tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4129059525566455292024-02-08T05:50:15.928+00:00The MelicanThe random thoughts of a big-mouthed Essex girlThe Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.comBlogger474125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-41823210847492446822023-05-18T12:50:00.004+01:002023-05-18T12:50:57.977+01:00You’re always out with your kids! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUMNaJcmbr_3jebuNHyq9niWenj1l9uM7rozar2hP0zwCSGhumg-3UXyVh_y9quELDZrRWDjJV1VAY6jaxT-fdY-_Gv5Q5xqgH8e8eM_QncmUoAc6VT6ZP_hhcB4uZUelMs4idDmwsqMDQ7uaAVkGyGXLqcCNy0idfuHcFz7PzH1XoevcZZk1xuW2Sw/s2048/IMG_1681.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUMNaJcmbr_3jebuNHyq9niWenj1l9uM7rozar2hP0zwCSGhumg-3UXyVh_y9quELDZrRWDjJV1VAY6jaxT-fdY-_Gv5Q5xqgH8e8eM_QncmUoAc6VT6ZP_hhcB4uZUelMs4idDmwsqMDQ7uaAVkGyGXLqcCNy0idfuHcFz7PzH1XoevcZZk1xuW2Sw/s320/IMG_1681.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’re always out with your kids! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I hear this sentence I think near enough every day. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And it’s true, we are out with our children A LOT.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">1 we want to make sure we make the most of the time with them whilst they’re young and they still like being out and about doing things.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">2 it’s often a lot easier to be out than in with three little ones! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We like to do a mix of stuff, but most of the time if weather allows we like to be outside! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And the kids loving visiting places and exploring.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Often people will say oh don’t you think you should have a day in? Or that children need to learn to be bored.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Well, we do have days in at times and lockdown certainly helped the children and myself learn to be more comfortable just being home. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, I say, you do what suits you and your little ones best at the end of the day. As they say you do you! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I mean I’m not naive I’m aware there’ll be days ahead when they likely won’t want to be out and would rather be on a computer game, or as they get older out with their friends and away from us! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Whilst they’re happy to be with us and get outdoors I’m going to encourage and embrace it though - they’ll not be little for long and it’s so good for them to be out in the fresh air and experiencing new things. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m always on the lookout for new places to try out and I noticed lately that often people will ask me for ideas of where to go. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So I thought it might be useful to share some of the places we like or have tried and give our thoughts on here. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Obviously our children are aged 5-7 now so anything I mention will be for that age or below. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I should add like everyone nowadays we’re not made of money and have lots of money to waste so I don’t think we do things too extravagant really. In addition, because lots of things are more costly now we do like to get our money’s worth (well we always have) so if we go somewhere we’re there for the long haul and make the day last! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">If you’ve got any requests in particular give me a shout and I’ll try cover it for you. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And I’ll also try share some tips along the way where I can (and if I can remember some of them from the earlier days with ours!) </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So drop me a comment and let me know… </span></p> <p></p><p><br /></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-2199800181246486182023-04-16T22:08:00.001+01:002023-04-16T22:08:07.382+01:00Time to get back to it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_v4om7hIDpqOoJXF93FeW8GtZtdPxn3Q0avqlNmIW9G5s8fmUUpSFwvyaJuvMYBDsrDJ5UZZR5-PYTrnQmTtANqATb9ER8J9a7BjWtZk0xuUCZKiqlKVmDzzenkVlkSZXST2Sh8nLe3k3OM0l7oRbGD9o75LAyUG9nRx7jkkuuBix5qZJGeDNULsEw/s4032/A349F61C-713A-494E-B9A7-881496989279.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_v4om7hIDpqOoJXF93FeW8GtZtdPxn3Q0avqlNmIW9G5s8fmUUpSFwvyaJuvMYBDsrDJ5UZZR5-PYTrnQmTtANqATb9ER8J9a7BjWtZk0xuUCZKiqlKVmDzzenkVlkSZXST2Sh8nLe3k3OM0l7oRbGD9o75LAyUG9nRx7jkkuuBix5qZJGeDNULsEw/s320/A349F61C-713A-494E-B9A7-881496989279.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">I posted a while back about how I felt I might have finally found a good mix of classes at the gym.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In addition I’ve also been working on what I eat and drink and I’ve felt so much better for it - in mind as well as body.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, we’ve just come to the end of a two week long school holiday. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Have I been sticking rigidly to my healthy eating and my exercise regime? Have I still done gym classes or online workouts?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve done what I do every school holiday it seems, vow to try and still visit the gym or try a class at home via YouTube or similar, and actually do none of it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A big change this holiday though? I’ve given myself permission to do it, not beat myself up and feel bad, but enjoy myself and do what I’ve got to do to keep my energy and happiness up whilst running round after 3 super energetic and active kids! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It’s been a lovely two weeks, but we’re all at the point now where they need to go back to school! A break from each other and routine for us all.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Tomorrow not only marks their return to school, it means for me time to go back to the gym - all my classes for the week are booked in and what’s more I’m about to start a health plan to try give myself a little boost back into being healthier. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I don’t want to feel bloated, sluggish and unhealthy. Therefore tomorrow I’m starting a detox and getting back to exercise.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve done a few squats challenges recently and so I’m also on the search for a new one to undertake. I’m tempted to stick with squats, but have also spotted a couple of other options I may try…</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Here’s hoping school and after-school clubs work their magic on my little gremlins this week and that the gym, my detox and some time to reset my body and mind help shine a bit of sparkle back into me! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Let’s go!! </span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-32410198117991407112023-03-30T22:27:00.001+01:002023-03-30T22:27:56.020+01:00End of term burnout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgV0Kne4uZEfgQwuagSkyxsYVuEMhMSAFlIu6iVL-yQPzJwlQm3KntHLC0Ml8qPT7M36RjSUx0nqTaTMP16Du6f06k56RggpjV-nc6JYKf2fV95iwpBBIEBYeoJ_n_wWoc16RyH_aqqseu0jasx9OFFW_YcgvkyT4ge-KySd76h9KSUY6F1PZgkA0I2Q/s4032/A3124326-7C98-4FAA-927E-07FD6308541F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgV0Kne4uZEfgQwuagSkyxsYVuEMhMSAFlIu6iVL-yQPzJwlQm3KntHLC0Ml8qPT7M36RjSUx0nqTaTMP16Du6f06k56RggpjV-nc6JYKf2fV95iwpBBIEBYeoJ_n_wWoc16RyH_aqqseu0jasx9OFFW_YcgvkyT4ge-KySd76h9KSUY6F1PZgkA0I2Q/s320/A3124326-7C98-4FAA-927E-07FD6308541F.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">you drop your little darlings off to school this week for their final days of term, do you kiss them fondly and wave goodbye or rather you sprint away from the gate?!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now I’m not a cold hearted person who can’t stand spending time with my children, or who uses school as some form of babysitter. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, as a Mum of three young children the pressure is on and life can be chaotic and stressful - scrap that life IS chaotic and stressful! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The majority of the time, when we’re together, me and my little munchkins we have fun, we get along, they’re good children overall.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now, unless you’re raising the non-existent perfect person, everyone will experience bad behaviour at times and find themselves at a loss as to why it’s so hard to follow basic instructions.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I myself often wonder if I’ve developed a new language to speak in or if the kids have suddenly lost the use of their ears, so regular the occasions when nobody seems to have heard anything I’ve said. Well that is unless I’m trying to talk to somebody else and they’re not involved or meant to be listening! Oh no then they’re like these little creatures whose super power hearing could make out a speck of dust falling to the floor. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But something happens to our children at this time, as we approach yet another break from school. End of term looms and our offspring go loopy.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve lost count the amount of times the last week or two I’ve spoken to fellow parents about numerous meltdowns or odd behaviour. Or have you noticed just how many bugs seem to be going round, how your child suddenly starts throwing up from nowhere?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">End of term burnout. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When I was working in London I used to push myself daily to reach targets/complete my to do list and I’d be tired but seem to function off the stress and adrenaline. Then the minute I’d book any form of longer annual leave and I’d end up in bed with a stinking cold or bug. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">For children it seems much the same. Where Mums, Dads and carers may be looking for a break from the school run routine and alarm clock setting, children too want some downtime.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This week for instance my three have seemed extra hyped up after school and are taking longer to settle at bedtime and their listening skills are even more atrocious than usual. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Regardless of whatever after school activity they’ve been participating in they still come home shrieking and jumping like they’re on some sort of drug and as if they’ve had a Power Nap. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Other people I know their children have been feeling really poorly.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I know others whose children every end of term seem to completely change personality and get naughty, misbehave and simply transform. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So why are children getting this end of term burnout, much like the after school meltdowns you witness.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">How comes these burnouts happen? Did we have them as children?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is it just where all day every weekday they adhere to rules, sit still for long periods and have to follow lots of procedures? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Do their little bodies simply say enough now we’re tired?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Or is this a sign children are being put under too much pressure nowadays? Are we all expecting too much so their personalities and bodies alike revolt? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I know expectations and pressure have been a topic of conversation amongst our school Mums quite a bit. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Are we putting too much on children too young. Or is this simply preparing them for real life? It’s not easy!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">If you have any tips or discover any secrets to ease the burnout please do comment.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Until then I guess we’ll make it to the end of term, picking our children up Friday afternoon with a smile glued to our face. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Relieved to not be setting that school run alarm. Happy to have no morning battles to get dressed and eat breakfast. No morning quizzing of what’s for school dinners or arguing over packed lunch box contents. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But also gearing up to face two weeks of constant snacking, overhyped kids from way too much Easter chocolate, constant hoovering of crumbs or the glitter from yet another craft time, exhausted from countless days out at farms, softplays, parks, fairgrounds and more. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is that the problem nowadays too? We seem to pack so much into school holidays that children and parents/carers alike don’t actually have much of a ‘break’ when school is off. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">How do we find a balance to stop both the kids and us burning out? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Any tips comment below! </span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-70595348911183690182023-03-29T14:08:00.002+01:002023-03-29T15:00:25.109+01:00Menopause-ing your life? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrItxyWDMDJAYE_xxslAvfUg_DBvx-iW2hPCj3zKsRQG1kiuUTI6AYjbxGRVctkDEjzk_SqG0wJPScOJHVPBMJKfIsk-tkD4EuZFetb1MDhrLSHOgF1diXXOaWDp0d-pIGKB3J-eW45ku5eVWo59MWupUyf8dtPv7sGGjcndOE8s9W3mhKGuEi3gr6fw/s4032/40CDC56E-E5F6-40A2-B474-AC27C302AE71.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrItxyWDMDJAYE_xxslAvfUg_DBvx-iW2hPCj3zKsRQG1kiuUTI6AYjbxGRVctkDEjzk_SqG0wJPScOJHVPBMJKfIsk-tkD4EuZFetb1MDhrLSHOgF1diXXOaWDp0d-pIGKB3J-eW45ku5eVWo59MWupUyf8dtPv7sGGjcndOE8s9W3mhKGuEi3gr6fw/s320/40CDC56E-E5F6-40A2-B474-AC27C302AE71.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Menopause seems to be everywhere at the moment, am I right?</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You can’t really move for people talking, books being released and programs on TV about it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So why then, are we as women still finding it so hard to deal with?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As someone who is 99% sure to be going through peri menopause right now, this is a topic close to my heart.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I am surrounded by females either in peri- or full blown menopause and I myself have tried vitamins to help, got the well known Davina book and regularly view social media posts and articles about the topic.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The biggest question I have and what angers me the most?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Why on earth are we as women not taken seriously and why is our menopause care and journey dependent on our postcode? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve brought up the idea of peri menopause a few times now at my doctors surgery and I have had one blood test (which we know can’t necessarily show levels for peri menopause) and nothing more has come of it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Despite explaining my Mum went through menopause early and being told it’s hereditary it’s still seemingly gone in one ear and out the other.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve sat and spoke to so many friends who have felt lost, keep forgetting things, get such an awful rage, their periods are all over the place and have really bad anxiety to name but a few symptoms. And we’re all still just putting up with and getting by.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Or in some cases people are resorting to going private and paying themselves to see specialists to finally get heard.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Yet others you read about who live elsewhere have specialist menopause doctors/surgeries who listen to them, guide them and provide what they need. Or they test out various routes so that said female can find what she needs.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">How come when the topic is now so prevalent the care is still not there?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Does it cost too much?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is it because this impacts women not men? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What do we need to do to be heard and taken seriously?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Please let me know your experiences and if anyone has any tips or positive stories of how they got the attention needed please do share! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-30261097663680286492023-03-23T21:20:00.003+00:002023-03-23T21:20:44.244+00:00Self(ish) Care? <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">P<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgSdSNC05rA1BF_hfWZYYhZcyYAGgVVN7wkBx-yvG1VAOD7ibwq3ICM0xxg_hSrgVbb4pUhc-YVtXkKkgQ70_ai6mbpCxGKcRK8eP0bKJ7T1b1ihmlwG3O2dYMyuxDd9EgtCUtZiOoSHGE1gDgRV94wjBXzZhPf7l9Sect-C7rmsgGSE0FQ7KsS204A/s4032/013D9800-D2A0-4799-AF1B-2BCF045B44AB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgSdSNC05rA1BF_hfWZYYhZcyYAGgVVN7wkBx-yvG1VAOD7ibwq3ICM0xxg_hSrgVbb4pUhc-YVtXkKkgQ70_ai6mbpCxGKcRK8eP0bKJ7T1b1ihmlwG3O2dYMyuxDd9EgtCUtZiOoSHGE1gDgRV94wjBXzZhPf7l9Sect-C7rmsgGSE0FQ7KsS204A/s320/013D9800-D2A0-4799-AF1B-2BCF045B44AB.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eBtlKhmuhojQC3Pw1ErKuyI54GcV1vnkUGNPQwKm4FRBRKl4oilLAc6SvKb0HwdcyNrCcb9UtoXGNIVjKI-3WSdnYsJ-hcQU92ZuNbF0kDJf8dE4UkYSXAZbMNoml88-T06K-CJjU7Z76Oi0_PW7I4JRo2S6pyvU9SFrTJk6LgNUgmDl1cD1Tr-Ycg/s3780/6404B594-42DB-4BF0-AFAB-55390A9220DA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eBtlKhmuhojQC3Pw1ErKuyI54GcV1vnkUGNPQwKm4FRBRKl4oilLAc6SvKb0HwdcyNrCcb9UtoXGNIVjKI-3WSdnYsJ-hcQU92ZuNbF0kDJf8dE4UkYSXAZbMNoml88-T06K-CJjU7Z76Oi0_PW7I4JRo2S6pyvU9SFrTJk6LgNUgmDl1cD1Tr-Ycg/s320/6404B594-42DB-4BF0-AFAB-55390A9220DA.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaOcXd_iGfWBQxcKKKq1FYVi5hglwJ3Y7TeHIOCZfv_WQj7syncsOMi9JZtI4QsSVUd6n7mNntOLm8h8m9NmqvefxrNB6LCelQJfqjnEj_p5slFlkNEZh2zt4JBxYzgssq9_WxZr9PAYKMmZ4lUfuJhlANZ39jEEvnl-scBzOX7j5OSWuaFy2hJiy-w/s4032/A11892E8-C2C3-40BF-B236-263A90FAB0F7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaOcXd_iGfWBQxcKKKq1FYVi5hglwJ3Y7TeHIOCZfv_WQj7syncsOMi9JZtI4QsSVUd6n7mNntOLm8h8m9NmqvefxrNB6LCelQJfqjnEj_p5slFlkNEZh2zt4JBxYzgssq9_WxZr9PAYKMmZ4lUfuJhlANZ39jEEvnl-scBzOX7j5OSWuaFy2hJiy-w/s320/A11892E8-C2C3-40BF-B236-263A90FAB0F7.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">For years after becoming a Mum and a stay at home one at that, I convinced myself I shouldn’t need or didn’t deserve time for myself.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I wasn’t ‘working’ so why did I need time to rest and relax? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The problem with that? 3 very young children, very close in age and a pandemic hitting resulting in a lockdown meant I had quite a bit of stress. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I also just became ‘Mummy’. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What else? I had a lot less patience and even the small things seemed big and harder to deal with.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I in fact over time also developed Anxiety. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">To this day I still remember a friend - hope she knows who she is - who said to me (and reiterated every chance she got) to make time for me. It was not a ‘treat’ or indulgence, it was a necessity and in fact would make me a better Mum, not a selfish one. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I often mention her words to others actually when I hear them going down the same path of guilt and depriving themselves because they ‘don’t deserve it’.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">All of a sudden one day I realised enough was enough and I had to start to do some things for me and make some time to allow myself to switch off.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I always think of it like a reset button - I need a chance to step away from Mum life and see myself as somebody other than a mother.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In addition, I need to recognise and value all the things I do for my children and family unit overall. You know, not just the daily organisation, chores, household tasks, but the unspoken big one - the mental load. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Until you grow older, have kids and similar you’re pretty dubious of this I remember. However, wow when you’re in it and it hits you, you totally get it! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So that’s why we all need to remember Self Care. And before I’m labelled as sexist or that I’m generalising, everybody needs to do it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Life is so busy nowadays and days, weeks and months can fly by. Everybody needs a chance to jump off the journey and switch off - in whatever way works best for them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When I was pregnant I remember following hypnobirthing and I loved it! During one of my jobs in corporate comms in the city we sometimes had in house counselling for management, again I was a big fan.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, when I stepped away from work I totally forgot about these sorts of options and hearing about topics like mindfulness I just didn’t get it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">There’s a whole host of things I try now to help me try to remember who I am outside of motherhood and to give me a chance to relax from life’s pressures.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I love going to the gym now and go to a class everyday (sometimes more than 1).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A habit from the Covid period, I find going for walks and listening to a podcast (Parenting Hell is without a doubt my fave!) is really great at clearing my head. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Recommended by my supple strength teacher, I sometimes do a quick 5 or 10 minute online relaxation session to help me switch off.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I write this blog.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Often of an evening I’ll sit and watch what I call ‘trashy TV’, just really easy viewing that doesn’t require too much brainwork.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I spend my money on things like having my nails done or going to the hairdressers.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A big thing that really benefits me is a network of a variety of different friends - mostly women - who I either message via WhatsApp or some I meet in person for coffee or lunch catch ups to let off steam, rant, discuss and support one another and be honest. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And of course I try to make time to have social nights out (or afternoons if it’s a boozy brunch or similar!) </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">There’s a whole variety there and I’m sure <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>some people do much more artistic and cultured things to help with their Self Care, but the point is to do it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">No matter what your home setup or mental state, make time for you. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Everybody needs to make time for self care. There’s no right or wrong, whatever works for you.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And as soon as you do, you’ll never look back! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-86519786855417785922023-03-21T14:49:00.003+00:002023-03-21T14:51:25.208+00:00When your ‘privates’ aren’t so private<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV8DJxqnOlR59A_9rCoRU1NEqQAi-2JuiQEje_8A5xm8XAkkJc76v_RaE_ToKdvBEzHF5L67kiZjpJWd01BJGMN91ei3X2DpmoeHPYMrep9FZoOLHyliiRdNYHoKJF0fyH7HBEUyuRnu5LbrKMHclj15b8zx3qDWrvyTijmG5LNQkw4DkiaqA5p1jBg/s814/9BCE8C74-7CAE-4B92-AF33-FF8BB2F3B90B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="814" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV8DJxqnOlR59A_9rCoRU1NEqQAi-2JuiQEje_8A5xm8XAkkJc76v_RaE_ToKdvBEzHF5L67kiZjpJWd01BJGMN91ei3X2DpmoeHPYMrep9FZoOLHyliiRdNYHoKJF0fyH7HBEUyuRnu5LbrKMHclj15b8zx3qDWrvyTijmG5LNQkw4DkiaqA5p1jBg/s320/9BCE8C74-7CAE-4B92-AF33-FF8BB2F3B90B.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Today I did a thing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I had a second shower after my gym class, made sure my bikini line was taken care of and then I took my underwear off and showed my vagina to a stranger.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Ha! Don’t panic, I’ve not gone mad, taken to ‘flashing’, nor cheated on my fiancé. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Today was time for my smear test. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">At the risk of sounding patronising or annoying people who haven’t experienced similar, it was okay. I felt I should share that fact.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You know why? Because still despite campaigns and even widely publicised cases of people who didn’t get tested and in turn died in some instances, people do not want to go for their cervical screening. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When I was at the gym this morning and I mentioned where I was off to today, one person admitted they didn’t mind the test whilst another told me a story of how someone she knew hates them and had her cervix caught during the process. Helpful, thanks. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In fact when you tell most females you’re due your smear test or you’re going to it, you tend to get a look of pity or horror.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Some people don’t even go to have the tests because they’ve built it up as so bad they can’t bear to face having the procedure done. