More lockdowns?

Looking at the latest figures, we are going to have another lockdown soon and over Christmas, aren't we.

Worrying.

Storm Arwen

Still no power. Thanks, Arwen.

Fortunately we have a wood burner for heat, a generator to run the bore hole (we have a private water and sewerage system, requiring electricity to work) and provide some limited electric so have a few lights and can run all the freezers to keep the produce frozen. Three freezers and two fridges to keep going.

Plus we have a number of gas camping stoves from my outdoor workshops in balm and lotion making at festivals and Forest School. So have had been able to re heat (linited) hot food.

Generator is because we frequently lose power for a day or two, but back in 2002 we lost power for 10 days, and lost all the produce in the freezers and fridges. All our preserved crops.

Ell was in washable nappies still and I was very unwell with rheumatoid and CFS, so it was all a bit of a nightmare.

So we got a generator.

I know it uses fossil fuel, but thank goodness we have one.

New bedding!

New bedding on my bed. I do rather like it.

From Sainsbury. Nice 100% cotton, in a sale. Wish I could afford more ethical cotton bedding, but it does have the German Oko mark on it, at least.

And a replacement for one of the  three sets I have, that finally wore out and was consigned to quilting/patching/dusters/random fabric stash.

Plus, Compost girl took some of my bedding to Uni. So I needed to buy some more.

This is lovely.

It's been a very hard couple of years.

Some good advice below for those who need it. Look after yourself everyone ❤️❤️ 

DEPRESSION TIPS:

Shower. Not a bath, a shower. Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you gotta.

Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like. Unscented? Poundland lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis. 

Put on clean, comfortable clothes. 

Put on your favorite underwear. Cute black lacy panties? Those ridiculous boxers you bought last christmas with pink love hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Drink cold water. Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost. 

Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink. 

Blast music. Listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Make food. Don’t just grab a Kit Kat bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s beans on toast. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something. 

Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create. 

Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps. 

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them. Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything. 

May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.  

*** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on. 

*** In case nobody has told you today I love you and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!!!

Find something to be grateful for!

May I please get 2 friends or family members to copy and re-post? I am trying to demonstrate that someone is always listening.

#SuicideAwareness 

#HaveARealConversation

Just two people. Any two.

(but share, if c&p is difficult)

FiLiA Portsmouth 2021

I spent a wonderful last weekend in Portsmouth at #FILIA2021. It was fabulous, uplifting.

But was marred by the nasty protests outside the venue.

Yes, of course protest is an absolute right, but surely, not when it is abusive or frightening for those who are the target. 

I've reported the abuse I personally got, as well as the general verbal and visual abuse for just going to #FiLiA conference, which simply discussed women centric issues.

.

I felt scared going in and out of the venue, despite excellent security. I was literally terrified.

The chants of TWAW, Sex work is work, blow jobs are jobs

really, literally traumatised me.

 The chalked images of errect penis were upsetting. 

Honestly, it all was frightening. Really so.

Who knew what the chants and placard waving might have led to? 

This is some of what I was faced with, for going in to listen to women sharing their experiences of corrective rape and genocide in Tigray.

And the Lesbians incarcerated in the LGBT block in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, which puts a target on them for corrective rape, children removed, or worse.

Draw your own conclusions friends.

Yet I went in. I didn't let the bullies stop me!