Icebergs

Hi friends…and hello to the new people this week. I’m Catherine Greer, author and copywriter, baker of beautiful Sunday desserts, mum of two adult sons, wife and little dog lover living in Sydney. I’m so glad you’re here. 💖 You’ll get a little newsletter from me every weekend…and I keep my promise about this.

Today I’ve been thinking about icebergs. I’m up early, and the household is still asleep…and I’ve been thinking that every single person is this photo above.

I am.

You are.

The people you love are.

The people you barely know are.

And mostly it makes me feel a little lost and sad, but also compassionate. So much is under the water. There are so many things we hold alone.

Our icebergs are why we need a little more kindness in the world.

I’ve written a few nonfiction books on happiness hints and tips. I’m working on another one right now (stay tuned), but so far, The 10 Minute Fix is my favourite.

If your iceberg is especially heavy today, I hope you remember this: you can start over. We all can.

Here’s what I do on the hard days:

  • I chuck some good back in the world.

  • I listen to this song, below. It reminds me that I can choose to hope, no matter what.

If today feels fabulous, have a listen. And if today feels hard, also listen.

Wishing you so much relaxation and peace this weekend. Here in Australia, we’ll be swimming, and for you it might be fall. Wherever you are, I hope something surprising and beautiful happens to you today.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Best Sunday Dessert!

Hi my friends! It’s Catherine Greer — for the new people this week, author and Canadian-Aussie living in Sydney. And you should know this: I believe in Sunday dessert.

For some reason I don’t quite understand, making dessert for the people you love shows them that you see them. It signals that this day is a celebration. A cake becomes a little pause in all the busy-ness of life, like a ledge on a mountain climb. We all get to the same place, and we take a moment, and we appreciate the beauty of life and choice.

We choose to have a mini-celebration.

This cake is simple. So simple! It’s also Mexican and delicious and made quickly in a 9x13 pan. It features my favourite spice, Cardamom, so if you love that better-than-cinnamon flavour, you’ll love this. (Note: it’s not a dry cake: it’s literally a milk-infused cake…but not too rich, and not too sweet.)

Cardamom Tres Leches Cake

Preheat oven to 170 C (fan forced) / 325 F. In a mixing bowl, mix with a whisk:

  • 4 teaspoons cardamom (ground, not pods)

  • 200 ml olive oil

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 3/4 cup almond flour

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • 1 3/4 cups milk (any type)

  • 1 1/2 + 3 tablespoons of plain flour

  • 4 teaspoons of baking powder

  • 3/4 tsp salt

Pour into a 9x13 pan (in Australia, I’ve used a lamington pan).

Bake at 170 C (fan forced) or 325 F in a preheated oven for 30 minutes plus, depending on your oven. (I know, you’ll have to check. I just baked until firm. For my oven, that was 30 minutes. Don’t stress too much, as you’re covering this with milk, so it won’t ever be dry.)

Make the Leche in a microwave safe bowl:

  • 1 tin sweetened condensed milk (395 grams)

  • 1 cup milk (any type)

Use a fork to poke holes all over the cooled cake, and pour the Leche over the cake.

Refrigerate for two hours minimum. Then cover with this delicious whipped cream.

Whipped Cream topping:

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios for garnish (you could use walnuts, or not add nuts at all)

Every person in my family LOVED THIS CAKE. Think: similar to a carrot cake, but so much better.

If you give it a try, let me know what you think. ❤️ Enjoy your weekend…I hope you find a little something to celebrate, whatever might be happening in your world.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • Dancers — the gold cowboy boots are on sale for way over 50% off, with an extra $20 off if you use the code SALEXOX.

  • I’m trying to resurrect an orchid this way!

  • The best Lululemon dupes…love these joggers.

  • 🤣 My fake influencer photo above — I should’ve tried smiling, but look at little Evie sleeping!! 🇦🇺 Aussies: you know how sometimes in summer you want to wear long pants, but they have to be super thin and comfy because it’s so hot? These casual cargoes are fabulous. Wide-legged but tailored, zip front with belt loops but comfy elastic back waistband, thin enough to be great in the heat (wear nude undies for the white!), multiple colours. I’m 5’7” (170 cm tall) and the length is perfect. I bought white and khaki.

Here's some quick courage for us all.

Hello from beautiful, sunny Sydney!

Yesterday I attended an event at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and this is the view from the outside deck: our beloved Opera House, iconic and forever beautiful. In fact, the opening of my new novel takes place on the steps of the Sydney Opera House at dawn.

