An Accident In Space And Time

Two years. How on earth has it been two years since I last spilled my brain out here? Wow.

Um… hi? I hope you’re still around, and doing okay out there? I seem to be back. Perhaps older and a touch more silver. Definitely more metal than previously. I ended up with avascular necrosis in an old fracture (what is it with me and avascular necrosis?!!) and had my shoulder replaced last July. Yes, that’s my x-ray, not a stock image. Yes, it was a painful surgery to undergo! And no, I’m still not allowed to lift more than 2kg with my left arm (and guess who is left-handed, because of course I am).

So I’ve been away from the gym for a while. Partly due to the shoulder, but partly due to finances, but I’ll get to that shortly. I also left my previous gym just before my surgery, for various reasons, and didn’t bother searching out a new one until I could actually raise my left arm and pick a few things up. As it turns out, I was able to find two gyms for roughly the price that I used to pay for one – and both are better than the one I left! Win/win, really, and I can’t wait to really get going again.

Getting Old, Gardening, and Other Stuff: Did You Miss Me?

Over the summer I reconnected with the folk witch within me; she’s been lurking beneath the surface for years now, waiting to get out again – but you can’t really do much of anything when you’re physically broken. I don’t even know what got that particular part of me ticking again, but I’m glad it did as it probably saved my sanity through some very rough patches. It’s also taught me new skills that even a two-parts T-800 like me can do. I make very simple (but effective) oils and lotions these days – a nice, inexpensive hobby for the most part, and a useful one. I’ve even been able to sell these items to friends (although I purposely undercharge because I don’t like making money out of the craft, even if us urban witches tend to need coin more than we need cake).

I’m not an aesthetic witch. I don’t do the make-up, the hair falls, the gothy clothes, the jewellery, or even really the crystals – because why? I’m often in my PJs, getting my hands mucky in the greenhouse or trying not to start a fire indoors if what I’m doing involves flame. Or sowing seeds (don’t ask me about mugwort. Really, just don’t). I like crystals; they’re pretty. But the only real power they have is in their appearance. For instance, I have an aventurine thumb stone that I use for purposes of stimming. It’s smooth apart from a shallow crack along one section (which I like because it adds to the texture) and it’s a beautiful, soft, soothing shade of green. That’s it. I don’t believe any energy comes from it beyond the fact that I find it comforting to hold and stim with.

Besides, no folk witch in history had crystals to hand – and my grandmother (a Welsh farm girl) was trained in herb, flower and folk craft, so I learned the same.*

*I might start a separate blog about folkcraft if people are interested enough, although I’m not sure yet and – like my grandmother before me – I don’t know everything and am learning as I go along.

In November I turned fifty. Which was odd, because I could swear I was only forty a few years ago. I didn’t make a big deal out of it because I can’t manage too much in the way of gatherings, but my husband decided to give me a special treat and so he took me out to The Galvin Green Man for a lovely evening meal. If you’re ever up Chelmsford way, I recommend that you visit – but book well in advance because it’s not easy to get a table! The frothed goat’s cheese starter is honestly one of the most sublime things that I’ve ever been fortunate enough to have dance across my taste buds!

They also have a wonderful selection of mocktails and alcohol-free beers and spirits. I’ve been sober for almost five years now – never want to touch the stuff again – and it’s lovely to be able to have a “grown up” drink without poisoning myself. Lyre’s tequila mixed with Fever Tree blood orange soda is to die for. I keep meaning to buy myself a bottle, but then something comes up and I forget. Menopause Brain is a real thing!

I think the only other thing of note is that my surgery allowed me to get back to gardening, and sowing seeds. Does anybody want some mugwort? My greenhouse is far too full of it (I mean; there are five or six massive trays out there)!

I hope everyone is well out there. It’s good to be back, and I shall do my level best to try and catch up with two years’ worth of blogs.