The mending pile

 As I have touched on briefly before, I needed to drop below the radar for several weeks earlier this year to have a bit of much needed time out and get my anxiety under control. I don't do pity parties or washing my dirty laundry in public, but I knew there had to be some permanent changes brought in to get me to where I want to be. I've started the process very gently by taking everything out and gradually putting back some of the blocks which I know are most important to me. I'm taking my time and evaluating as I go along, but the most major thing I've done to date is to step away from 50% of my voluntary commitments and ask for help with other things as the roles have greatly expanded. I'd taken on lots more during the lockdowns, but with work and everything else getting going again, I had once again created a situation with no time for myself. From these small shoots I am emerging with a much clearer idea of what it is I want. Coupled with the challenge of rising prices it's provided me with the perfect springboard from where I want to put my ideas into practice. Back in 2020 I was far more open to trying new skills and it's this point to which I'm returning. Nothing too ambitious just gently, gently. My current mending pile is a good place to begin. I bought the red skirt from a charity shop at the end of last summer. It's too big, but I've already managed to adapt one skirt to fit me by changing the waist band and I shall do that again. The beautiful zesty green shirt has gorgeous embroidered details around the neck and originally belonged to TYM. It, along with the blue one, came from his time in Bangladesh in 2017. He'd already given me the green one, but added the blue one in yesterday as he doesn't wear them. My plan is to shorten both and then wear them as summer tops with trousers. All this will take me a few weeks I think, but a major incentive for change for me is the ability to upcycle and adapt rather than buy new. Tomorrow is the first day so I shall start by making a casserole in the slow cooker with the yellow stickered chicken in the freezer and repairing the hole in the pillowcase I found over the weekend. Fret not there won't be photos😆 I will however, log things I do from time to time as I did during the first lockdown.

Arilx