly have the beach weekend we had hoped for, we certainly had a grand old time! Yea the gals!

Canberra shenanigans

One week into my new job at a Women’s Health Organisation, it was International Women’s Day. A historic march took place outside of Parliament House and it was amazing being there with colleagues and listening to incredible women sharing their stories and experiences.

For my first proper weekend in Canberra, Johnnie came to visit, and boy did we paint the town red. Well maybe just Kingston. We had the best time exploring the foreshore bars, and infamous Kingo pub, hiked up Mount Taylor, watched a pro ultimate frisbee game, and road electric scooters!

House Warming

After a month of slowly warming up our new house and getting acquainted with Narrabundah (the good side apparently), it was time to spice things up with a little old house warming. It seems my housemates (Liam and Connor) have a different definition to what ‘little’ means because at one point I think we had over 100 people in our big ass backyard. And to be honest, it was one of the best housewarming parties I had ever been too (and I was hosting it!). Of course it was country themed and of course we stayed up til 2:30am singing ‘country road’ until our neighbour marched into our house to disconnect the speakers – I’d call that a success!

To back it up, we attended Wine Machine the next day. After a much needed greasy brekky, we headed off to the first festival in over a year – and boy oh boy was it FANTASTIC! Did it rain? Yes. Was it freezing Canberra rain? Yes. Was it awesome? Hell yes! While it was kind of strange to sit down every now and again and stay in our squares, I somehow ran into a big handful of beautiful people (classic festivals) and lost my voice singing along to some bangers! WHAT A WEEKEND!

Books

Honeybee, by Craig Silvey
This is a book that once you sink into it, you can’t stop reading. I thought this book was truly gorgeous, a story about identity, love, a desperate search to fit in, belong and be yourself. Treat yourself to this over a weekend, you won’t need the whole weekend to finish it because you won’t be able to put it down.

Tunes

Serotonin, Girl in Red
Ooooooh baby I have had this song on repeat! Whether I’ve been at work, running, on the way to work, it’s the perfect upbeat tune to listen to.

Middle Kids new album “Today We’re The Greatest.”
Oh my god the album I so desperately needed! This album has been powering my drives between Canberra and Sydney and honestly what a masterpiece. I’m obsessed with Bad Neighbour and Stacking Chairs… Bring on May when I get to see them in concert!

You Me At Six
My inner punk rocker chic has been tapped back into as I’ve been playing You Me At Six on repeat. It’s kinda crazy that 10 years ago I was obsessed with them and saw them at Soundwave (haha yes Soundwave… what a throwback). I’ve been loving their new album (yes they’re still releasing music) and LOVE their song Glasgow… ooooh it is so damn sexy and powerful! A little treat for you is their Orchestral version – you’re welcome.

Flicks

Behind Her Eyes
I watched this whole series in a day (a very sad and rainy day) and OMG I am OBSESSED! It was amazing and honestly will have you guessing the whole way through. The ending, whilst a bit out there, was epic and my jaw seriously hit the ground when the end credits rolled.

Ginny and Georgia
Another series you can smash over quickly, except this is a lot more light hearted. I absolutely loved the characters and felt that it explored some really important themes and issues. Honestly I don’t think you could pay me enough to be a teenager in our society nowadays (teenage years were hard enough) but this show reinforces important messages of mental health, support, friends and connection.

Podcasts

Freshwater Five (The Guardian, Today In Focus)
This is a must listen series! An investigation that looks to uncover one simple, yet one big question… are these five fisherman from the Isle of Wright guilty of attempting to import unprecedented amounts of cocaine into the UK? You can find the 6 part miniseries in the feed of The Guardian’s ‘Today in Focus.’

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5FIEM39PNOubvEJAKsAXBx?si=WwiH40HhQOG5WOg__b_22g

Well March, you have certainly been one of the hardest months. It’s been challenging being a long way from home, feeling a little lonely, a little isolate and a lot overwhelmed. It’s all part of life I guess. I think the ups and downs of the past month have really made me prioritise my relationships with loved ones, taking time for myself, and reaching out for support. Life isn’t always easy (in fact, sometimes it’s shit) but it does help us grow, learn and figure out this crazy thing we call life.

I just want to say a huge thank you to all of those loved ones who have listened to me and supported me over the past month – it hasn’t gone unnoticed and I’m beyond grateful to know you’re just a drive or a phone call away!