It’s been an up and down week, mostly because of hormones. I seem to get hit hard as I enter the luteal phase in my cycle, I’ll just wake up around day 18 exhausted, anxious, tense and with back ache. Plus, the thing I am working on at work is frustrating and I’m not getting through it was quickly as I want to or feel like I should be able to because my head feels jammed up.
BUT ALSO GOOD THINGS.
- I want to post about this properly, but I got my first ever board game I Kickstarted a few weeks ago, and we finally got around to playing it last weekend… and… it’s good! It’s so pretty and – by miracle – is the exact level of luck to strategy that I like in a game.
- It’s been unreasonably cold for April in the UK which I don’t love, except for the fact it means more cuddles with Kitler now she’s worked out she can get inside my fluffy grey oversize jacket I wear because my home office is freezing.

- I’ve been trying some new recipes – again, plan to share when I am organised – and really loving a mocha protein banana milkshake snack and a chickpea mayo wrap.
- I got a new boiler suit from Lucy and Yak and I love it. I feel so stylish in it.
- More flowers popping up every day now it’s spring! I keep looking out at the garden and feeling super satisfied how much better it looks after all my hard work. Today one of our German Iris’s flowered!

- I had a bath last night with a Lush bubble bar and it was exactly what I need to unwind my brain and backache. I had a think about a blog post I want to write on my “self portrait in books” – an idea I got from Michael at My Comic Relief – but it’s a tricky one. I enjoyed the time just soaking in the warm water thinking back on what books have impacted me in some way.
- I had a mini breakthrough moment earlier in the week regarding my personal shame and my perfectionism (particularly at work). I felt really proud of myself for pushing through the rush of negative feelings. I sort of dismissed Brene Brown’s books before but there absolutely are some nuggets in there that I keep thinking about and want to explore more.
- I started listening to a new podcast, Ty and that Guy, after it was recommended to me by Tatum66 in a comment. It’s actor Wes Chatham (Amos from The Expanse TV show and funnily enough, former Man Calendar feature) and Ty Franck (half of James S.A. Corey, co-author of the books) talking about the TV show and the pop culture that inspired it. Sometimes it’s a bit “Hollywoody” for me but on the whole I’m really enjoying them discussing what stories and media have inspired them and The Expanse.
- It’s Friday so we watched the latest Taskmaster! Nick Mohammed had me crying with laugher on one task in tonight episode.
- In her interview for Manu’s P&B interview series Veronique recommended my blog – this blog! This is extra exciting because I love Veronique’s blog (I’ve mentioned her before in newsletters!) so I was just happy to see an interview with her, but I almost leapt off the sofa when I read her mention me! π
That’ll do for now because the cat is literally screaming at me that it’s past bedtime and she is overdue for bed cuddles. π





