Fancy lunch out :) It’s birthday month!

Greetings from sunny Hawke’s Bay!

Paul and I started our birthday month in style, with lunch at our favourite winery, Craggy Range in Havelock North.

It was a stunning day and so nice to dress up. I wore my pleather trousers from Blue Illusion, red Hogl shoes, and a gauzy mini-leopard blouse from Farmers. With my Prada bag of course. And Dior sunglasses circa 2003 from when I worked there. Happily the flat oval shape is back in style. Yay!

I had red nail polish and chose to not wear my sleeve and glove for the afternoon. Just took my puffy hand along a la naturelle :)

 

 

Craggy Range does a divine lunch menu throughout the winter months and we caught the tail end of it for our birthday. The lunch was my mum’s birthday gift to us :) The theme was ‘An Early Thanksgiving’.

 

 

 

They do gluten-free very well, and the homemade bread comes in a gluten-free version also, served with camembert butter and honey. The light sprinkle of salt on the butter is such a nice touch. I mean, you could go home quite content from the bread course alone, but Paul and I were troopers and stayed for the whole menu :)

 

 

 

Paul had the pork belly for his entree, and I had the gnocchi. There was so much richness and flavour packed into every bite. I don’t really eat pork products, just not a fan, but I would eat anything put in front of me here as long as it’s gluten-free, it is just that good. (The gnocchi sauce was pancetta flavoured, with tiny cubes of pancetta too. It tasted amazing even though I don’t eat pork haha.)

 

 

For our mains, Paul had the turkey and I chose the salmon. Paul enjoyed his turkey although I think he has enjoyed other Craggy Range lunch mains more, and my salmon was delish. I loved the bright vegetables accompanying it too.

We started off with a glass of Tattinger champagne each, and had a glass of Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay with our mains (it was like drinking a glass of butter, and I mean that in the best possible way, le sigh!)

 

 

 

And for pudding there were donuts, but you can see they are more like donut holes. The pumpkin cheesecake underneath tasted like buttercream it was so rich and good.

 

 

 

 

And because it was our birthday we got a little extra plate, it was an ice cream cake and we managed to polish that off too :) The chocolate Happy Birthday was melted dark chocolate, so good with the ice cream.

They asked us whose birthday it was when they brought the ice cream cake over, and we both said ‘Mine!’ since we have our birthday later in the month on the same day. Such fun.

 

 

It was just such a lovely lunch, and we went home with happy tummies.

 

 

Yay for a most excellent start to our birthday month!

I hope you had a great week last week too, no matter what you got up to.

x Fiona

 

PS. I’ve been writing! I know! I’m so excited for being back in the groove again. It’s been in-out-in-out this year for sure :D

I am working on a book that I’d already written almost half of pre-cancer-diagnosis and I am completing the remaining chapters. It’s a goodie and I can’t wait for you to read it.

In the meantime, browse my 28 other titles here to see if anything takes your fancy!

Or go to fionaferris.com to see all my links.

 

 

(My Amazon link is affiliate, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for choosing to use my Amazon link if you are considering any Amazon purchases!)

Favourite clothes - one of my pieces

 

Hello friends :)

You know how when you have a super-duper-favourite item of clothing and you know you can't make it last forever which makes you sad, but you're determined to treat it so well it can't help but anyway?

That's how I feel about this red boho blouse. I bought it from Banana Republic in the US in August 2019 so it's just celebrated its seventh birthday.

I love the colour, the softness of the cotton, the little tufted squares, the detail above the bustline. All of it ❤️

Thankfully styles like this are forgiving of weight gain or loss, and of larger or smaller busts, since I went from large to medium this year! (#silverliningofbreastcancersurgery)

I've been enjoying moving things around in my closet in preparation for the warmer spring temperatures, although it's been up and down, as spring does.

It's so nice to wear a light blouse instead of multi-layers, even if I do still have my compression sleeve and glove as constant companions.

I try not to think about it too much though, and just focus on creating my most beautiful life. In a relaxed, laid-back kind of way of course.

I’ve been journalling, sewing, reading… all my favourite things to do, and walking every day as well.

