Wednesday Wrap-up: Today

In order:

I broke the pepper shaker.
I met (most of!) my students for the first time.
I ate sushi that my mom had bought (and a boiled egg).
I looked at somewhere to live, all by myself.
I ran through a spiderweb in the dark, while wearing panda headphones, listening to a podcast about reading.

Wednesday Wrap-up

A week in numbers:

One wedding
Two open gardens
Three Skype chats with my Icelandic boyfriend
Four fashion magazines read
Five exams supervised


By all accounts, a good week.

Wednesday Wrap-up

What better season than No Excuses November to resurrect dormant post series like Wednesday Wrap-ups? Admittedly, these are more enjoyable whilst cruising the world, no?


Yesterday I shared what staying put has looked like lately.
Here's a more thorough account of the week that was!

Wednesday: a full day of relief teaching and a challenging band rehearsal

Thursday: another day of work and an evening hang with the parents (before they headed overseas)

Friday: Not working! A small sleep in, some opshopping (or should it be oops shopping??), bike riding, an appointment with the doctor where I got to see my vocal chords! and a musical in the evening

Saturday: I dropped parents off at the airport at 6am and then went back to bed for a while, 2 village fairs (it's fete season!), a delicious lunch date, afternoon at home, and I cooked a green curry

This lady.

Sunday: Domesticity Plus! After a late breakfast there was a 9k run, dropped in on a friend, washing, cleaning, reading, podcasts, cooking. I just love getting things done!

Monday: Supervised my first exam, went shopping at the Asian grocers, lunch at home, went for a run, cat time, dancing

Tuesday: Another small sleep in (working part-time is wonderful!), Skype date with the Viking, chatting to my sister, exam supervision, an evening 10k when the heat of the day had died down.

Which brings us to today, Wednesday! (teaching and exam supervision and band)

What a lovely domestic week. I've also been looking after the garden in the heat, tending to the (needy) cat, filling out paperwork and planning meals. I'm really enjoying my running at the moment too (having great podcasts help; I plan to share what I'm listening to soon!)

I love my salt moustache for Movember.

Wednesday Wrap-up

Why hello hello there! You're looking great, did you know that? This warm weather must be treating you well. So charming.

It's been a ridiculously big week. Whenever is it not though, here at Sequin Cat HQ?
(Remember my last attempt at a Wrap-up?!)

Trying (and somewhat succeeding) at learning basic Icelandic.

Does anybody else find they can only keep track of their activities by reviewing photos on their phone? What oh what did I use to do with a hardy nugget Nokia... (loved it. Deeply.)

Sushi, my long-lost friend! Edinburgh airport, en route to Reykjavik.

So, onwards with the update.

Look at these handsome creatures!

Last Wednesday I had some early classes before dominating my to-do list and getting everything ready for another departure. After packing, I headed off to my friend's birthday dinner - lovely!

Thursday afternoon: Reykjavik bound (again)!

No, I didn't wear the Minnie Mouse ears on the plane. Yes, I should have. So happy to be back in Iceland!

I didn't stick around in the capital for long this time; we jumped in the car for a five hour drive north. The landscapes blew my mind as usual.

On the top of a mountain overlooking the petite town of Akureyri I foolishly thought it'd be a good idea to make a snowball with my bare hands. In -11C weather. Ouch.

Saturday was one of the more surreal (but most excellent) days I've had in a while.

It started with Icelandic weightlifting...

continued with a visit to the Christmas store.....

This is Gryla. She's kind of a bitch.

Reminded me of my reindeer ride in Tromso!

Open every day of the year... except Christmas.

and was rounded off by a beer in a bar in a barn. Where I got freaked out by the cows.

Everything here was automated! Hay distributor, back scratcher, poop collector, milking machine. No humans in sight (although we did spot a cat. It was a good day.)

Sheer terror.

Altogether odd!
That evening, my lasagna, red wine and selection of French cheeses went down a treat with the locals.

It's vegetarian, I promise!

(I provided tasting notes. Such a Frenchy.)

A Sunday Snow Storm! Unable to leave, we decided to drive through the mountains to a (mostly frozen) waterfall. Sensible!

After the snow storm.

Can you tell from my facial expression that I'm being pelted with ice shards?!

Warming ourselves at a bookshop café.

Look at this adorable curry hut!

Saturdays are lolly days in Iceland - it's half price! On a Sunday, this rainbow aisle was conspicuously empty.

Monday was all about distance. Driving for hours back to Reykjavik, and then I hopped on a plane to Edinburgh, arriving around midnight for a quick sleep before a final plane back to Bordeaux Tuesday morning. Despite being exhausted, I still rallied myself to go out for dinner, drinks, and live music with friends. Now that's commitment!

Slippery, snowy roads. In April!

Sunny Edinburgh as viewed from the top of a double-decker bus on the way back to the airport, Tuesday morning.

Two of my teachers having a jam.

Which brings us to here, friends! Wednesday yet again. I've laid (relatively) low today: skyping my parents, hour-long run, making fruit salad, sending parcels at the post office, picking up a bicycle I won (?!), signing paperwork at school, cider in the sun with a friend, checking out the new library, dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant, meeting another friend for a goodbye drink. Yes, this is me on a low-key day. Here's hoping I get lots done tomorrow: I leave for Japan in less than two weeks! And I have nothing organised....

Wednesday Wrap-up, wrap-up.

Oh, you patient bunnies. I haven't been around much lately, have I? Both on the internet space and in the real world.

I've been wanting to start Wednesday Wrap-ups back up again lately but with all this madcap travel (with no cease in sight!) I'm just not sure where I'd even start!

