I didn't even want to look back at 2023's "Hello" post. I am just steaming ahead for this year. 2023 was full of ups and downs. Some great fun times out, new ideas coming up but also a loss, the town flooding and a mouse invasion. So, a real mixed bag. But forget that, it's 2024 now so it's time for some planning!!
So, November has been... awful! There is no other way of saying it. We started the month out with extreme flooding in our town that devastated us. The main shops in town were gutted with flood waters well past waist-height. It most likely will be months before they (hopefully) can recover. Then we ended up with mice in our house. So had to spend ages trying to catch them (humanely) and find where they were getting in, block it up and disinfect all the areas they had been. So, that was how the month ended. Finally, our beloved elderly cat Walter started to deteriorate and we had to make the heartbreaking decision to let him cross the rainbow bridge.
October was a bit of a write-off due to getting a jury summons. In Northern Ireland, apparently you are in jury service for 4 weeks (not on a jury, just summoned in case they NEED a jury). While I wasn't needed every day (if there's no cases on), here was enough days we all got called in and had to sit around waiting in case we were called. Thankfully, I wasn't called to be in a jury but it still sucked up a lot of time.
September was a good month in many ways. My partner and I made an effort to do more fun things and treated ourselves to some shows and events. I also got almost everything on my goals list done. Wohoo!
Carrying on from last week's 42 Lessons From 42 Years (part 1), here's part 2. Since I didn't want to make a monster of a blog post, I thought I'd break it into 3 parts. I'm sure you will all be sick of me by the 3rd one 🙂
I'm doing something a little different today. I turned 42 earlier this year and it hit me hard because this was the age my sister was when she died. So I looked back on my life and thought I'd share some of the life lessons my 42 years have garnered.
August was a little rough. Not just for goal work, but everything. We were dealing with our sick cat, so lots of vet visits, being exhausted and getting very little sleep which messed with my head and having a few too many anxiety-inducing moments. 
We are in the 3rd quarter of the year, times for more goals. Quarters are great for reminding me to look back on my actual yearly goals and keep track of myself (it doesn't always work, my brain is quite scattered at times) but I like to try. 😀
I am jumping into July with a lot of vim and vigour (I hope). I have plans, ideas and even a routine set up. All I need to do is follow through, not always easy for someone who has the focus of a goldfish most days. But sometimes you just got to keep trying until something succeeds.
What the hell happened to May? I have been wracking my brains to figure out what I did during May and honestly, no clue! Other than working on writing (a lot!) but other than that - it's a blank! The month shot through like a comet and we are now in June.
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website 