So, it’s another one of these posts again, is it? A catch-up/ where-have-I-been type posts?

You betcha! However, there will be some creative stuff in the end section, I promise. So, let’s get to it and start filling in the blanks as to what’s been going on with me for since June 2023.

SRI LANKA

In August I went to Sri Lanka for just over two weeks to get some much-needed relaxation time, as well as meet my partner’s family. The holiday was amazing, it was so lovely to meet the family I’d heard so much about for years, and it was nice to explore somewhere new. I’d go there every year, if only the flights weren’t so expensive!

I met newly-hatched turtles, fed an elephant breakfast, and suffice to say my waistline has still not recovered. Diet starts Next Week etc. etc.

THE GREAT MOVE

After about two years of waiting, the flat we were supposed to move into was finally vacated just before our August holiday. However, it was left in an awful state: Mold covered a large part of every room, furniture beyond repair, kitchen cupboards totally wrecked etc. So, a great fix-up began.

This took the better part of September, and a huge chunk of my savings, so by the end of the month we had 50% of the place (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom) safe for use and moved in. The process is still ongoing today – we have zero mold, one room left to redecorate, and plenty more furniture to buy, shelves to put up etc. and not to mention years of neglect to undo in the garden. While expensive and time consuming, it’s been great to finally be living with my partner again for the first time since university – seeing her every day makes the money and stress all worth it.

A huge shout out to my Mum’s partner Paul, who did the second phase of decorating, started tackling the jungle of a garden and all for no more than the cost of materials. What a top bloke.

SOME VERY, VERY BAD NEWS

Not long after we moved, I got the news that a close family member was diagnosed with cancer. My (Great) Uncle John had already fought it off some years ago, battling through some very poor health but ultimately bouncing back. This time he wasn’t so lucky, as it had been caught fairly late and more doctor’s visits showed us that it was going to be a case of “When, not if”. Unfortunately I hadn’t seen him for over a year and was unable to visit before he passed away in February.

My Great Aunt and Uncle are essentially a bonus set of Grandparents for me, so John’s passing was nothing short of devastating. He was a great man and will be missed immensely by all his family, friends and the right-wing old codgers he used to argue with on Facebook.

MENTAL HEALTH (OR LACK THEREOF)

There was certainly a lot going on late last year. I was dealing with very emptied savings as well as my current account going to zero most months (a new one for me, and I already have a lot of anxiety around money). At the same time, one of my closest relatives was slowly wasting away to cancer. Suffice to say that these were a recipe for a bout of incredibly shite mental health issues, and lucky me – it was totally different from previous mental health issues I’d experienced.

My desire to do anything creative crashed entirely, and I was struggling to bother with work and socialising. Worst of all though, my brain completely fogged up. I spent months in a haze where my memory barely functioned – constantly forgetting what I was doing, unable to multi-task, struggling to follow conversations with people. It was like being blackout drunk – living life in a weird sort of blur that just wouldn’t go away. After struggling in survival mode for months, I finally had a thought of “This sucks, I should really do something about this”.

(Yes, I have a habit of minimising my issues – how could you tell?)

After a few very honest discussions with my partner and GP, I was diagnosed with a Generalised Anxiety Disorder. The GP theorises that it’s probably been there for a very long time and I’ve finally got burned out from trying to manage it while denying there’s a problem at all (Please see above brackets).

Things were a little dire – I could not function with a goldfish memory any longer – and thankfully I was prescribed some medication. While it’s not always a quick fix for everyone, and it’s only just the beginning of what I’ll probably need to do to sort myself out, the medication has got rid of most of my physical symptoms and helped manage the mental ones a little better.

Funnily enough, I found out just a couple of days ago that one of my Grandmothers has been taking the exact same medication for years – so I’m glad I’m carrying on a family tradition.

THE CREATURE

The final big event concerns a recent addition to our little home, Jenny.

