blogging
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My blogging year 2022
Here we are at the end of 2022, how has your year been?
As far as my blog year goes, I’ve been unproductive, but my life has been productive with little time for my blog. I hoped to read 45 books this year, my Good reads account is at 38, so that’s not good either. So, what have I been up to?
January 2022
This year I set myself a reading marathon, trying to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer UK. I read all the Jack Reacher books at speed. I would not advise this to anyone as I can barely remember the books and it was exhausting! Plus, people don’t appear to donate money to reading marathons. Here is why PCUK –(loss of my dad).
After walking about 36 miles in one go in 2021 I’m struggling to find a challenge to top it. I wrote 30 stories in 30 days in November 2021 – hard work but not a fundraising success. (30 stories in 30 days)
Any good fundraising ideas? I can’t run far and I’m not jumping out of a plane, so I’m stuck here. We walked over 1000 miles in 2021 and have done it again in 2022. (My 2022 fundraising page)
This year my daughter and I helped raise awareness by wearing our pyjamas around town and then posted it on the Facebook local resident’s page. We had been noticed by a lot of people and received many positive comments of support. Yes I am wearing my Oodie.
Also, in January 2022
We found out that our nine-year-old was eighteen months behind at school. This was why she was crying through every maths lesson and then banging her head into the table. Lots of tears and angst. Thankfully my sister is a primary school teacher, so from about February onwards she has been tutoring her once a week. My daughter now at December 2022 is in the top English group at school and is doing year 5 maths, no longer year 2 that she was doing in January. She is a lot happier and proud of her efforts, a productive year for her!
March 2022
I realised that I needed to chase up her referral for ADHD, and with help she was finally diagnosed in May 2022. Her medication, extra tutoring, teachers, and hard work and determination have all contributed to where she is today. She has come a long way!
July 2022
My eleven-year-old finished primary school this year. Lots of emotions about leaving, a leavers ball and a leavers assembly. Friends that he has parted from and then friends who we didn’t think he would still be friends with who, through the wonders of modern technology are still talking frequently. When I left school, we said goodbye and its only through Facebook that I see their faces and their news. Too many years have gone by to send a messenger message out of the blue, some of them would not recognise me in the street or say hello.
September 2022
My son started Secondary school and that has meant a lot more homework. I’m that mum who is working and monitoring the homework workload to ensure it is all completed. That might sound mad, but I’m also the mum who wishes she had worked harder at school. I would be working a very different job now. The homework I missed and the lessons that I daydreamed through all led to today. So, if I can help my children make better decisions and understand and do their school work well, I will.
Both children are working extremely hard at school, but like a lot of nine- and eleven-year-olds they hate homework. Social media is not helping there, the homework gets completed as soon as possible rather then maximum effort, and yes, I really need to step back and not worry.
December 2022
My son enjoys building Lego, current favourites are Lego Architecture and big Lego Technic, featured picture was his Christmas present, started yesterday and finished today. I’ve realised that he not only needs to work hard at school, but he also needs to one day have a house with a spare room to accommodate all of it. His collection is rapidly growing.
As of yesterday I have walked about 1020 miles this year and my children have walked too.
My writing
This year I have been too busy and too tired to write. Reading became a challenge as I kept falling asleep in my comfortable chair every night. I then moved into the kitchen but I still fought to stay awake.
I’ve seen writing challenges in my inbox and thought I need to do something. I’ve had ideas while going about my workday. Getting out the laptop and writing was something that prior November 2020 I just did. Afterwards my world fell apart, then life got busier with the children needing more of my time. (my plans for 2022)
My novel still sits here on my lap top. Draft one that needs a complete rewrite. Can I get back into this? I really hope I can.
2023 is just a week away, a whole new year! A new year to get back into writing and to make new memories with our families!
Hope you have all had a good Christmas, and best wishes for a happy and positive 2023!
My 2022 fundraising page again
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The last year, 2019 and Christmas
January 2019
I was going to do a post reflecting on this last year, with my favourite posts. I then realised that this would be a long list.
So here are some posts from January. Here is my first post of 2019 – New years day poetry
The mannequin and the slippers poetry
Friday and a day at home – reading this I can see that the children have not got any easier.
Other months
The New York Street End Café – Written for Writers Unite – July 2019
New year poetry – December 2018
What have I achieved this year?
I’ve added many stories and poems to my blog. I’m hoping that my writing is improving. I have had two stories published this year on Spillwords.
I am now writing a Paranormal story for an Anthology. I scared myself a few night ago reading about the ‘Lake of sulphur’. I needed to know what Demons smell like. The answer is Sulphur. The smell of rotten eggs.
My novel is at about 70 000 words and I’m struggling with it. For now I have taken a break. I started it in March, so I have a very long way to go. I’m guessing I have many redrafts to write.
In June I started my second blog www.marianwood.com and soon after I started my monthly newsletter.
Friday and Christmas
So, how has your Christmas been? Mine has involved the usual Christmas stress and the best bit was seeing the children enjoying their presents. I’m glad that its now Friday 27th.