My walk in the morning is one of the highlights of my day, and it really does help to have an audiobook on the go. I just started Swan Song by Charles Spencer, about Princess Diana, and he narrates it too.

(Swan Song is here on Amazon at my affiliate link.)

I loved her style when she first married Prince Charles. I had the ‘Lady Di’ haircut, wore a pie-crust frill plaid blouse, and had corduroy knickerbockers too. That was when I was about 11 😊

What are you reading at the moment? Anything to recommend?

And, do you have a piece in your wardrobe like my red blouse? Let me know what it is and where you got it from (and when!)

xx Fiona 

Personal style and home decor style, and keeping track of the days :D

 

Hello friends!

In the colour palette world, I am a Soft Summer. I had my colours ‘done’ in the early 1990s, and I still have swatches showing all my best colours. I love it so much!

Over the years I’ve come and gone from these shades, but I’ve stayed pretty close, and when I’ve gone too far away and see a photo of me in a tone that is too warm or sharp for me it really shows.

One thing I instinctively did for myself within the Soft Summer palette was to choose the brighter shades which give me a happy feeling.

I even write about my love of ‘soft-brights’ in some of my books when I talk about clothing. And looking back at my Soft Summer swatches, they’re all right there - watermelon, geranium, and the kind of green I’m wearing here but don’t really know the name for.

They’re kind of like a bright colour that got left out in the sun and faded a bit. ‘Sun softened’ shall we say.

I’m just so fascinated by colours and how one can make you pop and another just looks drab.

My mum is a Winter, and she looks stunning in black, and icy cool clear shades as well as deep jewel tones. Her light blue eyes are so vivid when she wears those colours. Her hair was darkest brown-black when younger, and now is a cool platinum grey.

I always think it’s really helpful to look back at your colouring in your earlier years, and gather together photos where you look really good - maybe the colours are contributing, so what are those colours?

It’s just such a fun thing to study for me, and it fits in with any budget too. The most expensive designer outfit in colours that don’t reflect well on you won’t be as lovely as a mid-range or inexpensive outfit in your best shades.

Here are my vintage ‘Color Me Beautiful’ swatches :) 

 

 

 

What I like about the colour palettes for each season is that they contain all the colours - I have reds, blues, greens, even yellow, just in the tones that are good for me. I have neutrals too. It’s all good!

I remember it being expensive at the time, but it really has been an investment that I’ve enjoyed over the years.

These days you can do it for free with YouTube videos, books, and AI even, but I like that I had a person drape me with the fabrics.

Let me know your season if you’re into colours too!

 

~~

 

 

 

I thought I’d share a favourite corner in our living/dining room. I like to have a small television tucked in there with background music playing on YouTube which I know others might not. To me it looks like just another piece of art on the gallery wall. (I use it for Pilates sometimes too).

The metal sideboard, lamp, and three smaller pieces of art came from an auction house when we first moved to this place.

My dad made the bookcase based on one I saw in a magazine that looked like a ladder.

Paul gave me the French gilt mirror for my birthday when we were first going out.

The two green vases came from Korea as a gift to my dad when he did business with a Korean company back in the 1980s. (He had an engineering business making fruit grading machinery.) I’ve always loved the vases and now I get to have a turn of them.

And the crazy bird picture is from my brother’s interiors shop when he had it.

I love a mix of traditional and whimsy in my home style.

When we were first building up the decor style after moving into this home I decided on ‘Ralph Lauren on a Budget X French Chateau’. (Luckily Paul was on board too.)

Since then I’ve also added in a dash of sexiness/glamour/relaxedness to prevent things feeling too staid.

The rug is also from the auction house, and we have plain sisal-style carpet.

What would your decor style be if you could give it a name? I love dreaming up themes and directions and thinking about elegant yet effortless decor - let me know yours!

 

~~

 

 

~ Flowers in our bathroom ~

 

How is everyone’s week starting out?

Mine is going well, even though half the time I don’t know what day it is...

And it’s because of this: Paul works for a local winery and his weekend is Tuesday/Wednesday. So even though today is Monday here it feels like Friday, lol.

