A Quiet Month

 

I've rather neglected my blog this month.  I've found it hard to find something interesting to write about that wouldn't be too gloomy or samey.  I've been posting on Instagram again and having that connection during this cold, dark month has been really helpful but also it means that realistically most people that read my blog read my Instagram posts so inevitably it will be samey!

Consequently the blog has taken a back seat whilst I've been living through this quiet time.  I always find January to be the longest month of the year, but that's not to say that I dislike January; on the contrary I usually find it to be an optimistic and hopeful time for planning the year ahead.  I can feel my energy levels starting to shift and I've noticed it especially after this month’s wolf moon.  However this year we have found it impossible to plan anything of course, particularly due to our children being in both exam years. We still don't really know how their year’s work will be assessed and whether any external exams will take place and when.  One holiday we always try to do is a trip to the Lake District in the May half term which coincides with Chris’s birthday, but with all this uncertainty it's not something we can commit to.

Local walks along our little stretch of coast have kept us relatively sane. There is always something to see and to absorb and I always feel better for hearing the sea and the birds. I try not to rush the winter months away as every year that I'm alive to see them is a blessing.

January is usually a quiet time for us as a family.  All the Christmas gatherings and festivities are behind us (not that they happened in 2020) and January is a time to rest, replenish and take stock of things.  We've been lucky enough not to have been affected by illness or job insecurity (so far) and we also have enough space for everyone to do their work, study and creative pursuits without feeling like we are on top of each other.  I've been focusing on cooking good, hearty meals and baking some cakes to keep the spirits up. Sock knitting has been a distraction that hasn't required much thinking and any thinking is mostly concerning the dolls house that I'm planning to renovate. We've been connecting to family and friends by phone, zoom and social media and being able to do fitness classes online has really helped me keep active. I try and not allow gloomy thoughts to take over by reminding myself of all the good things we have but of course sometimes they slip through. The latest Cormoran Strike book was excellent, if detective fiction is your cup of tea and I'm listening to a rather silly, but enjoyable audio book called, "The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright". Things I'm really missing during this lockdown are:

Seeing my family and friends and actually entering somebody else's house and relaxing with food and good company.

Pootling about new places, visiting shops, markets, cafes. Generally pootling!

Going for a walk and having a pub lunch somewhere different.

Sunshine and warmth. In my opinion, one or both of those makes everything better.

I'll leave this here as we are sharing a chromebook with our daughter and she has a history essay to finish. Goodbye to January and I'm looking forward to some brighter days in February.