However it did include profiteroles and cream, which were lovely.
The Christmas tree has lost some baubles, every year it looks more unwell. The kids rooms need their new toys tidying away. I spent most of boxing day cooking and I have most of a turkey in my fridge. Todays dinner was turkey curry.
Christmas presents
(Anything purchased through my affiliate links will earn me some commission which will help pay for my blog).
We now have food colouring on the kitchen table. Put newspaper down before your child plays with it. Both children are loving these.
There are other experiment sets in the series.Sewing kit
My daughter was sewing Christmas night. She loves being creative.Scalectrix
Providing hours of fun as the cars race around the track.Barbie
The doll that girls of all ages love.Star wars Pyjamas
As a star wars fan, my husband wanted these from the children.Slippers
Always an essential.Books (Train to Impossible places)
I have bought these for my daughter, but I intend to read them as they look good.
Today we have been puzzle building. However, the children quickly got bored of finding border pieces. Leaving me determined and alone to carry on. We have tested out the puzzle roll mat and it does seem to actually work. Maybe the children will unroll it themselves tomorrow and carry on, I can hope.
My six year old was taking baubles of the tree today. She told me that Christmas is over and it’s time to take the Christmas tree down. If she had said that this morning I would probably have taken it down. I’m being told that we need to buy a new one. Reading reviews I’m not sure if there are trees significantly better to justify binning my poor tree. I bought it years ago., (possibly 2003, yes it is old)
Christmas holidays
Just a few days left, back to work on Monday. Tomorrow if I get motivated I might make the effort to finally walk to the town and return the library book. Both children have loads of reading after Christmas.
The year is almost over, what else can I fit in to the last few days? 2020 is just around the corner. My next blog post for just muddling through life will be next year. Time is going to fast!
For more see, A time to look back over this year – December 2018
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A year today, I started writing my blog – poetry
My Blogaversary
A year today, I started writing my blog,
A way to ease stress, to ease my mind fog.
Stress from the children, work stress and strife,
Working it out, on just muddling through life.
A year of posting stories, Amazon posts and rhyme,
Tales of my children, their changes in time.Writing my blog is a huge commitment,
One which a year ago I didn’t appreciate.
Writing my first post, I didn’t know where I was heading,
Of the work ahead of me, and the Bloggers Bash in London.
The friends I would meet, and the work it would take,
All for my writing, and my writing blogs sake.I look back now, I have come a long way,
Slowly my audience grows day by day.
With over 8500 views now at a year,
I was hoping for more but actually I shouldn’t fear.
For those blogs with high figures, those that do well,
They have more going on, have something to sell.I know a blog should benefit the reader,
Mine tells of fiction, so it’s not a blog leader.
Now spending time doing Facebook Live,
Twice a week hoping to help my page thrive.
The work that it takes to keep a blog going,
Not to give up, to keep on writing.This year
So, into year two and where am I going?
I’m hoping my audience, will keep on growing.
My writing prompts will continue with tales of Ruby and Freda,
Blog Battle and Writers Unite to entertain the reader.
Tales of my children on just muddling through life,
The joys of working and being a stressed wife.My blog is one you can sit, with a mug of tea,
Put your feet up and enjoy a short story.
Forever adventures in just muddling through life,
With my children featuring adding to my strife.
A blog to relax with or get into a feature,
A story or poem, or my kids and their nature.
A year today I started writing this blog,
Unaware of the hard work and slog.
Sharing the work of all my fellow bloggers,
Commenting and tweeting, supporting their efforts.
With Blogging and a Beverage and Share and Inspire,
Epic bloggers and Golden bloggers all help us further.A year today, I didn’t know my future friends,
Those who now my blogging depends.
Thankyou all, for your comments and shares,
Here’s to year two, more writing about my cares.
For my blog to develop, I continue writing on,
A post at a time, my thoughts, the stories are soon done.Statistics
Here are my statistics of my blogging year,
All the work that has kept my readers near.
From today a year ago 101 posts straight,
My novel at that point it had to wait.
June this year I started a second blog,
Yes, it has impacted my writing log.Through writing every Tuesday on marianwood.com,
Writing of my novel and how I’m getting on.
Now a total of 88 posts this year on just muddling through life.
Writing every Friday with my short stories and life strife.
With over 77500 words achieved in 2019,
My novel right now is 75000 words, I’m quite the writing queen.For all the words I’ve written throughout my blogging year,
I look back and read, those words won’t disappear.
All the thanks I owe to those at Lyrical Host,
Who without you I wouldn’t be able to boast.
For without all your help and your support,
My blogging year would have certainly been a lot more fraught.Thank you!
So, thank you every one of you, who has offered their support,
Blogging is not easy, the commitment, the time is sought.
I try now to blog every Tuesday and Friday, writing every night,
In the hope that my novel will be completed one day.
On with the blogging and on with our lives,
I’m in year two, this blog will continue to survive.Note, including my second blog at marianwood.com, I have written about 90674 blog words in 2019. I could have written two first drafts with all those words.
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