People asked me yesterday, what does it take to write a book? And I started to answer this:

  • Love and patience.

  • Self-belief.

  • A willingness to keep at it, day after day, whether things are going well or not.

  • Thick skin. An acknowlegement that you’ll put your voice into the world and be told it’s “Wonderful!” and “Terrible!” over and over and over.

But this is what you’re already doing now. Writing a book or any big project takes the qualities you’re also using in your own life when you love people.

Your family, for example, takes love and patience, self-belief that you’re doing a good job, and a willingness to keep at it when you’re not. It takes guts to love your people, and courage to keep loving when things aren’t perfect.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because we all have dreams that feel hard.

You do. I do.

But here’s what I believe: loving anyone or anything is hard — but it’s also worth it. And you’re already doing it.

So…

If you have a dream in this third act of your life (improve family relationships, make or do something new, find like-minded friends, be willing to make a change), the key is always love.

Be kind to yourself.

Turn your “I shoulds” into more curious and loving “I coulds.”

And have a go, my friend. See where that takes you.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • Can we talk about this book? If you’re in your third act, it’s amazing. I started reading it and immediately got my husband to buy his own copy so we could discuss. WOW. It’s about legacy, career transitions, living with purpose and planning our lives post-50.

  • Cardamom Tres Leches cake. I love cardamom — my favourite spice. This looks divine.

  • A Latina friend showed me the best, easy concealer for under-eye circles. Love this one. Comes in five colours, so you’ll have to give it a try in store to get the right shade for you.

  • The prettiest vegetarian zucchini pie for a girlfriend lunch. Wow.

  • Cute new sneakers for summer — with skirts and dresses. I love these! So comfy and great for wide feet.

A few fun things.

Hi friends around the world! For the new people this week, here I am with Evie, who’s a gorgeous five months old now, and ready for a major groom. It’s always good to see who is writing to you…and I’m Catherine Greer, Canadian-Australian living in Sydney, author and mum of adult sons lover of little dogs, white sand beaches, baking and all things beautiful.

Let’s start with a question: if no one has asked you yet today, how are you doing?

Really. How are you?

If you’re feeling a little tired and worn out, I want to remind you of this: it’s time to rest.

Today’s the day to put your feet up, take a gentle walk, make yourself a cup of tea, or ask someone you love to check in on you.

Ask for help.

Give yourself a breather.

We all do so much: we rush and we love, we plan and we care for others. It’s easy to forget that we need to rest.

Here’s to a quiet Sunday — with a little time for you to do the things you love.

Be well, take care of yourself and take a break if you can.

Love Catherine x

P.S. A few fun things!

  • Looking for beauty? This is just gorgeous.

  • The science that explains how to quickly deal with stress or anxiety. Dr. Huberman is a researcher at Stanford University, and he knows what he’s talking about.

  • Cute and comfy soft pink flare jeans. (For my budget-conscious readers 💖) I know there’s only ONE 1-STAR review for these, but honestly, they’re soft and thick, truly stretchy, and the fit is fabulous…mid-waist, not too high and not low. You can order online.

  • Every woman should read the absolutely true and GORGEOUS poem by Elizabeth Bishop, “One Art.” You’ll know what she means. You’ll understand it, I promise.

One idea to make today sweeter

Hi friends! I hope you’re well…but if you’re feeling a little meh about life at the moment, I have something fun to share.

Last weekend, we stayed at our favourite beach in the world, and I snapped this photo above of our two sons and their current girlfriends. I love this photo because it’s a life lesson and a universal truth.

These beautiful kids of ours are chalk and cheese. Can you see it?

On the left, our eldest: the serious, studious couple — soon to be management consultant and investment banker — inspecting some kind of sea urchin.

On the right, the youngest: the ‘Life is a beer commercial’ couple — one studying Exercise and Sport Science at uni, the other a promising female boxer.

All of us are so wildly unique.

Two boys from the same parents, same beach, same day, same moment in time…but so very different.

It’s an old idea, but crucial to remember:

No one can do the job of being you but you.

The little quirks, the way you see the world, your special knack for sharing someone’s sorrow or joy, the best thing about you (and the worst) — that’s all you. And your perspective is so needed in the world.

I don’t know how you feel, but I get so, so tired by the exhausting TaDa! of everyone’s sparkly internet lives…the beautiful photos, the relentless sharing of all the perfect things and perfect days.

I wish we could pause and strip away all the curated sharing, open our front doors and invite each other in.