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">That’s right some people would rather not know if they’ve got cells that suggest they might have cervical cancer and can be treated because the test has caught it in time. They’d rather avoid said test that lasts a mere matter of minutes and risk not discovering something that could be stopped. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is it really that bad? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now don’t get me wrong prior to children and when you’re younger perhaps there might be the feeling of embarrassment or feeling nervous having someone look ‘down there’. I don’t know about you, but those who have had a baby I’m sure you are now way past that point! Or just me?…</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m really lucky I think as the nurse at our GP practice seems to be a pro at smear tests - weird compliment I know, but it’s true! In fact every cervical screening I’ve had it’s been with her since I started having them! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">For some reason today I felt really anxious about going and the appointments were running late so I was sitting panicking for a bit. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However once in the room as always she put me at ease. We had a little chat and laugh about things and before I knew it it was already done and finished. Genuinely.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I think once I had an experience with a nurse that was covering and it wasn’t as comfortable I distinctly remember. In fact she left the room with the device inside me to go get some swabs. Yes really! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As much as that might have put me off though I can’t help but think to myself if I didn’t have the test done what then? What if something wasn’t right and needed attention and it got left unnoticed? And what if it was for too long?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I guess what I’m saying is for the sake of a couple of minutes of potential discomfort or embarrassment, versus facing the news you’ve got some severe disease or incurable condition . Well, where’s the choice? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So next time you get that ‘dreaded’ text or letter, just go ahead and get booked up. It may not be as bad as you think…</span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-56437544785023598752023-03-18T21:34:00.001+00:002023-03-18T21:34:40.975+00:00Mother’s Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwE8UF1b92PYOw1Q8XWlNV32gH6PlGjFlY4ZILjCq5lFDbCnUX3qe04q04gAmkTUjwDqfCsHgogNwXofTiBoaC3-FuU92H-E6-3lsg2UBD8uMvXlJ5MDKJITVx1QGpk4QyQq_G1bGOMZWwaGAWd1u4w8fMU8UBq2NfnBVQjOpFd2T2Xbu-oujjt0RHw/s1680/C2BFD030-95FE-440C-968C-606D9B9AD73A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="1432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwE8UF1b92PYOw1Q8XWlNV32gH6PlGjFlY4ZILjCq5lFDbCnUX3qe04q04gAmkTUjwDqfCsHgogNwXofTiBoaC3-FuU92H-E6-3lsg2UBD8uMvXlJ5MDKJITVx1QGpk4QyQq_G1bGOMZWwaGAWd1u4w8fMU8UBq2NfnBVQjOpFd2T2Xbu-oujjt0RHw/s320/C2BFD030-95FE-440C-968C-606D9B9AD73A.jpeg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">M akes everything better</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">O n your side, always</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">T eaching you right from wrong </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">H elping you whether big or small </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">E verything gets organised </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">R eady with the best hugs </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">S he’s everything - friend, cook, seamstress, teacher, counsellor, secretary, washer and cleaner</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">D oesn’t ever judge you</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A lways there for you </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Y our Mum</span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-80802830918362251722023-03-13T11:50:00.002+00:002023-03-13T11:51:09.032+00:00Pressed for presents <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSZXaK5ahF82sBJQZe3VMCfC6ZKEp9Uxz_ELn85KNvfcPKpJgzBlVeitzGchdpbEXhU-ApGDgoercYW93MGk72YSTXoi0rM-N961cCucUmnv9deRYABYUx2o4HnSXlF8hhJHCg4En3hcHp3fYSaz_Ic9ROzXAiqM2lEdy0l2EIT5fK-EWjREQGBIYDg/s4032/4EF18C07-33BC-4D63-8CFA-0CB24B8D405C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSZXaK5ahF82sBJQZe3VMCfC6ZKEp9Uxz_ELn85KNvfcPKpJgzBlVeitzGchdpbEXhU-ApGDgoercYW93MGk72YSTXoi0rM-N961cCucUmnv9deRYABYUx2o4HnSXlF8hhJHCg4En3hcHp3fYSaz_Ic9ROzXAiqM2lEdy0l2EIT5fK-EWjREQGBIYDg/s320/4EF18C07-33BC-4D63-8CFA-0CB24B8D405C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">With yet another occasion fast approaching, I found myself recently heading out to the shops in search of gifts. En route to the shopping centre I found myself thinking about what to purchase. What can I get this time?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It’s a question I end up asking every time one of the classic calendar events arises - whether it be birthday, anniversary or moreso Mothers/Fathers Day. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Although the recipients always seem happy with what they’ve been given, I find myself feeling bad for seemingly having bought the same sort of item(s) as I’ve done before. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In fact when going to the shops, I’d consciously thought I’ll try them this time, as in recent years I’ve tended to veer towards the online options to ‘get something different’. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">How much variation is there really in gifts to show your parent or loved ones they’re appreciated? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What do they really want? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">If you were to ask me for example, when it comes to Mothers Day it’s nice to be shown appreciation for all you do with a treat and it’s so lovely getting something your child(ren) make for you and/or pick out for you themselves. Handmade/written cards are so lovely to get and keep and seeing the children’s faces so excited to give them to you and how proud they look is such a sweet moment to experience.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When you’re too old to do something like that, I tend to head towards gifts with nice words/meanings. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Again though at the age of 40, I’ve now given quite a few birthday presents or gifts to say thanks to my parents and I really feel every time I’ve repeated myself. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So what do you give? What do people really want on these occasions?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Should we step away from actual things to open and instead experience events together instead? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve tried to do afternoon teas, meals, spa days and similar. But again fitting these in when juggling everyday life commitments and young children can be a struggle.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">People only need so many mugs or glasses to drink out of. They only have so much space to hang signs or display ornaments. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So, what do you do?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Any tips of something that bit different to try? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ll be by the flowers, chocolates and life quote decorations if you think of anything…</span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-27463882807931030582023-03-08T14:06:00.002+00:002023-03-08T14:10:45.595+00:00International Women’s Day - Strong Woman<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">S hould believe in herself more</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">T ougher than she looks</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">R eady to take charge </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">O ften so much more beautiful than she realises </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">N eeds to realise how smart she truly is</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">G oing that extra mile for her family and friends </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">W ill always put others first </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">O n top of all the details, schedules and plans </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">M other, grandmother, daughter, wife, girlfriend, aunty, friend </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A lways juggling it all</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">N ever gives up </span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-13329327556287337482023-03-07T14:52:00.003+00:002023-03-07T14:52:59.799+00:00Who Am I? <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; font-weight: bold;">Who Am I?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Snack distributor </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Wine drinker</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hug giver</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Writer</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Toy tidier</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Bookworm</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Kids TV pro</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Garage dancer</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Mess wiper</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Digital senior </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Attractive female</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Comfy Mum</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Park buddy </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Gym goer</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Holiday lover</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Kids club transporter</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">School run member</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fancy food eater</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Bump wiper</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Film watcher </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Rule maker</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Meeting taker</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Carefree night-owl</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Anxious homebird </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Meal maker </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fast thinker </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Bedtime story reader</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Team manager </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Multi tasker</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Deadline meeter</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sickness comforter </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Goal achiever</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Skinny jeans</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Comfy leggings</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Straightened hair</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Scragged back bun</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Tired out homemaker</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Loved up partner</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Excuse making cleaner</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">House-proud hoster</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Swim lesson observer</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Confident pool user</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Suncream applier</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Relaxed sun-worshipper</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fast forgetting stair climber </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Quick thinking fact reminder</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Never ending caterer </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Determined gym goer</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Caffeine fuelled</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Cocktail queen</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Considered answers </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Smart with banter </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Daytime walker </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">City commuter </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Washing wizard</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Corp comms consultant</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Dispute breaker </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Training leader </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Meltdown calmer </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Client facer </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Who am I now?