Ooooh I’m having such a wobble today.

I feel exhausted. I feel like I can hardly keep my eyes open and it’s 10.15 😆

I was up for the loo at 2.33, 4.56

I’ve also started this blog twice 😆😆 at least I’m consistent. I started it the same way both times! it’s now 3pm.

I didn’t feel great this morning. I took Freya and Bhruic out first…. stopping for all the primary school traffic, every few minutes, wrong time to walk the dogs!!

I got half way round our walk and a dog barked…. Quite aggressively…. Somewhere in front of us…. My anxiety was so high, we about turned and headed back the way we came.

I was breathless with my anxiety.

I may have caught sight of the wee sausage dog, as we walked back home!

How ridiculous is that?

I then took Calaidh and Khaleesi up the hill…

No panic up that way!

I have a doctor’s appointment at 10.30am to get my newly discovered lump checked. (Again don’t panic as I have lots of cysts so it’s most likely that).

I’m ok about it all as I’ve been through this routine many times. The doctor was lovely and said all the right things. She told me that I’d be referred as an emergency only because they can’t rule anything out. She said I would get a mammogram within a fortnight. This is exactly the procedure I’ve experienced in the past, so I am not panicked but I’m so emotional that of course I cried in the surgery… when I told her I hadn’t had a drink in 6 years…. What was that all about?

I asked if there was anything I could do to reduce the cysts that I have and she said stop smoking and drink less. ✅ ✅ ok so nothing then?!

She said it’s common in many perimenopausal women.

I decided to cheer myself up when I left and headed to Curiosity for coffee and a cake.

This cake deserves a side on photo!

It was exquisite!! Surprisingly it wasn’t too sickly. It really hit the spot.

What also helped is I bumped into my lovely friend, Evelyn, one of the crochet hookers, and coerced her to come with me!! It was her first time and she said it was the best coffee she’s ever had.

We had a great wee chat.

As we left I had a message from my friend Gayle from the little gift shop, so I popped in there and we talked for about 2 whole hours.

I’d told the puppers I would be home soon!!!

Craig called me before he went into a job AND when he came out and I was STILL in the shop!!

I left at 10.15 and was home by 1.45!!

I musta needed it!

So I had a list of things to do today but I knew I couldn’t do any of them. I feel so weary that I’m happy with my big chats and now cuddles with the dogs.

This is enough for today.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

If you didn’t see yesterday’s blog the olive quote will be lost on you… the good news is that I feel much brighter than I did yesterday.

I knew I would.

I’ve been really tired today.

I always feel a bit exhausted after a dramatic day in my head.

I had my shower and sat down by the light of the candle, to work on my journal entry in Donna Ashworth’s Words to Live By. I spent a lovely 20 minutes, writing my answers to the question for today.

It was a beautiful morning.

I pulled over to take photos. The sky was so pretty, none of these do it justice.

It was still pretty when I got to work.

So I did have a much calmer day today. There were no tears, no rage, all good.

We had customers in with the best behaved dogs ever. A Boxer and a Frenchie, they were so cute and it was lovely to spend some time with them.

Not sure if you’re aware but there is a lot happening in the sky in the next week or so.

This was from last night.

Now don’t be blown away by this but is my photo of Mars last night!

And this is Saturn…. I feel like I can see the rings around it…. While I’m sure I can’t….

I’d said I’d downloaded a new app…. SkyView Lite. This is tonight.

And here is my photo!!

You can’t see the 2 separate planets.

And Jupiter…

For real as zoomed as I could get it!!

And finally Mars.

And yup…. We can’t see it at all!!

I’m fascinated looking at these planets.

It’s a very stark reminder of how tiny we are and how vast our Universe is.

So, I’m really looking forward to 3 days off work.

You know me, I have lists but they may give way to rest.

Happy Thursday night!

Stay safe everyone 🌍🪐📡

The olive in my salad at lunch, completely explained my day.

A wee sad olive. 🥺🫒

It’s been a really tough day today.

I was up at 5.15 for a run with Claire and Lynsey.

I was a rough run for me today. My knee was sore for the first time in ages.

I’ve been wearing boots that I haven’t worn for years. They were the ones that I rescued for the Vinted sale bag.

It seems they were in the bag for sale for a reason. I have 3 pairs of these boots and every time I wear a pair, I end up with the pain.

Lesson finally learned. Except for the dark maroon ones… I’m keeping them 😆

So I digress, sore knee this morning but I also felt really down.

I ended up in tears as we ran.

I wanted to stop.

wanted to turn around.

The girls kept me going.

We ended up doing 5.41kms in a really good time considering I walked a few times.

I felt really sad when I got back home. I sat and had a good cry before I went in for a shower.

I was “this close” to calling in sick today.

There is one day a month where I really should have a duvet day. Today was that day.

I hummed and hawed for the whole shower but figured out I’d be more stressed having to try and make up the 7.5 hours, than I would be if I just got my shit together and went to work.

And so I went to work.

I felt a lot better then I got there and got on with the day but I had a wobble for a few hours this morning. I couldn’t look at anyone.

I just wanted to cry so bad. My head was having a complete hissy fit at everything that happened this morning.

I read a FB post at lunch that said “turn that frown upside down”….. and then I saw the sad olive in my salad.

It made me laugh so hard!

It actually made my day.

I couldn’t eat it.

Yes I am THAT crazy.

Moving on swiftly…

I also had a follow up HRT call with the doctor this afternoon.

It went really well.

We have decided that I should up the dose slightly to see how that goes.

I also told her I’ve found a wee lump so I have an appointment on Friday to get that checked. I am full of cysts so I’m not panicked by this so please don’t worry. I always get them checked out.

I was sooooooo grateful when it came to 4pm and I’d made it through the day.

I know I’m dramatic but that was a tough one.