Jenny was the family cat of one of my partner’s friends, but had to be rehomed five months ago as the friend’s dad was moving abroad. She went off to another friend for about four months, but they very suddenly gave her back to my partner’s friend one day due to some petty workplace drama. This friend is unable to have pets where she lives, but was granted a week to find someone else to take her in. A couple of days later, and she was purring happily in our flat, shedding and dribbling on every available surface.

She’s 10 years old, very affectionate and fairly well behaved… until you’re eating something she likes the look of, then she turns into The Creature.

I think that’s all the major events so, without further ado, here’s the promised bit of fiction!

Atlas Freed

In the town of Brindel there once lived an old witch. As a young lass, the witch had been taken under her wing by her aunt and learned everything she knew regarding average and everyday magics. The witch took over her aunt’s duties upon her passing.

In accordance with the customs, she took no husband and bore no child, devoted as she was entirely to her wards in the village. For years upon years she helped cure the sick, aid the lame, and brewed potions for those in need. But like many things in Brindel, the years of brine-blasted wind took their toll on her, and in her later years her attentions began to wander.

Villagers often knocked upon her door in dire need to find her house empty, for she had never sought an apprentice, nor had one sought her. The witch absconded to wander further afield, spotted by others amidst forest and over moors; some said that being born and inlander, she had finally had her measure of salt-filled air and sought succour in easier climes. She often returned with her hag’s-pack full, but for the longest time its contents were a mystery to all in Brindel. Visitors who caught her in a helpful mood noticed there was often a hastily downed chisel, or traces of a reddish-brown clay splattered about her house, but nothing obvious to show for it.

Some time passed and the witch’s travels had ceased, the townsfolk finding her present more often, though slow to answer her door. Fresh rumours sprung up around town, for at night folk often saw strange colours through the witch’s window; out her chimney smoke arose with flashes of blue in twisting patterns that set worry in the hearts of those who saw it. The townsfolk were feeling the loss of their witch’s attention; their bread grew mould quicker, their hauls of fish seemed less bountiful without someone to say a spell over rod, boat or sea. Many whispered that their witch had met some spirit on her journeys that had turned her mind to do ill against her people. Paranoia reached a fever pitch when, upon passing the witch’s house, two young folk saw a huge ungainly shadow alongside the witch’s and fled home in terror.

As day broke, the bolder amongst the town put their heads together to attempt to solve the issue. They chanced upon confrontation, as many groups of fearful folk are wont to do, and so the group marched as one to the witch’s house. The group soon became a rabble, with many inspired by the bravery and numbers of the crowd, while others slunk along to dip their noses into the village’s business. While emotions were high, they carried no torches nor pitchforks, for many remembered the things the witch had done for them or their family. The mob arrived at the witch’s house, the bravest among them stepping forward to rap her knuckles sharply on the warped wooden door. All the gathered folk held their breath.

The deafening silence was punctuated by a sound that shocked all but the oldest folk at the door – the old witch had laughed! It sounded as if she had company over, causing folk to mumble amongst themselves. Could this mysterious visitor be a manifestation of the strange events of late? The brave woman once again stepped up and knocked on the door, and as she stepped back she heard the old witch excuse herself to answer the door. As the door opened, the mob got their second shock, for the hag answered the door with a smile. It was not wide, nor was it entirely full of teeth, but it was the first smile the wrinkled face had worn in a long time. The old crone had one final surprise in store for now confused folk gathered at her door, as she called her mysterious houseguest up to the door to introduce them…

And I’ll leave it on that cliffhanger for now – there’s some more written, but it needs rounding off nicely before I re-draft and polish. Like many stories, I started with a short idea/ prompt but soon realised I was telling the wrong character’s story; I ended up touching on many of the same themes I was aiming for regardless, but it made more sense to explore them from the point of view of the village witch rather than the original character.

If you have any fiction feedback, why not pop it in a comment down below? You can also let me know on Twitter. If you have a few bob spare to throw my way, my Ko-Fi can be found here. Until next time, dear readers, take care!