It’s August 2022 and it has been more than a year since I have been able to sit down pain free. Despite lots of physio unfortunately my condition isn’t improving and means I spend most of my time off of my back side unless really necessary. This has made blogging pretty much impossible. However, I’m going to write this post in multiple short bursts and eventually it will make itself public. I can’t think of a better strategy right now. This post is titled ‘Say Yes’. On 15 January 2021 my partner proposed on our 4 year anniversary and on 15 July 2022 we tied the knot in the beautiful botanical ..read more

The majority of the following was drafted back in April when it was all fresh in my mind. I have found it hard to come back and finish the post but knew it needed to be written and published so I can commemorate Calvin. I have been quite detailed as it is important for me to remember Calvin’s final days. I would recommend skimming through some parts. Perhaps one of the saddest blog posts I will ever have to write. My beautiful, gorgeous, funny, loving, mischievous, forever hungry and happy Calvin passed away on Friday 16 April at 3:24am. He was 13 years and 4 weeks old. I always knew the day w ..read more

This blog post will reveal why I haven’t been able to literally sit down to write. 2021 has proven an immensely difficult year for my body. It all kicked off in January. At the start of the year I felt run down. I had this weird lactic sensation in my legs. They felt so heavy all day without even exercising. Generally I felt tired and had bouts of nausea. I just didn’t feel right. After the symptoms didn’t ease after a week or so I did a PCR test suspecting covid as back then people were reporting all sorts of odd symptoms. The test came back negative and so I got advice from my doctor. They r ..read more

It’s time to revive my blog. It’s scary to think this is my first post of the year. To be honest this year is proving to be incredibly challenging and it’s about time I shared it all. I have got so many woes to write about. This post will focus on my struggle to find secure employment. For years now I have been happily floating along with two jobs that are 0 hour contracts. Whilst the work has never been guaranteed, in general I have worked on a weekly basis and have been comfortable financially. Last year I was furloughed by one job and the other job continued to provide regular work. This ye ..read more

2020 a year like no other. A year we never could have predicted or prepared for. A year that has tested our ability to adapt and conform. A year where we have all had to be resilient. Many people have lost loved ones and in this respect I find myself grateful that to date my personal friends and family have either remained healthy or recovered well from the virus. When reflecting on the last 12 months it is easy to recall and dwell on the struggles. However, I want to take this opportunity to focus on the good. In January Calvin put up his paws and started life as a retired Guide Dog. For 5 we ..read more

It’s a sunny Saturday in September. The perfect opportunity to relax in the garden and reflect on my experience at the British Cycling talent ID weekend I attended last month. We all know I am athletics obsessed. You only have to check who I follow on Twitter to learn I am an avid fan. Whilst injury has prevented me from competing in over 3 years, my commitment to the sport still remains. Thus when British Cycling advertised their search for a female visually impaired stoker for the Tokyo Paralympics back in June, my immediate response was dismissive. For years people have been encouraging m ..read more

I just don’t understand myself sometimes. I set myself a challenge of writing 26 blog posts over 26 days and have no trouble in completing the task. In fact it reminds me how much I enjoy blogging and how beneficial I find it. So why have I failed to blog in over 3 months? I am a mystery to myself. The last 3 months feel like a bit of a blur. The whole year is drifting by. Last month I celebrated my 32nd birthday. There is something reassuring about being an even number once more. We went for a family walk around Burbage Common in the morning. This was then followed by a trip to Fosse Shoppin ..read more

Blog 26 – 2.6 Challenge – 26 blog posts over 26 days… Hooray this is my final post for the 2.6 Challenge. The writing marathon has come to an end. It has been a good experience overall. I have managed to write about a lot of subjects that I have been meaning to for a long time. It has been interesting how on some days I planned to write about one topic but then the blog has evolved into something else. There were a few late nights that displeased me. However, it has proved to me that if I really want to blog about something I am able to make the time. I am not sure how many people have actua ..read more

Blog 25 – 2.6 Challenge – 26 blog posts over 26 days… Even though I can’t see, I can see. I can see the past so vividly. It astonishes me how clearly I can recollect the past. I don’t just recall the basics like colours, I know details. For example, I can remember certain images and patterns on my clothes. I can picture characters from cartoons, such as Gus from Recess and Tommy from the Rugrats. I can see the shape of Gus’s glasses and how his trousers are too short thus exposing his socks. My mind’s eye can view Tommy’s bald head, the blue of his t-shirt and how he stands with bowed legs. A ..read more

Blog 24 – 2.6 Challenge – 26 blog posts over 26 days… After having writer’s block a couple of days ago I’m going to try writing about food again. Food, it fuels the body. Without it survival is impossible. In the last few years my food habits have shifted. Due to being Muslim I have never eaten meat from a pig. In general I have never been a massive meat eater. This might sound silly but I don’t like chewing. I am certain I have weakened teeth from having a brace in my teens. Anyway, when I did eat meat I would tend to go for chicken. I found it less greasy. As an adult I have always been ke ..read more