September Sun.

Hello out there. It's been a couple of weeks since I came on here.

I'm alone in my flat listening to The Barber of Seville. A duck is roasting in the oven. The duck stock made from the giblets is cooling. And outside the September sun brings a warming hue.

My return to work last week was challenging to say the least. Whilst I cannot go into details on here what I will say is all decisions and plans have consequences and some of those are unseen. The next year is going to be tough. 

For all those challenges I am still me. I'm still cooking, reading, and listening to my opera.

I find out next week whether I will be able to continue with my course. Yes academic failure which until a couple of months ago was unknown in my adult life may scupper the whole thing. Now there would be a dilemma. 

Yet on this Sunday afternoon I'm not worried about that. Instead I will enjoy my cooking, my opera and my book. After lunch I will sit in the sunshine with a pint and take stock.

I Heard a Voice. 

Holiday Time, Borough Market Awaits!

Greetings as the sun burns off the cloud on what will be a hot day. This is my first post from my laptop that I got through DSA. I'm on my holidays! Certainly well needed.

Having smashed it out of the park with my team last week mania was hovering. Lack of sleep though has calmed things down somewhat. Calm equilibrium has returned.

So what of my adventures? Yesterday I went to St Albans. Lunch at Little Marrakesh, I ate sardine charmoula and drank Casablanca beer. A nice wander and bought some rugby shirts. Sadly my two chosen pub options did not materialise as The Boot was closed for renovation and The White Swan only had strong beer and I tend to avoid that.

Waking early once again today I'm preparing to go to Borough Market. Not been since Easter. Meeting Laura, Emma and Beka for lunch at Brindisa, some shopping and a pub. The sun will shine and we will make merry. Tomorrow brings dinner with Sarah at The Neem Tree and Friday I turn 55. Miriam and Nigel are taking me out to lunch at The Waggoners.

On Saturday I travel to the seaside. Back in Kent for a few days no doubt I will eat and drink too much. But I will see dad and various friends. Traveling home on Tuesday I have no plans after that for the rest of my two week holiday.

Catch you all then.

I Heard a Voice.

Ragu on a Wet Saturday.

Summer has deserted us today. Been pouring down since I got up. Stupidly early in fact, couldn't sleep. Been to Oaklands, Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield by 11.30 am.

As I write there is a hint of coming mania. The tiredness is keeping a brake on things for the time being. But all the stars are coming into line. I've spent a lot but that's okay, I got paid yesterday. 

To say our team triumphed yesterday is an understatement, we blew it away with our camp. With VIPs visiting yesterday my knowledge, experience and incessant talking about mental health has got us and me on the map. One visitor said it was the highlight of her week. Another that I was inspirational. The upshot is I may soon be talking to people in exalted places. 

Little me with my story of tragedy, trauma, loss, heart break, breakdown, fighting back and surviving has brought rave reviews. Actually the credit really lies with our amazing team. 

See now why the mood is up, the spending rampant and the positivity on a cold, wet and miserable day?

I bought lovely things. Now my culinary adventures are under with ragu. I will save that for the week. Tonight there will be Vietnamese pork meatballs with a spicy peanut sauce. Tomorrow roast turkey. And Monday slow roast belly pork with fennel seeds and garlic. 

My holiday is underway and it will be glorious. Back in sunny Kent next weekend. Before then I turn 55. A long journey. 

I Heard a Voice. 

The Chill of Autumn.

Greetings on this Sunday morning. Although we are still in sunny August the chill of autumn is with us. Soon the leaves will turn and fall. The conkers will be strewn across our land. And game will adorn by table. 

Life has been quite tricky since my last post. Work has brought up a series of unexpected obstacles. But we're working our way through. 

Away from there I'm mainly doing okay. My friends James and Charlie are visiting this weekend. An eating and drinking bonanza of decadence. I'll have lunch with them at 1 pm before they head to their respective homes.

Just one week lies between me and my needed summer holiday. I haven't had a week off since Easter. In less than two weeks my birthday will occur. Lunch with Miriam and Nigel then a few beers in the pub. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. 

I Heard a Voice. 

Roast pork, Handel and my Book.

Greetings on a milder and overcast day. I woke late and spent a gentle morning cooking roast pork, listening to opera and reading my book. 

Not quite sure how I feel today. I'm certainly not low but no sign of mania. Kinda nothing type of day.

The weekend has been good though. My friend Jayne came down from Cambridge yesterday. Marvellous lunch at The Waggoners, a walk back through the woods and a couple of pints in the pub.

As it's the summer holidays it is quite hard to motivate myself to work. I have the dreaded appraisal on Wednesday. Long time readers of this blog may recall some of the horrific experiences in appraisals past. Why 3 hours have been scheduled I have no idea. That does not seem normal. 

There are 3 weeks until my long awaited summer break. Have a few things planned including a few days in Kent with dad. I will meet friends at Borough Market 2 days before my birthday. 55 sounds very grand.

Until next time I will leave you all. Have wonderful Sunday.

I Heard a Voice. 

Another Day in Summer.

Greetings on a mild Sunday morning as the sun begins to emerge from the clouds. You find me at home alone listening to Carmen and reading. 

For the first time in months I actually feel physically well. With ailment after ailment through the autumn, winter and spring health has returned. And with it my mental state has improved. Yes I'm still wounded but not overwhelmed. Well not today. 

Summer came to the fore this week after so much rain. Hot, humid and sunny days whilst energy sapping have been most welcome. 

On this Sunday a corn feed chicken will go in the roast shortly. I made a herb butter with tarragon, thyme, marjoram and parsley which I spread beneath the skin. With new potatoes, roast carrots, asparagus and broccoli hopefully it will be a marvellous summer feast.

Tomorrow work beckons but with the coming of the holidays it will be slower. We are moving offices over the summer. I view the new working space on Tuesday. 

Must get cooking now.

I Heard a Voice. 

Still Valued and Cared About

On another grey and cold summer day you find me alone at home listening to Puccini. Apart from Gareth my butcher I haven't seen a soul all day. The nightmares came back as I tried to sleep. Not a good start.

The last 10 weeks have made me reflect on who I am, what I am and how people perceive me. The hammer blow on 9th May of someone so close slamming the door in my face with no explanation still reverberates. Like the terrifying sound of the metal door in the asylum all those summers ago.

For the most part people praise, wonder, revere and are inspired by my story of survival in the mental health world. Indeed almost exactly 30 years ago the prognosis on my discharge papers read "likely to commit suicide within 6 months". What a horrible thing to say. But I survived those 6 months, the next 12 months and indeed 29 years.

Yet I still have to live with the pain of the present. My reflection was a lot to do with the university where I worked for 14 years. There too high praise as well as poison. In the time since people from that world have fallen silent, ignored me or overtly cut off contact. That's painful to live with. 

During the week though I saw 2 people from there on the street. On Tuesday I bumped into a former student who asked if he could hug me. Then yesterday I bumped into a former colleague who also hugged me and relayed they still talk about me and still miss me.

That not all from the past want to shut down from me brings strength when needed, validation that is needed and reaffirmation that I'm not the failed and flawed character my paranoia tells me but someone loved, thought about and valued. I need that.

I Heard a Voice.