Hear ye, hear ye! I hereby declare that Nicky Bond's Winter Hibernation is OVER.
At midnight on 1st March, I woke up. Not literally, tbf. It was more likely I was falling asleep at that point. But I mentally and metaphorically came alive. Energy coursed through my veins, I felt invigorated and fresh. March was here! Winter was almost over! I would shave my pits for the first time in a season! Spring was PALPABLE.
It's strange how it hits. After wallowing in my own juices since October - a period of time I actively love - I'm now ready for something new. And how does this manifest? Well, apart from renewed hair removal routines, I've been online looking for garden candles. Yeah, check me out. I even went to a garden centre last week. Admittedly, this was a step too far, and I found myself quickly out of my depth. All I want are the perfect garden chairs. Sadly they don't exist. But still! The appetite for outdoor activities is within me. Spring - whilst technically being weeks away - has sprung!
Writing News
I've banged on about this for what feels like forever, so I'll give you some closure. The first draft of Leeza McAuliffe Book 3 is now complete. Whoop de doo! It's way too long at 75,000 words but that means I have lots of stuff I can cut. And cut it I will, just as soon as my month of ignoring the manuscript is over. For the rest of March, I'll be reading other people's novels. Utter bliss.
'And which other people's novels will I be reading?' I hear no one ask. Well thanks to some bookshop.org vouchers I got at Christmas, I've just finished Curtis Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy. This was EXACTLY what I needed. A romance, with developed characters, and lots to say about the world. It threw in the US political sitch, as well as COVID so felt nicely weighted in reality. A happy way to pass a couple of days. My next read's going to be Gabrielle Zevins' Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I'm hoping for a similar 'curl up on the sofa and lose myself' experience.
Other than that, I've finished the second series of Shrinking, I've binged Zero Day on Netflix, and I'm loving the weekly episodes ofWhite Lotus. Because of its serenely beautiful location, it makes me feel tranquil and calm, despite the terrible characters on screen. Cool, huh? And finally, here's the UK song for Eurovision! Because it's the ESC, it's fair to say, there are A LOT OF OPINIONS ONLINE. Why not listen and see what you think.
Food and Drink
Talking of brunch (at least I think we were a couple of weeks ago) something miraculous happened. It was Saturday morning and I was craving food. I don't mean I was hungry. Not just that. I was craving something specific - something lovely and beautiful and brunchy. I just couldn't put my finger on it. I had the time, plus some basic ingredients, but I couldn't work out what I wanted.
After all the usual things (scrawling back through my food photos, Googling 'brunch ideas', and aimlessly opening kitchen cupboards) I was hit with a gloomy thought. It was, I decided, a real shame that the waffle maker had been binned. That would have been perfect now. It used to sit on the worktop, but years ago we had a clear out and it went. That was my memory, anyway. It was when I was voicing this to my partner that the miracle happened. He looked at me like I was mad and then opened a kitchen drawer. There, in front of my very eyes, was the waffle maker! It had not been binned. Not at all. It had simply been removed from the worktop and hidden out of the way. My dream of the perfect brunch could become a reality. I whipped up a cheesy batter and got wilting spinach quicker than you can say, 'Get a life Nicky, you mad woman.' It was the loveliest way to start the weekend.
The newest of my nephs turned the big 1 at the weekend. A family get together for the littleun was a cracking way to spend the afternoon and loads of fun was had by all. One of the problems with a big family, however, (and there are many!) is that new born members tend to see you as part of a gaggle. No one is distinguishable. I'm one of his many aunties and uncles. How will he ever learn I'm the best? This is something I struggle with a lot. I guess it takes time. The oldest niece is in high school now. This means she has me messaging her random questions about teen life, hot boys, and youth slang. (Research, folks!) Maybe my baby neph is happier without my 'fun' for now. Sigh.
So on we march with March. If, like me, you're all about shaved pits and garden candles, then hello! Are we twinnies? What are the odds?! If, in the more likely event, you are not, then enjoy the change in vibe. However you're filling your month, I hope it's bringing you joy. More next week, if you're up for it - mkay?
Have a lovely week, folks.
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