I’m sure it’s just hormones and it will pass. I take it I’ll our because I’ve had such a good January so far.

I always do say I would share as much as I could.. warts and all.

Off to crochet in half and hour. I hope they’re ready for me. 🤦🏻‍♀️😆😘

Oh and if you look out to the south east direction you will see Venus shining brightly with Saturn, less bright off to the south. (At time of typing…. The planets will move 😆)

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

You soooo know I have nothing much to write about, when I call the blog, crazy mild weather for January 😆😆😆

A daily blog is bound to run out steam some days…. I got up, I went to work, the end. 😆

Last week we had -7°C and I ran in -4°C…. This week 10°C!! Ellison and I almost sat outside at lunch today, as when the sun shone it was really lovely.

I feel brighter today.

I’m not really down, I’m not really sad. I just have nothing much to say. I also consider that to be a good things as it means there is nothing bad happening either.

I slept like a log. Woke at 4.30 again but managed to fall back to sleep before the alarm. That is lovely and unusual as it meant my head was empty…. And that doesn’t happen often.

When I woke at the alarm, I knew my head didn’t feel great, so I said some positive affirmations to change my mood.

I am healthy, I am happy and I am loved

I said it over and over. I think it worked as I have felt better.

I got up, had my shower, lit the candles and sat down to Donna Ashworth’s,Words to Live By daily journal. It’s a lovely way to start the day.

I love this…

I’ve had a good day and got lots done.

This is a great list of easy to do basics to keep your health and mindset on track.

I’ve smiled at small moments of Joy throughout the day.

I had to go to the co-op after work as we’d run out of dog food. The delivery has been delayed. I got £21 off my shopping and I was over the moon. It’s the simple things in life.

This next one is huge….. try to break out of the same cycles of why me and take a deeper look at what these things may be telling you.

A funny story from the another day… I had this huge list to work through (my choice) and I was ticking things off as I went. Loving it, caught up in the inspired action, thinking about this, that and the next thing, everything that needed done….

Craig , on the other hand, was wondering how many balloons it would take to lift him off the ground.

😳🙄

Does that not just sum us up eh?!? a saying about Venus and Mars springs to mind (incidentally, Mars will be close to the moon tonight if you have a clear sky!)

We had a good laugh at that….

Here is the answer.

I will just leave that there….. 😬

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke at 4.30am…. And I think I might have got back to sleep for about 20 minutes before my alarm went off…. I should have just got up when I woke 😆

I finished off drying out the freezer before I went to work.

I actually find myself at a loss for words today…. Hmmm why is that?!

I’m tired and a little bit flat.

It’s actually been a really busy day but I did enjoy ticking off housework lists more 😆

Funny that it’s been wet and windy all day…. I feel grey on a grey day.

I made a nice veggie dinner…. I had so much, I split it into two!

One is cauliflower and broccoli in Boursin.

And the other is in soft cheese with tumeric.

I stir fried leaks in coconut oil and added salt and pepper. I then add a vegetable stock pot and stir it all in together, before adding the cheese. It’s not hard 😆😆😆 I love that I’m giving out a recipe for the easiest thing ever, but I really enjoy it.

So that’s actually all from me tonight. I still have Donna Ashworth’s journal to do so I’ll get on to that. It’s a really amazing journey to be a part of this year.

Sorry I there’s not been much to say…

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I have so much going on my head right now that I decided to write a list of things to do today., and check them off as I go.

And I have loved it!!

I use the Reminders app… it’s so satisfying.

I woke at 7am which felt like a lie in. I tried to go back to sleep but I’d don’t happen. it never does 😆

I spotted some red sky out the bedroom window, so got dressed really quickly, to head out with the dogs.

It’s much milder but still really frosty.

The sky is much more mellow this morning. It’s more of a peachy colour.

The road was really slippy so I took them into the field, behind the village, for a good run about.

Freya always has something hanging out of her mouth! This is a clump of grass 😆😆

The sky behind me is changing colour.

The dogs love running around. They love being off lead!

I love this tree. This is the tree I take photos off with the pylon next to it. I just love the structure of it.

I love that Freya is watching Calaidh and Bhru playing…. Wondering what she’s missing out on. 😆

Calaidh had a huge branch that’s fallen off the tree. She played with it for ages, she tried to lift it and carry it…. Bless her!

The sky gets darker.

Zoomed in!

Can’t decide on my favourite of these next 2 photos…. I love the colour though. It’s almost the pastel version of yesterday’s sunrise.

Still with the stick!

So this is the same view…. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s amazing how much your surroundings change, based on time of day and the weather.

As soon I was back home I got onto my list….. I changed the bed and sorted through some of the stuff that’s up for sale.

I’ve sold some boots on Vinted, so I got them packaged up and wrote to cards I’ve been meaning to post for weeks. I arranged for them to be collected from work tomorrow, by Royal Mail.

I put foam pads on the bottom of the dining table chairs to stop them scraping the floor.

I did a washing and hung it up and put the dry one away.

I defrosted the freezer.

I darned in all the ends on the baby blankets I’ve crocheted over Christmas and got them ready to go to the hospital.

I added 5 squares into a blanket I made in lockdown. I’d been doing to throw it out and one of the crochet ladies is going to finish if off for me. She just wanted me to add the squares in that were missing. So that’s done.

I deleted lots of videos and photos off my phone.

I made a lovely lunch and made extra for lunch for tomorrow.

It’s been really full on by I have really enjoyed it.

There is very little left for me to do in the house apart from decorating. It doesn’t seem the right time for that, while the roads are wet and covered in grit. The dogs will just shake all over it. Maybe have to wait till it’s a bit warmer.

I’ve had a really lovely weekend. My head is so much calmer when the house is in order. I just need to whip Craig and the dogs into line and we’ll be laughing. 🙊😬😉😘

So I hope you all have an easy week and remember you can handle everything that the week throws at you.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Ooooh I have a million photos of the sunrise this morning. No filters at all but you won’t believe the colours I saw this morning.

