The Lady in the Back Row

Before I dive into cleaning.

Today’s plan: clear out old, unused clothes and make a bit of space.

I’m also looking for a small piece of Grade A jade to bring good energy into the year.

Funny how much of it is dyed or manufactured, made to look real when it’s not.

A good reminder for the year ahead……..clear out the old, keep what’s genuine, and go in with simple, honest intentions.

After that, the afternoon will be all about spending time with the kids.

Since I was 16, I have always had a partner. This Easter, I’ve been single for four years……

In this chapter of my life, I have found my way back to myself.

They say being alone is dangerous, it shows you how content you can be.

I used to look to partners for support, but I was always the one giving it.

I loved reading as a child, especially Enid Blyton.

Lately, I’ve returned to books again using an app that captures their essence, as my mind is still too busy for a whole book.

The return of words and ideas is exhilarating.

Today I learned that kintsugi reminds me wholeness does not require perfection, and The View from Ninety by Charles Handy led me down a wonderful rabbit hole.

The wind is wild today, chores await tomorrow, and Saturday is for doing something fun.

On with the day. 😍

Friday is my favourite workday of the week.

I move through the quiet rituals of my morning, tending to the fish, the dog and cat, pausing with the plants, breathing in the sweet scent of the garden.

Enjoying my morning coffee, I read the news.

The towering eucalyptus, magnificent, radiant…. its bark peeling to reveal a pale, white trunk beneath.

Grounded in the moment, I take in a sense of gratitude and renewal. All of this gathers into energy, carrying me forward and preparing me for the day ahead.✨

Pilates at 6 am. I am new, not strong, and surrounded by women who appear to have been born doing Pilates. Still, I survived and that feels like a win.

Also attempting to give up smoking for what must be the thousandth time. I am experienced at quitting by now. Let’s see how this round goes.

Mental health struggles affect not just the person living with them, but everyone who loves them. Misunderstanding or judgment adds weight to an already heavy load. Mental illness can change how a brain works, so what looks like defiance is often just symptoms. Patience and empathy don’t fix it, but they make the journey easier.

Yesterday was my granddaughter’s sweet 16. She is so beautiful. The day carried an extra layer of excitement, she had recently passed her online learner exam, and yesterday she drove for the very first time.

It was such a special milestone. Sixteen is a turning point, a quiet step toward independence.

I found myself thinking about my own 16th birthday. Of all the birthdays I’ve had, that one has stayed with me. Pink jeans, a top, and my first makeup bag. She was shocked I could remember mine — so many decades ago, lol. I’m not sure why that day has stayed so clearly in my memory, but it has.

I told her she will remember hers too…… not just for the celebration, but because it was the day she first got behind the wheel.

Time has a way of slipping past us. Moments like this ask us to slow down and take them in.✨🥳🎂🛻

Getting back into routine feels steadying, like slipping back into a rhythm that was always there, just paused for a while.

This break felt different. For the first time in a long time, it actually felt like rest. No constant pressure to be productive, no background noise of unfinished tasks. Just space.

Rest changes the way routine lands. Coming back feels less like obligation and more like alignment.

Looking forward……..

Tomorrow the work year starts.

Not with big promises, just readiness.

A clear desk. Light through the window.

Everything set up to begin without friction.

Positivity doesn’t need noise.

Sometimes it’s simply being prepared and moving forward.

Two days left and work begins for the year.

Yesterday the beach showed us two very different experiences.

One calm day, easy, open, inviting. And then a wild one: wind up, waves crashing, endless blue, a strong current, and purple jellyfish drifting through the water.

My granddaughter was disappointed. She wanted to swim without the worry, not watching the water for jellyfish.

On days like that, the wildness shifts from beautiful to something real and dangerous. ( I like the wild.)

Still, standing there together, looking out into that blue, heat in the air, wind on skin, waves moving fast, it’s impossible not to feel the beauty of life in it all.