Life is so, so good, we’d say…we have all this: running water, safety, food on the table, sometimes pain but sometimes joy.

And life is also hard, we’d remind each other: worries about families and self and all the secrets we rarely share.

But we’re here, with a chance to be wholly ourselves, completely unique, fabulous and flawed…and this is one life is ours.

It’s wild and precious, just like Mary Oliver so famously wrote. And we’re the only ones who can be ourselves. So on we go, loving all the people we’ve been given to love.

I hope you enjoy your beautiful Sunday.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • It’s Father’s Day in Australia: we’re barbecuing a whole salmon and making Mussels Cocotte, an easy recipe from Burgoo, in Vancouver. (The link will take you back to my author website, to a post written a few years ago…) I’ve changed a lot!

  • Eyeliner is hard for me to figure out, but these two make it so much easier: LOVE this one in Striking Navy and this one, too.

  • Oh, re-read this poem by Mary Oliver if you ever feel alone or blue. It starts with this: “You do not have to be good” and ends with the famous line, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?”

Surprise! I signed a book deal.🪁

Hi friends, and hello to my new friends from around the world this week. I’m Catherine Greer, author, serial baker of lovely treats, Aussie-Canadian mum and wife, lover of books and making things beautiful.

Just now, just this morning on holiday at my favourite place in the world, I signed a book deal.

My new novel is for women just like us. The working title is BITTERSWEET BAKERY CAFE…and it’s a funny, big-hearted story about all the things I love.

  • Beautiful Australian beaches — the book is set at a fictional Hyams Beach in New South Wales.

  • Baking.

  • DIY renos on a shoestring.

  • Starting a business in the middle of your life.

  • Imperfect people who believe they’ve failed (but find, after all, that they haven’t).

  • And a midlife woman who definitely ISN’T invisible…and learns to love all the people she’s been given to love.

When you read BITTERSWEET BAKERY CAFE — and oh! Oh! I can’t wait for you to read this book — I hope you see the world through my eyes, and remember that you can start now, where you are, to find joy in everyday things.

This morning, after YEARS of hard work, fears, doubt, disappointment, reading a zillion books by other amazing writers and working and believing in myself even when I was far past the logical point of doing so…I’m going to give you a book I love with all my heart.

I hope you love it, too. It’s coming out in 2025 and I’ll keep you posted along the way.

Thank you, thank you for sharing my happiness with me today.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

One little phrase that changes everything

Hi friends. I snapped the pretty photo above at twilight in wintery Sydney. Yesterday my husband and I took a train into the city for a gorgeous cello concert at City Recital Hall, then walked through the streets and had a cocktail together at a cosy bar.

It’s not something we do often — usually the weekends are full of grass-cutting and errands, helping teens study for exams, getting through the piles of laundry, shopping and cooking.

But as we were walking those city streets, I remembered to say (not just think) something important and true.

It’s the one phrase we can say more often to all the people we love: friends and family, and partners, too.

If you have a friend you treasure, take the time to say “I’m so glad you’re mine.”

If you have kids, watch their hearts swell when you say, “I’m so glad you’re mine.”

For your parents and for partners, it’s an instant point of connection.

“I’m so glad you’re mine” lets our people know that we see them and appreciate them, and it reminds us to be thankful for who we have in our lives—despite all our wrinkles and bumps, and our lack of perfection.

If things are fabulous for you today, I hope you have time to be grateful.

And if things are hard, here’s my favourite page from one of my books:

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Sending you so much love.

Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff…tiny little joys!

Tomato Soup for the Soul 🍅

Hi friends. Thanks for joining me (and if you’re new, I’m Catherine Greer, author and copywriter, lover of Sunday baking, beach walks, good books, and family time. You can find out more about me here.)

Occasionally I share a recipe I love, and today I’m bringing you the best roasted tomato soup.

Easy.

Delicious.

Perfect if you’re in wintery Australia AND a great way to use your beautiful garden tomatoes if you’re in America, Canada, Europe or the UK. ❤️

Roasted Tomato Soup

  • 1.5 kilos of tomatoes

  • 2 large onions

  • 1 HEAD of garlic, cut in half - you’ll see below that I pre-roasted mine a little to make it softer

  • fresh basil and thyme (if you have it)

  • 1 cup cream or coconut cream

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • olive oil

  • salt and pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 200 F (around 480 F). Drizzle olive oil in a large roasting pan.