What a wonderful day to be alive.

First things first… last nights’ moon and stars…

The first photo shows a bright Venus to the extreme right of the shot and the brighter one to the left is Saturn! 🪐 I was so excited.

The bright light below the moon is Jupiter!

I love my new found fascination with the night sky.

When I took the dogs out the back at 10.15pm, it was almost daylight. We didn’t need the floodlights on at all. It was so cold, so calm and so bright. it was lovely.

Back to this morning!

I was awake from 5.30 and got up at 6.30am. I was meeting Claire and Lynsey for a run at 7.15… a positively civilised hour compared to our normal run times. 😆

It was very cold so I put on an extra layer and my thicker leggings. The ground was so frosty that it almost looked like snow. It was white and furry.

It was bitterly cold and we just had to be careful to make sure we didn’t slip.

This is one of the entrances to Spiers Old School grounds. This was the first time I stopped for photos!

As you are about to see, I stopped a lot for photos. 😆 it’s strange that it was quite a fast run despite my being the team photographer!

Lynsey took a photo of me with Claire.

The sky was so beautiful. We all said it would have been so easy to stay in bed this morning and not run. We maybe would have had some extra sleep and scrolled social media for a while.. instead we got this!

I couldn’t stop myself hanging back to take photos.

I love this next one.

Now this next photo is not the colours that we saw. The white/pale pink line on the horizon was actually orange… the camera couldn’t pick it up, for some reason. I think it still looks stunning.

It’s about 7.40 by now and it’s getting lighter.

Selfie 🤳 the girls are at the top of the hill.

It was just out of this world. I’m so grateful we got to see this.

And we are done. 5.46kms in 38 minutes and 49 seconds. The sweat was lashing out of me by now.

I thought I’d better just walk the dogs while I was on the move. I shoved an anorak over my running gear and set off up the hill. The sunrise had gone and this is al that’s left of it.

Or so I thought….. then I spotted this!

You may know by now that I don’t watch the news at all, but I have just heard about the wild fires in California, and the devastation they are causing. This next hour or so is very reflective as I’m blown away but the colours, the light and the beauty, while also thinking how scary that must be when the colour is caused by fire. 🥺

I can’t believe I thought sunrise was over. This was Sunrise 2.0.

I just doesn’t look real.

Any icy trough in the field.

While the sun rises in the East to the left of me, the West is putting on its own show, as a freezing fog rolls in, from the Garnock Valley.

The depth and pattern in the clouds is just amazing.

Back to the fog… I didn’t know which side to look at 😆😆 this is our wee village in this shot.

If you zoom in you can see how the fog cover.

Back to the village.

And now the fog is picking up the colour from the sunrise.

Then the obligatory puppy pose shots as I suddenly remember I’m out with 3 dogs 😆

Love this one!

As the sun heads up into the cloud, the fog looks white against the darker blue of the sky.

Back home with the three Borders and out with Khaleesi. She doesn’t get the colour show!

This is the same shot I took yesterday just in different colours…. Almost black and white.

So I came home, had a much needed shower and headed to the supermarket for a food shop. On the way home I popped into Beith. This is the old church.

I treated myself to a coffee in Curiosity. I had an oat milk, mint latte with some Battenburg rocky road which was out of this world!!

I had great chats with everyone who was in. It’s a lovely space. I didn’t know anyone else but we all sat at the single table and chatted.

I was there for an hour! That was 4,5 hours ago and I can still feel the caffeine coursing through me! yes… everyone who shouts DECAF at me… none of you were there 😆

Back home and put the shopping away and then set about some more cupboards, clearing out and cleaning them. Don’t worry there isn’t much left to do 😆

I settled down to do Donna Ashworth’s journal prompt and Khaleesi wanted a cuddle.. bless her.

So I hope you all have a lovely Saturday night and I hope I can sleep after that coffee!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

What a wonderful morning to be alive.

I woke at 5.20 but lay and dozed until 8am.

If I’m honest, I think I thought about 70,000 thoughts in the time that I lay but I felt like I needed the rest.

At 8am the sky was already light, but the sun had not risen, so I quickly got dressed and grabbed the 3 Borders for a sunrise dog walk.

Not for the faint-hearted walking 3 dogs on lead in such a heavy frost!! Thankfully it’s a dry frost rather than black ice and I only slid once and had to deep breathe to recover… the dogs all came to my rescue at the sound of my heavy breathing!

If you zoom in, two ducks just took off from the water!

The sky is a beautiful light.

I try so hard not to get the electrical pylons in my photos but I liked the silhouette of natural with the manmade. (Note my lovely neighbours’ house right in the middle!!)

The pylons stretch into the distance as far as the eye can see.

I love the pink and blue of the sky.

A frosty fence post 😆

A spooky tree, named by our lovely friend Carole, who is no longer with us. Will always see her in these trees.

An icy gate… it’s been a while since I took a photo of a gate… 😆

Off lead!!

Found a big stone in the mud Mumma.

Lookie see 😆

As I turn round behind me I see the sun is almost there.

A beautiful sunrise and the light takes the edge off the burr cold.

I love the light of the morning.

Whatcha saying says Calaidh?!?

Get it over with says Freya.. I wanna play.

Just perfection. I feel so full of joy up here alone with the puppers. It’s so quiet and calm, so peaceful. It’s a wonderful way to start the day full of all the different light and full of joy.

A promise of a beautiful day.

Looking down over Beith and the snowcapped Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran.

Beautiful sunrise pose. They are clever girls.

The frosted farm road we walk on.

With the sunrise to the left on the way down the hill.

And the farm looking so pretty, on the right, in the warm light.

