Prosperous and Creative Soul Year 5

savingholmes

Thanks everyone for commenting. Really nice to come back to. Sorry I haven't been around much.

Health and family

I still feel like mental health wise I'm on tiptoes with my head above water - just about sustaining my job but little else. I've requested an OHU referral but not heard more on that yet. My workload keeps being added to with resources stripped away which strangely isn't helping. A favourite colleague also left - my old boss - so that feels like the end of an era - and I'm grieving again. I have seen her about 4 times since September - but she used to be a huge part of my life so that still feels like a drop in the ocean compared to how things used to be. I'm still using annual leave to cushion my flexi.

A relative also had a medical crisis recently so I had to drop everything and go there for a couple of days - I also looked after sis's kids as planned which made everything that much more hectic. Still having counselling to help keep me moving forward. My house is in chaos though…

I've joined the gym which means I have extra £ to find each month. I've been 3 times in about 3.5 weeks not helped by the family emergency which derailed me before I'd established a habit. I'm trying to make myself go tonight - but not made it out yet. It is open until 10 - and I need some food for tea and it is in the same direction - so I may manage it. It did make me realise that my feelings of exhaustion were mental rather than physical.

Money

I feel like I'm 'failing' as I'm over-spending compared with where I'd like to be. I've been over-buying things on FB and from Charity shops - bargain hunting… Often a mistake. I need to go to the gym instead. It has upped my steps in some cases so some rewards. I need to find my NT card too…

On a positive note - My mortgage went out at the start of the month so that should be another £675ish off capital. I should get an annual statement within the next month or so. DD is hoping to get her backdated pay rise this week - she is now fully qualified - and should hopefully get enough to clear her debt to me.

Before Xmas I found I was still listed on Ex-H's account that I shouldn't have been from 2021. I got an initial refund of £80 but they made a further mess up in how they resolved it so I complained again - and they recently awarded me £350 which I paid off a CC.

Today I found a sub had gone out unexpectedly for £154 so I've requested a refund. I will buy a cheaper version for about 10-15% of the price. Grateful I caught it.

Art

I made it to one art group so far this year - which did me good. I've booked to go back towards the end of Feb.

I've made one 20x24inch art piece I'm proud of so far this year - that lots of people have expressed interest in. It took about 15 hours over a weekend. I may get it professionally scanned and then make giclee prints of it. It is a realistic picture of a heron so quite different from the surrealist work I was doing immediately before Xmas. It is linked to the online course that I'm doing - which I've done a fraction more of. I'm part way through another bird and botanical picture (3 hours so far) - but now feel pressure due to the success of the heron (roll eyes at own perfectionism). I've also done lots of low risk sketchbook art to keep me going.

I still need to finish the surrealist pictures I was doing before Xmas too - things like adding eye lashes and similar smaller details. I'd like to get them scanned in too ideally and converted to giclee. I may experiment first with just photographing to help me understand the difference between a professional scan and home scan and photography. For my smaller pictures - my home scanner/printer may work.

I may also try scanning some of my older fluid art works to see if they offer scope for printing too. There seems to be a 300dpi and 600dpi setting on it - so hopefully it would be decent quality. Not tried it yet.

Adulting is hard - but hopefully we can make progress together. All the best to my readers too.

Merlin's_Beard

This time of year is dark and grey and doesn't help anyone, I don't think. I'm having to use a week of annual leave just to keep my head above water and i've none of the additional caring duties you've had.

Sometimes the best you can say of a period is that you survived it, and if you had to spend extra to get enough dopamine to do so, then you just put that behind you and move on.

beanielou

Good to hear from you.

lucielle

Good to hear from you. Keep aiming for the gym, you’ll get there.
L

beanielou

Good to hear from you.

Humdinger1

Well done @savingholmes. It's so grey and I think many of us are struggling with colourless routine, only tempered by hair-bleaching emergencies. Spring is coming and people are loving your art. Sending love Humdinger xx

TallGirl

Good to hear from you just go for it with the art. I would try the home scan first what have you got to lose. Sorry work is still pants.

EssexHebridean

Sounds like you've had a lot to deal with - as others have said, the time of year doesn't help does it, make sure you get a chunk of daylight each day while the days are short would be my suggestion - it definitely helps!

jwil

Sorry things have been tough, hope it all settles down a bit soon.

WelshmansDaughter

Sounds like burnout again, ouch