May is here and Oh. My. God! How did the last four months go by so fast?
Let’s be honest. I had so many plans laid out for the year and as always, everything took a back step. But something made me really sad and that was FAILING the A to Z Challenge. Yup. This is the first time in five years of attempting the challenge that I didn’t complete it, which is quite shocking to me. And the best part is that I had all the remaining 6+6 posts ready, including the recipes. But I did not post. I want to blame it on the crappy internet which I faced on the first day but then I knew it in my heart that I could make it if I wanted to. Guess I didn’t.
Anyway, I don’t want to brood over what has happened but instead, want to thank you all for reading my posts and encouraging me. I also want to thank my friends who wrote the guest posts last month – Roshan, Sanch, Rachna, Mehul, Corinne, Shilpa, and Sulekha. Lots of love to you and sloppy kisses from Muffy.
Picture Credit
It’s a brand new month with newer plans and goals and all I truly hope for is to be consistent while I enjoy the little pleasures of life.
The May Edition: Of Goals and Gratitude
Reading… I’m currently reading Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown. It’s a murder mystery involving three women who have nothing in common. Except for the husband who is murdered. I’m onto the last few pages of the book. Did I like it? You’ll have to wait for the review. That said, I am resuming book reviews on this space again because I miss reading. With the furball taking away all my time, I can hardly read anything. But that’s got to change, right? So watch out this space for book reviews every Sunday.
Playing… with Muffy 🙂
Watching… Nothing really! Husband and I caught up on the last season of Game of Thrones last Sunday. All the seven episodes in one night. Call us crazy!
Trying… to burn some calories and get back in shape. As always! But it’s high time that I do something about it. Actually, everything about it. So, yeah. Health is a priority this month.
Cooking… This and that! I want to try out more salads because I have never really liked them.
Eating… Junk! Always going for the crunchy munchies. That also has to stop this month.
Drinking… Honey and lime juice in warm water every morning! Good for detox!
Calling… Dad! Miss him, you know!
Texting… none! :/
Hoping (to)… take a vacation! It’s been some time.
Pinning… Salad recipes!
Tweeting… the blog posts and interesting articles that I read.
Going… to the beaches? Well, maybe 🙂
Loving… pampering the furball! You know how happy I am now, after the arrival of my baby Golden. He simply brings so much happiness in our lives every day with his quirkiness and love.
Hating… the summer heat! I’m glad that I’m perched in the mountains and there isn’t much heat that I need to tolerate. Nevertheless, I miss winter!
Discovering… that I have 50+ books on my bookshelf waiting to be read! Phew!
Thinking… about the vacation I mentioned before. Oh, how badly I need one!
Feeling… uninspired! Though there are a lot of things in my head and on my to-do list, I’m just feeling Meh! But as I said, it’s a brand new month.
Listening (to)… Happier by Ed Sheeran
Celebrating… the unfinished project – #IntheMoment2018. Every day, I shall be sharing in my Insta Stories, the one thing that made me smile, happy, and grateful.
Smelling… Sandalwood! The Biotique Bio Basil and Sandalwood Body Powder 😛
Ordering… A Prime lens for the camera! I can’t wait for it to arrive!
Considering… what I am doing with my blogs!
Starting… Daily walks, that too with Muffy. His excitement makes me put on the walking shoes even if I feel tired.
Finishing… the vegetable garden harvest! You’ll not believe the size of the garlic that I just gathered in! Will share the pics once they are sun-dried for a couple of days!
Thankful for… my dear blogger friends for reaching out to me asking why I wasn’t finishing the A to Z Challenge. You know who you are! And you know how much it meant to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
… summer fruits! Watermelon, mango, papaya, litchi, pineapple, guava, muskmelon! Oh so yummy!
… the hail storms that occur very other day! Muffy also waits for the rain, you know.
… the never-ending TBR! I will be sharing a few of them in the coming days. Wait for it! 🙂
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Alok Singhal says
Life hardly goes the way we want it to. Anyway, important is to keep trying.
Good luck with the rest of the year…there is still a lot of time left.
Shalini says
Thank you, Alok. I hope I can make the best of the rest of 2018!
Surbhi Prapanna says
Same to same here Shalini, I had also quitted my A 2Z challenge..and feeling sad and disappointed about it..but it happens so many times that things did not happen as you planned. great list and all the best for rest of the year.
Esha M Dutta says
Life is way bigger than the challenges that come into our lives and unsettle us. Sometimes things happen to us for a reason. We know only in hindsight why things we wished for never came to us. But, remember, what goes down also comes up, so there’s hope always! Think of the blessings that you have in your life right now. I do that often when I’m down and it almost always works. 🙂
Parul Thakur says
Hugs! A lot of things on your list are things that are on my mind too. Don’t beat yourself up for the A to Z. This was the first time after 3 years of completing the challenge that I sat back and trust me, it was peaceful.
