Looking back , looking ahead

I’m here again, after a bit of a break. It hasn’t been intentional really; just sometimes you have times when you’re feeling productive and inspired and motivated, and social media seems like a good idea. Other times everything’s a bit blah and you’re more concerned with keeping warm and fed, and you choose to look inwards rather than out.

Not that I’ve been doing a lot of deep and meaningful stuff of the introspective kind. It’s just this winter’s been a long one and there’s no sign of it ending any time soon. In the meteorological sense at least. Other than the very occasional still, dry day this weather seems to have been going on for months. The wind and hail wake you at night, and the rain comes down horizontally all the time. The skies are dark and oppressive. It feels as though we’re living in half-light and it all gets very repetitive and gloomy.

So I trawled through the archives and found one of me and Shane on a more temperate day last year. Looking at them makes me crave the warmth and light.

And despite this weather, you really do need to count your blessings. Having seen all the floods in the UK lately, for us, I’m grateful that all this rain rushes away and doesn’t settle.

Christmas… it was a whirlwind but somehow we had some slow days on either side. I was busy in the run-up with family and posting out last minute orders, and all the school activities, but suddenly everything came to a stop. There were walks and cosy afternoons at home, presents and good food and books and films.

I met up with my friends quite a few times, for coffee and hot chocolate and lunch too. I miss them.

We caught up with family too, and ate lots of party food. I don’t regret any of that. Although my clothes seem to have shrunk…..

February is here and we are currently on the wind down to half term. The thought of having nothing booked and just spending time catching up on things at home and then deciding to go on day visits to some random local historical places, but I am thinking of making it a more enjoying time. It is also the season that we see the start of daffodils on all checkouts, the first flower in Wales that truly makes us all have a moment to stop and reflect.

until next week…