By this time, my fingers are so cold I can hardly manage the poo bags and the 3 leads but I’m still taking photos!! I love Frey’s face.

As I head back home I meet Holly taking Leo for a walk, so I dump the Borders on Craigie and do a quick swap for Khaleesi!! think she’s sticking her tongue out at me in this one.

I’m home by 10am and get stuck in to the housework.

I want to relax in the sunroom/snug later on and I need to eradicate all the dog hair that’s accumulated since last weekend.

On a roll. I hoover the whole downstairs, tidy the kitchen and get everything just so again.

I pop outside for a poo pick but there not much to be done and there’s a lovely warmth to the sun.

Craig leaves for work about 2.30 and I sit down.

Bhru to the left of me.

Freya and Khaleesi to the right of me.

And here I was stuck in the middle 😆 I love that I get up and down and there’s still space for me when I come back.

The sunroom brings light into the house. The sunrise, the sunset, the fire and the candle light. I think that’s why I suddenly love it so much. I don’t want to leave. 😆

Self care time. Donna Ashworth wants us to right about our critical inner voice. I don’t think the space on the page is big enough. 😆

I take people at their word so when people say they are going to do something I believe it will happen.

On the flip side, if people ask me, or tell me to do something in a certain way, that’s what I will do.

One of the the things that I get most irritated about is when these things don’t happen.

Either I expect things to be done and they are not or I stick to what I’m told to do and that remit changes and I am confused. I seem to be quite black and white that way. A two year old has a childish tantrum in my head when this goes wrong for me. Followed by a huff.

I don’t say a word.

It grows inside of me.

Until one day, for no reason at all, I blurt it all out or I get angry at something completely different.

What if I took everything at face value and listened, knowing it either might not happen or whatever I’m told to do would change?

Would the world end?

No.

Would it make my life easier.

Probably, yes.

I’ve also been questioning my day to day reality. There is so much of the world waiting to be explored, how do I cope with the mundane, day to day, same old, same old.

I feel like something has shifted this month. I feel much more relaxed with a day in the house and I’m so grateful for the time spent.

My go to detox is still to be alone and I do think I’m in danger of spending too much time alone. I know I need connection too. Since my illness in 2018, I’ve worked so hard to control my reality. Being alone gives me true control as nothing can upset me and I can’t upset anyone else.

The silence is wonderful to me.

I need to look for beauty in the noise too.

I want to focus on that more this year.

This has been such a reflective January for me!

I also wrote another (very) short story for the free Winter Writing Sanctuary with Beth Kempton. I’m enjoying the randomness of the topics she gives us to write about.

I was thinking about my 3 lovely sets of favourite jammies today too and realise that it’s so much easier to change when you come into a house of moulting dogs…. It keeps my outdoor clothes a bit less hairy. (Check me with even more control in there…. Control freak!

I hope you have a lovely Friday night. I have the candles on, fire lit and all the dogs are out for the count. That could be because this room is like a furnace. 😆🔥🥵

And we’re awake and out the back for some better cold air. It’s still beautiful.

I have also downloaded the SkyView Lite app so I’ll be out there looking for stars once it’s really dark.

Stay safe everyone ✨⭐️✨

I am tired tonight.

I feel a little ratty. A little tense.

I have literally used the new “Let Them” theory (Mel Robbins) ALL day… which implies things have required me to say “Let Them” ALL day… 🤦🏻‍♀️😆

Now I have to be honest and say that it does really work for me. It takes the power out of things that usually make me escalate inside and get really stressed out.

No wonder I’m shattered. It’s hard work changing your natural responses. 😆 it also takes a lot of self awareness to admit that you have to.

This is my new wee mini scarf. 🧣 I crocheted this years ago and one of the lovely crochet ladies finished it for me last night… it’s so short as that was all the wool I had 😆 it looks much better when I zip the hoodie up.

So the day started at the nurse for an HRT review .

I don’t know anything much about blood pressure but I got a lot of praise for this….

So much so I asked to take a photo so I could remember what it was. I have no idea what it means. I’m taking all the credit though! 😆

So yeah, I think I’m a bit cranky tonight.

I had to work through lunch and work until 5 to make up for the docs this morning so I caught this lovely sunset when I left.

Here’s what I came home too. Craig was sitting there with them 😆

I made a shredded chicken curry for dinner. It’s another recipe my Auntie’s friend, Anne gave me! It was super tasty.

That is my lilac shoulder and this is a selfie. Khaleesi loves to stay close 😆

So this next one from Furry Friends… says it all.

I have a sore head now so I’m going to have an earlier night than my regular early night and see if I can get a lie in. 🙄😆 it’s my weekend already and I currently have no plans. I’m sure I’ll turn another room upside down or something 😆

And finally….

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s was soooo cold this morning.

The alarm went off at 5.25 and I met Lynsey for a run at 5.45am.

The pavements were frosty so we ran on the road down to Beith and back. 5.14kms precisely.

It’s my first run of 2025 and I did not stop once. I even ran up the hill from the little gift shop towards Gateside, without stopping. It wasn’t my fastest but it was stamina building. Thanks for Lynsey for never complaining about running slower than she would on her own.

Check how steamed up my glasses are!!

It felt really good to run after a week and a half off.

I’ve also got rid of all the bags of rubbish from last week which is a great relief. I can’t take anything back out of them now. That’s always the worry.

My Vinted parcels have started arriving with people so it’ll only be a few days before that money comes through.

It was a beautiful clear sky on the drive to work this morning…. (I’m sure it was while we ran but I never looked at the sky!).

Work was super busy and the day went really quickly again.

So I’ve said all week that I feel different this January. I am very aware of almost every minute of every day.

I am appreciating every single day since I went back to work, instead of wishing it to be over.

Driving home I click on a podcast by Jay Shetty where he is interviewing Mel Robbins on her “Let Them” theory.

