Here's one I started earlier... November 2013 sometime!

I begin this post with no plan and no light... (Sitting with HG who is watching a Samuri film with subtitles; started last night whilst I snoozed after the first film! Sorry, movie :P)

Got sucked into watching a different film. Half of which I slept through. Mmmm comfy!

So this year so far has been most amazing. We said our gradual goodbyes and ended up in Canada... magic! Working and living with my brother and his wife (although sleeping in a different building until October) has been good, for the most part. Strong personalities, who like to talk, HG was quiet for a lot of our interactions. Unless he felt he would be heard or felt strong enough about something to speak up! However, despite ups and downs, misunderstandings and emotional episodes, we have come through it, become great friends and achieved a lot.

At the beginning of the arrangement, I had the stages of group dynamics/development in the back of my mind. Knowing it may get rocky at times, but also that HG & I are balanced and laid-back enough to (hopefully) not stress out those around us too much! This arrangement was based on a week spent together last summer, so it was a chance taken by both couples, but a chance with plenty of potential.

https://www.nationalserviceresources.gov/stages-group-development-americorps-and-other-national-service-programs

Above is a demo chart I found. Although in the groupwork/training I've done, we said Mourning instead of Adjourning.

It's been interesting considering the transition thru our combined journey between April and December 2014... more on this another time :0)

Falling Into Place...

So it's been a while.

This year/summer has been an adventurous exploration of curious rollercoaster fun times, love, laughter and tears...

I feel very content right now and as the first day of autumn (fall) fell upon us yesterday (oops maybe it's just become 2 days ago... at 10:29pm or such similar time I believe the radio announcer advised us). It seems like a good time for reflection.

Around the time I stopped writing this blog, I'd chatted on the phone with an incredible woman, whom I am proud to call a friend and whom I wish I could see a hell of a lot more, as she's so kind and fun, as well as being very inspirational and encouraging... one comes away feeling as if they could conquer the world or the world of whatever it is they're passionate about... anyway I'll call her 'V'. V had suggested I find a niche in the parenting/family profession/world and, using my 'expertise' (*cough*) create a blog which might, hopefully and possibly, make some pocket money. Coming away inspired, after so many weeks of job searching, and what would become six months of two different 'factory' jobs, V pulled me out of my disheartened, dead-end, job-applying hole... I researched etc. and after a period of thinking, googling and problem-solving, I gradually became less enthusiastic about the whole idea, as tends to happen to me when there are no set deadlines or consequences for inaction... unless it's something I reeeeally wanna do.

So during my investigation of blogs etc., I thought about this one and decided it'd be better to begin a new one... but I didn't wanna lose this one - which I barely find time for as it is. V had encouraged me to see the new blog as a 'job' that I must put daily time and effort into... as mentioned previously, I'm not massively self-driven (unless it's fitness :) but even then not always). Anyhoo, my (written) diary was being neglected (weekly inserts and many gaps)... HG and I were adapting to living with family members, routines and lifestyles; as were they. There were pros and cons to living together; especially as it was fresh after living with different housemates for 8 months prior, for all parties, for their own individual reasons, as is natural for four grown adults in close living/working quarters.

Anyway... boring, lengthy explanation of time lapse provided, let's get on wiv eeeet.

Or maybe I'll post this one for now... I feel a bit like I blog more about blogging than actually doing the blogging itself... hmm!