</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is the real Me lost?</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Did I lose my way? </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Can I still wow?</span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-72934420163232572192023-03-04T10:21:00.001+00:002023-03-04T10:21:59.751+00:00How many clubs is enough? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcW1YXI2yNzCUeAnTvIM9ZGFeGwwxj9Q__e8OZOfAKlz88ZpT1A-nHlnKmHro-uVk28-ySRNVFLKX8jVlHsPQet_YtPI7raXVIifIO1PPJeoJfZEc12kYooe0uXVraC_Hf5XNlR-IJRxKOLrTejACCJ8B8vOtvcpPgAOQyXRtQgYcK0d4oMaCimLNQw/s2118/2C4E7147-BDA8-40A2-AF82-91D68778DBA2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2118" data-original-width="1541" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcW1YXI2yNzCUeAnTvIM9ZGFeGwwxj9Q__e8OZOfAKlz88ZpT1A-nHlnKmHro-uVk28-ySRNVFLKX8jVlHsPQet_YtPI7raXVIifIO1PPJeoJfZEc12kYooe0uXVraC_Hf5XNlR-IJRxKOLrTejACCJ8B8vOtvcpPgAOQyXRtQgYcK0d4oMaCimLNQw/s320/2C4E7147-BDA8-40A2-AF82-91D68778DBA2.jpeg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In an ever more demanding schedule, children nowadays have a wealth of pre, during and after school clubs at their fingertips.</p><p><br /></p><p>On the one hand this seems amazing and we comment aren’t they lucky being able to try so many things, possibly reminiscing of more basic options in our own childhood.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, how do you know what the right amount is and when is it too much?</p><p><br /></p><p>As a Mum of three and with all, as of September, now in the school system, I’ve got an array of options.</p><p><br /></p><p>At our school the children typically don’t have school clubs to attend whilst in Reception, but once they hit Year 1 it opens up - football, karate, drama, multi sports. Our school even has a music band club they can go to during the school day now (well if you can get a space). They also created a half termly rotated arts and crafts club after school for Reception this year too (which my eldest, now in Year 2, was very envious about!) </p><p><br /></p><p>I can remember going to Brownies when little and I think at school a Keyboard club (the music kind), as well as swimming lessons, but otherwise apart from a very short-lived time at Ballet I didn’t really do too much. I did actually go horseriding for a few years until I got to ‘big school’ and decided I’d rather spend my Saturdays meeting friends to go the shops and cinema! </p><p><br /></p><p>Now though children can start from so little - baby football, baby ballet and so on. </p><p><br /></p><p>My eldest is pretty confident compared to the twins, but she too often needs a little while to get settled at places and I don’t drive, so some options to us can be limited at times</p><p><br /></p><p>When I just had the one I took her everywhere when little - Baby Sensory, every local playgroup, baby swimming, music and movement, rhymes at the library and all sorts. Knowing how shy I was when little I wanted my child to be outgoing and confident. </p><p><br /></p><p>Where the twins came along afterwards and we were bringing up three under 2 at one point, it wasn’t possible to go to quite so many groups. I’m not shy if this is why the twins are a lot more withdrawn than their big sister, or if lockdown and Covid hit them harder but there’s a big difference.</p><p><br /></p><p>Since starting school I’ve now found myself trying to find some activities to interest them and possibly boost their confidence and independence. </p><p><br /></p><p>Some people I know, their children are doing something every day and they find fitting in homework and other jobs really hard and stressful. There are others where they want their children to do more but they didn’t get their little one on the never ending waiting lists on time. </p><p><br /></p><p>Once my eldest started year 1 we started her on groups - she began trying karate before school, swimming lessons to try regain her confidence and skills and continued with her dance, drama and singing club she was already enjoying. </p><p><br /></p><p>Once the twins were in school and seemingly very anti doing anything without me or my other half there, we introduced them to the dance and drama club with their sister at first to get settled. They still are pretty anti swimming lessons as they don’t want to go in the pool without me. </p><p><br /></p><p>As previously mentioned some clubs entail your child being placed on a waiting list - sometimes needing to be on this for more than a year or from birth! One such list our girls have been on is Rainbows, ever since lockdown in fact. </p><p><br /></p><p>So two weeks ago when I received a late night email confirming they finally had a place and together I really was happy. </p><p><br /></p><p>That is until my son confirmed he wanted to try a boxing class and I looked at our new schedule. </p><p><br /></p><p>Of the 5 weekdays, we now have some sort of club after school for 4 days and on the other day there’s a club in the morning. </p><p><br /></p><p>I feel we’ve gone from not enough clubs to now potentially too many. </p><p><br /></p><p>How do you know how many is the right amount though?</p><p><br /></p><p>And also at what age should the children pick the activity and potentially develop a proper hobby or skill? </p><p><br /></p><p>Do some children need or enjoy more activities than others? Are we going to end up with confident, happy children or tired out little ones? </p><p><br /></p><p>We seem to have a nice mix for our eldest - swimming, karate, Rainbows and her dance/drama/singing club. The twins now do arts and crafts club (just a few weeks at a time), one does boxing and the other does Rainbows and they both attend the same dance/drama/singing club. </p><p><br /></p><p>Now we have some sort of system in place to get to and from these sessions, we’ve got to factor in homework, reading, spelling and times table practice…</p><p><br /></p><p>What works for you? Has anyone found the happy balance or are we all just ‘winging it’ like most parenthood seems to be?…</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-73665233396155594742023-02-21T13:55:00.002+00:002023-02-21T13:59:25.896+00:00Weighing up the best workout<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Weighing up the best workout</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Something happened to me last year. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I turned 40.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And I don’t think my body likes it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m not one of these people to get too hung up on age. However, I’ve had a few people around me hit this milestone and comment on changes they experienced as a result.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">For a couple of years now I’ve belonged to a local girls only gym so I’m surrounded by women of various ages and shapes and sizes. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I enjoy going to the gym. Not just for the fitness side of things, but it also really helps me with my wellbeing and in switching off.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When I first joined I was on a pay as you go basis and always went to spin classes - hard, but something I knew and loved.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, the instructors often encouraged me to try something new and mix it up a bit. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So what to try?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Up until recently I had added a couple of different classes. I still kept lots of spinning up, but now I added in a ‘supple strength’ (stretching, strength and balance with yoga/pilates moves) class and ‘boxing bootcamp’, since pre kids I quite enjoyed boxercise with my other half (he used to do personal training). </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After I had twins, where I don’t drive (currently on my to do list to try and master this year) I walked everywhere - a combination of that and breast feeding I lost a lot of weight. I had 3 children 2 and under! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, since the children are now all out of buggies and don’t need me to chase after them so much I’ve really seen weight come back on. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m always trying to find a balance of eating (I love food!) and exercise so that I don’t have to starve myself but also feel confident in my body/outfits I want to wear. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve always found spinning helped with that and would help my body shape to change when I noticed I’d been overdoing the eating side. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now don’t get me wrong I celebrated my 40th - my bank balance (or lack of) and my figure definitely reflect that. However, once I turned 40 in August something changed. My body changed big time.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’d been getting pain in the lower part of my left leg and after a few calls and thankfully an in person appointment with a very helpful nurse then doctor, it was confirmed I’d got varicose veins there. Wow, now didn’t that make me feel old?!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Incidentally, since this I’ve had many people tell me how they or their partner have suffered with this and at earlier points in their lives. The doctor did also confirm it’s not an ‘old lady condition’ as I’d previously thought. Still, it was something new and not a particularly welcome change.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Soon after my birthday I also started to find my energy levels were dropping and the only way I can describe it is my body just felt tired and slower/stiffer. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As if this didn’t annoy me enough, the best bit was yet to come.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My tummy - now I’ve suspected for some time I’m going through peri-menopause so this could be linked, we’ll save that for another post - suddenly won’t seem to reduce. It’s puffy, sticks out and even though I’d be exercising and watching what I ate it was still prominent as ever.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Not great for the confidence. And the spinning? It wasn’t changing my body shape like it used to.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Something had to change. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Many of the gym instructors have said previously how we should be incorporating weights into our workouts - so many benefits and particularly as you approach/enter the menopause phase of your life. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Lucky for me a new class hit our gym with a new instructor. I decided to give it a go. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Shape and sculpt mixed cardio and weights and was a workout to work your whole body. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was hard, but I found I really enjoyed it. And for someone who has never been too fussed about weights, I was surprised to like that part a lot!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I started to do both the sculpt and boxing classes each Monday along with my other spin classes/stretch class on other days. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Then our boxing bootcamp class was changed up - more like a circuits class now - and in parts incorporates weights.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard, I find it very hard and I often have moments where I’m well aware I’m not the strongest, fittest or most able in the session. But the buzz I get after? It’s so worth it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now we’ve just had half term and school holidays typically mean for me no gym and probably quite a bit of eating more unhealthy foods and drinking less water than usual. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, as per my previous post I’m currently doing a squat challenge during February and I’ve stuck to it. And 3 weeks in I can see/feel a difference from doing them physically as well as mentally.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Before the holidays, we started to do exercises with kettlebells in boxing and I liked them, so I decided to leave my comfort zone yet again and try another new class - kettlebells. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Today was only my second class, but so far I’m really enjoying it and despite my ‘pigging out’ over half term break, I can feel a difference finally in my body. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Everybody has been saying it for a while and finally I’ve listened!