Travel: Taking a Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

Last summer I did a mad, impetuous thing and booked a week long P&O Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on their ship, Iona. It was very much a bucket list trip and a huge treat to myself after a pretty horrendous few years.

We cruised from Southampton to Stavanger in Norway, on to Olden, where we had an impromptu two night stay due to Storm Floris, and finally we visited Haugesund before heading home to Southampton.

I’d booked a few nice things to do for me and my teenage son, but in Haugesund, I mostly wanted to see the Rising Tides and get a bit of history. You can book excursions directly through P&O, but they tend to be a lot more expensive, so I looked at what local options were available and plumped for a minibus tour of Haugesund, which seemed to tick all of the boxes.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

I booked directly through the Viking Adventures website. The electric minibus tour was 90 minutes long, and you had the option to also buy advance tickets with 10% off to The Viking Planet, a local museum. I chose to buy museum tickets too. In total I spent 880 krone on an adult and a child ticket for the tour and an extra 285 krone for the museum. In total this was around £91.

Our timed tickets to the guided scenic tour of Haugesund were for 10am, the first tour of the day. We keenly scrambled off the ship and found the Viking Adventures kiosk on the harbour, and joined the queue. We were met by our tour guide and our driver and we were invited onto the electric minibus. Once we were all buckled in, the tour began.

We headed out of the port and onwards to our first destination, traveling first through Haugesund, where our guide shared interesting stories about the people and history of the area. This was a whistle-stop tour, so we drove through the town centre and onwards, to Steinsfjellet, or Stone Mountain. We climbed the steep road in our electric minibus, and we were treated to stunning panoramic views of Haugesund and the surrounding islands. It was breathtaking.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

I confess our first impressions of Haugesund were rather industrial, but once you’re away from the port, the town it was clear that the neat town and the surrounding areas are rather lovely and well worth exploring.

Once the minibus had wound down Steinsfjellet, our next stop was a short drive away to Kvalsvik, home to the striking Rising Tide sculptures by Jason DeCaires Taylor. This was the main reason I’d booked this tour, and I was very excited to see and explore this artwork.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

The sculpture is made up of four quite eerie statues of horses, made with and partly fused with oil extraction machinery. The horses and their riders look like they are paddling in the sea, and they are intended to make you think about how dependent on oil humans are. I imagine that these beautiful sculptures are somewhat controversial in oil rich Norway, and finding a balance between industry and nature must be a constant battle.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

On our final stop before being dropped off back at the port was a visit to the National Monument, Haraldshaugen. The monument was erected in 1872 to commemorate Harald Fairhair, the Viking king who united Norway into a single kingdom. It is also believed to be his burial site. It was an eerily moving place to visit, I can’t put my finger on why, but I felt more moved here than at the Rising Tides sculpture.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

We were given ample time to explore each stop, and for those who didn’t want to get out and have a look around, they were welcome to stay on the minibus. The guide was very knowledgeable and I’m very glad I booked the tour, as I’m absolutely certain that we would never have packed in what we did if we were left to explore solo.

The tour takes around 90 minutes and afterwards you are returned to the port. We still had plenty of time left to explore Haugesund, so we walked back into the town and visited The Viking Planet, the local Viking museum. I confess, I was a bit disappointed by the museum, which had mostly digital displays to click through to read the text. The museum was very busy, so we read what we could before giving up to find some lunch and explore some more of the town.

Viking Adventures Tour of Haugesund

Visiting Haugesund was a rather special experience. Yes, it’s quite an industrial place to visit, but if you look, and walk beyond your first impressions, then you might surprise yourself. We had a fabulous lunch at Dattera Til Lothe, took in a local jazz festival and found some fantastic ice cream. Then we toddled back to the cruise ship with a bag full of freshly baked, and rather delicious pastries. I don’t feel like we even scratched the surface of what Haugesund has to offer, but there’s always the next time.

For more info about booking this tour with Viking Adventures, you can visit their website.

Happy 15th Birthday to my wonderful Son

Dear Ben,

Every November I sit down and write you a letter on your birthday. I write about all the things we’ve experienced in the previous 12 months, about the things you have learned, things you’ve loved and the way you’ve grown. You are my only child and although I’ve no one else to compare you to, I think you’re pretty smashing.

What a year it’s been for us both. It’s been a year of huge change, and sadness and learning life lessons along the way. It’s not a year we will forget quickly, and I imagine it will shape our lives for many years to come.

Ben 15th birthday

This time last year we were packing up the home you’d lived in since you were one. Your parents had divorced, so we sold our home and I was moving us into a flat for six months while I found a suitable house to buy. We loved the flat, it was handy for school and work, it was a lovely little adventure and it quickly became a great home for you, me and the dog.