It is an amazing listen.

I’ll post the link to it here Mel Robbins – how to use the Let Them theory

I think this could be a game changer.

It’s exactly what I’ve been talking about in the last few days… handed to me in a theory!

We spend so much energy in our lives being annoyed by things we have no control over.

The husband who doesn’t segregate the recycling properly, the boss who never follows process, the shop that makes you go downstairs to pay when their are tills upstairs, the customer who treats you in a way that winds you up….. these are “random” instances that may or may not have happened recently….. 🙄 we cannot control any of these.

We can choose to get all bent out of shape and to talk about it to anyone who will listen or we can choose to “Let Them”.

Thinking let them means that these things don’t have power over you.

It’s not let it go…. But let them.

Let it go means you have to pass it off and forget about it.

Let them is let them be who they are and stop being so incensed about trying to change them. you have no control over changing another person.

You can choose to sit them down and explain from a “let me” perspective and tell them just why their actions bother you so much and they can choose to respect that and change or they may stay the same. You then need to decide whether you can live with that or not.

Think how much of our energy is wasted on anger at others.

Telling others how angry we are because of x, y and a. Spreading all of that negative energy.

Let them….

Please listen to the podcast as it really blew me away. Mel and Jay explain it way better than me.

It gave me a lot of peace.

Please take note of this…. Our lives are very short and we need to live in each and every moment.

I’m off to crochet to show off all my baby blankets… I’m very excited but I better get back out of my jammies!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

What a rubbish title… back to reality and there’s not much else to say!

I slept like a log, woke at 5.45 and got straight up to work on my Donna Ashworth journal.

I sat by the light of the candle and poured onto paper. I love it!

Six years ago if you asked what I was proud of I would have stubbornly said “nothing”…. Now I have so much to be proud of and grateful for.

I don’t say that boastfully…. I’ve worked very hard to get to this stage.

I managed to get into the car this morning no problem, my doors were not frozen shut… I did not have to climb into the boot today. Now that’s definitely a great start to the day!

Now I guarantee you will think this looks disgusting… but… in an effort to use up things in my storage cupboard, I’ve been having Chia Seed pudding for lunch.

This has chia seeds… obviously…. Freshly made oat milk (made in my new nut milk maker for Christmas) maple syrup, chocolate and salted peanuts.

I’m really enjoying it and it’s cost me nothing as I have all the ingredients in the house. Yes I know I paid for them before, but you know what I mean!

I’m really trying to think differently this week. I’m not escalating things in my own mind and it’s making me smile as I do it.

And this…. I am so grateful for the dark that I went through as it’s allowed me to see everything in a different light.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I survived. 🥳

That was a lovely long break from work.

I started by worrying I’d go insane with boredom and ended it having gutted a lot of the house and being very proud of myself!

I’m also proud of my response to going back to work.

No dread.

No fear.

No stress.

Just another day to be enjoyed as much as yesterday and as much as tomorrow.

Check me….

I have never been like that first day back in January.

I usually feel so depressed at the thought.

Don’t get me wrong, I really, really enjoyed not working and could get used to that life very quickly, but it’s important not to wish your life away waiting for a Friday, the weekend or a holiday.

I do hear myself and wonder how long it might last?!? 😆

I have to find ways of dealing with the things that affect my peace. I know what they are and it can sometimes be the same thing every day. What is the point in being annoyed at the same things every day, being incensed by them?!? All it does is take my peace.

I am not a saint and doubt I’ll be able to keep my internal cool at everything moving forward but I feel that the recognition of it, is half the battle.

So I’m going to write a list of all the things I “rise to” on the daily… then I’m going to write what I can do about them. I’m fairly certain that the answers will all be “nothing!” And that’s the point.

This from Sweatpants and Coffee, a lovely follow.

I set my alarm early this morning, so I could get up early and answer my Donna Ashworth journaling question… it’s a good chance for reflection.

I also did the second writing assignment of the Winter Writing Sanctuary.

All before work.

Sadly my car was frozen solid, despite having its fancy windscreen protector on and I had to climb through the boot again!

I made it to work but her skin of my teeth even though I’d been up for hours!!

I’m back in my new happy place. Our “snug” being fought over by Bhruic and Freya. .

Check all of these gorgeous paws…. Khaleesi is baving a snooze!

I couldn’t agree with this more…..

And finally my wish to you….

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke a bit later today. By the time I came downstairs it was 7.30am.

I set the fire in the stove, lit my candles and settled down to my Donna Ashworth, Words to Live By….. for her journal prompt of the day.

I found today’s a bit harder to answer and I have to be honest and say I’ve felt a little out of sorts for the rest of the day.

That’s why it’s a great process, to get you thinking.

One of the ladies in the journaling group saw this on a tour or Christmas lights. I pinched it and must keep remembering it my word of the month.

I also wrote a very short story as part of my Winter Writing Sanctuary. I meant to say that she’s has asked us not to post about the detail as she would rather people just joined her free course at Do What You Love. I’m not sure my little ditty was worthy of sharing anyway although Craig said it was good.

So the next thing you know, it’s only 8.30 and I start on the kitchen. that was not my plan but I always work best on tasks when I sheepish myself!

Buying stuff has not made me happy in life but I’ve only realised that on the last year or so.

We have amassed so much over the years. I’ve felt like I kept moving things from room to room, no more!

Getting rid of things makes me over the moon with happiness. Deliriously happy.

Now there’s not a massive amount of difference but the cupboards are all clean inside and I threw out the noodles best before December 2021, among other things.

I got a bit upset when I broke a shelf as it fell off the wall in one of the cupboards.

Our house is old and these things happen. If we had all the money in the world there would be a new roof and a new kitchen but that’s not for today.