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So, have I found the answer to my workout weigh up? Is it weights? Well, for now, it certainly feels it could be…</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsqP4Cn988Km5Bk_KBpF7XbCauETPh6i1giyBpKj8IhyHOYWgezYYpsEfKTHGjpHvdd0AdJ4_63pMHldjsH7fMhlmYH1lcWSe0OQl4BdBJGm66dshC26F8sa7Sl7n-arbLOf32TEjYnNCZzu9w_qPcf_F8lkwmTFC0TqzJkj2rEraWxveMIE_oDAWxw/s3496/32FB3BB7-78CA-4984-A5D7-65C65544E4FD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3496" data-original-width="1727" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsqP4Cn988Km5Bk_KBpF7XbCauETPh6i1giyBpKj8IhyHOYWgezYYpsEfKTHGjpHvdd0AdJ4_63pMHldjsH7fMhlmYH1lcWSe0OQl4BdBJGm66dshC26F8sa7Sl7n-arbLOf32TEjYnNCZzu9w_qPcf_F8lkwmTFC0TqzJkj2rEraWxveMIE_oDAWxw/s320/32FB3BB7-78CA-4984-A5D7-65C65544E4FD.jpeg" width="158" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-85947357160927706172023-02-09T15:05:00.003+00:002023-02-09T18:21:37.345+00:00Do you Mind if I squat?<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; font-weight: bold;">Do you Mind if I squat?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m always seeing people raising money for a good cause or setting themselves some sort of challenge. Randomly one evening whilst doing one of those mindless scrolls through social media something caught my eye - Squats Challenge.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As I looked again I saw this one in particular was for the mental health charity Mind. And that really got my attention.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Looking back I’ve always been a bit of a worrier, but during lockdown this reached a new level and I found myself visiting the doctors and soon receiving CBT for anxiety. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The lady I spoke to via fortnightly phone calls really helped give me some tools to use and tips on how to manage my anxiety when it crept up. I still often refer to them now and watch/look at anxiety posts on various social platforms.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I won’t go into too much detail as it’s very personal, but there are a number of people around me who have their own struggles with mental health in some form and so it truly is very close to my heart. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve always felt that if I did something for charity I’d like it to be something relevant or close to me. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Seeing as mental health affects so many of us and it’s even more prevalent nowadays, Mind seemed an ideal cause to raise money for.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m not going to be running a marathon anytime soon, but squats? Squats I felt could be manageable. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What better than raising money for charity, than also potentially getting in shape in the process. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It is slightly awkward given the current climate to ask people to part with money, therefore I’m feeling grateful for any donations. Although I really would like to raise as much as I can because I feel Mind is so important and worthwhile a cause. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Cut to today, I’ve completed my ninth day of the challenge. As the name suggests for the 50 squats a day challenge, you need to complete 50 squats each day during the month of February. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m combining the challenge alongside my usual gym classes so I’m really hoping it’ll help with my fitness and as with other exercise I do, benefit my wellbeing overall. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So far I’m enjoying the challenge and liking the fact the kids are noticing too and sometimes wanting to join me! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ll likely do a post another time about anxiety and what it can be like, but for now I’m going to go back to sticking my bum out, making sure my knees aren’t over my toes and trying to get a few extra pennies and pounds for Mind. </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8HarnbOQZa1b4XaHoz59CT10HnygKQ5ZrF-RR5e6beLcR9PfCm_i1YiTdFb3h5UBol1doMLRZow-fwmShB3S1uZq312E0JNFnod3ovSrhsDsdy_LBgr7OQk-g1DJcwaRMj3P77M6Kv7i5hO9N0YsNeR06rukZx2tJ-HHEvctdrwO49-bE07VHdylcg/s1800/A744926A-A286-4682-93E9-F9E54C7EBC81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1439" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8HarnbOQZa1b4XaHoz59CT10HnygKQ5ZrF-RR5e6beLcR9PfCm_i1YiTdFb3h5UBol1doMLRZow-fwmShB3S1uZq312E0JNFnod3ovSrhsDsdy_LBgr7OQk-g1DJcwaRMj3P77M6Kv7i5hO9N0YsNeR06rukZx2tJ-HHEvctdrwO49-bE07VHdylcg/s320/A744926A-A286-4682-93E9-F9E54C7EBC81.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><p></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-1679165140105952152023-02-07T21:39:00.004+00:002023-02-09T18:25:28.088+00:00How long is enough? <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">How long is enough?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Wow, so I’ve been religiously watching this Netflix series The Bold Type. Really enjoyed it and am a tad addicted I’ll admit.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It’s pretty easygoing watching and although mostly lighthearted, tackles a host of topics relating to gender, career, race, sexuality and more. Plus I’ve noticed it’s making me think back to my love of writing! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What I wasn’t expecting however, was the sudden punch to my stomach I’ve just had. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Somebody has just experienced a missed miscarriage. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’m shocked. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I suffered a missed miscarriage back in 2015. 1st May to be exact I think it was.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve detailed in previous posts my experience and my situation now, I have three children - a six (soon to be 7) year old and just turned 5 year old twins. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We’re talking about an event that happened 8 years ago nearly now.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">One, although I’ll never forget, I thought I’d made peace with.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">That’s why I’m truly sitting here shocked at how I feel. It may only have been a short scene and I could tell what was coming. But the no heartbeat comment, no symptoms or sign of any issues, the happy excited couple being hurtled into a mix of shock, disbelief and utter heartache. It all was way too close to home and honestly? It took me right back to that day. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I don’t get it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve seen other things, sadly heard lots of other people’s experiences of similar over the years since and I’ve handled it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Today just a simple binge watch boxset program episode and it’s floored me. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Why?</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">How does it work? We know everyone always says there is no right or wrong way or amount of time for dealing with grief. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">However, when you feel you’ve processed something painful in your life and it’s been a considerable amount of time since doing so, how comes something can set you off track again? </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Who knows, as I’m wound up by my kids constant bickering, pushing of boundaries, post school madness and messing up the house after I’ve just cleaned, maybe it’s a reminder of how precious those little monkeys are. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A small wake up call to how short life is, how fast things can change and that maybe things aren’t so bad after all? </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AitW_sUVOkB-J5zymmwb3CIhKhaFmdotK_aCrYbpxL9LJHBRmIZyE3O0MPLC4Y51t2L3zYWNx2XezJYjirlWvcoIoX1aUFAYHwR4gGAtlzK94W4K-88PBpnvzCHWoywp3Ks5fRqxcLTgYJeHjn4cUZIO80DxcavDSgEvb54d2M3VESQcecZkOQ1Q9w/s3780/40A76D07-F344-46BC-8E7F-F3377202AEE9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AitW_sUVOkB-J5zymmwb3CIhKhaFmdotK_aCrYbpxL9LJHBRmIZyE3O0MPLC4Y51t2L3zYWNx2XezJYjirlWvcoIoX1aUFAYHwR4gGAtlzK94W4K-88PBpnvzCHWoywp3Ks5fRqxcLTgYJeHjn4cUZIO80DxcavDSgEvb54d2M3VESQcecZkOQ1Q9w/s320/40A76D07-F344-46BC-8E7F-F3377202AEE9.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><p></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-71165310351067870852020-10-19T11:17:00.003+01:002020-10-19T11:20:23.814+01:00You’ve got a friend in Mum<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px;">I’ve just got home from a spin class at my local gym - first time in over a year! I’m buzzing and hooray it’s seemingly sparked something in my brain.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">Sat down for a quick cuppa before another shower and going to pick up my twins from preschool, I’ve switched on the television to this...</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLglKbtYo-XQCgjNKRbZzLDitxEQqhjSkNnBjIYjojSlBx2rJXyEvSoYoQVq_KHQy3KjgBUZjQYt_SRPiMjgClRII4lvav_TTLc6o2H___YsRFbOkl6H16QM7VCYv6i4a3aE_Jj6bffLs/s2048/4E160C66-2C1B-40A9-9F5E-446FFDF68CE0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLglKbtYo-XQCgjNKRbZzLDitxEQqhjSkNnBjIYjojSlBx2rJXyEvSoYoQVq_KHQy3KjgBUZjQYt_SRPiMjgClRII4lvav_TTLc6o2H___YsRFbOkl6H16QM7VCYv6i4a3aE_Jj6bffLs/s320/4E160C66-2C1B-40A9-9F5E-446FFDF68CE0.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Ta-dah my little brain has switched on and FINALLY I’ve found a topic I want to blog about! </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Let’s be honest this year has been pretty bleak and stressful and quite frankly I’ve found it hard to find time or even anything to inspire me to blog...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Here it is. So can Mums be friends with daughters? This is a question the Jeremy Vine Show has posed today - I should just add it also was great to see an all female panel/hosts today too on a topical program which debates current affairs.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I guess the way I’ll be answering this is two fold - one as my role as a daughter myself and secondly as my position now as a mother to my own daughters (and a son). </p><p style="text-align: left;">When I was younger I loved my parents dearly and had a good relationship with both of them and I remember getting comfort when young from my Mum but knowing she was in charge as the adult. I wouldn’t say at that point it was necessarily as a friend it was a family love and relationship. </p><p style="text-align: left;">However once I got older at secondary school, becoming a teen and starting to get good old hormones things changed. You don’t want to be seen with your parents it’s embarrassing and not cool. I wouldn’t want my Mum to come in dressing rooms with me and we’d bicker over clothes and our opinions. I look back now and I totally get why this made my Mum so sad.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Having a precious innocent four year and two year old twins I can’t even imagine them not needing or wanting me. They’re constantly telling me I’m their best friend and showering me with kisses and cuddles. The thought they’d not want me around and be embarrassed or similar feels like it would kill me! </p><p style="text-align: left;">On starting college and trying to ‘rebel’ a bit I used to constantly argue with both my Mum and Dad. </p><p style="text-align: left;">But then I moved out, got my own place after University and something switched...me and my Mum’s relationship changed - we genuinely became friends! We enjoyed each other’s company, we talked and shared experiences. It was really nice.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Following that when I became a Mum myself - wow that’s the biggest game changer. Suddenly you understand her ways, her behaviour, her rules when you were young. The love she has for you. It all suddenly makes sense! </p><p style="text-align: left;">I’m going by my experiences of course. I mean we’ve all seen the different types of Mum and daughter relationships - there are those who used to dress young and act young and almost be like a sister to their daughter.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The idea when I was a teenager of going on a night out with my Mum was just totally unfathomable. However I’ve heard of Mums clubbing with their daughter in tow.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For me? No thanks I don’t think that’d work.