After six months of living up three flights of stairs, we finally moved into a tiny terraced house, bought close enough for you to get to school quickly and near to the park to walk the dog easily. It’s tiny, but enough for us for now, and what’s more, it’s home and it’s safe. I’ve loved turning it from a house to our home, and working with you and helping put your stamp on it as well as mine is a beautiful thing.

For the last few years, we’d been watching my mum, your Nan and last remaining grandparent, battle cancer. She’d fought hard and we managed one last Christmas with her before she passed away in February this year. She died peacefully at home, loved and cared for, and very much missed. We were all heartbroken, but at the same time, glad that her battle was over and that she could rest now.

Two house moves in six months, and losing Nan meant I did struggle a bit, and I’m sorry for being sad and out of sorts for a while. I took some time off work to recover myself a bit, and to cheer us both up, I booked us on a mad holiday. It was a holiday I’d dreamed of taking you on for years.

In August we spent a wonderful week sailing on P&O’s cruise ship, Iona from Southampton to the Norwegian Fjords. We went to the top of a mountain and saw glaciers, we visited museums, went on tours, ate amazing food. We had the very best holiday and I’m so very glad I got to share that with you. I promise you that’s the first of many awesome holidays for us.

We’ve had adventures closer to home too. You still love trains and train journeys, so every chance we get (and while I still have a railcard) we go on a train based adventure. We’ve explored the Yorkshire Dales and the Ribblehead Viaduct. We’ve been to Southampton and back, we’ve been down to Birmingham New Street, visited Birmingham Moor Street and been on the smallest train line in the UK, from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town, a journey of just three minutes!

I couldn’t send you this letter without mentioning your love of Wigan Warriors and rugby in all its forms. It was a joy to watch the women’s rugby with you this summer, and I know one of the highlights of your year was meeting Morwenna Talling and having your photo taken with her. Sitting in the pub with you watching the final, both of us a bit emotional at their win was a special memory for me in a few different ways.

Ben 15th birthday

We’ve always enjoyed going to the theatre together, and that’s one thing I’m trying to do more of with you. We loved Dear England and MC Grammar was an unexpectedly fun afternoon out. Part of the pleasure for me is watching your face as you take in new experiences. You may have grown into a man shaped human, but you’ve still got a lot of growing and learning to do, and I’m proud to walk by your side as you do this.

It’s been a tough year for you. Change is hard and there’s been a lot of it, but you seem to have weathered the storms we’ve endured in a way I really admire. You’re now starting your GCSEs and you’re smashing it as best you can. You make me proud every day, I mean, it couldn’t hurt to focus a bit more on your homework, but you’ve made a good start to Year 10.

What I most admire about you is your kindness. You spent several days over the October half term with a small gang of local children, sweeping the pavements and the roads in the local area. You’ve litter picked and unblocked drains. You’ve filled my garden waste bin ten times over, but you’ve made the street a tidier, cleaner and nicer place to be. The world needs more people like you, people who get things done. People who see a problem and they fix it. Thank you for that.

I really, really hope that the next year is more settled for you. I hope you continue to find your rhythm in life, that you carry on growing and gaining confidence. You’re doing so well in so many ways, so keep on being kind and helpful. Carry on being polite and engaging. Please continue being funny and a great friend. But also, you do need to focus on school and homework now, and start looking towards your future. You could do great things, and I hope you do.

I love you so much Ben, thank you for being my little mate for the last 15 years. I am so lucky to have you. Happy birthday to my best boy.

I love you always,

Mama xxx

Did we have the worst cabin on P&O Cruises Iona?

After saving hard for a few years, a few months ago I booked a cruise to the Norwegian fjords with P&O cruises for me and my son. I booked the cheapest option, an inside cabin and I was totally fine with that, but once the cabins were allocated, we’d been given cabin 4466 – on the lowest passenger deck, next to the laundrette and right by the lifts. I wondered, could this be the worst cabin on Iona?

P&O Crusies Iona

Once I’d booked, I did what most first time cruisers do, and I devoted my every waking moment to reading and watching everything I could about the ship, the cabins, the ports of call and anything and everything about this cruise. The more I read, the more I was a bit jealous of the people with balcony cabins, but I paid around £1650 for two of us for a week, so I knew we’d have a more basic accommodation.

In the weeks before embarkation, you do get the chance to bid to upgrade your cabin. I put several bids on in the hope that we might get a bigger or better cabin, but I was unsuccessful and decided just to try and make the best of it.

Did we have the worst cabin on P&O’s Iona?

Once we embarked, we quickly found our cabin and our bags were waiting for us outside. We opened the door and the cabin was pretty small, but there was a large queen sized bed, a small desk and chair, a wardrobe and a little fridge. The bathroom was compact, but I was pretty happy with it all. It was a small inside cabin and the cheapest option on the ship.