  2. Roughly dice tomatoes and onion and place in the pan. (I like to cover the onion with the tomato so it gets a little less charred)

  3. Slice garlic in half and add cut side down. (You can also pre-roast a while if you want to)

  4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  5. Bake until the tomatoes are sightly charred — for me this takes around 35 minutes. Your oven might be different.

  6. Pull out of the oven and carefully squeeze the garlic out of its skin. Discard skin.

  7. Transfer to a soup pot if you’re using a stick blender (or into your blender).

  8. Add cream and stock and blend.

Serve with:

And remember this: sometimes, when someone has a broken something (a heart, a home, a person in hospital) — or even something shiny and new (a baby, a home, a job), soup always, always soothes the soul.

Enjoy your beautiful weekend.

Thanks for being here every Sunday with me. I love to send you inspiration and all the tiny joys I can think of to make your life a little sweeter.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Something new...

Hello, my friends. If you’re new, here’s the quick intro: I’m Catherine Greer, author, Canadian and Australian, living in Sydney with my family. Lover of little dogs, Sunday dessert, all things family, and finding ways to see the glass half-full. ❤️ (Pic of me here!)

I don’t know about you, but this week I’ve been craving something new. So I decided, since it’s 20 weeks until Christmas, that I’m going to try one new thing a week.

  • It could be as tiny as a new outfit combo when I shop my closet.

  • A new friend and trying a new brekkie (above…that’s how the Aussies do Avocado toast! Link below).

  • Concert tickets at a new venue.

  • A new route on my morning walk.

New, new, new.

Our brains love what’s familiar, but sometimes we need to throw open the windows and reach for something different. It is so easy to get in a rut where we assume life is going to keep on offering more of the same.

Does this idea sing out to you?

If yes, join me for the second half of this year on your own private journey of doing something—anything—new.

Thinking of you, and hoping three things today:

  • You’re valued and appreciated.

  • You’re feeling well in your body.

  • You’ll take the time to have some fun, and BE fun to live with.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • Cafe! That Aussie avo toast is a work of art. Scared to tell you this and increase the queues, but you can find it at The Walrus cafe in Sydney.

  • Gardening! Growing edible flowers…could this be another ‘something new’ for me? Link to the chart above at Cooks Illustrated.

  • Music! We missed a dance party last night because of family stuff and Higher School Certificate study. But this song is a favourite.

  • Yum! Fresh corn fritters that look so easy to make.

  • Flowers! Try this so cut flowers last longer.

  • And a favour! If you find my Sunday newsletter useful, please put it out into the world — share with a friend. (I’m trying to spread JOY. A podcast with me here.)

6 Little Pick-Me-Ups

Hello from sunny Sydney! (Big warm welcome to the new people this week…thanks for joining me. You’ve signed up for my weekly newsletter, and I’m Catherine Greer…mum of two sons, wife of an ex-naval officer, author of several books and compulsive baker!)

In Australia, it’s Higher School Certificate time, and at my kitchen table you’ll often find a girlfriend plus other teens studying for exams. As an ex-English teacher, I’m on duty with essays and my husband covers the Maths.

So today, for all those exam mums who follow along, I’m giving you my favourite 6 quick pick-me-ups.

  1. Sunday dessert.

When teens are here and certainly every Sunday, I make a family dessert. Last weekend it was the delicious Lemon Blueberry Soufra from a couple of newsletters ago, and let me tell you this: it is worth it.

Easy to make and completely delicious. So good, in fact, that I’m going to buy a proper 30-inch for baking mine. Mine was a little too small, hence the overcooking, but still: total perfection if you love dessert.

2. Bare feet on grass.

It’s surprising how easy it is to overlook this tiny joy. Bare feet, warm grass. The temps in Sydney were high yesterday, and I stood on the lawn while our new puppy, Evie, slept. It reminded me of being a kid: relaxed, happy, soaking in the day.

3. Walking.

I’ve written about the Latin phrase“Solvitur ambulando” about a year ago and to me it’s true: “It is solved by walking.” Whatever the problem is: worry, kids, work, life, imbalance, fear…walking always helps.

4. A fun Sunday afternoon kind of dress.

Do you like to throw on a cute, fun dress with sneakers and zip around your house? I do. I know many of you are on a budget — thanks for sharing with me and I know life can be tricky — so I found this one this week and it’s cute and floaty. (Way cuter in person than in this photo!) Size up because comfort is key here and it will be long enough if you’re 5’7” or shorter. Pair with cute white sneakers and you’re all set. If you like more of a shirt-dress, try this one.

