This week I actually remembered to take some photographs. They are not perfect but at least authentic! For me the highlight in this week’s menu is the tomato risotto. It is again one from Jan Braai, and it is perfect with almost anything.
You can again download the PDF with recipe links or just get some inspiration.
I was spoilt last week with three different catch-ups with friends who I have not seen for ages. All people who have known me longer than the Engineer. People who even if we have not spoken for ages we just pick up where we left off.
I may have mentioned before – these menus are somewhat backdated. We are currently in a heatwave and I am posting menus with soup and roasts!
This week’s menu is still however not toned down and certainly not conscious of any restrictions. It also contains my very first attempt at a leg of lamb which came out beautifully!
The Lilliputians’ favourite was the pull-apart bread.
When I started my planner I was truly inspired (and intimidated) by the beautiful page spreads that some people create. I wrote a little about this here. As much as I want to make beautiful things I know where my limitations are.
My first attempt at incorporating anything but my handwriting into my planner was a mood tracker with dutch houses. I was in love with the result but it was not something that came naturally to me.
I was probably one of the first people who bought an adult colouring book when they became available. It was in 2015 and I had just finished my Masters’ and I needed to try something totally different.
Only later did I realise that the images that I loved were the mandala ones, the paisley ones…
The idea sprouted that I could perhaps try to draw something like that. When typing Mandala doodles on Pinterest a whole new world opened up for me. The Engineer offered me his compass, and the first mandala was born. I even asked a friend to join me in the mandala challenge. Even though he later decided that it was not for him, I was hooked.
So that following month had a mandala theme in my planner… drawing which I spent more time on than actually planning.
And somewhere on my social media feeds I was introduced to Zentangles. After reading about it a little I learnt that this was a form of therapy as well and the notion of doing something that I really enjoyed and wanted to get better at, was something that could lift my mood… well, it sounded like a perfect fit.
On a rondom Tuesday night, two of my friends and I went out for dinner. When I came home last night I just realised what a privelage to have the opportunity to sometimes just be me and have people in my life who think like me and dream like me and actually understand my job and working environment.
I have previously chatted about emotional tracking and my attempt to give this a try. I have however asked myself quite a few times why I have this need to put in the time and effort and continue going on this self-involved journey time and time again? Why is this a concept that has resonated with me so much? Why am I bothered with things that a lot of people do not even acknowledge? Why is my overthinking mind overthinking the overthinking?