Did we have the worst cabin on P&O’s Iona?

We were on deck four, and once we’d got our bearings, we found it to be a great deck to be on. It was pretty quiet, you would occasionally hear giggling families walking by, but it was so quiet, especially compared to other decks higher up in the ship. We didn’t spend a huge amount of time in our cabin, we preferred to be on deck 8, the promenade deck, we both liked to walk around the ship, getting some fresh air and sunshine.

One great thing about cabin 4466 is that it’s mid-ship, it’s quite low down and if you’re not keen on movement or you’re worried about feeling sea sick, then that’s the location you’ll probably feel it the least. During our cruise we were being chased across the North Sea by Storm Floris and the Captain did warn us a few times about stormy seas, but down in the cabin on deck 4, we didn’t feel too much of the swell, even though we could see it on the bow camera.

Iona laundrette

I was worried about being right next door to the laundrette. I did hear the machines going on occasion. However there were opening times on the door, though I don’t think anyone locked the door to stop people using the facilities. I decided to embrace the proximity and bring some laundry tablets, pack light and wash often.

The laundrette was really handy. I could wash and dry a load in about an hour. I did three washes while I was away, and just kept bobbing in from my room to check on things. I’d do a wash while we were getting ready for dinner, and by the time I’d finished dolling myself up, my wash would be done and put away. On the last night I did a wash while I was packing, because who really wants to take home a pile of dirty washing?

Did we have the worst cabin on P&O’s Iona?

Likewise with the lifts, they were close by and I think our cabin backed onto them, but we didn’t hear anything. It was handy to be close to the lifts, especially on such a quiet deck, but more often than not we used the stairs because it was quicker and it helped counteract the large fried breakfasts we had each day.

I really liked the cabin itself. I did worry that the lack of window would make me feel claustrophobic, and the lack of fresh air would have me a sweating, angry, menopausal mess, but I was wrong on both counts. The TV had a channel with the view from the bow on it, so we would often put that on to get a glimpse of the outside world. Plus the air con was excellent, we had it on its coldest setting and it was perfect for us.

It was a small room, but very comfortable and well decorated. The diminutive dimensions forced us to be tidier in our habits, and each morning someone kindly came in and gave it a clean and made the bed for us.

Iona celebration night

I’ve heard some people say that the beds on Iona are too firm, but it was perfect for me and my bad back. I am a terrible, terrible sleeper, but I think the darkness of the inside cabin helped me to have some of the best nights sleep I’ve had in years. It was very calming and restful, and the excellent sleep really sold me on inside cabins for future cruises, though I might stump up for a slightly larger one next time.

So, before we cruised I was worried about the too low deck, the location next to the laundrette, the rumble from the nearby lifts, a potentially claustrophobic inside cabin, lack of fresh air and no views of the Norwegian fjords. I came away very surprised that none of those things bothered me. Sure, it might have been nice to sit on a balcony and have a brew as we cruised down a fjord, but I was hugely grateful for the quietness of our deck. I loved the cabin and I would happily stay in that cabin again.

Did we have the worst cabin on P&O’s Iona?

Was cabin 4466 the worst cabin on Iona? Well, it depends what you’re looking for, but if you want a good nights sleep on a pretty quiet deck, with minimal movement whilst at the same time being handy for the laundrette and the lifts, then 4466 might well be the best cabin on the ship, or at least one of them. My advice would be, don’t fear the inside cabin, embrace the peace and the calm, dark nights. And if you need some fresh air, there’s always the promenade deck to enjoy.

Bon voyage!

Stress Reset – Switching Off Survival Mode by Elle Kay

This programme was gifted to me, but all images and opinions are my own.

If you Google “most stressful life events,” it’s basically a bingo card of the last year of my life – and I’ve pretty much got a full house. From my mum being very poorly for a few years and passing away suddenly (but expectedly) in February, to the world’s longest divorce, moving house twice in six months, and working four jobs to make ends meet… it’s been a lot.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, at the start of June I completely crashed and burned. I woke up one morning, switched on my laptop to do some work, and just thought, “I can’t do this anymore.” I contacted my GP, got signed off with stress, and tried to figure out how to fix myself in a month. I knew a month wouldn’t even scratch the surface, but I needed a plan – something to help keep me sane over the coming months.

So, I decided to be a bit selfish. I joined a gym (still haven’t been), made myself take the dog out for three or four walks a day, and forced myself to shower, clean the house, and put fresh bedding on regularly. I did some gardening, watched a bit of telly, and cooked myself nice food – mostly to balance out my burgeoning Wagon Wheel habit.

