Compared to the past few months, November was more chill and quiet. I got time to unwind from the holidays in Canada, to rest a bit more during the weekends and evenings, and overall to slow down a bit, something that I was really missing.
My favourite things about this month:
- Cosying up: I don’t really like winter months as it is always cold and dark very early. But one thing I like about them is all the cosy vibes you can create with warm and comforting drinks, earthy meals, blankets and scented candles. Even though I haven’t baked anything yet (I can’t wait to bake a cake or make cookies!), I have tried to feel “cosy” as much as possible, and I think I have managed to do so! With Christmas just around the corner I am also feeling more and more festive!
- French Vanilla: this is a bit oddly specific, but when I came to Canada, my sister gave me this box of “French vanilla” mix from Tim Hortons (the Canadian Starbucks) to make cappuccinos: you just add a bit of warm water to a few tablespoons of that mix and that’s it! Even though I am not a big fan of coffee, this one is absolutely delicious (and you can barely taste the coffee anyways).
- Going to the office: who would have thought, right? This month, teleworking was particularly difficult as I had a hard time focusing at home. Now we have some new restrictions but I basically went to the office 3 days a week during November, and even though getting ready in the morning is still not my favourite thing, I have to say that I have felt much more productive when working from the office! Plus, having a chat with my colleagues was also really nice!
My latest trips and adventures
- At the beginning of the month, my boyfriend and I went to check out the Bright Brussels displays in the city: once a year, there are some light shows and light sculptures dotted all around Brussels, and you can follow a path to see all of them. I love these things because they always feel so magical, and even though there were many people around and it was freezing cold, I loved it!
Hobbies and distractions:
- Ever since I bought a sewing machine, I have wanted to take on different sewing projects, but I was too overwhelmed by the number of things I wanted to do, so I decided that I would try to take on one project a month, so that I would have plenty of time to buy the material, set up everything and research what I wanted to do. November’s project were reusable cotton pads: something easy and always useful! Even though they are far from perfect, I am very proud of what I did and they are quite pretty too! It reminded me how rewarding making something with your own hands can be!
- Okay, this is a bit of a random thing, but I finally watched Legally Blonde! I wanted to watch this movie for a long time because I have heard a lot about it and already knew many “iconic” scenes, and I finally did! It is obviously not a very serious movie but it’s easy and fun to watch, so perfect for a chill night in! Have you seen it?
General thoughts:
November is, with February, one of the months that I dislike the most in the year: it is cold, the days are so short, it rains and it’s just very blah. With the awful weather and lack of sunshine I know I usually get quite depressed as well, but this year it wasn’t that bad. I think that it is because I kept myself busy and felt very grateful for all the quiet and slow moments I had at home, trying to make the most of it with a nice activity!
Looking forward to:
- Holidays! I am absolutely swamped with work at the moment so I just can’t wait for the year to be over and to enjoy some well-deserved holidays with my family!
- Getting into the Christmas spirit: I love Christmas but I love even more the anticipation and build up to it. It might be a bit complicated this year but I want to try and get into the festive mood with Christmas markets, movies, drinks, food and everything else! If you have some tips on how to do it, please share them!
How was November for you? What are you looking forward to?
Published last year in November:
The Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo
– The Rikugien Gardens in Tokyo
– Join me for Green December
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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