Still, that’s the modern way isn’t it, when you don’t worry about the day of the week since so many people work shifts and non-Monday-to-Friday jobs.

I’ve always liked being a bit out of sync too, relaxing on a Tuesday afternoon and working on a Sunday morning. It suits my rebellious (’soft rebellious’) nature.

How I organise myself is yes, I do like to know what day it is, even if my schedule is not the norm, because every day has it’s own feeling, you know?

I use a calendar. It used to be a paper diary, but in recent years I use the calendar on my phone. I’ve gotten into the habit of checking it each day to see what I’ve got on.

I love that you can do automated recurring appointments as well as to-dos. I take a high dose of Vit D once a month for my bones, and I have a daily recurring ‘audiobook recording’ since I have a few more audiobooks to complete. I do a chapter or two each day and then they’re done.

[I am currently re-recording Luxurious Weight Loss because for some reason Audible declined it due to sound issues. I don’t know why because it was recorded in exactly the same way as all my other audiobooks and Audible accepted those. So that’s why this particular book is not available on Audible, but it will be in a few months!] 

 

 

 

So yes, the life of a self-employed author is not the usual, and adding on Paul’s topsy-turvy work week can you blame me for having to stop and think a minute what day it is?

Still, I’m sure it keeps my brain young, when everyday life is such a puzzle :)

Wishing you an excellent week!

xx Fiona

PS. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, join the fall fun in my book The Autumn Reset. And if you’re Southern Hemisphere like me, there are still a few relevant chapters in it for you! (I always like to join in the ‘fall vibes’ aesthetic while enjoying our early spring weather - we get the best of both worlds under the equator!) 

 

 

 

My Amazon links for are affiliate, but the prices don’t change for you. I’m appreciative if you choose to use one of these links if you are making a purchase :)

Happy Matariki, and winter glam

 

Hello friends,

Here I am at a glam lunch out recently 😍

My new pleather pants are so cosy for winter.

These are the ones I bought on my radiation week trip from a store called Blue Illusion.

It’s an Australian store I believe, but so chic and French-style.

They’re the kind of place that doesn’t just have clothes, they have jewellery, shoes, scarves, soaps, books - all the lovely stuff.

It’s probably just as well there isn’t an outlet in Hawke’s Bay or I’d be there too often 🤣

It’s chilly and cosy here at the moment, and we saw family for Matariki (Maori New Year) lunch on Friday.

According to Wiki:

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, whose mid-winter reappearance in the early morning sky marks the Māori New Year. It is a nationwide time of remembrance, celebration, and planning for the future, marked by a public holiday.

How appropriate that I’ve just read the second Seven Sisters book (The Storm Sister), as the sisters are named for each of the Pleiades stars. As mentioned in a previous newletter, it was a glorious book, so rich and intricate. I am in awe of a brain that can come up with such an exquisite story.

Happy Matariki to you! 😊 

 

~~

 

 

Winter vines in our street on my walk 🍇

I’ve been told these are Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand’s most popular wine.

I’d probably choose most wines over this varietal but the vista is pretty 😁

And in writing news I am making notes for a new book.

I hope you are enjoying just-released Life Is Good and having a giggle at some of the stories! 

 

~~

 

I never dreamed I’d be able to say I was a ‘number 1 bestseller in breast cancer’, but here I am.

The last category I thought I’d ever find myself in!

Life has its twists and turns 😅

Also, the paperback is now available, for my paper-loving ladies 😘

Here’s the link for Life Is Good on Amazon US, and it should be available at your local Amazon too.

I am doing some background work to have the paperback be available through bookstores and libraries too, although I think you already can ask your library to order it in.

I’d love to be in more libraries!

Wishing you a lovely day.

It’s so cold here, but gorgeous. Blue skies and frosty.

Keep cool or keep warm wherever you may be 💛💛

xx Fiona

 

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small gratuity if you click through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you if you choose to use my links :)

I am radiant! Finishing up my week of radiation :)

Hi everyone,

Another little update in my breast cancer journey! I will get back to normal posts, but right now I guess I’m on ‘sick leave’ :) Last week I had my radiation treatment. Paul and I travelled 2.5 hours to Palmerston North, where we stayed Monday to Friday, and I had a treatment each day. They are short appointments, but we don’t have the big fancy machine required in Hawke’s Bay.

