I can tick that one off my list. You know, the 'life to-do' list that everyone has. It usually mentions the Grand Canyon, or sailing the Greek Isles, or other exciting things to do as a grown-up. Well, I've just ticked off my biggest one ever! The one I was simply terrified of. The one that I had to be pushed to complete.

I got my driving licence today. I know. Don't judge me! Yes, I'm 29. And yes, it's a little later than most people. But hey, I live in the inner city, the public transport is great!

I have been on my Learners for 11 years, and today, I finally passed my driving test. I am a P2 driver, with lovely little green P plates on my super-gorgeous silver Echo. And yay, I get to skip the horrid red ones because I'm a 'mature' learner. Ha! If only they knew.

Well, I am exhausted. After a toothache and nervous cramps and completing my driving test and watching my beloved Broncos get cheated out of a top 4 position by ridiculous refereeing, I'm tired. It's a big day, my first proper grown-up driving day! But, I love that I can get up whenever I like and go for a drive though. Anyone want a midnight visitor?

        

  

I'm a little embarrassed to love bikram yoga as much as I do. I mean, it's such a hipster thing to do. And hipster, I am not! I've found, especially in a particular posh eastern Brisbane riverside suburb which shall remain nameless, there are so many yummy-mummy, SUV-driving, primped and permed, $5-bottle-of-water-drinking women who make a ballet performance out of Sun Salutations. I've mentioned before that I'm judgmental, right? Seriously though, I'm pretty sure I saw one of the Australian cricket WAGS at my studio during a recent cricket test here.

It seems that lots of people who aren't traditional 'exercisers' take to bikram yoga. For some, it may be because yoga is a form of exercise that doesn't seem like exercise. It can be passed off as meditation, for example, thereby flying under the radar of people who dismiss physical exertion of any kind. Yoga is really the only consistent exercise I do. I take walks, but more for my brain than my body. I think the attraction to yoga for me, and for many Type A personalities, has to do with the discipline involved, along with the fact that yoga demands surrender (which I think we all secretly crave).

At first glance, yoga is a bit dichotomous. It's associated with carefree hippies, but it has all these strict poses and specific routines. Sun salutations can be tweaked, much like recipes, but they go a certain way, typically. I can go to a yoga studio almost anywhere in Brisbane and kind of get the flow of things. The postures have been the same across centuries and across cultures. That's something that my home-loving, change-hating brain appreciates.

        

Sitting in a cold office, wearing multiple cardigans, dressed all in black because that way I always have unladdered tights to match... These are the things that make me dream of Summer.

  
   (Image via flickr)

Since I cannot wish the Summer here sooner, I think I might wish me some Summery things instead, from madeit, where everything is made with love!

     
In The Sky print by 74 Lime Lane; Beach bag by Hart and Soul    

     
Vintage cushion by Collecting Feathers; Resin bracelet by Inspired Wish

     
Red geranium print by Mich Art; Avocado empire-line dress by Redtreedesigns

Now, for some iced tea sitting in a spot of sunshine to complete the illusion!

        

So tired. Severe Mondayitis. Yawn. I can truly say that I've had the best birthday week ever. EVER!

  

Above: Super fun last Tuesday evening for our shared birthday party, Arran and I blowing out our candles! (Note the awesome Giggleberry bunting in the background... thanks so much Amanda, it was so lovely to find such a sweet parcel in my letterbox!)

After last Tuesday night's festivities with my sweet housemate and I sharing a teensy birthday party for our awesome friends at home, I woke up on Wednesday (my actual birthday) to fabulous presents, stacks of gorgeous flowers delivered to work, and then the most amazing (and slightly romantic) dinner at The Summit restaurant at Mt Coot-tha. I can't rave enough about The Summit. Not only was the food fantastic (try the duck confit... divine!), but the service was exemplary. New favourite restaurant, that's for sure!

