Road trips, yummy lunch and a stockist of my books!

We have been on a few road trips with the doggies this year, and they love travelling in the car! This is their cozy crate that they also sleep in at home. It has a comfy bed on top of a sheepskin, and lots of blankets which they love to be tucked in with when they go to sleep at night.

When we go somewhere the dogs can come, as soon as the car starts moving, they settle happily in and sleep for the whole trip. They only get up when the car slows down. There is a bowl of water on offer when we stop, and they never want a wee until we get to where we are going. I have offered so many times on various trips but it's just too scary in a different town than they're used to. They’d rather hold on. Such funny puppies!

Daphne is at the back, and she is six. Chloe is in the front, and she's eight. I adopted them from the SPCA four years ago and they were taken from a puppy mill along with six others. They live a very good life with us! (Even if they're scared of one of our cats who makes it her business to be Top Cat.)

They are excellent co-writers for my books, napping under my desk on another bed there. They just love keeping me in their sight. They are also excellent watch dogs and will let me know if a car goes past, a person walking their dog, or even a butterfly or bird… yes, excellent watch dogs :)

 

This is one of my MOST favourite lunches. Scrambled eggs made with cream and cooked in butter, with homegrown avocado, tomato and parsley. YUM!

I mostly use two eggs for lunch and either buy free range, or use eggs from my Aunty's chickens when they are plentiful enough for her to distribute around, which is often (the eggs, not the chickens, hehe).

It's faster than fast food and has so much goodness - just look at all those different colours!

Please tell me your favourite lunch - if it's easy and quick to prepare and healthy, so much the better!

 

If you live in (or visit) Hawke's Bay, you can purchase my books in paperback from my brother Arden's beautiful store Interior Warehouse at 81 Carlyle Street in Napier.

Isn't he a good brother stocking my books? And I regularly have to restock them which is lovely. I feel like a real sales rep or merchandiser when I go in to see what has been bought and top up the titles.

He has gorgeous furniture too (there are fab photos on his Instagram here). So far I have bought a big wall clock, hall table, coffee table and two side tables... every time I go in to visit him I see what's new. I love the rich jewel-toned velvet sofas. It really is quite perilous when I pop in to say hi to Arden!

Wishing you a lovely day. It's SO rainy here and has been for weeks. Still, the garden is looking very green and it's good weather for putting the final finishing touches to my new mini-book due out this week!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my books here at my affiliate link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tAGUp2

What I've been up to and chic ideas

 

Recently we had a two-night mini-break staying at the Martinborough Hotel and it was so nice to dress up and go out We found a beautiful new restaurant called Karahui. The food was delicious, wine list incredible and the staff so friendly. Would recommend!

 

 

Estee Lauder said, 'Packaging requires special thought. You can make a thing wonderful by its outward appearance.'

I feel that way about pretty touches around my home, how I dress and present myself, and my book covers too.

I get so excited when choosing a new image for a book cover (as I did last week, it's with my cover designer right now). There is something magical about creating a new, gorgeous real-life thing that started with a thought.

It's the same with handcrafts, a beautiful dinner or anything we make ourselves - out of thin air it seems!

What will you be creating today? And making it wonderful with it's outwards appearance?

I will be dressing well for the supermarket (hehe, my big outing), making dinner later on, and also doing a read-aloud read-through of my latest book.

It is a mini-mini-book which is so fun - I have loved the energy of writing it, and for you, my lovely reader, it will be a quick read to (hopefully!) inspire thoughtful action and a happy feeling.

 

:: Inspiration Basket ::

I used to carry a stack of material around with me, from my bedside table to my writing desk and the sofa too. Then I decided I needed a basket for ease!

This one I have had for decades and can't even remember where it came from (it's second hand though, so would have been a charity store).

In it I have my iPad and Kindle, current reading material ('The Party Crasher' by Sophie Kinsella which was just 'OK', I borrowed it from the library), my journal and pen, and a couple of style files (printed or torn out inspiration pages in a display book). My basket could look a little tidier 🤣 Everything is thrown into it today.

I always have a giant cup of 6am tea (sometimes green, sometimes normal tea with milk), and I will either go straight to my desk with it and start writing in my robe, or sit up in bed with a book or my journal.

It's SUCH a nice start to my day. By the time I have had my tea it's probably been around half an hour and I'm ready to get up.

Having my inspiration basket close to hand reminds me of being a young girl and carrying all my favourite things around with me 😊 - reading and being creative.

Perhaps you need an inspiration basket too? Filled with uplifting material to inspire and soothe? I'm sure you can find something around the house if you too carry things around from room to room :)

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my books here at my affiliate link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tAGUp2