Waking Up

It’s completely the wrong time of year – a time when I’d usually be sinking into hibernation – and yet I finally feel as if I am waking up.

Moving house twice during a pandemic is not something I’d recommend to anyone. If you have lupus, as I do, it’s really not a good idea.

I’d only just started to recover from the first move – which on top of the usual trauma involved parting with the vast majority of my lifetime’s collection of books – when we suddenly discovered we had to move again.

Stress brings on lupus flares and lupus flares bring exhaustion and then there’s the unpacking.

However, I think we are finally settled here. It suits me in so many ways – from the local walks – along the river, up through the nature reserve to the top of the cliffs, down to the pebbled beach and the sea. And most of them with benches so I can build up walking gradually, from bench to bench if necessary.

There’s also a brilliant café within five minutes walk which makes the best gluten free cakes – coffee and walnut is particularly good. There’s an Italian with perfect gluten free pizza. REALLY!

I have my desk set up in a cosy corner of the bedroom, and Ryan’s office is right next door. We can work without disturning each other, but he’s within shouting distance when I need a cup of tea.

I can get at my textile arts stuff, and I’m working on a small embroidery project. I’ve signed up for a tapestry course and my looms are available too.

Even better, I have two new novels on the go! This is something which never happened before, Novel 3 has a detailed outline – I am still tweaking it but it’s pretty much ready to be written. And Novel 4 – I’m at the beginning of outlining but the ideas are just flowing at the moment.

So now I have to do the hardest thing of all. I have to pace myself. Not get too over excited and do so much I end up exhausted all over again.

I have so much that I want to do, though!

One step at a time, I guess. Just like I do the walking. From metaphorical bench to bench while I have to, maybe two short walks a day, and gradually build up endurance.

It’s the only way – to keep on keeping on.