It’s hard in my strive for everything to be “just so”. There are dogs that will make things dirty and there is the age of the house which means things that need repaired that can’t always be fixed immediately. (it wasn’t about the shelf which can be fixed!)

I had a rush of anger and frustration and few tears… so I decided to go for a shower and take myself away from the things that were stressing me.

It did the trick.

I also made myself an Italian hot white chocolate…. Had it in Gran’s cup that I keep trying to give to charity, and Craig keeps taking it back out 😆

Bhru has her tongue sticking out again. 🤪

So tonight is the last night of 17 days off work.

17 whole day days seem to have passed in a flash, yet I feel like I’ve been off for ages.

I’ve had such a good break. I haven’t even had to consult my list of things to do when your bored on a day off 😆

I’ve managed to do so much and yet I feel like I’ve had a rest as well.

I saw the above and laughed…. I used to hate January. I would see it as doom and gloom. This doesn’t bother me anymore.

I’m approaching it very differently this year.

Every day is just as important as the next so I have 360 left his year to really live and try to make as equally special as each other.

They all count.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

What a lovely start to the day.

I woke at 5am and as per, could not get back to sleep.

Instead of “trying”, I decided to get up.

I came down to the sunroom…. Newly renamed the snug 😆 and put some more wood on the fire.

I lit all of the candles and I sat down with Donna Ashworth, Words to Live By and did my daily journal prompt.

I lit one of the meditation candles that Craig gave me for Christmas.

This was what I wrote this morning. It felt quite poetic for me. 😆😘

I also have a new cookbook and I spent some time reading that.

Claire sent me a link a while ago to the “Do what you love for life winter writing sanctuary 2024” which is run by the author Beth Kempton.

I’ve been getting emails over New Year and this is just me taking the time to start on it.

Remember my Donna Ashworth inspired word for the year is LIGHT.

This is what Beth says early on in her introductory video.

This year I’m going to be actively looking for the light…. Candle light, fairy light, fire light, moonlight, sunlight, light in people’s hearts, light in their words… find light and offer your light to others. 

Then she said

Focus on the joy. 

Oh ok, Wow. Synchronicity. I love that.

You just have to look for it and it is everywhere.

I watched the light change as the sun started to lighten the sky.

I feel so calm and peaceful in this moment that I chose to write about it first thing, while the calm is still here.

Then I see this!

In true Rambling Sloth fashion I also have to that the moment is lost somewhat, when I have to allow the herd of charging wildebeest out of their respective bedrooms. My peace is shattered while they career outside, then its feeding time and the zoo and finally an hour of so afterwards, calm has returned and I am crocheting.

I made them all pose… just to prove they were ALL in on the act.

Sadly Khaleesi decided to eat my original crochet blanket.

My ego wanted me to be livid, it wanted to rage at the injustice of it all. How long that had taken me to make?! Rage, huff, rage, bloody dogs…. After all the clearing out this week, I couldn’t even find the rage to appease my ego.

It’s just another thing in the house that can either be repaired or taken apart and put back together without that particular row.

I love watching how I respond to something that my former self would have had a hissy fit about.

My ego tried so hard to get me to fight… but she fizzled out when I didn’t allow her a voice.

So next stop is the living room and taking down the Christmas tree. I couldn’t drag Khaleesi away from Craig, so I made the 3 degrees pose in front of the tree one last time.

The tree was looking very tired. I think Calaidh had been drinking the water under it while she hid from the rest of us!

I started to hoover the room and Dyson Animal was not playing ball…. This is the anti hair wrap model!!!

I see a whole lotta wrapped hair there Dyson.

To be fair I don’t think any hoover is great for 4 dogs.

I hoovered most of the house and tidied as I went. I made the puppers pose where the tree used to be!

I’ve made these dogs work hard today… don’t worry they got treats 😆

I’ve sold 6 things on Vinted so far so that was my next job. All 6 packaged up and taken to our local EVRi drop off.

We got the charity shop bags in the back of my car and some clothes into the Clothing Donation bin at the school, I rescued a sweatshirt last minute! 😆

My school blazer is in that bin. I need to stop thinking about it, I can’t get it back.

I found Calaidh posing in the dog’s room next to her puppy photo on the wall. Too cute!

And I’m cooking dinner tonight. Honestly even listening to myself today thinking I’m like the Duracell bunny 😆

I love how driven I’ve been to do chores and to relax this holiday. We’ve hardly been out since New Years’ Day and I needed this.

Rigatoni with sundried tomatoes, spicy cheese chunks, onion and olives!

I’m back in my new snug comfy spot finishing this.

I’ve had a really lovely day today. I am feeling joy in my reality, exactly what I wanted.

This is the last night of holidays with a possible lie in tomorrow.

What are my chances?!

Oh and remember to check for Saturn tonight. It’ll move behind the moon from one side to the other 17.21-18.30. For real tonight 😆 though it’s a bit cloudy.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

How could I forget my soberversary tonight?!?

Six whole years… I would never have thought that possible.

I am a much better person without alcohol at every turn.

I can trust myself to show up.

I can rely on myself.

I have taken back control of my every waking move.

I have to feel all the feels.

Every uncomfortable moment.

Nothing gets washed away or forgotten about.

I try not to drown these thoughts in Cadbury’s chocolate buttons anymore too!!

But I have fought against the norm in our society and done what is right for me.

I am pretty proud of that. As difficult as that can be at times.

Also disclaimer. I made a mistake in the first blog! It’s Venus that’s next to the moon tonight and Saturn is from 17.21 tomorrow night!!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It was beautiful again this morning but black ice everywhere.

I had a great sleep and could see it would be a beautiful sunrise. Claire had messaged me and suggested heading up to the dams near us.

I had a shower, got changed and headed out to the car.

Could I get in the car? Nope… the door is shut fast. The ice was like glass.

Now, on a work day I might make more of an effort, but I gave up today.

