Most of those in the UK have been affected by Storm Darragh this weekend, with trees blown down, flooding in parts, and for some the loss of electricity.

This morning I got up and after a nail biting day, waiting to see if my sandbags prevented any flooding (they did, phew!), I and the dog embraced the outdoors. Yesterday, I went slightly stir crazy and the dog was also fed up. Despite making home made Cornish pasties, there was only so much I could watch on Netflix, and so to be able to get my walking boots on and embrace the outdoors without being soaked through was a delight!!

I also feel that I am beginning to experience some calm after a personal storm that has blown through this Autumn. It was triggered by the flooding of my home at the end of September, the announcement of the retirement of my much-loved boss and then realising my son was very unhappy at school. I suddenly realised I was emotionally and physically exhausted and needed to rest, because I was heading for burnout and actually depressed.

Now, a few weeks before Christmas, I am starting to feel a small level of calm again. I had a few days of leave left so have taken the odd day off work, where, other than walking the dog, I have done nothing much. I have pottered around the house, done the odd piece of housework (that kitchen drawer where everything was shoved into even got tidied for the first time  in years) and had wonderful afternoon naps tucked up under an electric blanket.

Things causing turmoil are being sorted in my mind: flood protection doors are on order, I am trying to make sense of the change at work and we are exploring options for my son. My daughter this week has also finally received a diagnosis of ADHD, which is a relief: I can now understand even more my clever beautiful daughter who is creative but also chaotic.

So today is a new day. The Christmas decorations are coming out of the attic, making a lemon bundt cake is on my list of things to do and if I am organised I may even make it to the afternoon allotment social.

This is a very personal blog but I suppose my learning (and it's taken a lifetime to learn) is "Be kind to yourself, slow down and you will get there!"

BrumMum

A Moodscope member