  

This weekend, the fun kept on rolling, with a visit to the French Festival at Southbank on Saturday, where we ate our body weight in sugar! After an obligatory savoury (a delicious cheese twist from French Sin), we tried pain au chocolat, and almond croissants. But I had my eye on something in particular... the amazing macarons and creme brulees from Twist & Roll! After lining up, I decided to switch queues... the antics of one of the Twist & Roll staff were well worth the wait. What could be better than a dashing Frenchman dancing and singing while toasting the crunchy sugar on top of the fabulous custard? We lounged around on the lawn, people-watching and eating, then took a stroll through the Southbank Arbour to try to budge some of those calories before they settled in for the long haul! (I am supposed to be staying super-healthy before I go skiing in five weeks for the first time ever - eek!)

Sunday was delightful, Brisbane really put on some splendid weather for a dear friend's birthday drinks. Back to Southbank we went, found a large table at the Plough Inn, and enjoyed some sunshine. As well as bright yellow sunshine, I enjoyed some bright yellow Play-do, as friends had brought their adorable, and ever-so-sociable 2 year old boy along. He and I ignored the grown-ups, and made all sorts of cakes from Play-do. I do believe my favourite was the Tomato Cake. I mean, why wouldn't it be?

  

Big hugs to everyone who has made this birthday week feel so bubbly and awesome, and big thanks to my friends in the Blogosphere, and all my lovely Twitter followers who have sent lovely birthday wishes my way. If the rest of my 29th year is half as good as the first week of it has been, then I'm a very lucky little ducky!

Mwaaaaah!

        

Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to someone special. Someone I have been waiting, oh, around ten years for...!

She's small, very pretty, and a little shy, but we've made a pact to look after each other for a long time to come!

This is Bebe, my first car! She's a 2005 Toyota Echo, and she's just the cutest thing I've ever seen.

  

Be nice to her if you see her out and about, she's not really used to all these crazy people barging around like they know what they are doing. But she'll be very polite, and not pushy at all, she just needs to remember to indicate before changing lanes! Oops!

I am so incredibly thankful to my nearest and dearest friends who slogged it out with me recently, traipsing across the countryside looking at a gazillion small, silver and automatic used cars. (Picky much?) They were fountains of knowledge, pillars of strength, and very useful at talking me out of my 'I don't wanna do this, I'm scared, I'm not grown-up enough for this' mood, of which there were plenty.

Sincerest thanks to my friends and family for driving me absolutely everywhere for the last twenty-nine years, without grumbling or taking my genuine offers of petrol money.

Thanks to my bank for saying 'Yeah, you go alright, you're gainfully employed, here's some cash, go buy a car!'

Biggest thanks to Bebe for being mine, and making me smile everytime I look out my front window!

  

        

I'm shopping on madeit.com.au, an all-Australian version of Etsy. Well, not exactly shopping. It's the day before my birthday, and everyone knows you can't buy things for yourself the day before your birthday because you have to give your loved ones the very best chance of giving you something you haven't already got! So instead of shopping, I'm compiling my madeit shoppping list for the day after my birthday!

But I'm in a bit of a pickle. We're having a little party tonight for my housemate and I, and I want most of these things for tonight! Dammit. Stoopid no-shopping birthday rules.

  

Stacking rings by futuretribe; Coffee bean cushion by VelvetBean

  

Babushka notelets by Forget-Me-Not; Circle of love necklace by Lovestamp

     

Denim & Liberty of London scarf by Nilly ; Little Indian card by Millie

        

I have a somewhat obsessive nature and a tendency to completely indulge on the things I love. About five years ago I read my first Carl Hiaasen novel, and was so impressed that it took me less than two years of hunting and purchasing to find them all, and I have devoured each of them at least four times. I did originally try and pace myself, but soon gave in and bought a stack on Amazon.

I adore his I-know-who-dunnit style of crime fiction with such a dark wit, believable and vulnerable villians and heroes who occasionally remind me of myself. With more balls. I mean, who would ever chase down an SUV full of litterbugs and teach them a lesson? I would LOVE to, but the practicalities of such eco-terrorism are beyond me. (Watch this space though, I'm sure there's a line that I could cross one day...!)

