Once again the book swap delivers.

Saturday‘s op shop finds from 2 weekends back! The labels are for Xmas presents, the hankies are for my step daughter‘s, who ❤️ their horses, the slip is for under my work clothes, the cards are for #Litsylove and #justbecause. I hate buying new tea towels when I can get vintage ones. The mini book is because I ❤️little things and my nephew enjoys that series of books. I already own some of the bunting. Now I have more to play with. I ❤️ Enid B.

Yesterday‘s scores from the Little Red Street Library. I know nothing about the beautifully ancient book on top other than it was gorgeous so I had to have it to display. I love to dream while reading a decorating magazine or too. I also love to make collages so use some of the graphics for that.

Thursday night‘s book swap goodies!

This is the Little Free Library I hike up the hill to of a Wednes. It‘s the only weeknight I‘m not training for my ballet exam so it‘s like a midweek break. I really look forward to my Wednesdays & enjoy a wine & a read with my stretch after my walk. I also usually go to bed as the sun sets with a pot of tea & a book. I finally start to recover from the weekend before the most tiring part of my week. Not long now before I‘m on school summer hols.

After my 🩰 on Thurs I always walk the hr home to try & work the soreness out of my muscles. I get home about 9:30 pm depending on how long my teacher holds me back to work on my exam routines. I always (even when it is raining) go via the book swap. It‘s a long day considering my alarm goes off at 4:45 am but l❤️ it. These are some of the treasures I scored last week. They‘ll take pride of place on my bookshelf and not be living in the basement.

Today‘s pickings from the book swap. Whitlam is my favourite Australian Prime minister ever. I love the my new kitchen splash back in the background.

This year we celebrated our 6th anniversary the night before with cocktails at the same bar we went to for our first date then a show called OMG WTF and more cocktails. These are the Australian native flowers Stew bought me with the books I got on my walk that morning at the Little Free Library up the hill. The Monthly magazine does a good book review.

Thursday‘s op shop scores. My mum is going to make me another quilt out of that gorgeous fabric. She is semi retired now. The bikini is for me for this season. The shorts are for my teenage step daughter. I will pass the audio books on to my dad when I‘m finished with them. He likes to listen to them whilst driving. The cds are for my youngest sister‘s kids. One of the books is an uncorrected proof. I always find them interesting. Total price $39.

More Wednes op shop spoils! Planning on wearing the striped dress out on Sat night with my ballerina friend‘s for a ‘Cocktail Extravaganza‘. I got the Michelle Bridge‘s cookbook cause once upon a time my sis made an awesome chick pea curry out of 1 of her books & I‘ve been on the hunt for it ever since. Yet to peruse this 📖 to see if it is included. Our anniversary is coming up so the earrings are to wear to the Champagne & show Stew booked us.

Woo hoo! I‘m double vaccinated so I‘m allowed to go op shopping again. The op shops are full of wondrous things thanks to everyone cleaning out their houses during lockdown. This lot cost me $92.50. My sister is newly pregnant shh so I‘ve unleashed my shopping beast & she is buying baby clothes big time. I also scored a few dresses for me & 1 for my big girl who hates dresses but I make her wear them when we go out on the town. I ❤️ bath products!

On my walk this morning along the coast, I discovered that the Little Free Library had reopened after lockdown. Heaven!

My ex husband would never let me cook so when we separated I didn‘t have much in the way of kitchen confidence. I was getting really sick from eating rubbish then a neighbour, Ali had a Thermomix party & I bought one then & there! It taught me to cook now I love cooking & I think I‘m pretty good at it but I still use the Thermomix regularly. I got these on sale to add to my collection. I would really like to buy a 2nd Thermomix I‘m that obsessed!

Today‘s book swap finds after working from home and also getting drapes put in the bedroom in my new apartment. I love working from home. Lockdown is over but I am not ready to go back to school on the 25th #gettingshitdone!

Ta to @thegirlwiththelibrarybag I now have a list of Australians to harass every 4 months. For those who haven‘t participated there are 2 spots available. You fill out the form, mark up a book and post it to the next person. Details on @suvata @Jeg @Abailliekaras @JennyM @Freespirit @BookwormDownUnder @Gillyreads @MrsMalaprop @Jhullie @CarolynM @Lizpixie @LeeRHarry @Flingogal @Rissreads @thegreensofa @Curiouser_and_curiouser @Cathy_J @Sarz #LMPBC

When I started this it was a blissful spring (summer like) day now it‘s storming & I‘m cooking my bro in law‘s stroganoff recipe for dinner! Wonders never cease. I‘m hooked. Lockdown will be over when I wake up tomorrow but I still feel nervous even though I‘m double vaxed. How will I ever cope with going back to my hectic, old life. Truth is I probably won‘t as rates of covid are still high here & local vax rates are lower than the Oz average.

