I’m no spring chicken at 48 years old, and I have done my time over the years at making new years resolutions only to last a few weeks and fall right back into the habits of a lifetime, but with the added bonus of feeling like a failure to boot – and that’s before I now factor in a chronic illness that sees me deal with constant pain every day. I’ve certainly learned over the past 10 years of dealing with illness and pain that I have very little control of how my body will be from day to day. It eats away at any control you have over life in general, on a daily basis, let alone factor in dramatic new years resolutions like joining a gym, or getting out running or even walking for that matter. Any activity I do has a huge knock on affect that impacts what I will be able to do either later that day or for a few days after.
So this year, as with the last previous few years, I have opted for very small changes across the year that then accumulate to make a bigger change overall, without putting any pressure on myself or creating unnecessary anxiety. The changes are very small steps that creates a bit of a ripple into the year, and yet they can be totally achievable even with a chronic illness. So there will be no big New Years resolutions here.
Those of you that know me from Mum in Meltdown will know I haven’t written on there for a long time as I simply fell out of love with that site. Each time I went on there it became apparent I had out grown the Mum in Meltdown label. My boys are no longer younger teens (which was my main focus on that blog) and no longer happy to be talked about………..which is absolutely right and understandable.
So I deliberated for a long time not quite knowing whether to continue blogging………..I mean what the hell was I going to write about. I blogged the teenage years because it’s an absolute brutal minefield that will send you right over the edge on countless occasions. Yet, at the same time I was engaging with people in the same boat, going through the same struggles and therefore, it made me feel……………..well, almost normal.
Well it’s certainly been a while since I have been on here!
It’s not like there hasn’t been anything going on for me to write about it’s more like I haven’t had the urge to write, but lately that has been changing. So rather than bore you will loads of catch up posts I thought I would do a quick run through everything that has been going on.
So this year I have had more hospital imput for my M.E/ Fibromyalgia than I have over the last 8 years since being diagnosed. Finally I managed to get physio treatment for the Carpel Tunnel in my left hand which has helped ease some of the numbness at least. I have also been referred onto a pain management course due to start late September for 7 weeks and I hope that helps me with at least pacing any activity I do ( I am absolutely rubbish at saying ‘No’ to anyone and generally end up overdoing things and then crashing afterwards!). The course will run me up to almost Christmas when I have been told I may get referred onto an exercise class suitable to help with my illness.
You may have thought I had given up on my little blog it has been so long since I have posted on here, but no, I am still here I have just been having a little break.
It’s not that I haven’t had anything to write about, there have been loads going on in the past few months in my little corner of the world, it is just the fact that I haven’t had the inclination to put it all on here, call it lack of blogging mojo but I have had a total break from my site although I have been active on my social media sites. Last night, however, I attended a lovely event down in Kent which got me back in touch with the blogging community. It was fun, it was nice to meet new people and get a bit of that missing blogging mojo back.
So, what has been happening while I have been away (and I do not mean the obvious political stuff that is all over social media at the minute). In my little bubble, I haven’t been active on here since attending a review for a local spa, which I have now joined myself and try and go there at least twice a week. I cannot tell you how relaxing it is using the heat rooms ( sauna and steam) there and how lovely that has been for my poor M.E/Fibro muscular pain.
There’s been 18th birthday celebrations for my eldest ( in April) before all the madness of his A level exams recently.
I haven’t been around much as I made the decision to invest some money and get some super tech person to upgrade and overhaul my tired little blog.
I had no idea what I was after to be honest but I wanted a more professional, clean cut look rather than something I had thrown together myself. It was time to get someone on the case who actually knew what they were doing! This is where Geek Fairy comes in. She was absolutely fab, gave me links to look at colour schemes and sorted out the header etc. As we emailed back and forth the idea evolved where I wanted muted, almost vintage style colours. Then when I saw it I had the idea of the knitted stitches which fitted in with my craft side of things as well.
First of all this post is really, really late but I will explain that in another post!
Anyway, on to me popping my Britmums Live cherry.
After listening to all the talk on Twitter last year, looking at all the fab pictures and generally feeling like I had missed out. I decided that 2014 was definitely the year I was going to go to the Britmums Live event in London.
Sounds like something you have an interest in for the New Year? I have had many dealings through this company and have enjoyed a great PR relationship with Jessica Feldman who has given me opportunities to telephone interview a TV celeb, and review a brand new car to mention a few. They deal with companies from a wide range of products and brands.
Check out the details below:
Want to be part of the brand spanking new Blogger Broadcast Ambassador Programme?
Markettiers4dc is launching a new Blogger Broadcast Ambassador Programme and is looking to recruit Mummy and Daddy Bloggers to review products like shoes, clothes and toys for your kids, and stuff for you such as cars and fashion & beauty products which we will send on behalf of brands that we are working with.
All we ask in return from you is that you review these products with a video camera that we will supply you with. We will also give you the opportunity to record podcast interviews with celebrities and industry specialists on a number of parenting topics and take part in our live TV shows which you can stream live through your own blogs. Ideally, you will post your reviews in your blogs, tweet about them and upload video to sites such as YouTube and Facebook as well.
To help you produce the best quality videos or podcast, those who are selected as Ambassadors, will also receive broadcast media training and some tips on video and audio production, together with a goody bag from us, including video cameras!
