How Time Flies!

Two weeks, gone. Just like that! Unbelievable how quickly a holiday flies by. I'll be back to blog properly but as I've just uploaded all the pictures to Facebook, updated my 365 project and still haven't unpacked (my priorities never are ordinary...) I now need to go and enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.

Normal service will be resumed ASAP :)

Mere Hours..

There are mere hours to go now until the long awaited, much needed holiday begins! In just under 12 hours we will be heading to Heathrow airport before jetting off the beautiful island of Cyprus for 2 delicious weeks.


The many things that had to be done are nearly done (although my European Health Card has gone totally AWOL in the 3 weeks since it arrived..) The last load of washing is in the machine. The survival guide to The Menagerie has been written and is all ready for our house/pet sitter. Holiday money is mine, an anniversary card has even been bought for The Parentals!


All that remains to be done is the packing, and the dying of my hair - I have chosen purple for my holiday hair, and just hope that it takes (and covers the pesky little greys).


So, I shall be absent for 2 weeks, I doubt the villa has wi-fi so no blogging, no Facebook, Twitter or anything else. Just sunshine, relaxation and enjoying time with my family for a celebration of 40 years of marriage.


So before I go, here is where we are heading off to, catch you on the other side!


Holiday Heaven

It's Always Someone Else's Fault...

After the third night of "riots" in London, people are now queuing up to make excuses for these "disenfranchised" members of the community.

Apparently it is the fault of the Police for using their powers of Stop and Search, it is the fault of the Government for making cuts. It is the fault of advertisers for making people want top end goods. It's the fault of everyone else....

No, it's not. If someone has nothing to hide, why would they protest about stop and search? I'd happily be searched if I thought it would stop crime in my community and I was innocent. Government cuts are a sticky subject perhaps, but the country is bankrupt, everyone is struggling, and funnily enough not everyone sees it as their right to go and help themselves to whatever they want from Currys. As for blaming companies for making us want things....that's probably the most idiotic line I've heard. Are these people so mindless that they feel it is their right to have whatever they want?

Unfortunately this seems to be the society we live in. A society where people know all of their rights, but none of their responsibilities, where kids running wild, organising where they can loot next on their Blackberries, are portrayed as disadvantaged! Where people expect to be handed a living with no input whatsoever.

Society is on the brink of total breakdown, this is what happens when discipline and respect disappear. God help us all :(

Many Things

There are now 5 days left until we leave for our holiday. I have many things left to do, but I am currently sitting on the sofa watching Keeping Up Appearances and pondering another cup of tea.


Some are rather important, such as ensuring the house is not looking like it's usual bombsite crossed with student digs when our house/animal sitter arrives on Saturday. As well as ensuring she has enough information to hand to survive a fortnight with our ever more eccentric Menagerie and our temperamental appliances.


Other things are pretty damn essential, such as making sure the documents we need (passports, health card thingies) are not forgotten and are liberated from The Safe Place to avoid a panic stricken search on Saturday morning and changing normal money into holiday money!


Some things are essential only to me, such as reducing the caterpillars currently residing over my eyes back to normal eyebrow levels, defuzzing most parts of myself and dying my hair as funds will not currently stretch to a visit to my lovely hairdressers :(


Finally, All The Clothes need to be washed to ensure maximum choice from which to pack. Then they need to be smooshed into two bags, which need to be light enough for us to actually carry. Along with the clothes need to be the 79084978395493 chargers I need to take for my various gadgets that I cannot leave home without. I also need to find a handbag/Mary Poppins/Hermione Granger type bag to use as hand luggage to hold all the "essential" items I may need during the flight.


I'm exhausted just writing about all the things I have to do - best get another cup of tea!

Weighing It All Up

I guess one of the main symptoms of depression and stress is not being able to see the wood for the trees, not seeing anything good or bright or cheerful in the world, losing your enthusiasm and the ability to see the beauty around you.


Rather than just allowing my drift downwards to continue I have decided to try and pick out the good and bad in my days to see if they really are as bad as they seem...


So....the bad...
Not sleeping very well (again) so feeling really tired.
My Dad's birthday present not arriving today despite me spending extra to ensure it was delivered today.
Not taking a very good 365 picture.
Dumbfoundus being cut out of Come Dine With Me.


And the good...
It was my Dad's birthday, so everyone was in a lovely mood.
The dress my Mum bought me yesterday fits and looks nice to boot.
I got to spend the afternoon listening to all Jenna and Carys' news.
An hour in the hot tub is enough to relax anyone.
The weather stayed dry and warm.
When I dug out my swimsuit to take to The Parentals today, there was a top in bag that I'd forgotten I had :)


So there you have it - depression or not, overall today was a good day, and I have to do my best to recognise them when I have them, and help myself out of this illness sooner rather than later.

Safety Nets

I guess we only really find out what sort of safety nets we have when the time comes that they're needed. I've been feeling worse and worse for a while, everything stacking up on top of me, and by yesterday the realisation hit me that it was time to check if that safety net could catch me....


I guess it did - my GP is concerned, understanding and wants to help as much as she possibly can. Hague is a safety net all of his own and despite the mood swings, shouting and over the top behaviour, he is, was and always will be there for me, through everything. A wonderful friend sent texts so full of concern and offers of help that it brought tears to my eyes, and reminded me just how deep some of my friendships are.


Although I have never been hugely close to my family, they are always there for me when it counts, and today my Mum and Sister were fabulous. They invited me out for some shopping and lunch, and my instinct was to refuse, I was feeling fragile, down and vulnerable but Hague encouraged me to go. 


They listened, they laughed, they encouraged positivity, they pointed out all the bright spots that are hiding in the darkness for me at the moment. They dragged smiles out of me and made me feel better, by doing nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever.


I guess that's the power of a safety net, you're not supposed to know you need them until the support is suddenly there, and today it really was, and I'm truly grateful.