Stress reset Elle Kay

While it was nice to take some time for myself, it didn’t feel like I was really sorting anything out. I knew I probably needed therapy, but that was expensive and funds were tight. Then I spoke to hypnotist Elle Kay, and she set me on a really good path to help me calm the heck down, deal with the feelings of overwhelm, and reset myself a bit.

Elle Kay is a certified and registered hypnotist with a range of different programmes on her website. When I spoke to her, she recommended the Stress Reset, which helps you switch off survival mode, deal with overwhelm, and find some long-term calm.

When I read the blurb, everything suddenly made sense. I’d been living off my nerves (and Wagon Wheels) for months. I was constantly anxious and panicked, always waiting for something else to go wrong. I was holding my world together – just about – and everything was carefully balanced… until it wasn’t. Until I wasn’t.

I waited until I was home alone and began the two-week programme. In Week One, there’s a workbook to download and three audio files to listen to. You’re encouraged to listen to at least one a day during the first week – sometimes I listened to them all if I had time.

Stress reset Elle Kay

The first time I listened, I got comfy on my bed and pressed play. I closed my eyes and let the words wash over me. Hearing phrases about how safe I was now really resonated – and I shed a few tears. I listened all the way through, and even though you’re meant to wake up at the end, I just turned over and fell into a deep, much-needed two-hour sleep. I was utterly exhausted – and had been for a long time. I was so grateful to finally rest and switch everything off for a while. I had high hopes that the Stress Reset would be a key part of getting back on track.

I continued with the audio sessions each day, mostly in the evenings to help me wind down. There’s a sleep audio and a subliminal one, which is 20 minutes of lovely, relaxing music. All the recordings are deeply soothing and great for winding down after a tough day.

Week One went well. I genuinely enjoyed the sessions. It was wonderful to set aside time each day just for me – to relax, unwind, and begin to unpick some of the causes of my stress. I was sleeping better than I had in years and felt hopeful again. I was looking forward to Week Two… but then my son and partner both arrived separately to stay for a week. It turns out that life with them is pretty incompatible with me having much time to myself.

Between working, cooking, cleaning, and making sure their needs were met, there was no time left for me. Even bedtimes weren’t my own, and I couldn’t manage even a single 20-minute session of quiet time. That week, I barely slept, my stress levels spiked, and my fragile sense of calm shattered. I think we might have identified part of my problem! I love being with the boys, but I also need to carve out time for myself going forward.

Once they’d both gone, the first thing I did was spend a couple of days re-listening to the Week One audio files – just to get myself back to where I was. It was bliss. I slept, I felt calmer, and I was ready to tackle Week Two.

Week Two is about making calm your new default. I knew this would be a challenge, but again I settled in and let Elle’s words ripple over me like calm waves. This week focused on setting new patterns for the future – continuing to calm my nervous system and move myself out of survival mode.

Home

Even though it’s a two-week programme, Elle encourages you to keep listening as often as you need to afterwards. I’m planning to keep it up and listen to at least one audio a day. I’ve found the programme deeply relaxing – it’s massively helped my sleep, and I’m even waking up feeling a bit more refreshed.

I think my stress levels had become dangerously high, and climbing out of the hole I was in will take time – definitely more than two weeks. But the Stress Reset has lit the path towards my recovery. It’s helped me step back from simply surviving and lurching from one crisis to the next. It’s made me realise that life isn’t just about getting through, it’s about remembering that I am safe now, and that things can and will get better.

Elle Kay’s Stress Reset costs £47. You get to keep the audio files and workbooks to use for as long as you like. For less than the cost of a single hour with a therapist, I’ve taken some very real steps toward finding and maintaining inner calm. I’ve stepped out of survival mode, and I’m starting to feel more like myself again.

This has genuinely been a life-saver. A life saver.

You can find out more about the Stress Reset programme, Elle Kay, and examples of other programmes on her website. If you’re struggling, then I can’t recommend the Stress Reset enough. It’s changed my life, and that’s no exaggeration.

PS. I went back to the gym this morning. Look at me go!

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

My son adores trains and train journeys, and I like to indulge him, so when we have the time, we like to go on a trip somewhere exciting. This month we took a long anticipated train journey from Manchester Victoria to the Ribblehead Viaduct in Carnforth, Yorkshire, otherwise known as the Yorkshire Dales Explorer.

The train runs twice on a Saturday, so it’s worth planning ahead for. I was keen to avoid the early morning train, mostly because it was a weekend and a girl needs a lie in sometimes, so we got the 3.15pm from Manchester Victoria Station.

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

Putting aside hopes of a glamorous steam train, we boarded a Class 150 Northern train and settled in for the two and a half hour long journey (well, if you do the whole route it’s two and a half hours, ours was a smidge under). Originating from Rochdale, for ease we joined the train at Manchester Victoria. It was very much a stopping service, which takes in the urban sprawl of Manchester, Salford and Bolton, eventually rewarding us with wide countryside views and stopping at ever prettier and smaller stations.