I went to take some icy sunrise pics instead.

It’s a beautiful morning. 🌅

Look at that black ice.

So back into the house and back into jammies.

I sat down and read “January” in my new Almanac.

It’s really interesting. I learned a lot about the moon, the tides, sunset and sunrise. I also learned that Saturn will slip behind the moon tonight between 17.21 and 18.30 in the UK. It will be very faint but I’m going to look for it. There will also be a chance of seeing the Quadrantids meteor shower tonight and tomorrow night.

I then started work on Donna Ashworth’s new book. Words to Live By. Click this link… it’s a great book designed to help you journal through the year.

I have chosen a word for the year.

My word is LIGHT.

I want to enjoy sunrise and sunset and any more beautiful Aurora that I get the chance to see.

I want to spend time in twinkly light or candle light when it’s dark.

I want to shine a light for people who can only see darkness.

I’d like to be lighter in my outlook.

I don’t want to be stressed and angry. I want to breathe in the light.

I don’t want to be grey, I want to be light.

You get the picture.

Now also for January, I am choosing a word for the month and that is Joy.

Now I really shudder at the word joy. For some reason I really struggle to feel joy unless I am clearing and organising or galavanting around the world.

The clearing and organising part is easy. That’s because I am taking control of mess, I can put my hand on everything as I know where it is. I can out things away when I use them as I have a registered place for them. Rather than just tidying by shoving things out of sight.

The galavanting is always obvious as I have run from all the stresses or every day life and I’m essentially on holiday. I’ve actually been quite flippant with that reply as there’s more to it than that.

I feel fulfilled. I’m excited, intrigued and stepping out of my comfort zone.

I also feel joy in my jammies either crocheting or writing the blog or watching a good show on tv.

I know it’s not possible to see joy in every minute of every day but I would like more joy in my daily life.

As Donna Ashworth often says, I run naturally dark. I get triggered by so much in the day to day. I can’t always write about that here. So even although I’m as honest as I can be on here, you still probably get the sugar coated version. You get the omissions version.

So yeah more work on Joyous January. Thanks Sally Maxted for that 😆😘

I spent the morning putting lots up for sale on Vinted.

It suddenly occurred to me that I could share my page here Rambling Sloth Shop 😆

By lunch I had sold 3 things already… albeit less than £20 in total but it’s better than giving everything away.

I have to give every sale the dog hair caveat 🤦🏻‍♀️😆 I try my best but it’s gets everywhere.

We then took Khaleesi to the vet for her painkiller injections.

Here she is back in the car patiently waiting for Craig, while he paid.

I’m not sure if it does much of a difference so we’ll use this month to decide what should happen next.

Back home by 2.30 and I de-iced the car and have re-lit the wood burning stove, and candles. I have the lovely light as the sun sets.

I’ve definitely felt out of sorts today. Maybe panic that the 17 day break is coming to an end. Stress that I’ve not done half of what I wanted to do. (I know I haven’t really stopped!!!)

So I need to be kinder to myself this evening and just rest because I am tired… and soak up that glorious light.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I did not sleep well last night….. I had acid reflux when I woke about 1.30am. It could have been the amount of steak pie I scoffed. (Definitely back eating meat for now)

I lay awake for a while.

There was also a fair amount of snoring going on… 😆

I didn’t get up until just before 9 as I read for a bit.

We were both on the clear out boat today.

I plonked him on a footstool and directed the traffic 😆😆

We were really ruthless and had a great morning. I don’t think we even argued. 😆

So we have a very small loft and it’s in the eaves of our very old cottage.

Look at it now!!! We are not finished but this as full and a real dumping ground.

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me feel!!

There were warnings issued that things will not be dumped in here EVER again. 😆 We’ll see….

There was a village dog walk at 12.30. We used to do this every Christmas Eve and I haven’t been for years. This Christmas Eve was a howling gale. Today has been the first decent day since I finished work back on 19th December!

It is so beautiful. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the sky this blue…. Ok well I saw it in Iceland for a few hours 😆

Here we all go. I only took Calaidh and Craig walked the others.

We walked right up to the disused golf course, looking away across to Lochwinnoch. I haven’t been here for so long. You could see as far as the snow capped Ben Lomond but I didn’t get a photo of that.

SELFIE!!

Here’s Calaidh posing in front of Julie’s bush 😆….. it’s a beautiful pink Rhodedendron bush, when it flowers. 🌸

There isn’t a cloud in the sky. It’s freezing but there’s a lovely warmth to the sun.

Calaidh is loving life without her pack. Enjoying time with the other dogs.

Rachel-two-doors-down had treats for them all. Here’s Calaidh being cheeky trying to get a treat first!

Even the grass looks really green against the blue. All the puppers are the same colour apart from Calaidh.

Here we are again!

Heading back down across the fields.

It’s just so lovely to breathe in the fresh air.

Rachel managing across the gate with her Prosecco intact!

Me managing to get across the gate with my water bottle intact! 😆

I went back upstairs to continueclearing out and Calaidh lay down on the bed… she is sparko. Totally out for the count.

By the time I finish, Craig’s watching the football so I’m in the sun room with the doggos. Look at that beautiful sunset out the window. Also a lovely glow from the candle.

And Calaidh is enjoying being cuddled up with the heat of the stove. It’s bitter outside!!

It’s been a lovely day. I’m making a lovely dinner too. Check me. I could get used to this not working malarkey.

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

How is it 2025 already?!?

This is the first thing I saw online from Coffee & Quotes! boom… drops mic, says it all.

We had the one of the loveliest Hogmanays.

We stayed in and I went to bed after 11pm and read my book. 👇🏼

It was just the best. I would go so far as to say I “hate” Hogmanay…. Now that is a strong word so I know it means way more about me than it does about Hogmanay!!