I’ll show you further down in the post, but in my first photo above and below, Paul and I went to the pub! Tuesday was St Patrick’s Day, so to celebrate we went to a local Irish bar for a drink. I had a cider, but totally would have had a Kilkenny if I wasn’t celiac gluten-free. And Paul had a Guinness, of course!

 

 

 

It was nuts in there and it was only 4.30pm! We were like the sober parents watching on with amusement. When we left Paul said ‘I don’t think it’s a place for couples’, which is so true. Not the sort of place you would go to on a romantic date or for quiet conversation. We couldn’t even hear each other speak with the band playing.

But it was fun to go, and to have one for St Patrick’s Day. I am 12% Irish after all :) And I’d even brought along a green blouse for my trip too. I’d like to say that was intentional… but it was intentional that I wore it on Tuesday.

The rest of our week was far more relaxing and quiet. We stayed in a beautiful residence at Ozanam House, which is a huge facility set up for people receiving cancer care. It’s far nicer and more home-like than a hotel, and is completely free, funded by donations to the Cancer Society of New Zealand.

 

 

 

We stayed in a three-bedroom home on the site, but some are much bigger, with 11 and 19 bedrooms. Each room has an ensuite bathroom, and the kitchen, living area and laundry is shared. In the kitchen everyone has their own mini-fridge and cupboard. A housekeeper visits daily.

 

 

It was such a nice place to stay, and we were so grateful for it.

And shall I show you where I went each day? I was allowed to have some photos taken, because why not. We went to the morning tea at Ozanam House on Wednesday and one of the other ladies receiving treatment told me they’d taken a photo of her in the machine, and I thought, ‘I want a photo in the machine too!’

 

 

 

 

It’s a very impressive machine. I did some geeky researching and one of these costs about $3-$5 million US, and you also need to build a reinforced concrete room to house it, which is another couple of million. The walls have to be 1-3 metres/yards thick to keep all the beams contained so that no-one is affected outside the room, especially the staff who are there all the time.

Apparently it’s similar rays to an X-ray, but while X-rays are thousands of rays delivered for fractions of a second, Radiation beams are millions of rays for fractions of a minute. Let that sink in! With my cancer being on the left side, I had to take deep breaths and hold them for up to 20 seconds to protect my lung and heart. I know, scary, but the machine has millimetre accuracy and so even a deep breath can move the area to be radiated safely away from vital organs.

Of course, I had surgery before this and am cancer-free now so this is all preventative, to zap tiny cancer cells that still might be floating around my breast. I feel lucky that I only had to have one week in total. Many others have four weeks of treatment, and some up to 5, 6 or 7 weeks, five times a week, Monday to Friday.

So yes, it was a big week, even if ‘only’ one.

And I took a video walking in (the radiation oncology therapist let me). Let’s go through the double doors first, with the scary nuclear symbol on it…

 

 

 

I went through the left door to Rehua, which is my machine’s name. Cute! All four machines have Maori names. And here we go :)

 

 

 

I took the video on my last day, and Paul was allowed to come in to take a look at the machine too. He left the room before we started :) I love the ‘Beam on - ionising radiation’ red sign, like something out of a movie!

Each appointment was only half an hour out of our day, so for the three days in the middle of the week when we weren’t travelling to and from Palmerston North we looked around, went for a drive out of town one of the days, and rested ‘at home’ on the others.

I found a completely gluten-free cafe called Munch which did breakfasts and lunches and we went there three times. It was so delicious! And a real find for someone celiac like myself. Would recommend!