The twenty stops on the Yorkshire Dales Explorer are; Rochdale, Castleton, Mills Hill, Moston, Manchester Victoria, Salford Central, Salford Crescent, Bolton, Hall I’ Th’ Wood, Bromley Cross, Darwen, Blackburn, Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, Langho, Whalley, Clitheroe, Hellifield, Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Ribblehead.

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

As I mentioned earlier, this train runs only on Saturdays, and the train times are below –

Rochdale to Ribblehead

Departs 07:52 – Arrives 10:19

Departs 14:52 – Arrives 17:26

Ribblehead to Rochdale

Departs 11:08 – Arrives 13:29

Departs 18:05 – Arrives 20:29

The two carriage train filled up at Manchester Victoria, but we shed a lot of the Saturday shoppers as we went along. It was a fairly quiet journey, and whilst the Class 150 Northern train isn’t known for its luxury or comfort, it was comfortable enough, and the conductors were happy to chat.

We brought along with us my partner, Simon, who is from Whalley, so we were treated to some pointing at distant landmarks and stories about Clitheroe Market, Whalley Viaduct and various pubs he’s been to in many of the places we passed through. He’s also keen on trains, so there was a lot of technical train chat, which delighted Ben and possibly some of the other passengers too.

My son is a huge fan of viaducts, so going over the Whalley Viaduct was a dream come true, and our ultimate destination, the Ribblehead Viaduct was something he’d been fizzing with excitement about for months.

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

Once we alighted at Ribblehead, we had just half an hour before the return journey, so we raced down the short track to the pub, The Station Inn for a quick drink, an excellent sausage roll and some beer garden views of the viaduct. If I were to do the journey again, I would have got the earlier train and then we would have had more time to walk to the viaduct itself, but the beer garden views were worth the trip.

There were a handful of other people, who like us were doing the journey in full, or more or less in full, so we all scrambled back on the train to begin the journey home. I have to say, nearly five hours of train travel was more tiring than I thought it would be, and we all managed a bit of a nap on the way home.

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

It’s the kind of trip we will most likely do again, but next time we will take a proper picnic, we will get the earlier train and we will hike up to the Ribblehead Viaduct and have a proper look at it. We might even squeeze in a pub lunch at The Station Inn, which looked great, but time did not allow us to linger.

Apparently the Yorkshire Dales Explorer started running on 8th June 2024, and in the last year it has transported 2,500 people from Rochdale to Ribblehead. It’s perhaps not the most popular service Northern run, but it’s definitely beautiful, unique and one off the bucket list for train enthusiasts.

Days Out: The Yorkshire Dales Explorer

In terms of cost, a return ticket costs about £26 each, but we have a family railcard which cut our costs by a third. We all felt that around five hours of travel, through some very beautiful countryside was worth the ticket price. And it’s a journey which attracts all kinds of people, families, train enthusiasts, keen walkers and dog walkers. So if you’re looking for a bit of an interesting day out, maybe slightly off the beaten track, then the Yorkshire Dales Explorer is well worth looking at.

For more information or to book tickets, visit the Northern Trains website.

Starting again…

Last week, this blog blew the candles out on its 12th birthday cake. Twelve years is a long time to have a blog, and although it’s been a bit, well, neglected of late, there’s a good enough reason for that – which I’ll explain shortly. Like most people, a lot of life happens in a 12-year period, and I’ve grown and evolved in that time. More recently, I’ve neglected this corner of the internet, but now I’d really like to get back to loving it and tending to it – like a garden, but with words and nice pictures of things we’ve done, places we’ve been, and things we’ve eaten. It’s time to start again.

When I started this blog in 2013, it was a space for me to empty my head of a million worries. I was recovering from two back surgeries, which left me with chronic pain and the inability to pick my toddler up and twirl him around in the air. I had to leave my job in the NHS because I was in such a poor state, mentally and physically, that I was unable to function beyond being a mum for a number of years.

To my son, on his 14th birthday

HodgePodgeDays grew into a fun way to earn a few pounds and to give my son experiences we wouldn’t normally have had. We had an absolute blast, and one of the reasons I’ve kept this fairly dormant blog ticking over was because it holds so many special memories for us.

Then my dad died in 2016, and things both fell apart and came into sharp focus. Something needed to change. I was broken from losing him, but it showed me life was too short, and I needed to sort myself out. Slowly, I grew physically stronger. I found the courage to join a gym and begin some physical rehab. I went to therapy and managed to sort my head out quite a bit too.