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When younger you need to set boundaries and make sure you’ve got the respect level with your children so they know you’re the adult and in charge. In that sense I guess you’re not their friend, but I think it’s equally as important for them to trust in you like a friend and feel they can come to you and talk to you about anything. Especially in these days and times with new pressures, cyber bullying and child mental health issues. </p><p style="text-align: left;">My own daughters? Right now we’re still at the I’m in charge stage but for me with a mix of being their best friend (when it suits then) in their eyes and knowing I’m their go to person and place if they need help or are scared at all. I’d certainly like to think though as they get older they can count me as a friend. </p><p style="text-align: left;">So can Mums and daughters be friends? Yes I think so - maybe not in the general more typical sense of the word, and with authority added on the side - but in a world so full of pressures and right now uncertainties everyone needs a friend and who better than the person who brought you into the world in the first place? </p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><br /></p>The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-42246792469595252702020-02-26T12:58:00.001+00:002020-02-26T12:58:10.510+00:00Your body says no<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeRcJUt8ZLzgr-s-4GCmKH8mG0VjyUV-9ieNBXjuRJLqw0BeiCp8dx7WnmOh8cvYt_mV-0eq0LTAvGHuBTz4PXagLFWF1KnVSYmKRqbIQY2WtHk4YAA5XonfrjS5leSz1GDrkS08edVd6/s1600/5A3B4AAD-96F6-4166-8E79-39242C749C0D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeRcJUt8ZLzgr-s-4GCmKH8mG0VjyUV-9ieNBXjuRJLqw0BeiCp8dx7WnmOh8cvYt_mV-0eq0LTAvGHuBTz4PXagLFWF1KnVSYmKRqbIQY2WtHk4YAA5XonfrjS5leSz1GDrkS08edVd6/s320/5A3B4AAD-96F6-4166-8E79-39242C749C0D.jpeg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">As I sit here with a fuzzy head croaky voice and achey body, currently taking a few various medications to get me back on track I’m almost laughing at myself.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I’ve written a few blogs about making time for me and putting myself first. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Well my body has finally turned round the last few days and fought back. It’s had enough. I’m not looking after myself properly. So now it’s showing me.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">On Monday I felt so unwell, I don’t remember feeling so ill in a long long time.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Today I’ve finally left the house properly and popped to the local shops, done the preschool run and basically got a bit of fresh air. I still don’t feel great, but I feel good to be out.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The last couple of days I’ve had time in bed to just lay and relax and rest. I’ve clearly needed it. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I’m not sure how interesting this post is or really why I’m writing it. I guess maybe as a reminder for me when I start making all those excuses why NOT to go do something for me in the future. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">This post can remind me that eventually my body and mind will fight back so why not be kind to it before it gets that far? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">As someone who’s a nightmare for making me time I know it’s going to be a slow change, but once I think I might finally listen.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">For one, being a Mum of three aged 3 and under isn’t a walk in the park at the best of times and it sure as hell is no fun when you’re ill! </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-13470425059516461322020-02-06T20:10:00.001+00:002020-02-06T20:10:32.338+00:00Just a short sharp scratch <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1k5ZUemcZPeGvkIlAmZLSsUvxPGnDJS-wZNBT43PiSOa36OS47mYGTuelUSJqLurXQw5_A2D9H6iKjRrPpfjjoS-6V55EIfE78zikP68PQdLL6Ecyrq-MePeTOlAhxqt7s-07sZn2VH15/s1600/91E924A8-A108-443B-BCEB-2D9E1494E6D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1k5ZUemcZPeGvkIlAmZLSsUvxPGnDJS-wZNBT43PiSOa36OS47mYGTuelUSJqLurXQw5_A2D9H6iKjRrPpfjjoS-6V55EIfE78zikP68PQdLL6Ecyrq-MePeTOlAhxqt7s-07sZn2VH15/s320/91E924A8-A108-443B-BCEB-2D9E1494E6D5.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-weight: bold;">Just a short sharp scratch </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Ew even those words make me feel a bit nauseous.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">I’m a wuss. There are a lot of things I’m scared of and nervous about to be fair. However, injections and blood tests is definitely up there! </span></div>
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<span class="s2">As mentioned in yesterday’s blog post I’ve had somewhat of a health ‘MOT’ this week.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Since I have asthma I’m always offered the flu jab. I think I’ve had it most years although I really can’t remember if I did last year. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Anyway, there have been moments I’ve had my fiancé distract me by acting silly in a doctors room to stop me freaking out at having injections. My arm has started aching at just the thought of being injected in some sort of phantom pain. I’ve felt faint, got hot and on the verge of tears when having to get blood taken. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Yet I’ve given birth twice and been through a few unpleasant procedures in my time. Including a huge needle in me when I had an epidural! Still, I continue to worry over a tiny needle and a really short moment of discomfort. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Needles, blood, yuck. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">However, something weird has happened to me this week. For one, I decided to stay true to my mantra I was going to follow this week and try put myself first a bit more. So some symptoms I’d been having and a letter for a test I’d received I finally decided to address. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Hence the MOT! </span></div>
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<span class="s2">I won’t lie there were times before one appointment I nearly walked out the doctors and I did get a bit tearful.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">After my blood test today I felt a bit hot and nauseous.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">However, I stuck at it and attended my appointment Monday and made sure I covered all the points I wanted.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">When it came to having my flu jab, I surprised myself I was chatting away and didn’t even flinch when it was done. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Normally post blood test I walk around with a stiff arm and don’t move it for hours after. Yes I know how ridiculous this is! Today, I walked straight out, popped my cardigan and coat on and not long after was carrying a bag full of shopping for the kids I’d collected. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">So yes, I’m a 37 year old woman and finally I think I might have actually overcome some of my fears this week. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Don’t get me wrong I didn’t enjoy any of it and still wasn’t keen, but it was definitely not so traumatic as I usually find it. And - yes I know what a big girl! - I went to all the appointments and tests on my own.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Maybe that’s the way to approach a lot of things in life you fear. Think of it as a short sharp scratch - it’s not going to last and will be over soon enough. </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-29278259948511377692020-02-05T23:14:00.001+00:002020-02-05T23:19:11.835+00:00Smear smiles <div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-weight: bold;">Today I went for a smear test</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Well, if you want to be specific I went for a smear test, flu jab and asthma review! </span></div>
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<span class="s2">I’m sure I’ve posted about this before and I know others sometimes make a point of letting people know they’ve gone for a smear. To help raise awareness. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">It seems to go in peaks and troughs, whether it’s ‘in’ to promote going for a smear, when people want to encourage other females to go get checked out.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">However, what shocked me today as I sat in the waiting room, waiting - because of course it’s NHS and there were delays - people are still making a fuss about going.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">I don’t mean singing from the rooftops they’ve had a cervical cancer check to join the latest social media craze. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">No, people still don’t like going and - very much like labour - people seem to thrive on telling their horror stories! </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Why is it people think it’s a good idea to share negative experiences, in particular with those who are about to endure said experience? </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Today when chatting with a fellow Mum and in explaining my reasons for being at the doctors, I found out all how at their last smear they had ‘different’ results. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And of course In great detail the procedure afterwards!</span></div>
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<span class="s2">Thankfully I know after having 3 children - well going through 2 births - that a smear should be a walk in the park. And after various blood tests during pregnancy, having an epidural In labour and then post-birth tummy injections that injections shouldn’t be too daunting at all. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">I’ve been a wuss for years so was quite proud of myself today! (as well as laughing at my old self!) </span></div>
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<span class="s2">A smear is so quick and easy to do. It can feel uncomfortable at times when they take the sample, but before you known it you’re done.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">And if you find a decent healthcare professional - like I luckily have - you’ll end up spending longer chatting than the test itself actually takes! </span></div>
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<span class="s2">I had a good old gossip today. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">It was honestly over so fast. This morning In the shower whilst preparing myself i thought how people probably have certain rituals they go through when their time comes.</span></div>
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<span class="s2">You know what, if it makes you feel better about going if you’ve ‘done your bikini line, have nice undies on, or anything really to help, just do it. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">And me? How did I find this latest episode, or moreso my health MOT as I kept joking. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Well, they may have aged me, stress me out beyond belief and don’t allow me to ever have a normal conversation with other adults. But thanks kids. </span></div>
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<span class="s2">Thanks to bringing you into this world I didn’t feel too much at my check up today (sorry TMI) <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and I didn’t feel faint or get phantom arm aches when facing a needle! </span><br />
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<span class="s2">If I can do it, then so can you. Alright some people might not be as ‘fortunate’ as me to have kids that liked to ‘leave their mark’ when entering the world (and exiting me!) Regardless, a smear is over super quick and can actually save your life! </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-86330048086342942792020-01-03T20:22:00.001+00:002020-01-03T20:22:51.494+00:00New decade, new decisions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">As I’m sat here in my pjs, having consumed a glass of wine, thinking about having fish and chips for dinner (and understandably having put on a lot of weight the last week - er actually month!) I realise maybe I need to take on board the whole new year, near me crap we hear each New Year.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The majority of people tend to make resolutions as the year ends and a new one begins and everyone laughs as let’s be honest who rarely ever actually keeps to them? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">You know what though? For the sake of sticking to those old cliches what would I try to do if I were to make any resolutions? One I might actually have any hope of keeping?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Well quite frankly 2019 - admittedly along with a few other years - showed me true colours from a number of individuals in various walks of life. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">If there’s one thing I need to learn to do and to teach my children to attempt to do is not worry so much about everyone else.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I really my want my kids to be kind and consider other people’s feelings. But to be honest I hope they’re not so conscious of them as I am. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">You know why? When you worry so much about how others feel and think you really do neglect your own wellbeing, big time. And I hate to say it a lot of people take you for a mug.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Now I don’t want to suddenly become a cold, selfish, out-for-all-they-can-get kind of person, but I seriously need to stop and look at me.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Not worry what someone might think if I say no, or if I speak my mind, I ask for help I need, I take time for me. Not worry how others may cope if I take my foot off the gas at times. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">If becoming a Mum has taught me anything - and believe me there have been a fair few lessons - it’s that time really does fly and once you start to put yourself low down on the pecking order and near the back of the queue (okay pretty much the end of the line most of the time!) then it doesn’t take long for it to become the norm. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">This year I feel I really need to find a way of worrying about me. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">If others show me they’re not too concerned if they offend me, then right back at ya. If I see those signs I need a break then take one, if it makes others struggle temporarily as a result so be it. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I’ve always been so focused on keeping the peace, not offending and making sure everyone around is happy I’ve realised I’ve kind of forgot myself in the process.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It’s a new decade so what better time to get right out my comfort zone and be concerned with me?</span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-13707231225244654842019-11-13T20:38:00.001+00:002019-11-13T20:38:39.158+00:00Kind and proud <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYRVFWpS9t_aVjL0MUYo0n99lB3g4NFm4H1urpt6pWJFAr-PBVLxm06cQNt42TBc86pbF7yq8eW8Z3G4sUNSKT4A-nAkwVXOVEta4EBGODePh1sNv6yAc5zSIykHy-n9Ys7jUpkKlRH2q/s1600/5AB3B6C7-31D7-4EF0-AEAA-2E4007307B42.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="1595" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYRVFWpS9t_aVjL0MUYo0n99lB3g4NFm4H1urpt6pWJFAr-PBVLxm06cQNt42TBc86pbF7yq8eW8Z3G4sUNSKT4A-nAkwVXOVEta4EBGODePh1sNv6yAc5zSIykHy-n9Ys7jUpkKlRH2q/s320/5AB3B6C7-31D7-4EF0-AEAA-2E4007307B42.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">In this current world where there is so much hate and anger and nastiness, it feels like we’re very much in need of the reminder on today’s World Kindness Day.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Be kind.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It’s so tempting at times when most people you encounter seem selfish, rude or impolite. Why should you be the one to make the effort and be pleasant?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Bringing children up in the world right now at times makes me feel sad and guilty. They’re growing up in what seems like pretty negative times and it doesn’t feel you experience kindness all that often! </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Like most parents I often experience parenting guilt, am I bringing the children up right? Are we teaching them how to be decent people? What are the traits we want and need them to have?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">At present we’re also in the middle of viewing primary schools in order to decide on our ideal choice for our eldest. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I won’t lie it’s so far been a lot tougher than I imagined it would be. First off, what should you be looking for? What’s important? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The chances of even getting your first choice where we live are pretty slim as it is.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Plus things have changed a lot since me and her Dad went to school, we’ve learnt that for sure when doing these visits! </span></div>
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<span class="s1">One point I think we’ve always agreed on is a huge thing we do want to make sure of is our children are kind. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">And today we had our preschooler’s 2nd ‘parent-keyworker’ meeting and learnt just that. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">As I sat with tears welling in my eyes I felt myself burst with pride and my heart swell to hear how our firstborn is kind and caring, what a sensitive soul she is, how she helps comfort the new and younger children coming to the preschool and more. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Yes I asked and heard about more academic areas which are super important to me. However, it made me so happy to hear our little girl was so sweet and thoughtful. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In a way hearing more how she behaves when she’s away from me and her Dad and siblings has also helped shed some light for me on what sort of school might suit her too. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">So thank you to my darling daughter on this World Kindness Day for making me so proud of how kind you are turning out to be. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">(And as an added bonus our twin boy has now learnt and likes to say I Love You!) </span></div>
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<span class="s1">So why should you be kind to others? Why make the effort when people seem so selfish nowadays? Think how it makes you feel when someone is kind to you and there you’ll find your answer </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-51541617391357825122019-10-15T19:46:00.001+01:002019-10-15T19:46:57.991+01:00You wonder <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfY3lJYKY3Tel2gm4YZJsC-KyyImIpdpWESarDyiTdKiYYCiUxg41m1o0QT62TzWH_AB02WBYhedlxkQcaC6O2HkFD-6CWqH6Aj6BidsRNOWCyMTvjj6kULbxiyHJpWuWwyt6cYwoOALq/s1600/C33A3907-B3E1-46BA-A400-D8EB4BACDF0C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfY3lJYKY3Tel2gm4YZJsC-KyyImIpdpWESarDyiTdKiYYCiUxg41m1o0QT62TzWH_AB02WBYhedlxkQcaC6O2HkFD-6CWqH6Aj6BidsRNOWCyMTvjj6kULbxiyHJpWuWwyt6cYwoOALq/s320/C33A3907-B3E1-46BA-A400-D8EB4BACDF0C.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">You wonder...</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Why it happened to me</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Why some people are so against people sharing their experience</span></div>
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<span class="s1">What would’ve happened if it hadn’t happened</span></div>
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<span class="s1">What sort of sibling you would’ve been</span></div>
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<span class="s1">How different life would have turned out</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Were you a boy or a girl?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">My heart’s always felt boy</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">Why the world wasn’t ready for you right then</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That bump</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those flutters </span></div>
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<span class="s1">That secret </span></div>
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<span class="s1">That sense of worry</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That day</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those words</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That void</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That heartbreak </span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That journey</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those tablets</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That op</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That torture</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That loss</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those tears</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That constant ache </span></div>
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<span class="s1">That dark time</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That recovery </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those walks</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That gradual improvement</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That mistrust of my body</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That second chance</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those feelings </span></div>
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<span class="s1">That pregnancy </span></div>
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<span class="s1">That fear and concern</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That happy time </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those amazing moments to cherish</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That rainbow baby</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That new life</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That rollercoaster ride</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those memories</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That little girl</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That chance of a sibling</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That shock news</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those twins</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That confusion</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That final gratitude </span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">That constant wonder what if and why</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Those three siblings and you</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That memory, never to leave</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That love for all but still that loss</span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-46589468943651436962019-10-12T09:43:00.002+01:002019-10-12T09:43:58.918+01:00All I ever wanted <div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was to make my parents proud and do well</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was to be a Mum, a child to call my own </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was to have a home - nothing fancy, but somewhere to be proud</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was to have someone to love, to love me</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was a happy life, nothing fancy, but to enjoy it </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was the basics </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was fairness</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was truth, trust</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was a true partner, to support each other and be a team</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was a little family to look out for one another </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted lies</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted arguing</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted the fancy things in life</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted heartache and hurt</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted to live a lie</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I never wanted to struggle </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All I ever wanted was us</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">What I thought was us</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">What I thought we had</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">What I thought we would be</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Now it’s just hurt anger lies and letdowns</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">It’s not all I ever wanted at all</span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-63741923572110930992019-10-10T14:24:00.001+01:002019-10-10T14:24:38.957+01:00Dark mornings, nights and days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Dark mornings, nights and days</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">When the light closes on another day</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">When yet again it ends with a sigh of dismay</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As tired eyes can’t focus anymore</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">When energy is so low and raw</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">A constant weight upon the chest</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The heart throbs with a constant ache</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">When it feels it’s always take take take</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Nothing left to try and fight</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">No longer knowing what’s really right </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">That constant pulling further down</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The smile well hidden behind a frown</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Tightness in the head and neck</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Feeling a complete and utter wreck</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">No idea what to do anymore</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Those tense shoulders so on edge and sore </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Wondering about a way out</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">To stop the constant need to shout </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Nobody listening truly hearing the pain</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Despite the hints at truth again and again</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Is it all just emotive drama like a TV soap</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Constantly wanting a fix, some sign of hope</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Ups and downs, a rollercoaster ride</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Just can’t do it anymore, just too tired </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">How three little lives can stop those ideas</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Keeping them happy and safe, hurting them the fear</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Can’t be selfish nowadays on you they depend</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So for now you continue and see no end </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-7024358637098149122019-08-18T21:11:00.001+01:002019-08-18T21:15:54.294+01:00Remembering me <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFC03ddMYIip0j0dR0TG_qBNIGpJZkzQY2Q3A10PvEbtrV5o6S6OIDKSS35IHbOz5hiFSlZ-AALfzIEPWWrXG08uV1JFcmWG0nwAeVhh6ZJSTXkytR-cW-R2aOaNJhRLxMZHyFQj2_s5v3/s1600/97B464F8-5E40-449E-BC43-C0686659C200.