August 2025 Life Updates

Ash
Aug 28
6 min read

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Hi friends! Welcome back to another monthly life update for August 2025! So what have Ashy, Benji, and Luke been up to this month? I think this may be a short one (even though it felt like we did a lot).

#lifeupdates #lifestyle

Previous 2025 Life Updates:

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August 2025 Life Updates

We went to Lightscape 2025 in the Royal Botanic Gardens. I was a bit disappointed because last time we went (in 2023), it was way better, with more lights. BUT I did really enjoy the food options that were there.
I stayed up and watched The Logies, and usually Luke stays up to watch it, but he was very tired that day. We also watched the Masterchef AU finale and I'm glad who won, but it was also kinda unsatisfying, if that makes sense.
Luke completed a 10K Fun Run in Echuca/Moama and completed the run in under 50 minutes. A guy called Benji came first. Everyone, go congratulate Luke on his first run in the comments.
Luke has started cricket training again for the year.
We had our routine inspection, and everything was looking good, but there was a bit of drama with a few things that needed to get fixed (our internal garage door bangs in the wind, and there is a gate outside the garage that blew off in the wind). The owners ended up coming to check them out one weekend and organising their own tradie to come fix it. As it was over a week since we had heard anything, I emailed the PM and her assistant, and her assistant followed up for us so we have a tradie coming to our house tomorrow before 12 pm (dunno if that means between 8 and 12 or 9 and 12, but just said he was coming then). So fingers crossed everything is fixed because the wind is crazy atm.
There were a few birthdays this month, Luke's Aunty's at the end of July, Luke's Grandma's, a few 30th's, and my Mum's birthday is tomorrow - PLEASE WISH HER A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN THE COMMENTS!
The YouTube videos I put out are as follows: The 20 MOST Common Nightmares and Their Meanings // Signs Your House Might Be Haunted // I'm hoping I can do some more soon!
The Freaky Friday Files I put out this month are as follows: Australian Scandals // What happened to the Fandel's? // "Demon" Cat // My Favourite No Sleep Stories.
TV shows that Luke and I have been enjoying are The Four Seasons, Digman!, Last Week Tonight, Eve of Destruction, Taskmaster NZ, and Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee NZ. We also watched the SNL movie, and I thought it was really good. Such a shame Chevy Chase is so problematic now.
I haven't really been watching much TV by myself this month, mainly SNL and YouTube for me, but I did just start watching Man On The Inside, which is very good, and I love the little references to The Good Place.
The books that I have read this month are as follows 1. Cheat Sheets for Life - Ayesha Ratnayake 2. The Dream Hotel - Laila Lalami 3. The Stranger Diaries - Elly Griffiths 4. Foreclosure Gothic - Harris Lahti 5. A Few Rules for Predicting the Future - Octovia E. Butler You can check out my August Book Reviews "here". And I finished ALL the good reads challenges for summer (even though it's winter here).

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Collage of a corgi, a woman, and outdoor scenes with trees and beach. Text reads "August 2025 Life Updates" and "www.asheycakes.com". — SAVE TO PINTEREST

We went out for lunch one day at Francis Winifred and took Benji there for the first time. He was happy because he got pets and a treat. They have great food and coffee. You can check out my foodie review "here" on Eats with Ash.
I've started eating overnight oats to see if that helps with my IBS symptoms and general inflammation. I don't like oats that much, but hey, if it helps and I can make them chocolately, then I'm all for it. I want to get some cute mason jars to make them more aesthetic. I've also been trying to add more GF food back into my diet to help with IBS, so had GF pesto pasta the other day.
Luke went to a games night with his uni mates.
Luke and I celebrated what we call "Possum Day," which is the anniversary of our first-ever date. We went out to BrewDog Pentridge for dinner and took Benji with us as it's a dog-friendly pub. We think he had fun. I really liked the food, and it didn't hurt my tummy at all. I'm working on a foodie review on my food blog for this one.
We spent a day at the Collingwood Children's Farm and also went to the Abbotsford Convent - both doggo-friendly spots and Benji had such a great time. He loved the guinea pigs and was a bit scared of the sheep. There weren't heaps of animals, but definitely a good day out, and I think I preferred the Abbotsford Convent; it had a better vibe.
Luke went out to the East Brunswick Hotel with his schoolmates for a catch-up.
I've been struggling with some health issues more than normal this past week. I think I overdid it over the weekend - a lot of walking, a workout, and cleaning the house. Sunday afternoon, I was soooo dizzy and must have had a migraine; I fell asleep for the whole afternoon. Then Monday and Tuesday, I just felt exhausted, dizzy, and by Wednesday, my legs felt like jelly. I'm going to talk to my doctor about this stuff at my next appointment. Idk if it's my IBS or chronic fatigue or if it's something else entirely. Who knows, haha - but I've always struggled with dizziness, it's just usually been written off as low blood pressure/being a woman. I also need to get a blood test and book that damn doctor's appointment. Love the procrastination for me /s.
I've tried a new sleepy-time/stress relief mocktail called the "cortisol cocktail" and it's quite nice. I like getting extra magnesium where I can, as it helps my back pain (I have a slipped disc).
Luke made his very first charcuterie board, wooo go Luke!
I think I've finally managed to look after my herbs; the mint seems to be growing. Fingers crossed it stays that way (I think the crazy weather in Melbourne makes it harder).
Luke has a haircut on the 30th (my next one is September 6th).
We have a kinda odd neighbour (I'm not sure where he lives, but I think it's down our street) and he does some strange things. I don't want to be judgemental, but some of it is very strange. Anyway, he usually walks around with his phone on speaker talking to someone (it's not English, so I don't understand what they're saying), and then the other day, I saw him cross the road with a few saucepans and place them on the ground, stand there for about 15 minutes, and then pick them up again. It doesn't seem that weird now that I'm writing about it, like maybe he was taking them from someone else's house or giving them to someone, but I've just never seen anything like that before.
As for my psych appointments, we're taking a break from EMDR as we've been doing a lot of it, and I just want to rant in appointments sometimes lol.
This morning (28th August 25) I read about an a$$ault down at the creek, kinda near our house, on the suburb's community page, so that's the 2nd one in the past 10 months, makes it feel unsafe going for a walk by yourself during the day (both incidents occured during daylight hours).

Things I'm looking forward to in September are my haircut, a NZ friend is coming to visit, S4 of Morning Wars is being released, we're hopefully going to buy our Canada flights for next year, and spring in general. It's also kinda daunting the closer we get to November, the closer that existential 30th birthday is LOL.

Also, I couldn't quite get all my images into my Pinterest Pins, so here's some more for ya'll!