In 2019, I separated from my husband. We ended up sharing the marital home until November 2024. These were not easy years. There was the pandemic, I had 18 months of cancer scares, and my mum – bless her – got cancer too, which she fought until she passed away earlier this year. It’s been rough.

Home

Sometime during the divorce, I lost my voice. I didn’t feel like I had the energy to blog anymore, so I took a break. It was only supposed to be for a few months, but it stuck. Every time I sat down to write, there was nothing. I don’t think I’ve been depressed, but all of my energy for the last few years has gone into survival. Yes, I’ve somewhat glossed over most of the awful things that have happened over the last six years, but I don’t know how to articulate them without it becoming 1001 Reasons Why I’m Sad.

I know there are some people who would enjoy the 1001 reasons, but it’s time for me to shut the door on those times and look to the future. I have a lovely little terraced house that’s mine – all mine. I have the most incredible, kind, loving teenager who still enjoys hanging out and doing fun things with me. I have amazing friends who’ve stood by me throughout, and I have a new partner who is supportive of my blog and keen for me to start filling it up again with recipes, days out, fun things we’ve done – and just more joyful words than he’s heard from me in a while.

So here I am, with a blank sheet of paper in front of me. A blank canvas. A new start. I’m not sure what I’m going to write about – if you’ve got any suggestions, let me know. All I know is, I want to get back into it. I’m feeling the embers of my love of baking coming back to life, and my son and I have been on a few gentle adventures recently that I’d love to tell you about – if you’re interested.

Dear England

Thank you for reading this far. Thank you for your patience and the kindness you’ve shown me. It’s good to be back, or at least lurking in the doorway hoping to return properly soon.

Another life update…

Back in January I wrote a little update on why I’ve been quieter of late. I was hoping for a relatively peaceful year, but life had different plans for me.

I’ve been wrestling with the wonderful will they/wont they mystery of trying to buy a house in England. I have no idea why it’s so difficult, but it is and I’m hoping to complete that purchase in the next week or so. The house does need lots more work than I first thought, I need a new kitchen and bathroom and the whole house needs painting and new flooring throughout. No small task list there.

My big, BIG update is my Mum died on 28th February, she had been very poorly for a long time, she’d been so bloody brave through everything and ultimately had a pretty good death, if such a thing is possible. It has really knocked me for six, even if you’re expecting these things, you can’t always predict or plan for how the emotions will hit you. It’s still incredibly early days, and we’ve not even had her funeral yet, but I can say, I miss my Mum so much and I’m quite a bit heartbroken by it all.

Sympathy flowers after mum died

I’m limping through my last couple of days of work before I’m taking compassionate leave, but my plan is to very much go to bed, watch sad films and cry a lot and try and release some of those big feelings I’ve been bottling up.

I am so blessed by wonderful friends and family who have all stepped up with love for me. My partner, who ordinarily lives in Birmingham, drove straight up to support me, and that’s been brilliant, but I have three days on my own from tomorrow and I plan to fall apart and rebuild myself, and then we brace ourselves for Mum’s funeral next week.

I’m firmly in that weird numb fallow period, where I don’t really know how to feel or how to process my emotions. I know almost everyone goes through this at some point too. I’ve cried a bit, but not enough, not yet. I think I’ve been holding myself together until I can step away from work for a few days and my son will be with his dad, so I can fall apart a bit and not worry about freaking him out too much with crying or whatever.

The last, I don’t know, five years have been a lot of sitting on my emotions, squashing them down and minimising them, because if I let them out, I might start howling and never stop. I sometimes feel if I let them out, they’d all explode everywhere and it would be like trying to stuff a very reluctant Jack back in its box.

When I look back at the last five years and all I’ve lived through, it seems to me a bit insane that I’m still standing and still rolling with the punches life continues to rain down on me.

There was the end of a 20 year marriage, living with my ex who disliked me, bringing up a magnificent but neurodiverse son, a new job, a different new job, and then another new job, covid bloody covid, a lockdown cancer scare for me, which was “yes I have cancer/oh no I don’t” for the best part of 18 months (which was hell), the four year long divorce process, death of my step-dad, being made redundant, Mum being poorly for two and a half years, chronic pain, perimenopause, supporting my new partner through redundancy x2, moving house, renting a flat, trying to buy another house. Anxiety, stress, and I’m pretty certain I have ADHD too.

Sunrise

It’s a lot. Any one of those things is considered a stressful thing, but to live through that all and squash it all in to a five year period. I need a break. I need life to stop hurling things at me for, I don’t know, six months or so, and I need to rest, mentally and physically. I’m tired.

I’m tired and I’m sad. In the weeks before my mum died, we had some pretty deep and meaningful chats. I didn’t tell her about everything that had gone on, because that would have upset her, but I needed her to know that I was doing ok and I’d be ok.