If you are interested in getting involved, want more information on the clients we work with, or want to know more about the programme contact: bloggerambassadors@markettiers4dc.com
It’s all gone past in a bit of a blur………………………the last month or two!
I hope I am not the only one who feels like this. Thankfully I have photographic evidence to prove that it all took place.
Where do I start?
There’s been a bit of this:
My 42nd *cough* birthday!1 week scout camp for my youngestA trip to Duxford…. Love it there!10th Anniversary of my Dad passing away :((
Good ‘ol Hamleys
Hubby’s birthday
A bit of that:
YAY………….the Paralympics!GoalballGB wheelchair tennis………..AMAZING!Wheelchair basketball…………MANIC GAME!A new secondary school for my youngest!My youngest turned 12………….now that makes me feel old!
Oh and a LOT of the other:
A biggy at last 🙂Ok admittedly they are not always big!!!!
Looked like a huge goldfish????
So there you have it, my life in pictures- and if you flick through them really quick it’s like one of those picture books!!
A-Arguing…..yes it has started early in the hols with my 11 and 14 yr olds who do NOT get on together!
B-Brother…..I have 2 but my older is travelling over from America and we all haven’t seen him for a long while so should be fun.
C- Cornish Pasties……………one of the treats of visiting mum, the best Cornish pasties!!
D- Danny Boyle……oh what a genius job he did with the Opening Ceremony.
E- emotional as my youngest left primary school and exhausted after all the Leavers celebrations.
F- Family History………….I had the full run down of where we all came from as my younger brother has researched it all in recent months but saw the pics for myself in a recent visit.
G- Great Britain………..C’mon, the nation is proud!
H- HOLIDAYS! at last the long awaited and sometimes dreaded school hols……..I for 1 am glad not to have the early mornings
I- Injustice as my bank account is hacked to the sum of £590 and used for online Bingo!!!!!!!!! Bizarre.
J- Joking
K- Kids………cannot live with them and cannot live without them!! Wish they would just get along and make everyone’s life a little easier.
L- Laughing………..a weeks worth with a stay at my mums!! Don’t ask but she thought Ciabatta bread was called Carburetor bread!!!!!
M- Medication…………has been increased and added to……….but still in pain.
N- NEED a proper holiday, with sunshine and things to visit……….oh and the money to enjoy it!!
O- obviously the Olympics!! Something I wasn’t too bothered about until the opening ceremony and now watch everyday
P- Paralympics! I have been so into the normal games we have bought tickets to a paralympic event to get into the spirit of the whole thing and want to see the Olympic park.
Q- Queen………what a star to get involved in the Games with Mr Bond himself!! Brilliant.
R- Relax………..a few days away and I did just that.
S- SUNSHINE………..yes we had it ………for a week, but oh how lovely it was. Please come back soon.
T- Travelling. To go and visit my family I have to travel from London to Plymouth. Worth the travel but oh sooooooooo tiring for me.
U- Unwashed!!! Not me of course but my youngest on his return from his week long scout camp………………..NASTY!
V- visiting family and relaxing, which I managed to do last week.
W- Wedding! Yes I’m excited to have a family wedding next week. I cannot wait, have a new frock and everything!
X- X marks the spot……..not for treasure but my fishing spot. Have been again and looking to sort my next day there!
Y- YAWN………….more than a regular occurrence for me regardless of how many coffee’s I have.
Z- Zonked!! No other word for it. I am officially Zonked to within an inch of my life at the moment.
So I haven’t posted for a while since my trauma in London a few weeks ago- if you haven’t already then check it out here . It has taken me a while to get over the shock.
But I have also had a lot of mundane normal stuff going on. My youngest is in yr 6 and due to leave so we have been organising the Leavers party
We wont mention the Ralph Lauren Polo top I had to drive to Ashford for on my birthday!!
CD photo books and after school picnic’s and water fights!!
In between that I had my birthday. Yes *groan* another year older and wiser. Although I had to drive to Ashford designer outlet for my son’s Leaver’s party shirt (typical) I had a great day. It was very chilled, me and the OH had a lunch out and did my pressies when the boys came home from school.
A nice roast dinner out with the boys!Complete with dessert
Sorry for the bad pics they were taken on my phone by my youngest in poor light!!
Anyway, moving on I came home to these…………
I also managed to squeeze a relaxing day fishing with the OH ( YES I DID SAY FISHING!) and I caught………………………………….wait for it……………………………….57 fish!!! AMAZING!
Ok I will admit some of them really were tiddlers however I was pleased to be catching some slightly bigger ones too.
Now concentrate on the size of the fish rather than the state of my barnet!! It had been raining people!!!
Sadly, I really have got into this fishing malarkey- even to the point of taking the hooks out after the catch!!! Something I thought I would never do.
Then we had some Groupon vouchers to use up for Namco up in London. I must say the deal was fab as we got over £50 in tokens for only £14!! Now I wasn’t expecting too much of the place, never having been there myself. I thought we would be in and out in an hour. How wrong could I be we spent several hours in there enjoying bowling, bumper cars, and arcade games!!!
The boys racing each other on the bikes!The 3 of them gearing up for the race!
So that’s me caught up I think. I’m now preparing myself for an emotional week as my youngest goes through the traditions of the last week of primary school!