Witnessing the incredible beauty of the Northern Lights outside Reykjavik. I saw them three nights, all up!

This Wednesday I found myself back in Bordeaux. With an unexpected afternoon off, I made the most of it with a matinée movie session, shopping, a bike accident (whoops!), book club and a dinner with friends.

Last Wednesday I was heading deep into the Arctic wilderness to go dog-sledding in -26C and sleep in a Saami tent (seriously!) in far Northern Norway.

The previous Wednesday I was reminiscing about seeing Bjork in concert the night before in Paris and flying out to Reykjavik that afternoon.

New friend in Northern Norway.

Sometimes my life can get so surreal and difficult to summarise in a blog post. But I really appreciate the records I kept from when I was living in Paris (both here and in my paper journal). I'll keep trying.

Wednesday Wrap-up

The clock has just ticked over to midnight as I'm writing this but I'm hoping you'll accept it anyway.

Long time, no Wrap-up, dudes! How've I been keeping myself busy? Have I been keeping myself busy? Hella yes.


Last weekend I spent in Nantes.

I turned into a bear, hung out with my pal Jules (Verne), drew a warhog, broke a bar cupboard, ate a tajine and bought many secondhand books and some perfume (excited to share with you!)


The weekend before I found myself in Paris.

Yes, we are sisters!

With my sister and brother-in-law, we dined at the brasserie where I used to work, wandered through the Latin Quarter, visited the Shoah Memorial, saw the Lido, brunched, museumed and crêped.


The weekend before that, I travelled eight hours along the coast to St. Raphaël (near Cannes).

I picknicked on the train, drank giant beers in the only bar in town, cooked a huge Australia Day feast, saw the sunset at the beach (brr!) and explored Roman ruins.


Oh Sequin Cat, with all this gallivanting you must have pretty quiet weeks, yes?
What a nice thought. But no. I told my mother that this was a quiet week, as I only had work, play rehearsal, book club, orchestra rehearsal, more play rehearsal, a dinner with teachers, brass band rehearsal and another play rehearsal. Um. Quiet indeed. But compared to life lately it is positively a whisper. Hence the lack of blogging action of late! I'm also chin-deep in trip planning (March holidays!) and pontificating about future direction, and where the second half of 2013 will take me.


See you next week (I hope). What have you been up to? Spill the beans!

Wednesday Wrap-up

Hello Wednesday (again)! You sure do seem to come around quickly.


Yep, I'm still on holidays. After Madrid I ushered in the New Year (good riddance, 2012!) with friends in the craziest apartment in Porto, before joining the masses in the streets to dance, sing in Portugese and drink bubbles while watching heavy metal fireworks. Fantastic!

Jumping for joy in the streets of Porto!

Hope you are all excited for fresh, clean starts and new chapters. Much love and see you back in Bordeaux, for what is sure to be a crazy January!

Wednesday Wrap-up (a day late!)

Things have been rather quiet on the Sequin Cat front lately, haven't they? Hope you had a good Christmas and all that.

I flew to Madrid on Christmas eve after a crazy (good!) week in Bordeaux and likely won't be posting much until after the New Year, which I'll be ringing in in style in Portugal! I feel very lucky. Have a great end to a great year!

Wednesday Wrap-up

Hello you magical people! I was looking in my diary today wondering what to tell you about the week that was, and why I've been so silent on the blog front lately (although wasn't No Excuses November something? Yes, it was something.)

Anyhow. Turns out I've been out nearly every night, for a long, long time. So despite working less than I used to (full-time physics teaching, holla!) I am definitely keeping busy and making the most of my weeks!

Symphony orchestra. Red wine (always and forever). Tutoring. Xmas parties. Stealing a cat. Skype chats. Lunching with friends. Delicious Thai. Crêpes. Metal party. Brass band rehearsal. Travel scheming. IKEA. Botanic gardens. Mint tea. Play audition. Open mic night. Humidifier. Reading. Sushi. Parcels in the post. Chocolatine. Napero.


I could play this game all day. Happy week before Christmas!

Wednesday Wrap-up

They say a picture speaks a thousand words (and I sure did say a lot of them last week!) So here we have an 18, 000 word thesis. Enjoy.

It's been a "stick cat heads on photos of me" kind of week.

After school snack and working hard (on video editing) on Thursday.

Emergency lunch before school on Friday. Gravely hungover, after welcoming my friend Alex to town (one of my bestie's brothers, who's studying in Germany this winter). Struggled through my translation appointment that afternoon, but survived.

Survived till Friday evening's cultural sortie: Lascaux caves exhibition. Really good!

Styling in our 3D glasses.

Delicious late night Thai.

Early start and train out to the wonderful Saint-Emilion, land of wine.

It's always business time with Sequin Cat.

Making new friends (with magnificent tails!)

Cold but beautiful day at the chateaux.

We drank all of this.

Time to catch the sunset train back to Bordeaux.

#nofilter

Starting Sunday off right (after a semi-sensible Caturday) with white wine and oysters at the markets. Followed by canelés. And a pasty. And crêpes.

But I did avoid the macarons (why?!)

Worked off our food babies with a stroll/pose in jardin public.

Finally explored the Roman ruins of the town.

Afternoon tea at the most decadent tea shop. Thank goodness Alex departed Sunday night,  I don't think I could've handled much more eating and drinking! Back to jogging.

Monday late night stroll through the city.

Which makes Tuesday deliciously relaxing, with a full day at school, Asian grocery shopping, afternoon nap and cooking the recipe I mentioned here - delish!

This afternoon I've book club, and tonight, the orchestra!

Hoping you're enjoying one good week after another, friends. Life is good.