5. A sandal splurge for summer for my overseas friends.

Everyone’s talking about these comfy sandals…wear them at the beach or on the rocks, and cute for out to dinner, too. Pricey for the original, but the dupes are here. Hopefully they’re back in stock soon.

6. A reminder: love all the people you’ve been given to love.

Reach out with whatever you’ve got in your own two hands: knowledge about how to write an essay, a slice of cake, a warm hug, a safe home, friendship. Listen to someone who’s struggling, err on the side of being generous, celebrate your life. Today — make it a mission to love all your people, and let them know it.

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Go small, my friend 🌼

Hi and happy Sunday! A quick intro if you’re new — I’m Catherine Greer, writer of books, lover of small dogs, compulsive baker, beach walker, mum of two young adult sons, wife to a thoughtful guy who bought me an Ember mug so my coffee stays hot for hours. 💖 You can see a few photos of my world here!

Thanks for reading every Sunday!

Today, here’s what I have for us.

When I feel like I’m stuck or drowning, and I have no idea what to do next, my tendency is to go big. I want to dive in and figure it out. Or I beat myself up over not doing better, or knowing better. (Welcome to my brain: Hello my name is Catherine, and I’m tough on myself. It’s exhausting.)

Lately, I’ve been trying the opposite.

I’ve been going small.

Tiny.

One breath. One idea. One positive thought. One short walk around the back garden. One treat. One stretch right here in my chair.

I’m learning to go small.

Somehow, small is connected to wisdom and contentment. It’s connected to being realistic about our lives, and hopeful that future will get better.

A story for you…this week a friend reached out to say that she’s struggling. And I wanted to offer all the ways to fix it: ideas and strategies, plans and help.

But then I went smaller. I offered a plate of her favourite sweet potato fries at a cafe we love, with a dollop of hummus and sea salt.

That’s the love that landed.

Today, can you walk up to your giant-sized problem, and think of a way to go small?

That’s my plan as I get older and wiser.

Happy Sunday! Thanks for being here.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • A beautiful, free 8 minute meditation by Sarah Blondin: Learning to Surrender.

  • Oh my goodness, this pasta cooks in one pan — sauce included.

  • My Ember mug, to keep coffee hot for a couple of hours. You can change the temp with an app on your phone, if you want to. I keep mine as hot as possible. Pricey, but it works. This dupe might be good?

  • If you like the idea of being kinder to yourself, you’ll love Small Steps Are Perfect. Readers say, “Lovely little book, whether you read it from cover to cover, or just a chapter that calls out to you, highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” Find it here in Canada, here in America, here in Australia and here in the UK.

I was up in the night. Here's why.

Hi friends!

Ahhhh, worry!

You get in that rocking chair and keep on rocking…because the motion makes it feel like you’re doing something to move yourself forward.

But you aren’t.

My classic response is to wake up around, oh, two or three a.m., then ramble around the house for two hours until it’s light enough to start the day. Usually I put on a load of laundry and tidy up the kitchen, then sit with my laptop and catch up on emails.

I’m so curious about what you do!

(Sometimes I feel like I should have a ‘middle of the night text a friend’ agreement: I’ll text you if I’m up, and you do the same, and if we’re both worrying at the same time, then let’s TALK!)

But this week I learned a really great tip. When I start to worry about something, I tell myself this:

This is the part where…my kid goes off the rails before he figures out his next step in life.

This is the part where…I’m not sure if my new job is going to work out.

This is the part where…I’m worried about my health.

Somehow, saying “This is the part where…” makes me feel like I’m sitting above my own life, seeing the worry as only one part of a larger plan.

It doesn’t make the worry go away or guarantee that we won’t feel bad anymore, but it helps us find a future perspective — as if we’re looking at life from a place where our story has already moved on.

Because every story does move on.

So if things aren’t great at the moment and you’re worrying or feeling bad, it’s just a part of your story. One day, you’ll be able to look back on this as “the part where….” — because your story isn’t over yet.

Right? Right. ❤️

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!



Hello, beautiful younger you...

Hi friends — and new friends! Quick introduction: I’m Catherine Greer, writer and compulsive baker, lover of little dogs, living in Sydney, Australia with my family.

I saw these young beauties on my way to the Tina Turner musical in Sydney last weekend, and asked if I could take a non-identifying photo. They grinned and said sure…while digging into the best burgers after a party they’d been to in the city.

Do you remember the younger you?