Glorious golden hour at the beach. I watched out the window for a relatively quiet time as I am only just double vaccinated and still a scaredy-cat of covid. It is going to rain all week so I just couldn‘t bare to stay inside. This book has surprised me a couple of times already and I am only a third of the way in. I am reading it for my new book club. This month will be my first meeting not on Zoom and we are having a picnic with cocktails.

Yesterday‘s scores from the Little Red St Library. Big step daughter is a teen now & starting to be interested in 📚 with ❤️ in them. Yesterday she watched Twilight for the 1st time. She‘s hooked. I just wish she read the 📕 1st. She‘s also taking forensic science next yr. so picked out the CSI 📖. We had a girl‘s night, without their daddy, last night, which they loved. I let them stay up late as they assured me they would sleep in. They didn‘t!

Scored these for free kerbside on Thursday thanks to #sustainablestockton It was hard work carrying them and six bottles of wine from the local bottle shop‘s deal of the day, home. Probably won‘t attempt to do that again.

Today is a gorgeous spring day. I used my lockdown exercise time to walk to the local book swap and picked up these treasures.

Just finished my #australianreadinghour I‘m finally getting into this book. I saw Tilly speak at the Sydney Writer‘s Festival many moons ago & had to check myself when she didn‘t fit in with what I imagined a sex worker to be. I have since seen her at the Writer‘s Festival as a participant like me. She says the book is not autobiographical but it sure sounds like her Instagram posts. Maybe that is for clients too. You can tell it‘s her first book.

#HHS @wanderinglynn

Local shopping centre‘s book swap did it again. #beforelockdown

1. a) France especially the south so beautiful & calming to me, Riviera a close 2nd, Paris 3rd. b) London c) Samoa despite the stomach bug it was 1 of the more relaxing holidays I‘ve had. 2. Bath, book & a big glass of Shiraz usually has to be topped up by my love. 3. I think the tagged book. 4. Today I‘m grateful for working from home so I‘m better organised for my evil step daughter‘s 11th b‘day and away from covid. #wonderouswendesday @Eggs

Went for a joyous walk alone today to the local book swap. These were my spoils! The bottom one is a Father‘s Day present for my partner Stew. He is a sucker for a gorgeous book as am I. One of the many reasons I love him. My step daughter is a coeliac hence the gluten free book. I don‘t usually like Philippe Gregory but the blurb on this one sounded good. I always fill a bag at this place. It‘s a warm spring day here in Newcastle. Glorious!

Friday night‘s finds in my building‘s book exchange. I‘ve never read any Rowling so thought I‘d start with this one. I am stuck in lockdown for at least another 2 weeks (which I am thankful for as it keeps me safe as I can‘t get vaccinated until September) so armchair travel is my only option. It‘s a gorgeous book. I wish Litsy did videos for this reason. The Reader‘s Digest reminds me of my best friend from high school. I read it for nostalgia.

Had a fun day yesterday listening to the Big weekend of books on RN & I‘m keen to listen again today. I put my ear buds in & masked up for my daily lockdown exercise. I used it to go to the local book swap & these are what I scored. Matilda is a very cute edition. I own Michelle‘s autobiography too, that I am yet to read. Any one else read them one after the other or is that too much? The feel the fear & do it anyway might help me get a license?

Starts at 9am Aussies. Ready, set go! @Freespirit @Sarz @CarolynM @thegreensofa @thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Tashreads @Jeg @MrsMalaprop Tag away ladies…

1. My 🛏 has bookshelves built into it so it varies depending on how tidy my room is. The main form of decoration in my house is 📚 2. Way more than I do. I usually read at least 12. 3. 🇦🇺 authors such as the one tagged plus H. Garner & J. Harper also M. Atwood. 4. Today I am grateful for working from home so I reduce my risk of getting covid. It‘s a 🥶 day too so it‘s good not to have to use public transport & get up early to get to work.

Some of the free books I snuck into the house today while both my partner and I are working from home. No mean feat! Thanks to #SustainableStockton they were all for free! A couple of young adult books for my teenager are in there. The ones not featured are for my dad (war) and cousin (romance set in the country). They are both very predictable with their reading! My sister, Rheanna, who use to be a non reader recommended the tagged book to me.

Litsy swap has arrived @jimfields3 Thanks. Uncle Tom‘s cabin is a gorgeous addition. I hope my parcel has made it to you by now.

#prelockdown op shop purchases. I‘m slowly catching up with my posts. The ridiculous glitter tracksuit is for my youngest step daughter. I was disappointed that I chipped the little arvo tea set on the way home 😭 I couldn‘t resist the dainty earrings. The shower products are to invigorate me of a morning with the addition of rosemary in them. I am very slow in the morning. I‘ve loved Sade since I was 13, same with Virginia Andrews. Don‘t judge.

Gifts from a girlfriend. She donated some to my building‘s book exchange and some to me and then we went out to dinner about a week before lockdown. I am joining her book club but I am sure it will be via zoom this month.