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1091" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFC03ddMYIip0j0dR0TG_qBNIGpJZkzQY2Q3A10PvEbtrV5o6S6OIDKSS35IHbOz5hiFSlZ-AALfzIEPWWrXG08uV1JFcmWG0nwAeVhh6ZJSTXkytR-cW-R2aOaNJhRLxMZHyFQj2_s5v3/s320/97B464F8-5E40-449E-BC43-C0686659C200.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Sometimes when you become a parent - and indeed when general adult life gets busy overall - you can lose track of what it is that makes you you. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">What have you been up to lately? So, what are your hobbies? Often when I get asked these questions nowadays I get a bit stuck - erm...not much, I can’t remember, I don’t really have time to have any...</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">But that’s sort of wrong. I know deep down I need to make time and not give in so easily to Mum guilt or give excuses not to do things for me.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">This month I knew was going to involve a few well overdue days/evenings having fun. Fun for me that is - not laughing at my kids being crazy, smiling at something cute they’ve done, or enjoying watching them making me proud. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The month’s not over yet and I have to admit so far it’s been great. My bank balance and figure won’t thank me, but it’s been so nice to indulge in a few things I enjoy. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Eating out</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Theatre</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Music </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Friends </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Dating</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Reading </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I had a girl’s night out at the start of the month, it’s been a very long time since I’ve got together for a girly one and it was great. A perfect combination of drinks, chatting, nice food and a good dance/sing to some ‘classics’. I can’t sing or dance great let’s be honest, but nothing does me the world of good more than a drink or two and dancing like a loon and ‘singing’ along to some old garage songs I used to love when I went clubbing when younger! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I’ve eaten a gorgeous afternoon tea in London at a swish hotel, gastropub family birthday lunch, tasty bistro birthday meal, a late night ‘fancy’ burger and a steak dinner. All bar one were child free too which make the world of difference as for a change I could take my time, enjoy the flavours and savour my food! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I watched the Tina Turner musical in the West End which I’ve wanted to see for a while - again I really like a good musical or simply a play at the theatre. This tends to be an annual visit nowadays so I think I appreciate and enjoy it even moreso. The musical was amazing - so much energy and emotion in the performance, it certainly didn’t disappoint. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">My fiancé and I couldn’t properly remember the last film w</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">e saw at the cinema and thanks to my in-laws we ended up seeing two films when we went out. Again - as with good music, good books (I’ve been getting into my reading again finally of a night before going to sleep) and a good play/show - I find films great escapism, a fun way to switch off and forget real life for a bit. We had a good mix of a lighthearted kids story and then a more adult Tarantino film. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">And speaking of my fiancé, we’ve had some time just us for a change, which is very rare and makes the world of difference. It’s so hard to even get in a brief conversation most the time - hence why our to do lists and social planing are always so behind! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Oh and a bit of a lay in and breakfast in bed weren’t all that bad either! Sleep is extremely underrated pre-parenthood! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I’ve still got a couple more things ahead too - a night out with friends and my fiancé at a ‘silent disco’ and a girly night out with a difference with my Mum, and mother and sister-in-law! I can’t wait!</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Before kids we used to go out lots more and my fiancé would find new places to visit (immersive Alice in Wonderland was one, themed afternoon teas, music gigs, stand up shows). I love music gigs, live comedy and things that are a bit different and so I’m going to see if we can both really try to make more of an effort to invest in planning more regular time for us to enjoy these things again. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Even if it’s a once every few months event, and we have to wait until our budget allows, we need to make sure we’re not missing out. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Just a few moments rediscovering things I enjoy has made me feel so much like me again and reminded me who I am. And let’s not forget I’ve got to get back on that spinning bike as it’s been a while again now - if only to work off the after effects of all this ‘rediscovery’! </span></div>
The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-412905952556645529.post-68495949216354411312019-07-21T20:07:00.000+01:002019-07-21T20:12:50.064+01:00Somewhere in between <div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Anyone who’s joined NCT or similar as an expectant Mum or Dad and made friends with a group of previously complete strangers will understand parenting cliques, groups, ‘Mumfriends’, whatever you want to label them.</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The whole appeal and why it works (provided you get a good group) is because you’re all on the same journey. You’re going through the pregnancy at the same time, from similar areas, you share birth stories and are all awake at the same times so can provide support when otherwise you may feel quite alone.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">People talk about how important it is to get out and about when you become a parent and I totally support this. When I had my first I was always out and thrived on fresh air, exercise from walking about with my pram or making friends for my baby and me at multiple groups I’d attend. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You are on maternity/paternity leave and become an all singing and dancing member of the ‘First time parent’ group.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Some people don’t feel comfortable going to some of these ‘Mum & Baby’ groups or themed sessions based around music, play, storytelling or similar. I though for one would’ve been totally lost without mine. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Then, if and when you go on to have that next pregnancy and baby you become part of another group - ‘parents with more than one’.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you decide to not return to work you belong to the ‘stay at home parent’ group, go back and you’re a ‘working parent’ group member. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Those people who become pregnant and go on and to have multiples - twins, triplets (or more!!!) gain their badge for the ‘multiples parents’ group.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Whatever group you’re in you make strong bonds based on your common ground. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Your baby is doing yellow poos like someone else’s </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’re both struggling to get out on time with your newborn and firstborn </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’re both feeling guilty for not working/going to work </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">And so on and so forth..</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">What though if you have a baby and then fall</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> pregnant again</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> with more than one?</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You know what happens? You kind of don’t quite belong in </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">any particular group anymore. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You were with your first time Mum group and you were all sharing tales of how cheeky and naughty your kids are becoming. Then you got pregnant and so do others and you start to share how tough it is carrying a toddler whilst waddling with a bump. Then you find out there’s more than one baby, oh that’s a bit different. So you move into a multiples group, but then they mostly experience multiples, not really multiples and a toddler! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It gets harder to find common ground, it gets harder to get out and about. You have to start to ask for help more. Things are just not so easy to arrange or get done anymore. And who totally and utterly gets what you’re situation is like? </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Not many people really. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I saw an article a few months back that really struck a chord</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> from somebody talking about having twins and another child. This isn’t a pity post or cry for help, I just felt like </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">being totally honest and just putting it out there for once what it can be like. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It can be hard. But you don’t want to bore on about how hard it is because you don’t want others to tire of you and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">your whining. You don’t want to look ungrateful for the blessings you’ve been given. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You end up not seeing people as much, not being able to keep in contact so much, not doing as much, maybe coming across as a bad friend or like you don’t care/can’t be bothered anymore. Please hear me when I stress this so isn’t the case, when you become a Mum to 3 all so young and close in age life just becomes mental! Serious chaos. You never know who or what to sort next! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You constantly juggle having so many to look after, asking for help without wanting to put on people, having to admit just how much help you might truly need, and then of course Mum guilt - which all Mums get regardless of how many/how old/their situation! </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So yeah, thank you to everyone who always tells me what </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">a great job I’m doing. I’m not, I’m just being a Mum like any </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Mum does, putting my kids first and doing what needs to </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">be</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> done. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Like any Mum, I love my children with all my heart and soul and would do anything for them. Like any Mum at times</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> they drive me round the twist and I shout, I scream, I cry, I question my situation, my decisions, my capabilities. </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I guess reading that I am really just that ‘any Mum’, no set group to belong to, but then aren’t we all just the same deep down anyway?</span></div>
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The Melicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06825913137452027439noreply@blogger.com0