Welcome to Life at Number Eight, my monthly series where I recap the month and share snippets from everyday life.
Hello and welcome to what may be the final Life at Number Eight post for a while. I began this series two years ago as a way to share small moments and personal updates on the blog. Since then these posts have documented a lot: a job loss, the sudden death of a family member, struggles with anxiety, and the transition to full-time remote work during a global pandemic.
So much has happened and I’m grateful to have these entries to look back on. After two years, it feels like the right time to pause and focus on something new. But for now, let’s catch up on the month of August.
As I mentioned last month, Queensland—and Brisbane in particular—has reinstated restrictions after a small spike in cases, including closing the border to New South Wales. This spike continued, though fortunately the cases were on the opposite side of Brisbane, so I felt less concerned about daily outings. Still, I’ve become more cautious and hopeful the restrictions will contain the spread without further measures.
Long Weekend Camping Trip
Every August Brisbane gets a public holiday for the Ekka, the city’s agricultural show. This year the holiday moved from the usual Wednesday to Friday because the Show was cancelled. The change was intended to give locals a long weekend and encourage spending in Queensland to support tourism businesses.
We usually head to a camping spot in northern New South Wales, and because the border closure happened quickly, we couldn’t change our plans. With most campsites booked, we found a private campground on a property about 30 minutes past Gatton. We didn’t expect much beyond a quiet escape, but that was enough.
The place delivered exactly what we wanted: no phone service, very few people, and plenty of mountains and fresh air. It felt wonderful to disconnect for a couple of days and simply sit around the fire. The clear winter skies were perfect for astrophotography, and I was thrilled to get out my camera gear again and capture some beautiful shots.
Having my hair done… finally!
I don’t spend much on self-care, but I love getting my hair done. This month I returned to the salon for the first time since January—the longest I’ve gone without colouring my hair since I was a teenager.
I had an appointment in March that I cancelled as lockdowns began. I expected to reschedule shortly after, but the hairdresser closed for five weeks and reopening was slow. When I finally rebooked in June, family reasons forced another cancellation. My stylist only works two days a week and is very popular, so it took a while to find an available slot. The wait was worth it—I feel much more like myself now.
Making plans, without too much expectation
Despite the uncertainty, I couldn’t help planning a little. We’ve booked a house on the Gold Coast with friends for an October long weekend. I’m looking forward to a break by the ocean—good food, drinks, and time to relax—but I’m tempering my excitement in case restrictions change.
I also have annual leave booked. We were supposed to travel to Japan, but with international travel off the table for now, we’re considering road trips, camping, and exploring more of our own state instead. Fingers crossed everything goes to plan.
Most Popular Blog Post
This month I focused on creating new content and one recipe proved especially popular: my first pressure cooker recipe, pressure cooker chicken noodle soup. It’s easy, comforting, relatively healthy, and became a repeat meal in our house. If you own an electric pressure cooker, would you like to see more recipes made with it? Mine has been a kitchen game changer over the last 18 months.
Other recipes from this month that readers enjoyed include:
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes – a plant-based take on a classic, matching the expected flavour and texture.
Rainbow Sprinkle Cake – a fun and colourful cake for celebrations.
One Pot Spicy Sausage Pasta – a flavourful, fuss-free pasta made in a single pot.
Biscoff Baked Doughnuts (pictured below) – if you enjoy Biscoff spread, these baked doughnuts are a must.
What I Read This Month
I read two books this month and am halfway through another. I’ll likely share that title when I finish it; it may feature on my best books of the year list.
For more book recommendations, I share favourites on Instagram Stories—check the Books highlights for my recent reads. I’m considering adding more book content to the site and would love to know if readers are interested.
Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms by Anita Heiss (2016)
This historical novel by Anita Heiss, a member of the Wiradjuri nation, is set around Cowra, NSW, near the end of World War II. The story opens on the day of the 1944 Cowra breakout from the POW camp and follows Hiroshi, a Japanese soldier who manages to hide. He finds refuge with Banjo Williams and his family at Erambie Aboriginal mission, and the novel explores the intersection of Japanese and Aboriginal cultures, the treatment of Aboriginal people, and the nature of compassion. It’s a thoughtful, detailed book that blends cultural reflection with a touching love story.
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (2018)
Bridge of Clay follows the Dunbar family—five brothers navigating life after their mother’s death and their father’s absence. Told largely from the eldest brother’s perspective, the novel focuses on the middle brother, Clay. Zusak’s prose is lyrical and layered; he often leaves crucial moments between the lines, inviting the reader to fill in emotional detail. The book explores loss, family, and acceptance, and despite its weighty themes, it feels ultimately life-affirming.
What’s coming up?
September is quiet so far. With spring beginning, I hope to spend more time outdoors before summer heat arrives. I’ll also continue working on the site and testing new recipes to share with you.
A final thought
I’ve loved sharing these monthly updates over the last two years, and I’m curious about what comes next. Maybe I’ll return to the series in time, or maybe Eight Forest Lane will evolve in a new direction. Either way, I’m following my intuition and excited to explore the possibilities.
Thanks for reading and for being part of this journey—feel free to share the site if you enjoy it. Let’s see what happens next.
Sally x