Other than everything, I'm fine

I am very aware of complaining too much and repeating to the world how scared I am of, well everything. So instead of trying to put words around my feelings today I am posting this from mytherapistsays on Instagram.

I am also strongly considering taking mushroom oil after reading this. Obviously I am too scared of the effects of psychedelics but it would be nice to be in another realm right now wouldn’t it?

And talking of ‘being in another realm’ this ad popped up the other day and I cannot, for the life of me, understand what they are trying to sell in the top left hand corner. I did not click on the link but it did make me think about my internet search history.

Reading

The last time I read a John Boyne novella (Fire) I thought I might never read another of his books again, it was that dark. But when I said that out loud people protested, you MUST read Water they said and I am anything if not obedient and so I did.

It was not as dark as Fire but I still can’t help but wonder what trauma Boyne has had to endure to think of story lines that are quite so well, tragic. Water tells the story of a woman who goes to live on a remote island off Ireland after something devastating happens to her family. It is related to the other books in the quartet (Fire, Earth and Air) in that some of the characters names become familiar in an almost Elizabeth Strout kind of way - you can read the books on their own but there is added ‘history’ if you read them all.

As with every John Boyne book I have read the writing is incredible and it feels like a privilege to read his work. I feel like I may have been hardened by reading the other books in the series so I was prepared for the darkness of the story - but still, as I said I can’t help worry about John Boyne.

I remain open to reading Air as soon as it is available.

To read about Fire click here, to read about Earth click here

Food

We moved house last week and are renting a place while our home gets a facelift. The new kitchen is way smaller than the old kitchen and there is no space for a microwave oven. There is however space for an air fryer and this week I became an air fryer fanatic - about three years after everybody else in Australia..

There has been a bit of air frying this week including these salmon bites, this chicken dish and of course these churros. I have only burnt myself twice and used the machine three times so that’s good.

Also had a great meal at Bar Julius on the occasion of my son’s 24^th birthday. TWENTY FOUR! I know some people reading this remember following his journey on The Smallest Pencil when he was just a tiny premie baby. You are as shocked as I am that he is now almost a quarter of a century old.

Anyway food at Bar Julius was good although not perhaps brilliant for a fussy pescatarian who doesn’t eat shellfish. They also described their pork sausage as ’smoked pig’s head sausage’ and I could not get over the visual of a pig’s head. But that may have something to do with my mood…

Thank you (again) for reading to the end

See you next week

Lana