 

 

 

I did some lovely shopping too, the floral trousers already pictured, and a pair of black pleather trousers for winter, from a favourite shop called Blue Illusion (an Australian brand which has a store in Palmerston North), and a pair of knit shoes a bit like Vivaia or Rothys, neither of which we can get here. These ones are by a brand called Los Cabos. They are pictured with my relaxing satin trousers so they don’t really go! But I haven’t worn them properly yet :) 

 

 

 

 

So that was my radiation week! I’m glad to have it behind me, and fingers crossed plus touch wood that’s all the big things done. Now I can just settle in and keep healing, and taking my five-year Letrozole hormone therapy pill each night. While I was in Palmerston North walking to the hospital each day (Ozanam House is close), I decided that the radiation treatment was making me radiant from the inside out, and that all my cells would be enhanced. I am now a new person, haha! Fresh and revitalised :)

It’s nice to be back into my normal routine at home, even if I still have medical appointments - three this week alone! I’m enjoying writing too, reading lots, and spending time with our three doggies and cat. They all missed us! The doggies stayed with my mum, and our lovely neighbour Barry visited Nina cat each day twice a day for meals and sent cute photos and texts ‘from’ Nina’. Adorable :) He was late leaving work one day and didn’t get to our place until 6.30pm. He told me Nina was waiting in the kitchen just about tapping her watch!

I hope you’re doing well too, I know it’s a scary time in the world at the moment, and petrol is crazy. But we all just have to keep on keeping on.

Big hugs to you, Fiona x

Personal style as a tool to feel better

 

Hello friends,

Here I am heading out for family dinner at my aunty’s place ❤️💙

I love red with blue denim! Although it was so rainy and chilly - NOT like summer at all - that I got to wear my new burgundy/plum/oxblood ankle boots earlier than planned.

I have been stalking these boots since I saw them at the end of last winter and got them on sale after Christmas (recuperating at home by online shopping 🤣) and now have them ready for my autumn wardrobe.

I felt like journalling about a capsule wardrobe this morning and then was inspired to create a summer capsule, 21 pieces as per chapter 5 of my book 'The Chic Closet'.

I decided on a blue and white theme incorporating denim and navy, and then added a touch of sand/gold/beach to warm things up.

I came out with a good selection of jeans, tops/blouses, trousers and dresses, and ended up at 27 pieces which I am happy with. I have a good selection to choose from and am excited to get to wear my 'new' capsule collection even though I didn't buy anything. It feels new to me!

And in other news, I am getting back to myself. Still moving very slowly, not driving for a bit, maybe for another week or two. I am the diva passenger being chauffeured around 😊 Paul mostly takes me places and my mum has too.

I thought it was funny, my 78-year-old mother driving me to the library instead of the other way around. I often see older ladies being walked around the supermarket with one of their children helping them get their groceries. Instead it’s me getting the help 😊

And I meet with the oncology doctor next Tuesday to discuss chemo. It’s all so surreal! Like I’m watching this happen to someone else. Perhaps it’s healthy to have a sense of detachment and unreality…

In any case, I just have to keep telling myself it’s all preventative, the cancer is gone now. And if I have to grow some new hair it’s a small price to pay for future safety.

Thank you again for the continuing emails and messages, I truly appreciate them.

xx Fiona

PS. ‘The Chic Closet’ on Kindle, in paperback, and audiobook too here at my Amazon affiliate link here. 
 

 

My European-inspired life: family dinner out, and spring vegetables to plant

Hello friend,

Sunset is such a pretty time for a picture!

Paul and I met family out for dinner at a local pizzeria this evening.

I took a photo of the outdoor area where we sat at the end of the night so I wouldn't photograph people.

 

There were nine of us at the table and it was a fun time. As always, I got to have the other half of my pizza for lunch the next day. I chose Margherita, yum!

I've always loved the dreamy ideal of a long family table outdoors, Italian style. I've seen it in movies where there are tables placed end-on-end, with white table cloths, wooden chairs, and fairy lights in the trees.

On the tables are jugs of water and carafes of red wine. Good food is abundant and passed around. All age groups and generations are represented.

I love that visual so much!

And we sort of had that at our pizzeria dinner. I must say, our waiter was so good, very personable and helpful. He even remembered nine orders in his head and they were all correct. What a skill to have!

If you too adore bringing little touches of the European lifestyle into your daily routine, I think you might enjoy my book '100 Ways to Live a European Inspired Life'.