The teenage girl with all those dreams and energy and friends, and her whole life spread out in front of her?

I don’t think we become someone different as we grow older. I think we add on layers as we age — life lessons, wisdom, disappointment, joy. Wins and losses. And through it all, we have to remember to honour ourselves, and all we’ve been through to get here.

If no one has said it to you lately, I’d like to be the one.

You’re doing a good job.

You’re probably doing better than you think you are.

And I hope something lovely happens to you today.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

🌹 Is everything coming up roses?

Hi friends and hello new friends — so happy you found me. So many new faces this week! I’m Catherine Greer, author, Canadian-Aussie, lover of beaches and baking. Now that you’re here, you’ll get a little shot of inspiration in your inbox every Sunday.

Let’s go!

Last month, we visited Canberra to pick up the world’s sweetest puppy and we stopped for tea and cake at a gorgeous cafe and bakery called Via Dolce Pasticceria.

The rose crockery!

The Italian vibe!

The walls of cakes!

The entire cafe was filled with joy. Of course it was—because how could you not enjoy the absolute miracle of being alive in a place that looks like this?

The tiny cafe had decor that sings, “Get in here, girls, and celebrate something!”

And so we did.

I’m a big believer in scanning for the joy…and the reason is not because my life has been easy.

Honestly, I haven’t swanned around with everything working out for me. And I’m guessing neither have you.

Is EVERYTHING coming up roses?

Does everything always work, and all at the same time?

Nope.

We’re wise enough to know that there’s rarely a time when all the worries float away, and every little thing is great. Life is such a mix of joy and pain, with loads of privileges (hot water, living in safety, people to love) and so much hurt and disappointment.

That’s why, when things are rough, I believe in asking this question—I wrote about it in my best-loved book, The 10 Minute Fix.

(Whoops — Evie just ate that sticky note! And yep, I still read and re-read my own book because I need all these reminders, too.)

How is this working in my favour?

We can ask this of the good and the bad, and we always, always, always have the option to look for what’s working and take tiny steps forward.

I hope something unexpected and fun comes your way today. (And yes, I hope that for you, almost everything’s coming up roses).

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Tiny Joys

Hi friends around the world. It’s Catherine Greer writing to you on this beautiful Sunday morning in Australia. The beach photo, above, was taken at Hyams Beach in New South Wales, my favourite place in the world.

I’m up way before six a.m. with a headache and a heart filled with gratitude for all the tiny things.

Maybe it’s me getting older, but with every year I wear like a cozy sweater, I get better at being grateful. Today I’m focusing on all the tiny joys.

Headache pills. It’s amazing we have them.

Hot coffee and my laptop, so I can write to all of you.

A row of teenage shoes beside the back door. (Everyone is safe, loved, accounted for.)

A table laid with care for brunch with friends I haven’t seen in a while.

A new puppy to love, who just got the cutest-ever before and after grooming session. (Poor Evie, she could barely see with all that puppy hair…but we had to wait 12 weeks until her immunisation.)

Before:

And here she is after. (A huge joy: that Chu, our groomer, is skilled enough to wield a pair of scissors this close to puppy eyes…so we don’t have to.)

Of course there’s beauty everywhere if we know how to look for it.

Our worlds are full of Tiny Joys.

Here’s the secret to living well: we can always look for the small things while we wait for the big things to slide into place.

I wish I could offer you a coffee and a freshly-baked cinnamon bun this morning, and hear your list of tiny joys.

Be well, enjoy your weekend, and remember to hope for the best.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Meet Evie 💖

Hi friends (and new friends)! I hope you’ve had a relaxing weekend so far.

I’m not sure if you’re a pet person, but this little girl is new to our wintery Sydney home. She’s two kilos of adorable, and we’re navigating all the bumps and joys of having a little life dependent on us.

After losing our sweet Holly, we were afraid to do this all over again. But when your heart needs some healing, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.

Bringing Evie into our home reminds me of when I was trying to make a tough decision a few years ago. A friend said something important to me—and I’ll never forget it.

Maybe it will be helpful for you, too:

It’s such a good question.

  • Fear blocks creativity.

  • It muddles our thoughts, causing us not to think clearly.

  • It stops us from acting for our own highest good.

  • It keeps us stuck in status quo.

Fear tells us to sit down. Courage invites us to move forward.

Whatever you’re facing in your life—decisions, worries, health issues, family wobbles, heartache, or anything hard—give yourself a moment to think about what would happen if you took the fear out of it.

