April went by so quickly and was filled with amazing and beautiful things. It felt a bit hectic at times (what a surprise), but I really felt like I was making progress with my goals while still enjoying the spontaneity that the sunny weather allowed!
My favourite things about this month:
- Spring: even though April started with snow, the longer and gradually warmer days had a real impact on my mood and motivation. Seeing how nature changes during this season, with flowers blooming everywhere and trees getting greener and greener is such a mood booster and with the sun setting later in the evening I felt more motivated to go out, to work on some hobbies and I generally enjoyed my days a lot more!
- A new bike! In Brussels, there is a service that allows you to “rent” a bike for a monthly fee (that varies depending on the bike you choose), so I subscribed and got an e-bike, because Brussels is quite hilly. I wasn’t sure that I would use a bike a lot – and that’s why I didn’t just buy one – but I have to say that I just love the freedom that it gives! Running errands, going in the centre and just reaching other parts of the city becomes so much easier and enjoyable!
My latest trips and adventures
- Italy for Easter: thanks to the few days off I had from work I was able to spend a long weekend in Italy to see my family and catch up over the Easter break. The weather was amazing and I walked a lot in Rome, going back to places that I used to go to when I was much younger.This little trip down memory lane and getting to see my family were absolutely highlights of this month!
- Floralia flower show: for some weeks, one of the castles around Brussels opens its gates to the public in an incredible flower show, displaying hundreds of varieties of flowers – mostly tulips. I went there on an early afternoon with my boyfriend and we just walked around the huge gardens, admiring the flowers and taking way too many pictures. It was absolutely amazing to see all these colours, surrounded in the sweet scent of spring flowers. If you are ever in Brussels around this time of the year, I really recommend you to check this out!
Hobbies and distractions:
- Running: I told you last month that I was going to run a 10K at the end of April and… I did it! I was a bit unprepared because I got a bit messed up with the dates, but I managed to run the 10 km and I am very proud of myself for this! I slowed down and walked a few times, but still! Thanks to all of you who gave me some tips!
- Sewing: even though I absolutely didn’t keep up with my “One month, one project” sewing goal, I did find some time to spend on my sewing machine this month! My first project was a basic scrunchie, with the fabric that I took from an old swimsuit, and the other one (which is still ongoing) is a picnic blanket! I was facing a bit of a mental block ever since I tried to make a skirt which was really too difficult for my beginner level, and picking easier projects helped me to overcome this!
- Reading: I finished the book Where the Crawdads Sing by Celia Owens and loved it! In the book, we follow the main character, Kya, through her life in a marsh. It is a story of independence and strength, and it felt like an ode to nature and a celebration of the beautiful things our planet has to offer. It talks about relationships, family, prejudice and life in general. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend it!
General thoughts:
As I am writing this, it is already May and I can’t help but think that I do have to make a little bit of an effort to prepare my blog posts in advance, otherwise I just feel beaten down by how late I am with everything, which is a very useless feeling. I realised though that with longer evenings I am definitely able to do more, and I have already another blog post prepared and ready to go live after this one – hopefully this tiny bit of advance will help me get back on track with this blog!
Looking forward to:
- Concerts: in May, I have already 2 concerts planned here in Belgium, and I feel very excited for them! I obviously haven’t been to a concert since the pandemic started and even though these are a bit outside of my comfort zone, I know the music is great and that I will have a fantastic time!
- Bank holidays: for me the month of May brings quite a lot of days off of work, and I actually haven’t planned anything, so I am quite excited to rest a bit and stay in Brussels to enjoy the city and all the nice things it has to offer.
How was April for you? What are you looking forward to?
Published in April:
Book Review: The Shadow of the Wind
– Exploring Granada
– Walking around Triana in Seville
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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