Catch-Up

It can feel strange writing a post again, after an unplanned break. And I'm not even quite sure how to begin. Life has been a LOT lately. Most days have been physically challenging, and the overwhelm has been huge, but I think that I'm finally beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

My body feels sluggish and tired. Most days I feel nauseous and achy, and I have only just acknowledged that I still have a lot of healing to do in order to feel like myself once again. There are no quick fixes here. I'm going to have to pull myself up by the bootstraps and put the work in, so I'm going through the motions in the hope that I can gain some momentum.

Last month, we took a short trip to Dublin. It's somewhere that has been on my list for a while, and it didn't disappoint. We explored the city on foot, took the obligatory photographs with the Molly Malone statue, and visited the Guinness Storehouse. If you ever get a chance to visit there, I would definitely recommend it, and not just for the free pint of Guinness at the end of the tour. I enjoyed a half, and Lily drank what they call 'Clear Guinness' - water. Then we couldn't not visit the famous Temple Bar, even joining in with a live performance of Take Me Home, Country Roads :) It was only a short visit, but very enjoyable.

I ended the month of April with a trip to a spa with my girls. And what a fantastic day! The weather was amazing - sunshine and blue skies - so we spent much of our  time outdoors, in the hot tub and in the swimming pool. It felt like being abroad on holiday, instead of us being just a few miles from home. Then afterwards we enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea beside the river. Very relaxing, and very much needed. 

I've been getting out for some fresh air, given the opportunity, but even that has felt like a lot of effort, recently. I find that I'm getting tired easily, so I'm trying not to overdo things. Patience really is not one of my strong points, but I now realise - begrudgingly - that I do need to take things very slowly for the time being, After completing just a gentle fell walk with my friend, I couldn't believe how exhausted I felt afterwards. It took me a good week to recover. Lesson learned. 

The following week, Lily and I enjoyed a more gentle pace, with a wander down by the shore. I felt the need for some sea air, as I often do when I'm feeling out of sorts. We took a walk over the headland, where the bluebells and cow parsley were looking beautiful, and we then we had a lovely time searching for sea glass, while sitting on the soft,  warm sand. 

In other news, I now have a teenager in the house! Lily celebrated her 13th birthday in her usual understated way - a day at school, then she went to the youth club that same evening, and I baked cookies for everyone.

I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's news later on, but first, I'm going to see about getting out for a (very) gentle run. 

Back soon.

J. X

My Shadow

I've been thrown another curveball. Another setback, which means I'm finding things quite difficult at the moment. But this one has been keeping me going, just by being by my side, pretty much all of the time. This is quite unusual behaviour, as she's always been very independent, and never been what you might call a lap cat. It takes me back to when Lily was younger, and the times Mog would lay up against her back at night, or when she would insist on being there at bathtimes, like a little furry guardian. 

As cats go, she is THE best. At 11 years old she still has the silkiest fur and the most sparkly green eyes, which are filled with mischief on occasion, but can see right into your soul at all times - especially where food is concerned.

Instead of sitting on the armchair, she will sit beside me on the sofa, and if I wake during the night, she is fast asleep right next to me - sometimes so close that I can hardly move to get out of bed. Then, as soon as I get up, she follows me downstairs. It's as though she can sense things are not quite as they should be. I almost tripped over her, while I was coming out of the bathroom this morning! She was waiting for me, right behind the door.

The sun is shining, here,  and I have had the chance to spend a little bit of time in the garden, which has done me a world of good. 

Thank you, again, for all your kind words and messages. Have a lovely week.

Back soon.

J. X

Easter Weekend

This weekend I've felt more rested than I have in ages. In fact, I can't remember how long it's been since I had a time without responsibilities or appointments, and I must admit, I've rather enjoyed it. We've spent a lot of time at home, 'Just chillin',' as Lily calls it, and it has been exactly what I needed. 

Thankfully, Storm Dave only resulted in a few empty flower pots getting blown around the garden - I don't know how I missed putting them away. And then the sun came out, albeit intermittently. It's still incredibly cold here. There's another light frost, this morning. 

Of course, we made Easter nests. Always a favourite in this house. And although Lily is far too grown up for an Easter Tree now, apparently, she is not yet too grown up for an egg hunt. Cue me hiding chocolate eggs around the house first thing Sunday morning, with Mog watching on, wondering what on earth I was doing. Instead of a tree, I have attached our little eggs onto a crocheted chain, which I've hung beneath the wall units in the kitchen. This way I still get to enjoy them.

That same morning we went for a visit to Sizergh Castle. It was a lovely bright start to the day and still nice and quiet as we took the trail across the fields and back again through the woods. Wild garlic is in abundance just now, and the bluebells are gradually beginning to flower. I really hope I get chance to visit the bluebell woods in the next few weeks, as they are such a spectacular sight. 

After our short walk, we went into the castle gardens. We didn't see any huge floral displays, but the glass house, kitchen garden and orchard were all full of promise, as is the way, at this time of year. 

There was a quiet, sheltered spot at the end of the hot wall, where we sat to enjoy our drinks and some chocolate eggs. And just look at those gorgeous tulips! Aren't they fabulous. They reminded us of flames.

To get back to the car we had to walk right beneath this tree, which was covered with the most beautiful blossom. Absolutely gorgeous.

After a brief chat with Charlie, the resident black cat, we made our way back home, to a mug of hot tea and some more chocolate. 

I really hope you all enjoyed a lovely Easter.

Back soon. 

J. X

Winner!

 

My apologies. I got a little held up yesterday. 

Thank you so much to all of you who commented on my last post. I entered the amount of comments I received into a number generator, last night, and the result was '2.' My 2nd comment was received from Jo. So, congratulations, Jo! Please get in touch with your details, using the 'Contact me' section of the side bar, and I will get your goodies sent off this weekend. 

Thank you so much, again, everyone. These blogging friendships mean more than you know. Here's to the next 10 years!

Back soon. 

J. X