If you go down to the woods today

I am not a naturally outdoorsy person by any stretch of the imagination but now that we have the puppy and we live in the countryside I do try and make the effort to go on some long walks.

My current favourite place to visit is Wendover Woods, it helps that it has a little cafe so I can stock up on coffee before heading into the unknown. Coffee is a wonderful incentive if you ever want to get me to do anything.

A few Sunday’s ago, when all three children were staying we had our usual breakfast of pancakes and then off to the woods we went. They much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the youth but they soon got over it. After all the English countryside is so beautiful, especially during the season changes, who could resist? I wrote about the gorgeous summer bluebells earlier on this year.

Refreshments purchased.

Coffee in hand, crunchy leaves and dungarees. Perfect.

Very enthusiastic puppy.

Wendover woods currently have a really great Autumn Trail to follow and each sign tells you a little bit about the wildlife at the moment and what to look out for. We weren’t entirely successful but it kept at least Lucia busy and interested.

Conker shells, but no conkers, damn.

We found the mushrooms.

Just because it looked so unique.

These little balls of plants reminded me of the stone trolls in Frozen. I may have watched Frozen one too many times.

Such gorgeous colours.

The weather held until just before we left thankfully.

No woodland adventure would be complete without a little bit of muddy puddle jumping and potion stirring.

My week in pictures

Monday

Went on a trip to the Natural History Museum with Lucia’s school.

Tuesday

Visited Wycombe Hospital who clearly have a ‘clean’ thing going on.

Wednesday

Embracing the last of the summer sun.

Thursday

Some lunchtime PhD study. Cheery stuff huh?

Friday

Had a little trip to Amersham Hospital.

Saturday

Got my ass in gear and actually blogged.

Sunday

Found my perfect dungarees at Fatface.

We’re not broken just bent

So, I got my fibromyalgia diagnosis earlier this year when things were just awful health wise and it has been with me ever since. I have done a lot of research, spoken to lots of doctors, sought advice from social media and this is what I have learnt;

Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects the central nervous system.

There is no cure.

The main symptoms that I personally experience are exhasution, chronic pain, joint swelling, insomnia and brain fog.

The pain never goes away.

Powering on through the tiredness is not the thing to do.

If I rest for a few hours in between tasks I can get things done.

I have a full time job and cannot rest between tasks.

I have a small child   – see above about rest.

I am a single mum – see above about rest.

I am doing a phd – see above about rest.

I rarely get very much done.

Orange juice makes the swelling and pain worse.

Refined sugar makes me hurt and bloats me up.

Aromatherapy oils in my vaporiser and massaged onto my painful bits really helps.

Dry heat helps (another holiday to Grenada for health purposes?……).

I am allergic to lots of pain meds.

I feel very guitly abut not being able to do simple things.

I feel like a failure as a mother and as a friend and as a girlfriend.

I have to cancel plans at the last minute because I just cant manage to do them.

I have stopped making plans.

 

My week in pictures

Monday

Lucia had her first guitar lesson, at 8am on a Monday morning! And it was ‘Talk like a Pirate Day’ at school so she went as a princess, obvs.

Tuesday

I sweated non stop at Lucia’s swimming lesson.

Wednesday

I visited the lovely ladies at phlebotomy.

Thursday

I made a start on my PhD, on the train to work, during my lunch hour, on train home and after Lucia went to bed.

Friday

Took Livia the Dachshund and Finn the Chihuahua to collect Lucia from school. They get loads of attention and they are always so excited when they see her.

Saturday

We celebrated Livia the dachshund’s first birthday. Any excuse for cake in my house.

Sunday

Hibernated while enjoying this gorgeous candle. Oh, how I love Autumn.

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey

I adore Autumn, it is just so autumny. The colours of the leaves changing to gold and browns and red, the crisper morning air, the anticipation of Christmas starts to build and I won’t lie, the fact that it gets cooler is a great draw for me. After all I shaved my head a few weeks ago because I just couldn’t get cold. I am looking forward to it being cold enough to light the fire in the living room, I’ve started using candles more often and falling asleep to the sound of rain is so nice.

September also signals the start of the academic year so Lulu has gone onto Year 1 at Primary school and I have started my PhD, having had to postpone from January this year due to silly illness.

So now I have been getting involved in lots of lovely autumnal activities

I made a pumpkin pie with a brown sugar and nutmeg party crust and topped with caramelised pecans and gold leaf.

I made my very own pumpkin spice latte, mmmmmm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bought lots of gorgeous pumpkin scented candles and my house now smells completely amazing. My favourite is the Pumpkin French Toast.

I bought a beautiful sparkly silver pumpkin that makes me smile every time I look at it.

I enjoyed the last of the blackberry picking with Lucia and the puppy.