Wrapping up November from the Gold Coast

For me, once we celebrate my son’s birthday on 20th November, I’m in the mood for the Festive Season. However, let’s wrap up November in a nice little package with a bow. I’m just selecting the highlights of the month from different areas in my life to share with you. Of course the highlight for me each week is spending the day with my grandsons, Ethan and Elliot.

Achievements

The highlight of my month was achieving my Certificate IV in Personal Training to add to my Certificate III Group Fitness Instructor qualifications. At 64 I’m so proud to have this qualification. I had tried previously to study for this at 57 and was told I was ‘too old’!

Baking & Bookclub

I adore my Online Bookclub friends and our study and discussions of the Classics is always enlightening. If you are a regular reader, you would know that we have been reading the Bronte Sisters in 2021. From our Bookclub we have introduced a monthly post ‘What’s On Your Bookshelf?‘ where we share the books we have been reading during the month and encourage others to share what they have been reading with us.

Another fun element of our Bookclub is our baking session at the end of a book. We gather in our kitchens and connect via Zoom. Jo is our resident baker and guides us through the recipe. This month we finished Villette by Charlotte Bronte and made Pear Belle Helene. You can find the recipe on Jo Tracey’s Brookford Kitchen Diaries

I also had fun with the monthly What’s On Your Plate? Challenge hosted by Donna from Retirement Reflections and Deb, the Widow Badass. My contribution for November was 3 Recipes Using Shortcrust Pastry.

Blogging & Podcast Interviews

I had decided to take a step back from blogging but when I looked at the posts I had written I don’t think I stepped back very far. I have now completed Season 2 of the Podcast and I am looking forward to bringing more interviews with Women who are living lfe their way in 2022.

I’ve listed the blog posts and podcasts links below in case you missed them.

On the Blog

• How I stay ‘Young at Heart’ in mind, body and spirit
• Putting the focus on Thankfulness in October
• What’s On My Plate? – 3 recipes using Shortcrust Pastry
• Let’s bring more colour into your life – Days 1 – 30
• What’s On Your Bookshelf? – November Edition
• What Does Self-Care mean to you? – Micro Mondays episode
• Zooming in and putting the focus on your life – Micro Mondays episode

On the Podcast

• Fifty First Dates After 50 with guest and author, Carolyn Lee Arnold
• Overcoming Obstacles to Find Joy in Your Life with guest, Peta Gillian, Strong Healthy Women

Catch Ups & Celebrations

I was delighted to attend a lunch with some of the ladies from Strong Healthy Women. As we are a Virtual Studio it was lovely to catch up with them in person. As I am usually dressed in active wear it was a novelty to dress for the occasion. I treated myself to some earrings from Tinney’s Treasure Trove. They are leather and really completed the look – what do you think?

We celebrated my son’s 39th birthday and it was wonderful to have all the family together.

My friend, Christine from Tasmania was visiting her daughter and grandchildren who also live on the Gold Coast. It has been quite some time since she has been able to visit due to COVID and border closures. We spent a lovely couple of hours at the Ross Evans Garden Centre Cafe for brunch and then a leisurely stroll through the Garden Centre. The flowers were gorgeous and I loved all the little gifts and garden decorations.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

A Colourful Challenge

I started my #bringmorecolourintoyourlifechallenge and so far, I’ve managed to post for 56 days (at the time of writing this post). I find I’m looking for colour each day and it certainly lifts the spirits. Feel free to join in on Instagram or your social media of choice and use the hashtag #bringmorecolourintoyourlife – don’t forget to tag me. I’ve included a sample from Days 1 – 30 below

Self =Care Sundays

I try each Sunday morning to make time for some DIY self-care using products from LimeLife by Alcone and Mor Moisturizer. I also had fun on a Green Sunday with some Soothing Eye Gel Pads and a Green Mask.

• 

• 

The Festive Season has started early

I blame my grandsons and Santa who arrived at the Shopping Centre in the last week of November! They put their Christmas Tree up last week and so ‘Nan’ had to put her Christmas Tree up. I don’t mind because I love Christmas and after the last couple of years I think we can all do with a little cheer. Mr M, offered to help and although our tree is modest as we live in an apartment, I still get excited as the Festive Season approaches.

As I was in the Festive mood, I made a Christmas Cake, tried my hand at making Mince Pies for the first time and also made my Slow Cooked Christmas Pudding. I had some of the pudding mix left over so made some in muffin tins and they tasted delicious. In December, I am sharing my Traditional Festive Baking recipes so watch for that one.

Well, they are a few highlights from my November. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I was up to and I would love you to share with me what you did. Now, on to the Festive Season, my favourite time of the year.

Linking up to a Sentence a Day with Leslie from Once Upon A Time, Happily Ever After

Women Living Well After 50

Living Life Your Way