Back to Basics

 

Just lately I have become very aware that these last few months have taken their toll on my mental and physical wellbeing, even more than I realised. Between working, running the home and studying I have found myself getting quite overwhelmed at times. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have taken on quite so much at this present time. It doesn't help that at this time of year my body often feels exhausted just from holding itself tense with cold. These grey, wet days leave much to be desired and I cant wait to enjoy getting up on the fells again. Add my long term sleeping problems into the mix and it could definitely turn into a downward spiral.

I am also very aware that in these situations there can be no quick fix or waving of a magic wand to restore some equilibrium. So I'm going back to basics. Eating well, exercising more and hopefully my sleep patterns will improve as a result.

 

I am happy to report that, as of last week, I have now completed my coursework, and I don't have any intentions of reaching for the text books anytime soon. This in itself should free up some valuable time, which with any luck, I should be able to use for exercising. Every new year I make a promise to myself to prioritise my wellbeing, but I always fall short on this, usually putting the needs of others before my own. I hope this year will be the exception, and I can only be encouraged by the significant birthday that's on the horizon ;) 

This morning I have used the last of the summer fruits to make some compote and there is now a batch of homemade spiced carrot and lentil soup in the freezer. I have baked some flapjack which is cooling as I type and several rather overripe bananas will be finding their way into a banana and cinnamon loaf just as soon as I have drunk my coffee.

I am off work for now, so this coming week I intend to balance some fun days out with getting my house back into some sort of order...in more ways than one :)

J. X

A New Month

Despite a promising start, January finished up being a bit of a slog. Like I said in my previous post, I've been kept busy juggling work and home, which in turn saw me falling behind with my coursework and becoming quite overwhelmed. Even the plans I had made for some nice days out didn't work out quite as I'd hoped. A lesson learned, however. I now realise that sometimes I should lower my expectations, not everything will be perfect, and I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself. At least the feedback on my last submitted module was positive and I only have one more left to complete. Once this is finished I will be having a much needed break from my studies.

There have some good moments, however. Our wildlife group met up again. This time we were making bird feeders, in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch. I spent a peaceful hour watching over the garden from my kitchen window, but it was rather quiet. The weather that day was particularly windy, so only some starlings, blackbirds and a crow were brave enough to take their chances. Of course,  the following day, once the storm abated, it was business as usual, with all our regular visitors.

I met and helped to feed some gorgeous alpacas.

And another wonderful moment happened while driving home after a particularly stressful day, when a beautiful barn owl flew alongside my car for a short time. It felt quite magical. So it wasn't all that bad, I suppose, and it is important I keep some perspective. Having said that, it isn't always easy at the time.

In a bid to shake myself out of the doldrums and restore some sense of balance once again, at the weekend I insisted on getting up on the fells, albeit a small one :) After another incredibly windy day on Saturday, Sunday was forecast to be much more settled and with the added appeal of there being a cave on our route, Lily was definitely up for the walk. 

The weather was actually much brighter than the photographs would suggest but to begin with we were on the shaded side of the fell looking over towards Grasmere. The clouds came over just after we had reached the top.

It was only after we had visited the summit that we ventured into the cave, which in reality is an old quarry. Lily had hoped we could eat our lunch in there but it was a little too dark and damp for my liking, so we walked back down the fell and sat much more comfortably on a bench by the river, where we finished up sharing some of our bread with these friendly ducks, as well as a robin, which had been watching us hopefully from a nearby tree branch. 

A brand new month and a fresh start. I just hope this one will turn out to be an improvement on the last.

J. X

Helloooo!

 

Just popping in to say thank you to those of you who have messaged me with good wishes and to enquire as to my wellbeing. The last few weeks have been a little more stressful than I would have liked and I've been absent for longer than I intended, but I am completely fine.

I've been keeping busy juggling work and home, and then trying my best to ensure I enjoy some time to relax at the weekend. I've made it to the end of January in one piece - just! The days are getting longer and brighter and snowdrops are appearing along the sides of the lanes.

Back soon.

J. Xx

New Year

Although, not quite so new anymore, I was actually a little surprised when I wrote out the date this morning. Where did the time go! I've ambled into this new year quite uneventfully, which is always a relief, as for many years it was never a good time for me. If something was going to knock me sideways it would generally happen at New Year, so now I often find myself braced and prepared for the inevitable. But thankfully, on this occasion, it was completely unnecessary.

The decorations got packed away during that first weekend and, although the house initially looked a bit empty and bare, it was good to give everything a thorough clean and tidy. I couldn't believe how long it took me, however, but I do like taking care to store everything away properly. And yes, I remember exactly where I've packed the little bells :)

There have been a few firsts here this week - first day back at work and school, first run of the year (first of many, I hope) and first fell walk of the year. The weather has mainly been grey and damp, with the occasional sunny day to brighten the spirits. Like most of us, I've been feeling very January-ish. It is definitely not my favourite time of year, especially with it being so dark. It often feels as though the day doesn't begin properly until around mid-morning. Fortunately we have one or two nice things planned over the next couple of weeks, so that will be something to look forward to, at least.

Our fell walk took place on the day before school started back. The forecast was good, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get out, but being rather chilly and the fact I knew it would be very windy on the higher fells, I decided it was best to keep to the lower ground where we could, at least, enjoy looking at the other snow covered summits. As I am not an experienced hiker and I would never take risks, so it was a lovely surprise to discover that even on this smaller summit there was quite a generous covering of white powdery snow. Not such a nice surprise, however, to discover that the narrow road to the starting point of the walk was more than a little bit sketchy. Still, we made it...just! The initial climb was quite steep. I had originally planned to walk the route in the opposite direction, but on arrival I changed my mind, as it wouldn't have made for the easiest descent in the snow. The views were stunning and, as always, it was lovely to see the fells from a different perspective, and perhaps pick out which one to climb next.

The walk itself was fairly short, and as it was so cold, it was decided we would eat our lunch back at the car. I was glad I had taken some hot Winter Spice with to warm me up - the squash, not the vodka on this occasion  :) And, thankfully, the road had cleared of ice on our return.

At work, just when I think my hours have settled down, I have been asked to provide extra cover from time to time. I don't really mind, as I quite enjoy taking on a variety of roles. 

At home, I have been  ruthlessly tidying. The dining room has seen some serious cleaning and, when I get the chance, I will be working my way through the rest of the house. My houseplants have all been receiving some tender loving care, and as much daylight as I'm able to provide. This week I took delivery of some citrus compost (I never even knew there was such a thing!) and my little lemon trees have now all been re-potted. Several of them have sprouted some fresh new shoots since Christmas and I'm determined to keep them thriving for as long as possible. I'm trying my best to ignore the current muddy mess which is the garden, as besides regularly cleaning and replenishing the bird feeder, I think I'll be better off waiting until the weather improves. It is making me incredibly happy to see we're getting a regular stream of feathered visitors, especially when I put out some mealworms. 

J. X