It's a quick read available on Amazon (eBook, paperback, or audiobook) or in my eStore (eBook or audiobook) for an Amazon alternative.

 

 

~~ 

We had the rainest, coziest, drizzliest day here the other day. Just the perfect day to be at home.
 

I love those days where the rain is so soft it's almost invisible, but it's giving everything a good soaking.

I've bought my spring plants but not planted them out yet - two types of tomatoes (acid free roma, and ‘early girl’ just because I liked the name 😊), cucumber, cos lettuce (green and red), perpetual spinach, and basil.

All vegetables that I know I can grow easily, and are plentiful when they do grow. And most importantly they are what we actually eat on a daily basis so they are saving us real money (plus, spray-free!)

You can see my plants still in the boxes, enjoying a spring shower. I leave them out to take in the sun on sunny days, but pull them in under the eaves if it is frosty overnight.

 

Just a hint of spring warmth sent me to the garden centre! I'll plant these out within the next week or two.

But on this day I enjoyed the cozy rain 😊

~~ 

I have been writing towards my next book - it’s 2/3 completed.

And I got the idea for another book while out walking a few days ago, so I made some notes and started on that one too. Just to capture the idea while it was fresh in my mind!

For now I’m back to the first book mentioned, so I can finish it up and release it into the world. I love always having multiple ideas on the go. Sometimes I switch between them depending on what the energy is strongest for, and other times I’ll focus on the one book to get it finished. I love to go with the flow! And it all works out in the end.

Wishing you a lovely week, whatever it holds for you.

xx Fiona

~~ 

PS. You can find all my links at fionaferris.com if you’d like to find out more about my writing, or peruse my 25+ books all about living a fabulous life without spending a lot of money.

 

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Hello spring! And an upcoming podcast :)

  🌺 Hello spring! 🌺

I've always loved the coziness of autumn and winter, but this year I am ready to embrace spring.

We've had a really cold winter so it is a tonic to see the first blossoms and feel temperatures rising. The lawn is lush and I can see my winter crops - cos lettuce and perpetual spinach - coming away again.

I know for those of you who have had a long hot summer are ready for the cooler feeling of autumn, and I'm here for all of it: spring for me, and the fun of northern hemisphere 'fall' too.

You guys do it so well, whether you are in Europe or North America. Thank you for putting pictures up on your Instagram, creating vlogs, and also... I love the candles. Pumpkin Pecan Waffles anyone?

So I really think I get the best of both worlds here - spring *and* autumn!

And of course, I am writing. This next book I am taking my time over and have been putting my heart into, one chapter at a time.

I plan to release it this month. (My goal was last month but it will be a September book now as long as I keep writing it!)

~~

💛💛💛 Beautiful yellow tulips at my mum's house on a sunny spring day 💛💛💛

~~

 

And I’m excited to share that I will be featuring on Monie Forrs upcoming season 2 of her podcast Cat Coach Cafe. We are recording our episode next month and it will air in November.

Monie told me that Cat Coach Cafe is where she shares humorous musings on a life well-lived written from the perspective of her 3 cats. It is ‘a cat-themed wellbeing podcast for all cat lovers and book lovers, with (Czech) seasonal traditions, and guest interviews which include authors, cat-fluencers, and anyone living “catfully” - meaning living intentionally and with the right kind of Cattitude (= putting yourself first). The goal of the podcast is to create a cosy space to inspire lives, slow down, and create that warm feeling inside, and as a potential "by-product" inspire more cat adoptions through sharing powerful cat stories.’

I mean, how adorable is that? I can’t wait to chat with Monie :)

And I’m telling you, it was quite the feat to work out a time for us to speak when I am in New Zealand and she is in Europe. It will be early morning for me and later in the evening for her. I love how our global our community is now though!

I hope your week is going well, and whatever creative project you are working on, all the best to you.

x Fiona

PS. You can find all my books and other links at fionaferris.com

 

New book out now!

Hello chic friends,

My new book is out now! You can read about it (and my other news) on my weekly newsletter here.

Or go straight to Amazon (affiliate link).