In a matter of days I will hopefully own a house again, and she was so desperate for me to have roots of my own. She knew I had good people around me to support me, through the good and the bad things. She really wanted to see my new house and to see me settled, she didn’t quite get there, but I know she’ll be with me in spirit.

I’ve been really proud of me, I’ve been doing great on my own, loving life in my flat and planning a future. I know that she was also proud of me and relieved that I was doing well. I am so sad she won’t get to be with me and share the next few months, but I’m so glad we had some time together. I’m glad we tackled a few bucket list things and I’m glad she’s at peace now.

I don’t know how to finish this. Losing a Mum is something pretty much everyone has to experience in life, it throws up a whole host of complex feelings and emotions, and I’ve barely dipped my toe into those waters yet.

Anyway, thank you for reading this far. One of the more recent feelings I’ve been having is a desire to get back into blogging more often, so when the dust settles a bit on my life, I hope to get back into writing again and sharing some lighter, brighter things with you once more.

Thanks for sticking with me, I appreciate it. Xx

It’s about time I wrote an update…

Once upon a time I used to write five blog posts a week, sometimes more. These days life has somewhat overtaken me and now I manage it maybe 5 times a year. If you’re reading this, thanks for sticking with me. I appreciate you.

I’ve been quiet the last few years for many reasons, not least I was in the middle of a not as fun as you might expect divorce, with all of the accompanying joys of selling the family home and moving my life and 50% of my son to a new flat. It’s been both stressful and heartbreaking and with all that going on, I just didn’t feel like I had any spare words to share on my blog.

Despite all of that, I find myself reflecting on my new life, it’s now two months down the road from packing my furniture into temporary storage and moving into a flat of my own. I love it here, I really love it. It’s temporary for six months while I complete the purchase of a new little house for me and my boy and our dog, but I’ve never lived anywhere where I’ve felt so content.

The flat

The flat is so peaceful, it’s safe and secure, it’s mine, or as much mine as a temporary rental place can be. I love that when the day is done, I can cosy up in bed with a film and a good brew and all I can hear is the very distant rumble of traffic. I love that my friends are able to visit now, there’s not much room for a barn dance, but a few friends for wine and nibbles is very much on the agenda after being unable to do that for so long.

Work and the people at work have been amazing, with several of them pitching up and helping physically move me to my new life. They propped me up when I was in a pretty dark place and they continue to love and support me, and take me for drinks to make sure I’m not alone or lonely.

I get to keep my boy every other week. He is the thing that lights me up inside. We are finding our feet in our new world, but he seems to have adapted really well and we have a lovely little routine worked out. I don’t want to talk about him too much in this, but he’s awesome and amazes me every day, and he’s so helpful now.

My friends, family and my new partner have been brilliant, supporting me every step and helping with practical things and well as emotional support. They’ve taken boot loads of things to charity shops and lugged a hundred boxes up three flights of stairs for me. At times like these you really see who steps up for you and who really does love you, it’s such a blessing knowing that if I fall, I’ve got so many people racing to pick me up.

Ben

For the first time in a long time I feel happy and content. I’m not in fear of anything, I have my own space, and my own peace. My money (after bills, obviously) is my own and I can spend it how I wish, and I’m spending it building a collection of Portmeirion pottery, which gives me so much pleasure.

I am really excited about the future, about buying my new house and decorating it ways which will please me. I want to make a lovely welcoming home for my son, so he feels he can bring people home too.

2024 was a tough year with an awful lot of change and some sadness. 2025 will be tough in different ways, but I’m feeling so good about my future. If I can continue with this level of contentment, I will be very happy with that.

This was a very long way for me to say, sorry I’ve been quiet, I didn’t know what to say, but now I’m on the other side of things, I’m still probably not going to say much about it. But look at me now, standing tall, standing straight and stepping into my power. Just watch me go!

To my son, on his 14th birthday

As I sit and write this, you have two more weeks of being 13 years old. I’ll post this on my blog on your actual birthday, but two weeks ago I sat on my bed and thought about the last 50 weeks of your life.

Thirteen is universally regarded as a tough age, your body changes, your voice goes a bit weird and friendships and relationships can become more complex.

To my son, on his 14th birthday

Physically you’re tall, strong and muscular for a young teen. You tower above your friends and most of your family. You’re growing into a fine looking young man and you’ve more or less mastered regular washing and daily deodorant, for which we are all grateful. I wish you’d get into the same daily habits with your homework, but there’s still some time.

For Christmas you got an electric shaver, because your moustache game is strong and you’re now enjoying, or not particularly enjoying a weekly shave. it often feels like every time I look at you, your features change a little, you’ve grown a bit more, or you’ve discovered some previously untapped wisdom.

