Full on

I haven’t been blogging because I’ve struggled through August and into September. The struggle has, to be fair been mostly about time, just had so much on, I’ve had to prioritise stuff and unfortunately blogging fell off the list.

Though August I had a 114k edit, a good book, but that’s a lot to get edited in 4 weeks. Then it was my wedding anniversary (29 years), my daughter’s birthday (23 years old), work in the garden that had to be done because plants work to their schedule and never mind the rest, and there were things in and on the house that needed to be sorted.
Though in fairness, I have to say that the garden (the front garden) looks lovely now, am really proud of it. This year (in case you missed previous posts) we’ve ripped out 22 year old bushes (not a fun or easy job), and covered the beds with chipping to just place out flower pots as they are much easier to maintain. I love the way the garden looks.

Our house is south facing, so we’ve also had a load of work done to replace the facias and guttering, but more importantly, we’ve had a new roller door fitted to the garage. This was actually done on Monday, so only three days ago now, and it’s already proving a boon. To get our vehicles on the drive (well the campervan) that van has to be put very close to the garage door to fit, so the old tilting door couldn’t be opened with the camper in place. Now this one rolls up without going out and we can get things in and out through the garage without having to move stuff – it is amazing how much of a difference that makes! Looks great out there now.

We also finally got a load of pictures back from the framers. One was a reframe because it was an old picture that had been my parents and over the years the frame had decayed, so needed replacement, and the rest were things that we’ve had for ages, but just didn’t have framed. Now they are all back, and they are up on the walls and it’s lovely to get some colour and art up. Am really pleased with how they look.

Though August I really struggled to write anything of my own. Again, it was mostly a time factor, but when I did have a few minutes to sit down and write, I found it a real struggle. So, I stopped trying. Thankfully the first week of September we were away on hols in the campervan, and I had the time and space to stop for a while, and now my writing is flowing again.

It was much the same with reading, really struggled. Now with all the work around the garden/house, I did manage to get through a few audible books – the exact reason why I love audible. My favourite book has to be Denzil Meyrick’s “Whiskey From Small Glasses”. I absolutely loved it. Will put a blog up on my other blog (GB Williams Crime Blog) soon, but I have a rash of blog tours to do my bit for this week – another thing that’s kept me busy.

On the writing front, while I haven’t been writing much, I have been working on blurbs and cover art and trying to get a blog tour organised, so it’s all good, all on-going.

Thankfully the first week of September we were away on hols in the campervan, and I had the time and space to stop for a while, and now my writing is flowing again.

Anyway, am now hoping that normal service will be resumed, whatever the hell ‘normal service’ is.

Busy Day

It’s been from the sublime to the ridiculous today.  Yesterday I was so shattered I couldn’t do anything, today I am shattered because I haven’t stopped.  So far today I have:

• Transplanted plants from the front garden to pots (13 pots, I hope the transfers are luckier than that number.
• Done 2 9kg loads of washing.
• Hung all the washing on the line.
• Painted the front fence – it’s 6 foot tall it was thirsty for paint (yes lots of gardening being done at the moment.
• Cooked a fish pie (which I’m looking forward to eating because it’s in the oven right now and smells wonderful!)
• Been a taxi service for my daughter.
• Written 6 marketing paragraphs.
• Posted a blog and stuck that on social media.
• And now I’m writing this blog.

Apparently, the post-vaccine exhaustion has left me, though I have every intention of doing little more today.  After dinner I am going to have a long soak in a hot bath and then put my feet up with a book for the evening.  There doesn’t appear to be much on TV, so I may binge some more of “Shakespeare and Hathaway”.

Wipeout

Sleep is something that often eludes me. I consider myself lucky if I get a full six hours a night.  But not this weekend.

I had my covid jab on Friday, Friday I was okay, felt like I’d been kicked in the arm because it was so painful, but I wasn’t ill, until Saturday.  Saturday I was just wiped out.  I got up late, couldn’t concentrate, only managed to read half a chapter of the book I’m reading. In the end I went to bed early – half six in the evening early.

Never have I ever felt so wiped out.

This morning I got up late, I decided I had to go and get a bit of work done in the garden. I spent an hour and a half pottering (pulling out ivy and bagging it up) and then I was exhausted.  So I came in, put the roast on, then had to sit down for an hour. 

As I write this, it is half seven and I’m pretty much ready to go to bed and sleep another fifteen hours. But I’ve stuff to do, so I’d best get on.

Planted

What a day.

Got up about 08:30 and since it was sunny I put yesterdays load of washing on the line. Then I came in and started the next load of washing. Then I remembered to take the tablets. Actually, on that front, don’t think I’ve mentioned, I’ve added a spoonful of linseeds to my morning routine, it helps with digestion, been doing that a week now, it’s working.

Anyway, while the washing was on, I worked more on my manuscript, then, sent it off to my structural editor.  A month from now I should know if it’s any good.

Next load of washing on, I put a load of bedding plants in pots in the back garden. Carnations, Sweet Williams and Geraniums, but mostly Pansies, large and small flowers.  What I couldn’t get into the pots in the back, I put in the front flower bed I dug the other day.

After that, a trip to Tesco for the weekly shop and a total floor show of a stupid woman thinking that just because she had some kind of letter (I was too far away to hear details) she could go around the shop with her mother when Tesco policy is one person at a time.  The Tesco girl did really well, then letter-woman storms off demanding that the woman make sure everyone else does the same. I looked down the line – no other couples.

Then home, shopping away, cooking dinner (homemade pizza and garlic bread). More dealing with the washing, including having to finish a lot of it off in tumble dryer – it’s sunny outside, but so cold the washing just isn’t drying properly. 

Also today heard of the death of the first person I know personally dying of coronavirus.

Physically a good day, but worries continue.

Weed

The pain has disappeared today, seems my body has returned to its usual monthly rhythm; two days of pain and bleeding so heavy it’s more like haemorrhaging, then it’s over. Today, it appears to be over.  Woohoo!

This morning I had a lie-in, but when I got up, I got into shorts (first time in well over a year) and a t-shirt, and I went out to dig over the front flower bed – the one I couldn’t face yesterday.  Got my daughter to come down and help pull the grass, weeds and big stones out of the turned over soil.  Took about an hour, a not very big piece of ground, but it was an hour out in the fresh air.

More importantly it feels like I achieved something today, a good thing for a depressive. As I am feeling good today, there’s something I wanted to say that often gets forgotten:

DON’T STOP TAKING THE TABLETS.

Although I’m only taking multivitamins and supplements, and I don’t feel like I need them, I take them all the same because it is that continuity which sees us through and ensures good health.

So if you’re on medications, take them.

Stay well and keep safe.