What would you do?

Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you have a day filled with new adventures. Sending you love from my Australian home to yours, wherever you are in this beautiful world.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • If you’re close to Canberra ACT and you’re interested in a purebred Shih Tzu, I think little Evie has two sisters still available. Email me for details. The owner is a lovely, responsible breeder. And if you have any puppy toilet training tips, I’d loveeeeee to hear them! Please email!

  • How’s your hip mobility? Mine’s not great, but I’m practicing. Here’s a quick post about Beginner Hip Mobility.

  • This stir-fry sauce “recipe” is fabulous! So much better than making it up as you go along (as I always do, but this is way better).

  • I love to bake, and this cake is the prettiest. But I think I’m making this one — Lemon Blueberry Greek Yogurt cake — for dessert for our family Sunday dinner. Yum!

Can you receive?

Hello friends — so many new people here this week from England and Canada! It’s Catherine Greer writing to you from wintery Sydney, Australia, where the camellias are in bloom. I tried to take a selfie so you’d know who’s writing to you, and also so you could see the camellias on my street.

If you’re new, I’m an author, a mum, a wife and a lover of everything beautiful: outdoors, sunsets, baking, flowers, shoes (!!) and yep, poetry and books, too.

Today, I want to ask an important question that women are NEVER asked:

Let me tell you a story: two years ago, I went on a weekend away with some girlfriends and I took a little gift for each of them. I bought them each a lovely Crabtree and Evelyn hand cream wrapped in my favourite paper with ribbons. (I love, love, love wrapping gifts.)

Some women squealed and opened their gifts straight away. They dove in and slathered their hands. Some women tentatively unscrewed the tops and sniffed appreciatively. But there was one woman in our group who—bless her—just wasn’t able to receive my gift.

She couldn’t even bring herself to unwrap it.

She was the most giving of all of us, the most routinely sacrificial…but she had an impossible time receiving.

That’s why I’m asking you to take a second now and think: can you receive?

Can you say YES to good things and beautiful opportunities?

I think the key is to slow down a little in almost every way: walk more slowly, consider your responses slowly, move with some grace…and take your time, my dear.

Take your time.

Allow the world to give you a few things today. Look for the gifts. Receive them. Pause and say thank you.

Let’s give it a whirl on this beautiful Sunday.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

How's the Real You doing?

Hi friends, and hello to all the new people this week! It’s so good to have you here. I’m Catherine Greer, author and mother of two young adult sons, baker and optimist living in Sydney, Australia. You’ve signed up for my Sunday newsletter and I’m so happy to pass along a few good ideas if I can.

Today — let’s talk about the real me and the real you.

Not the Work You, or the Parent You, or the friend or partner…but the joyful part of you that’s authentic and not an identity you’ve created over time to fulfil a role you play in your life.

What does she love to do?

How does she like to have fun?

Can you do a little of that today?

Not what’s good for you or what you’re supposed to be doing, but what you love…

Kitchen dancing, taking a walk, the perfect cup of tea in a favourite tea cup, a square of chocolate. Crunching through leaves in your autumn backyard. A solo shopping trip. Sleeping in. Getting up early. A lemon drop, slowly savoured. Replaying your favourite memory. Cleaning something and feeling virtuous. Putting your feet up.

Whatever it is, promise you’ll do one thing for her today — the person that is the authentic core of you.

The joyful you.

Getting closer to our authentic selves can be surprisingly quick to do.

  1. Consider what you (truly) love. Choose one small, simple thing.

  2. Do that now.

  3. Savour the feeling of being true to yourself.

Let me give you an example: for me, joy is always as close as my ear buds and iPhone. I put on a favourite song and have a kitchen dance all on my own. It always brings me back to myself—the little eight year old girl at my first family wedding, where I spent the whole night on the dance floor and didn’t want to sit down because I didn’t want to miss out.

I’m guessing you already know quite a few things that bring you joy, and I hope you can do some of them today. Remember that who you are—the authentic you—also needs a little TLC. It’s easy to forget about that woman in all our rushing around and doing.

Because this is true:

Happy Sunday! I hope something amazing happens to you today.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • This season’s pink boots are a little brighter and taller, but gorgeous.

  • Do you know Wendell Berry’s gorgeous poem, “The Peace of Wild Things” from 2018? My favourite lines: I come into the peace of wild things / who do not tax their lives with forethought / of grief…

  • I’ve made this flourless, decadent chocolate cake for my friend Jenny’s birthday.