Looking back, 2023/2024 has been a fun 12 months. You’ve been on a good selection of holidays, including the school trip to France, you’ve been to Devon, Scotland and Wales a massive six times. You’ve been on Scout camps, a heap of train days out, and other adventures galore.

To my son, on his 14th birthday

You’ve developed a love of sports, and we’ve been to watch rugby matches, cricket, and ice hockey, you love basketball and all kinds of weird and wonderful sports, but rugby is your most favourite. As you read this, you’ll be fresh home from a surprise weekend in Cardiff, where you watched the Wales v Fiji Rugby match.

It’s hard to talk about the last year without acknowledging all the changes in our little lives. It’s been a difficult 12 months at home, with divorce, an imminent house move and ill health affecting our family, you’ve heard a lot of hard news and dealt with all of the changes beautifully. Everything in your life changing at the same time is difficult enough when you’re a fully fledged adult, never mind when you’re a teenager, but you just seem to be absolutely fine with everything, and I really admire how you’re handling things.

It’s been an absolute pleasure to watch you grow and change, and to be by your side throughout the last 12 months. You are genuinely hilarious, cheeky, clever, and occasionally very wise. You see the world in different ways to me, and I really appreciate the different perspectives you bring.

I love the way you bring me into your world, and together we’re exploring things I’d never have even looked at before. Our train adventures are brilliant fun, whether it’s just nipping up to Manchester Airport, or surprising you with a long distance trip to Edinburgh, your enthusiasm is infectious and I thank you for bringing such light into my life.

Benjamin, you are the very best human I know. I hope the next 52 weeks are more settled for you, and I hope you continue to find your stride as you move closer to adulthood. I hope you have the confidence to believe in yourself and what you do and to the best you can be in all things. I never ask for perfection, I only ask that you try as much as you’re able and to be open minded about everything.

To my best boy, happy 14th birthday. I love you to the moon and the stars and the planets and back!

Mama xx

To my son, on his 14th birthday

Discovering Brazilian clear quartz crystals

We were sent this crystal for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

For many years I’ve enjoyed having crystals around me. My Grandma loved amethyst, so at an early age I was gifted some lovely little gemstones from her and that was the start of my love for crystals and gemstones.

For the last 20 years or so, I’ve carried a little piece of citrine in my purse. Citrine is supposed to encourage wealth, and whilst I’ll not be retiring to Monte Carlo anytime soon, I’ve always had enough money in my purse to feed my family, and that’s wealth enough for me.

Brazilian clear quartz crystals

When I was pregnant with my son, I was given a small hand carved rose quartz angel, and to this day she sits by my bed, watching over me. In times of emotional need, I pop a small flat piece of rose quartz in my bra, by my heart, and that brings me calm and peace and love.

Also near my bed is a piece of obsidian, for protection. I’ve had a difficult few years, and since placing the stone there, things have changed for the better in my life.

Brazilian clear quartz crystals

I really love buying crystals and having them around me in my home. I recently discovered Persephone, an online shop based in Lincoln, which sells rare and unusual crystals. They have some absolute beauties available, so I’ve added a new piece of Brazilian quartz to my collection.

Quartz crystals in their simplest, clearest form are just beautiful. I just love the way the sunlight beams through them and sprinkles rainbows around my room. I have several hung up on windows to catch the light.

The most recent addition to my crystal collection is a stunning clear 5.4cm, 30g quartz obelisk tower from Brazil. Clear quartz is great for amplifying energy, it contains all colours of the rainbow, which helps to balance all chakras. It’s primarily known as a healing stone, and is often used by reiki practitioners.

Brazilian clear quartz crystals

This stunning obelisk tower is an excellent crystal for beginners, and can be used during meditation to help bring clarity and it’s well known for being an energy amplifier.

It has some beautiful inclusions, and each crystal tower has been cut to make the most of its individuality, so each piece is absolutely unique.

People buy crystals for all kinds of reasons. I’m pretty basic in that I like the look of them and enjoy having them around me. I know a little of their properties and I have some small pieces I carry with me for specific reasons. Other people use them properly, for reiki, meditation, or for spell work or similar. I think it’s really fine just to enjoy them because they’re pretty, like I do.

Brazilian clear quartz crystals

I’m not going to make any grand claims about how my clear Brazilian quartz crystal has changed my life, but it’s a beautiful addition to my collection, and when the sun shines through it, it sparkles so joyfully, and we all need little sparkles of joy these days, don’t we?

Persephone specialise in high quality and rare crystals that you wouldn’t find in your standard crystal shop, and if you enjoy crystals, then you could really lose yourself on their website. They also have a YouTube channel where you can learn more about their beautiful crystals.

You can also find them on…

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/persephoneshop/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/persephoneshop1/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@persephoneshop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560100824315