Now that we’ve established I’m back, let’s catch up on what the last 7 months have looked like. If Lemony Snickett could go back in time, I think he’d be tempted to write A Series of Unfortunate Events about my life instead. Bit dramatic? Probably… It’s not all been bad.
We got Rupert
I was almost finished writing this blog post when I realised that seven months ago, we didn’t have Rupert yet and that blew my mind! I figured it’s best to mention him right at the start as I will probably reference him throughout this post.
Roo is without a doubt the best thing that’s happened in the last 7 months. We brought our baby boy home at the beginning of December, and he has fit into our lives so perfectly. If you don’t follow me on Instagram, I can confirm that Rupert is not a human baby, he is a dog. He is a dachshund welsh terrier cross, and he is the cheekiest little boy you’ll ever meet. I am so grateful that I’ve had him by my side when dealing with some difficult situations over the last few months.
OUCH
So I managed to make it into my early twenties without any broken bones, which is incredibly impressive if you know how clumsy I am.
However, my streak was ruined when I fell in Queens Park trying to untangle Roo’s lead from a very energetic dog… The hill was icy and I slipped, my body went in one direction and my leg went in the other. I heard what can only be described as a horrible earth shattering snap and the rest is history… I was in a cast up to my knee for all of February, all of March and some of April. 0/10 would not recommend to a friend, it was HORRENDOUS.
It was really tough being stuck in the house and not being able to do the simplest things like going for a shower or taking Roo out. If I can go the rest of my life without breaking another bone, that would be much appreciated.
We moved…
After a happy two and a half years in our first flat together, Lewis and I moved! Luckily, we didn’t have too far to move – practically just round the corner. Despite only moving a short distance, it was chaotic. You always forget how stressful moving is until you have to do it again, don’t you? However, we managed to make it out the other side with only a few minor arguments…
I can say without a doubt that it was worth the stress. I love our flat so much. We finally live in a tenement flat! If you know me, you’ll know that I love tenements, so this is kinda a big deal.
There’s just something about those high ceilings that get me every time… Luckily, we have an amazing landlord who is happy for us to decorate, so expect some rented flat decor and DIY content soon!
Writing my dissertation and finishing my fourth year exams
Soooo, I have officially finished uni. Actually, I’m reluctant to say that in case I’ve failed all my exams… I have very little confidence in myself when it comes to law, can you tell?! I have found the past four years at uni really difficult, and in all honesty, not enjoyable at all.
That being said, writing 10,000 words for a legal dissertation was no mean feat, especially when I couldn’t go to the library… Unfortunately, the bulk of my dissertation writing took place when I had my broken leg and was housebound. Relying solely on online resources has definitely made me worry that I’ve not done as well as I could have.
I also did not expect to take my final uni exams on my laptop at home, but that’s what happened! I completed my exams on the couch, in my pyjamas – living through a pandemic is kinda weird, isn’t it? It all feels very surreal, and I haven’t actually let myself celebrate being done because I’m worried I won’t graduate.
Note to self: have a little more faith in yourself.
Downward mental spiral and fatphobic doctors
No matter what I go to the doctor for, I can almost guarantee that the doctor will comment on my weight. It’s no surprise that I’m now very reluctant to go to the doctors, but when I was at my wits end with chronic pain, I made an appointment. I went armed with a list of things I wanted to discuss, and rather than considering all of these symptoms, the doctor disregarded them and told me to “watch what I eat and exercise more”. Fatphobia at it’s finest…
This definitely sent me on a downward spiral with my mental health. I was already struggling as it was, but for a doctor to make me feel so unworthy because of my size, it made the battle with my brain even worse. I feel like I’m slowly coming out the other side right now, but our mental health journeys are full of ups and downs aren’t they?
Despite being on a body acceptance journey for a while, experiences like that can still tear me down. It ultimately makes me angry, but I think it’s okay that it upsets me too.
Pretending to be a dentist…
I had to get my wisdom tooth out which was relatively painful in itself, however the real dilemma was what occurred after… I was meant to go back to the dentist two leeks later to get my stitches out, but funnily enough I broke my leg the night before my appointment. My dentist is upstairs in an old building with no lift…
Long story short, by the time I got my cast off, we went into lockdown and the dentist couldn’t see me.
After my stitches were in for about 12 weeks longer than they should have been, I decided to take matters into my own hands… I played a game of operation and removed the stitches myself. It went surprisingly well, albeit a bit painful since the stitches were embedded in my gum for way too long.
Running Rust and Roots… and losing clients, thanks Rona
When I’ve not been doing uni work, I’ve been running Rust and Roots. It is my wee indie business, and I absolutely love it. I will admit that running your own business isn’t easy, but I am so incredibly grateful for the flexibility it gives me.
COIVD has had a big impact on my business, but that is not surprising considering I support small businesses and small businesses are hit the hardest at times like this. However, I am enjoying focusing on the clients I do have and improving my business in the meantime.
I’m looking forward to building my client list back up when we are no longer in the middle of a pandemic (still such a weird thing to say, how is this real life?!).
For now, I am choosing to be grateful for the unexpected free time. It has given me the opportunity to start my blog back up, so that is one positive!
Although the last few months have been incredibly tough, I certainly won’t forget them and I learned some lessons along the way. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that the latter half of 2020 is better than the first half. Surely it has to be, right?!
If you made it to the end of this blog post, you deserve a medal. I hope you’ll forgive me if it felt a bit self-centred – I promise we’ll be on to bigger and better topics next time!
Thanks for reading, and I’ll speak to you soon.
Leave a Comment