About me – Just Muddling Through Life
I am Marian I am a married working mum, living in Kent, UK with two brilliant young children. I am not a very confident person and I am often down on myself. I get very stressed with work and family life, often struggling to relax and rest.
I started my blog because despite a few issues with my grammar I enjoy writing and I love reading. I have begun to write my first novel, but after writing about 29000 words I am a bit stuck. I do realise I need to get back to it and just write.
My husband and my children are my world. This blog tells our story of our ups and downs and also some of my creative writing.
Below is my daughter’s beheaded bear, now long ago put in the bin as completely ripped to pieces. As a mum I sometimes know how this poor bear must have felt. The other photo highlights that the children, despite arguing are the best of friends really.
I hope you enjoy reading and can relate to it, the stress, tears and the love of family life.
My new author website is now at www.marianwood.com
48 Comments
ellenbest24
Pleased to virtually meet you fellow Englander… A beheaded bear is plainly a cry for help. 🤣☺😁 do not appologise for grammer fluff the Uk has neglected to teach it for years so you are not alone.
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thanks Ellen, my 7 year old is learning Grammar at school. There are things he knows that I do not. there are things that I can not remember being taught. Yes the poor bear was bought on holiday and she loved it, I did not expect it to come to the sad end that it did.
ellenbest24
Learn with her, easier than from a book. X
justmuddlingthroughlife
Yes I should, he knew what a contraction is, I didn’t.. I thought that you only had contractions when you are giving birth, ha ha.
ellenbest24
Me to i hate the jargon, once you Google it and see it broke down you will find you do know but don’t know there rubbish terminology.
justmuddlingthroughlife
yes it was not a term I remember from school.
Anindya
Loved reading your About section, Marian. Some lovely cute pictures of the children. Great to know that you are writing a novel, and juggling with life along with it. Wishing you all the success with it and your blog..:)
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thank you Arindya very much.
Anindya
You are welcome.
Rebecca Moon Ruark
29,000 words. That’s fantastic. Just keep going. I’m rooting for you in your creative writing–and everything else!
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thankyou Rebecca, I had not fully appreciated the work that goes into writing a book until I started writing this one..
fancypaperblog
I wrote a post once about my smallest girl’s skill to break things and this decapitation reminded me!
justmuddlingthroughlife
Aren’t girls great? My daughter is great at breaking things.. poor teddy though..
fancypaperblog
Poor teddy!! Girls are the best though. I get to relive all the things I loved through childhood through them. It is fab
justmuddlingthroughlife
Yes I agree… as a child I wanted care bears and loads of my little ponies. My 5 year old now has a room full of care bears and my little ponies. Yes girls are great.
fancypaperblog
That is uncanny. I was delighted that the eldest girl got Cheer Bear as a gift from her auntie. A childhood desire come true for me 🤣
justmuddlingthroughlife
We love the care bears… honestly we have a crazy amount here. They are adorable though..
fancypaperblog
They stand the test of time 😄
justmuddlingthroughlife
Yes they do, there are original ones 1983 I think on eBay.. some of them are crazy prices.
fancypaperblog
Madness! We have old Barbies. They look so different back then
justmuddlingthroughlife
The old Barbies are so much better though and sindy..
fancypaperblog
Sindy in her aerobics gear was the doll everyone had!
justmuddlingthroughlife
Yes i had her and Skippy. Ours are still with my parents.. big box of them. Barbie and Sindy together.
fancypaperblog
Skippy! Totally forgot her.
justmuddlingthroughlife
Happy memories, somewhere I have Barbie and Ken in box in a wedding dress, or it might he sindy and Derek.. think thats right.
fancypaperblog
Well I clean forgot his band
fancypaperblog
Name I mean!
justmuddlingthroughlife
Yes I know there was Ken but I do think it was Derek and Sindy.
raiswatirai
Welcome to the world of blogging and yes as a mum leading an itinerant life here in India- I identify with the muddling though life, sentiment! onwards and upwards! keep writing!
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thankyou very much, we definitely muddle on through.
debrapurdykong
A pleasure to meet you and I look forward to reading your blogs. Try not to stress too much about that first novel. I remember how hard it was. Just write it at your own pace, a little bit at a time, and don’t worry about anything else. The editing will come later.
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thanks Debra, it is hard, plus I’m writing about something I don’t know much about so I need to do lots of research on the unknown. It’s a crime thriller.. or maybe not so much thriller… but I know very little about crime, so lots to learn.. thanks.
debrapurdykong
One step at a time. I always leave research to after the second or third draft. By then, I’ve edited enough to really understand what I need to know 🙂
justmuddlingthroughlife
Ok thanks Debra for your advice.
You Can Always Start Now
my grammar sucks also. Don’t let that or anyone stop you doing what brings you joy.
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thankyou very much, I am just conscious of the grammar police.
Image Earth Travel
Great to meet you and look forward to reading more of your posts.
Many thanks for stopping by my Travel and Photography blog. 🙂
justmuddlingthroughlife
Thankyou, I will be back to have another look at your blog as it looks very interesting.
sunflower
Good luck with your novel!
Just muddling through life
Thankyou very much x
Gloria
Marian feel free to connect with me when you’re having downs about the novel writing. I feel we’re at the same place in our writing. Still learning, still blogging, and sometimes need a confidence boost. I can’t give expert advice but I can share any tips that I’ve come across in the last year or so.
My novel is not a crime thriller but I love reading crime thrillers. I’m actually not sure what genre mine falls into yet. It’s set in a small Iris town in the 50’s/60’s. There’s love but it’s not a romance. Secrets but not a mystery. Death but no crime. A psychologically disturbed antagonist who causes trouble. Where is your story set? Is it contemporary? I’m interested to know more.
Just muddling through life
Thanks Gloria for your support! For the moment I’ve given up on my crime thriller and I’m writing my science fiction, Secret Time warp, based on the short story on my blog, Your novel sounds interesting!
Gloria
Oops yes….I did know that but I forgot. Sorry.
You might go back to the crime thriller some day though. Keep it safe.
Just muddling through life
That’s ok, I intend to, the story needs to be told, it’s just writing it… Thankyou!
dearanonymousfriend
29,000 words is 29,000 words more than I have written… I get down on myself often too. I think it does help the creative process, and I really don’t have much confidence. Loved this about page. When your kids are young, it’s hard, but, unlike the bear you are in tact and most likely doing exactly what needs to be done. Keep your chin up! You are doing great! Cathi (DAF)
Just muddling through life
Thankyou Cathi, for all your support!
jennybhatia
Hi Marian. I’m sure I have been here before to read this, but loved returning to learn about you. I think your About Me page is perfect, it’s real, and it tells me about your heart. I hope all is well.
Just muddling through life
Thankyou Jenny, I appreciate your comment. I am well thanks, hope you are well too!