My May Mayhem 2024 SHOCKING Life Updates

Hi friends! How are you going? It's almost the end of May already. I feel like this has been a really long month - I think because it's spanned over 5 weeks instead of 4 so for those of you working corporate jobs, yay for the extra pays (IYKYK). So what's been happening since I last updated you all?

Well, there has been some shocking changes - that's for sure!

But, probably not as shocking as the clickbaity title suggests. So what's happened for Ashy, Benji, and Luke since we last did an update (back in April 2024).

Let's get into this month's Life Updates!

• Benji is almost at an A+ with his toilet and house training. We're at 22 days with no accidents. I read somewhere that it's 30 days with no accidents and they should be fully toilet trained (well that is until the teenage regression hits).

• I have been applying for more freelance work on things like Upwork and learning more about marketing on platforms like Pinterest, Substack, and Flipboard. I've even gone back to Twitter - although I don't think I'm doing that well there, I have 5 followers.

• Luke has been seeing a physio and when he gets on his roller thing, Benji barks at him, it's so funny.

• One Saturday, we were walking home from the park with some coffees and Luke was carrying Benji, and a truck of teenagers drove past us and threw nerf gun bullets from a nerf gun at us (that was whack).

• I went for an adventure into the city one Wednesday and took some photos at the Royal Botanic Gardens (I also got a really expensive pastry from the cafe there). You can check out more in "this vlog".

• I announced that asheycakes.com will be releasing more exclusive content (for subscribers only) so make sure you sign up to the email list - it's free. I've sent out one exclusive foodie review already + a news letter kinda thing.

• My basil plant died because it's way too cold BUT the parsley is going nuts. Anyone in Melbourne need parsley? The mint is doing well too and the thyme is going okay. I'm proud that I've been able to grow my own herbs.

• My YouTube seems to be taking a bit of a dive - idk why. Maybe I'm boring but I want to keep pushing and making content because it is something I've always wanted to do. I think Benji's socials are doing well though. The best peforming video got about 154 views and that was "Things I find weird about living in Melbourne (as a kiwi)".

• Luke went to a Luca Brasi concert in Northcote.

• We went out to a hidden bar in Strathmore called Noyade Bar & Grill. You can check out my foodie review of that "here".

• We bought a mirror from Kmart for $35 only to find that it was broken once we returned home. I even said in the car, I hope it's not broken, and it was. So Luke kindly went and swapped it for me because I was paranoid I was gonna get bad luck LOL. But we have a good mirror now (mainly so I can do my make up).

• We tried the "Boss Rainbow" iced coffee. We also tried Berry Fanta (it was blue - I love blue drinks).

• I am now down to my iron supplements once a week and next month I can come off them (fingers crossed it stays that way).

• Benji and Frankie had a few playdates.

• WE MISSED THE AURORA I FEEL SO DUMB and MAJOR FOMO like come on. We both now have aurora alerts on our phones so we don't miss it again.

• We saw some Tawny Frogmouths at Luke's parents house in one of their trees.

• One of my uncles passed away, rip.

• Luke baked his mum cookies for Mother's Day.

• Benji met Bowie the corgi who lives in our neighbourhood. I missed him because I was at an appointment.

• I got my hair re-dyed blonde and went a lighter blonde. I like it, it makes me feel a bit happier.

• I started re-reading the book Ghost Stories of Henry James. I tried a few years ago and never got into it, so I'm trying again.

• Benji got not one, but two turkey toys that make this most awful gobble gobble squeaky noise.

• I finally made Banana Bread LOL.

• We found some cute new places to walk including Coburg Lake and Westbreen Creek.

• I tried my first ever magic coffee - it was delicious!

• Benji had his first ever puppachino and he tried watermelon. He loves them.

• We went to George Jones Eatery for brunch and I did an honest review of them "here".

• We have started watching Top Gear Australia on Paramount Plus and it's sooo good. I was a bit worried at first but I really like the dynamic of the three co-hosts and bonus that they have a woman stig! Yeah women empowerment. Although I think it would do a lot better if it was on a free to air channel.

• We've also been watching Masterchef, Jeremey Clarkson's Farm, and Wild (the animal doc on Disney+). For Wild, even though I love animals and I know how nature works, it does suck to see when animals don't make it, especially when they're just little babies.

• I wrote a blog post about "Things I find embarrassing for no reason" LOL. I think it's pretty relatable.

• We came up with a list of dessert-type places to try that are in the area we live in! Or close-ish to it and one we've already tried was "Dope Donuts" in Brunswick West. The customer service there was A+++++++ (he did a deal for us and made us feel so welcome). I am a sucker for a good donut and these were good BUT they still haven't surpassed the donuts we had at Browns Barossa Donuts - and yes I am willing to drive 8 hours there again for a damn good donut. Luke, if I disappear with the car, that's probably where I've gone.

• We had some cute date nights - we had takeaway from Black Salt Kitchen and we went out for dinner at Cicchetti on Napier. Foodie reviews coming soon!

• We have planned a house warming + Luke's 28th birthday for next month. Hope to see you there!

• I really struggled with my mental health this month too so I have been a bit of a hermit crab but I'm getting there.

• Shows like HYBPA and Cheap Seats started and I love them! And Luke watched Taskmaster for the first time ever. I love Taskmaster - I kinda wanna go on it. How do I become really funny really fast? HAHAH. I don't know if I'm smart enough to be a comedian, I think I'm smart and funny sometimes but I don't know if I could come up with a whole comedy routine that was clever and witty.

• Benji will be starting his obedience school next month (he has done puppy pre-school aready and passed that with flying colours, but obedience training will help with walks and whatnot).

• I haven't been having as many naps - I've gone to be earlier and still tired but I can stay awake a bit better than I used to. Although, now that I say that I want to go have a nap.

• I completely missed the Baby Reindeer craze.

• I am still writing the daily gratitide lists - I'm up to day 148 as of the 28th May.

• Luke and I have been playing cards against humanity (the Aussie version) and we've been getting Benji to choose the winner - it's funny. We should make some IG reels and Tik Tok videos of Benji choosing the card like that cat does with the sunglassess haha.

• Yep, I have been having some weird-a** dreams again. I dreamt that my psychologist stole my camera because I was late to an appointment, I dreamt that I was organising chocolate and strawberry donuts, I dreamt that I got shot in the ribs and the bullet richoted off me and I somehow survived, I dreamt that there was some sort of crime in Newmarket, I dreamt that there was a murder mystery I had to solve in Melbourne, and I dreamt that I was ordering a alcoholic beverage in America at a food truck and I couldn't find the DOB page on my passport. It was taking me ages to find and the lady ended up not believing that it was real ID once I finally got to the page I needed.

• Luke accepted a new role in his cricket club (although I don't know what it's called, he's a busy bee for sure). He just text me and told me it's called treasurer - that sounds fancy.

• It was my nana's two year anniversary of her passing.

• I'm feeling sad that people aren't purchasing my digital prints. You can "shop here" - I'd love it if you checked them out, they're pretty affordable IMO and go towards my blog upkeep. Let me know if you'd like me to make other digital products like a course of some sort.

• I started putting my slam poetry into a manuscript but I thought I had written more than I did. It's only about a 12 page book right now. Something I have always wanted to do is write a book so it's a start. I just don't want it to be another one of those unfinished products.

• We tried bagels from Flower Baby, they were soooo good!

That's it for this month's SHOCKING Life Updates! See you again soon!

Much love,

Ash

Benji tax xo