Today was meant to be a uni work day but I genuinely couldn’t get up until 11am, it’s effing miserable out there, and Sox has been glued to me ever since, so I’m taking that as a sign to cancel my vague offer to help a relative tomorrow and use that to get on with my writing instead. Maybe I’ll do some more reading this arvo though.

I’m also not normally much of a soup person, but this weather definitely calls for one. I’m thinking kidney beans, leeks, carrot, tamatah paste and the orzo lying around in the cupboard. Maybe some roast fennel.

I used to catsit a couple of cats that snored. Sox definitely doesn’t. She might issue a throaty purr when she feels particularly gruntled, though.

How about that 10-45mm rain forecast for tomorrow. I bet you it won’t get past 15mm.

Yeah, I’ve put in a splash of vinegar and that’s helped a bit but I don’t want to put any more and risk the flavour changing altogether. I think after I add the carrots I’ll add another tiny splash and hope for the best

I put some sugar in but it’s not quite enough. It’s still too strong-tasting if you get what I mean, relative to the broccoli and mock chicken

Aaaargh, I should’ve remembered to check the metric measurements for tablespoons on Nagi’s recipe… 60 ml instead of 45 ml of soy sauce later I have a super salty dish 😖 adding potatoes won’t work so maybe I’ll have to steam some carrot and throw that in to spread it out a bit more. I did think it seemed like an awful lot of sauce, should’ve trusted my gut!

E: added a tiny splash of vinegar and a touch more sugar and two carrots and it’s passable now.

Long catch-up with a friend, swung over to the Asian grocers on the way back, got home to wee and now supposed to hop across the road to get some veggies but the cat has decided this is the perfect time to nest on my lap and I’m loathe to dislodge her furriness.

Gonna make a homely saucy broccoli stir-fry with vegan chicken a la this recipe with some jasmine rice. Blob out in front of the TV. Should vacuum the unit but I’ll put that off to tomorrow…

To be fair, I don’t usually like eating in bed either. What I really would have liked was someone to transport me to the couch, blankets and cat and all, and then served me an omelette.

I’m now finally up and about as I have to meet a friend shortly. I’m leaving the split system in the living room on so that it’s not as much of a depressing, dark icebox for sox (who is currently perched on the window sill with the least uninteresting view). And for me, when I get back and steel myself to vacuum the floor.

It’s raining and cold and I’m nice and relaxed in bed with a cat warmly snuggled against my feet. All I need is for someone to bring me a nice fluffy omelette for breakfast…

I’m so annoyed that I can’t find the heating pad I bought for her years ago - I think it was one of the few things I didn’t give to her owner when I moved house. I might get one of those cheap ones for her and give that to her owner when he gets back.

Most days I’m home well before it gets dark but next week I might have several long days. I think I’ll make a note to keep the bedroom lamp on at all times

I’m having the opposite problem I think - I’m very much a side sleeper and my right shoulder has been a lot more sore since I started using a soft mattress topper about 20 months ago. I feel like it’s because there’s not enough support. Dunno…

I’m still safe and warm in the uni library greedily using up their heating. My bedroom heater will click on very soon (to help make it less miserable for poor sox who is also in the dark), but the rest of the house will be rather sad. I’ll be booted out of here in 45 minutes and home is just a 5 minute drive away so hopefully I can rescue the place from being too much of a freezing prison.

Only if you also leave a bonus needle in once in a while, anything else is simply un-Australian.

I take my hat off to you for getting anything done at all. I think I’d be basically non-functional at that point.

Having a cat at home is definitely disastrous for one’s purroductivity

But infinitely better for one’s mental health. Weekend looks good for some cuddle time!

Shit, that’s awful. It’s like an avalanche of medical suffering. I’m really sorry mate. I hope you’ll be able to spend some quality time with her in the coming months

As if I didn’t already have a problem getting out of bed in the mornings…

Man, I just put all my estimated earnings and tax paid etc into a calculator and I’m depressed once again at the removal of the LMITO. I hate that I’m probably going to have such a 2.5-3k tax bill at the end despite working part time :( I’m so used to having tax returned and July being a bit of a splurge month.

Why the hell is my employer withholding so little tax?! Ugh. I know it’s better to have the money up front and earn interest (which also gets taxed…) but psychologically it effing sucks.

Next time I might start having a separate “tax” account to save the money into, like it’s an annual bill. E: or just dump it into super since mine’s rather low for my age… Could use it for FHSSS or one of those grown-up things

Be prepared for them to say no because these new developments are often rented out to churn through tenants - landlords usually want something “low maintenance” and ready for the next tenant to move into with minimum fuss. In-ground plantings, beyond a few strappy plants and a token stunted maple, are just too much for most people, it seems.

That’s how it was at my cousin’s place in the same suburb as yours. They just grew things in pots and planter boxes. But hopefully you have a good landlord who likes the place getting spruced up and is looking to attract a higher quality/longer staying tenant! 🤞🏽

Welp, I may feel like my thesis is complete shite and that doing a research project was the worst decision ever that’s dredged up an unrelenting blast of old trauma, but because nobody fucking applies for scholarships in my school, I did… and guess who just got $3000 for filling out some forms - when I’m weeks away from graduating 😂

Sadly, it is taxable as I’m a part-time student, but hell, at least it’ll be in this FY where my taxable income isn’t as high due to having worked part time