Health and food go hand in hand. Atleast for my body, I need regular workouts and eat healthy to actually see some change. Keep at it and it is fun. Good luck and have a happy May.
Rachel says
Your Golden is so cute!I have a seven-year-old Golden named Gideon, I miss his puppy days.I also a new puppy, a German Shepherd, named Pixie so I’m pretty sure all your extra time can be found right next to mine, wherever that is.Tail wags and puppy hugs from Rachel, Gideon, and Pixie.
Geethica says
Hey Shalini, loved reading your this month’s edition. I personally like reading and sleeping with murder mysteries in my mind. My teenage has gone with these books only.
My daily routine starts with warm lemon juice with honey. And I too have millions of books with me still unread.
See, blogs connect so many like minded people.
Pratikshya Mishra says
Oh, I didn’t know you quit the A To Z challenge. But then, it’s ok. You have done it so many times now, Things do happen for a reason. Last year I too had left it halfway through. I just couldn’t stick with the pace, come up with posts, etc. It’s ok. You are always awesome in what you write and share. So a challenge or two doesn’t matter much. 🙂 So cheer up.
Love Muffy’s pics and those books. I have never gifted myself a book subscription box yet. How are they? Worth the money?
Soumya says
Hugs, Shalini! You tried and that is what matters. I’ve done the A to Z for five consecutive years but now I’m tired. April was so exhausting because of this and I wonder if I’d be apart of this again.
Muffy sure is enough to cheer any gloomy day and I’m so glad you have this golden ball to cheer you up.
Parul Thakur says
Did my comment land in your spam queue? 😦
Ramya Abhinand says
Shalini, you sure did the challenge fine( and you know that I have always told you this).. So what if you couldnt complete it???? Kudos to the recipes and the amazing images(including the lovely pins) that you put up. Health must always be a priority, and staying fit helps to boost our minds as well. hope your beach happiness happens in May, and hope we get to eat salad together, (well you know wehere). Hugs and kisses to muffy and hope he lets you read yur books, instead of chewing it all off :)o
Shilpa Gupte says
I would share my A to Z posts and then search for yours and not find them anywhere, and I would wonder where this girl’s gone?And, I would promise myself to ask you about your posts and then something would come up and I would forget about it all! Growing old! And, forgetful! 😛
But, you can share those posts now, isn’t it? At least my Muffy’s posts. Those I am really waiting to read!
Aye, I have to tell you…the other day, I was watching Muffy’s video on my phone and Cookie was on my arm looking at it. Each time she saw Muffy run across the screen, she would try and lick at the screen! 😛 I think she recognized Muffy!!!
SHALINI BAISIWALA says
Love the way you posted a happy and breezy post Shalzzz – good to see you are not brooding over something your heart wasnt into in the first palce. Always listen to your heart – its your BF!!! Having said that, I missed your posts woman, so hope to see you blogging back in earnest.
Envying your veg patch as you have space for it – my meagre attempts at the balcony are so…………………meagre! Triple envying the fact you not dealing with summer heat – please can you adopt me for the summers 😉 Seriously the heat is killing out here, though we are having an off-good day with a breezy day with some thundering to cool the nights!
Please do take up the fitness bit – Muffy can help you there in plenty – big hug to him girl. Cheers
Anita says
Your posts were great, Shalz! Your effort counts.
Keep up the great work! Keep smiling!
Best wishes!
Shalini says
Thanks, Anita. Means a lot <3
Rachna says
Shalini, the important thing is trying. So proud of you for doing such a great job on both your blogs. Thank you for asking me to write a post for Muffy. He is such a delightful boy. I loved all your doggy posts and drooled over your food ones. Glad to hear that you will pay more attention to your health. All the best for May and loads of his to Muffy.
Shalini says
Thank you once again, Rachna <3
Shailaja vishwanath says
Sorry, I missed everything else in the post thanks to adorable Muffy 😉
Do you know Gy LOVES his videos? I keep showing them to her and she asks me daily, ‘Amma, any new Muffy videos?’
Don’t be disappointed about the A to Z. It’ is a tough challenge and the very fact that you tried is more than amazing, especially with a pet around to care for, full time. It’s not easy at all. Give yourself a pat on the back 🙂
As for plans, they have a way of coming unstuck. So don’t stress. THe right time will come for everything. Believe in this with all your heart.
Shalini says
Wow, really!!! That’s so sweet of her!
And thanks, Mam. You have always been a great support!