Well, who would have thought it, another year coming to an end already? I say it time and time again but, I’m sure the Earth spins around the Sun much quicker as you get older and, since the last time I spoke with you I have aged up another level. Thirty-seven this time around, and getting terrifyingly close to the big 4-0!
So, what did November bring for me? Stress. That is my birthday present to myself every year, and it never changes, though this year was particularly challenging.
I’ve mentioned before that every man and his dog seems to have a birthday in November, so there are always lots of cards and presents to try and remember to send off, and many meet up’s and parties to attend. Luckily we are still not back up to pre-Covid levels of social engagements but they are definitely increasing in number.
The highlight was the party that I threw for my daughter. She turned nine and, after having to replace her iPad earlier in the year I’d made it clear, no party. We couldn’t afford both so she would just have to make do with a few friends from school for a tea party.
Me being me, I couldn’t just leave it at that.
Amberley has become particularly obsessed with Harry Potter over recent months, not the books I should add, just the movies. So, after a bit of digging on the internet I found a nice cheap print-at-home Harry Potter themed escape room on Etsy, which I organised as a surprise.
With the help of some unwitting family members, we decorated the house while my daughter was at swimming and she had a massive shock when she walked through the door. I’d even made a Hagrid style birthday cake using cupcakes to make it easier to divide up. It’s safe to say that all of the kids seemed to enjoy it, especially when they had to shake their potions to reveal if they were in Slytherin or Gryffindor.
There were a few other notable events throughout the month, the first being the Bradford Festival of Light, which was stunning and well worth a visit.
We also went to our local Christmas market, spent a day exploring Harewood House with my Mom, took the little one to a play centre, and had a birthday brunch at the best American diner/ice-cream parlour in Yorkshire (Possibly the country) before having to leg it home so as not to be snowed in.
It’s not all been fun and games though. I won’t go into too much detail but finally, after three and a half years, we got a diagnosis for my daughter, which points at Autism, anxiety and possibly ADHD.
I feel like we are at the start of a very big journey together, especially when it involves joining the queue for yet another diagnosis for the ADHD. But, I have discovered a local charity that seems to have lots of great info, resources and peer support so, fingers crossed, we can get some help and pointers for anything else that crops up.
Writing wise? Well, I NaNo’d and I won!
It was down to the wire, but I managed despite everything else that was happening. I actually penned more words than I have in the last year combined, so it just proves what neglecting the housework and shirking parenting responsibilities can do. I’m hoping this is going to strengthen my case for a cleaner, but I doubt it.
Now that November is out of the way, NaNo is done for another year, and my birthday has been celebrated, I feel like I can finally get into the Christmas spirit and get those decorations out. I might even clean the bathroom and throw the vac around, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
So, without further ado, I shall leave you to the rest of your day and get back to life in our crazy household. And, if I don’t post before the year is out, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Take care, Jodie xxx
P.S. Don’t forget to keep up with my antics over on Instagram, and keep an eye out for my next Author Q&A.