Can you believe we are 1/12th of the way through the year already?
We started the year off right, still on holidays at our weekender on Coochiemudlo Island … but once we were back at work it quickly became a distant memory!
1 January – Happy New Year! We did a bit of painting as the trim on the screened in porch had seen better days, before cooling off with a swim at the beach and a BBQ for dinner.
2 January – A friend has lent us a kayak so we took it out for the first … and let’s be honest, probably last … time today. Paddling is darn hard work! No photos sorry, was too worried about my phone getting wet so I left it at home. Later in the day we had some fun with bubbles on the beach …
3 January – Mr 28 and his wife (!!!!!) were in Melbourne on their honeymoon and went to see the Harry Potter play, and gave me the book for Christmas which I am currently enjoying. And of course another swim, loving the gorgeous summer weather (and the air con at our weekender!).
4 January – This morning the tide was high first thing in the morning so we rode our bikes to the beach and went fishing, we caught a couple of bream (not that I eat them, but the husbear and a certain little kitty who came on holidays with us definitely do!).
5 January – We went for a big ride on our bikes – the pic below is the highest point on the island, looking back towards the mainland.
6 January – While on our holiday, I’ve been working on a puzzle of Santorini (which we visited on our 25th wedding anniversary). However it was a very cheap puzzle and the picture is not very clear, so I made an executive decision and gave up trying to finish it. It’s also a metaphor for 2023 – about being more selective about how I spend my time, and not being afraid to let things go that are no longer serving me …
7 January – Happy birthday to me!!!! The husbear spoiled me with some lovely pressies – I was so impressed, he would have had to buy them before our holiday as there are no real shops here, just a couple of cafes. (Typically he is a very last minute kinda guy when it comes to presents – like most men I think!).
He also picked me some flowers from the garden.
We had a lovely day at Norfolk Beach on the northern side of the island, it was very protected and beautiful for swimming as there was a strong south easterly breeze.
Afterwards we went for an ice cream date. And in the evening, the husbear made me a roast dinner!
8 January – All good things must come to an end, we arrived home late in the afternoon.
9 January – Our first day back at work – me in our home office, the husbear back in the city. In the evening we “might” have had the telly on the Prince Harry interview …
10 January – Mr 28 popped in after dinner to pick up some mail.
11 January – I spent most of the day at the Breast Screen Qld clinic. Back in November I had a routine mammogram; they contacted me early in December for a follow up appointment but I had to postpone it twice due to being sick with Covid. A further mammogram, breast check, and ultrasound were inconclusive so I had a needle biopsy after lunch; they said they’d phone me with the results next Wednesday so just putting it out of my mind til then …
12 January – We visited Mr 28 and his wife and went out for dinner with them 🙂 . Isn’t their apartment cute? All the paintings are by our son. He’s only taken up painting in the last roughly 12 months and I think he’s really talented!
13 January – My newest team member, Dean, starts next week – so I was madly preparing for that. Like Lisa and Emma, he will work remotely although just like them he also lives in Brisbane so an in-person team meeting is a definite possibility in the future!
14 January – The husbear went to visit his cousin up the Sunshine Coast for the weekend, so I had a very lazy day.
15 January – When the cat’s away the mice will play 😉 so I indulged in a bit of retail therapy, including a coffee and toasted sandwich for lunch!
16 January – Yay!!!!! My two new swimsuits arrived!!!! Shame it took so long. I ordered them on 11 December thinking I’d have them before our holiday. Ah well, better late than never. Now I can leave one set of swimmers permanently at our beach house.
17 January – Oh dear. It’s only Tuesday and I got a phone call (a day early!!!) from the Breast Screen clinic: “The doctor wants to see you tomorrow”.
18 January – Brought the husbear to my appointment just in case … more tests. It was best case scenario as far as bad news goes. I have something called lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) in my left breast but despite the “carcinoma” it’s not breast cancer. However it could become cancer so I need an open biopsy (surgery) to remove the area of suspect tissue. I wasn’t expecting this!!!
19 January – My fortnightly business mastermind group started back. Before I left, the husbear took this pic (he works from home on Thursdays). Look how long my hair is getting!
20 January – First Zoom meeting with my new larger team! In the afternoon I had my first appointment with my surgeon.
21 January – This is getting to be a habit. The husbear had to sort some things out at his late parents’ house in Toowoomba … when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!!!! Some great summer sales – came home with some cute PJs (in case I need to stay in hospital overnight), a dress and a top for $60. Not bad!
22 January – It seems we’ve inherited a Janome sewing machine! It’s a lot fancier than my old Singer which I bought when we got engaged 34 years ago. The husbear showed me how to use it – I don’t sew much, but this one looks like fun!
23 January – Finished my latest puzzle, the one that the husbear gave me for my birthday 🙂 .
24 January – Ughhhh so many forms to fill in for my upcoming surgery, it’s doing my head in.
25 January – I was the guest speaker at my BNI meeting, I gave a 10 minute presentation on “SEO – So what?!” – and felt very professional with my new banner! Isn’t it great?!
26 January – Australia Day public holiday – visited Miss 26 and her husband and had a wonderful time playing with her pup, cats and chooks. I never realised how much fun chickens could be – they followed us when we went for a walk, and even let me pick them up. They make their funny little clucking noises all the time, it’s as if they’re talking to you. Super cute!
27 January – Tired after work so had Hungry Jack’s for dinner (much prefer their Whoppers to the Big Macs at Maccas).
28 January – Had lunch with a friend down at the Harbour, my Buddha bowl with chicken teriyaki was AMAZING.
29 January – Whooops. We’d organised to have dinner with my parents but COMPLETELY forgot about it and were both at our desks catching up on some work when we got a text wondering where we were … OMG I couldn’t believe it, I’d been looking forward to it all week but then when it hit the weekend it just vanished from my mind. I felt so bad I might have shed a few tears. They were very good about it but I was so cranky with myself.
30 January – The summer heat has really set in … I’m looking a bit sweaty in this pic, I caught up with one of my lovely clients at a local cafe.
31 January – Had my monthly one on one with my business coach, took my award to show her and we got some pics!
January was a pretty good month over all. We had a lovely holiday but once we were back, work was busier than I would have liked. Still, I know it’s due to training up my new team member which means my load should lighten in the coming weeks.
My upcoming surgery is also weighing a little on my mind but no date set as yet (Update: I’m booked in for 14 February. Not much of a way to spend Valentine’s Day lol!).
How was January for you – was it a slow start, or “hit the ground running” way to kick off 2023?!
Love your new swimmers and pjs.
All the best with your upcoming surgery
Thanks Liz! And I’m sorry to hear of the passing of your furry family member, I know how very special they are x
Thanks Janet x
PS I just read your post on your son’s wedding. So beautiful!!