I hope you love it!

x Fiona

 

Autumn showers and autumn style

 

Greetings from a rainy week! I had to stand under the carport so Paul could take a photo of me :) I love my autumn toned outfit with navy and green paired with leopard.

 

I hope you had a lovely Easter if you celebrate it. Paul worked a few of the days and I've been writing, and on Monday we had 'Easter lunch for three' with my mum at home.

 

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I've been so enjoying going for my pre-breakfast walk each day with an audiobook playing (between showers).

At the moment I'm listening to Molly the Maid's 3rd book - The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose. I really love the narrator!

Have you found that you can get hooked on narrator's voices and enjoy a book series more because of them? And seek out other books they've narrated? I do 😊

I really hope you are hooked on my audiobooks too! haha, please don't tell me if you find my voice horrible 😂 But I welcome constructive feedback... 😮 if you're kind about it of course!

 

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I am migrating my email newsletter list over to Substack, so the next email you receive from me may look a little different. Just to let you know!

 

Wishing you a fab week and that you are keeping safe and well :)

 

With warm regards,

Fiona x

Wine tasting in Hawke's Bay

 

Hello chic friends :)

 

Yesterday was such a beautiful day for wine tasting. It’s the first time we’ve been this summer and it’s almost autumn - oops!

We visited Bostock Wines and tried a selection of local varietals. Our cellar door host Victoria was so knowledgeable and lovely.

 

 

It really felt like we’d been on a little holiday even though we’d been gone only a few hours.

Especially since we had taken a picnic lunch with us and got to eat it in the beautiful surrounds of the winery.

Cellar doors mostly don’t do food, and if they do it might be non-celiac friendly pizzas and platters. And the few that have restaurants you have to book ahead.

This is the second time we’ve brought a picnic lunch out for a local jaunt and it’s so nice. The first time we went to the beach a few months back.

Yesterday we had a chicken and avocado salad, and fresh blueberries with greek yoghurt.

The doggies greeted us like we had been away from home for years, not a couple of hours 😁

It’s nice to be missed! 😍

 

Wishing you a fabulous new week :)

 

xx Fiona 

Out and about, Chloe dog, and reading time

 

 

Hello chic friends :)

 

My aunty brought me some fresh beans from her garden when we all met for ladies coffee at a local cafe on Saturday.

Unfortunately the bag I brought with me was quite small so my bouquet of vegetables was on display and I had to walk back to my car like this 😂

Luckily the beautiful green shade of the beans paired well with my top and bag!

My own bean plant has not been plentiful so I'm grateful to have been gifted some lovely big ones. My cherry tomato plant is going well though 😊🍅

 

 

 

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And little Chloe is popping in to send her new years wishes to you 🥰

She would love everyone to enjoy endless naps on the sofa cushions, treats on demand, and lots of car rides too - or maybe that’s just her 🙃

 

 

I think she might be on the right track though: what little things would make it feel like you’re living the good life?

For me:

✨ Dedicated reading time during the day, not just 5 minutes at bedtime

✨ Ticking off must-do jobs as early in the day as possible so they’re not hanging over me

✨ Taking the time to do some form of exercise every day (and again doing it as early as possible so it’s done for the day!)

I like to choose small things that will make me feel good, that way I’m more likely to do them 💪

What little things would help you feel good today?

 

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I enjoyed this book 'The Housemaid' from the library which I just finished (above). It’s book 1 in the series and I’ve already read book 2 ('The Housemaid's Secret') 😅 Plus I have book 3 lined up, yay!

 

I do love a good thriller in between fun chick lit books. Thankfully each story in The Housemaid series is separate since I’m reading them out of order 🤭

 

Talk about page turners!! As the story progressed I couldn't stop reading. I'm having a little breather before I start book 3 ('The Housemaid is Watching'). I bought the Kindle novella, book 2.5, 'The Housemaid's Wedding' and finished it in quick time (it's really short). If you don't read it you aren't missing out on much. It is just the day she gets married, still good though, just very short.

 

And apparently a movie has been made of the first book which will be released near the end of the year. Very exciting!

What are you reading that you would recommend?

There are so many good books and so little time, don’t you think? 

 

Wishing you a great week!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

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