Last Monday‘s quick op shop binge. I had no idea they would all be closed by the end of the week. You never do know what is around the corner is one thing I have learnt in life. The volunteers had to kick me out at closing time. Got more books than you can see as Litsy cut them off. Is there anything I can do to fix that? The pics are water colours that remind me of my first trip to France in 2012. Don‘t think I will be back there for a while 😭

Today‘s finds on #SustainableStockton my local Facebook freebie site. I took the kids on a bike ride to collect them and exhausted them for the day. Yay! Lots of Aussie authors. Very helpful school resources for at least a week of lockdown. Day two done and despite the impending doom, we are having a great time. No visitors, just family time. Movie night tonight. Disney‘s Pocahontas as my partner Stew has never seen it and I am a fan of the music.

Back before the Newcastle Oz lockdown when the op shops were still open 😭 It‘s only supposed to last a week. Time will tell. I‘m handling it with wine & books. Some young adult & stationery for #LitsyLove & #JustBecause. Hopefully I get some letters in the post with my extra hours not spent traveling to & from work. Some of my kids will be very happy to see me online. I know others will be ‘missing‘ given the low socioeconomic area I teach in.

I didn‘t take a pic of the weather for day 2 but here is 1 of me skiing at Mookerawa back in Jan. It‘s my resting place now but when I was a teen we would camp here & the adults stayed in the cabins & left us alone. Many wild nights were had as you can imagine. I learnt to ski when I was 12 (I think). Started on 2 skis then went to 1. Tried bare footing a couple of xs with no success. I discovered this summer that I can no longer jump start 😭

Not last weekend‘s but the weekend before‘s op shop haul after my ballet class. I finally found a tea cossie! Lots of stationery for #LitsyLove and #JustBecause. Books were 3 for $10.

1. Hotel to be honest. Never been in a yurt though friends who have done the Silk Road loved it so pretty sure I would too. Family tradition is a water ski trip in January where we sleep in a cabin. Have been doing that since I was 12 also in January is a tent at Rainbow beach where the stingers are bad. No showers and drop toilets! Did a lot of under the stars as a teenager. 2. LapReader as that‘s how I read when camping. 3. Tagged. 4. 3 books.

Today‘s op shop scores. It‘s the shop that raises funds to accommodate the children I teach for independent living so I like to support them as I think with more funding they could do a better job eg. Teaching the kids to cook not just delivering the groceries to them! Speaking of cooking I‘m collecting these penguin cook books and speaking of teaching, I often use fellow teacher Eddie Woo‘s woo tube videos to get the kids more in love with maths.

My sister and her family are travelling around Australia for a year. They are currently at Cahill Crossing. My niece is a big fan of book exchanges just like her Aunty. My nephew is currently trying to catch a barramundi for dinner and avoid the crocodiles while she sits and reads the tagged series. Ha!

Scored well at the local book swap yesterday.

Ever tried relaxing in bed and reading with this lot. Impossible! They did have a good sleep in this morning though after a night of soccer training and playing music bingo with us at the Bowling Club, that I happily discovered had an excellent book exchange. Score!

Some #Litsylovejuniors were posted today on our child free shopping day. Masks are the go for another week as we had 29 new cases in 🇦🇺 today. We are still able to go out for lunch & dinner which we did, as a treat, because of the winter school holidays, to the pub & bowlo. These are the most restrictions we have had in my part of the country to date. We are very lucky. Disappointed our favourite ice cream shop across the road was shut though.

When your bed clothes match the book you just scored from your building‘s book exchange it might be a sign to go to bed early and read it for this round of #LMPBC What do you think @LeeRHarry & @CarolynM ?

1 Nan used to pay me $10 to wash her 🚘 2 Mrs. Barrett, my Yr 4 teacher. Told a great story, threw things when a particular child was being naughty (once she had his desk ready to throw over the balcony. Kid went to Catholic school but still ended up in jail!), told me I had a husky voice that would drive the boys wild & encouraged my ❤️ of reading & writing. 3 My 12th when dad dressed in a 🤵‍♂️ and served my friends and I 🍽 in the dining room.

More book case ideas.

Yet another haul from the shopping centre book swap. Lots of books for my step daughters in this one. Someone donates old ARCs and I love them for it. I use any excuse to visit this place nowadays. The gorgeous scarf underneath was left behind by someone on the tram and I couldn‘t leave it unloved especially when it was rolled so beautifully.

Looking for ways to decorate my bookshelves at my new place. I like this idea as it makes stuffing your shelves full, look arty. Anyone else got any ideas? #exposeyourshelves

Take all of my $! 📚 in a bottle. Why did it take my cousin Ryan‘s, girlfriend Coco so long to tell me about this? They visited this weekend & we had a cosy, windy, rainy weekend in, watching Room & The Imitation Game, eating my especially delicious cooking: savoury crepes, curried sausages & Camembert & smoked chicken pasta & drinking some beautiful wines. We didn‘t see any whales swim past. I‘m sure they were there, the sea was just too choppy.