There is something about the whole day that wears me down. The pressure that I “HAVE” to celebrate. I “HAVE” to stay awake until midnight… my worst nightmare. I am the early bird who loves and early night and this day expects a lot from me.

We decided early on that we would most likely stay in. The pub next door a big thing on New Years’ Day so we will head in there later.

So I’m already happy that I get to stay home. That’s a start.

I had my red jammies on which is apparently good luck in Italy on New Years Eve!

Who knew and yet I did it so that’s lots of luck for my New Year.

So yeah I was actually in bed and slept right through the bells.

This is what I was trying to say last night. Donna Ashworth hits the nail on the head.

And a Happy New Year from the Waverley, my favourite ship!! 🚢 (although after my last sailing I’m nervous to book this year 😆, I still highly recommend it for a trip this year)

A lovely message from the Law of Attraction.

This year will be difficult for so many of us. It will not all be sweetness and light but this life is what we make it. We get to choose how we respond to everything that life throws at us. I am writing this as much for me as I am for anyone else.

I love the thought behind this next one.

So my day today was dogs walks first thing. It felt like everyone else was in bed and we saw no-one, I love that.

We sat about this morning and looked for mini breaks!

Then at 12.45 we headed into the village pub and met up with all the neighbours.

It was the loveliest afternoon. Though if I drink any more alcohol free for the rest of my life, it will be too soon!!!

I’ve had a lovely afternoon. Lots of chat but I really enjoyed it.

I left early to pop the steak pie in the oven.

Check the size of this portion!!!

I hope you all had a lovely day.

I wish you a peaceful 2025.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

No-one really knows why New Years’ Eve is called Hogmanay in Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 There are many theories…. but it just is. 😆

I asked Craig and he is still talking…. 🙄 we are finalising that it evolved through a combination of Gaelic, Norse and French influences 😆 I got bored listening!

Today is Hogmanay 2024.

Can anyone actually believe it will be 2025 in 8.5 hours?!?

How did that actually happen?

It’s been another wild, wet and windy day in Scotland today…. As so many of the last few days have been.

I woke with a thumping head this morning. I think I’m just a bit dehydrated but I feel like I just need a day in the house today.

I was meant to be meeting Gayle for lunch but I messaged and asked if we could postpone. We’ve been really busy and I really needed a day to stay in my jammies.

Of course I didn’t do nothing…. I went back into the dog’s room and continued sorting through old photographs.

Another massive trip down memory lane! I took great delight in sending pictures on to people.

I was at this for hours!

The dog’s room is back ready for dogs. I still have way more to do but I spot a gap in the torrential rain, and head out with the Borders.

Then back for Khaleesi. She was soooo excited to go out for a walk!

It’s 3.30pm and I’m shattered!!

So we’re not certain what we are doing tonight but there is a chance we might not even stay up for the bells.

As my friend Ruth always says, we get through 100% of our bad days…. And I have had bad days. So many close friends have suffered some of their worst days this year.

I always used to be a cup half empty kind of person. Not so now.

Be kind to yourself in the year ahead.

I am proud of my travels in 2024. I have been to so many incredible places and feel so full of gratitude as a result.

And definitely this!!

And finally I am going to end my year with this… sent to me by my friend Sally.

The font is small and I have to zoom in to read it but it sums up the last 6 years of my life.

I wish you all a Happy Hogmanay and Happy 2025 when it comes.

I know it will bring challenges for many but I hope that it beings you some days of peace.

Thanks to everyone who comments, sends me content and support my ramblings. It means the world to me.

Stay safe everyone ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿♥️

The weather was atrocious over night….. I do seem to like that word atrocious…. It was so wild!

I woke at 5am and we had the window open. I lay there listening to it. I stuck my fingers in my ears…. It didn’t drown anything out!

I was still wide awake when it was time to get up. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Then I want to sleep!!

The rain was coming sideways and the wind behind our back, when we started out run…. Not so much on the way back.

My headtorch conked out in the first 5 minutes. Not the best timing as my legs were knackered after sitting so long yesterday, emptying boxes.

The weather was soooo wild. I stopped a couple of times when I knew they would be running back to me.

I had to talk to myself because it got a bit scary without any light!! I was literally telling myself I was ok, and I had to be as I couldn’t keep up!!

I managed 4.5k. Considering the conditions, I am pretty pleased with that.

I’d taken my Dry Robe to sit on in the car on the way home, I was soaked right through to the undies!!

I decided to head straight out with the dogs when I got back. In for a penny and all that….. 😆

Look at the rain in this photo! this was taken after 8am!

It was a bit of a scary dog walk too 😆

I took pics of the Christmas tree which was the cheeriest sight in the village this morning!

Finally I got a warm shower.

I had to be up at Silverburn Shopping Centre to meet my friend Lea at 10am.

The drive was pretty hairy…. The roads were all flooded, hiding all of the potholes, but I made it in perfect time.

We met in Starbucks , as we do!

We had a great catch up and a quick wander around the shops.

It started to get really busy just as we were leaving.

The drive home was a bit less wild but I drove through a huge flood in a village at the end of our road. I almost closed my eyes and hoped for the best 😆

I went back to the clearing out for a while and I have another full bin bag.

I found some lovely old photos and took great delight in sending pics of them to people I have’t been in touch with for ages!

I was also very impressed that my school blazer still fits!

I have parted with it… wrenchingly if that’s even a word. I wore this every day in 1988 & 1989!

Oh this is hard….

More tomorrow, I’m tired now.

I sat down about 2.30pm.

We are out tonight for a lovely house warming. Some of our lovely neighbours have moved further out of the village and are having people round.

So feet up for the next few hours maybe with some crochet. We’re watching Squid Game 🦑 just now. This season seems slower than the last but I’m sticking with it!

More bad weather coming tomorrow for Hogmanay so I mean my last line even more.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️