Has it been that long blah blah blah. 😁
Yes it has, and possible even a record for me! 2026 has turned out to be an interesting year that led to me being a bit broken for a while.
It turns out that it wasn't the right time to do a degree whilst working. It had a proper negative impact on my family and I due to being locked away every spare moment I had. I was quite unwell April to June ... just in time for my final Level 5 assessment for which I then needed an extension. Thankfully it got submitted in the end!
I've wanted to jack it in completely but have the marks for a higher diploma at Distinction level which means I'm tracking well for a First Class Honours degree. Based on that I've decided to take a year's break from learning. Even though things have been tough, it felt wrong to just walk away.
A month on, things have been much better as I've been returning to things I enjoy. I've been reading lots and have managed to sit down and enjoy a movie or two without falling asleep! Most importantly, I've started taking photos and playing guitar again. The former being a hell of a lot easier than the latter!
My eldest is doing both music and photography for her GCSEs so we've been able to spend lots more time together. I've given her my older camera so we've been out experimenting together. A few (of mine) from a trip to the local town graveyard.
It turns out the wildlife is very comfortable with humans!
There was also the local car event which was very much up my street.
I've a holiday off with the girls this week and we've planned a trip to Norwich to visit the Castle, guitar stores, retro arcade and most importantly for the youngest, Wagamama. We're also going to the cemetery for lunch as youngest loves the cafe there (she's a bit weird).
In the meantime, I'll be aiming to add Hive to the things I'm doing more frequently.