JVL
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
trying on a metaphor
One Nice Bug Per Day
shark vs the universe
Mike Driver
NASA
cherry valley forever
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"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
hello vonnie
AnasAbdin
Sweet Seals For You, Always
Andulka
#extradirty
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Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
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TVSTRANGERTHINGS
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@thekatemurray
Navigating Life with Autism: A Personal Journey
I was thinking about my school years the other day. In particular the problems my parents faced having an autistic child and not knowing they had one. Can you imagine that? Just think of the behaviour a child in full meltdown can give you constantly, every day. Even at 23, my mum received a phone call. It was from my aunt, with whom I was lodging at the time. My aunt said – there is something…
The Role of Nature in Coping with Chronic Illness
I am a writer. True, that right at this minute I am not writing much. If you could see the house you would understand. I am currently moving the study and studio into the front of the building. Into what was the large living room. This means that I am creating a snug and dining room. It does mean that the 3 bedroom bungalow becomes a one bedroom. However, it also means I use all the space. And I…
Understanding Grief: Love, Guilt, and Self-Care
You would have thought that grief would hit you continuously, but it doesn’t. Instead it is a sea and you are the land, it washes over you. Sometimes like a tsunami and sometimes gently, not even covering your toes. Think of it like this. When Roland was alive, we held, between us a metaphorical sphere of love. It was big, about the size of a football. We would keep it in the air by throwing it…
Creating Accessible Living Spaces in a Bungalow
In a bungalow you have reception rooms, bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. They are all pretty standard. You make have cupboards and bits but essentially bungalows don’t alter much. And everything is on the ground floor. As stairs hurt to climb I find my space to be so much better. When I moved in June I wanted a few things from the house. So stairs was an easy win, the house didn’t come with…
Art as Pain Relief: My Experience with Arthritis
I live with pain. Over COVID Roland and I realised that I wasn’t moving well, that one hip was causing discomfort. At the time I thought it was a lot of pain. Looking back, it was maybe a 2 compared to what I experience now. At the time though over the counter stuff was not cutting it. The GP sent me for x-rays and then I waited. Those x-rays were sent over to the rhuematologist. This lady, who…
Musings from my autistic brain.
From Grief to Growth: Reclaiming Life After a Loved One's Passing
It is strange. I feel that my life can be split into three distinct times. Before Roland, with Roland and after Roland. If you are new here, I ought to say that Roland was my husband. He passed away suddenly on Boxing Day 2023. Before Roland I was a person driven by something intangible. Something I wanted but didn’t have. I wanted a person to myself and a family to love. I had actually given…
From Embroidery to Blogging: Finding My Voice Again
Why should I start writing the blog again? I found myself talking to my embroidery because I don’t have a Roland to sound out what I am feeling. That and hugs have to be the worst. I miss both so much. So, I thought I would write it down. But then I wander if I actually want people to read it. In the past it has never really bothered me. I have given up my secrets and never really bothered me.…
Embracing Change: Leaving My City Home for the Countryside
I am leaving my house. Yes, the house me and R designed and adapted to be our forever home. With him gone I do find a huge comfort in the memories I have. The wall he built and the way the biofolds angle so that they will get more sun. Everything is just as we wanted, although I haven’t completed it. Not how we wanted. I just can’t cope with the house being this size and the design we had. Not me…
From Silence to Expression: The Path after Grief
I disappeared. Didn’t mean to, it just happened. Sometimes the grief and the pain gets too much and all you can do is protect yourself and withdraw from the world. That is what I did. Vanished to heal, if you can, from grief. I prefer to think about it as time I was learning to live within grief rather than being grief ridden. The two are very different. When you first loose someone your your…
3 am
Well, there we are then. Due to a flare in one of my conditions I am anaemic and with anaemia comes insomnia. Hence the fact I am sat at 3 am watching a horror and wondering if I ought to take an extra painkiller because my legs are restless. Restless leg is a symptom of anaemia, basically the long bones make most of your blood. So, when you become iron deficient due to blood loss your…
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Sadness and grief
I am a doctor now. And on Boxing day R, the love of my life died. I haven’t been writing for a variety of reasons but the loss of R was enough to stop me in my tracks. In 15 minutes my world collapsed. My present and my future. The family gathered and I screamed at the horrible shit that had just been thrown into my path. We had plans. We were going to finish the house and then go out in the…
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Blue horses and long-legged elephants.
Daily writing promptWho are your favorite artists?View all responses As a kid I was obsessed with animals. I couldn’t connect with the people around me so I connected with animals. Dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits and fish. If my parents let me have a pet then I got it. Animals were simpler and I could understand what they wanted and how to give it to them. There were no social rules or power…
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Is there a doctor in the house?
Is there a doctor in the house?
Indeed there is. Turns out I have finally done it and I am now Dr Katherine Cleaver. I am fairly shocked. I honestly did not think I was going to do it, but the verdict is back – Pass with no corrections. In the bag. Mike drop. Now if I can get used to the idea all will be well. I was so convinced that I was not going to make it, that I didn’t even think I would. I am walking around in a bit…
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Sun is shining and...
it is a delightful day. Or rather month… The screenwriting course was intense. I guess between that and the PhD I got a little burnt out. I am still here though. News: I got a highly commended for ‘The King of Swansea’ with the New Welsh Writer’s Award which is amazing. We have kicked Simon Landry off the build and are looking for a roofer. R and I have managed to create the back garden and…
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Mouses and electricity
I’m missing – you may have noticed. I’m on a screenwriting course that involves long days, about 12 hours, and that means that I have no time to blog. The course is only 2 weeks though so I will be back next week. How tired am I? Well, this was the conversation today: Me: My mouse isn’t working… I.T. (which is really R): Have you turned it off and on again? I do this. Me: Not working… R:…
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Changes; big and small
What makes you most anxious? It has to be change, whether big or small it makes me anxious. If I get a long lead up to the change then I can find myself relax into the expectation, but if it happens quickly then I am looking at a meltdown or a shut down. Meltdowns are pretty much me crying and yelling and loosing control as my emotions bubble over, whilst a shutdown is the opposite. I stop…
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