  • A song to make you dance, especially if you’re a 66 baby like I am.

  • New friends — my best loved book, The 10 Minute Fix, is here in Canada, in America, in the UK, in Germany and in Australia. I’m busy writing a sequel. If you love to write, there’s a beautiful 6x9 inch The 10 Minute Fix Journal too, and every page is different, with over 200 writing prompts. You can get your journal here in America, in Canada, in the UK and in Australia.

Where we're at right now

Hi friends — and hello to all the new people this week! I’m Catherine Greer, author and compulsive baker, lover of little dogs, mother to two adult sons in uni, wife to a guy who loves beach walking like I do, eater of chocolate, Sydney-sider 🇦🇺. Lovely to have you here for a quick hit of inspiration and fun…

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll remember this hot pink tankini I found online. I promised I’d report back about whether or not it was worth it.

Well…see that crazy strap on the top? I took this suit to Adelaide, South Australia, with me a couple of weeks ago, and I could NOT get into the darned thing. Really. I couldn’t figure it out. My brain was all, “WHAT goes WHERE??” Then I got in…and it was so tight I couldn’t get out.

My husband looked at me with these quizzical John Howard eyebrows and said, “Um, I think your HEAD is in the wrong place?”

(I am almost crying and laughing while I type this.) It’s true: my head was in the wrong place, the suit was SO unusually tight for a size L, and I was stuck. In my own new tankini.

So anyway, I tried again…and if felt like building IKEA flat pack furniture. Too many parts, too few instructions. 🤣 That shoulder strap is surprisingly complicated. But in the end, I think it looks pretty good. The ruching is lovely…and here I am, in all my imperfect glory, modelling my new swimmers in a hotel bathroom after getting them on right.

But what’s the point of this crazy story?

We need to laugh.

And we need to be real, online and in our lives…so I’m sharing beautiful and crazy, imperfect me. Laughing at myself. At my age. In midlife.

Here’s what I learned from my new swimmers…

We need to love ourselves where we’re at. You are who you are. I am who I am. No matter where we want to go, or who we think we’ll be when we get there, our future selves will still be us.

Whether it’s good news or bad news, a fresh start or a setback, a move to a new city or a new job or a new relationship, our selves come along with us.

If we don’t learn this, we’re not going anywhere.

This is why we need to love ourselves where we’re at.

I don’t know about you, but I always flip-flop between sizes — sometimes up and sometimes down. I have a serious problem with directions and pattern recognition, and it really hit me when I tried to get into these swimmers.

But I honour that Catherine—with all her crazy flaws and funny ways and inabilities. And strengths!

And I hope you honour yourself, too.

Sending you so, so much love this weekend. Have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love…including your one-of-a-kind, remarkable self.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

When was the last time you did this?

Hello, friends. I have an inspiring story for you…

Last night, I was asked to do something I NEVER would have done without being asked.

A young friend of the family who is without a mum in her life asked me if I’d go to her very first sports match where she was competing. She wanted to feel like she had a full family there, and be like the other girls.

And it was boxing.

You guys know me (and I probably know you, too). I’m guessing very few of us have ever been to a boxing match—but of course I went to support her. I sat in the front row, and hid my face in my hands, and screamed with everyone else, and watched this intriguing sport that I thought was all bloody and demented like the Rocky III movie, but was actually beautifully skilled athletes dancing, throwing combination punches, and showing the most amazing sportsmanship.

And I understood why this teenager needed to build herself a family.

Other boxers had cousins and grandparents and siblings carrying them from the ring hoisted high on shoulders when they won.

She had just a few of us: a ragtag ‘family’ she gathered together.

She was the underdog—and then she won.

Apart from the fact that the match was amazing—a sport, not too aggressive, with lots of headgear, and proper rules, and caring coaches—that spotlit room holding an audience of hundreds was filled with love.

I never would have gone.

So here’s my question for us today:

When was the last time you electrified yourself seeing something for the very first time?

For me, it had been ages. I couldn’t even remember when.

But there’s so much to learn about ourselves and the world. Doing something new gives us energy and perspective and growth.

If you get a chance—if someone asks you to step outside your routine—please say yes. Go do the unexpected. Watch what happens.

Even a tiny change (a shirt you thought wasn’t you, a different grocery store, music you don’t listen to) might surprise and delight you. And if you’re lucky, it might actually change you.

Growth is so good for us. Doing the unexpected is the quickest way to feel like we’re truly living.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope something wonderful comes your way.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!