I suppose things could be worse.  This head cold could have started during the holidays.  Whichever way you look at it though, it’s not pleasant being sick in the heat.  I’m making the most of it by drinking as many brightly coloured fluids and sucking as many vividly coloured cough lozenges as I can.  I’m also doing energy efficient things like walking around the house with wet hair in a bid to keep my temperature down.

There I was congratulating myself for not buying anything in the post Christmas sales when my StrawberryNet order decided to get delivered to the front door of SSG Manor.  It was Mr SSG, in his role as border protection for the Manor who raised the alarm.  In my defence, everything I have bought since Christmas has been to replace things that have run out.  In the season of stock take sales, the following are my stock taken.  Boom tish.

I’m giving Argan Oil spray a try now that my MoroccanOil is just about finished.  I like that this particular brand is a spray on job.  It is highly recommended by my mum and aunt, for whom I ordered this some time back.  Clumsy hint coming up. I’m going to pop the samples in with the giveaway haul of extras that come with the main offerings listed, details here.

Clinique City Block Sheer and I are friends from way, way back.  I don’t leave home without it.  You can dress it up or down depending on how early you’re running for the day.  Even worn alone, it makes me feel well groomed and ‘done’ for a day at work.

I’ve had a rethink about face cream for when I travel.  The idea now is to pack one thing that does it all, day and night.  I got through a sample of Estee Lauder’s Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age Correcting Serum over Christmas and it did the trick as a quick, one step, one bottle, ‘all over the face’ face cream.  No more foraging around for separate samples of eye cream and face cream for day and for night.  All I’m bringing is this bottle (for once I’m hoping it is much smaller than the box it has arrived in).  This is going straight into my suitcase for the next trip.

Now that I look at it, there was quite a bit of post Christmas shopping.  Even though it was purely to restock.  From Mecca Cosmetica, more long term friends – Mecca’s body scrub and MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Daily Face Peels.

Dinners in general are slowly getting back to healthy.  On Tuesday, I made my first meal using Donna Hay’s Simple Dinners cookbook.  The Spice Baked Chicken recipe was perfect for an after work dinner on a hot summer’s evening.  All you need to do is roast chicken breasts marinaded in olive oil, thyme, chilli flakes, lemon zest and cumin.  I went for a green salad as a side.  I’m a new convert to the use of dried cranberries and slivered almonds in salads.  If you haven’t tried this, you should!

Image courtesy of http://www.sbs.com.au/

I’m getting organized to watch The Family on SBS tonight.  It’s my Thursday night thing at the moment.  I see a little of my own family in the members of the Cardamone family, the common tensions, the common sources of amusement and frustration, the family dynamics.  It’s my kind of reality television.  I always cheer Josie (the mum) on each time she stands her ground with the boys – including her husband.  This is a series that comes from a place of love in a real family and it always brings a smile to my face.

Happy Thursday, everyone!  You know what day tomorrow is.