Hibernation or hiding?

Hazel Dormouse hibernating

Well as you can see I haven’t been exactly prolific in my posts since returning to my blog.   I actually have quite a lot to say but I can’t seem to get round to saying it. 

So, what I have been doing since the Solstice?  I’m not sure, the time has passed but I’m not entirely sure how I filled my days.  I occasionally visit my favourite blogs – even if I don’t leave a comment I try to keep up with what everyone is doing.  Leanne’s garden is looking lovely, Laoi has been ill (hope you’re better now dear heart) but she bought a moleskine journal (which would cheer anyone up), Miss*R is healing the earth (with a little help from her friends – including yours truly) and healing herself by telling her story and looking for Kali.  Dave is too good at cricket, identifies with Hamlet and a sloth and posted some very disturbing photos of himself ‘having fun’.  Z enjoyed a beer festival and forgot to post one day…I don’t think those two points are related.  Mary is taking a summer break from Hugh & Camellia.  Cathy is busy being pregnant…

I could go on, so many blogs, so many lives, so many friends…but I think it’s cheating to make my blog a condensed version of everyone else’s posts.  What I will say is that I’m so grateful to all my cyber friends for hanging in there and not giving up on me.  Whether you’re leaving comments, sending emails or connecting with me on Facebook or Twitter I really do appreciate it.  Thank you.

Solstice Blessings

 

Happy Winter/Summer Solstice – depending on your hemisphere.

Meet Jack

About 5 weeks ago  we had an unexpected addition to our family. I say unexpected because although I have whined endlessly about wanting a dog (no pun intended there), Tom has been less than keen.  Until we met Jack.

He came home and took up temporary accommodation in a a cardboard box (lined with a pink baby blanket as you can see).  

He was quite timid and frightened at first and every noise in the garden had him on alert – note the tail tucked firmly between his legs.

However he soon settled down and we discovered that one of his favourite pastimes is chewing.  He started on his bed…

He has a range of toys, this blue plush doggy is one of his best friends, Bill.  He doesn’t chew Bill but uses his presence to reinforce his innocence, when caught chewing other things, by providing an alibi. 

He now has a much more robust, fancy, unchewable and really bloody expensive bed.

He’s very spoilt and indulged and he repays us by being completely adorable, house training quickly with no trouble at all, learning to sit in a matter of minutes, and walking beautifully on the lead when he had his first walk yesterday (he’s just had his 12 week vaccinations which means he’s free to mingle to with other dogs - and ducks, as you can see from this picture). 

Jack didn’t have a great start in life, he was removed from his mother by less than reputable breeders at the age of 5 weeks, he then had two other temporary homes (with his litter mates) so that we were his 4th home when he came to us at only 8 weeks old.  

However he has settled in well and certainly seems to appreciate being with us and enjoying a somewhat pampered life.   In return he is eager to please and gives us hours of fun and lots of love.   We’re all very happy.

A Tentative Post

 Just peeking out to see if my blog still exists.  Seems like it’s still here…looking a bit dusty and neglected but not totally abandoned by friends.

Thank you Dave, Robyn and Leanne for coming by to check on me recently.

Things are ticking along here, once I get some posting momentum I will talk a bit about my experiences over the last 3 months – not today though.

So right now I am sitting here drinking tea, trying to ignore the irritating sound of a ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ DVD in the background (the children are home sick today) and wondering what an earth I write about when I blog.  Until a couple of weeks ago I didn’t even miss blogging. I missed visiting blogs but just didn’t have the energy to do so.

Then one day as I was going about my business suddenly  those 5 little words popped into my head… ‘I have to blog this’.  I knew then I’d be back.

So I’m back. I’m not sure how much blogging I’ll be doing to begin with (so don’t expect too much :-)).   I shall be telling you about my sister visiting (from America), the weather (as always) and the latest addition to our little household.

…’til then…

Taking a break

Ok, I give up. I am totally overwhelmed and really need to drop a few things for now and sadly blogging is one of them.  I don’t know how long I’ll be gone but I really need to do this for my own sanity (or what’s left of it).  There is too much going on that needs my full and undivided attention and I need to do a little ‘work’ on my mindset while I’m at it.

Hopefully, it won’t take too long.

 

Ok, I’m not actually going fishing, nothing could be of less interest to me, it’s a metaphor.

Wandering

Mentally that is.  Not very focussed right now, feeling a little lost and bewildered and unsure of what the future holds for me.  I feel change coming, or maybe I just hope there is.

Tom and I had a quiet weekend at home (it was his birthday on Friday) the girls were away and we spent a lot of time doing not very much at all. Cooked some nice food, drank some nice wine, had conversations (uninterrupted) watched a couple of movies, read the papers and our respective books.  Just a lazy weekend really.  Nice.

I had a horribly sleepless night on Saturday, one of the worst ever.  Usually insomnia catches me in the middle of night, I get to sleep ok but then wake up and can’t get back to sleep for hours. This time I couldn’t even get to sleep at all.  I tossed and turned and paced the house and made warm drinks and did some meditation and tried mindful breathing etc etc etc. Nothing.  I last looked at the clock at 5.00am, I must have fallen asleep soon after that but woke again at 6.10 then again at 7.40.  Felt pretty crappy yesterday and although I slept ok last night I’m still tired and fuzzy headed (before you say it.. more than usual) today. 

So until I catch up don’t expect anything coherent from me…and even then I can’t promise….

 

National Day of Mourning

Today is a National Day of Mourning for those lost in the Victorian Bushfires. Memorial services have been held all over the country.

The publicity may have died down a bit, but it’s not over.  There are fires still blazing (some have been burning continuously for more than 2 weeks), homes and property threatened and evacuation plans in place.  With more heat and strong north winds forecast for this week (‘perfect’ bushfire conditions)  there are still a lot of people facing a difficult times.