For the first time since the Pandemic Lockdown back in 2020, all the Newport Household will be at school or work. H starts at his new school today, and after feeling a bit mopey over the last couple of days about it, I’ve got my act together, and I’m happy for him. He’s certainly in a good mood about it. Evie is doing her GCSEs which is stressful, but she’s coping. Rachel is settling into a temporary role as team leader for Cancer Research at her hospital, which is still hectic, but nowhere near as mad as being the Covid Team Leader (which is a story for another day) which she did from early 2020 to just before Christmas 2022.

This leaves me with time on my hands during the day, so it’s time to get my head down and magically transform the house. Bring two rooms back from being unable, and generally clean and renovate five years of neglect. Oh, and there’s the stuff that needs fixing after ten years of the extension (like our horrific Ziggurat of Doom front stairs and a few water leaks). The Garden will get a facelift, transforming from the cover picture of Black Sabbath’s 1st LP (an overgrown wet ruin) into something more colourful and happy (with Sunflowers :D).

2023 needs to be a big year for D101 too. I’ve lots of stuff I need to get out (which I’m collectively calling the Swamp), stuff that I feel fired up to do, and getting the whole business on a firm footing so I can contribute more to the family funds consistently.

But for the first time in years, I don’t feel overwhelmed, partially because I see other things in my Reality falling into place (H getting back into school was a huge one here) and partly because I’ve been upping my game after hitting a low about it all June last year.

It’s weird, though. Like being some sort of time traveller. Moving from the preteen age to a new and exciting one for our teenage children. Now that I’m conscious of this, I’m now quietly planning for when the children have fled the nest 😀

So 2023, even without looking at the bonfire that is British Politics, is all about change. We even have new neighbours, with four(?) children who moved in last week.