    

Hence, Carl Hiaasen is my cup of sweet, dark tea. I am currently re-reading Stormy Weather, and after that only three more books to go before I begin the endless cycle again. Part of me wants to slow down, to savour every cynical and twisted moment, yet it is impossible to not read on and press on when the books are so entertaining and are readily available on my bedside table. I guess (unless I am swamped by mid-winter socialising, which is insanely unlikely as I suffer from weather-related agoraphobia) it will be another two days of the misfortunes of Edie and Snapper, then alas, I am done.

And then? What next? I know what will happen… I’ve been there before. First, I will look for something similar and be invariably disappointed. Then I will look for something completely different and not be satisfied… and then I will open another Carl Hiaasen, whilst waiting for July 27, when his next novel is released, Star Island:
 
'An actress secretly stands in for a derailed pop star and finds herself stalked on South Beach by a crazed paparazzo – and befriended by an unhinged hermit who was once governor of Florida.'

How can I not love it!

        

      
   
(Picture from Flickr)

I love this picture. I love it so much that it's been my laptop screensaver for over three months now, which is a new record for me! Something about the starry sky, the bokeh lights and the sweetly-coloured tent gets me wishing for a summery woodland party.

Unfortunately, my birthday is in deepest, darkest winter so there shall be no summer evening frolicking for me. Boo and hiss to my parentals for not timing that better.

In the weeks and days before my birthday every year, instead of compiling wishlists of presents, I find myself searching for lovely entertaining themes, none of which I ever go ahead with. I am having a mini-party next week for my birthday with one of my housemates, whose birthday happens to fall the day before mine. We are holding a very casual weeknight celebration, no theme, nothing too flash, but you can count on me doing something to tart it up a little. The housemates probably won't let me go all out with a summer-evening-carnival atmosphere, but they can't stop me from hanging some bunting and popping little tealight candles everywhere. Can they?

  

Check out this super-sweet custom bunting made just for me by Giggleberry Creations  (Thanks Amy!)

Hanging tealights in jamjars from branches, fresh wildflowers in jugs on rustic picnic tables, polka-dotted plates and striped paper straws in old-fashioned sodas. These are but some of my wishes for party perfection. Sigh.

      

      

     

Decorated garden via Studio G; Bunting by Giggleberry Creations
Ball candle jars by Midwest Finds; Romantic outdoor dinner party via All Things Nice
Rustic barn table by Nonpareil; Paper lantern garlands via The Kitchn

        

Isn't this hand-painted woodgrain bicycle just the cutest?

  

The story of Aaron and Rob, a father-son team who live across the ocean, one in New York and one in New Zealand, is just so sweet. Check them out at Rob's Woodgrain Bike Frames.

  

I would love to cycle one of these beauties along the riverside, with a wicker basket on the handlebars, filled to the brim with cheeses, bread and fresh wildflowers.

  

That's my mid-week fantasy,what's yours?

        

What a week. Sooooooo long, and sooooooo cold. Emotionally and physically draining. On the flipside however, it's Friday, and that's enough to be thankful about.

Gratitude. I've gotta show more of it. So it begins...

Today I shall go to work wearing my favourite jeans, and have lunch with one of my favourite girls. I will go to the football this evening (which I love), and watch the team that I love beat a team that I don't. If they don't win, I will deal with it with a smile, knowing there are more games, and more opportunities. I will have a soda water with the footy kids (who are grown-ups, but I'll call them kids until we are old), and will meet some kids (real children) who are coming to the football with their lovely, sweet parents.

Tonight I will sleep well. Deliciously well, in a warm and cosy bed. I will wake up tomorrow with a spring in my step, dress warmly and look ever so chic in my new beret, and head out to inspect cars with someone I trust will not let me buy a lemon. I will car-shop all day on Saturday, and then I will enjoy a relaxing meal on Saturday night. And I will sleep in on Sunday.

See... there's nothing to it. I am grateful, immensely so, that I get to do these things. And I will start next week with a smidge more positivity than this past week. And I will never forget to relax and just breathe.


Lovely and calming printable freebie via Kind Over Matter